Ryan Knapp walked out of the Ohio locker room yesterday afternoon with more than a few cuts and scrapes on his swollen face - he looked more like a boxer than a wrestler.
They are reminders of his match Saturday night against NC State's Rick Brownlee - the final match of the dual meet - a match where Knapp pinned his opponent 4:17 minutes in and a match that clinched the Bobcats' (5-4, 1-0 Mid-American Conference) 25-13 victory over the 6-2 Wolfpack.
It was basically a pin or be pinned match
174-pound wrestler, Knapp said. He came out right away and head-locked me and I squirmed my way out of that which was fortunate. I remember at the time (Brownlee) cracking my neck so loudly it hurt.
Ohio led 19-13 coming into the 174-pound match, and in the beginning of that final match Ohio coach Joel Greenlee said there was no way to tell which wrestler would come out on top.
At the start (the 174-pound match) was close and scary he said. The guy just kept throwing what I call desperation moves or junk moves at him left and right. Knapp's one of those guys who goes out there and freewheels and you don't know what's going to happen; he could get pinned but he maintained his control for the most part.
The Bobcats' ran out to an early 10-0 lead against the Wolfpack, thanks to 184-pound wrestler Brian Cesear's 11-2 major decision over Jeremy Colbert, and 197-pound wrestler Larry Reichard's pin of Josh Collins at 4:30.
Dominating his match 13-0 when he got the fall, Reichard said the early victories helped the whole team.
It was neat because I was the second one up and I'm usually last
he said. And it was good to get things started on the right track (against NC State) with the wins.
Reichard stepped up to replace the injured Nick Terbay earlier this season, and having two overpowering 197-pound wrestlers is something Greenlee said he likes.
It's a great situation
he said. I think it's good for Larry to gain experience and it makes him a little bit hungry. It's a good thing for Nick from the stand point that it will make him want to come back even more.
Saturday's win is Ohio's second consecutive dual meet victory, and the Bobcats return to MAC action this week with a 7 p.m. contest Friday against Northern Illinois in The Convo.
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Redshirt Freshman Larry Reichard handles North Carolina States' Josh Collins during their match Saturday evening.
