Flashes Host No. 12 Missouri Friday and No. 6 Ohio State Sunday
12/7/2011 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
An action-packed weekend of wrestling at the M.A.C. Center lies ahead for No. 20 Kent State. The Golden Flashes (2-2) host No. 12 Missouri Friday at 7 p.m. and No. 6 Ohio State Sunday at 1 p.m. Both duals will be streamed live at www.mac-sports.com. Sunday's dual will also stream live on Flowrestling.org and can be seen on tape delay on SportsTime Ohio Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 5 a.m. and 8 p.m. Live stats can be viewed on trackwrestling.com
The Tigers (3-1) have knocked off three Top 25 opponents (Oregon State, Stanford, Purdue) in dual meets this season and won 9-of-10 weight classes this past weekend at the Maryville Kaufman-Brand Open in St. Louis.
The Buckeyes (4-0) are coming off a stellar performance this past weekend, winning the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational with eight wrestlers finishing in the top six places, including three finalists.
Last season, Missouri needed a pair of one-point victories and an overtime win to top the Golden Flashes 19-15 in Columbia. The Tigers will be making their first trip to Kent. Ohio State and Kent State have not met in the previous two seasons. The Buckeyes won the last meeting 20-15 on Jan. 4, 2009 in Columbus to take a 14-8 all-time series lead. The Flashes last won the in-state rivalry on Jan. 7, 2007 on the road, and last won at the M.A.C. Center on Jan. 7, 2006.
- The Golden Flashes have won 13 of their last 14 dual meets at the M.A.C. Center.
- Seven Golden Flashes are ranked in the Top 30 according to WrestlingReport.com.
- On Nov. 12, Kent State gave Head Coach Jim Andrassy his 100th career victory against Navy at the "Wrestle For A Cure" duals in Harrisburg, Pa.
- Under Andrassy, the Flashes have gone 87-28-1 since 2005-06.
- Nic Bedelyon, and Brendan Barlow each have 97 career victories, while Ross Tice is just 10 wins shy of joining the 100-victory club.
- The Golden Flashes are ranked No. 4 in this week's National Wrestling Media Association's Mid-Major Poll behind Cornell, Lehigh and Wyoming.
Weight-by-Weight Breakdown
125 Senior Nic Bedelyon (Lewistown, Pa.) moved up to No. 2 in three national polls after winning the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational last weekend. Bedelyon went 5-0 in Vegas with two pins, a major decision and two wins over Top 10 opponents. He also earned MAC Wrestler of the Week honors for the second time this season. On Nov. 21, he defeated previous No. 3 Jarrod Patterson (Oklahoma) 7-3 in the NWCA All-Star Classic. Bedelyon (16-0) also earned MAC Wrestler of the Week honors on Nov. 23 after winning an individual title at the Body Bar. He is 30-2 in his last 32 matches with his two setbacks coming at the NCAA Championships.
Prior to that run, Bedelyon lost to Missouri's Alan Waters in last season's dual 3-1. Waters (7-0) is currently ranked No. 5 in multiple polls. Ohio State's Johnni DiJulius (11-5) is No. 11 according Amateur Wrestling News after finishing fourth in Las Vegas.
133 Junior Stevie Mitcheff (Lorain,Ohio) earned his fourth win of the year in Las Vegas, where both of his losses came against seeded opponents. Mitcheff went 3-2 with a pin at the Body Bar, after falling to three Top 20 wrestlers at the Wrestle for a Cure Duals. He was tied for the No. 3 spot in the latest Mac rankings.
Ohio State's Logan Stieber (13-0) is as high as No. 2 in national polls after winning the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Missouri's Nate McCormick (7-1) is a returning NCAA qualifier and is ranked as high as No. 8 in national polls.
141 Sophomore Tyler Small (Littlestown, Pa.) is ranked No. 11 by Amateur Wrestling News after placing sixth in Las Vegas. Small knocked off three Top 20 opponents in the span of four days at the Body Bar Invitational and Edinboro dual. He is 15-4 on the year with four pins, three major decisions and a technical fall. Small is 3-0 in his career at the M.A.C. Center and earned a win in the dual at Missouri last season. He has won titles this year at the Body Bar and the Eastern Michigan Open (Fresh/Soph Division).
Ohio State's Hunter Stieber (12-2) is No. 6 in multiple polls after finishing second in Las Vegas with wins over Small and defending national champion Kellen Russell (Michigan). Missouri's Brandon Weist (6-4) is No. 23 according to WrestlingReport.com. The Tigers could also send out Nicholas Hucke (8-2) at 141.
