Last year the Northwestern wrestling team struggled in the Big Ten but still beat Ohio State convincingly. The Wildcats finished the year with that one conference win, while the Buckeyes managed two.
A lot has happened in a year.
Two days after a 21-12 loss to No. 21 Penn State (7-9, 1-3 Big Ten), the Cats (3-10-1, 0-5) traveled to Columbus on Sunday for the reunion and saw a much-improved Ohio State team. The No. 10 Buckeyes (15-3, 5-0) easily atoned for last year’s defeat with an impressive 33-3 win that kept them at the top of the conference and extended their 14-match winning streak.
“Their team last year is similar to our team this year,” NU coach Tim Cysewski said. “Last year they had key players out for the season just like we do now. It’s a switcharoo. We’re hurt, and they’re healthy.”
The Cats started off well when 157-pound sophomore Jason Erwinski notched a 6-3 win over Josh Jansen. Sophomore Ryan Kane tried to extend the lead, but NU’s early momentum fizzled, and the Buckeyes never looked back.
Ohio State went on a 33-0 run in the final nine weight classes. The Buckeyes sent eight ranked wrestlers to the mat, putting the younger Cats at a distinct disadvantage.
“Ohio State has a good team this year,” NU heavyweight Josh Saul said. “They are a young team and they’ll do well at nationals.”
No. 16 Saul faced Buckeyes star freshman Tommy Rowlands, ranked No. 1 in the nation. In December, Rowlands defeated Saul 5-4 in the quarterfinals of the Midlands. Sunday’s match started off close, 5-3, before Rowlands capitalized on two mistakes by Saul en route to a 16-4 win.
“The final match score isn’t indicative — it could have fallen either way,” Cysewski said. “Both of these guys were flying around like little guys.”
Ohio State has only one senior in the lineup and boasts a talented core of young ranked wrestlers. Led by Rowlands, the four freshman starters have helped elevate the program and have given Ohio State a realistic shot at the Big Ten crown and NCAA success.
Cysewski said the Buckeyes’ success bodes well for the Cats’ future.
“Next year is next year, but knowing our talent and the recruits we are looking at, there is no reason why we won’t get better,” he said.
Friday’s match featured two winless teams in conference play, which gave the NU wrestlers confidence.
But the Nittany Lions jumped out to a 12-3 lead, with Saul’s 6-3 win over Bob Jones the Cats’ only bright spot in the early going. Then the match entered the strength of the Cats’ lineup, and the team responded by winning three of the next four weight classes.
Freshman Josh Ballard began the comeback effort at 141 pounds with an 8-5 win over Eric Narkiewicz. Erwinski and Kane both scored early and often and hung on for victories. The margin was at three with only two weight classes remaining, but the Lions comfortably won both matches and clinched their first Big Ten win.
“Against Penn State, we wrestled relatively well,” Cysewski said. “We won four matches, but we have to learn how to win the close matches.”
The coach singled out matches at 125, 149 and 197 pounds as winnable bouts for NU and emphasized the need to score points and finish takedowns in the crucial third period.
Overall, Saul said, there was no acceptable explanation for the weekend’s losses. NU had its toughest weekend to date in facing two Big Ten teams on a long four-day roadtrip.
Only two weeks remain in the regular season before the schedule kicks into high gear with the Big Ten and NCAA championships.
“Every time you go out and compete, you learn something and you’ll get better,” Cysewski said. “This year is still not done. I’m preparing my guys to beat Marquette and Indiana next week. This is a very important part of the season for us.”
