February 6, 2012

Wrestling Team

The wrestling team has been named the Kent State Student-Athletes of the Week.

Kent State's seniors couldn't have written a better script for their final competition at the M.A.C. Center Sunday. The Golden Flashes (12-4, 5-0 MAC) won eight matches, including victories by all four seniors in the lineup, downing Eastern Michigan (13-6, 2-2) 28-10. The victory capped off an undefeated conference season, extended Kent State's winning streak to 10 and secured the Flashes' second outright MAC title in the last four years.

"Step one is accomplished," head coach Jim Andrassy said. "And doing it at home is a great thing. Now we have to focus on some other things."

Sunday's step one began with a first period pin by senior Nic Bedelyon (Lewistown, Pa.). Already leading 5-0, Bedelyon got in on a shot, brought Jared Germaine's leg up and turned it into a cradle from the standing position.

After Tyler Small (Littlestown, Pa.) scored an impressive 7-0 win over Corey Phillips, Marcel Clopton (Shaker Hts., Ohio) became the second senior to go out on a high note. With takedowns in all three periods, Clopton earned a 9-2 victory over Jaylyn Bohl, who was the No. 3 ranked 149-pounder in the MAC.

Junior Mallie Shuster (Newville, Pa.) scored a critical reversal in the final seconds of the first period and another in the final minute of the match to top Aaron Sulzer 7-6. The win gave the Flashes a commanding 15-4 lead.

Senior Ross Tice (Brookfield, Ohio) trailed Lester France 7-3 midway through the second period before hitting a five-point headlock. Tice scored another takedown in the third on his way to a 13-8 win.

Junior Casey Newburg (Union, Ohio) claimed his second major decision of the weekend and his eighth of the season with a 13-5 win over Phillip Joseph. Newburg piled up five takedowns and collected two stalling points.

Junior Keith Witt (Oak Harbor, Ohio) got in a on a first period shot for a takedown, which made the difference in a 4-2 victory over Nick Whitenburg.

Heavyweight Brendan Barlow (Westerville, Ohio) capped off a 4-for-4 day for Kent State's senior class with a 3-2 win over Wes Schroeder. Barlow hoisted Schroeder up in the air for a key first period takedown.

Sunday was the first time the Flashes clinched an outright conference crown on their home mat since 1989.

Kent State will compete in the National Dual Championships on Saturday, Feb. 11 in Piscataway, N.J. The Flashes will be either the No. 3 or No. 4 seed at the six-team Regional and will find out who its first opponent will be on Monday.