SHOWTIME: Ohio Wrestling Site Breaks Down the Biggest State Matchups

Match-up #1:  Tony Jameson vs. David Habat vs. Richie Spicel- 135 Division I

Much to my surprise, this weight class has become the story of the season due to a brilliant cast of young wrestlers with unique styles. By now, the styles of these wrestlers are well-known to all- the only question is, how will they match up at “The Schott”?  One of the wisest members of the forum community, who wished to remain anonymous, had this to say about 2x state champion Tony Jameson’s chances of a “three-peat”:
 
“Lavish talent?  Yes.  Jameson has a lot of big moves and he can hit them from all over.  But will he win his third title?  I don't think so.  First, Gasber is a dangerous first round match-up.  Jameson can definitely be thrown as he'll walk right into it on his way to one of his big moves.  Secondly, he's small at the weight class.  Spicel and Habat are both nice sized and so fundamentally sound that a lot of Jameson's "tricks" won't work.  Either of these guys can beat him and I don't see him getting past both. Jameson's style depends upon guys being impatient and making mistakes.  Staying active on one's feet and maintaining good position plus some tough riding can beat him.”

I agree to some extent with this opinion, but not completely.  As I see it Tony Jameson does not match up well with David Habat, but does with Richie Spicel- yet Habat does not match up well with Spicel.  A 2005 state champ (winning four bouts by a combined five points), Richie Spicel is the “zen master” of winning the close, low-scoring bout.  In a match where the wrestlers trade escapes and have it comes down to a single leg-attack takedown, bet on Spicel against almost anyone.  Spicel has the explosiveness (and the fireman’s carry) to get that one takedown when he needs it, and the solid positioning to shut down his opponent’s offense the rest of the match.  That is exactly what happened in his match with Habat (as I understand), and should they meet again, look for a repeat of history. 

However, experience has shown that Richie Spicel can be put on his back by someone who utilizes an unorthodox style.  Thomas Straughn and Andrew Gasber both put him to his back multiple times.  Spicel is the master of controlling position in these low-scoring bouts, but simply put, Tony J. won’t allow Richie Spicel to not scramble for six minutes.  From what I have seen, Spicel is not the scrambler that Habat is, nor is he as good of a rider.  A big key to Habat’s win over Jameson was that he was able to ride him- eating up time off the clock in which prevented Jameson from creating a big move, and wearing him down.  I do not look for Spicel to be able to ride Jameson like this, and I look for Jameson to catch him in a flurry, possibly more than once. 

To do so, Jameson will first have to get past Habat.  This will be, in my view, the greatest test of Jameson’s high school career.  As discussed previously, Habat’s combination of solid technique, ability to scramble, and riding ability make him the most difficult match-up in Ohio for Jameson by far.  However, I look for Jameson to make the following necessary adjustments to win:

First, Jameson cannot wait for Habat to shoot like he did the first time.  Tony J. has a great low single, he will have to use it as Habat is too solid to “funk” off his takedowns.  Second, he must find a way to get off the bottom.   The first takedown here will be absolutely crucial.  When Jameson gets it, he is almost always able to get a “turn” shortly thereafter- a 5-0 lead would be almost insurmountable for the “control” style of Habat.  If Habat gets the first takedown, he may be able to ride Jameson again and wear him down as he did in their first meeting.  Perhaps blinded by bias towards “the funk”, I am going with Jameson.

Several others cannot be overlooked here.  First, state runner-up Marcel Clopton is still a bona-fide title contender, despite a recent decline in performance.  Second, the quartet of Andrew Gasber (see below) Vinny Lopez, Josh Speelman,and T.J. Rigel all have wins over “headliners” and could prove to be spoilers in this amazing weight class.

OWS Pick: Tony Jameson
OWS Readers Pick: 63% voted Tony Jameson grabs his third straight crown.

Match-up 1b: #1`Tony Jameson vs. #5 Andrew Gasber (first round) (135 lb. Division I) 

Let me be clear.  If you happen to be in the Schottenstein Arena at approximately 6:00 p.m. Thursday, March 1st, you need to stop and watch this match unless:

a) You are Wrestling (or coaching) at that exact moment; or
b) You are, at that exact moment, on fire. 

