It is true that Penn State has a significant lead in the wrestling series over Lehigh, 73-34-3.
Indeed, Lehigh hasn’t triumphed since defeating the Nittany Lions in 2009, the year Cael Sanderson took over as head coach of Penn State.
Indeed, when the Lions go to Allentown to play the Mountain Hawks at the PPL Center in that city on Sunday at 2:00 p.m., Penn State, rated first, is a clear favorite.
However, it’s still Penn State vs. Lehigh, a rivalry that was similar to Penn State vs. Iowa in the past. Many supporters still look forward to attending the game, especially the older ones who recall the fiercely contested games between Penn State and Lehigh and Penn State and Navy in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Even the coaches enjoy it.
Pennsylvania is well-known for its high school and university wrestling programs. Sanderson stated this week that Lehigh is simply one of those contests that has a long history. When I first arrived, I could see that our alumni considered this rivalry to be one of the more significant games in their tradition and history.
The match is always competitive, but it’s a little more enjoyable because they’ve (Lehigh) kicked our ass a few times. We’re eager to see where we’re at because they’re a fantastic program.
Similar views are held by Lehigh coach Pat Santoro, a great representative of the sport and a Pitt two-time NCAA champion who attended Bethlehem Catholic High School.
Regarding the series, which started in 1911, Santoro stated on Wednesday, “I think it means a lot for us as alumni.” I have a great deal of respect for the Penn State coaches and their program, but we just want to compete against the greatest teams in the nation, no matter who they are. They are decent folks who follow the correct procedures.
Since getting out and wrestling and competing at the top level is what it’s all about, I always look forward to visiting their place or having them visit ours and just wrestle.
Lehigh will be favored in three matches according to the rankings, and those three matches might light up the announced sellout crowd. PSU sophomore Braeden Davis, rated 10th, is anticipated to take on No. 1-ranked Ryan Crookham at 133, while Penn State freshman Luke Lilledahl will face 15th-ranked Sheldon Seymour (6-1) at 125 for his first real test.
Lehigh’s sixth-ranked Michael Beard (9-0), a Penn State All-America as a freshman before transferring, is expected to face Nittany Lion redshirt freshman Josh Barr at 197 in what is expected to be the day’s main event.
Barr claims that he beefed up by purchasing a cow from teammate Tyler Kasak’s father and consuming a lot of red meat, which is how he achieved the 13-pound jump in the offseason. After two years at Cornell, Beard switched to Lehigh after Max Dean joined Penn State’s roster. Barr and Beard share similar physiques and techniques, and Lehigh’s Santoro labeled Barr a hammer.
Another fight to watch is the one between Michigan transfer Rylan Rogers, a 2020 National Prep champion from Blair Academy, and No. 2-ranked Levi Haines, who is a heavy favorite at 174.
After losing 21–12 against Pitt on Nov. 24, a game Santoro called dull, Lehigh is now 1-1. He stated it was really disappointing. I believe there was too much respect between the two teams. It’s not how Pitt wrestles, and it’s not how we wrestle. Pitt did not receive a takedown in six of the matches, and we did not receive one in six of the matches. That gives you some idea of what happened; nobody wants to see a chess encounter that was too intense.
According to Santoro, his list this year includes a number of new faces. He stated that although we lost some of our leaders in these dual meetings, we still need to improve and adopt an offensive mindset. This includes your go-behinds, re-attacks, snapping, and hand-fights. it’s all really important, and as we go forward, we need to improve on it.
According to Santoro, Crookham’s high temperature prevented him from wrestling Pitt. In the Journeymen Classic, heavyweight Nathan Taylor also had an injury that ended his season. Following that, Owen Trephan of North Carolina State, who is presently ranked 10th, declared his intention to transfer to Lehigh and start participating in the second semester.
NOTES: Tyler Kasak of Penn State, a Bethlehem Catholic graduate, defeated teammate Alex Facundo in the Black Knight Invitational by a score of 157. When Penn State and Lehigh last played at the PPL Center in 2017, the Lions had to fight to win 23–19. Greg Kerkvliet, a heavyweight from Penn State who is anticipated to take on Calvin Lachman of Lehigh, a Quakertown freshman, was asked this week what he thought of Gable Steveson of Minnesota, a two-time NCAA champion and Olympic gold medalist, coming back to the mats for the Gophers. He said, “I thought it was pretty cool.” It makes it much more special, in my opinion. He’s a really tough kid who is thrilled about it. The Big Ten Championships at Northwestern in March will be the next time those two clash.
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