Body Bar Invitational Up Next for 18th Ranked Flashes
11/19/2009 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
With five nationally ranked wrestlers and a No. 18 team ranking (NWCA) for the second straight week, Kent State will head to Ithaca, N.Y. Saturday (Nov. 21) for the Body Bar Invitational hosted by Cornell.
TOURNAMENT INFO: Saturday's action will begin at 9 a.m. in Cornell's Newman Arena. Twelve teams will be competing, including No. 3 Cornell and No. 10 Maryland. For more tournament information visit cornellbigred.com.
LAST SEASON: The Golden Flashes finished second of 11 teams at the 2008 Body Bar Invitational, coming up just 10 points shy of team champion Boise State (125-115). KSU claimed nine placewinners, including Brendan Barlow, who went 4-0 at heavyweight. Danny Mitcheff (133) knocked off a pair of nationally ranked opponents before settling for a second place. Ross Tice took home a fifth place at 157.
LAST WEEK: Dustin Kilgore (184) and Danny Mitcheff (133) each improved to 6-0 after winning championships at the Oklahoma Gold Tournament in Brockport, N.Y. Kilgore was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler after pinning three opponents and upsetting No. 1 ranked Mike Pucillo of Ohio State 5-2 in the finals. Meanwhile, Mitcheff became the ninth wrestler in Kent State history to reach 100 career victories with 15-4 major decision over Oklahoma's Nick Burnham in the opening round. As a team, the Golden Flashes took fifth place with 100.5 points.
Third places went to Adam Cogar (197) and Ross Tice, who made his debut at 165. Other placewinners included Mallie Shuster (4th), Brendan Barlow (5th), Troy Opfer (6th) and Keith Witt (6th). Tice and Cogar each won their last four matches, while Witt (174) won his first three, earning a trip to the semifinals.
WEIGHT-BY-WEIGHT BREAKDOWN
125- Sophomore Troy Opfer (4-4) won three straight matches in the consolation bracket at the Oklahoma Gold before suffering a tournament-ending injury. In his first match of the season, he led 12th-ranked Jarrod Garnett of Virginia Tech 6-4 late in the third period before falling in OT. Redshirt freshman Stevie Mitcheff went 3-2 at the Hokie Open, but dropped both matches last week in Brockport.
133- Senior Danny Mitcheff (6-0) is ranked ninth by D1CW and ran his career win total to 103 last weekend. Mitcheff went 4-0 at the Oklahoma Gold with a technical fall and a major decision. Opponents have not scored a takedown on him this season. Redshirt freshman Sean Collins went 3-2 at the Hokie Open, but dropped both matches in Brockport.
141- Redshirt freshman Chase Skonieczny is 6-2 in tournament competition, including a 4-0 mark at the Hokie Open. Skonieczny has recorded three pins this year, including one of 2009 NCAA qualifier Mike Rappo of North Carolina. He earned his first D1CW national ranking (22nd) last week, but came up one win shy of placing at the Oklahoma Gold.
149- Junior transfer Matt Cathell did not compete last weekend, but is expected to make his debut with the Golden Flashes Saturday after going 45-8 in two seasons at Delaware State. Cathell is ranked 10th by D1CW and second in the MAC. True freshman Tommy Sasfy (6-5) has been the surprise of the early for KSU. Sasfy was one win away from placing at the Oklahoma Gold and went 3-2 at the Hokie Open. He also earned a key dual meet win against Chattanooga.
157- Redshirt freshman Mallie Shuster (5-2) fell to a pair of Top 20 opponents in his fourth place finish at the Oklahoma Gold and was ranked 20th in this week's D1CW poll. In KSU's opening weekend, he scored a major decision victory against Virginia Tech and upset 16th-ranked Joey Knox of Chattanooga 7-5.
165- Redshirt sophomore Ross Tice (11-3) has wrestled six or more matches in two tournaments this year, including a 5-1 day at the Oklahoma Gold. It was also his first time competing at 165. Tice placed sixth at the Hokie Open at 157, going 6-2. Redshirt junior Sli Bostelman went 3-2 at the Hokie Open, but dropped both of his matches in Brockport. Senior Obie Simpson went 2-2 in Brockport and was one win away from a top six placement. Simpson was 3-2 with a pin at the Hokie Open.
174- In Brockport, redshirt freshman Keith Witt (7-5) earned his way into the semifinals of a tournament for the second straight weekend. He won his first four matches at the Hokie Open, which included a pair of pins and an upset of top-seeded and nationally ranked Bagna Tovuujav of George Mason. Redshirt freshman Casey Newburg (5-5) went 2-2 at the Oklahoma Gold and fell 4-3 in the consolation quarterfinals to fall short of placing. He was 3-2 with two major decisions the Hokie Open. Redshirt junior Chris Estep suffered an injury at the Hokie Open and did not compete last week.
184- Redshirt sophomore Dustin Kilgore (6-0) is now ranked fifth by Divsion 1 College Wrestling after being named Most Outstanding Wrestler at the Oklahoma Gold and Mid-American Conference Wrestler of the Week. Kilgore has defeated three nationally ranked opponents this year, including a first period pin of Edinboro's Pat Bradshaw last week. He leads the Flashes with four pins on the year. Kilgore has now won titles at each of the last two Oklahoma Gold Tournaments and MAC Wrestler of the Week awards.
197- Redshirt freshman Adam Cogar (6-1) won four straight bouts in a third place finish at the Oklahoma Gold. His only loss of the season came in overtime. Cogar played a key role in both of the Flashes' dual meet wins. Redshirt sophomore Ryan Buckner (4-4) went 2-2 at the Oklahoma Gold and was one win away from placing in the top six.
285- Redshirt sophomore Brendan Barlow (9-3) fell to 11th-ranked Chris Birchler of Edinboro in overtime, before battling back for a fifth place last week. Barlow was ranked 24th in the latest D1CW poll and all of his losses have come to nationally ranked opponents. In a third place finish at the Hokie Open, his only loss was a 3-2 setback to NCAA runner-up Konrad Dudziak of Duke. With his team trailing Virginia Tech 18-14, Barlow came through with a clutch pin against the Hokies to give the Flashes a comeback victory. He has two pins on the season, including 13 seconds into the match against Virginia's Jack Danilkowicz at the Hokie Open.
DUAL STREAK
With a pair of victories on Nov. 7, Kent State extended its dual meet winning streak to nine. The Golden Flashes won seven straight duals to close out the 2008-09 season and resume dual competition on Dec. 13, hosting Michigan and Newberry.
UP NEXT
The Golden Flashes will take three weeks off from competition before a home-opening tri-meet with No. 24 Michigan and Newberry, who finished second at the 2009 NCAA Division II Chmapionships.
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