Penn State Wrestling: Grades, Match of the Day, and MVP from the Journeymen Collegiate Duals
Following No. 1 Penn State Wrestling’s dominant performance in the 2024 Journeymen Collegiate Duals, we hand out grades, re-live the match of the tournament, and name our MVP of the day.
If you haven’t paid much attention to early-season collegiate wrestling, then let me give you a quick update: The Nittany Lions are absolutely trucking everyone.
This past Sunday, Penn State Wrestling went a perfect 3-0 in the 2024 Journeymen Collegiate Duals. The Nittany Lions bull dozed Binghamton 52-0 in the opening dual, then they crushed No. 15 Little Rock 44-0, and finally capped off the day by obliterating No. 18 Missouri 41-3.
And while it’s no surprise Penn State is 6-0 on the season, it has to be a little staggering how much they’re firing on all cylinders. The lineup from top to bottom is performing at a level not seen from quite sometime. If ever.
The Nittany Lions as a team have only surrendered nine total team points on the year. Furthermore, they’ve outscored their opponents a combined 268-9.
Which is a scary notion considering it’s coming from a program which has reeled off 11 NCAA team titles in the past 13 seasons.
But before we turn the page to the B1G portion of the regular season, let’s take a quick look back at the 2024 Journeymen Collegiate Duals. We’ll grade each wrestler’s performance, detail of the match of the tournament, and hand out our MVP.
One item to note, Intermat has released their updated rankings, however the rankings below are as of this past Sunday. I’ll add each wrestler’s updated rankings in parentheses next to their name.
2024 Journeymen Collegiate Duals
Grades
125
Luke Lilledahl (No. 11)
No. 12 Luke Lilledahl (PSU) tech. fall over No. 33 Carson Wagner (BING) 16-4
No. 12 Luke Lilledahl (PSU) dec. over Jaden Carson (LR) 9-3
No. 12 Luke Lilledahl (PSU) dec. over Gage Walker (MIZZ) 5-4
Grade: B+
I do realize I’m being a bit harsh with this grade. I also realize Luke Lilledahl is a true freshman and he’s smack dab in the middle of a crash course on college wrestling.
In each of his final two matches, Luke surrendered takedowns in the first period. So this is the only real knock against him. Granted he was able to pull away 9-3 against Little Rock’s Carson, however he let Missouri’s Gage Walker stay in the match until the final whistle.
None of this bothers me nor is any of it worrisome. When the calendar flips to the end of the season, Cael Sanderson and his coaching staff will for sure have Luke Lilledahl peaking at the right time. For now, he just needs to learn from each match and work hard to improve each and every day.
133
Braeden Davis (No. 5)
No. 10 Braeden Davis (PSU) dec. over Micah Roes (BING) 6-0
No. 10 Braeden Davis (PSU) dec. over No. 5 Nasir Bailey (LR) 1-0
No. 10 Braeden Davis (PSU) major dec. over Kade Moore (MIZZ) 14-3
Grade: A
Braedan Davis did exactly what he needed to do in his three matches. Simply put, he won.
I did feel Davis was a bit too hesitant in his opening match. And this can be a criticism of him from time to time.
After building up a 5-0 lead early in the second period, Braeden failed to get his offense going and score any additional takedowns. Yes, I’m nitpicking here. And yes, I also know that Roes was basically running away from Braeden in the last minute of the match. But I would like to see him a bit more aggressive at time.
However, something Davis does excel at is his defense and hit top/bottom game. He’s exceptionally good at fighting off shots and he’s incredibly strong for only being a true sophomore.
And all of this was on full display when Braeden took out Little Rock’s No. 5 ranked Nasir Bailey in the second dual.
Following a scoreless opening period, Davis used his quickness and strength to immediately escape from bottom position. Then he used a combination of his defense and counter shots to keep Bailey at bay for the remainder of the match. Even though the match was low scoring (1-0 decision), I felt Braeden wrestled a fantastic bout.
And in his last match Braeden seemed to let it rip more. He was strong on top and he never took his foot off the pedal of his offense.
This is the Braeden Davis I want to see more of.
141
Beau Bartlett (No. 3)
No. 3 Beau Bartlett (PSU) major dec. over Nathan Lucier (BING) 14-2
No. 3 Beau Bartlett (PSU) fall over Cole Minnick (LR) 5:23
No. 3 Beau Bartlett (PSU) dec. over No. 16 Joshua Edmond (MIZZ) 4-1 SV
Grade: A-
Yep. I know what you’re thinking.
You think just because a guy’s wearing a blue and white singlet and he goes 3-0 while “only” winning two bonus matches is not wrestling up to the lofty standards of Penn State Wrestling.
Nope. Far from it.
The only reason I gave Beau Bartlett an A- and not an A or A+ was based solely on what I saw in his last match. Because Nittany Lion fans had to be happy with what Bartlett did in his opening two matches. He was fast, he was decisive, and he was aggressive.
