By Todd Irwin

sports@altoonamirror.com

UNIVERSITY PARK — Penn State’s Jason Nolf gave Penn State fans plenty to cheer about during his career with the Nittany Lions.

Nolf won three NCAA titles, wrestled in the finals four times, went 133-4. Since then, he has continued wrestling for the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club and won three United State national titles.

But the Penn State fans might have been happier with who Nolf beat in the United States Olympic Trials Challenge Tournament 74 kilogram freestyle finals on Friday night at the Bryce Jordan Center.

Nolf thrilled the crowd with his 3-0 win over Jordan Burroughs, who has turned into a villain for Penn State fans.

Nolf will be joined in the finals by Penn State four-time NCAA champ Aaron Brooks, who rallied to win a 7-6 barnburner over Zahid Valencia in the 86 kilogram finals, thrilling the crowd.

Burroughs set off a firestorm as a commentator for ESPN during the NCAA Championships when he said he’d target Carter Starocci’s injured knee at the Trials.

Burroughs didn’t endear himself to the crowd at the BJC on Friday night when he hit Penn State’s Mitchell Mesenbrink while the Nittany Lion was kneeling on the mat in the final seconds of his 8-3 win over Mesenbrink.

The crowd booed Burroughs instantly and kept booing him loudly as he made the long walk past the mat stage and off the floor until he made his exit.

Nolf was leading Burroughs, 1-0, when he flew behind him for a takedown at the edge of the mat. Burroughs won a challenge and the score remained 1-0. But right off the whistle after the challenge, Nolf hit a double-leg takedown on Burroughs, who is renowned for that move.

When the final second ticked off the clock, the crowd roared in celebration. Nolf flexed toward them and raised both of his arms.

As Burroughs was walking off the floor, one of his coaches was yelling at a fan and swearing in the entrance.

Nolf fielded one question, gave a short answer and took off. Wrestlers here don’t have to talk if they don’t want to, and many of them weren’t giving interviews.

Nolf will wrestle four-time NCAA champ, four-time world champ and fellow Nittany Lion Wrestling Club member Kyle Dake in the best-of-three championship series.

Brooks, who fell behind 4-0 before beating Alex Dieringer, 8-4, in the semifinals, again trailed Valencia, 6-3, in the second period after a four-point move.

But Brooks nailed a takedown with 16 seconds remaining to draw to within one, 6-5. He forced Valencia out of bounds to tie the score, 6-6. And then Valencia was called for a singlet pull, giving a point to Brooks.

Valencia’s coaches threw the challenge brick, but Valencia threw it back. The wrestler has the ultimate decision if he or she wants to challenge.

When time expired, the crowd roared in celebration and Brooks raised his pointer finger above his head. Brooks didn’t want to give an interview because he said he had to make weight.

Brooks will wrestle two-time Penn State NCAA champ and 2020 Olympic gold medalist David Taylor in the finals.

Penn State’s Nick Lee and Nittany Lion Wrestling Club member Zain Retherford will wrestle in the 65 kilogram finals today.

Lee and Retherford had the crowd’s attention in the semifinals. As Lee was awaiting a challenge decision in his 11-9 win over Andrew Alirez, Retherford won his bout, 3-2, over Jesse Mendez and Lee applauded him.

NLWC’s Thomas Gilman will also wrestle in the 57 kilogram finals against former Iowa three-time NCAA champ Spencer Lee. Gilman, who eked out a 5-4 win over Bishop McCort sophomore Jax Forrest in the quarterfinals, breezed to a 6-0 victory over Oklahoma’s four-time NCAA runner-up Daton Fix in the semifinals.

NLWC member Kyle Snyder will wrestle Isaac Trumble in the best-of-three championship series at 97 kilograms.

Penn State NCAA champ Greg Kerkvliet lost to Nick Gwiazdowski, 5-1, in the semifinals.

Today’s schedule

Today’s wrestling begins at 10 a.m. The third session is expected to last until 3 p.m. Round one of the best-of-three Championship Series, all styles and weight classes, plus round two in the five weight classes not yet qualified for the Olympics will be wrestled.

There will also the completion of the Challenge Tournament consolation semifinals, consolation finals, third place bouts and true third (in necessary).

The last session is from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The round three of best-of-three Championship Series (if necessary) will be followed by round two and three (if necessary) in the 13 weight classes qualified for the Olympic Games. The session concludes with the presentation of the U.S. Olympic team.

Cox retires from wrestling

After he lost to Kollin Moore in the 97 kilograms semifinals, two-time world champion J’den Cox left his wrestling shoes on the mat, signifying he was retiring from wrestling. The crowd gave the 29-year-old a standing ovation as he did so and as he left the mat.

Page falls in finals

Jen Page, the only woman representing the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club, made it to the 62 kilogram finals before losing, 9-8, to Macey Kilty.