Matt Brown Makes the History Books
National Championship Saturday was a bit different than usual for the Penn State wrestling team. With only one wrestler in the finals and no chance of a team title, all bets were on for 174 pounder Matt Brown.
Around 9 p.m. Brown took to the mat against Pittsburgh’s No. 8 seed Tyler Wilps. Earlier in the weekend Wilps knocked off Nebraska’s No. 1 seed Robert Kokesh in a surprising 3-2 upset in the quarterfinals Friday. Brown also took care of long time rival and Iowa’s No. 3 seed Mike Evans in their semifinal round.
A series of unfinished shots for both Wilps and Brown sums up the first period and Wilps chose down to start the second. Brown maintained control for 33 seconds before Wilps escaped to a 1-0 lead. Brown continued pressing and took another shot but was unable to finish as Wilps pulled himself out of bounds. Cue stalling call number one on Wilps. After that Wilps felt it was time to take a shot, which he connected, but Brown was able to wiggle out and end the period.
Still 1-0 starting the third period, Brown chose down to start. He worked for an escape and tied everything up at 1-1. Brown shot for a single leg and was awarded the takedown as Wilps continued to scurry out of bounds. With the score at 3-1, Wilps worked for an escape with 42 seconds left to shorten Brown’s lead to one at 3-2. He then scored a quick takedown to take the lead 4-3 with 20 seconds left.
After the reset Wilps clung onto Brown’s leg for five seconds and cue the second stalling call to give Brown the point and tie the score 4-4. With three seconds left, Brown squirmed in one last push to get an escape and end the bout in regulation time. He failed but Penn State challenged a no call because it appeared Wilps locked his hands before time ran out. After one look at the video, Wilps indeed locked his hands and Brown was awarded the penalty point. Pitt then immediately challenged that the locked hands call occurred before time ran out. They weren’t so lucky and the call stood.
Brown claimed the NCAA title with a 5-4 decision win.
SATURDAY MORNING
CONSOLATION ROUND SEMIS:
133: Edinboro’s No. 9 seed A.J. Schopp pinned PSU Jimmy Lawson, 3:38
197: PSU Morgan McIntosh dec. Missouri’s No.1 J’Den Cox, 3-1
285: Northwestern’s No. 2 seed Mike McMullan maj. dec. PSU Jimmy Lawson, 10-1
CONSOLATION ROUND FINALS:
For 7TH Place, 125: Oklahoma State’s No. 7 seed Eddie Kilmara dec. PSU Jordan Conaway, 5-4
For 5TH Place, 133: PSU Jimmy Gulibon dec. Lehigh’s No. 10 Mason Beckman, 9-5
For 3RD Place, 197: PSU Morgan McIntosh dec. Minnesota’s No. 3 Scott Schiller, 12-7
For 5TH Place, 285: Iowa’s No. 3 Bobby Telford dec. PSU Jimmy Lawson, 6-0
SATURDAY EVENING
FINALS
174: PSU Matt Brown dec. Pittsburgh’s No. 8 Tyler Wilps, 5-4
And sadly, wrestling season has officially ended.
Around 9 p.m. Brown took to the mat against Pittsburgh’s No. 8 seed Tyler Wilps. Earlier in the weekend Wilps knocked off Nebraska’s No. 1 seed Robert Kokesh in a surprising 3-2 upset in the quarterfinals Friday. Brown also took care of long time rival and Iowa’s No. 3 seed Mike Evans in their semifinal round.
A series of unfinished shots for both Wilps and Brown sums up the first period and Wilps chose down to start the second. Brown maintained control for 33 seconds before Wilps escaped to a 1-0 lead. Brown continued pressing and took another shot but was unable to finish as Wilps pulled himself out of bounds. Cue stalling call number one on Wilps. After that Wilps felt it was time to take a shot, which he connected, but Brown was able to wiggle out and end the period.
Still 1-0 starting the third period, Brown chose down to start. He worked for an escape and tied everything up at 1-1. Brown shot for a single leg and was awarded the takedown as Wilps continued to scurry out of bounds. With the score at 3-1, Wilps worked for an escape with 42 seconds left to shorten Brown’s lead to one at 3-2. He then scored a quick takedown to take the lead 4-3 with 20 seconds left.
After the reset Wilps clung onto Brown’s leg for five seconds and cue the second stalling call to give Brown the point and tie the score 4-4. With three seconds left, Brown squirmed in one last push to get an escape and end the bout in regulation time. He failed but Penn State challenged a no call because it appeared Wilps locked his hands before time ran out. After one look at the video, Wilps indeed locked his hands and Brown was awarded the penalty point. Pitt then immediately challenged that the locked hands call occurred before time ran out. They weren’t so lucky and the call stood.
Brown claimed the NCAA title with a 5-4 decision win.
SATURDAY MORNING
CONSOLATION ROUND SEMIS:
133: Edinboro’s No. 9 seed A.J. Schopp pinned PSU Jimmy Lawson, 3:38
197: PSU Morgan McIntosh dec. Missouri’s No.1 J’Den Cox, 3-1
285: Northwestern’s No. 2 seed Mike McMullan maj. dec. PSU Jimmy Lawson, 10-1
CONSOLATION ROUND FINALS:
For 7TH Place, 125: Oklahoma State’s No. 7 seed Eddie Kilmara dec. PSU Jordan Conaway, 5-4
For 5TH Place, 133: PSU Jimmy Gulibon dec. Lehigh’s No. 10 Mason Beckman, 9-5
For 3RD Place, 197: PSU Morgan McIntosh dec. Minnesota’s No. 3 Scott Schiller, 12-7
For 5TH Place, 285: Iowa’s No. 3 Bobby Telford dec. PSU Jimmy Lawson, 6-0
SATURDAY EVENING
FINALS
174: PSU Matt Brown dec. Pittsburgh’s No. 8 Tyler Wilps, 5-4
And sadly, wrestling season has officially ended.