But Beau turned into a very tentative and conservative wrestler in his final match. Which is something that’s been a knock on him since he’s been in Happy Valley.
Look, Beau is lightning quick, he’s great at defending, and he’s very good at scrambles. All fantastic attributes for a wrestler. Especially for one who wants to score a lot of points.
However this isn’t the case with Beau. Well, more accurately, this isn’t the case for him at times.
Yes he got the win in the end. But I want to see Beau go out there and completely take it to guys who are on a similar talent level to him. Joshua Edmond is a fantastic wrestlers. But Beau should have clobbered him in regulation.
149
Shayne Van Ness (No. 2)
No. 2 Shayne Van Ness (PSU) fall over Caleb Sweet (BING) 2:49
No. 2 Shayne Van Ness (PSU) fall over No. 16 Jordan Williams (LR) 4:39
No. 2 Shayne Van Ness (PSU) fall over Zeke Seltzer (MIZZ) 1:57
Grade: A+
This is exactly what I’m talking about right here.
Shayne Van Ness kicked the tail of every single guy his faced last Sunday. This was one of the easiest grades to hand out.
157
Tyler Kasak (No. 4)
No. 4 Tyler Kasak (PSU) fall over Jordan Brown (BING) 3:31
No. 4 Tyler Kasak (PSU) dec. over No. 20 Matt Bianchi (LR) 4-2
No. 4 Tyler Kasak (PSU) major dec. over No. 32 James Conway (MIZZ) 11-3
Grade: A
By all accounts, Tyler Kasak had a great day. He pinned his opening round opponent and he spanked a ranked guy in his last match.
And even though his second round match was tight until the very end, if didn’t affect his grade. My baseline for all Penn State wrestlers starts at “A”.
Look, Matt Bianchi is a super competitive guy. He already has three ranked wins under his belt and he’s very dangerous on his feet.
But Tyler wrestled a smart match against him. He was aggressive when he needed to be and he was conservative and defended when he needed. It’s always good to know when to hold’em and know when to fold’em against good competition.
165
Mitchell Mesenbrink (No. 1)
No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink (PSU) wins by forfeit
No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink (PSU) tech. fall over No. 21 Joey Bianchi (LR) 17-1
No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink (PSU) wins by forfeit
Grade: *Upside Down Smiling Emoji*
I’m not sure if Mitchell Mesenbrink was lucky or if the competition was scared of him and held out their guys.
In either case, Mesenbrink had a short workload on Sunday as he wrestled for just over five minutes and 30 seconds. Total.
I think at one point I saw him lounging on the sideline in a bag chair while donning a fleece robe, sunglasses, and Nick Lee was fanning him with a giant ostrich feather. But maybe that was just my imagination.
174
Levi Haines (No. 2)
No. 2 Levi Haines (PSU) tech. fall over Roberto Padilla (BING) 18-0
No. 2 Levi Haines (PSU) tech. fall over Kodiak Kennedy (LR) 18-2
No. 1 Keegan O’Toole (MIZZ) dec. over No. 2 Levi Haines (PSU) 4-1 SV
Grade: A+
Did Levi Haines lose his first match since the 2023 NCAA finals back on March 16, 2023?
Yeah, he did. But he still deserves an A+.
Levi blew the doors off his first two opponents 36-2, just like he’s done with literally everyone else this year.
However Keegan O’Toole isn’t like everyone else. He’s a four-time All-American with two third place finishes and he won individual titles in 2022 and 2023. He is pound-for-pound one of the best wrestlers in the entire nation.
And his matchup against Haines was one that I was very intrigued about.
For starters, Levi hasn’t exactly been pushed this year. Secondly, how would he handle a top flight guy after bumping up two weight classes in a single off season.
Well I think I can easily say he passed the test. Because his match against O’Toole could have easily gone the other way. And that’s a great sign for Penn State Wrestling fans and that’s a great sign for Haines.
If these two lock horns at any point later in the season, you better believe knowledge and experience will play a factor in the decision. Which can just as easily swing the pendulum the other direction for Haines.
184
Carter Starocci (No. 1)
No. 1 Carter Starocci (PSU) fall over No. 23 Will Ebert (BING) 5:55
No. 1 Carter Starocci (PSU) tech. fall over Tristan Wills (LR) 17-1
No. 1 Carter Starocci (PSU) major dec. over No. 10 Colton Hawks (MIZZ) 10-1
Grade: A+
Does a sixth-year senior in search of an NCAA-record fifth national title need to take part in every single dual meet? No. I would say they can take off whatever days they want.
But just like Levi Haines and Keegan O’Toole aren’t like everyone else, Carter Starocci may be in a class all by himself.
Carter came back for one more ride, and darn it, he’s going to wrestle every opportunity he gets.
Which just means there will be more and more carnage in his wake. As evident by his performance last Sunday.
