After going 1-7 in the Big Ten in 2001, the Penn State wrestling team has the opportunity to break even in the conference, as the season comes to a close.
The Nittany Lions (6-10, 3-4 Big Ten) will travel to nearby No. 15 Lock Haven (14-4, 5-1 EWL) tomorrow night at 7 p.m., at Thomas Field House, and will face the No. 14 Purdue (14-4, 3-3) at noon on Sunday, at The Bryce Jordan Center.
As the season has progressed the Lions have gotten stronger and have begun to believe in themselves.
"I think our team has started to realize how well conditioned we are against Ohio State," co-captain Doc Vecchio said. "We didn't win every match but we eventually broke every guy. Against Michigan State, we were just more conditioned, which enabled us to be more aggressive. We knew they were tired and we went after it more."
The first of the weekend will be in hostile Lock Haven. Penn State coach Troy Sunderland said that this match is like a backyard brawl, because of the closeness of the competition, and that Lock Haven always wrestles tough against Penn State. It will be an intense match, Sunderland said.
The Bald Eagle's No. 2 Jamarr Billman (26-2) will wrestle against his former squad for the third time since transferring following the 1999 wrestling season. Billman defeated Nate Wachter by technical fall last year at Rec Hall, and again at the NCAA Championships, this time by fall.
Sunderland has no bad feelings towards Billman for transferring from Penn State.
"Jamarr is a good kid," Sunderland said. "Things just didn't work out here for him. I'm glad to see things are working out better there (Lock Haven). He's just a great athlete."
A key matchup will be at 141 pounds when the Lions' No. 10 Scott Moore (27-9) squares off against No. 12 Mike Maney (19-4). Maney is a former PIAA state champion, and decided to join the Bald Eagle squad rather than being a Lion. He was one a victory away from All-American status a year ago.
The 184-pound weight class will match a pair of Bald Eagle Area H.S. graduates, the Lions Curt Thompson (6-11) and Josh Millard (16-5).
On Sunday the Lions will encounter another PIAA state champion. The Boilermakers' No. 3 Chris Fleeger (22-2), 125 pounds, is a two-time state champion. He has faced the Lion's 125-pounder Adam Smith (15-9) in the consolations of class AA PIAA tournament, and Smith came out on top. Fleeger has been a top competitor in freestyle wrestling, earning a bronze last year at the Pan American Championships. Another tough match will be at 165-pounds, between Purdue's Oscar Santiago (19-8) and No. 10 Vecchio (26-10).
Sunderland realizes that you can't judge matches' outcomes on paper and based solely on records and rankings.
"Just based on records Purdue should win five matches," Sunderland said. "The 165 pound bout is a toss up, and we should win the other four. It's going to be battle but based on paper alone, we shouldn't win. All these kids are top kids, with records like 20-8. We just need to keep that kick your butt attitude, and we'll be fine."
