my thanks to
@gimb14 for the PBP.
My trip:
- GPS sent me a different way there due to an accident, which added @ 15 unexpected minutes to my trip
- same thing on the way home (going a different route), where it changed the initial directions to avoid an accident
The arena:
- I didn't pay too much attention to where my seats were (I knew they were on the floor). When I finally figured out my seat, I was directly behind PSU's corner seats. I chatted briefly before the match with CS and with Cody, and over the course of the match with most of the team (not all; didn't speak with Kerk, Dean, Steen, or Facundo)
- sorry I didn't check the web site, as I didn't know there were issues with Flo's coverage, or with Ironside's audio stream. (Not sure what I could have done, but I would have told those that I knew.) I spoke briefly with Jeff before the dual -- I always try to say hi to him at the rare PSU dual I get to attend.
Thoughts (that I remember) from the match:
- Steen: 1st time I've seen him wrestle in person. He had some game
- RBY: he's so fast, and can do most anything he wants. His opponent had no chance
- Bartlett: he looks more natural at 141 than he did at 149. I still wish he initiated more offense, but he remains primarily a counter wrestler. The kid he wrestled was long and lean, and gave Beau some problems. The opponent liked to control the head, or in tie-ups to control Beau's wrist. He was with Young Guns before he moved to his HS in New Jersey, so he has some talent. When Beau does decide to act, he's really fast. His pin was sweet. As soon as he got into the hold which resulted in the pin, I knew it was over
- Van Ness: first time I've seen him wrestle in person. Wow. Kinner is a 2X NJ Champ, and was at Ohio State for a couple of years. He's got a lot of talent. Van Ness got him in a cradle, but didn't have it all that deep, and he only got 2 NF from it. Later, Kinner put Van Ness on his back for a second, but Van Ness was really sharp in response, and Kinner didn't even get any NF points. I was also surprised (and pleased) that Kinner seemed to be struggling after each break, whereas Van Ness was in great shape and back in the circle right away
- Bearclaw: well, I didn't get to see him on the mat for long. I knew right away, the way his opponent was holding his forearm, that the injury was not good. You hate seeing something like that happen to an wrestler
- Facundo: another PSU wrestler that I was watching for the 1st time in person. He is quite talented. I was talking with a PSU wrestler during a bunch of the match, so I didn't pay as close attention to him as I would have liked
- CStar: he's elevated his skillset a good deal since I 1st saw him in person. His opponent had no chance.
- Ball: I was looking forward to watching Brooks, but Ball did well. As Ironhead reported, Brooks is fine. I spoke with Aaron a couple of times during the evening. There's a good chance he'll be on the mat on Sunday
- Dean: ugh, a frustrating match. Max seemed to have trouble with Laird's length, but he's almost always the shorter guy, and we've seen him work through that. Dean came close to one TD (PSU's corner was calling for it, but in real time to this ref, it was never a TD). I didn't think Dean had grabbed the uni of Laird (which Rider's corner challenged at the end of regulation), but the finish took place on the opposite side of the mat from me, so I couldn't say for sure. As for the TD which Dean gave up in OT, it was very frustrating. Laird showed more energy on that move than he had throughout the match. The TD took place @ 8 yards from me. I thought it was a TD, that Dean immediately rolled through for a reversal. Unfortunately, the match ends on the 1st points, and it wasn't as though the sequence was a continuous move with no control for a TD. PSU challenged the TD, but it didn't take the refs long to review it and award the TD.
Kerk: I was surprised that Kerk didn't get the pin. The opponent was outclassed, but Kerk had trouble getting any type of turning combination on him. I think he was working a bow-and-arrow for a bit (I hope I'm not confusing matches), but that didn't work
PSU's corner:
- CS, as usual (I even teased him before the match), says almost nothing during the match. If there's a stoppage for blood, injury, etc., he does talk with the wrestler, but he's the most reserved on the bench. After each match, he did head back behind the curtain, and it appeared that he would speak to each PSU wrestler after their match, out of sight and ear of the fans.
PSU's wrestlers:
- they were mobbed during intermission, and during the 2 media timeouts, for pictures with kids and with adults, by kids wanting them to sign their headgear or some other wrestler clothing, by adults that wanted to speak with them, etc. A few times the support staff had to clear the people away so that there was a pathway for the PSU wrestlers
- the team really does root for their teammates. I was surprised by how much they were encouraging guys, calling out instructions, etc. This team is close, and tries to support each other
Travel:
- they bused down Thursday evening, got a workout in today, are spending Friday night back at the hotel they were on Thursday evening, then busing to Lehigh on Saturday
It's been a long day, and a fun evening, so I need to wrap up this post.
