Weekly Wrestling Release
Smith Wins 133-Pound Bracket at NYS Championships
VESTAL, NY - The Buffalo wrestling team finished eighth at the conclusion of day two at the New York State Championships, hosted by Binghamton University. Kevin Smith won the team's lone title, but six wrestlers in all placed for UB.
Smith entered the day having wrestled only once the day before to reach the semifinals. As play resumed today, the Mexico, NY native won a tight 1-0 decision over Seth Ecker of Ithaca. He then easily dispatched of Columbia's Kyle Gilchrist 4-0 to win the 133-pound bracket. It was his second tournament win of the season, the first coming at the Oklahoma Gold Classic.
Senior Jimmy Hamel had the team's other top-3 finish Sunday afternoon, losing in his first match before earning a major decision over Sabino Galassi of NYU to earn a matchup with Binghamton's John Paris in the third-place match. He won it going away, an 8-2 decision to cap a productive weekend.
Other Buffalo wrestlers who placed Sunday were Sean Walton, who finished seventh at 125 pounds; Andrew Schutt, who was wrestling well before being injured and placing sixth at 141 pounds; Ron Majerus, another victim of injury despite fighting deep into the consolation bracket; and freshman heavyweight James Donner, who took seventh in his bracket.
Smith Wins Third Wrestler of the Week Honor
Coming off a first-place finish at the New York State Collegiate Championships, redshirt junior Kevin Smith was named the Mid American Conference's wrestler of the week for January 17-23, the conference announced from its offices in Cleveland Wednesday morning. It was his third honor of the season.
MAC Announces Second Ranking for January
The conference released the second coaches poll for the month of January Wednesday afternoon, with the Bulls holding top-four ranks in eight of the ten weight divisions. This week's opponent Ohio has seven wrestlers in the rankings, including top-ranked 141 pounder Germane Lindsey.
In the team rankings, Buffalo is still holding the number three spot out of the five MAC teams.
125 – 1. Nic Bedelyon (KSU); 2. Gabe Ramos (OU); 3. Christian Cullinan (CMU); 4. Jared Germaine (EMU).
133 – 1. Scott Sentes (CMU); 2. Kevin Smith (UB); 3. Tyler Small (KSU); 4. Filiberto Colon (EMU).
141 – 1. Germane Lindsey (OU); 2. Tristan DeShazer (NIU); 3. Chase Skonieczny (KSU); 4. Andrew Schutt (UB).
149 – 1. Desi Green (UB); t-2. Donnie Corby (CMU); t-2. Brad Squire (OU); 4. Marcel Klopton (KSU).
157 – 1. Matt Cathell (KSU); 2. Bryan Deutsch (NIU); 3. Mark Lewandowski (UB); 4. Aaron Sulzer (EMU).
165 – t-1. John-Martin Cannon (UB); t-1. Mike Miller (CMU); 3. Ross Tice (KSU); 4. Nick Hendrick (EMU).
174 – 1. Ben Bennett (CMU); 2. Nick Purdue (OU); 3. B.J. Johnson (KSU); 4. Brian Sheehan (UB).
184 – 1. Jimmy Hamel (UB); 2. Casey Newburg (KSU); 3. Brad Dieckhaus (NIU); 4. Ryan Garringer (OU).
197 –1. Dustin Kilgore (KSU); 2. Erik Schuth (OU); 3. Nick Whitenburg (EMU); 4. Josh Peters (UB).
HWT – 1. Jared Trice (CMU); 2. Brandon Barlow (KSU); 3. Jeremy Johnson (OU); 4. David Wade (EMU).
Up Next
From here on out it will be a brand new season for the Buffalo Bulls, as Mid American Conference action is set to begin, starting next Saturday at Ohio. Match time is set for 7 pm. Buffalo is looking to avenge a close 22-17 loss in last season's dual meet. Ohio is 6-3 this season, including a 1-0 record in the MAC after routing Northern Illinois.
Projected Starting Lineups
Buffalo (7-5)
125- Sean Walton
133- Kevin Smith
141- Andrew Schutt/ Chris Conti
149- Desi Green
157- Mark Lewandowski
165- John-Martin Cannon
174- Brian Sheehan
184- Jimmy Hamel
197- Josh Peters
HWT- Brett Correll
Ohio (6-3, 1-0 MAC)
125- Gabe Ramos
133- Jacob Wojcik
141- Germane Lindsey
149- Brad Squire
157- Casey Gordon
165- Steve Wilson
174- Nick Purdue
184- Ryan Garringer
197- Erik Schuth
HWT- Jeremy Johnson