In fact, if engulfed in flames, you may want to “stop, drop, and roll” between periods- this match is going to be that good.  These are two wrestlers who simply go for the jugular all six minutes- throwing caution to the wind completely.  If they were baseball players, they would be McGwire and Bonds (minus the “juice”), swinging for the fences at each “at bat”.  My anonymous commentator believes that Gasber will throw Jameson- I do too.  Gasber is so dangerous, you can’t attack him all six minutes and not get “tossed.”  He has thrown not only some of Ohio’s best (Jordan, Spicel) but also many of the nation’s best.   However- though we’ve never seen him on his back- I find it hard to believe that someone of Jameson’s flexibility, tenacity, and scrambling ability will get pinned.  I look for an absolute barnburner here, one haymaker after another being thrown, and Jameson coming out on top something like 20-12.

Match #2- #1 Brian Roddy vs. #2 Dustin Kilgore:  Division I   171

Last year, In what looked to be a great state final, Kilgore systematically picked the sophomore from St. Edward’s apart in an 11-4 win- with five unanswered takedowns.  What a difference a year makes.  Today, 50% of those who voted in the OWS Poll believed that Brian Roddy will be the state champion, compared to 47% for Dustin Kilgore.  Quite possibly the state’s top junior, Brian Roddy is the epitome of the words physical and intense.  The St. Edward star has rebounded from last year’s state final loss by posting wins of 18-6 over (Beast of the East Champ) Corey Peltier, 16-5 over David Thompson, 11-3 over Derek Foore, 9-4 over (former Cadet National Champ) Rob Waltko, 15-6 over Kurt Wolff, and a default over Dean Gaier when he was headed for a major or “tech”.  But the scores, really, don’t even begin to explain how dominant Roddy has been.  Almost all points “scored” by his opponents have been escapes- if one were to do a combined takedown count of these bouts it would probably be something like thirty to one.

Meanwhile, to paraphrase Mark Twain, the “demise of Dustin Kilgore has been greatly exaggerated.” Every year, Kilgore seems to get pinned once, in the finals of Wadsworth.  With that out of the way, he has been better than ever the second half of the year, beating Jeremy Foster at Top Gun and pinning his way through the Perry District.  The Kent State recruit is one of the few wrestlers in this state who won’t be intimated by Brian Roddy.

So who wins this bout?  I’ve gone back and forth, but (like Habat/Jameson) I think the winner is whoever gets the first takedown.  Kilgore is very good at wrestling with a lead, and if he gets that first takedown the doubt could begin to set in for Roddy.  However, in the past year Roddy has learned to focus his incredible desire to win to minimize mistakes while maximizing brutal attacks.  I think with the level he’s wrestling at right now, he simply won’t be denied.  It is interesting to note, that two very good wrestlers who have gone up against both (Foore and Waltko) have both stated that they think Roddy will win this match.

OWS Pick:  Brian Roddy
OWS Readers Pick: 50% voted for Roddy, 47% for Kilgore.

Match-up #3- Eric Cubberly vs. Jared Kusar (winner vs. James Myers)

Three wrestlers return here who finished in the top three last year.  Cubberly (145) and Kusar (152) are third place finishers- whereas Myers is a 2nd place finisher (140).  Simply put, Cubberly has been bombing the competition all year.   A relentless attacker, he started by defeating several nationally ranked wrestlers to win the nation’s toughest preseason tournament (Super 32 Challenge), and since then, the opponents he has devastated include:

#5 Colton Collett (22-5)
#6 Travis Erdmann (14-3, 12-4)
#7 James Mannier (fall :20); and
#11 Thomas Schwartz (13-1)

Cubberly also owns technical fall wins over very tough Division I state qualifiers Brian Weidenthal and Evan Roth.  His lone loss is to Jedd Moore (like Cubberly, a cadet national freestyle runner-up this summer) who he split with.

However, there is a school of thought that the sheer power of Jared Kusar could present problems for the more rangy Cubberly.  Kusar, who has often been compared to 90’s star Chad Owens, started the season with a 13-8 win in a preview match over Division I state champion Thomas Straughn and has never looked back.  He followed that up with a 4th place finish at the nation’s toughest tournament, the Ironman.  Like Cubberly, he has scored many falls, technical falls, and majors against state ranked opponents…..yet a close look at their common opponents (for what it’s worth) seems to give the edge to Cubberly.  Notably, Kusar won 5-4 over Mannier whom Cubberly pinned, Kusar won 9-2 over Brian Weidenthal (Cubberly teched him), and Kusar scored a tech and a 17-9 major over Collett (once again, Cubberly teched him).  Admittedly, it’s a pretty “thin” rationale to make a choice by, but combined with some of Cubberly’s wins over out of state stars, it leads me to give the nod to him.  This match will actually be a semi-final, with the winner getting Myers in the finals.

