OSU 2009 Wrestling

[mikeytbuckeyes]

I know most of you don't care much about wrestling, so I'll pretty much be talking to myself here. However, it appears that big things are in store for the Buckeye wrestling team. Prior to the 2007 season, the highest finish by the OSU wrestling team at the NCAAs was 4th. During the past 2 years, however, the Ohio State has posted back to back runner up finishes and were less than 4 pts away from winning the title last year from Iowa (those 4 pts equate to 1 match that we lost and Iowa won out of a combined 100 + total matches wrestled between the two). Clearly, OSU is that "sleeping giant" everyone believe them to be...and the giant is waking up.
Currently, we have on our roster two NCAA runner ups from last year (Reece Humphry and Mike Pucillo) w/ one of them (Pucillo) claiming the NCAA title 2 yrs ago. Additionally, we have a 3x all American returning as well as an individual who has clearly shown the potential to make a run at the NCAA title this year (Colt Sponseller).
Our freshman are as talented as they come. Two of our home grown Ohio boys are 4x Ohio High School state champions (only about 17 have ever accomplished that feat in more than 75 yrs of wrestling in Ohio) and we already have a committment from the #1 ranked H.S senior in the country who will easily win his 4th title this year (as long as he is not injured). To illustrate how talented this h.s. senior is, consider that he finished 3rd at the Senior level World Team trials. This senior-to-be was competing against college kids, college graduates, and 30+ guys who had competed in freestyle for years...and he finished 3rd!!!
Truly, the outlook is bright for Ohio State wrestling. We aren't just a football school anymore folks.

[victor2111]

This is sweet!!! Keep me updated on the season when it gets here.

Hopefully we can stop finishing 2nd and win the title this year!

Go Bucks

[mikeytbuckeyes]

Oct 1, 2009 11:02:31 GMT -5 victor2111 said:

This is sweet!!! Keep me updated on the season when it gets here.

Hopefully we can stop finishing 2nd and win the title this year!

Go Bucks

IMO, it's just a matter of time. PSU has a VERY solid team, but I'm not sold their coach can maximize their potential. Iowa will always be tough, but I think their ultra intense mentality will wear them out come NCAA Tourney time like it did this year. The recent runner up finishes we've had recently has only helped our recruiting efforts w/in the state of Ohio. Oh, and in case you were unaware, Ohio is consistently among the top 2 or 3 in wrestling talent every year. So, if we can keep more of these kids home we will be insanely good!!!!
Go Bucks!!

[TH1Bucks]

Oct 1, 2009 11:02:31 GMT -5 victor2111 said:

This is sweet!!! Keep me updated on the season when it gets here.

Hopefully we can stop finishing 2nd and win the title this year!

Go Bucks

I here ya. Just one more step. Would be nice to dethrone Iowa.


Thanks Mikey. Keep the updates comming !

[mikeytbuckeyes]

Oct 1, 2009 12:38:05 GMT -5 TH1Bucks said:

Oct 1, 2009 11:02:31 GMT -5 victor2111 said:

This is sweet!!! Keep me updated on the season when it gets here.

Hopefully we can stop finishing 2nd and win the title this year!

Go Bucks

I here ya. Just one more step. Would be nice to dethrone Iowa.


Thanks Mikey. Keep the updates comming !

Thanks bro. I plan on going to the Iowa/OSU match that will happen here in Iowa City. I'll be the lone soul wearing the Scarlet and Gray, and I'm sure I'll get harassed for it, but I'm no fair weather fan. Bring it!!!!

[TH1Bucks]

Oct 1, 2009 13:53:49 GMT -5 mikeytbuckeyes said:

Oct 1, 2009 12:38:05 GMT -5 TH1Bucks said:

I here ya. Just one more step. Would be nice to dethrone Iowa.


Thanks Mikey. Keep the updates comming !

Thanks bro. I plan on going to the Iowa/OSU match that will happen here in Iowa City. I'll be the lone soul wearing the Scarlet and Gray, and I'm sure I'll get harassed for it, but I'm no fair weather fan. Bring it!!!!

