Wrestling
Buckeye Fans and Wrestlers Ready for NCAA Final
By Kevin Schlosser & Ross Thatcher

The Ohio State wrestling team has had an outstanding 2008 NCAA Wrestling Tournament. With three finalists, the team enters the finals within striking distance of their best-ever finish at nationals. Currently in a fourth place tie with Penn State, they are one point behind Iowa State and three behind Nebraska. Iowa has locked their twenty-first team title. While the Buckeyes will not be able to get to first place they still have the ability to move up.

At this point the Buckeyes are guaranteed to finish no lower than eighth. OSU tied Iowa for the tournament lead with three finalists. While that is an accomplishment, the team is focused on bring home a team trophy and the highest ever team finish. The 2003-2004 team tied for third place.

Scouting the competition, Nebraska moved into second place after the consolations, but are more than likely to fall without a wrestler in the finals. The Buckeyes can pass both the Cornhuskers and the Cyclones with a win or bonus points. While they are counting on wins from all three, OSU sophomore Mike Pucillo will wrestle ISU sophomore Jake Varner in the finals.

Penn State and Michigan can make a move with two finalists each. Both Central Michigan and Oklahoma State have a slight chance to move up, but they need OSU to lose all three matches and will have to score bonus points to jump into the top five.

“We are putting together a good tournament, but there is still a lot of work to do,” said OSU assistant coach Tommy Rowlands. “If the guys take care of business in the finals there is no reason we can’t be in the top three.”

The finals will be broadcast live in their entirety at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN.

Championship Finals Pairings:

Match.632: 141: #6 J Jaggers (OSU) vs. #1 Chad Mendes (Cal Poly)

Match.638: 184: #2 Mike Pucillo (OSU) vs. #1 Jake Varner (Iowa State)

Match.640: 285: #2 J.D. Bergman (OSU) vs. #3 Dustin Fox (Northwestern)

Consolation Finals Results:

Match.612: 149: #2 Dustin Schlatter (Minnesota) WBD 3-2 #9 Lance Palmer (OSU)

Top Team Standings: Conclusion Session Five:

1. Iowa (109.5 points; Finalist: 3; All-Americans: 4)

2. Nebraska (74 pts; F: 0; AA: 5)

3. Iowa State (72 pts; F: 1; AA: 6)

4. Ohio State (71 pts; F: 3; AA: 1)

4. Penn State (71 pts; F: 2; AA: 2)

5. Central Michigan (69 pts; F: 1; AA: 3)

6. Michigan (69 pts; F: 2; AA: 2)

7. Oklahoma State (66 pts; F: 1; AA: 3)

9. Cornell (63 pts; F: 1; AA: 3)

10. Minnesota (61.5 pts; F: 1; AA: 3)

The Future of the Buckeyes:

At least four current Ohio State wrestlers and two future Buckeyes made the trip to St. Louis for the 2008 NCAA Wrestling Championships. Those already enrolled at OSU included John Weakley, Colt Sponseller, Sean Nemec, and Will Livingston. Two other wrestlers also made the trip; 2009 recruits Jared Kusar and John Hiles.

The trip served multiple purposes but in the end they came to support their current or future teammates and to prepare for when they get their chance to wrestle for their own national championship. The 2009 NCAA Tournament will also be held in St. Louis.

“This is my first year coming to the NCAA Tournament. It is good to be with the team to encourage them to do the best that they can,” stated Livingston a redshirt sophomore. “I love the experience and I can’t wait to get here on myself next year and perform the best that I can.”

“It is nice to be here now but I plan on returning under different circumstances,” said redshirt sophomore Nemec who prefers to be on the wrestling mat instead of sitting in the stands. “It definitely is good preparation for next year. If I can make it here there nothing will be a big surprise or a shock. This gives all of us some added inspiration and something to look forward to.”

“Making the trip is going to help me prepare next season. You get to see what it is like and how intense the competition,” commented OSU freshman starter Colt Sponseller. “It is great to see the team doing well and it exposes us as to what to expect.”

The Ohio State Wrestling Families:

The Buckeyes qualified seven wrestlers to the NCAA Tournament and each had a lot of supporters in the crowd. Wrestling is a family sport and the parents of several OSU wrestlers were happy to see the team do well and the wrestling fans make the trip.

“It has been a great experience. The fans really came out and backed the team. We finished tenth last season and got in the lower bowl this year, said Jeff Jaggers, father of J Jaggers. “Ohio State sold out their allotment of tickets and the other teams know we are here; that is exciting.”

“There is some outstanding wrestling going on,” stated James Bergman, father of J.D. Bergman. “As a family, as fans and as a team; it will be interesting to see how things end.”

“It is great that for the first time in a long time there are a lot of fans here and it is great to see them turn out to support the Buckeyes,” said Jim Humphrey., father of Reece Humphrey. “It is very nerve racking as a father, it is a lot easier if it is you out there on the mat or someone else’s son.”

The Ohio State Wrestling Alumni:

The Buckeyes had a number of fans, friends, and family member make the trip. Joining them were a number of former Ohio State All-American wrestlers and alumni. Each was pleased to see the team do well and they all expect OSU to become a top-five team and an annual national title contender.

“Ohio State has traditionally had a strong heavyweight program; Tommy Rowlands, Mitch Clark, Mark Coleman, Kevin Randleman; now you see Pucillo and Bergman carrying on the tradition,” offered Blake Kaplan, a 2004 OSU All-American. “It is very nice and it means a lot to see the program continuing to do well.”

“The semifinal round was really good; there were a lot of exciting matches. Palmer lost a tough one; I think the ref gave the other guy a couple of calls,” said Adam DiSabito, an OSU three-time All-American in the early nineties. “The Buckeyes are wrestling very well, the crowd is unbelievable and it is exciting to see Ohio State back in the title hunt.”

“I think this has been an awesome tournament and the Buckeyes have been wrestling great. It is pretty awesome that we have hundreds of fans in section 112 cheering on the guys,” commented Dominic DiSabito, a four-time OSU letterman. “The more it goes the more exciting it gets; hopefully these Buckeyes can come back with a team trophy because it has been a great experience for them and for us.”

“It has definitely been a great tournament. It was exciting to see the momentum building all season and really over the last two years with the coaching change,” stated Jeff Bucher, a four-time OSU letterman in the late nineties. “The program is moving in the right direction, it will be interesting to watch them continue to grow.”

“It is what Ohio State should have always been. We should be in the top five every year and looking for a national title every few years. The coaching staff is doing a great job. We are still a few guys away but we are showing people that we are right where we need to be,” said Jim Humphrey, a former OSU coach and All-American. “To take the next step we need to keep all the great Ohio wrestlers coming to OSU every year. It is exciting to see the program where it is at right now and it is a special feeling to see my son be a part of it.”

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