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Discussion Topic: Ohio at Kent State - Friday Night
Ethan Moore added to this discussion on February 8, 2009
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Kent State is on a roll, and has a great dual meet team. Ohio has most of their starters back and are 2-0 in the Mid-American Conference.
This will probably end up being one sided, but there are many interesting match-ups.
125: Nic Bedelyon (Kent State) v. Tim Silvers (Ohio)
133: Dan Mitcheff (Kent State) v. Quentin Keyes (Ohio)
141: Drew Lashaway (Kent State) v. Germane Lindsey (Ohio)
149: Jeremy Depoy (Kent State) v. Kevin Christensen or Seth Morton (Ohio)
(Matt Reedy has been injured most of the season, not sure of his status)
157: Ross Tice (Kent State) v. Clay Tucker (Ohio)
165: Obie Simpson (Kent State) v. Tom Weinkam (Ohio)
174: Chris Estep (Kent State) v. Jake Ison (Ohio)
184: Dustin Kilgore (Kent State) v. Erik Schuth (Ohio)
197: Eric Chine (Kent State) v. Chris Iammarino (Ohio)
285: Jermail Porter (Kent State) v. Justin Powell (Ohio)
Kent State is looking to challenge Central Michigan for the Mid-American Conference title and have a couple All-Americans. Ohio wrestled the majority of the season with 4-5 starters out due to injury, but when the line up is in place this is a promising young team.
Thought I would open this up for discussion.
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Discussion Topic: Ohio at Kent State - Friday Night
Matthew Lofton added to this discussion on February 9, 2009
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Come out for this matchup as it is the final home dual for six Kent State seniors, head coach Jim Andrassy's first recruiting class.
The match starts at 7. Come pack the MAC Center for this battle between two teams atop the MAC standings and say farewell to a very accomplished senior class!
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Discussion Topic: Ohio at Kent State - Friday Night
Ethan Moore added to this discussion on February 9, 2009
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Matthew:
A. I applaud your work in helping KSU wrestling this season.
B. I agree that this senior class has been great for the Golden Flashes. They have certainly left their mark with the program!
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Discussion Topic: Ohio at Kent State - Friday Night
Hank Kornblut added to this discussion on February 9, 2009
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157 and 174 look to be good matchups. 133 could be close as Keyes has some moments.
Question for Luke, Ethan or any other OU Fans: OU keeps landing solid kids who seem to either get hurt or not develop. Coach Greenlee had competitive teams when he first arrived in Athens but since the graduation of Percival, they haven't been relevant. Injuries, academics, quitting by upperclassmen...is all this behind them now? Can someone tell me that starting next year, OU will be pretty good? Or is this just a D1 program stuck in the mud? Right now, OU reminds me of a pale version of Ohio State under Hellickson. Some bright moments, esp. early in the coaches career, and some big success at nationals with Enright, Gardner and Percival--but too many down moments and non-competitive seasons.
I'd like some honest discussion here but I'll settle for what I get.
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Discussion Topic: Ohio at Kent State - Friday Night
Ethan Moore added to this discussion on February 9, 2009
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As opposed to a dishonest discussion?
The last few years, in my opinion, have been bad. A coupld straight recruiting classes that didn't pan out (for all the reasons you mentioned) really hurt the program. There is no doubt, and no excuse.
This year, again in my opinion, was to be a fresh start. However, injuries to Ison, Schuth, Reedy, Weinkam, and Lindsey had a very real impact on their early and midseason results. Since the majority of them have returned the results have been much better. Still without Reedy, who looked to be a real bright spot in the line up, the team is starting to win duals. Remember - no seniors and starting 7-8 freshmen and sophomores.
I understand that you review these teams with a critical eye, and I respect that. You should remember that many of the fans of the sport in Ohio have personal relationships that go beyond web sites and message boards.
Luke went to OU having finished 4th and 5th in the state. He ended up being a MAC champ and making it to the round of twelve, losing his AA match 7-4. Understandably, his belief is is that Greenlee is a great coach.
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Discussion Topic: Ohio at Kent State - Friday Night
Hank Kornblut added to this discussion on February 9, 2009
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Ethan: Pardon my "honest discussion" comment. It was snide.
I remember Kent prior to Andrassy and the ongoing saga that was Ohio State wrestling after Randleman's ineligibility. Both programs just couldn't keep the kids in line and the results were similar to what has happened recently at OU. My hope is that these issues have been addressed and that OU is back on track by next season. I recognize that they're starting a number of young wrestlers. And injuries can ruin a season. But I think next year is very important. Kent has surged ahead of OU not because of their recruits but the staffs ability to develop and retain the kids in the room. I'd like to see the Bobcats have a similar surge. Hopefully, it's what the future holds for OU.
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Discussion Topic: Ohio at Kent State - Friday Night
Scott Shaw added to this discussion on February 9, 2009
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The question is, can the state of Ohio sustain a third competitive DI program (read as Top 25) and can the MAC sustain a third competitive program, or, does the rise of Kent State mean that OU is doomed to a couple of solid individuals and an average team?
