Scattered thoughts while working from the athletic director’s box inside a dark Thomas Field House late Saturday night:

• Penn State red-shirt freshman and Bellefonte graduate Mike Lorenzo has added quality depth to the Nittany Lions’ roster. Lorenzo, a backup 165-pounder, moved up a weight to replace injured starter David Erwin and defeated Lock Haven senior Mike Metzger 5-2 at 174 during the 35-8 victory. Lorenzo was competing in his second college dual meet. Earlier this month, he replaced 165-pounder starter Dave Rella and held Michigan All-American Eric Tannenbaum to a major decision. “Anything is possible,” Lorenzo said. “Even if it’s not winning, you can prevent the bonus points against you. You just have to fight.”

  Lorenzo’s career has entered the anything-is-possible realm. He walked into the Lorenzo Wrestling Complex, which coincidentally is named after his father, Rich, with meager credentials. Lorenzo started his career in junior high and he never advanced to the PIAA Class AAA Championships for the Red Raiders. Lorenzo then missed a significant part of last season because of a medial collateral ligament injury. “I didn’t start until seventh grade, so I have a lot of time to makeup,” he said. “But I also feel it keeps me from getting burned out.”

  Lorenzo’s college search didn’t last long. Despite a roster littered with state champions and placewinners, Lorenzo wanted to wrestle for the school where his father served as head coach from 1979-92. “I always wanted to go to Penn State regardless of the situation,” said Lorenzo, who improved to 4-8 by defeating Metzger. Penn State coach Troy Sunderland called Saturday’s victory a “huge win” for Lorenzo. “For Mike to give that kind of performance, and to get a win for him, his family and his team is a great accomplishment,” Sunderland said.

• At times, it must feel peculiar for Lorenzo to train in a practice room named after his father. The $4 million Lorenzo Wrestling Complex received its name when an anonymous donor requested the center to be named after Rich Lorenzo, who led the Nittany Lions to six Top 10 finishes at the NCAA Championships. “A lot of people expect a lot out of you,” Mike said. “I just go by my own beat of the drum. It’s amazing being in there. My dad’s a legend and I’m proud of him.”

• The wrestling series with Lock Haven might be the best rivalry Penn State has in any sport. Penn State leads the series 30-4. But the proximity between the schools and the vast differences in enrollment and funding produce compelling moments. Victories over Penn State are part of Clinton County lore. In fact, some Lock Haven fans cried when the Bald Eagles defeated the Nittany Lions for the first time in 1995. Joining the Big Ten expanded geographic boundaries between Penn State and its opponents and greed ruined the football series with Pitt. Fortunately, Sunderland and Lock Haven coach Rocky Bonomo are committed to continuing the Penn State-Lock Haven wrestling rivalry.

• How’s this for the disparities between the schools? At 11 p.m. Saturday night, Lock Haven associate athletics director Peter Campbell and assistant athletics Danielle Barney were sweeping the Thomas Field House floor and collecting garbage in the bleachers. Two athletic administrators cleaning the Rec Hall floor and bleachers will be one scene missing from Penn State’s 2007-08 wrestling scrapbook.

• This year’s match wasn’t contested on an attractive date. The District 6 Championships in Altoona and District 4 Championships in Williamsport fell on the same night. Lock Haven officials announced the crowd at 1,300. Yet, a strong student turnout and savvy productions — think Minor League Baseball game — produced a charged atmosphere. The Penn State section started a “We Are” chant during the 197-pound bout, and Lock Haven’s mascot roamed the stands. After the match, Penn State sophomore Bubba Jenkins traded playful barbs with Lock Haven students. One more element added to the atmosphere — television cameras. The match was believed to be the first live home television broadcast in Lock Haven wrestling history. “It’s great for wrestling and it’s certainly great for our program,” Bonomo said.

• Garrett Scott and Jake Strayer both deserve a chance to wrestle in the postseason. Strayer showed grit Saturday by competing with a rib injury sustained during a wrestle-off earlier this month. Scott, who missed the match because of an illness, has displayed uncanny mat sense throughout his freshman season. Both 141-pounders are All-American candidates. Other programs have experienced similar dilemmas. So here’s a proposal the NCAA Wrestling Committee should consider — allow every Division I program to select one weight where it enters two wrestlers in its conference tournament. Don’t expect this to ever happen. The NCAA has stalled for decades on a January to April season, a logical move that would prevent conflicts with football, basketball and high school wrestling.

• Penn State finished its dual meet season 14-5 for the second straight year. The Nittany Lions won their first six and final four matches. Penn State is 41-14 during the past three seasons.

Thanks to Guy Cipriano and the "Centre Daily Times" (State College, Pa.) for the article