Depleted Wrestling Team Falls to Ohio State, 34-12
PERRYSBURG, Oh. (Dec. 13, 2009) – Third-ranked Ohio State defeated a depleted Edinboro team which came in ranked 19th by InterMat and 17th in the NWCA/USA Today Top 25, 34-12 on Sunday afternoon at Perrysburg High School. The loss drops the Fighting Scots to 2-2, while Ohio State is now 5-0.
Edinboro head coach Tim Flynn knew going in that it could be a long afternoon, and that proved true in several matches where the Buckeyes faced Boro backups. But Edinboro more than held its own in the matches where the regular starters were able to wrestle.
The Fighting Scots were missing four starters. Edinboro won two of the five matches where the starters were in place, and that does not include 197 lbs., where the Buckeyes used a backup. In addition, it does include the 133 lb. match where Kyle Fluke returned after missing two weeks with an injury.
The match got started at 133 lbs., with freshman Ian Paddock, a highly-touted three-time New York state champion, recording a 12-1 major decision over Fluke. That left the senior with a 9-6 record.
Top-ranked Reece Humphrey, the runnerup at 133 lbs. a year ago at Nationals, faced Ashton Osterberg at 141 lbs. Humphrey dominated the match against Osterberg, who was filling in for injured starter Joel Webster and moving up from 133 lbs., winning 27-11. Osterberg is now 8-10 while Humphrey remained undefeated at 15-0.
OSU’s Sean Nemec faced another fill-in, as Matt Coleman replaced Matt Laird in the Boro lineup. Nemec registered a 10-1 major decision to drop Coleman to 4-5.
It was hoped that the 165 lb. match would be a rematch of the recent Oklahoma Gold Classic finals between top-ranked and defending national champion Jarrod King and seventh-ranked Colt Sponseller. King prevailed in that meeting, 8-5, but he was unavailable due to injury today. Sophomore Chris Hrunka filled in and lost by fall at 4:53.
Edinboro forfeited the 174 lb. match with Phil Moricone still out with an injury and fill-in Joe Loffredo having quit the team earlier in the week.
The 184 lb. match featured a pair of nationally-ranked wrestlers, with Pat Bradshaw ranked 20th by InterMat and Mike Pucillo of Ohio State, the defending national champion who is currently ranked ninth by InterMat. Pucillo improved to 10-3 while dropping Bradshaw to 12-5 as he won by fall at 2:26.
Trailing 34-0, Edinboro came away with wins in the final three bouts. Shawn Fendone (below left), who just returned from an injury a week ago, improved to 3-1 as the junior needed just 20 seconds to win by fall against Zach Stolarsky.
A year ago OSU’s Corey Morrison upset Joey Fendone in the dual at Edinboro. This time around Chris Birchler (above right) made sure that didn’t happen. The senior, ranked 14th at heavyweight, improved to 13-4 with a 6-4 decision over Morrison. Following a scoreless first period, Birchler opened the second period with an escape, then posted a pair of second-period takedowns for a 5-1 lead. Morrison would close to 5-4 with an escape and takedown, but Birchler closed out the win with an escape.
The 125 lb. match also featured a pair of former national qualifiers. Eric Morrill (top left), ranked eighth, improved to 13-2 as he held off Nikko Triggas by another 6-4 decision. A Morrill takedown and Triggas escape made it 2-1 after one period. Morrill opened the second period in the down position, and reversed Triggas for a 4-1 lead. Triggas came back to knot the match at 4-4 with an escape and takedown, but Morrill reversed Triggas again for the winning points. There was no scoring in the third period.
Edinboro will break for final exams before returning to action on December 20 in the Reno Tournament.