Today is the day!

[El-Jefe]

It's amazing how things work out. Had Cassar won the spot and gone to nationals he was a lock for an AA and a threat for the championship. The following year he most likely would not have gone up to heavy to become the only collegian to beat Gable (twice!).

This is a great study in alt-history, wrestling version.

Had Cassar started and gotten Rasheed's 5 seed at nationals, he might have won the title. Rasheed lost a late lead to the eventual champ (Macchiavello) in the quarters. That was the year Conel pinned Moore in the quarters, then got pinned by Macchiavello in the semis.

The hitch is how Cassar would've held up in a 3-day tourney. We know he had a tough cut. Also, he had faced little good competition that year -- here were his results against national qualifiers:
- beat Mattiace 4-1 (7 seed, R12)
- beat Boykin 9-7 SV (10, 0-2 DNP)
- beat Loiseau 4-1 (12, 1-2 DNP)
- lost to Holschlag 6-4 SV (unseeded, 5th)
- beat Moore 6-3 (1, 4th)

BUT: it's unlikely that he would've gotten Rasheed's draw. With the few quality wins, and B10 being weak at 197 that year, as B10 runner-up he might not have gotten the 5 seed at nationals. Had he beaten Moore again in the B10 finals, then the entire NCAA bracket would've changed -- Darmstadt would've been the 1, everything else up for grabs.

He would've gone HWT the next year either way. The cut to 197 was too much. But maybe Steveson would've taken him more seriously, and trained that year like he did the following years?

 

[RB-Old]

 

[Random4598375]

This is a great study in alt-history, wrestling version.

Had Cassar started and gotten Rasheed's 5 seed at nationals, he might have won the title. Rasheed lost a late lead to the eventual champ (Macchiavello) in the quarters. That was the year Conel pinned Moore in the quarters, then got pinned by Macchiavello in the semis.

The hitch is how Cassar would've held up in a 3-day tourney. We know he had a tough cut. Also, he had faced little good competition that year -- here were his results against national qualifiers:
- beat Mattiace 4-1 (7 seed, R12)
- beat Boykin 9-7 SV (10, 0-2 DNP)
- beat Loiseau 4-1 (12, 1-2 DNP)
- lost to Holschlag 6-4 SV (unseeded, 5th)
- beat Moore 6-3 (1, 4th)

BUT: it's unlikely that he would've gotten Rasheed's draw. With the few quality wins, and B10 being weak at 197 that year, as B10 runner-up he might not have gotten the 5 seed at nationals. Had he beaten Moore again in the B10 finals, then the entire NCAA bracket would've changed -- Darmstadt would've been the 1, everything else up for grabs.

He would've gone HWT the next year either way. The cut to 197 was too much. But maybe Steveson would've taken him more seriously, and trained that year like he did the following years?

The crazy thing about Cassar is that he could have stayed 2 more years and challenged Steveson for his whole career of he wanted to (which he obviously didn’t…). If he had gotten a medical redshirt for his last year, then come back for the 21 year, that ended up being a free year, so he could have come back last year, too. I know it would have taken some of the bite out of the Grandpa Kemmerer jokes (and possibly cost us Kerk), but it would have made Steveson’s career a lot more interesting.

 

[RB-Old]

This was such a crazy night, I wasn't sure about Nico and Nolf but I was positive Zain and Nickal would get titles. Nico wrestled like a guy who realized this was his last chance and wrestled a perfect match.

 

[Random4598375]

when you get beat in the room as much as Nico does, you cherish every chance you get on the outside. I'm sure he's getting beaten in the room by Gillman to this day.

 

[giggling cael]

when you get beat in the room as much as Nico does, you cherish every chance you get on the outside. I'm sure he's getting beaten in the room by Gillman to this day.

?
Nico hasn't been in the room in years. He works out at the Pitt RTC.

 

[nitlion6]

?
Nico hasn't been in the room in years. He works out at the Pitt RTC.

Commenting without context understanding.

 

[pawrestlersintn]

?
Nico hasn't been in the room in years. He works out at the Pitt RTC.

