Opponents who think they can shake Quentin Keyes' confidence need to find another game plan.
The 133-pound Keyes faced No. 1 Franklin Gomez on Sunday in Ohio's dual meet with Michigan State. Gomez, coming off a Big Ten Championship and a third-place finish in the NCAA Tournament, came into the match with a 9-0 record.
Keyes kept the match close, trailing 2-1 entering the third period, but Gomez asserted himself in the final period and won by major decision, 10-2.
Following the match, though, Keyes wasn't very impressed.
I don't think he's that good
he said. I think I made a lot of mistakes.
Ohio coach Joel Greenlee said he thought that Keyes came out in an offensive mode, but ran into trouble after shifting into a more defensive mindset.
I think if he would have stayed in an offensive mode he would have been alright Greenlee said. I don't know if he would have beat the guy or not
but it would have been a little closer match.
Keyes said that he changed up his wrestling style and wrestled the way Gomez prefers to wrestle. Gomez likes to stay low, on his knees and scoot around on the mat.
Keyes started out the match with a shot at Gomez, but it ended in a stalemate. After that, Keyes was a bit hesitant.
I was only looking for perfect shots
Keyes said. If I take a bad shot and he gets over top of me
he could have easily scored because he's a quick kid.
The competition Keyes will face in the future won't taper off. Two 133-pound wrestlers in the MAC are ranked in the top 20 in the country - No. 13 Dan Mitcheff at Kent State and No. 19 Conor Beebe of Central Michigan. Keyes defeated Northern Illinois' then-No. 18 Tristan DeShazer last Thursday.
The competition in the MAC carries an extra weight on up-and-comers like Keyes. The MAC has just one automatic bid into the NCAA tournament, as opposed to seven for bigger conferences like the Big Ten.
At 133
I'm getting a lot of tough competition
Keys said. I honestly think I can go with anybody in the country. I just make mistakes
little mistakes
and then they run away with the match.
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After the dual with Michigan State, many of Ohio's wrestlers and coach Greenlee stayed out and signed autographs for young children and high school wrestlers.
Greenlee said having the young kids and high school guys come out serves a dual purpose. It puts people in the stands and helps with the recruiting process.
We think we have a pretty good product here in Southeast Ohio as far as a college wrestling team
Greenlee said.
Besides reaching out to potential Bobcat wrestlers, it makes the current Ohio wrestlers feel pretty good about themselves, too.
It makes me feel cool
