Head coach Tom Ryan looks on during the Ohio State-Rutgers match on Jan. 24. Ohio State won 19-14. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
Ohio State wrestling is traveling to Ann Arbor, Michigan, to continue a long-standing rivalry with a talented opponent Friday.
The No. 8 Buckeyes (5-2) will battle the No. 2 Wolverines (3-0) in the 96th meeting between the two teams.
Ohio State head coach Tom Ryan said he is looking forward to a matchup with a Michigan team that returned multiple wrestlers who would have competed in the NCAA Championships last season.
“They’re really good — this is probably one of the best teams they’ve had in 25 years,” Ryan said. “This is a really tough team.”
Ohio State redshirt junior Ethan Smith, the No. 7 wrestler at 165 pounds, carries a winning streak into his match with Michigan redshirt freshman Cameron Amine.
Smith lost a 6-5 decision to then-No. 8 Illinois redshirt sophomore Danny Braunagel in his season-opening match. Since then, he has six consecutive wins — two by decision, three by major decision and one by technical fall.
Smith said that momentum, winning streaks and a rivalry match with Michigan aren’t important to him. Instead, he is focused on another opportunity to claim victory against the wrestler opposite of him.
“In my mind, I’ve got a guy who’s weighing in just like me, and I’m gonna go out there and try and fight him,” Smith said. “I don’t care where he’s from, that’s all I’m focused on.”
Ohio State junior Malik Heinselman, the No. 10 wrestler at 125 pounds, will hope for a bounce-back victory against Michigan.
Heinselman started the season winning five straight matches but suffered his first loss against No. 11 Purdue redshirt senior Devin Schroder in a 1-0 decision Sunday.
“Malik is wrestling really well,” Ryan said. “He’s just got to get a little more comfortable in these big matches.”
Luckily for Heinselman, he will have another opportunity to compete in a big match for Ohio State. He will start the dual for the Buckeyes against undefeated, No. 9 Michigan freshman Dylan Ragusin or redshirt junior Jack Medley.
Ohio State redshirt sophomore Sammy Sasso, the No. 2 wrestler at 149 pounds, will square off with No. 7 Michigan redshirt senior Kanen Storr.
Sasso was named Big Ten Co-Wrestler of the Week for his performances against Iowa and Purdue Sunday.
In one of the premier matches of the tri-meet, Sasso pinned No. 5 Iowa junior Max Murin in the third period. Then, Sasso punished Purdue freshman Trey Kruse in a 22-7 technical fall victory.
“Sasso is just a machine,” Ryan said. “No matter where you send him — no matter what the situation is — he’s just very, very, very hard to beat.”
Sasso is undefeated with a team-high seven victories. He also leads the team with three pins and ties Smith and redshirt freshman Dylan D’Emilio with one technical fall.
Ryan said he believes Sasso could have won the NCAA Championships last season. Since that opportunity was taken away, his eyes are fixed on hoisting the trophy this year, which allows him to focus on each match, Ryan said.
Michigan is unbeaten this season and shares a top spot in the Big Ten standings with No. 1 Iowa (5-0) and No. 3 Penn State (3-0). The Wolverines have won 24-of-30 individual matches with 12 bonus wins in dual victories over Rutgers, Maryland and Indiana.
The Wolverines have been dominant in their performances, but will be without two top wrestlers against the Buckeyes.
At 133 pounds, No. 3 graduate student Stevan Micic will not suit up to battle No. 23 Ohio State sophomore Jordan Decatur. The Wolverines have listed Ragusin and Medley as probable replacements in the weight class.
At 184 pounds, No. 1 Michigan graduate student Myles Amine is unavailable to face No. 17 Ohio State redshirt sophomore Rocky Jordan. Amine will be replaced with either freshman Jaden Bullock or graduate student Joseph Walker.
It has been over three weeks since the Wolverines last competed. Michigan beat Indiana 32-6 in their home opener on Jan. 17 before entering a quarantine due to confirmed positive cases for the B.1.1.7 COVID-19 variant in the athletic department.
Ohio State dealt with COVID-19 protocols of their own this week after facing Iowa Sunday. The Hawkeyes shut down team facilities after multiple positive tests in the program, causing the Buckeyes to quarantine their wrestlers until receiving negative results.
The close call reminded the team of how thankful each wrestler is for the opportunity to wrestle this year, which has given Ohio State a new perspective, Smith said.
“When you’re grateful for something, I think the amount of passion you put into it starts to increase,” Smith said. “We are grateful to be able to compete.”
Friday’s dual meet with Michigan will be a big matchup for both teams as they prepare for the regular season to end and tournaments to begin, Ryan said.
“This rivalry will heat up,” Ryan said. “We kind of ran away from them the last five or six years, but it’s gonna be a lot of fun.”
Ohio State trails Michigan 65-20-3 in the all-time series, but the Buckeyes have won four of the last seven matches with the Wolverines, including each of the last four road dual meets dating back to 2009.
The rivalry continues this Friday at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, at 7 p.m. and can be seen on the Big Ten Network.
