Though the Ohio wrestling team wishes some moments of the season could be changed, it does not want to be judged solely by its record.
“Wins and losses-wise, this season has not really been what we wanted before we began competition,” coach Joel Greenlee said. “We have had a lot of meets where if one or two matches goes a different way in them, we could have a whole different perspective on our season.”
Ohio (3-5, 2-3 Mid-American Conference) is coming off a win against the Buffalo Bulls on Sunday afternoon, but the team has had streaks of success and disappointment throughout the season.
Five of the Bobcats’ eight dual meets have been decided by eight points or less, including the MAC opener against Central Michigan where a penalty at the end of the match decided the contest.
At the same point on the calendar last season, the Bobcats were 7-4 overall. But the schedule had a different look last year, as Ohio competed in more tri-meets and fewer open tournaments compared to the 2011-2012 team.
In four tournaments, the Bobcats have placed higher than teams that are nationally ranked and also above MAC opponents, but final placing in those larger competitions does not factor into a team’s record.
Ohio has also been forced to weather the road this season. The team has traveled almost 9,200 miles to meets across the country and will be on the road for at least another 1,000 miles in upcoming weeks. The Bobcats have traveled once to Virginia, New York and Nevada and twice to Michigan and Tennessee.
Though every team travels throughout the season, coach Greenlee said that it seems his squad traveled more often than other schools in the MAC.
“A lot of things have happened this season that we cannot control,” Greenlee said. “We have had unfortunate injuries and traveled all over to begin the season, but we still would like to overcome those obstacles and do well in the end-of-the-year tournaments.”
The most recent injury involved senior Nick Purdue, who missed Sunday’s meet at Buffalo. Purdue, who is ranked 16th nationally in the 174-pound weight class, has been a leader for the Bobcats all season, posting a 15-6 record and losing only one match in dual meets.
“I am proud of how I have done this season,” Purdue said. “I did wish that a few of our meets could have been decided in our favor and we could have a better record, but that’s the past and all we can do is focus on getting better in the future.”
Purdue has been one of several bright spots for Ohio. Sophomore heavyweight Jeremy Johnson has been a major factor on the team and leads the unit in pins and wins.
Johnson is ranked seventh in the nation for his weight class and at one point claimed the No. 5 spot. The heavyweight began the season winning 15 of 16 matches and is still undefeated in dual meets at a perfect 8-0.
Johnson hopes he can continue to work toward becoming an All-American and lead the Bobcats to a solid finish and high placing in the MAC Championships.
cl027410@ohiou.edu
