???After being named New York State Wrestling Intercollegiate Champions last weekend, the wrestling team was flying high.
???Sunday afternoon, the Ohio Bobcats knocked them back to reality.
???The Bulls (9-5, 1-1 Mid-American Conference) experienced their first loss of the season at Ohio (7-5-1, 2-0 MAC), 19-15. Buffalo had wins from junior Dan Bishop, redshirt-freshman Desi Green and sophomores Kevin Smith and Jimmy Hamel.
??? "I think all our guys train hard, all our guys are in good shape and ready to go, and I had a lot of confidence in all of them [against Buffalo]," said Ohio head coach Joel Greenlee in a press release. "This gives us momentum, when last year we didn't win a single MAC dual meet and now we're 2-0 and our name is at the top of the standings. That's what I like to see."
???Initially, Buffalo bounced to a 9-0 lead, thanks to the play of Bishop and Smith. In the 125-pound event, Bishop pinned Ohio's Tim Silvers at 3:05. Smith, in the 133-pound event, earned a 7-3 decision over Quentin Keyes. Keyes eliminated Smith at the Reno Tournament of Champions in Reno, Nev. earlier this season.
???Buffalo's third victory came at the 149-pound event when Green defeated Bobcat Seth Morton by decision, 9-6. With the win, Green earned his 29th overall win in addition to his 13th dual meet win of the year. He is one win away from entering the record books for most dual wins in a season and three wins away from leading the most overall wins category.
From that point forward, the Bobcats stole the show and began their comeback. Germane Lindsey, at 141-pounds, won a major decision over freshman Mark Lewandowski, 14-5. Seth Morton competed in the 149-pound event and lost to redshirt-freshman Desmond Green, 9-6. Buffalo was still ahead, 12-4, but the Bobcats would win the final four matches.
In the 157-pound event, Ohio's Clay Tucker won a 2-0 decision over freshman John-Martin Cannon to improve to 16-12 on the year. At the following 165-pound matchup, Ohio's Tommy Weinkam defeated freshman Ron Majerus in a close 2-1 decision.
???Following Weinkam's victory was a 174-pound matchup between Bobcats wrestler Jacob Ison and Buffalo senior Nate Rock. Ison earned his eighth victory of the year, defeating Rock, 7-3.
???Ohio's Erik Schuth then defeated senior Micky Moran in the 184-pound event with a 5-2 decision. Schuth improved to 8-2 for the season while Moran dropped to 15-6.
???In the final matchup of the evening, Buffalo freshman Brett Correll had a chance to lead the team to a win against Ohio's Justin Powell in the 285-pound event. Powell would come out with a 6-4 decision, sealing the victory for the Bobcats.
???While the Bulls have put the loss behind them, they are focused on their next bout. This Saturday, the Bulls will face the No. 6 team in the nation and MAC opponent, Central Michigan. The meet begins at 2 p.m.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
