Friday night, Ohio (7-3, 4-1 Mid-American Conference) hosted Kent State (1-13, 0-6 MAC). The Bobcats bested the Golden Flashes 29-11, marking the team’s sixth win in their last seven.
“I just think it’s an exciting duel,“ Ohio coach Joel Greenlee said. "It means something to our guys, their guys, and our fans. That’s the purpose of it, to create some excitement around wrestling and I think that’s what happened.”
The first match of the night was the 125-pound weight class with redshirt Malachi O’Leary defeating Kent State’s Nico Callelo. O’Leary set the tone in the first period with an instant three-point takedown and a ride time of 1:24 before Callelo escaped. With 40 seconds to go in the period picked up another three points with a near fall ending the period with a 6-1 lead.
The second period saw each wrestler fighting for lower leverage but to no avail, as the period ended with the score still 6-1. In the final period, O’Learly finished it with a submission for the 11-5 takedown, giving the Bobcats an early 3-0 lead.
Redshirt senior TJ England continued the landslide against Adam Benavidez. In the second period, England picked up the matchup’s first points with an instant escape and takedown before Benavidez responded with an escape. England continued to hold the advantage bringing the riding time in favor of the Bobcats, sealing the win by a score of 4-2.
In the 141-pound weight class, freshman Prestyn Park had no answer for Jordan Decatur. Decatur won by a tech fall of 21-6 with Decatur nabbing six takedowns on Park helping the Flashes cut the lead to 6-5.
Redshirt sophomore Derek Raike responded with a tech fall of his own. He dominated the mat with five takedowns, four of which came in the first period.
In the 149-pound weight class, redshirt sophomore Logan Cravatas defeated Keegan Knapp with a score of 15-7. Knapp struck first, but it was all Cravatas after that. He picked up four takedowns, including an aggressive around-the-ankle takedown, to put the match out of reach.
In the 165-pound weight class, redshirt sophomore Jack Llledo struggled to gain ground against Carson Miller. Miller struck first in the second period with an escape. In the third period, Miller controlled riding time, helping him win 3-0 and cutting the Bobcat lead down to 15-8.
Redshirt sophomore Garrett Thompson was all business with a shutout tech fall of 15-0 against Hunter Andel in the 175-pound weight class. Thompson opened with two takedowns in the first period refusing to give Andel any chance of getting off the mat. The second period saw Thompson swiftly escape and add an elusive sliding takedown. He picked up one more takedown before taking home the win.
Redshirt freshman Jeremy Olzsko took the win in a 3-0 decision. Olzko dominated in the second period picking up 1:47 of riding time off an elusive sliding escape leading into a reversal giving him two points enough to take home the win.
Redshirt sophomore Austin Starr lost in a tight battle against Kent State’s Blake Schaffer in a decision of 10-8. Starr struck first with a takedown before an escape from Schaffer. Schaffer responded with a takedown and a near fall. Starr answered right back with two straight reversals but Schaffer picked up an escape at the end of the first period. Schaffer picked up an escape to start the second period to extend his lead to 9-7 heading into the final period. Starr ended the final period with an escape but it wasn’t enough.
To end the night, senior Jordan Greer pinned his opponent within 2 minutes and 48 seconds. With the crowd on their feet, he pinned his opponent's elbows to the mat after a quick takedown to send the Golden Flashes home.
“I was excited. Who doesn’t want to go out on a pin on senior day?” Greer said, “It’s my last match in The Convo, it’s a little bittersweet.”