It's a long running joke on here. Stick around. You'll catch on.

 

[ss7]

Commenting without context understanding.

With the degree that joke has been beaten into the ground here, I think it's funnier that way.

 

[giggling cael]

Commenting without context understanding.

It's a long running joke on here. Stick around. You'll catch on.

With the degree that joke has been beaten into the ground here, I think it's funnier that way.

Ah, got it. By falling for that I feel like I've just been initiated here. Or maybe the hazing has just begun, lol

 

[El-Jefe]

Ah, got it. By falling for that I feel like I've just been initiated here. Or maybe the hazing has just begun, lol

That joke was funny when it mocked Spyker's ludicrous take on then-freshman Suriano.

It should've died when Nico graduated, out of respect to Nico.

Plus it's been distorted so badly that it's lost all meaning other than insulting Nico.

 

[jmadden1998]

That joke was funny when it mocked Spyker's ludicrous take on then-freshman Suriano.

It should've died when Nico graduated, out of respect to Nico.

Plus it's been distorted so badly that it's lost all meaning other than insulting Nico.

Agreed.

 

[pawrestlersintn]

Ah, got it. By falling for that I feel like I've just been initiated here. Or maybe the hazing has just begun, lol

 

[slushhead]

Agreed.

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[WexfordWarrior]

Nico and the joke both say:

 

[GogglesPaizano]

Agreed.

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Absolutely, it's time. BTW, I heard Vespa is beating Steen in the room.

 

[PD4thespawn]

Absolutely, it's time. BTW, I heard Vespa is beating Steen in the room.

I subconsciously inserted Nico for Steen when I read your post.

 

[PSU James]

I absolutely love this thread!

 

[RoarLions1]

May be THE greatest Penn State loss ever. Apologies for not following the thread request that the PSU'er had to win.

 

[Random4598375]

What a match that was. It's funny how different the two wins were against OSU that year and the next. That year, it took two huge upsets in the heavyweights (Cassar over Moore and Nevills holding Snyder to a decision) to eek it out at the last second, and the next, it was RBY and Lee with upsets over Pletcher and McKenna in the lightweights to end any drama early.

 

[RB-Old]

Did Cenzo break IMar the 2nd time he beat him in the finals? The way he wrestled the 3rd period is bizarre for a guy who was chasing a victory. First he wasted the first 20 seconds instead of just cutting him then he barely took a shot and spent a lot of time just circling.

 

[El-Jefe]

Did Cenzo break IMar the 2nd time he beat him in the finals? The way he wrestled the 3rd period is bizarre for a guy who was chasing a victory. First he wasted the first 20 seconds instead of just cutting him then he barely took a shot and spent a lot of time just circling.

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Absolutely he did, and it's easy to tell when -- the 2nd period head butt.

 

[RB-Old]

 

[nerfstate]

Absolutely he did, and it's easy to tell when -- the 2nd period head butt.

I’m not so sure I agree, I think Martinez looks a bit shell shocked the instant he felt those double overs again.

 

[El-Jefe]

I’m not so sure I agree, I think Martinez looks a bit shell shocked the instant he felt those double overs again.

That was my initial reaction too. Followed by even more shock when Cenzo got swipes at the end of the 1st on that twisting roll Martinez does from bottom.

But then Martinez earned an escape to start the 2nd, so he still had some fight left in him.

After all of that, IMO Martinez broke when Cenzo kept stuffing the underhook throw-bys. That's when Martinez had no answer, and when the head butt occurred.

Anyway, that was my rationale.

 

[RB-Old]

I wonder if the coaches show Facundo any of Wright's old matches. He's like his mini-me

 

[slushhead]

I wonder if the coaches show Facundo any of Wright's old matches. He's like his mini-me

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Someone should ask Facundo if he watched a lot of Q matches before even coming to PSU. Sometimes the similarity in neutral body movement is uncanny.

I’d love to see Facundo develop a nasty blast-double.

 

[El-Jefe]

Someone should ask Facundo if he watched a lot of Q matches before even coming to PSU. Sometimes the similarity in neutral body movement is uncanny.

