Penn State Pulls Further Into the Lead at NCAA Wrestling Championships. Ramos, St. John Advance to Semis

Penn State built on a solid day one with a strong Saturday morning of wrestling, with Oklahoma State on their heels.

Penn State builds on Day 1 lead (NCAA, with individual match breakdowns below)

Penn State, in search of a third consecutive NCAA team title, and Oklahoma State, looking for a 35th title and first since 2006, kicked into high gear. PSU pushed five into the semifinals and have 75 points; OSU advanced five to the semis and has 65 ½ points. Third place Minnesota is more than 20 points back of the Cowboys. Another round of wrestlebacks began about 2:15 ET. A half a point here, a half a point there – it all matters at this point, especially for Oklahoma State and Penn State.

See Also: Brackets and team scoring from the Des Moines Register.

Iowa currently sits far behind in fourth, advancing two wrestlers: Tony Ramos and Derek St. John, to the semifinals.

NCAA Championships: Tony Ramos, Derek St. John advance to semis (Hawk Central)

“We advanced two, but it wasn’t what we wanted,” said head coach Tom Brands. “There are no do-overs so we’ve got to get it going. We have some guys in unchartered territory so we have to find a way to get tough.”

Ramos earned his second straight trip to the semifinals with a 6-1 decision over Oklahoma State’s Jon Morrison. After a scoreless first period, Ramos recorded an escape to take a 1-0 lead midway through the second. He stretched that lead with a low single on the edge of the mat, taking a 3-0 advantage into the third period.

See the Friday night session at 6:00 p.m. here: Watch Live: 2013 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Des Moines