Ohio State surprised many by jumping out to a double-digit lead at the NCAA Wrestling Championships in St. Louis by going 5-for-5 in the quarterfinals. Friday night, they may have even topped that performance.
Ohio State wrestlers, including senior Logan Stieber, looking to become just the fourth grappler to win four national titles, went 3-for-5 in the semifinals, putting three Buckeyes into position to win individual championships and perhaps more importantly, the team is set up to capture the program's first-ever team championship.
“I can flush it in and out. I see the cameras in my face every time I go to the bathroom or say hi to my mom, but it doesn't affect me. I just do what I’m here to do.”– Logan Stieber on the hype
Freshman Nathan Tomasello (32-4) got things started at 125, topping undefeated No. 1 seed Adam Waters of Missouri, 4–2, scoring a takedown with two seconds remaining in the match. He'll face unseeded freshman Zeke Mosiey of West Virginia in Saturday night's final. Tomasello and Moisey actually go way back. They met in high school and wrestled one of the most insane matches you'll ever see. Seriously, take a few minutes to watch the match. You won't regret it.
Stieber (28-0), continued his march to join the exclusive club of college wrestlers to win four crowns by defeating North Carolina State's Kevin Jack, 12–2. It was Stieber's closest match of the championships, yet never really in doubt. He'll face No. 2 seed Mitchell Port of Edinboro in the final match Saturday night in what could not only give Stieber a historic fourth, but could clinch the team title for Ohio State if it's still in doubt. Stieber and Port met earlier in the season, with Stieber taking home a 6–3 victory.
True freshman Kyle Snyder (30-3), wrestling at 197, scored the shocker of the night, topping No. 1 seed J'Den Cox of Missouri, 3–2, to snap the nation's longest winning streak at 56 matches. Cox has been unstoppable for what seems like forever, but Snyder earned a bit of revenge for Cox's controversial decision over Ohio State's Nick Heflin in the 197-pound finals last year. Snyder faces No. 3 seed Kyven Gadsen of Iowa State in the final.
| Team | Points | in Finals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OHIO STATE | 86.5 | 3 |
| 2 | IOWA | 73 | 1 |
| 3 | CORNELL | 66.5 | 2 |
| 4 | EDINBORO | 64.5 | 2 |
| 5 | MISSOURI | 60 | 1 |
| 6 | PENN STATE | 58 | 1 |
| 7 | OKLAHOMA STATE | 55.5 | 1 |
| 8 | MICHIGAN | 51 | 1 |
| 9 | NEBRASKA | 49 | 0 |
| 9 | MINNESOTA | 49 | 0 |
The three wins helped propel Ohio State to a comfortable lead in the team standings, where they sit ahead of second place Iowa, 86.5–73. While Ohio State has three wrestlers in the finals to Iowa's one, the Hawkeyes have more depth in wrestle-backs and thus have an opportunity to earn points to close the gap. It's there, but it's certainly not guaranteed for Ohio State at this point.
Fellow freshman Bo Jordan, wrestling at 165, dropped just his second match of the season, losing to No. 1 seed Alex Dieringer of Oklahoma State, 6–1, in the semifinals at 165. A tough loss, for sure, but Dieringer is wrestling as well as anyone not named Logan Stieber right now. Jordan will face No. 4 seed Nicholas Sulzer of Virginia for a chance to wrestle for 3rd place.
Unseeded Kenny Courts suffered a 4–0 setback to No. 7 seed Nathanial Brown of Lehigh, but like Jordan, will have a chance to earn points in wrestle-backs after qualifying for All-American status. Like Jordan, Courts will be have a chance to capture 3rd at 184 when he faces No. 3 seed Blake Stauffer of Arizona State Saturday morning.
The finals begin at 8 p.m. on ESPN Saturday night and Ohio State is this close to winning it all.
