The Buckeyes held their final home dual of the season on Sunday against No. 22 Northwestern. The atmosphere in the Covelli Center was electric as Buckeye Nation celebrated the Seniors headlined by team Captains Luke Pletcher and Kollin Moore. Ohio State won 7/10 matches on their way to a 28-10 victory. Please read below for match by match details.
The dual started out at 165 pounds with Ohio State’s Ethan Smith, a redshirt Sophomore and the No. 13 165-pounder in the country. Smith came into the match with a 15-9 record. Smith’s opponent, Shayne Oster, a Senior and the No. 18 165-pounder in the country came into the match with a 13-8 record. Oster recorded the first takedown of the match but Smith quickly got a reversal tying the match at 2-2. Oster was able to escape but Smith was able to tack on two more takedowns and accrue 1 min of riding time to take a 6-4 lead after the first period. Smith chose to go down to start the second period and got another reversal increasing his lead to 8-4. Oster was then able to escape making the score 8-5 at the end of the second period. Oster chose to go down to start the third period and quickly escaped making the score 8-6. Oster was able to get a takedown but OSU challenged and it was over turned maintaining Smith’s 8-6 lead. Oster got back to his offense and tacked on two takedowns to win the match in a 10-9 decision. Oster’s victory made the team score 3-0 Northwestern.
At 174 pounds, Ohio State’s Fritz Schierl, a redshirt Junior came into the match with a 15-7 record. Schierl’s opponent, Ankhaa Enkhmandakh, a freshman, came into the match with a 7-9 record. Schierl started the match out fast with two takedowns and four nearfall points making the score 8-1 after the first period. Enkhmandakh chose to go neutral to start the second period and Schierl was able to tack on two more takedowns making the score 12-2. Enkhmandakh was then called for his second stalling while Schierl was riding him making the score 13-2. Enkhmandakh was eventually able to escape making the score 13-3 to end the second period. Schierl chose to go down to start the third period and was able to quickly escape increasing his lead to 14-3. Schierl then got another takedown and quickly locked in a cradle pinning Enkhmandakh at the 6:15 mark. Schierl’s pin made the team score 6-3 OSU.
At 184 pounds, Ohio State’s Rocky Jordan, a redshirt Freshman and the No. 13 184-pounder in the country came into the match with a 24-6 record. Jordan’s opponent, Jack Jessen, a redshirt Freshman came into the match with a 12-13 record. Jordan started the match out with a quick takedown and two nearfall points making the score 4-1 after the first period. Jordan chose to go down to start the second period and quickly escaped increasing his lead to 5-1. Jordan was able to tack on another takedown and ride Jessen out making the score 7-1 after the second period. Jessen chose to go down to start the third period and was able to escape after Jordan accrued 1 minute of riding time. Jordan was able to tack on one more takedown before the period ended making the final score a 10-2 major decision for Jordan. Jordan’s victory made the team score 10-3 OSU.
At 197 pounds, Ohio State’s Kollin Moore, a redshirt Senior and the No. 1 197-pounder in the country came into the match with a 22-0 record. Moore’s opponent, Lucas Davison, a redshirt Freshman and the No. 13 197-pounder in the country came into the match with a 12-4 record. Moore started the match out with a quick takedown but Davison was able to escape making the score 2-1. Davison then caught Moore flat footed getting a takedown. Moore was able to quickly escape tying the match 3-3. Moore was able to tack on one more takedown before the period ended making the score 5-3 Moore. Moore chose to go down to start the second period and was able to quickly escape increasing his lead to 6-3. Moore got one more takedown in the period making the score 8-4 at the end of the second period. Davison chose to go down to start the third period and quickly escaped making the score 8-5. Moore got back to his offense tacking on two more takedowns increasing his lead to 12-7. Moore was going for a major decision when Davison caught Moore for a takedown. Moore quickly escaped but did not have enough time to recover making the final score a 14-9 decision for Moore. Moore’s victory made the team score 13-3 OSU.
At heavy weight, Ohio State’s Gary Traub, a redshirt Junior and the No. 23 heavy weight in the country came into the match with a 18-6 record. Traub’s opponent, Jack Heyob, a redshirt Freshman came into the match with an 0-11 record. Traub got the only takedown in the first period making the score 2-0. Traub chose to go down to start the second period and was able to quickly escape making the score 3-0. Traub was able to tack on two more takedowns in the second period making the score 7-1 after two periods. Heyob chose to go down to start the third period and was able to escape making the score 7-2. Traub was able to get another takedown but Heyob was able to escape making the score 9-3. Heyob was then called for his second stalling increasing Traub’s lead to 10-3. Traub then used his excellent motor to get one more takedown making the final score a 13-3 major decision for Traub. Traub’s major decision made the team score 17-3 OSU.