197
Josh Barr (No. 4)
No. 7 Josh Barr (PSU) tech. fall over Andrew Bailey (BING) 19-4
No. 7 Josh Barr (PSU) dec. over No. 5 Stephen Little (LR) 4-1 SV
No. 7 Josh Barr (PSU) fall over Jesse Cassatt (MIZZ) 1:45
Grade: A+
The “A Plus-A-Thon” is in full swing!
I know it’s crazy to say, but Josh Barr might be my pick for the most impressive Nittany Lion at this point in the season.
He cruised past his teammates (Connor Mirasola and Lucas Cochran) 21-1 in the Black Knight Invite and he dominated All-American Michael Beard 11-3 in Penn State’s dual against Lehigh.
Then Barr went out and walked through two guys and toppled the No. 5 seed and All-American from last year (Stephen Little). Oh, and his 4-1 decision in sudden victory was his first non-bonus point win of the season.
Josh now holds a 9-0 record which includes three major decision, one technical fall, and four falls.
Wow.
285
Greg Kerkvliet
No. 2 Greg Kerkvliet (PSU) fall over Charlie Tibbits (BING) 1:33
No. 2 Greg Kerkvliet (PSU) tech. fall over Keith Miley (LR) 15-0
No. 2 Greg Kerkvliet (PSU) tech. fall over Jarret Stoner (MIZZ) 15-0
Grade: A+
“You get an A+! You get an A+! You get an A+!”
I mean what more can I say?
Conversely, what other grade should Greg Kerkvliet get?
The dude spent maybe a minute and 30 seconds more on the mat than Mitchell Mesenbrink. And he actually competed in all three matches!
Kerk was utterly dominant. He didn’t let an opponent score a single point and he won a technical fall in his second match in a staggering one minute and 40 seconds.
SMH.
Penn State Football Adds Potential Game-Changing Portal Pickup
Penn State Wrestling Top Match of the Tournament
No. 7 Josh Barr (PSU) vs. No. 5 Stephen Little (LR)
I could have included a plethora of matches in this second.
Furthermore, some of the matches featured incredible action from start to finish.
Braeden Davis’ razor-thin win. Carter Starocci’s dominance against a top 10 foe. Or even Levi’s amazing match against O’Toole.
However, I went with this one because I believe it will go a long way in how the season unfolds at 197 pounds.
Onto the Match
The bout started out with each guy trying to feel each other out. Neither guy tried to force any action as there was a handful of half-committed shots.
Barr began the second period on top position, however Little used his strength and quickness to break free following a quick scramble. But in the process of the escape, it appeared that Little hit his head. Injury time was called and he was put into the concussion protocol.
Thankfully Little appeared okay and the match resumed.
Upon the restart, Barr began putting more pressure on Little. He attempted multiple shots, however Little continued to back away from the action rather than engaging.
With less than a minute remaining in the second period Barr withstood a slight shot from Little. Action proceeded at the center of the mat as the final seconds of the period ticked away.
To start the third period, Barr was on bottom. And just like Little, he quickly escaped to tie the match at 1-1. Although there was plenty of time for either guy to setup a match-winning shot and takedown, neither guy could mount an attack.
Subsequently the match moved to sudden victory.
Action in SV started with Barr taking two committed shots on Little. As shown before, Little was able to defend off Barr’s attacks. He then countered with a strong shot of his own. Barr fended the attack and forced a reset at the 32 second mark.
And on the reset, it was Barr who finally landed a low shot on Little’s ankle. Following some quick maneuvering, Barr finally cinched the second ankle. Josh Barr had landed the takedown and he won the match in emphatic fashion 4-1.
Penn State’s MVP
Tie
Shayne Van Ness
Carter Starocci
Josh Barr
Greg Kerkvliet
Is this a complete cop-out by pegging four Nittany Lions’ as the co-MVP’s?
You better believe it!
But look, what am I supposed to do when one of the guys pinned all three of his opponents?
Conversely, what about a guy who took down two ranked opponents and won all of their matches via bonus points?
Comparatively, what about a redshirt freshman who won a technical fall, a fall, and beat the No. 5 guy at his weight class?
And what about a nimble giant who didn’t allow a single point to be scored against him?
Exactly. Henceforth, I rest my case.
MORE Penn State Wrestling News from NittanyCentral
- Carter Starocci Gunning to Finish 2024-25 in Class All His Own
- Inside What Makes Levi Haines a Force to Be Reckoned With
- Why Penn State’s Future at 197 is Now
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Education: Penn State University
Location: State College, PA
Even though he had no prior journalism experience, Chris has now covered Penn State Wrestling and Penn State Football for the past three years, including as the Penn State Wrestling Beat Writer for VictoryBellRings.com, part of the FanSided network.
And it's clear he also likes constant torture as he's been a PSU Basketball fan for way too long.
Several years back, Chris made the seamless transition from PGA Professional to computer programmer and thoroughly enjoys following and writing about all things related to Penn State sports during his spare time.
- Penn State Wrestling: Grades, Match of the Day, and MVP from the Journeymen Collegiate Duals - December 27, 2024
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- Penn State Wrestling vs. Missouri | FULL RESULTS - December 22, 2024