How Aaron Brooks owns the ‘Penn State’ Olympic Wrestling Trials, pulls upset for the ages

STATE COLLEGE — Aaron Brooks pulled the stunner of these U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials finals, on what turned out to be one of the most emotional Penn State wrestling days possible.

There was his unexpected, massive upset of the reigning world champ.

There was the wrestler fighting through the death of his father.

And another who didn’t even plan on being here to do what he did today.

From Brooks to Kyle Dake to Zain Rutherford, all winning their Olympic Trials weight classes here in a nearly sold-out Bryce Jordan Center. Brooks and Dake locked up their trips to Paris this summer; Rutherford must still finish top-three in a pre-Olympic tournament next month in Turkey to qualify the U.S. in 65 kilograms.

It was a hometown Olympic Trials that started with about 20 wrestlers with strong Penn State ties. That continent had dwindled to a handful this evening, which included Nittany Lion Wrestling Club member Kyle Snyder, who also won in 97 kilos, and will be going to his third Olympics.

But, clearly, the main attraction was Brooks vs. David “Magic Man” Taylor.

The recent NCAA champion against the 33-year-old Olympic gold medalist who’s been called the best wrestler in the world, pound for pound.

The crowd sensed the moment. They roared as the arena music blasted moments before the two came out on the raised showtime mat.

Though he had already lost earlier in the day, Taylor was well-known for pulling out hopeless situations with dramatics, earning his nickname.

And Brooks, sure enough, had did just the same less than 24 hours before here, somehow rallying in his Challenge Tournament final to survive Zahid Valencia, needing a singlet-pulling penalty in the final seconds to win by a point.

Could Brooks actually beat Taylor twice — in the same day?

Surprisingly, the college senior appeared to be calmer and more in control throughout. No matter that he already wrestled three times on Friday and then immediately worked out for another two hours into the early morning to drop a dozen pounds to make weight for today.

After Brooks kept a rested Taylor at arm’s length in his surprising Saturday morning victory, he had to withstand harder, more deliberate charges to start the evening match.

Brooks fended off each one deftly and without incident. Only one last, late desperate rush threatened to connect. But Brooks muscled away that one, too.

Brooks won, 3-1, dropping Taylor to his knees. The Penn State senior has now won his fourth NCAA title and clinched an Olympic trip in the past month.

NLWC’s Kyle Dake overcomes death of father, makes Olympic team

Good friend, training partner and ultimate Olympic Trials foe Jason Nolf was one of the first to comfort Kyle Dake nine days ago.

Dake’s father had just died. Nolf wanted to be there at the toughest time.

And so it is for these Nittany Lion Wrestling Club members, who often times must simultaneously support and yet battle each other on stages like this.

Dake, an Olympic bronze medalist in Tokyo, will be going to Paris this summer thanks to his second suffocating victory Saturday over Nolf in these Trials championship finals at 74 kilograms.

This one went 3-1, just like the Brooks/Taylor match.

Immediately after, Dake walked off the arena floor and met the media. He was in tears talking about his dad. He was gracious in mentioning Nolf, who he said couldn’t operate at his best because of an undisclosed injury.

“I miss him,” Dake said of his father, who died after a long illness. “He was just a big part of this whole journey for me. It’s really hard to not have him here.”

Olympic Trials champ Zain Retherford: Didn’t know he’d even be here

Olympic Trials’ champ Zain Retherford considered ending his wresting career just four months ago.

He’d already come up short on two previous Olympic shots.

He landed a financial job in New York City.

He was tired of cutting weight.

Then in it all changed with second-thoughts — which eventually led to his back-to-back Saturday victories over his former Penn State teammate, Nick Lee.

“I didn’t know if this would be my last time competing today,” Retherford said. “I didn’t think I’d be competing at these Olympic Trials, truthfully.”

He re-committed to wrestling only in January.

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“I just had it pulling on my heart to compete. I told my wife … Had to talk to my new boss, ‘I want to compete, what would it look like, can it work?”

It did, as Retherford worked his job part-time, trained with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club (along with Lee) and cut weight to 65 kilograms better than he ever thought he could.

It led to meeting Lee in Saturday’s best-of-three finals here in front of the hometown fans where he won three national titles. He edged his former roommate in the first match, then beat him convincingly in the second.

Frank Bodani covers Penn State sports for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at  fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Aaron Brooks beats David Taylor in Penn State Olympic Wrestling Trials