At 125 pounds, Ohio State’s Dylan Koontz, a redshirt Sophomore came into the match with a 12-8 record. Koontz’s opponent, Michael DeAugustino, a redshirt Freshman and the No. 11 125-pounder in the country came into the match with a 14-6 record. DeAugustino recorded the only takedown in the first period ending the period with a 2-1 lead. Koontz chose to go down to start the second period and was able to escape tying the match at 2-2. The second period ended in a 2-2 tie. DeAugustino chose to go down to start the third period and was able to quickly escape making the score 3-2. Koontz was unable to break through DeAugustino’s defense so the match ended in a 3-2 decision. DeAugustino victory made the team score 17-6 OSU.
At 133 pounds, Ohio State’s Jordan Decatur, a Freshman came into the match with a 10-7 record. Decatur’s opponent, Dylan Utterback, a Junior came into the match with a 2-10 record. Decatur came out of the gate aggressive with a quick takedown and 4 nearfall points making the score 6-0. In my opinion, Decatur had a pin but the refs disagreed. Decatur accrued 2.5 minutes of riding time ending the period with a 6-0 lead. Utterback chose to go down to start the second period. Decatur rode Utterback hard and forced Utterback’s second stalling call of the match, increasing his lead to 7-0. Decatur accrued over 4.5 minutes of riding time ending the second period 7-0. Decatur chose to go down to start the third period and quickly escaped increasing his lead to 8-0. Decatur quickly got back to his offense tacking on two more takedowns making the final score a 13-1 major decision for Decatur. Decatur’s victory made the team score 21-6 OSU.
At 141 pounds, Ohio State’s Luke Pletcher, a Senior and the No. 1 141-pounder in the country came into the match with a 22-0 record. Pletcher’s opponent, Alex McKenna, a redshirt Senior came into the match with a 5-6 record. McKenna’s strategy was made very clear early in the match when he was called for a stalling in the first minute of the match. Pletcher’s offense was too much for McKenna to avoid and he tacked on two takedowns making the score 4-2. McKenna was then called for his second stalling increasing Pletcher’s lead to 5-2. Pletcher was able to tack on one more takedown making the score 7-2 after the first period. Pletcher chose to go down to start the second period quickly escaping which increased his lead to 8-2. Mckenna was then called for his third stalling making the score 9-2 after 2 periods. McKenna chose to go down to start the third period and Pletcher allowed him to escape making the score 9-3. Pletcher tacked on two more takedowns ending the match with a 13-4 major decision. Pletcher’s victory made the team score 25-6 OSU.
At 149 pounds, Ohio State’s Sammy Sasso, a redshirt Freshman and the No. 1 149-pounder in the country came into the match with a 20-2 record. Sasso’s opponent, Eric Yang, a redshirt Junior came into the match with a 4-6 record. Sasso tacked on 3 takedowns and one minute of riding time to end the first period with a 6-2 lead. Yang chose to go down to start the second period and was able to escape making the score 6-3. Yang was then called for two straight stalling calls making the score 7-3 to end the second period. Sasso chose to go down to start the third period and quickly escaped increasing his lead to 8-3. Sasso was unable to get another takedown so the match ended in a 9-3 decision. Sasso’s victory made the team score 28-6 OSU.
In the final match of the night, Elijah Cleary, a redshirt Junior came into the match with a 13-9 record. Cleary’s opponent, Ryan Deakin, a redshirt Junior and the No. 1 157-pounder in the country came into the match with a 14-0 record. Deakin got the only takedown in the first period but was able to accrue 1.5 minutes of riding time, ending the period with a 2-0 lead. Cleary chose to go down to start the second period and was able to escape making the score 2-1. Deakin was able to tack on one more takedown and accrue over 3 minutes of riding time, ending the second period with a 4-1 lead. Deakin chose to go down to start the third period and quickly escaped increasing his lead to 5-1. Deakin broke through Cleary’s defense for another takedown and quickly cut him loose making the score 7-2. Cleary was called for a stalling but Deakin got a takedown anyways making the score 9-2. Cleary was then called for his second stalling, making the score 10-2. Deakin rode Cleary out making the final score a 11-2 major decision for Deakin. Deakin’s victory made the final team score 28-10 OSU.
Questions remain in this lineup but at the end of the day it was great to be in the Covelli Center as Buckeye Nation celebrated all of the Seniors on this team. Senior Captains Luke Pletcher and Kollin Moore left their home mat for the final time victorious.
Written By: Brandon Dodson
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