3 Penn State wrestling takeaways, plus full results, from the Lions' 39-0 demolition of Michigan

STATE COLLEGE — Penn State wrestling put together its second dominant performance at the Bryce Jordan Center in as many weeks on Friday night when it knocked out Michigan 39-0. The Nittany Lions pushed the action throughout the 10-match card and No. 4 Josh Barr beat No. 2 Josh Cardenas 3-2 in an instant class at 197 pounds that finished in the second tiebreaker period when the Nittany Lion reversed the Wolverine with four seconds to go.

Here are our initial takeaways from head coach Cael Sanderson’s team 12th win of the season and 67th in a row.

1. Barr proves he belongs

It’s not that the redshirt freshman needed to beat Cardenas to prove that he should be in the national title conversation in his weight class. But, his win is the latest indication that he will be pushing for more than just his first All-American accolades in Philadelphia this match.

The pair were tied after three periods and neither scored in sudden victory. That led to the tiebreaker periods, where each wrestler starts on bottom before 30 seconds of action. Cardenas escaped Barr’s control 10 or so seconds into the first tiebreaker period, giving him a 2-1 lead. He then rode Barr for the first 20 seconds of the second tiebreaker period. It meant that Barr needed more than an escape to win, as Cardenas would have won on criteria with more riding time if the bout ultimately ended 2-2. But, it didn’t. Instead, Barr reversed the Wolverine with four seconds left, sending the BJC into a frenzy. He said he knew it was ‘desperation’ time late in the match, and hit the move he needed to.

“It’s a blessing being in the Big Ten, at my weight class, with our schedule, it worked out good,” Barr said. “Two big matches in the BJC. And it’s just preparation towards national with a lot of guys watching, and some of the best guys in the country. So just grateful for it. Just another match though.”

Barr is now 13-1 on the year, while Cardenas suffered his first defeat of the season.

2. Penn State gets a fill-in win from Kysion Garcia

With 133-pound starter Braeden Davis sidelined for the second consecutive match with an undisclosed injury, Kyison Garcia bumped up from 125 pounds to take his place opposite Michigan’s Nolan Wertanen. The South Jordan, Utah native and redshirt freshman took the mat for the second time this season (he also competed at the Black Knight Invite in November) and for the first time in a dual meet as a Nittany Lion. After a scoreless first period, he escaped in the second and then took down Wertanen to take a 4-0 lead into the third period. The Wolverine could only muster an escape over the final two minutes, giving Garcia his first Big Ten win.

“I thought Garcia did a really good job,” Sanderson said. “He hasn’t wrestled since November, I don’t think. And so, that’s a big match for your first match, and the first time he’s wrestling in a dual meet, so I think he did a nice job. He scored his points and, and I think he probably learned a lot, and hopefully he can just continue to build off of that.”

Sanderson is unsure if Davis will be back on Sunday when Penn State faces Maryland at Rec Hall (1 p.m., B1G+). If not, Garcia proved he’s worthy of another start.

3. Lilledahl, Haines, secure falls

Penn State freshman Luke Lilledahl again reminded anyone who forgot why he has the nickname ‘Lightning Luke.’ Leading 10-2 in third period of a 125-pound match with Christian Tanefeu, he let the Wolverine thing he was allowing him to escape before using his trademark quickness to lock up a cradle and deck the Michigan wrestler at the 5:38 mark.

“Luke’s doing a great job,” Sanderson said. “He’s, also a true freshman who is getting better every match and that experience. And, he’s just being creative out there to figure out how tolock up the cradle and get the team six points. That was a lot of fun.”

Haines, then, scored an initial takedown and then needed little time after that to stop Michigan’s Joseph Walker by fall at the 2:37 mark of the first period.

“Yeah, just started to be patient on top, and it’s been a big learning curve,” Haines said. “A lot of times I get excited when I start getting a guy towards his back. He kind of rolled over and flipped out of it. So, learning process, and, yeah, just committed to trying to get some turns on top.”

Full Penn State-Michigan results

125 pounds: No. 7 Luke Liledahl, PSU F Christian Tanefeu, Michigan, 5:38; PSU 6, UM 0

133 pounds: Kysion Garcia, PSU d. Nolan Wertanen, Michigan, 4-1; PSU 9, UM 0

141 pounds: No. 3 Beau Bartlett, PSU d. No. 12 Sergio Lemley, Michigan. 3-2; PSU 12, UM 0

149 pounds: No. 3 Shayne Van Ness, PSU d. Dylan Gilcher, Michigan, 7-1; PSU 15, UM 0

157 pounds: No. 1 Tyler Kasak, PSU d. Zack Mattin, Michigan, 7-2; PSU 18, UM 0

165 pounds: No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink, PSU md. No. 10 Beau Mantanona, Michigan, 18-4; PSU 22, UM 0

174 pounds: No. 2 Levi Haines, PSU F No. 29 Joseph Walker, Michigan, 2:37; PSU 28, UM 0

184 pounds: No. 1 Carter Staorcci, PSU TF No. 24 Jaden Bullock, Michigan, 19-4 (7:00); PSU 33, UM 0

197 pounds: No. 4 Josh Barr, PSU d. No. 2 Josh Cardenas, Michigan, 3-2 (TB2); PSU 36, Michigan
0

285 pounds: No. 2 Greg Kerkvliet, Penn Sate d. No. 8 Josh Heindselman, Michigan, 6-0; PSU 39, Michigan 0