Flashes to Compete at Body Bar Invitational Saturday
11/18/2011 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Kent State's unrelenting schedule continues Saturday inside Newman Arena at the Body Invitational in Ithaca, N.Y. Included in the 12-team field will be No. 3 Minnesota and No. 5 Cornell. The host Big Red have seven wrestlers ranked in the Top 20, while the Golden Gophers have all 10 of its wresters ranked. The rest of the field includes: Virginia, Buffalo, Army, Drexel, Binghamton, Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, Columbia and Ithaca.
The Golden Flashes gave Head Coach Jim Andrassy his 100th career victory last weekend against Navy at the "Wrestle For A Cure" duals in Harrisburg, Pa. Under Andrassy, the Flashes have gone 86-28-1 since 2005-06.
Eight Golden Flashes are ranked in the Top 30 according to WrestlingReport.com. Last season the Golden Flashes placed second at the Body Bar after winning a team title in 2009.
Kent State will host Edinboro in its first home dual meet of the season Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 3:05 p.m. in the M.A.C. Center.
Weight-by-Weight Breakdown
125 Fifth-year senior Nic Bedelyon (Lewistown, Pa.) will become the first Kent State wrestler to compete in the NWCA All-Star Classic Monday against No. 3 Jarrod Patterson (Oklahoma) in Arizona. Bedelyon who is ranked No. 4 in national polls, has been dominant in in seven matches this season with three technical falls and a major decision. He is ranked No. 1 in the MAC and is 21-2 in his last 23 matches with his two setbacks coming at the NCAA Championships. Looking for his second straight Body Bar title, Bedelyon will have to get through No. 2 Zach Sanders of Minnesota, No. 6 Matt Snyder of Virginia and No. 7 Frank Perrelli of Cornell.
Junior Troy Opfer (Sandusky, Ohio), who is 4-1 on the season, will also compete for the Flashes.
133 Junior Stevie Mitcheff (Lorain,Ohio) fell to three Top 20 wrestlers last weekend. Saturday, he could face No. 7 David Thorn (Minnesota) or No. 19 Jordan Thome (Army).
141 Sophomore Tyler Small (Littlestown, Pa.) has had no trouble adjusting to a higher weight class thus far. He is off to a 7-1 start with three pins, including two last weekend. Small may have to get through No. 10 Nick Dardanes (Minnesota), No. 11 Matt Bonson (Lock Haven), No. 12 Nick Nelson (Virginia) No. 17 Mike Nevinger (Cornell) or No. 18 Kevin Smith (Buffalo).
149 True freshman Ian Miller (Graytown, Ohio) is coming off a stellar 3-0 weekend with a pair of pins and a victory over No. 12 Eric Terrazas (Illinois). In his way this week could be No. 5 Dylan Ness (Minnesota), No. 7 Donnie Vinson (Binghamton) and No. 17 Craig Eifert. Senior Marcel Clopton (Shaker Hts., Ohio), who is off to a 3-1 start, will also take the mat for Kent State as will junior Tommy Sasfy (Reynoldsburg, Ohio).
157 Sophomore Mallie Shuster (Newville, Pa.) is 5-3 on the early season. Shuster will be in one of the most challenging brackets of the tournament, featuring No. 1 Kyle Dake (Cornell), No. 6 Justin Lister, No. 9 Jake Deitchler (Minnesota), No. 16 Mark Lewandowski (Buffalo), and No. 17 Frank Hickman (Bloomsburg). Sophomore T.J. Keklak (Johnstown, Pa.) and redshirt freshman Andrew Candiello (Pittsburgh) will also see action for the Flashes.
165 Fifth-year senior Ross Tice (Brookfield, Ohio) looks to improve on his third place finish last year in Ithaca. Tice will have to get past No. 8 Cody Yohn (Minnesota), No. 17 Joe Booth (Drexel), No. 18 Marshall Peppelman (Cornell) and No. 20 Eren Civan (Columbia).
174 Sophomore Brandonn Johnson (Middletown, Md.) recorded two pins and a major decision in his sixth place finish last weekend at Eastern Michigan. No. 9 Logan Stoely (Minnesota) and No. 17 Collin Wittmeyer (Army). Illini junior Jordan Blanton finished fifth at the 2010 NCAA Championships.
184 Junior Casey Newburg fell to a pair of Top 15 opponents last week, but is 5-4 on the year. The 184-pound bracket will feature No. 4 Steve Bosak (Cornell), No. 6 Kevin Steinhaus (Minnesota) and No. 15 Jon Fausey (Virginia).
197 Junior Keith Witt is 4-4 on the year and No. 1 in the MAC rankings. Witt dropped an overtime bout to No. 20 James Nakashima (Nebraska) last week. Witt will be in the same bracket with the nation top two wrestlers at 197 in Cam Simaz (Cornell) and Sonny Yohn (Minnesota).
285 Fifth-year senior Brendan Barlow moved up to No. 9 in the national rankings after knocking another Top 10 opponent in Nebraska senior Tucker Lane. Saturday, he'll be looking for his third straight Body Bar crown. Barlow could be tested by No. 3 Tony Nelson (Minnesota). Also competing at heavyweight for the Flashes will be sophomore Jordan Marrero (Reynoldsburg, Ohio), who is off to a 7-4 start.