I think that in years past the answer would have been no, Ohio could not and the MAC could not. To much talent not getting a shot at the national tournament so kids went elsewhere. I think the new qualifying system will make this plausible for OU and the MAC. Gone are the days of only the MAC champion and a few runner-ups getting their shot at AA. If a solid kid exists, and can get the ranking he needs, then we should be seeing more and more competitors at the nationals from the MAC.
I know this system was put in place by some of the East Coast powers that be, but I think the real winner will be the MAC. Central Michigan may not like it, but it will make schools like Kent and OU more attractive to top recruits.
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Discussion Topic: Ohio at Kent State - Friday Night
Hank Kornblut added to this discussion on February 9, 2009
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Scott: Very insightful post. Great point about how good kids have a better chance now of getting to nationals regardless of program.
Certainly, Ohio has the talent to support many quality programs. Look at all the states raiding us--Iowa State, Virginia Tech, UVA, Old Dominion, CMU among others that have recently grabbed some gems from Ohio. Andrassy has a better chance now to land top talent in Ohio because he's built a program that's attractive. OU has been able to land talent--if they start winning, it'll be easier to convince kids to stay home.
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Discussion Topic: Ohio at Kent State - Friday Night
Matthew Lofton added to this discussion on February 10, 2009
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Discussion Topic: Ohio at Kent State - Friday Night
Luke Moore added to this discussion on February 10, 2009
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Coach Greenlee will be the first to tell you they have not been where they should be. To his credit however, he has had a couple years of addition by subtraction. He has gotten rid of guys "taking up space" in the room, and guys that were not cutting it academically, and has now filled his room with a crop of young guys who are all working together to rebuild a very traditional program. They have no seniors on the roster and have another very solid class coming in next year. They lost to EMU and UB last year very badly and have in a years time turned both of those defeats around. That is a sure sign that things are going in the right direction. I have all the faith in the world that they will continue to rise.
As for Kent, what Andrassy has done is simply remarkable. They wrestle hard and intense at all times, and that is a true relection of the coaching staff. This dual will definitely be more competitive this year than last, and I am confident that their rivalry will grow back to what it was when I was in school. Good luck to both schools (more to OU though...sorry) in this dual and the rest of the year.
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Discussion Topic: Ohio at Kent State - Friday Night
Scott Shaw added to this discussion on February 10, 2009
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Hank, I agree that the high school talent in Ohio could build several talented DI college programs. The problem was the lack of teams in the MAC creating a situation where you had to win the MAC to even sniff the national tourney. We all know the talent in the MAC is top notch. I think that the new system will change the mind of the kid that says "I can go to Michigan State or Indiana or Purdue and finish 7th in the Big Ten and still go to Nationals" to "I can stay close to home and wrestle at Kent or OU and still get to nationals if I work hard enough."
Greenlee is a proven winner. It will take a lot of hours, but with this new system, we could all be bragging about the fact that not only is Ohio the toughest high school wrestling state, it is the toughest collegiate wrestling state as well. (Add in Findlay and Ashland in DII, Notre Dame College in NAIA, and several of the top DIII wrestlers coming out of the OAC.)
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Discussion Topic: Ohio at Kent State - Friday Night
Ethan Moore added to this discussion on February 13, 2009
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Discussion Topic: Ohio at Kent State - Friday Night
Ethan Moore added to this discussion on February 14, 2009
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Good win for Kent.
29-6 Final
149: Clint Sponseller (KSU) dec. Kevin Christensen (Ohio), 6-1
157: Clay Tucker (Ohio) dec. Ross Tice (KSU), 9-3
165: Obie Simpson (KSU) dec. Steve Wilson (Ohio), 5-2
174: Jacob Ison (Ohio) dec. Chris Estep (KSU), 4-3
184: #5 Dustin Kilgore (KSU) major dec. Erik Schuth (Ohio), 16-8
197: Eric Chine (KSU) dec. Chris Iammarino (Ohio), 2-1, TB
285: #4 Jermail Porter (KSU) major dec. Justin Powell (Ohio), 13-2
125: Nic Bedelyon (KSU) pins Tim Silvers (Ohio) in 4:09
133: #17 Dan Mitcheff (KSU) dec. Quentin Keyes (Ohio), 6-1
141: #12 Drew Lashaway (KSU) dec. Germane Lindsey (Ohio), 5-2
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Discussion Topic: Ohio at Kent State - Friday Night
Scott Nicola added to this discussion on February 14, 2009
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Drew Lashaway has become one of my favorite wrestlers this season (despite beating our boy Jaggers). I really like his physical style, head pressure, and basic single leg attacks which he nearly always finishes. I think Lashaway AA this year for Kent.
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Discussion Topic: Ohio at Kent State - Friday Night
Rex Holman added to this discussion on February 14, 2009
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Regarding Lashaway, definitely a high likelihood of achieving that status.
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