I’d love to see Facundo develop a nasty blast-double.

He has one.

This isn't the best example -- it's a single converted into a double -- but tremendous power to lift double from that position against a very good opponent.



This was the infamous DQ loss to Iowa State's Manny Rojas, who won 2 state titles at 189 because Facundo was at 171. Facundo doubled Rojas a bunch of times in other matches (that I can't find right now).

BTW, Rojas and Barr split battles last year, Barr winning the last war in the state finals.

 

[Psalm 1 guy]

I wonder if the coaches show Facundo any of Wright's old matches. He's like his mini-me

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One of my favorite matches and favorite Penn State wrestlers. I wasn't a fan of Kilgore's clubs on Quentin, especially the second one he threw at the 3:03 mark in the video. You can see Cael and Casey were upset about it. And both club/attempts were basically when they were both out-of-bounds. Had he really connected on the second one I could have seen a penalty point being awarded. Also, it is always awesome to see two undefeated wrestlers square off in the Finals. Someone's undefeated season will be ending!

 

[zzs006]

Someone should ask Facundo if he watched a lot of Q matches before even coming to PSU. Sometimes the similarity in neutral body movement is uncanny.

I’d love to see Facundo develop a nasty blast-double.

I think Facundo needs to really work on that underhook throw-by to a high single that Q hit repeatedly in that finals match. Facundo gets to his underhook quite a bit but doesn’t score a ton from there yet. It also works in series for him to hit his duck on the opposite side

 

[zzs006]

He has one.

This isn't the best example -- it's a single converted into a double -- but tremendous power to lift double from that position against a very good opponent.

View embedded media

This was the infamous DQ loss to Iowa State's Manny Rojas, who won 2 state titles at 189 because Facundo was at 171. Facundo doubled Rojas a bunch of times in other matches (that I can't find right now).

BTW, Rojas and Barr split battles last year, Barr winning the last war in the state finals.

Such an absolutely horrible call. Not a slam in my book and if anything I thought Facundo got the worst of it. Hit his head pretty hard

 

[Psalm 1 guy]

Such an absolutely horrible call. Not a slam in my book and if anything I thought Facundo got the worst of it. Hit his head pretty hard

And the fact his opponent went back to center ready to go before his coaches stepped in is a horrible look for the coaches (if not horrible behavior to not allow their wrestler to continue). If I am mis-remembering the incident I apologize.

 

[psuflyguy]

But does the new guy have info on the Carton Pletcher match?

 

[KCLion]

I think Facundo needs to really work on that underhook throw-by to a high single that Q hit repeatedly in that finals match. Facundo gets to his underhook quite a bit but doesn’t score a ton from there yet. It also works in series for him to hit his duck on the opposite side

Trent Hidlay works that a lot.

 

[RB-Old]

Other than PSU fans most had Dean winning this handily, those of us on here had no doubt Bo would get it done.

 

[RB-Old]

How weird is it that Gabe looks twice as big as Max even though he's 10 lbs lighter?

 

[District four]

Other than PSU fans most had Dean winning this handily, those of us on here had no doubt Bo would get it done.

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Epic match and one I believe took No over the top on confidence. That was an all around great wrestling match. I remember watching it with my heart pounding. That step over was just crazy smart on his part. I miss Bo. He is one of our all time greats.

 

[RB-Old]

Epic match and one I believe took No over the top on confidence. That was an all around great wrestling match. I remember watching it with my heart pounding. That step over was just crazy smart on his part. I miss Bo. He is one of our all time greats.

It was a great example of how managing a match can be the difference. Bo got his td at the right time and won on his extra escape.

 

[RB-Old]

Total BS reffing in this one, RBY had to win twice since the ref decided to make it all about him.

 

[El-Jefe]

Total BS reffing in this one, RBY had to win twice since the ref decided to make it all about him.

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Forget the ref. The two things I'll always remember are the instant shock/joy on RBY's face when he scored the winning takedown (while still on his knees, before reaching for his headgear); and right after getting his hand raised, it sunk in and he allowed himself a huge smile.