Cornell, PSU top Scuffle field

UNC Greensboro Athletics

Complete Brackets
GREENSBORO, N.C. – After two days of wrestling and 958 matches, Cornell and Penn State claimed a share of the 2010 UNCG Southern Scuffle team title after each squad earned 151.5 points in the 34-team event.

The Big Red and Nittany Lions each won three individual titles as Kyle Dake, Justin Kerber and Cam Simaz won championships for Cornell, while David Taylor, Ed Ruth and Cameron Wade each won titles for Penn State. 

During the championship finals, Old Dominion’s James Nicholson, ranked fourth nationally, used a first-period takedown to defeat No. 7 Zach Sanders from Minnesota, 4-2, at 125 pounds. In the 133 pound match, No. 9 Rollie Peterkin from Penn hit a five-point move in the third period against No. 4 Lou Ruggirello to win 6-0.

In a battle of the nation’s top two wrestlers at 141 pounds, Michigan’s Kellen Russell (No. 1) scored a first-period takedown and had another takedown in the third period to defeat No. 2 Mike Thorn from Minnesota, 6-2. Possibly the most even championship bout came at 149 pounds as No. 1 Kyle Dake from Cornell recorded a third-period escape to narrowly defeat No. 6 Frank Molinaro, 1-0.

The most dominant performance in a final came at 157 pounds as No. 3 David Taylor of Penn State scored an impressive 19-2 technical fall in just 4:06 against No. 9 Paul Young of Indiana. His impressive bout came just before No. 4 Justin Kerber scored an escape and followed with a takedown in the third period to score a 6-4 win over No. 7 Cody Yohn from Minnesota at 165 pounds.

Tenth-ranked Ed Ruth continued his dominating run through the tournament when he scored a 7-2 decision over No. 2 Chris Henrich from Virginia to take the 174-pound title. In the semifinals, Ruth defeated No. 1 Mack Lewnes of Cornell.

At 184 pounds, No. 2 Chris Honeycutt used a reversal and pair of takedowns en route to defeating No. 3 Steve Bosak of Cornell, 7-2.

The tightest match of the championship finals came at 197 pounds as No. 2 Cam Simaz of Cornell scored a 5-4 win against No. 6 Cayle Byers (George Mason) in the second tiebreaker. Simaz rode Byers out in the first 30-second tiebreaker and then earned an escape in the second OT.

In the final match of the tournament, No. 6 Cameron Wade of Penn State scored a two-point near-fall with 15 seconds and earned a point for riding time to defeat No. 7 Ben Apland of Michigan, 4-2.

Most Outstanding Wrestler: Ed Ruth, Penn State
Gregorian Award (most pins in least amount of time): Brice Arand, Oregon State

2010 Southern Scuffle Individual Champions

2010 Southern Scuffle Final Team Standings