2005-06 Incoming Class Includes Three High School All-Americans
From Ohio Sports Information
ATHENS, Ohio – Three prep standouts and a junior college national champion
have signed national letters-of-intent to join the 2005-06 Ohio University
wrestling program, Bobcat head coach Joel Greenlee announced today. The
incoming class is comprised of Zach Flake (West Chester), Jason Marshall
(West Liberty), Kent Smith (Bowling Green) and Clay Tucker (Martins Ferry).
Flake won the junior college national title at 141 pounds for Lassen
Community College in Susanville, Calif., earlier this year. As a senior at
Lakota West High School in 2003, he was selected as a Wrestling USA
Magazine High School All-American after finishing second at 135 pounds in
the national championships.
In his final high school season, Flake posted a 41-3 record with 17 pins
and a school-record 232 takedowns on the way to a 140-pound state title and
the Greater Cincinnati Wrestler-of-the-Year award. He finished with a
152-27 prep career record, including 45 pins.
“Zack is really the kind of wrestler I like because he’s going to go out
there and physically abuse you, “said Greenlee. “He’s a good leader, too,
so we think he can come in here and make a huge difference for our team.
He redshirted his first year in junior college so he’ll be a sophomore for
us next year and he’ll compete for us right away at 149 pounds. “
Marshall finished this past season as the national runner-up and the state
champion at 215 pounds. He helped St. Paris Graham High School win four
straight state team titles during his career and also won freestyle and
Greco-Roman national titles.
Also an all-state second-teamer in football, Marshall set his school’s
single-season record with 28 pins as a sophomore and finished with a 132-17
career record, including a 44-1 mark as a senior. He was limited his first
three seasons by an elbow injury as a freshman, a knee injury as a
sophomore and a broken leg as a junior.
“Jason is just a big, strong, powerful kid who likes to go out there and
brawl, “Greenlee said. “He wears guys down and physically punishes them.
Once we get him here and get him in the weight room, he’ll redshirt for a
year and then be a great heavyweight for us. “
Smith finished his prep career as a four-time state qualifier with a 184-17
record, including a 103-3 mark his last two years when he finished third in
the state as a 152-pound junior and second this past season at 160 pounds.
He was a four-time league champion and also excelled in soccer and baseball
at Eastwood High School.
On the club level, Smith won freestyle and Greco-Roman state titles and was
a two-time Junior Olympics silver medalist. He holds a 3.7 grade-point
average and plans on studying biology at Ohio.
“Kent is a pretty slick wrestler who does a lot of good things, “said
Greenlee. “He placed third in the Greco-Roman Junior Nationals last year
and finished as the state runner-up during his high school season. The guy
he lost to in the state finals is probably the No. 1 recruit in the country
at that weight. “
Tucker was the biggest surprise at the National High School Wrestling
Championships last month when he finished second at 140 pounds. The
All-American from Martins Ferry High School won the 130-pound state title
in 2004 but defaulted to sixth in the state tournament as a senior while
suffering from mononucleosis.
Tucker was a four-time conference, sectional and district champ and
all-state performer who finished his prep career with a 169-10 record,
including 46-0 as a junior and 38-2 his final campaign. He also earned
three letters in football and is an honor roll student who plans to major
in education or sport industry at Ohio.
“I think Tucker has a lot of untapped talent, “Greenlee said. “He’s an
in-your-face wrestler with pretty good technique so he has great potential.
At nationals, he showed he has a ton of ability. “
Next season, Ohio will be replacing seven seniors in the lineup, including
four-time All-American Jake Percival. Although the Bobcats will be young,
Greenlee expects to have a strong mix of experience and talent at each
weight.
“This incoming class fills a bunch of needs for us, “said Greenlee. “It’s
a group of really talented in-state guys who can come in and wrestle right
away. If we can keep adding a class like this every year, hopefully we can
have a team that can challenge to be one of the top 10 or 15 teams in the
country.”
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