Ohio (4-6, 1-5 Mid-American Conference) has been in a slump its wrestling program hasn’t experienced since the 2022-23 season. Back then, the Bobcats lost six dual meets consecutively in the middle of their season.
This season, Ohio has lost five dual meets in a row, with its latest loss to the Clarion Golden Eagles (7-5, 4-4 MAC) 25-16 on the road. In terms of the history between these two squads, the Eagles have bested the Bobcats in both of the two dual meets performed.
The first time each team met was in 2021, and Clarion pulled away with a 25-12 victory on its home mat. Their 2026 matchup was the second time in five years these teams ever wrestled each other.
For the first four matchups of the contest, the Eagles simply couldn’t be stopped. Sophomore Travis Clawson started off strong for Clarion with a 10-0 major decision victory against Ohio’s freshman Brayden Teunissen in the 125 lb. weight class.
In the 133 lb. weight division, fifth-year senior Joey Fischer added more damage with a major decision of his own over junior Ryan Meek for the Bobcats. The Eagles’ redshirt sophomore Scott Johnson was all over Ohio’s sophomore Kolten Barker, and ended up winning by an 18-2 technical fall with four minutes and 23 seconds of riding time.
Redshirt junior Paul Woo for the Bobcats came close with a win of his own; however, Clarion’s redshirt sophomore Oliver Fairchild got the best of him in a 7-6 decision.
In the 157 lb. weight class, redshirt junior Derek Raike was the first Bobcat to be tallied in the winning column. Raike took a commanding 6-1 lead after the first period against redshirt sophomore Wesley Barnes. He then recorded an escape in the second, and added another six points for his 13-4 major decision victory.
Redshirt junior Jack Lledo lost by fall in three minutes and 35 seconds of riding time to redshirt senior Alejandro Herrera-Rondon. The following three matches are when Ohio turned it up a notch.
Redshirt senior Garrett Thompson, in the 174 lb. weight class, was nothing short of brilliant with his 15-0 technical fall victory versus freshman Gabe Lilly for the Eagles.
At 184 lbs, redshirt senior Sal Perrine managed to rally back from a 1-0 deficit after two full periods in his matchup against redshirt sophomore Adrian Gacek. Perrine recorded two takedowns in the third period and came away with a 6-2 decision.
Last but certainly not least for Ohio’s victors was redshirt senior Zayne Lehman wrestling in the 197 lb. weight class. He kept his streak of being undefeated in dual meets this season with a perfect 13-0 major decision versus Clarion’s graduate student Ethan Wiant.
In the 285 lb. weight class, the Bobcats’ Wyatt Schmitt was no match for graduate student John Meyers, whom the latter won by a 5-0 decision.
This Saturday, Ohio finally returns home to The Convo after being on the road for a long while. Ohio hosts the Buffalo Bulls for Senior Night and Military Appreciation Night.
The dual meet is planned to commence at 7 p.m., and it is available for fans to stream on ESPN+.
