CMU, Northern Illinois overcome Bobcats

by Eric Pfahler
Staff Writer

Two losses and one win left the Bobcats hungry this weekend.

The Ohio wrestling team continued to lose close matches this weekend, with the team dropping two Mid-American Conference matches before routing Gardener-Webb 36-6 Sunday.

Ohio (4-9-1, 0-3 MAC) won three matches against Central Michigan (6-4, 2-0 MAC) and four matches against Northern Illinois (11-2, 4-0 MAC), but lost both meets 23-9, and 19-14, respectively.

Despite the conference losses, Ohio coach Joel Greenlee said the team is confident in its preparation for the MAC Championships.

“We still think we’re a pretty good team,” Greenlee said. “I think we have to stay positive. We’re still not where we want to be, but we’re getting closer and closer every time.”

Ohio wrestlers Jake Percival, ranked No. 10 in the 149 pound weight class, and Joel Weimer (197) continued to lead the Bobcats with flawless records this weekend. Percival (21-2) won three matches, including a 17-1 technical fall against Northern Illinois wrestler Alex Nelson.

Weimer defeated a pair of MAC opponents to improve his record to 12-6.

Luke Moore (174), who defeated Northern Illinois’ Bill Lowney Jr. and Gardener-Webb’s Robbie Pritz Sunday, said Weimer and Percival lifted the team.

“It looks promising for the MAC tournament,” Moore said. “We might not be able to pull off some of these MAC dual-meets, but when it comes to the MAC finals, we have a bunch of guys who will wrestle hard against their MAC opponents that can win and possibly help us win a MAC championship.”

Ohio dominated Gardener-Webb Sunday to end the weekend on a high-note. The Bobcats won eight individual matches, including Alex Cooper’s (157) pin against Louis DeMarco in 1 minute, 24 seconds.

Percival said the win lifted the spirits of the team after an otherwise difficult weekend.

“Those matches are nice,” Percival said. “Losing a lot of those close ones like we did against Central and Northern Illinois, it’s nice to get that last win in and hope it will carry into next weekend.”

Ohio hits the mats again 10:00 a.m. on Saturday at the Bloomsburg Duals in Bloomsburg, Pa.