Penn State advances 9 wrestlers to Saturday night’s B1G semifinal round, leads Nebraska in team race

EVANSTON, Ill. — Penn State did what Penn State does in the first two rounds of the Big Ten Wrestling Championships on Saturday, and that’s dominate.

The Nittany Lions advanced nine wrestlers to Saturday night’s semifinals (8 p.m. BTN) and opened a 28-point margin over Nebraska in the team race, 88-60. The Lions, who are seeking their third straight B1G title, went 11-1 with 10 bonus-point wins.

Penn State’s winners were Luke Lilledahl at 125, Beau Bartlett at 141, Shayne Van Ness at 149, Tyler Kasak at 157, Mitchell Mesenbrink at 165, Levi Haines at 174, Carter Starocci at 184, Josh Barr at 197 and Greg Kerkvliet at heavyweight. Only Braeden Davis, a 3-1 loser to Rutgers’ Dylan Shawver at 125, was relegated to Saturday night’s second round of consolations.

Lilledahl, who pinned Illinois’ Caelan Riley in the first round in 4:09, continued his offensive prowess against Iowa’s Joey Cruz, dumping the Hawkeye 11-1, aided by a buzzer-beating takedown in the first period and a lightning-quick ankle pick in the second period.

Davis, who majored Michigan State’s Andrew Hampton 11-2 in Round 1, was unable to repeat a dual-meet win (2-1) over Rutgers’ Dylan Shawver at 133. Shawver was on the offense most of the match, pulling off three deep shots but unable to finish any of them.

Davis got in deep on a single-leg late in the bout but couldn’t get to Shawver’s other leg for control and Shawver kept working a counter and was able to trap a leg and belly out Davis to gain control with just four seconds remaining. The call was challenged by Penn State but the takedown stood and Davis will be in the consolation rounds Saturday night against Dustin Norris of Purdue.

Penn State’s Bartlett had his way offensively against Purdue’s Greyson Clark, notching four takedowns for a 13-3 win and a semifinal match coming against Minnesota’s Vance Vombaur (21-3). Vombaur knocked off Michigan’s Sergio Lemley 4-1 in sudden victory.