"It a good thing because we get the chance to get a few matches in that won't be as demanding, or as tough," Penn State senior DeWitt Driscoll said.
Tough competition is something the Lions know all too well. The open will end Penn State's stretch of matches against teams ranked in the top 15 nationally. The Lions beat then-No. 8 Lehigh before losing two straight matches to No. 15 Wisconsin and No. 3 Michigan.
With the strain a schedule like that puts on a team, Penn State has to wonder if it will wear them out in the long run, especially the young guys.
"[Wearing down] is a little bit of a concern," Penn State wrestling coach Troy Sunderland. "We adjusted our schedule as much as we could this season to give them some break so they could recover and refresh themselves."
One young Lion who doesn't look like he'll wear down is Jake Strayer, who has been as good as advertised. The 133-pound redshirt freshman from South Fork, Pa., has assembled a 4-0 record in dual matches and has out-wrestled NCAA qualifier Brian Heller this season.
Even with the level Strayer has been wrestling at, he still isn't the best wrestler on the team. That award is shared by Phil Davis and James Yonushonis, who have performed about three or four notches above Strayer. Yonushonis has been a pleasant surprise with a 5-0 record and three victories against ranked opponents.
"He's been a leader on the team in terms of work ethic," Sunderland said. "He's worked on his defense with [assistant] coach [Dave] Hart, and I think that is what has elevated him to the next level."
But most likely Davis, Yonushonis, Strayer and most of the starters will not be in action this weekend as Sunderland looks to get them some time to recover from being dinged up. The only Lions regular who will be wrestling for sure is the squad's only wrestler at 141, Driscoll.
"In DeWitt's case, he's somebody who gets better by competition," Sunderland said. "It's something where the more matches he gets, the more he gets into a rhythm."
Being the only available player at his weight means that Driscoll will not enjoy the luxury most of his teammates do. He will be asked to wrestle in every single match that Penn State is involved in, and his conditions will become vital. But even Driscoll questions whether he will be able to hold up.
"I just worry about that I just came off [anterior cruciate ligament] surgery, and my knee might be a little weak," Driscoll said. "Other than that, anytime I'm on the mat I'm happy. That's where I want to be."
Injury Report
Penn State will once again be without the services of Eric Bradley, the No. 1 wrestler at 184. Bradley has been out since the Nov. 6 wrestle-offs with a left ankle injury. Sunderland says he will hold Bradley out this weekend for precautionary reasons, but Bradley feels he should be able to wrestle by next Friday against Navy.
"I am starting to get back in to the swing of things," Bradley said. "We're just taking it week-by-week and see by the middle of next week where it is and try to wrestle a little bit. If it's good, we'll probably go for it."
