In the bitter rivalry of Ohio and Kent State, most of the competition between the two programs takes place away from the college mats.
There's no denying the implications of tonight's dual meet on the Mid-American Conference regular season title against the No. 15 Golden Flashes.
That said, the longest and perhaps most important contest pits coach Joel Greenlee and his assistant coaches against the Golden Flashes' coaching staff at high school meets around the state.
On these occasions, Greenlee becomes more salesman than coach as he tries to persuade the state's best prospects to choose Athens and not Kent.
You run into Central (Michigan) on a few of the kids you're talking to
but not every one of them Greenlee said. (With) Kent you run into every one of them. If I'm recruiting you they're talking to you
we're talking to you. It's just the way it is.
The Bobcats are allowed to have two coaches scouting off-campus at a time.
Greenlee and either assistant coach Kyle Hansen or Quincy Osborn frequently travel to matches in Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland. They see Kent State coaches at every stop.
The biggest high school event he attends is the Walsh Ironman Tournament in Cleveland, Greenlee said. But the coaches also scout in-season.
At the Reno Tournament of Champions on Dec. 19, the Bobcats arrived in Nevada early, so they attended a high school tournament the day before they wrestled.
It's kind of a non-stop constant battle
Greenlee said.
The coaches' pitch to each prospect depends on the individual. Some wrestlers are interested in location or facilities, while others look for a good educational fit. If that's the case, Greenlee stresses the strength of Ohio's academics over Kent State's.
But it doesn't matter what I think
Greenlee said. It's my job to go out there and sell it the best I can
and hopefully it's the right fit for them.
And I think that's a big deal. ... It's not just coming to Ohio because you want to wrestle. Academically, it's got to be the right fit. Personality-wise, guys on the team, all that stuff.
Tonight
the coaches on both sides will let their recruits speak for themselves as Ohio looks to extend its perfect MAC record against Kent State.
A win would bring the Bobcats closer to their first regular-season MAC title since 2001. Ohio hasn't beaten Kent State since 2005.
Beating the Golden Flashes would be a great achievement for some Bobcats
like senior Erik Schuth
who has seen Ohio lose to Kent State for the past several years.
Kent State's obviously had our number for the past couple years, Schuth said. But every year since I've been here it's gotten progressively closer. ... This match means everything to us, really. It's the reason why we do what we do. Why we come in at 6:45 a.m. to work out.
Schuth also wasn't shy about his feelings for Ohio's biggest rival.
There's just a bad taste in our mouth about Kent State. We don't like them at all (and) they don't like us. I mean, at the national tournament I'll still root for the guys from Central Michigan to do good. I won't root for a single person from Kent. I hope they all go two and out.
I hate them all.
