Sanderson Scores Again!

by Pete the Streak on Aug 28, 2009 7:17 AM EDT Comment 20 comments

Penn State wrestling was the beneficiary of another change of heart, as Hempfield's Jake Kemerer decommitted from Oklahoma and joined Cael's eye-popping 2009 class.

Kemerer went 48-0 last year, won his second PIAA State Title, and was #1 in Intermat's final national rankings at 160. He is number 7 in Intermat's top 50 high school recruits for 2009, giving Penn State 3 of the top 7 this year, joining #1 David Taylor and #5 Ed Ruth. All 3 are expected to redshirt.

Jake Kemerer is one tough kid, and a tremendous get.

Looking ahead, Intermat's national recruiting rankings for 2010 includes 4 Pennsylvania kids in the top 6, including Penn State early commits Dylan and Andrew Alton. Rumors (which I cannot yet confirm) indicate much more ridiculous awesomeness could follow.

Hiring Sanderson was hella brilliant, and instantly turned Penn State into Recruiting Central. The PSU brass done good on this one, kids.

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Update

Lame ass Oklahoma coach Jack Spates has not released Jake from his LOI, even though Kemerer is enrolled at PSU.

This will all work out eventually, but it looks like the rest of the nation fears the imminent Penn State tsunami, and are starting to dig in their heels.

Too late, fellas.

'People are about as happy as they decide they want to be'

by Pete the Streak on Aug 28, 2009 7:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Awesome update

Thanks Pete!

Mike
Black Shoe Diaries

by BSD on Aug 28, 2009 8:58 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I see MNCs in our future

This is amazing!! Sanderson is a smart man because he knew with his reputation and our incredible wrestling talent in PA, he’d kick some serious butt. I know we haven’t wrestled a single match yet but success is on the horizon!

by RNF18 on Aug 28, 2009 10:11 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think you can let go of the MNC term in Wrestling, just NC is fine.

Because instead of like football, it is actually decided on the field, er, mat.

Black Shoes. Basic Blues. No Name. All Game.

"Everyone has a plan, until they get punched in the mouth."

by Roland86 on Aug 28, 2009 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

? about the NC in wrestling

I always get confused about this. Is it awarded to the winner of the duals or does it go to the team with the highest overall score from the individual winners? If it’s the individual winners then the M should remain.

by RNF18 on Aug 28, 2009 3:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

While there is a National Dual Meet during the season,...

when most people refer to the national champ, then mean the team that won the tournament at the end of the season (individuals). It’s not mythical. They don’t just count who has the most indivual titles. Your team gets points based on your final place (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.), your advancing in each round and bonus points when you pin your opponent or score at least 8 more points than him. (You also get bonus team points for defaults & techincal falls.)

One of the things I love about Wrestling is that you are by yourself on the mat, but your team can’t win unless everyone contributes. If you’re the best wrestler in the country, but the other guys on your team suck, your team will lose every match. If everyone on the team is in the top 25%, but none are higher, you will probably win every match, but won’t do well at the National Tournament. If you have two or three guys who are amoung the best at their weight in the country, you could finish higher at the National Tournamemnt than the Big Ten tournament.

Born and raised in the shadow of Mount Nittany

by Elihu on Aug 28, 2009 4:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Amen, Eli

Some of the most crucial matches in a dual meet are the ones where your average guy goes out and doesn’t get pinned by the opposing team’s stud. Everyone in the gym knows he’s going to get manhandled, but if he can hold it to even a major decision, that’s 2 team points he didn’t give the other guys. It can be huge, and exciting as ~~hell~~ all get out..

'People are about as happy as they decide they want to be'

by Pete the Streak on Aug 28, 2009 6:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I've never gone by "Eli" ....

Either Elihu or Elie (to pronounce it, say the letters “L” & “E” quickly). Eli is pronounced with a long “I” like Eli Whitney.

Born and raised in the shadow of Mount Nittany

by Elihu on Aug 29, 2009 1:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oops!

Sorry, Elihu!

(is that pronounced like ‘Ellie Who’?)

Screen names can be tough. Except for mine.

'People are about as happy as they decide they want to be'

by Pete the Streak on Aug 29, 2009 2:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Like we did a couple years ago,

I think I recall us finishing 8th in the big ten tournament and 3rd at the NCAA tournament.

by PSUisMyHeart on Aug 29, 2009 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

FYI, the CDT article has the wrong Hempfield

He’s from the AAAA Hempfield Area in Westmoreland County, not the AAA Hempfield in Lancaster County. Hempfield Area, near Greensburg, is also the home of Jackie Kalp, who threw at least 2 no-hitters for the PSU softball team about 10 years ago. She was awesome.

Bacon is almost as great as being a Penn Stater

by NittanyTide on Aug 28, 2009 10:30 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Redshirting

Pete, what’s the thought process on Redshirting in wrestling. I’m hoping that’s not such a ‘no, duh’ question, but what are some of the considerations there? Do you think any of it is Sanderson’s interest in ‘be undefeated?’ If Taylor, Ruth & Kemmerer all redshirt 09, get plenty of work in the room, is he gearing them for some kind of mammoth run? Or are their weight classes manned by current PSU talent? Thanks.

"For me the game wasn’t grounded in reality. It was about the uniform you put on that turned you into a warrior. It was about the mythology of the battle, the victory, the defeat, the struggle." - Mike Reid, PSU '69

by jtothep on Aug 28, 2009 11:44 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It's a huge step up

from HS to a major D1 program. Most coaches want a year to allow the kids to become tougher mentally and get a little more physical, and to see where they develope weight-wise. Penn State’s Quentin Wright, who was all-world coming out of HS, was scheduled to redshirt last year, but injuries forced him into the lineup. He did great for a frosh (33-13, 15-5 in duals), but kind of a ho-hum 5-3 in the Big Ten. It’s a different universe than even the toughest HS circuits.

Crowded weight classes also come into play, and Penn State does have some talent returning that also has a few years experience.

Yes, wrestling is a physical sport, but the mental-toughness aspect is critical. A redshirt year allows the kids to adjust in every area.

'People are about as happy as they decide they want to be'

by Pete the Streak on Aug 28, 2009 12:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks, though, for the kind words. ’Preciate it.

'People are about as happy as they decide they want to be'

by Pete the Streak on Aug 28, 2009 5:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

On a side note...

Our friends at BHGP posted a hilarious story about ISU and references in it how Sanderson left them for our greener pastures as well as some other great stuff. Good stuff… take a look!

I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member

by TheMightyErik on Aug 28, 2009 4:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs