I've never been one of those guys who's always looking for an excuse, but Henckel was so clearly affected by something that I think it's safe to say that he's feeling poorly right now. Hopefully he'll get something in his stomach and improve some, but I think this is a time when it's OK to think about the context and why he looked so lackadaisical.
2026 Southern Scuffle tournament thread
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I've never been one of those guys who's always looking for an excuse, but Henckel was so clearly affected by something that I think it's safe to say that he's feeling poorly right now. Hopefully he'll get something in his stomach and improve some, but I think this is a time when it's OK to think about the context and why he looked so lackadaisical.
Maybe Spencer Lee’s mom broke into the locker room and tore everyone’s contact lenses in half. It’s hard to wrestle when you can’t see well.
Henckel put up an MD (9-1) on Haase in November.
The holidays are always rough on the immune system. My 5 and 2 year old boys have had three different illnesses in the last month.
The holidays are always rough on the immune system. My 5 and 2 year old boys have had three different illnesses in the last month.
141 R32: Aaron Nagao vs. Raymond Adams (Duke)
Period 1:
Nagao is wearing a shoulder/right upper arm support brace. Circling & hand fighting. Nagao snaps & gets a front headlock. Adams drives forward. Stalemate & restart. Circling, hand fighting & tying up. Adams throws in an underhook & they break. Nagao shoots & gets a leg, then finishes the TD on the edge, 3-0. Wait, the TD is waived off. They're still scrambling on the edge, but it's stopped for potentially dangerous, neutral restart. Adams shoots & gets a leg. Nagao gets to an ankle too. Stopped for PD again, neutral restart. Nagao presses forward. Adams throws in an underhook. Stalemate & restart. Circling & hand fighting to end the period. 0-0
Period 2:
Nagao takes down. He works to his feet. Adams jacks him up, but Nagao fights free for the escape, 1-0. Tying up on the edge & then they break. Adams shoots, Nagao counters & gets the TD, 4-0. He wraps a boot around Adams' waist & is on his back like a tick. Nagao gets the boot in & has Adams bellied out. Nagao rides out the period. 4-0 Nagao, +49-sec RT
Period 3:
Adams chooses neutral. Circling, hand fighting & clubs. Action stopped for hard clubs & a ref warning. Circling with a little hand fighting. Adams drops to a leg. Nagao blocks him off. Stalemate & neutral restart. Adams shoots & gets the leg again. Nagao is defending with the splits & hand fighting. Adams elevates the leg & drags Nagao back in a little. Adams keeps working, but can't finish the shot & time expires.
Aaron Nagao DEC Raymond Adams 4-0
Period 1:
Nagao is wearing a shoulder/right upper arm support brace. Circling & hand fighting. Nagao snaps & gets a front headlock. Adams drives forward. Stalemate & restart. Circling, hand fighting & tying up. Adams throws in an underhook & they break. Nagao shoots & gets a leg, then finishes the TD on the edge, 3-0. Wait, the TD is waived off. They're still scrambling on the edge, but it's stopped for potentially dangerous, neutral restart. Adams shoots & gets a leg. Nagao gets to an ankle too. Stopped for PD again, neutral restart. Nagao presses forward. Adams throws in an underhook. Stalemate & restart. Circling & hand fighting to end the period. 0-0
Period 2:
Nagao takes down. He works to his feet. Adams jacks him up, but Nagao fights free for the escape, 1-0. Tying up on the edge & then they break. Adams shoots, Nagao counters & gets the TD, 4-0. He wraps a boot around Adams' waist & is on his back like a tick. Nagao gets the boot in & has Adams bellied out. Nagao rides out the period. 4-0 Nagao, +49-sec RT
Period 3:
Adams chooses neutral. Circling, hand fighting & clubs. Action stopped for hard clubs & a ref warning. Circling with a little hand fighting. Adams drops to a leg. Nagao blocks him off. Stalemate & neutral restart. Adams shoots & gets the leg again. Nagao is defending with the splits & hand fighting. Adams elevates the leg & drags Nagao back in a little. Adams keeps working, but can't finish the shot & time expires.
