Penn State Wrestling’s top 25 dual meets in the Cael Sanderson era

STATE COLLEGE, PA - JANUARY 31: A view of the sell out crowd during a match between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Michigan Wolverines on January 31, 2016 at Recreation Hall on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. Penn State won 35-7. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - JANUARY 31: A view of the sell out crowd during a match between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Michigan Wolverines on January 31, 2016 at Recreation Hall on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. Penn State won 35-7. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /
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Penn State Wrestling
Nico Megaludis of the Penn State Nittany Lions during a match against Nathan Tomasello of the Ohio State Buckeyes  (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /

No. 19

December 19, 2010
University Park, Pa
No. 22 Ohio State 3, No. 5 Penn State 42

With a full season already under his coaching belt, Cael Sanderson and company were looking to build on some of the positives from the prior year.

The Nittany Lion squad started out the 2010-2011 season with a 6-0 record, however the Ohio State Buckeyes were set to come to town.

Prior to this home tilt, the Buckeyes had won each of the last four meetings between the two schools and most of the duals weren’t particularly close.

It’s one thing for Ohio State to beat Penn State on the football field, but it’s another for Sanderson to let his team get slapped around on the wrestling mat.

The dual meet started out at 125 and No. 17 Frank Martellotti (PSU) set the tone early by earning a major decision and the 4-0 lead over the Buckeyes.

Bryan Pearsall (PSU) then cruised to an upset decision over No. 10 Ian Paddock (OSU) to further pad the lead (7-0) with the meat of Penn State’s lineup yet to go.

And how’s this for meaty? The Nittany Lions racked up six more wins as No. 10 Andrew Alton (PSU) and No. 6 Frank Molinaro (PSU) pinned their opponents and No. 3 David Taylor (PSU) and No. 11 Ed Ruth (PSU) earned major decisions.

Ohio State finally got on the board in the next to last match with a decision victory to make the score 36-3 in favor of the good guys.

But No. 6 Cameron Wade (PSU) wouldn’t take Penn State’s foot off the gas as he pinned his Buckeye opponent in the final match to cement the dominating 42-3 win.

Look, was the 2010-2011 season a bit of a down year for Ohio State? Yeah, it definitely was.

And I don’t really care.

Penn State Wrestling was starting to get everything rolling and this win was simply an indication of that as well as indication of things to come.