Ohio State wrestling: Logan Stieber, Nathan Tomasello dominate as Bucks start 3-0

The Ohio State Buckeyes opened the dual meet season this week with a trio of meets. On Thursday, it was the home opener against Kent State. Then, Saturday was the Journeyman Tussle where the Buckeyes faced Army and Arizona State. The #2-ranked team lived up to its billing winning all three matchups.

The Kent State match was never close with the Buckeyes winning all but one match for a final of 38-3. Army managed slightly better winning two of ten matches in a 37-6 loss. Arizona State took a 7-0 lead early, but the Buckeyes rallied to win the dual 30-10. The Individual match results can be found below (courtesy of OSU Athletics). First though, I want to give a few observations from the weekend.

What I Noticed

• The Buckeyes won 24 of a possible 30 individual matchups. Of the six losses, only one was a starter. The wrestlers filling in for Bo Jordan (165 ) and Hunter Stieber (149) went 1-5. Mark Martin was the only Buckeye starter to lose a match (7-5 decision to Waters of ASU).
  
  
• Logan Stieber is still Logan Stieber. The Senior captain won all three of his matches, two by technical fall and one by pin.
  
  
• Of the three freshman captains, Kyle Snyder and Bo Jordan are probably bigger names than Nathan Tomasello, but I'd bet on Tomasello scoring more team points than either of his counterparts this season. This weekend the 125-pounder was machinelike in his efficiency, winning once by technical fall and twice by pin.
  
  
• Kyle Snyder is a wizard on his feet. It's almost unfair how well he moves for a 197-pounder. He still has a ways to go on top, though. He's scoring a lot of points but it has mostly been takedown, let ‘em up, rinse, repeat. As the season progresses and competition stiffens, he's going to need to start scoring from the top position.
  
  
• Josh Demas is still working his way back into NCAA competition after the year off and the injury. He won by decision this weekend, and looked solid albeit against unremarkable competition. I expect him to continue to improve as the season wears on.
• Ohio State did exactly what a national title contender should do to inferior competition; it destroyed it. That's a good sign moving forward.

A few final notes

• The much-hyped showdown between Josh Demas and Ian Miller of Kent State was derailed early. Miller knocked himself out returning Demas to the mat and had to forfeit the match.
  
  
• Hunter Stieber and Bo Jordan both sat the weekend out. There has been no official word on the status of either wrestler.
  
  
• The Buckeyes are back in action 11/23 against Virginia Tech and 11/24 against Virginia. The Virginia dual meet will be broadcast live right here on LGHL.

Ohio State 38, Kent State 3

125 lbs.: Nathan Tomasello (OSU) tech. fall over Vinas (KSU) 20-5
133 lbs.: Johnni DiJulius (OSU) dec. over McGuire (KSU) 2-1
141 lbs.: Logan Stieber (OSU) tech fall over Bauer (KSU) 15-0
149 lbs.: Valentine (KSU) maj. dec. over Riley Hawkins (KSU) 12-0
157 lbs.: Josh Demas (OSU) medical default over Miller (KSU)
165 lbs.: Justin Kresevic (OSU) won by fall over Buckwalter (KSU) 6:44
174 lbs.: Mark Martin (OSU) def. Marsh (KSU) 3-1
184 lbs.: Kenny Courts (OSU) maj. dec. over Campbell (KSU) 17-5
197 lbs.: Kyle Snyder (OSU) dec. over Baxter (KSU) 11-6
285 lbs.: Nick Tavanello (OSU) dec. over Lytle (KSU) tie breaker on criteria

Ohio State (2-0) 37, Army (0-1) 6

165: Chandler Smith (ARMY) decision over Justin Kresevic (OSU) 2-0 (Army 3, Ohio State 0)
174: Mark Martin (OSU) decision over Brian Harvey (ARMY) 7-4 (Army 3, Ohio State 3)
184: Kenny Courts (OSU) major decision over Austin Wilding (ARMY) 15-4 (Ohio State 7, Army 3)
197: Matthew O'Hara (OSU) decision over Stephen Snyder (ARMY) 4-2 (Ohio State 10, Army 3)
285: Nick Tavanello (OSU) fall over Trevor Smith (ARMY) 3:15 (Ohio State 16, Army 3)
125: Nathan Tomasello (OSU) fall over Sean Badua (ARMY) (Ohio State 22, Army 3)
133: Johnni DiJulius (OSU) fall over Christian Doyle (ARMY) (Ohio State 28, Army 3)
141: Logan Stieber (OSU) fall over Logan Everett (ARMY) 2:05 (Ohio State 34, Army 3)
149: Andrew Mendel (ARMY) decision over Jake Donatelli (OSU) 4-1 (Ohio State 34, Army 6)
157: Josh Demas (OSU) decision over Russell Parsons (ARMY) 2-1 (Ohio State 37, Army 6)

Ohio State (3-0) 30, Arizona State (2-1) 10

165: Jacen Petersen (ASU) major decision over Justin Kresevic (OSU) 10-1 (ASU 4, Ohio State 0)
174: Raymond Waters (ASU) decision over Mark Martin (OSU) 7-5 (OT) (ASU 7, Ohio State 0)
184: Kenny Courts (OSU) decision over Blake Stauffer (ASU) 3-1 (OT) (ASU 7, Ohio State 3)
197: Kyle Snyder (OSU) major decision over Josh Dasilveira (ASU) 21-8 (ASU 7, Ohio State 7)
285: Nick Tavanello (OSU) decision over Chace Eskam (ASU) 3-2 (Ohio State 10, ASU 7)
125: Nathan Tomasello (OSU) fall over Judson Preskitt (ASU) (Ohio State 16, ASU 7)
133: Johnni DiJulius won by forfeit (Ohio State 22, ASU 7)
141: Logan Stieber (OSU) won by tech. fall over Demechino Spraggins (ASU) 20-4 (Ohio State 27, ASU 7)
149: Preston McCalmon (ASU) decision over Blake Riley-Hawkins (OSU) 6-0 (Ohio State 27, ASU 10)
157: Randy Languis (OSU) decision over Joel Smith (ASU) 5-4 (Ohio State 30, ASU 10)