Aaron Nagao DEC Raymond Adams 4-0
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Agree. Not just Henckel but our team overall needs to work more on getting out on bottom. They get to there feet but have trouble breaking out. Noticed this over the last few matches.
Nagao's feet looked slow. He was able to scramble out of it, but, that kid is 5-10 on the year. Hopefully, he is just knocking off the rust, but, allowing wrestlers to get to his legs has always been an issue. Sorry, not trying to be negative, just being honest about what I'm seeing.
Adams is 4-10 this year, ranked 183 on Wrestlestat. A win is a win, but everything being said, I expected a little more in that match.
A bit concerned seeing the big shoulder brace and then that match from Aaron. Shoulders are always a concern and some wrestlers never are the same.
That’s a long way from beating anyone in the B1G.
That’s a long way from beating anyone in the B1G.
Nagao/Desmond wrestleoff and winner gets spot (I’ll take Desmond). Seems Davis definetly not in mix.
I’m sure Desmond would welcome the opportunity to start for PSU. Nothing guaranteed in future. Get in when you can
I’m sure Desmond would welcome the opportunity to start for PSU. Nothing guaranteed in future. Get in when you can
Not feeling great about my Henckel pick to win this thing at the moment. Sometimes it helps to get that first match out of the way. He definitely did not look like himself
Awful lot of teeth gnashing early.
Just got a notification Nagao MFF..at this point either pull Davis or just let Desmond go
FLO now showing Devon Harrison winnerby MFFL over Aaron Nagao. Only kind of word that we have at the moment.
149 R32: Connor Pierce vs. Cutter Sheets (OKSU)
Period 1:
Pierce quickly gets to a leg, then collects the other & finishes the TD, 3-0. Pierce gets a boot in. Sheets tries turning into Pierce, but can't break free. Pierce rolls Sheets out of bounds, restart. Sheets turns & gets the escape, 3-1. Pierce +49-sec riding time. Tying up & hand fighting. Pierce with some snaps & they break. Sheets shoots for a leg, but Pierce blocks him off & they work back to their feet. Pierce shoots & gets a leg. He elevates it & is trying to trip Sheets to the mat. Sheets is bouncing around on 1-leg, but Pierce keeps working & finishes the TD, 6-1, then time expires. 6-1 Pierce, +55-sec RT
Period 2:
Pierce takes down. He works to a quadpod, but Sheets is pressuring heavy from top. Pierce gets to his feet for a moment, but Sheets takes him out of bounds, restart. Pierce is still down. He works to his feet, gets hand control & the escape, 7-1. Pierce drops in on a leg & finishes another TD, 10-1. Pierce looks for a tight waist tilt. Sheets counters & almost gets a reversal, but has to settle for an escape, 10-2. Sheets shoots & gets a leg, but Pierce fights him off until time expires. 10-2 Pierce, +52-sec RT
Period 3:
Sheets takes neutral. Collar ties & hand fighting. Pierce shoots, but can't get there. He shoots again & has both legs, but Sheets is draped over the top. Stalemate & neutral restart. Pierce shoots & gets a leg again, then switches to a double. Sheets sprawls back & gets an ankle too. Stalemate & restart again, no scoring. Sheets shoots, Pierce counters, but nobody scores. Sheets shoots, Pierce counters & gets the TD, 13-2. Sheets gets the escape, 13-3 & time expires.
Connor Pierce MD Cutter Sheets 13-3
Period 1:
Pierce quickly gets to a leg, then collects the other & finishes the TD, 3-0. Pierce gets a boot in. Sheets tries turning into Pierce, but can't break free. Pierce rolls Sheets out of bounds, restart. Sheets turns & gets the escape, 3-1. Pierce +49-sec riding time. Tying up & hand fighting. Pierce with some snaps & they break. Sheets shoots for a leg, but Pierce blocks him off & they work back to their feet. Pierce shoots & gets a leg. He elevates it & is trying to trip Sheets to the mat. Sheets is bouncing around on 1-leg, but Pierce keeps working & finishes the TD, 6-1, then time expires. 6-1 Pierce, +55-sec RT
Period 2:
Pierce takes down. He works to a quadpod, but Sheets is pressuring heavy from top. Pierce gets to his feet for a moment, but Sheets takes him out of bounds, restart. Pierce is still down. He works to his feet, gets hand control & the escape, 7-1. Pierce drops in on a leg & finishes another TD, 10-1. Pierce looks for a tight waist tilt. Sheets counters & almost gets a reversal, but has to settle for an escape, 10-2. Sheets shoots & gets a leg, but Pierce fights him off until time expires. 10-2 Pierce, +52-sec RT
Period 3:
Sheets takes neutral. Collar ties & hand fighting. Pierce shoots, but can't get there. He shoots again & has both legs, but Sheets is draped over the top. Stalemate & neutral restart. Pierce shoots & gets a leg again, then switches to a double. Sheets sprawls back & gets an ankle too. Stalemate & restart again, no scoring. Sheets shoots, Pierce counters, but nobody scores. Sheets shoots, Pierce counters & gets the TD, 13-2. Sheets gets the escape, 13-3 & time expires.
