Kilgore & Newburg Take Crowns in Flashes' Seocnd Place Finish at Buffalo
11/4/2012 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Buffalo, N.Y. - Fifth-year seniors Dustin Kilgore (Berea, Ohio) and Casey Newburg (Union, Ohio) each won individual titles, while Kent State finished second as a team at the 2012 Buffalo Brawl Invitational Sunday inside Alumni Arena. The Golden Flashes had impressive debuts from redshirt freshmen Nick Carr (South Fayette, Pa./South Fayette) and Sam Wheeler (Copley, Ohio), who each placed third.
Newburg 184-pound finals video
"Overall, I thought we did OK," Head Coach Jim Andrassy said. "And I think we'll do a lot better as the season goes on."
Kilgore (197) picked up where left off at the 2011 NCAA Championships, with a first period pin of Buffalo's Zach Ward. Kilgore then scored a convincing 10-4 semifinal win against Ohio State's Andrew Campolattano, before getting a medical default win in the finals.
"No one got close to scoring on him other than escapes," Andrassy said.
Kilgore 197-pound semifinal video
Newburg (184) won his final in dramatic fashion, a 4-2 triumph in the second sudden victory period over Edinboro's Vic Avery. Newburg also had a first period pin and an 8-0 major decision on his 4-0 day.
Also making the finals was fifth-year senior Keith Witt (Oak Harbor, Ohio), who went 3-1 in his second place finish. Witt (285) went 3-1 and blanked Buffalo's Justin Heisermen 5-0 in the quarterfinals.
"For wrestling at heavyweight for the first time, Keith looked pretty tough today," Andrassy said.
Carr went 4-1 at 149 with a tech fall and a major decision in his third place finish. His only loss came in double overtime against Edinboro's David Habat in the semifinals.
Wheeler (174) also went 4-1 with an overtime setback. He worked towards a third period pin in his quarterfinal bout and had a pair of major decisions.
"It was the first time in years Sam has been down to 174," Andrassy said. "He looked good today and is going to be even better once he gets used to the weight class."
Fifth-year senior Stevie Mitcheff (Lorain, Ohio) placed third at 125 pounds, going 3-1 with an 11-5 victory in his consolation final bout.
"Stevie could have done better in his semifinal," Andrassy said. "He just needs more matches in him now that he's back down to 125."
Sophomore Kwan Bailey (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) placed sixth at 174 with three victories.
Competing unattached, Ian Miller (Oak Harbor, Ohio) finished second at 157 with three pins in the first period. Also unattached was Tyler Small (Littlesetown, Pa.), who placed third at 141 and Mack McGuire (Upper St. Clair, Pa.), who was sixth at 133.
No. 5 Ohio State won the team title with 148 points, while the Flashes finished with 111 points, just ahead of Buffalo and Edinboro.
Tabbed No. 17 in the nation by InterMat, Kent State returns to action Sunday, Nov. 11 at the Michigan State Open.