James Myers was a clear step behind this duo even as of mid-season in my mind, despite finishing higher at state (2nd).  Reason being, he competed in a much easier weight class last year than either Cubberly or Kusar, and needed overtime against Collett.  However, in the second half of the season, Myers has turned in a series of dominating performances which have lead me to reconsider whether there is a “gap” here at all, including a major decision against #8 (Division I) Bivenour and a decisive win up a weight over state qualifier Donley.   Myers has a big advantage being in the opposite bracket as the other two, as well as #4 Alex Croasman (who he beat 3-1 last weekend).

OWS Pick: Eric Cubberly
The People’s Choice:  60% voted that Cubberly would seize the golden chalice.

Matchup #4- Cody Magrum vs. Jeremy Foster

Time and time again, we’ve seen that Jeremy Foster simply cannot be counted out.   As a freshman, he surprised many by finishing fourth in the state at 152 lbs (losing only to Dave Rella and Josh Rella), virtually unheard of for a freshman middleweight.  Last season, Foster got off to a very slow start at Beast of the East and Brecksville, only to catch fire mid-season, pinning Dustin Kilgore, and scoring dominating wins over 3x state placer David Thompson and 2x state runner-up Travis Popham.  He was perhaps the hottest wrestler in the state at that point for a one-month stretch.

However, Foster’s magic ran out in the District Finals that year, as he was beaten by fellow sophomore Cody Magrum of Oak Harbor 7-5.  That began a downward spiral which saw him lose twice at state to rather non-distinct opponents.  Meanwhile, Cody Magrum would dominate the state tournament on his way to the title.

This year Foster has had a good, but quiet season (by his standards).  He’s won the matches he was supposed to win.  He lost (4-2) the match he was supposed to lose (to Kilgore).  But that was before the District tournament- where he dominated State Champ Cody Magrum by an unthinkable 8-0 score.  Foster is sort of like an upperweight Jameson- a funky wrestler who can put you on your back from any position.   

Cody Magrum is a guy who is hard to pinpoint- and by that I mean, whether is great or merely ‘very good”.  After a very good, though not quite great, summer of wrestling, Magrum won handily at Ironman over Brian Roddy in the quarterfinal round.  Yet, before it could be determined whether this was a new level the Oak Harbor junior had ascended to, or just a great bout, he was injured, losing opportunities to wrestle (potentially) Rob Waltko of Pennsylvania, 4x state champ Mike Benefield of Illinois (probably the nation’s best 171), and a rematch with Roddy (at M.I.T.).  We haven’t seen Magrum in a significant match until the recent loss to Foster.

I am going with Foster for several reasons.  First, rather than being “hot and cold” Foster seems to be “streaky”, i.e. he wrestles well for awhile, then poorly for awhile.  It would seem he has hit a hot streak to say the least.  Second, I’m not sure that Magrum matches up well with Foster.  Magrum is a great technician- like many funksters, Foster seems to be most vulnerable against stronger wrestlers who can control the action rather than technicians.  We will simply have to wait and see which Foster shows up.

OWS Pick: Jeremy Foster
OWS Readers Pick: 48% thought Magrum wins his second title, 32% thought Foster was golden (note: most voted before Districts).

Match-up #5- 140 Division III “FAB FIVE”

Without question, this is one of the toughest weights ever assembled in Division III.  What makes this weight even more interesting, is it comes with a cast of characters that have come from a variety of weights such that they have, for the most part, not yet wrestled each other.  Let’s look at the hopefuls: 

Josh Falk: Falk was an undefeated state champion as a sophomore in 2005, and not really pushed in the process.  It looked like he would cruise to three state titles.  However, despite having posted two wins over last year’s Division II state champ, Jake Kyle, Falk lost last years to the outstanding Kevin Lipp of Beachwood and has been defeated twice by Zach Toal in very close bouts.  Always tough to take down, Falk is very tough to beat in close, low-scoring bouts.  His biggest obstacle may be his draw, as he will have to beat three of these wrestlers to win his second state title- no easy task.

Zach Toal: Last year, Zach Toal was one of the very best freshman lightweights in the state.  Now, he is one of the best sophomore middlweights, having grown from 112 to 140 and improved greatly in the process.  With two wins over Josh Falk, Toal may have established himself as the favorite in the eyes of many. Toal is probably among the top five sophomores in the state regardless of class and weight.

Zach Nelson:  Nelson came out of nowhere to win last year in the eyes of many- even though he was unbeaten and a returning state placer.  More noted for his mat wrestling that takedown ‘artistry”, he will present an interesting contrast of styles with Falk or Toal.