149 True freshman Ian Miller (Graytown, Ohio) is ranked No. 6 by The Open Mat and leads the Golden Flashes with five pins, including a first period fall in his last dual against Edinboro. Miller (11-2) is 4-0 in duals and has three major decisions on the year. He is riding an eight-match winning streak, which includes an individual title at the Body Bar.
The Buckeyes have a freshman of their own in Cam Tessari (11-4), who is ranked as high as No. 15 after placing sixth in Vegas. Missouri's Kyle Bradley (6-3) is ranked as high as No. 12. Bradley was a Big 12 runner-up last season and earned a win at the NCAA Championships.
157 Junior Mallie Shuster (Newville, Pa.) moved to 11-7 on the season after going 3-2 in Vegas, coming up one win shy of placing. Shuster is 18-8 in career dual meets and 3-1 this season. He has piled up 75 career victories, with two wins over Top 20 opponents this season.
Shuster's most recent Top 20 win came last weekend in the form of an 8-2 decision over Ohio State's Josh Demas (12-4). Demas, who is ranked No. 18, went on to place sixth. He is 3-1 in duals this season. Missouri's Drake Houdashelt (8-1) is No. 14 according to The Open Mat. He owns five bonus point victories on the year.
165 Fifth-year senior Ross Tice (Brookfield, Ohio) is currently ranked No. 25 by WrestlingReport.com and was No. 1 in the latest MAC rankings. Tice (6-6) suffered an injury in his first bout in Vegas and was unable to continue his tournament. His return this weekend is questionable. In his most recent dual, he earned a 5-2 win over Edinboro's Ethan Saylor. Tice had a pair of pins at the Body Bar, making his way into the semifinals. Junior Tommy Sasfy (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) could see action for the Flashes. Sasfy (7-4) placed fourth at the Eastern Michigan Open.
Ohio State's Derek Garcia (7-4) claimed a first round win in Las Vegas, before an injury ended his weekend. Missouri's Zach Toal (8-0) is as high as No. 8 in national polls and owns four bonus point victories. He defeated Tice 7-4 in last season's dual.
174 Sophomore Brandonn Johnson (Middletown, Md.) went 2-2 with an overtime loss last weekend. Johnson (8-10) claimed a second place finish at the Body Bar, going 3-1. He has three pins, a technical fall and three major decisions this season.
Ohio State's Nick Heflin (13-1) is ranked as high as No. 5 after placing third in Las Vegas. He is 4-0 in duals this season. Missouri's Dorian Henderson (7-1) is ranked No. 3 in multiple polls. Henderson placed third at last season's NCAA Championships and is a three-time NCAA qualifier. He needed riding time to defeat Johnson 5-4 in last year's dual.
184 Junior Casey Newburg was injured in his opening bout in Vegas, which ended his tournament. His return this weekend is questionable. In his last dual, Newburg (10-6) earned a major decision over Edinboro's Vic Avery. Newburg is currently ranked No. 24 by WrestlingReport.com. He went 4-1 at the Body Bar after falling to a pair of Top 15 opponents the previous weekend.
Ohio State's Cody Magrum (11-3) is No. 13 in multiple polls. Magrum is 4-0 in duals and placed fifth at Las Vegas. Missouri's Mike Larson (7-1) is ranked as high as No. 16 in current polls. A two-time NCAA qualifier, Larson edged Newburg 4-3 in last season's dual.
197 Junior Keith Witt improved to 9-8 on the year after going 3-2 in Las Vegas, coming up one win shy of placing. Witt is ranked No. 28 by WrestlingReport.com and was No. 1 in the latest MAC rankings. He placed third at the Body Bar. Since the 2009-10 season, he's tallied 18 pins. Ohio State's Andrew Campolattano (9-4) is No. 19 according to The Open Mat. Campolattano also came up one win shy of placing in Vegas. Missouri's Brent Haynes (6-2) is No. 11 in multiple polls. Haynes went 2-2 at last year's NCAA Championships, which included a loss to Dustin Kilgore.
285 Fifth-year senior Brendan Barlow (11-5) is ranked as high as No. 12 in national polls. Barlow placed fourth in Las Vegas, going 6-2 with a major decision and wins over three Top 20 opponents. After winning five straight matches in Vegas, he suffered his second loss of the tournament to No. 9 Tucker Lane (Nebraska) 1-0 in a tiebreaker. Barlow also has a victory over Lane this season.
Ohio State's Peter Capone (10-3) is ranked as high as No. 9 in national polls after placing second in Las Vegas. Capone is 4-0 in dual meets this season. Missouri's Devin Mellon (6-3) is No. 33 according to WrestlingReport.com.
