Ohio State secured its 17th consecutive win to open the season as the No. 2 Buckeyes (17-0, 6-0 Big Ten) defeated No. 5 Iowa (9-5, 2-3 Big Ten) 24-9 on Senior Night at the Covelli Center in Columbus.
Before the dual began, Ohio State recognized five team managers along with senior and graduate wrestlers Peyton Fenton, Carter Chase, Paddy Gallagher, Carson Kharchla and Jesse Mendez, with the veteran Buckeyes receiving a standing ovation from the home crowd.
After Ohio State secured the victory, Mendez circled the mat, soaking in the atmosphere of his final home match as a Buckeye before expressing his appreciation for his fellow seniors teammates who helped shape his career.
“When I came into the program, (Kharchla) was a leader that I looked up to and this last year, I got to lead with him,” Mendez said. “Paddy, he was my roommate my freshman year, sophomore year, and that’s one of my best friends. So to get to do this tonight with him was great. Carter Chase, Peyton Fenton, all the seniors like those are my those are some of my best friends. They are in that room every day, going to war and helping me reach my goal. So I wouldn’t be where I am without those guys.”
Ohio State elected to start at 157 pounds and with an injury to No. 1-ranked Brandon Cannon, the Buckeyes rolled out Maddox Shaw against Iowa’s Victor Vionovich III. After a scoreless opening period, a quick escape put Vionovich on the board at 1-0 to start the second, before a takedown from the Iowa 157-pounder extended the lead to four. Despite an escape and a late push from Shaw, Vionovich used another late escape to fuel a 5-1 win and give the Hawkeyes an early 3-0 advantage over the Buckeyes.
Ohio State’s redshirt freshman e’Than Birden fell by a 7-2 decision to Iowa’s No. 3 Michael Caliendo at 165 pounds, pushing the Hawkeyes’ lead to 6-0 early.
At 174, No. 5 Kharchla and Iowa’s No. 3 Patrick Kennedy ended the first period scoreless, before the Buckeye graduate added a point off an early escape in the second. Kharchla went down with an apparent foot injury 43 seconds into the second period and though he managed to continue the match, an escape in each of the final two periods gave Kennedy a 2-1 decision, inflating Iowa’s lead to nine. It marked Kharchla’s third loss of the season and second to Kennedy.
Iowa’s Gabe Arnold earned the first point on the Buckeye’s seventh-ranked Dylan Fishback with an escape from the bottom position early in the second period. Fishback did the same to begin the third to even the score at one and send the bout into sudden victory. Fishback then scored a takedown against Arnold and although play continued, it was sent to review and upheld, awarding Fishback the decisive three points in a 4-1 sudden victory and trimming Iowa’s lead to 9-3.
Ohio State’s No. 10-ranked Luke Geog got off to a 7-2 advantage against Iowa’s Brody Sampson, backed by a takedown in each of the first two periods. Two takedowns in the final minute helped Geog to a 14-4 major decision and shortened the Hawkeyes edge to two.
Geog said he knew bonus points could be crucial down the stretch, picking up the pace and securing a final takedown after Ryan expressed a sense of urgency from the bench.
“Going into the match they had mentioned getting bonus points for the team, we didn’t know how close the dual was gonna be,” Geog said. “I saw there was 30 seconds left and I needed one more takedown for the major decision. Tom was screaming at me to get it, so I kicked him out and got another one.”
In the heavyweight class, Ohio State’s No. 3 Nick Feldman and Iowa’s No. 8 Ken Kueter remained deadlocked without a score before Feldman earned a takedown early in the second period. Though Kueter kept the match close with two escapes in the second, Feldman ultimately prevailed with a 3-2 win by decision to give Ohio State its first lead of the dual at 10-9.
Circling back to 125 pounds, Ohio State’s No. 2 Nic Bouzakis was dominant early against Iowa’s No. 6 Dean Peterson, earning a three-point takedown and a four-point near fall to earn a 7-0 advantage just a minute in. Peterson battled back with a takedown in the second and an escape in each of the last two periods, though it was too late, as Bouzakis claimed a 9-5 decision to extend the Buckeyes’ lead to four.
After a scoreless opening period at 133 pounds, Ohio State’s No. 2 Ben Davino netted an escape and a takedown to gain a 4-0 edge on Iowa’s No. 9 Drake Ayala in the first 40 seconds of the second period. Though Ayala earned an escape late in the second and midway through the third period, he couldn’t capitalize on an advantageous position late, as Davino continued his unbeaten redshirt freshman campaign with a 4-2 decision.
Ohio State’s No. 1 141-pounder Jesse Mendez jumped out to a 6-1 lead over Iowa’s Kale Petersen in the first period, adding another four points off an escape and takedown in the second. An 11-point third period from Mendez fueled a 21-3 technical fall to give the Buckeyes a 12-point advantage and officially clinch its 17th win of the season.
After the dual, Ryan reflected on what Mendez has done for the Ohio State program during his time as a Buckeye.
“The guy has changed the face of the program,” Ryan said. “The last couple years with him has been incredible. He’s he does everything right. He’s a great leader and it’s great to see him go out like that.”
At 149 pounds, Ohio State’s fourth-ranked Ethan Stiles and Iowa’s No. 18 Ryder Block found themselves tied at one with an escape each at the end of the third period. Just under a minute into the sudden victory period, Stiles earned a takedown on Block to clinch a 4-1 decision by sudden victory and claim the Buckeyes’ 24-9 win over the Hawkeyes.
Next up, Ohio State will hit the road to take on the No. 1 Penn State Nittany Lions (13-0, 7-0 Big Ten) next Friday at the Bryce Jordan Center in University Park, Pa.
