COLUMBUS, Ohio – In the first of three matches on the weekend for the ninth-ranked Ohio State wrestling team (2-0), the Buckeyes began on a strong note, defeating Duke, 25-10, Saturday night at Card Gym in Durham, N.C. Ohio State won seven of 10 matches, including a pair of technical falls by Johnni DiJulius and Logan Stieber at 133 and 141 pounds, respectively.
Saturday night, the Scarlet and Gray jumped out to an 8-0 lead following the 141 and 149-pound matches. Stieber, a redshirt junior from Monroeville, Ohio, earned his second win of the season on a 17-1 technical fall at the three-minute mark vs. Xaviel Ramos. Senior Ian Paddock’s 6-4 win proved a little more dramatic as he won his ninth match of the season in sudden victory against Connor Bass. The Buckeye from Warsaw, N.Y., owned a 3-2 lead and riding time in the final moments of the match, but a takedown by Bass as time ticked off the clocked forced the bout into overtime. Within seconds of the extra session, Paddock scored a takedown for the victory.
Despite setbacks in the next two matches at 157 and 165 pounds, Ohio State still held an 8-6 advantage on the Blue Devils and soon increased their advantage with wins in five of the next six matches. Mark Martin, a sophomore from Strongsville, Ohio, edged Trey Adamson, 10-9, in the 174-pound match up to improve to 11-4 overall. Up next at 184 pounds, redshirt sophomore and Harrisburg, Pa., native Kenny Courts held off Jacob Kasper, 11-5 and moved his record to 10-1. With those wins, the Scarlet and Gray were up, 14-6, with four matches remaining.
A 9-1 loss at 197 pounds did not derail the Buckeyes as Nick Tavanello (HWT), Nick Roberts (125 pounds) and DiJulius secured wins. Tavanello, redshirt freshman from Wadsworth, Ohio, was up 5-1 at the end of the first vs. Brian Self before scoring a final escape and compiling riding time for a 7-2 victory. Tavanello now owns a 10-4 mark in 2013-14. A final takedown in the second period by Roberts, a redshirt freshman from Hooversville, Pa., proved to be the difference maker in his 8-6 win against Evan Botwin. Up 7-3 at the start of the third period, Roberts relinquished an escape and takedown, but held on for the victory and 13-2 on the year.
In the final match of the evening, DiJulius tacked on bonus points for the Buckeyes when he posted a 15-0 technical fall against Alex Elsea. After scoring a pair of three-point nearfalls, a two-point nearfall and takedown in the first period, DiJulius scored two more takedowns and an escape before the match was called. DiJulius improves to 7-1 overall.
No. 6 Cornell 33, Duke 10
The No. 7 Cornell wrestling team earned its first dual meet win of the season Saturday night, downing Binghamton 33-6 in front of 2,012 fans in Newman Arena.
Results:
125: David White (BING) def. Bricker Dixon (COR), 4-3 Binghamton leads, 3-0
133: No. 10 Mark Grey (COR) def. Nick Tighe (BING), 18-3 Cornell leads, 5-3
141: Dylan Caruana (BING) def. Cory Dake 4-2, Binghamton leads, 6-5
149: No. 13 Chris Villalonga (COR) def. Joe Bonaldi (BING) 4-2 (OT), Cornell leads, 8-6
157: No. 13 Brian Realbuto (COR) def. Colton Perry (BING) FALL (3:46) Cornell leads, 14-6
165: Dylan Palacio (COR) def. Vincent Grella (BING) 10-6, Cornell leads, 17-6
174: Owen Scott (COR) def. John Paris (BING) 15-2, Cornell leads, 21-6
184: No. 15 Gabe Dean (COR) def. Caleb Wallace (BING) FALL (2:52), Cornell leads 27-6
197: No. 13 Jace Bennett (COR) def. Cody Reed (BING) 4-2, Cornell leads, 30-6
HWT: Stryker Lane (COR) def. Tyler Deuel (BING) 7-6, Cornell leads 33-6
