Michigan
Ohio State
Wolverines Split Bouts at No. 7 Ohio State, Lose Heartbreaker on Bonus Points
1/26/2024 11:20:00 PM | Wrestling
» No. 11 Michigan won four of the first five matches, including three bonus wins, but fell 20-19 to No. 7 Ohio State on bonus points after splitting matches evenly.
» Michael DeAugustino (125 pounds) earned a technical fall in the first match, while Dylan Ragusin (133) and Austin Gomez (149) claimed major decisions over top-12 opponents.
» Ohio State won each of the last three bouts and earned two bonus wins.
Site: Columbus, Ohio (Covelli Center)
Score: #7 Ohio State 20, #11 Michigan 19
Records: U-M (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten), OSU (12-1, 4-0 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Feb. 2 -- vs. Iowa (Crisler Center), 8:30 p.m.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The No. 11-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team claimed four of the opening five bouts and split matches evenly against No. 7 Ohio State but fell on bonus points, 20-19, Friday night (Jan. 26) at the Covelli Center. OSU rallied at the upperweights, winning each of the final three bouts, and picked up bonus wins at 141 and 184 pounds.
Michigan scored bonus points of its own in each of its first three victories, against ranked opponents at 125, 133 and 149 pounds.
Graduate student Michael DeAugustino, ranked 14th in the latest InterMat poll, rolled to a 16-1 technical fall against 24th-ranked Brendan McCrone in the opening bout. He struck on a first-period takedown then broke the match open the second when he reversed the Buckeye to his back for six points. He added two more takedowns, including a third-period single leg to end the bout at the 6:05 mark.
Senior/junior Dylan Ragusin and graduate student Austin Gomez racked up takedowns to earn major decisions at 133 and 149 pounds, respectively. Ragusin, ranked fourth nationally, scored four takedowns en route to a 15-6 win over 12th-ranked Nic Bouzakis. The wrestlers traded two takedowns and two reversals in the first period before Ragusin pulled away with go-behind scores in the second and third and accumulated 2:26 in riding-time advantage. He improved to 19-0 on the season.
Gomez, ranked sixth, was even more dominant, scoring five takedown to cruise past ninth-ranked Dylan D'Emilio, 17-6, in his return to the lineup. Like Ragusin before him, Gomez scored three takedowns in the opening period -- on a knee pick, go behind and double leg -- then added two more off counter scores in the third period. Gomez is 4-0 this season.
The two major decisions sandwiched a forfeit loss at 141 pounds, after freshman Sergio Lemley was flagged at skin checks and unavailable to wrestle. Michigan did not travel a backup at 133 or 141.
Graduate student Will Lewan, ranked ninth at 157 pounds, gritted out a 5-2 overtime decision over Isaac Wilcox to give Michigan a 16-6 lead entering the intermission break. Wilcox earned a quick escape in the first 30-second tiebreaker go, but Lewan answered with a takedown from underhooks with 10 seconds left, then added an escape in the second 30-second go ice the win.
The Buckeyes claimed four of five after the intermission break. Graduate student Shane Griffith, ranked fourth at 174 pounds, earned the lone Michigan win with a gritty 2-1 win over 11th-ranked Rocco Welsh with a third-period rideout. With the score tied 1-1 after giving up a stall point in the second, Griffith held Welsh down for the entirety of the third, finishing with 1:28 in time advantage to improve to 10-2 on the season and 7-0 in duals.
Ohio State rallied to claim a 12-10 decision at 165 pounds after freshman Beau Mantanona led 7-0 early on a takedown and four-point cradle against 21st-ranked Bryce Hepner, then added a technical fall at 184 pounds and decision at 197 to set up a winner-takes-all heavyweight bout, where the Buckeyes' Nick Feldman, ranked 18th, used a third-period takedown to edge fourth-ranked graduate student Lucas Davison, 4-3, and give OSU its first lead of the bout. After a scoreless first period, Davison rode out the second -- though gave up an inexplicable stall point -- and escaped early in the third. Feldman scored on a go behind takedown for the deciding points.
The Wolverines (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten) will close out the home portion of their 2023-24 dual slate next Friday (Feb. 2) when they host Iowa at 8:30 p.m. at Crisler Center. The dual will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network and tickets are still available through the U-M Ticket Office.
No. 7 Ohio State 20, No. 11 Michigan 19
Individual rankings by InterMat
125 -- #14 Michael DeAugustino (U-M) tech. fall #24 Brendan McCrone, 16-1 (6:05) -- U-M, 5-0
133 -- #4 Dylan Ragusin (U-M) major dec. #12 Nic Bouzakis, 15-6 -- U-M, 9-0
141 -- #3 Jesse Mendez (OSU) won by forfeit -- U-M, 9-6
149 -- #6 Austin Gomez (U-M) major dec. #9 Dylan D'Emilio, 17-6 -- U-M, 13-6
157 -- #9 Will Lewan (U-M) dec. #30 Isaac Wilcox, 5-2 TB -- U-M, 16-6
165 -- #21 Bryce Hepner (OSU) dec. Beau Mantanona, 12-10 -- U-M, 16-9
174 -- #4 Shane Griffith (U-M) dec. #11 Rocco Welsh, 2-1 -- U-M, 19-9
184 -- Ryder Rogotzke (OSU) tech. fall #15 Jaden Bullock, 21-0 -- U-M, 19-14
197 -- #22 Luke Geog (OSU) dec. Rylan Rogers, 9-4 -- U-M, 19-17
Hwt -- #18 Nick Feldman (OSU) dec. #4 Lucas Davison, 4-3 -- OSU, 20-19
Players Mentioned
