On Dec. 10, 2000, the Penn State wrestling team won a pair of dual meets against Clarion and Navy to open the season.

Over the long winter that followed, the 2-0 start turned into a dismal 7-13 record, and a program in the doldrums trudged depressingly forward.

But history will show that on that day, the spark that would eventually turn Penn State wrestling around was struck. In the lineup together for the first time that day were a pair of redshirt freshmen named Josh Moore and Pat Cummins.

Moore picked up a pair of falls wrestling at 125, while Cummins had a tougher day, going 0-2.

Over the next four years, Moore and Cummins would become pillars in the Penn State lineup and symbols of the program's renaissance and return to the national stage.

Tonight at 7 against Michigan State and Sunday at 1 against No. 16 Pennsylvania will be the last two times Moore and Cummins will ever wrestle for No. 9 Penn State in Rec Hall.

Unless you have the cash and the time to travel to Minnesota next week, or to the Big Ten or NCAA championships in March, savor this weekend, Lions fans, because the next time Moore and Cummins are seen wrestling in Rec Hall they'll have to leave in handcuffs.

Moore and Cummins will highlight senior day festivities on Sunday that will also honor Marat Tomaev, Cliff Wonsettler and Curt Thompson.

On that day back in December of 2000, things were a lot different in the world of Penn State wrestling. Penn State wrestling coach Troy Sunderland was just beginning his third season and hard times for his team were ahead. Moore had just transferred in after a redshirt year at Edinboro to join his brother Scott in the Lions lineup, Cummins was an unknown commodity at heavyweight and Tomaev was one of the brightest prospects in the Penn State program with national champion potential.

In the brutally ruthless sport of wrestling though, things change. Cummins and Moore have risen steadily and will now take aim at national titles in a month, while Tomaev has felt the repeated sting of near misses and soul-crushing injuries.

"The hope when you recruit kids is that they can meet their potential," Suderland said. "We maybe expected more success from Moore and Tomaev when they first started, and not as much from Pat. But that's the thing about wrestling. Hard work and commitment usually pay off, like in Pat's case. Sometimes it doesn't like for Marat."

But this weekend, all of that is in the past. Moore and Cummins will be in the lineup along with Tomaev, who won a wrestle off against DeWitt Driscoll on Wednesday. Together, they will do what they have done for the last four years: Go out in front of a Rec Hall crowd and give it their all going for victory.

"They've seen a lot in their four years here, the good and the bad" Sunderland said. "They've been big parts in bringing this program back."

It appears they will also leave it in good hands. Two victories this weekend will give Penn State 13 on the season, their most since 1998. Things also look good for the future.

Next year can wait, though. For Moore, Cummins, Tomaev and the rest, there's still work to do.