Wrestlers crowded around computers and compulsively checked their phones during the minutes after Ohio won its final regular-season dual meet.
The Bobcats beat Eastern Michigan 28-9 Sunday at The Convo, but that was only half of the equation required to secure a share of their first regular-season Mid-American Conference title since 2001.
Ohio also needed Central Michigan to beat Kent State, so the wrestlers received text-message updates of the meet and gathered around the scorer's table to watch the live scoring of the Chippewas' match, which started at the same time as the Bobcats'.
When the wrestlers began keeping track, Central Michigan was up 17-10. But Kent State won a major decision at 197 pounds to pull within three points. So the meet - and Ohio's MAC title hopes - came down to the heavyweight match.
The Chippewas' second-ranked Jarod Trice did the Bobcats a favor and took down the Golden Flashes' 14th-ranked Brendan Barlow to ensure a three-way tie between Central Michigan, Kent State and Ohio for the regular-season championship.
"We found out through (the live scoring), and it was pretty exciting," senior Germane Lindsey said. "It was like, 'Yes. We finally did it.'"
Lindsey said the moment wasn't as exciting as it would've been if they had secured the title in their own match, but the team was happy nonetheless.
'SHORT BUT INTENSE'
With grimaces on their faces, pair after pair of wrestlers lifted two-inch thick ropes in the corner of the wrestling room. With one end in each hand, they yanked the rope up and down into a wave.
Next to them, another pair did body lifts. With one wrestler in a crouched position, the standing athlete spun the other upside down so that his feet pointed toward the ceiling and then back down.
The Bobcats had 16 stations set up at practice yesterday. In what coach Joel Greenlee described as a "short and intense" workout, pairs of wrestlers moved to a new station, such as riding stationary bikes or lifting free weights, every 20 seconds.
"Our whole goal in that thing was to get you mentally and physically tired," Greenlee said.
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