Connor Pierce MD Cutter Sheets 13-3
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I'm absolutely one of those guys who typically watches things play out, who trusts the coaching staff's decisions and who supports ALL of the PSU guys, whoever happens to be on the mat, but I have to admit that in this case, if something's really wrong with Nagao (and it would appear that something IS), then I'm in favor of Davis having his shirt pulled and going the rest of the way. Not sure what's going on in the room of course, but Davis is probably just as likely to feel the pinch and struggle to find the mat for PSU in the future too.
Even if Nagao is the best of the 41s I don’t think you can count on him making it thru a season at this point. Has to be Davis or Desmond at this point
MMF is quite concerning unless he has the flu. Maybe
If we are looking at something serious, it's an easy decision. Pull Davis' shirt.
Desmond is needed to back up 125 & 133 while preserving his redshirt this year. Heck if he can make 125 next year which is doubtful, redshirting Lilledahl makes sense, especially assuming Ono goes 133. One of them will probably have to sit next year no matter what.
If one is realistic, there is no way Desmond gets big enough this year to be effective against AA level 141s, Mendez probably techs him. I didn't think we want to gift tOSU 5 points or more. Davis probably keeps that to a decision or a major at the worst.
If we are looking at something serious, it's an easy decision. Pull Davis' shirt.
Desmond is needed to back up 125 & 133 while preserving his redshirt this year. Heck if he can make 125 next year which is doubtful, redshirting Lilledahl makes sense, especially assuming Ono goes 133. One of them will probably have to sit next year no matter what.
If one is realistic, there is no way Desmond gets big enough this year to be effective against AA level 141s, Mendez probably techs him. I didn't think we want to gift tOSU 5 points or more. Davis probably keeps that to a decision or a major at the worst.
157 R32: Joe Sealey vs. Wyatt Stout (PENN)
Period 1:
2:30 left in the period. 0-0. Sealey gets to an ankle, but Stout kicks free. Circling, hand fighting & snaps. Stout reaches for a leg, but can't get there. Hand fighting, collar ties & some snaps, 1-min left. Sealey reaches for a low leg, but can't finish. Stout gets a front headlock. Stalemate & restart. Stout shoots, Sealey counters, but nobody comes close to scoring. Sealey keeps working & pancakes Stout, 3-0. He's looking for the fall, but time expires. Sealey adds 4 NF, 7-0, I think, it's not on the scoreboard, yet.
Period 2:
Maybe there wasn't any nearfall, as the score is still 3-0. Stout takes down. He gets the escape, 3-1. Action is stopped & the ref is at the table. Hey, there's the NF for Sealey. Maybe the scoreboard operators smoked their breakfast? Back to action, 7-1 Sealey. Circling, collar ties & hand fighting again. Sealey drops to a leg. Stout comes over the top. Sealey is trying to come out the back, but it's stopped for a stalemate or PD. Sealey gets to an ankle off the whistle & finishes another TD, 10-1. Out of bounds & restart. Stout starts down, 1-min left. Sealey works a tight waist ride, then cuts Stout, 10-2. Collar ties & hand fighting again. Sealey drops to a leg, elevates it & finishes another TD, 13-2. Sealey gets Stout bellied out & rides out the period. 13-2 Sealey, +1:10 RT
Period 3:
Sealey takes down. Riding time goes under 1-min, then Sealey gets the escape, 14-2. Sealey hits a slick duck for another TD & the 17-2 Tech! Joe's looking great!
