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UNIVERSITY PARK -- As Senior Days go, Penn State couldn't have asked for a much better scenario than what played out Sunday.
The No. 1 Nittany Lions (17-0, 8-0 B1G) blanked Rider (4-9), 45-0, in front of 6,442 fans in a sold-out Rec Hall for their 28th dual meet win in a row. Penn State recorded more takedowns than match points, as it piled up a 46-2 advantage over the Broncs. One Rider wrestler accounted for his team's two takedowns.
It was the second shutout of the season and 19th in the Sanderson era.
It was the sixth time in the last seven seasons the Nittany Lions have finished the dual meet season undefeated under Cael Sanderson. They previously posted unblemished marks in the 2015-16 (16-0), 2016-17 (14-0), 2017-18 (14-0), 2018-19 (14-0) and 2020-21 (6-0) seasons.
"I think the guys did a lot of nice things and scored a bunch of points. So, yeah, I think they wrestled well. We got through healthy and got some guys back that had been off the mat and they looked good," Sanderson said.
Brady Berge, Joey Blumer, Roman Bravo-Young, Jake Campbell, Creighton Edsell, Levko Higgins, Drew Hildebrandt, Austin Hoopes,
Nick Lee and Mason Manville were all recognized during Senior Day ceremonies prior to the start of the dual meet.
Sanderson, who has said he views nationals as the team's real senior night, said he's never melancholy during Senior Day.
"I don't ever think it's sad or anything like that. People always ask that. You use your eligibility years up and then you move on in life," he said. "These opportunities come and you take advantage of them and then you move on to the next opportunity."
The match started at 157 pounds through a pre-match arrangement as Brady Berge made his debut this season at the weight and then wrestled an extra bout at the end of the dual meet.
Berge looked crisp at his new weight, scoring two takedowns in each period on his way to a 14-4 major decision.
Sanderson said between the two matches Berge wrestled Sunday and the Big Ten tournament, he'll need to wrestle five matches at Big Tens and place among the conference's automatic qualifiers to earn a berth to the NCAA tournament.
At 165, Creighton Edsell, who will represent Penn State at that weight in the postseason, built a 5-3 lead after a period and then used a riding time point for 1:58 in advantage to earn a slim 7-6 lead.
The Nittany Lions then reeled off three consecutive bonus-point wins ahead of the intermission.
Carter Starocci returned to the lineup with his left wrist taped but looked none the worse for wear. He totaled 10 takedowns in a 22-9 major decision. The sophomore said the wrist felt fine and he's ready for the postseason.
"I'm ready right now," he said with a smile. "I'll wrestle all 10 matches that are left. Let's go. I'm kind of fired up."
Donovan Ball, subbing in for Aaron Brooks, used 10 takedowns to earn a 12-3 major decision and push Penn State's lead to 15-0.
Then, at 197, Max Dean scored an early takedown, locked up his patented bow and arrow, turned his opponent and scored a fall in just 54 seconds.
That was the first of three consecutive pins. At 285, Greg Kerkvliet scored a quick takedown, locked up a crossface cradle and scored the fall in 1:11. Then, at 125, Drew Hildebrandt was leading 6-0 when he turned his opponent and got the fall just ahead of the buzzer, in 2:59.
Hildebrandt said in his short time in Happy Valley he has felt welcomed by his teammates and the fans.
"I've felt welcomed and accepted since I've come here," he said. "The fans here are amazing, all class. It didn't really feel weird. It just felt weird that it was my last dual meet, no matter the color. Best decision of my life, so far. One of, I should say."
Bravo-Young closed out what could be his Nittany Lion career with a dazzling display of takedowns. He piled up 13 in a 26-11 technical fall in 6:07.
Lee, too, wrestled for the last time in Rec Hall, but had to work for a 6-3 decision. He used two takedowns in the first and then a clinching takedown in the third.
Beau Bartlett put a bow on the shutout with a 12-4 major decision at 149. In what was arguably his best performance of the year, he scored five takedowns to coast to the win.
Sanderson praised the senior class but said there's work to be done and he's have more reflections at the end-of-season banquet.
"This has been a great group, good students and just kids who are going to be successful in life," he said. "We'll think and talk about them more at the banquet at the end of the year. Right now, we've still got a lot of work to do."
No. 1 Penn State 45,
Rider 0
(Sunday at University Park)
157: Brady Berge, PSU, maj. dec. Cole McComas, 14-4. 165: Creighton Edsell, PSU, dec. Michael Wilson, 7-6. 174: No. 1 Carter Starocci, PSU, maj. dec. Shane Reitsma, 22-9. 184: Donovan Ball, PSU, maj. dec. Corey Connolly, 12-3. 197: No. 1 Max Dean, PSU, pinned Azeem Bell, :54. 285: No. 5 Greg Kerkvliet, PSU, pinned David Szuba, 1:11. 125: No. 5 Drew Hildebrandt, PSU, pinned Tyler Klinsky, 2:59. 133: No. 1 Roman Bravo-Young, PSU, won by tech. fall over Richie Koehler, 26-11 (6:07). 141: No. Nick Lee, PSU, dec. No. 25 Quinn Kinner, 6-3. 149: No. 19 Beau Bartlett, PSU, maj. dec. Bryan Miraglia, 12-4.
Extra match: Brady Berge, PSU, maj. dec. Cole McComas, 16-5.
Ridge Riley Award winner: Roman Bravo-Young.
Referees: Ray Santiago, Angel Martinez.
Attendance: 6,442.
Takedowns: Rider 2; Penn State 46.
Records: Rider 4-9; Penn State 17-0, 8-0 B1G.
Next match: Penn State at Big Ten Championships, March 5-6 at Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, Nebraska.