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Discussion Topic: Article on Kent State's Dustin Kilgore defeating Ohio State national champ Mike Pucillo
Josh Moore added to this discussion on November 18, 2009
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Dustin Kilgore collected his second Oklahoma Gold Tournament championship.
Official Sports Report: November 15, 2009
Kilgore Stuns National Champion
KSU 184-pounder Dustin Kilgore defeats Ohio State’s Mike Puccillo to win Oklahoma Gold Tournament championship
by Steve Hare, Managing Editor
BROCKPORT, N.Y. – Kent State finished in fifth place at the Oklahoma Gold Wrestling Tournament at Brockport State University of New York on Saturday, but the Golden Flashes claimed the biggest individual win of the event.
At 184 pounds, Kent State’s Dustin Kilgore, 2-2 at the NCAA Tournament last year, pinned his way to the championship match where he met two-time national finalist and the 2008 national champion, Mike Puccillo of Ohio State. Kilgore’s 5-2 victory made him an easy choice for the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler award. He also won the 184-pound bracket last year.
“He dominated the match,” said Kent State head coach Jim Andrassy. “You can see Dustin's maturity. He's come a long way since last year. He manhandled him and controlled the whole match. He never got out of position.”
After come-from-behind dual meet victories over No. 24 ranked Virginia Tech and Chattanooga and a strong showing at the Hokie Open last weekend, the No. 18 Golden Flashes had another strong showing in Brockport against three other teams ranked among the Top 20 in the nation: No. 3 Ohio State, No. 13 Edinboro and No. 16 Oklahoma.
Oklahoma edged the Buckeyes for the team title, 144.5-144, while Rutgers finished in third place with 120.5 points and Edinboro was fourth with 110. On the strength of two champions and six other place winners, the Golden Flashes racked up 100.5 team points.
But, Andrassy wasn’t particularly pleased with his team’s fifth place finish.
“Other than Kilgore and (Danny) Mitcheff, it was a frustrating day for us,” Andrassy said. “We've got a lot of freshmen and sophomores that need to learn how to win those close matches and they will.”
Joining Kilgore, a redshirt sophomore, on the champion’s podium was fifth-year senior Danny Mitcheff, who scored a 3-2 decision over Rutgers’ Billy Ashnault in the finals.
The 133-pound tournament championship wasn’t Mitcheff’s only accomplishment on Saturday. With his 15-4 victory over Oklahoma’s Nick Burnham in the first round, Mitcheff became just the ninth wrestler in Kent State history to reach 100 career wins. He becomes the fourth wrestler to reach the feat in the last two seasons (Kurt Gross, Jermail Porter and Eric Chine were the others).
According to Andrassy, Mitcheff is so focused on becoming an All-American in his final season at Kent State, no other individual accomplishment matters.
“I really didn't say anything to him about the 100 wins because he could care less if it was his 100th or 200th,” Andrassy said. “When he got his first place certificate today he looked at it and threw it in the garbage. Nothing else matters but being an All-American for him and he's keeping that in perspective. He's trying to get better every day.”
Other Kent State wrestlers placing among the top six in their weight class were sophomore Troy Opfer, sixth at 125; redshirt freshman Mallie Shuster, fourth at 157; redshirt sophomore Ross Tice, third at 165; redshirt freshman Keith Witt, sixth at 174; redshirt freshman Adam Cogar, third at 197 and redshirt sophomore Brendan Barlow, fifth at 285.
Tice took the long road to the podium as he lost a second round match to eventual runner-up, Colt Sponseller of Ohio State. In the consolations, he defeated teammate Sli Bostelman, 4-2, and three other opponents on his way to claiming third place. He defeated Oklahoma’s Derek Peperas, 2-1, in the consolation finals.
After receiving a first round bye, Cogar lost his first match, 3-1, to No. 4 seed Cody Magrum of Ohio State. He then won four straight matches, including a 3-1 decision over Magrum in the consolation finals, for his third place finish.
“Tice and Cogar did a good job for us in the consolations,” Andrassy said. ”It's not easy to come back the way they did and we need all of our guys to battle the way they did. Ross impressed us and he looks like our starting (165) pounder right now.”
The Flashes return to New York next Saturday for the Body Bar Invitational at Cornell.
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Discussion Topic: Article on Kent State's Dustin Kilgore defeating Ohio State national champ Mike Pucillo
John Ice added to this discussion on November 18, 2009
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Pucillo got dominated, manhandled and controlled. WOW!
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Discussion Topic: Article on Kent State's Dustin Kilgore defeating Ohio State national champ Mike Pucillo
Marlo Stanfield added to this discussion on November 18, 2009
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Yeah those are fighting words! Too bad they are not dueling this year.
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Discussion Topic: Article on Kent State's Dustin Kilgore defeating Ohio State national champ Mike Pucillo
Pat Costilow added to this discussion on November 18, 2009
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Quote from Marlo Stanfield's post:
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"Yeah those are fighting words! Too bad they are not dueling this year."
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I wish Andrassy would say what he really feels every once in a while. Man, he doesn't exactly mince words.
I like what he has to say about Mitcheff- I would love to see him on the podium to end his career.
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Discussion Topic: Article on Kent State's Dustin Kilgore defeating Ohio State national champ Mike Pucillo
Zebulin Miller added to this discussion on November 19, 2009
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Discussion Topic: Article on Kent State's Dustin Kilgore defeating Ohio State national champ Mike Pucillo
Mike Taylor added to this discussion on November 19, 2009
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Discussion Topic: Article on Kent State's Dustin Kilgore defeating Ohio State national champ Mike Pucillo
Zebulin Miller added to this discussion on November 19, 2009
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