Joe Sealey TECH Wyatt Stout 17-2 (5:36)
Period 1:
2:30 left in the period. 0-0. Sealey gets to an ankle, but Stout kicks free. Circling, hand fighting & snaps. Stout reaches for a leg, but can't get there. Hand fighting, collar ties & some snaps, 1-min left. Sealey reaches for a low leg, but can't finish. Stout gets a front headlock. Stalemate & restart. Stout shoots, Sealey counters, but nobody comes close to scoring. Sealey keeps working & pancakes Stout, 3-0. He's looking for the fall, but time expires. Sealey adds 4 NF, 7-0, I think, it's not on the scoreboard, yet.
Period 2:
Maybe there wasn't any nearfall, as the score is still 3-0. Stout takes down. He gets the escape, 3-1. Action is stopped & the ref is at the table. Hey, there's the NF for Sealey. Maybe the scoreboard operators smoked their breakfast? Back to action, 7-1 Sealey. Circling, collar ties & hand fighting again. Sealey drops to a leg. Stout comes over the top. Sealey is trying to come out the back, but it's stopped for a stalemate or PD. Sealey gets to an ankle off the whistle & finishes another TD, 10-1. Out of bounds & restart. Stout starts down, 1-min left. Sealey works a tight waist ride, then cuts Stout, 10-2. Collar ties & hand fighting again. Sealey drops to a leg, elevates it & finishes another TD, 13-2. Sealey gets Stout bellied out & rides out the period. 13-2 Sealey, +1:10 RT
Period 3:
Sealey takes down. Riding time goes under 1-min, then Sealey gets the escape, 14-2. Sealey hits a slick duck for another TD & the 17-2 Tech! Joe's looking great!
Joe Sealey TECH Wyatt Stout 17-2 (5:36)
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If Davis goes, he will need to find a tournament so.wwhere to get him enough matches for seeding.
Whatever decision is made by the PSU staff at 141, I strongly doubt that projected results at the Ohio State dual meet will be a factor.
Not sure it’s teeth gnashing. This is a board to make comments on PSU wrestling - good or bad.
Henckel is a freshman. He’s going to have some bad matches this year. They pretty much all do - even guys like Spencer Lee, Bo Nickal, Carter, etc.
Aaron is a different story. He’s been seriously injured for 2+ years now. Wrestling is a brutal sport for guys that are having trouble staying healthy. That’s pretty unarguable. Concern is warranted. It’s not ripping a kid, it’s stating the obvious.
Sealey looking good. That duck/peak out to get the last td was sweet
I don't think Desmond is going back down to 125.
Blaze probably doesn't want to go to 141 this year because of Menedez. I think Davis makes sense.
The flu and Norovirus are crazy bad right now. I was in bed 6 days with the flu before Christmas, and got Norovirus the next week. The dehydration is unreal. I can't imagine wrestling as you'd have no strength whatsoever. Add in massive weight loss.
Last Saturday my son’s HS team only had 6 kids able to go and compete. Rest of the team (my son included) was sick and not able to go. It was crazy
Regarding Desmond, I seem to recall the same angst regarding Kasak moving up to 149.
I might want to see how Connor Pierce performs at 141, but don’t know if his certification allows for it. Certainly doesn’t look big. Desmond competing at 141 just seems silly to me.
I think it is safe to assume none of our guys are wrestling with the flu or norovirus
I feel terrible for Aaron. Great kid, does everything right. He’s had some awfully bad luck with injuries.
No, but they may be recovering from it.
Way too many people eat like crap (regular sugar overdoses), drink excessive alcohol, and don't get sufficient amount of sunshine. This leads to metabolic issues which make people susceptible to infections.
Kasak moved up 1 weight class during the year. Desmond will be moving up 2, that’s usually offseason type stuff.
There was angst with Kasak, but after a couple matches it was pretty clear that Kasak was plenty strong enough and actually better suited to 149 than 141. Not the same situation at all with Desmond.
Sadly, I have suspected for a while now that Nagao's career would end like Robbie Howard's. Today reinforces that suspicion. Hope I'm wrong.