This year has been cruel to the 174-pound Northwestern wrestlers.
Redshirt sophomore Brian Roddy and redshirt junior Robert Kellogg combined for an 8-2 record in the division at the beginning of the season. However, neither wrestler has won in 2011.
The trend has not hindered the Wildcats’ overall success this season.
Roddy got hurt in the middle of the season, which opened the door for Kellogg to wrestle at 174 in all matches. Kellogg struggled in the role, losing all six starts before Roddy returned to face Iowa on Jan. 21. Roddy has lost all three matches since his return from injury, but coach Drew Pariano said he is confident Roddy can regain his earlier form.
“Brian Roddy is a very good wrestler,” Pariano said. “He is getting back to the point where he can compete with top-level guys. We are going to surprise some people at Big Tens at 174 pounds.”
Roddy said he shares this confidence.
“At times during matches I’m doing good things,” Roddy said. “I just need to put together a full match. Looking at the tapes I see myself getting closer and closer to getting back to wrestling a complete match. Every week I’m gaining momentum.”
Pariano said Kellogg has the talent to succeed in the conference, but sometimes it’s mind games that trip wrestlers up.
“Kellogg is a very good wrestler as well,” Pariano said. “All of our guys need to believe they are the best wrestlers on the mat.”
Either Kellogg or Roddy will face No. 13 Nick Heflin, when No. 14 NU (17-2, 5-2 Big Ten) takes on Ohio State (2-10, 1-6) on Saturday. Pariano said the key to this match will be to keep control of the match.
“We have to go in there with a chip on our shoulder,” he said. “We need to get that first takedown and wrestle the way we know how. I feel as though Brian is a better wrestler than Nick Heflin and on Saturday I think we’ll prove that.”
On the opposite side of this trend is Kevin Bialka.
The 165-pound sophomore is 10-7 in the Wildcats’ duals this season and has won three of his last four matches. Bialka, more importantly, has only given up bonus points once this season, a 17-6 loss to Illinois’ Conrad Polz on Jan. 14.
“I just try to go out and there and fight out for any point,” Bialka said. “Hopefully it allows me to not allow them to score as many points.”
Bialka will be tested when he faces the 2010 Big Ten finalist in the 165-pound division, No. 8 Colt Sponseller, who is coming in on a seven-match winning streak.
Luckily for the Cats, the Buckeyes have had to juggle with their lineup significantly due to injuries, Pariano said.
With all the talk about the NU’s lower weights, Pariano said that he is more impressed with the upper weights. Though it is almost guaranteed all five wrestlers at the lower weights will make it to the NCAA Championships, Pariano is confident that the upper weights have the talent to make it to the NCAAs as well.
“We’re not seeded where we should be in certain spots,” Pariano said. “We need to finish strong. We need to send a message to the conference that we’re ready.”
NU hopes to send that message loud and clear in Columbus on Saturday.