LOL, I hear ya about being the lone soldier wearing the Scarlet and Grey. I go to allot of the tOSU Hockey games and usually the road trips are mostly Parents and friends of the players so it gets a little ugly when ya get into a locust cloud of the enemy. Only thing ya can do is smile and keep walking. ;D Biggest issue is when ya have to sit near the cloud.lol. A few years back we played TTUN in Detroit at the Joe and it got a bit ugly. Momma TH1 is a ttuner ( I know, Hush.lol ) and even she got into it with a few of the TTUN students. Dudes were getting rude with the language and momma TH1 had enough. There was a bunch of kids in that section that had played in between periods. When Momma TH1 asked the group to please keep the language down one the brave soles stood up, started to lean over to wards her and opened his jiblits cursing at her. Kid was 20 ish, 130 lb. I immediately stood, picked him up and told him ya dont want to mess with a 6-2, 230 lb EX Hockeye player that still has all his teeth for a reason.lol About that time his 6 buddys stood up. I though oh sh!t. Then luckily for me the Dads of the kids, about a dozen or so stood up in support of ol TH1 and all was good. I put the punk down in time for the ushers to ask me to sit a few rows up with the dads. Ended up all good. Made some friend with the dads AND we beat ttun. ;D


Anywho, Have fun at the Wrestling meet and

[mikeytbuckeyes]

cool story. Glad to see that story have a happy ending. Since none of the people I'll be sitting near are college wrestlers, I should be able to hold my own. I held my own back in the day and am now 220lbs. Most of the time, Iowa fans have been polite enough. Then again, I haven't gone sporting the Buckeye gear. We'll see how welcoming they truly are. Not sure if I'll take the wife and kids to that one. I expect harassment, but I can take it. I'm pretty sure they won't say anything that will hurt my feelings. I was active duty Navy for more than 10 yrs. I've got some thick skin.

[TH1Bucks]

I can handle the freindly, creative and somewhat rude harrasment that comes and is given, its part of the game but i draw the line when kids are in the picture or a personel threat that the person actually means. Then the gloves come off.

Are you anywhere near Knoxville Iowa ? We go to the Knoxville Nationals Sprint car race at the Dirt Track there.

[mikeytbuckeyes]

We live about an hour and a half from Knoxville, IA. We've gone to Newton, IA to watch the Nationwide race at the race track there. It's due north of Knoxville.
I agree about the line of when fun heckling isn't fun anymore. I am most sensitive when my kids are with me or if ANYTHING is directed at my wife. Game on, son. Oh, and in situations like that I don't believe in "fair fighting." Odds are, I'm outnumbered so if I'm dumb enough to get into a fight I'm gonna pull out all the stops. Nothing is out of bounds at that point. Fortunately, I've never encountered any situation like that. Most adult fans w/ children share the same belief that the rules of heckling change when the person has their children with them.

[mikeytbuckeyes]

According to the preseason rankings, the Buckeye wrestling team are ranked 4th. Not too shabby. I believe 4 out of the 10 weightclasses for the Buckeyes have a projected All American w/ 1 projected national champ. This is still preseason, and unlike football this ranking doesn't amount for ANYTHING. The final rankings are truly decided on the field of battle...just as it should be. Anyways, looks like an exciting year for the Buckeyes as they attempt to move one step up on the final team rankings from the past 2 years.
Go Bucks!!!!

[mikeytbuckeyes]

Just to show how strong wrestling is in Ohio, below is a list of nationally ranked NCAA Div I wrestlers for the 09-10 season w/ Ohio ties. Because a wrestling program only gets 9.9 scholarships per year, not every "blue chip" prospect goes to OSU. One of the sad realities of college wrestling. However, OSU looks strong as does H.S. wrestling in the Buckeye state.

125 pounds: 7. Nic Bedelyon (KSU), 14. Nikko Triggas (OSU)
133 pounds: 11. Dan Mitcheff (KSU)
141 pounds: 1. Reece Humphrey (OSU), 19. Keith Sulzer (NU)
149 pounds: 3. Lance Palmer (OSU), 12. Matt Cathell (KSU)
157 pounds: 15. Jesse Dong (VTU)
165 pounds: 1. Dustin Schlatter (UM), 8. Colt Sponseller (OSU)
174 pounds: 1. Mike Miller (CMU), 15. David Rella (OSU)
184 pounds: 1. Mike Pucillo (OSU), 9. Dustin Kilgore (KSU), 19. David Thompson (BU)
197 pounds: 14. Logan Brown (PU)
285 pounds: 17. Corey Morrison (OSU), 20. Cameron Wade (PSU)