Bobcats stampede over Bulls
by Katie Carrera
Staff Writer
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The Convo shook yesterday afternoon as the Ohio wrestling team’s meet with the Buffalo Bulls began with heavyweights who found themselves in a double-overtime stalemate.
Starting for the second time in two weeks, Ohio’s Jeremiah Beltran came out on the losing end of a 3-2 decision against Buffalo’s Jeff Parker, where neither wrestler managed any takedowns.
Historically a close contest, there was no surprise as both Ohio and Buffalo won their share of narrow victories yesterday, with the Bobcats ending up on top 20-15.
The Bobcats lost the next two matches at the 125-pound and 133-pound weight classes, 0-6 and 1-13, respectively. Three matches into the meet, and still no Ohio wrestler had been able to muster a takedown of their opponent. That is until the 141-pound match.
Jim Fowler took his place on the mat for his third consecutive start, filling in for the injured Jon Spires and not only scored the first Ohio takedown, but also the first victory with a 12-8 decision over the Bull’s Dana Gingerich.
“We were down 10-0, “Fowler said. “And if we lose another one right there, it’s pretty much set that we’d have to win all of the (remaining) matches, so I wanted to get out there and get the team back on track and get some points up on the board.”
Immediately after Fowler’s victory, 149-pound wrestler Mike Allen came out and fought for a 7-1 decision against Patrick Lloyd.
However, even after victories at 141 and 149, the Bobcats still trailed the Bulls 6-10. Then came Ohio’s third consecutive victory as last year’s national runner-up, 157-pound wrestler Jake Percival, smothered Buffalo’s Scott Rendos with a 17-2 technical fall, giving the Bobcats an 11-10 edge overall.
“I knew we were down and needed the points a lot, “Percival said. “So I kept trying to get a pin or a tech fall. The pin didn’t end up working out, obviously -but it was good to wrestle a whole match just for my shape.”
The instant gratification continued as the Bobcats won their next two matches with 165-pound wrestler Tony DeAnna victorious in a 14-7 decision and 174-pound wrestler Ed Willis recording 2:54 seconds of riding time in his 4-1 decision, upping Ohio’s run to 17-10 overall.
“I just wanted to go out there and fight, “DeAnna said. “That’s one thing coach has been telling us the last couple weeks. He said if we go out there and wrestle hard and lose that he’s going to be happier with us than if we go out there, don’t shoot at all, stall and lose by a point or even win by a point. I just wanted to go out there fighting, shooting and getting bonus points for the team.”
Last to register a win for the Bobcats was 197-pound wrestler Joel Weimer who, with his 3-2 decision against Harold Sherrell, capped off the victory at 20-13.
The Bobcats look to fight it out in a triangular meet with Cumberland and Virginia Tech Sunday afternoon in The Convo.
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