Penn State Wrestling: Is a new powerhouse pipeline emerging?
By Chris Snyder
Can Cael Sanderson and the Penn State Wrestling team benefit from a growing in-state giant in high school wrestling?
Eastern Pennsylvania has always been fertile recruiting grounds when it comes to top level wrestling talent. College teams from all across the nation flock to the Keystone State time and time again to get a glimpse of, and possibly a chance to land, any one of these program changers.
And in the AAA level of Pennsylvania high school wrestling, there are a handful of dominant, powerhouse programs. From Nazareth, to Northampton, to Easton, to North Allegheny, to Central Dauphin. All of these programs have won numerous state wrestling titles.
But Bethlehem Catholic, who was previously at the AA level, has recently thrown their hat into the “Titans of PA high school wrestling” ring as they have now brought home team titles in 2016, 2019, and 2020.
And while Nazareth took the team title in 2022, it’s not out of the question that Bethlehem Catholic will be crowned champs once again in the near future thanks to a trio of highly touted recruits.
Tyler Kasak, the elder statesman of the group, closed his junior year by finishing 3rd in the state at 138. Kasak also finished 5th his freshman year at 106, but last season he took home the individual title at 126.
Then there are the pair of freshmen in Nathan Desmond and Kollin Rath.
All they did their freshman year was go a combined 63-4 with an individual title at 106 (Desmond) and finish 3rd at 132 (Rath).
And how about this scenario brought forth by Pat Mineo?
Just throwing this out there but can you imagine if PSU ends up getting the @becawrestling trio of Kasak, Desmond & Rath?!? This is very possible…
— The Wrestling Room (Pat Mineo) (@MrPatMineo) May 2, 2022
Exactly.
Oh, I can imagine it. And it would awesome!
And here’s why, Tyler Kasak is currently a member of the M2 training center, which is run by reigning gold medalist and Penn State legend David “Magic Man” Taylor.
Cael Sanderson and the Nittany Lions have already benefited from the incredible training facility in Pleasant Gap as they signed Levi Haines, a top seven recruit nationally in the 2022 class who also is a member of the M2 training center.
Do you know who else has trained at the M2 training facility?
You guessed it, Nathan Desmond and Kollin Rath.
And if Bethlehem Catholic can continue to pump out top tier guys and they continue to train with the very best at M2, then Cael Sanderson and the Penn State wrestling team could certainly be the beneficiaries of it for many years to come.