Wrestlers Looking to Improve in National Rankings
Matthew Lofton, Kent State Athletic Communications
Month Day, Year
Golden Flashes Hoping Fast Start and Rise in National Polls Continue
KENT, Ohio – With a fast start to the 2008-09 wrestling season, the Golden Flashes look to continue their climb in the national polls after taking a two-week break from competition.
Kent State currently is ranked 21st according to W.I.N. Magazine and 25th by the Intermat web site. Based on individual rankings, W.I.N. projects the Golden Flashes will finish 17th (tournament power index) at the NCAA Championships at St. Louis in March 2009.
As a team, KSU finished fourth at the Oklahoma Gold and second at the Body Bar Tournament. At the Gold, Kent State kept pace with Central Michigan (ranked 16th) and Edinboro (15th). In the Body Bar Tournament, Golden Flashes was neck-and-neck with Boise State (14th) until the Broncos pulled away from the Golden Flashes late to win by 10. However, Kent State defeated Cornell (fourth) by 23.5 points and Maryland by 60.5. The Terrapins are right behind KSU in the polls, also receiving votes.
Individually, redshirt freshman Dustin Kilgore at 184 has made the biggest jump in the polls, going from 14th nationally in the preseason to eighth. With a 9-2 record, Kilgore’s only losses were to second-ranked Jake Herbert of Northwestern and fourth-ranked Kirk Smith of Boise State. The 6-3 loss by Kilgore was the only time in nine matches Herbert has not recorded a fall or major decision.
At 141, fifth-year senior Drew Lashaway has been equally as impressive. Unranked in both polls to begin the season, Lashaway is 19th according to Intermat and 14th by W.I.N. So far this season, he had jumped out to a 10-2 record, claiming the championship at the competitive Body Bar Tournament. En route to the title, Lashaway recorded a takedown in the final seconds of his semifinal match for a 3-1 win over nationally-ranked Cory Fish of Boise State.
For the year, the only two setbacks for Lashaway were close losses against nationally-ranked foes. At the Oklahoma Gold, Lashaway lost in the extra period to Eric Kruger of Central Michigan 3-2. Against Keith Sulzer of Northwestern, Lashaway lost a heart-breaker 6-4.
Along with Kilgore, fifth-year senior Jermail Porter is ranked in the top-10 at 285. According to W.I.N., Porter now stands fifth nationally and ninth by Intermat. Porter is 9-1 to begin the season with his only loss to 10th-ranked Joe Fendone of Edinboro 2-0.
There will be no shortage of opportunities for Porter to continue to move up in the polls in the next month. The Golden Flashes are set to face Ohio State, Nebraska and Cleveland State in dual meet action. Porter will have the chance to face nationally-ranked wrestlers in all three duals (Rashard Goff of Cleveland St., Corey Morrison of Ohio St. and Tucker Lane of Nebraska).
Redshirt junior Danny Mitcheff is inching closer to the top-10 at 133 pounds. Ranked 14th in the preseason in both polls, he is now 12th (Intermat) and 11th (W.I.N.). Picked to win the Mid-American Conference Championship at 133, Mitcheff solidified his top standing in the conference with a 3-2 win over nationally-ranked Conor Beebe of Central Michigan at the Oklahoma Gold.
For the season, Mitcheff holds an 8-2 record with his only losses to wrestlers ranked in the top-10 nationally.
There will be many opportunities in the upcoming month for Kent State to move even higher in the polls. Kent State travels to Lincoln on De. 20 to battle sixth-ranked Nebraska. After a trip to Greensboro to take part in the Southern Scuffle on Dec. 29-30, the Golden Flashes kick off the new year with a trip down I-71 to take on third-ranked Ohio State.
Ending the tough stretch, KSU will travel to take part in the Virginia Duals Jan. 10-11.
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