Mason Parris Takes Over #1 Heavyweight Spot!
Mason Parris Takes Over #1 Heavyweight Spot!
Michigan's Mason Parris took out Penn State's Greg Kerkvliet to take over college wrestling's top spot at 285 lbs.
The Mason Parris vs Greg Kerkvliet rivalry was renewed on Friday night when 2021 NCAA finalist Mason Parris beat Penn State All-American Greg Kerkvliet in a wild overtime bout during the Michigan vs Penn State Dual.
Conventional wisdom favored Kervliet in tonight's bout after his three victories over Parris in the 2021-22 season, but Parris, who won their lone matchup in the 2020-21 season took a disciplined approach and got the lone takedown in sudden-victory.
Michigan's Twitter account posted this celebratory post
Hwt: Parris with the big third-period takedown and 3-1 win over #1 Kerkvliet! Lightning-quick go behind midway through the third and rode out the bout. Mason improves to 18-0 on the season!
— Michigan Wrestling (@umichwrestling) January 21, 2023
Penn State 30, Michigan 8 pic.twitter.com/D4B6T0Gva1
While Penn State won the dual against Michigan eight matches to two, Parris' win against Kerkvliet will land the Wolverine in the nation's top spot and serve as solace for Michigan fans who may have been hoping for more.
Not only will Parris' performance land him the top spot in the rankings, but it could also earn him a favorable seed at the ever-challenging Big Ten Championships in March. Parris is now clearly the nation's top big man. The Big Ten dual season still presents plenty of challenges for Parris, but he's now in the driver's seat.