RE: Wrestling 2017-2018
Yeah, I think they are a lot better than last year. Bardezbain and Conel are upgrades @ 125lbs & 197lbs. Rooney & Monico have been a pleasant surprises @ 141lbs & 149lbs. Bast has been another disappointment @ 165lbs, not sure if he can be an above .500 wrestler @ 165lbs? Will Barreiro & McCracken hit the proverbial true freshmen wall in January, February, or March? Sparkman & Tutolo are consistent as usual.
In the match vs Buffalo, Nye has a tough matchup with the defending MAC Champion @ HWT, Jake Gunning. Can Tutolo get revenge vs Lantry @ 133lbs?
Kent State (6-1) opens up Mid-American Conference competition Sunday (Dec. 10) at the M.A.C. Center, hosting Buffalo (2-2, 1-0 MAC). The Golden Flashes look to improve to 3-0 in home duals this season.
A free video stream can be seen on Boxcast. Live audio with Matt Miller can be heard on the Golden Flashes channel on iHeartRadio. Live scoring updates can be seen on TrackWrestling
Tentative Matchups
125: Will Bardezbain (12-6) vs. Kyle Akins (3-1) or Justin Patrick (4-3)
133: Anthony Tutolo (14-6) vs. No. 17 Bryan Lantry (2-2)
141: Tim Rooney (15-5) or Chance Driscoll (5-6) vs. Blake Retell (0-2)
149: Nick Monico (15-6) vs. Jason Estevez (2-2) or Nick Palumbo (1-2)
157: Casey Sparkman (14-7) vs. Kobe Garrehy (1-1) or Eric Fasanct (2-3)
165: Isaac Bast (8-9) vs. Noah Grover (2-2) or Derek Holcomb (2-2)
174: Dylan Barreiro (14-9) vs. Ryan Kromer (0-0) or Austin Weigel (6-4)
184: Colin McCracken (6-9) vs. Brett Perry (3-3)
197: No. 19 Kyle Conel (8-2) vs. Joe Ariola (4-4)
285: Devin Nye (14-10) vs. Jake Gunning (3-1)
*The Open Mat Rankings
The Opponent
Four Bulls are in the December MAC rankings. Junior heavyweight and defending MAC champion Jake Gunning is No. 1. Senior 197-pounder Joe Ariola and junior 133-pounder Bryan Lantry are both NCAA qualifiers and ranked No. 3 in the MAC. Junior 184-pounder Brett Perry is No. 4. Buffalo won 7-of-10 matches in a 27-9 victory over Ohio on Nov. 25. The Bulls' weekend begins with a Friday night home dual against Michigan State.
History vs. Buffalo
Kent State leads the all-time series with Buffalo 25-8 and has won 12 of the last 13 meetings. The Golden Flashes have won the last six meetings in Kent and defeated the Bulls 28-3 the last time the teams met at the M.A.C. Center (Dec. 13, 2015).
Last season, The Bulls snapped the Flashes' series winning streak with 23-12 victory in Buffalo. Returning winners for the Flashes include Devin Nye and Chance Driscoll. Kyle Akins and Bryan Lantry both won for the Bulls last year at 125 and 133.
MAC Rankings
Four Golden Flashes are in the latest December MAC rankings
No. 4 Anthony Tutolo, 133
No. 4 Nick Monico, 149
No. 3 Casey Sparkman, 157
No. 2 Stephen Suglio, 197
Just a few reminders on preseason MAC Rankings:
2017-18 MAC Preseason Poll
1. Missouri (29.0)
2. Central Michigan (18.0)
3. Buffalo (16.0)
4. Ohio (10.0)
5. Eastern Michigan (9.0)
6. Kent State (7.0)
7. Northern Illinois (6.0)
8. Old Dominion (5.0)
2017-18 MAC Weight Class Rankings:
125 – 1. Brock Hudkins (Northern Illinois, Sophomore); 2. Kyle Akins (Buffalo, Junior); 3. Barlow McGhee (Missouri, Senior); 4. (Will Bardezbain, Kent State, Senior).
133 – 1. John Erneste (Missouri, Junior); 2. Bryan Lantry (Buffalo, Junior); 3. Cameron Kelly (Ohio, Junior); 4. Anthony Tutolo (Kent State, Junior).
141 – 1. Jaydin Eierman (Missouri, Sophomore); 2. Mason Smith (Central Michigan, Sophomore); 3. Noah Forrider (Ohio, Senior); 4. Alex Madrigal (Old Dominion, Sophomore).
149 – 1. Justin Oliver (Central Michigan, Junior); 2. Kyle Springer (Eastern Michigan, Senior); 3. Grant Leeth (Missouri, Junior); 4. Jason Estevez (Buffalo, Senior).
157 – 1. Joey Lavallee (Missouri, Senior); 2. Colin Heffernan (Central Michigan, Senior); 3. Casey Sparkman (Kent State, Junior); 4. Larry Early (Old Dominion, Sophomore).
165 – 1. Austin Reese (Ohio, Junior); 2. Connor Flynn (Missouri, Sophomore); 3. Zac Carson (Eastern Michigan, Sophomore); 4. Logan Parks (Central Michigan, Sophomore).
174 – 1. Daniel Lewis (Missouri, Junior); 2. CJ Brucki (Central Michigan, Senior); 3. Seldon Wright (Old Dominion, Junior); 4. Andrew McNally (Eastern Michigan, R-Freshman).
184 – 1. Jordan Ellingwood (Central Michigan, Senior); 2. Brett Perry (Buffalo, Junior); 3. Bryce Gorman (Northern Illinois, Junior); 4. Antonio Agee (Old Dominion, Sophomore).
197 – 1. Willie Miklus (Missouri, Senior); 2. Stephen Suglio (Kent State, Senior); 3. Joe Ariola (Buffalo, Senior); 4. Bailey Faust (Ohio, Sophomore).
HWT – 1. Jake Gunning (Buffalo, Junior); 2. Gage Hutchison (Eastern Michigan, Senior); 3. Austin Myers (Missouri, Sophomore); 4. Zack Parker (Ohio, Junior).
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