Dusty Hermes:  Hermes was unbeaten and ranked #1 in the state when he went down with a season ending injury.  Hermes is the hammer of this group, often piling up big scores or falls against good competition- but he was knocked off 4-1 by Kyle Gardella.  Like Falk, the biggest problem Hermes faces is the draw, as he will have to beat two state champions just to make the finals this year.

Kyle Gardella: The lanky Gardella is not great on his feet, but easily one of the top five mat wrestlers in the state.  In addition to Dusty Hermes, Gardella has also beaten Marcel Clopton and Chase Skonieczny (last year).  Gardella’s takedowns have improved, but in my view, he can beat anyone but will have a tough time claiming the title.

In the end, the best choice seems to be Toal, as he will only have to beat one of this group to make the finals (Hermes and Falk meet in the quarters), and he has two wins over previous favorite Falk thus far.

OWS Pick: Zach Toal
OWS Readers Pick:  This one is so wide open, that no wrestler got even a third of the vote:  Toal 29%, Hermes 29%, Falk 23%, Gardella 11%, Nelson 5%.

Matchup #6- Jeffrey Pelton vs. Ben Jordan

In 2005, five freshman were state champions, beginning the 4x state champ talk immediately.  All five had a realistic shot to repeat last year- but three failed to do so (Kolodzik, Gambill, Spicel)- leaving only Tony Jameson and Ben Jordan as potential 4x champs.  Much like Jameson, Ben Jordan’s three-peat is still very much in doubt.  The junior from Graham has struggled this year.  His season started off on a good note, with a runner-up finish at Ironman (where he was beaten by nationally ranked Max Shanaman 1-0), but since then, the wheels have come off, first with a loss by fall to Gasber, then with a 4-3 loss to Clopton, and most recently, with a  stunning 6-5 loss to T.J.Rigel.  You have to wonder what effect these unforeseen losses have had on his confidence- at District, he won 5-3 over Dustin Fraley, a very good wrestler, but, one who it seems he should have beaten worse than that.

Meanwhile, Jeffrey Pelton is, in my estimation, one of the most underrated wrestlers in the state.  A 2x state runner-up, Pelton will be looking to avoid being a rare three-time bridesmaid.  Unfortunately, Pelton is best remembered this year for the 13-2 loss he took against Jameson at Brecksville this year.  Otherwise, however, he has been brilliant (and even against Jameson, he somehow looked good despite the score).  Other results include a 8-2 win over very tough Division III #1 Casey Thome, 10-4 over Division II 140 3rd place finisher Cavello (wrestling up a weight), a fall over Division I #7 choice Vinnie Lopez (a wrestler who has beaten Lybarger and Gasber), and a tech and a pin over 3rd ranked Jonathan McGookey.  In short, Pelton has moved up three weights and become a vastly better wrestler in the process.  I look at that, and the fact that Jordan seems to be in such a slump I wonder if he can “right the ship” this season, and I will go against the grain and predict a Pelton win.

OWS Pick:  Jeffrey Pelton
OWS Readers Choice: 61% see a three-peat for Jordan, 33% see Pelton moving up one step on the podium.

As usual, this is just the beginning, there are a number of other great match-ups to look forward to, including:

Matchup #7 Shawn Harris v. Germaine Lindsey vs. Michael Lybarger

OWS Pick: Shawn Harris
The People’s Champion: 48% believe Harris will finish where he started (on top), and 27% think Lindsey has his number.

Matchup #8- Cameron Wade vs. Jesse Campbell

OWS Pick: Cameron Wade
The People’s Champion: 75% See a hatrick for Wade. 

Matchup #9- Jamie Clark vs. Sam White

OWS Pick: Jamie Clark
OWS Readers Choice: 79% like White to take the title.

Matchup #10:  Matt Reedy vs. Chris Andrews vs. Matt McGovern 

OWS Pick: Matt Reedy
The People’s Champion: Matt Reedy claims 44% of the vote, Chris Andrews 23%, Matt McGovern 17%.

Matchup #11: Sean Nemec vs. Derek Foore

OWS Pick: Sean Nemec
The People’s Champion: 69% think Nemec is a 3x champ, Foore a 3x runner-up.

Matchup #12: Thomas Straughn vs. Muhammad Abdur-Rahman

OWS Pick: Thomas Straughn
OWS Readers Choice: 66% say Straughn, 28% say Abdur-Rahman.

Last but not least, Ohio Wrestling Site would like to wish all wrestlers and coaches good luck, and say thanks for tuning in!  Stay Tuned to Ohio Wrestling Site for Live Updates of all the action from the Schottenstein Arena starting at 3:00 p.m. Thursday!

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