Pitt Wrestling
Pitt Wrestling Defeats No. 5 Ohio State in Columbus, 20-13
No. 19 Pitt Wrestling came in as an underdog against No. 5 Ohio State in Columbus Sunday afternoon, but a few big wins ensured a 20-13 victory and for the road team to come out on top.
The Panthers (6-1) defeat the Buckeyes (4-1) for the first time since November 2010 and become the first team to defeat them in a duel this season. This is the fourth straight win for the Panthers and three straight wins against Big Ten opponents, as the defeated the Illinois Fighting Illini last Sunday at home and the Maryland Terrapins on the road on Nov. 20. The 6-1 start is also the best for the Panthers, since they started 8-0 in the 2018-19 season.
Pitt wrestling started their day with redshirt senior Colton Camacho (5-4) facing off against Ohio State No. 19 redshirt first-year Brendan McCrone (11-5) at 125 pounds. Camacho started out with two takedowns in the first minute and led 7-3 at the end of the first period. McCrone kept it close, 10-7, at the end of the second period, as both wrestlers got takedowns, but Camacho would get another takedown in the third period and used riding time to win a 14-9 decision to give his team the lead.
Panthers No. 23 redshirt first-year Vinnie Santaniello (6-5) took on Buckeyes No. 12 redshirt first-year Nic Bouzakis (14-4) at 133 pounds, serving as a rematch from the Clarion Open in November, which Santaniello won in a 11-4 decision. Bouzakis would win this match, though, with a first period takedown proving crucial in a 5-2 decision to tie the match at 3-3.
No. 20 redshirt senior Cole Matthews (4-3) has struggled so far this season, with his three losses so far matching the amount he suffered last season. Facing Ohio State No. 3 sophomore Jesse Mendez at 141 pounds, who came in with a perfect 11-0 record, Matthews had a tough challenge to get his season back on track.
Both wrestlers defended each other’s attacks, keeping it deadlocked at 1-1 late in the third period. Matthews managed to catch Mendez, earning a takedown with less than five seconds left to win a 4-2 decision after riding time to put Pitt back in the lead 6-3.
WILD WINNER at 141 » @ColeMatthews9
LAST-SECOND TAKEDOWN 🔥 4-2
DOWN GOES No. 3 JESSE MENDEZ‼️
The Covelli Center is stunned 🤫
No. 19 Pitt 6, No. 5 Ohio State 3#H2P » #PINZBURGH pic.twitter.com/0WEOgtfCKI
— Pitt Wrestling (@Pitt_WRES) December 10, 2023
Another Clarion Open matchup came at 149 pounds, with Panthers No. 19 redshirt first-year Finn Solomon (10-3) taking on Buckeyes No. 5 redshirt senior Dylan D’Emilio (14-3). D’Emilio majored Solomon back in November, but this match would work out much differently than that one did.
Solomon scored first with a late takedown at the end of the first period and then used a reversal to go up 5-0 to start the second period. D’Emilio would respond, making an escape and takedown to cut it back to 5-4, but another late takedown, along with an escape, for Solomon put him up 9-4 heading into the third period.
D’Emilio almost pinned Solomon to start that third period, but Solomon got out of it and only allowed a reversal. D’Emilio made another takedown to cut the lead to 11-9, putting pressure on Solomon. D’Emilio used a takedown to go up 13-11 and would win the match 14-11. The refs eventually corrected the score to 12-11, which played a role in the loss, as Solomon thought he needed a reversal, instead of an escape, to keep the match going.
Ohio State would increase their lead in the duel as No. 13 redshirt sophomore Paddy Gallagher (14-3) won a 17-3 major decision against Pitt redshirt first-year Jared Keslar (6-6) at 157 pounds. Despite the loss, Keslar did a good job to not lose on a technical fall, which occurs when a wrestler gets up to a 15 point advantage and earns the team five points in the duel.
The Panthers got back to winning ways with No. 8 redshirt senior Holden Heller (7-0) majoring Buckeyes senior Isaac Wilcox (9-4), 10-2 at 165 pounds. Holden Heller used three takedowns to stay perfect on the season and tie the duel at 10-10.
Pitt No. 19 redshirt sophomore Luca Augustine (5-2) faced another great opponent in back-t0-back weeks in Ohio State No. 9 redshirt senior Carson Kharchla (12-3) at 174 pounds. Augustine opened with a takedown, but Kharchla assumed control soon after with two takedowns and escape to take a 7-4 lead at the end of the first period.
Kharchla used an escape and a takedown to build a 11-5 lead, but suffered an injury early in the third period. Despite staying down in pain, he came back up and wrestled the rest of the match, which he won on an 11-6 decision to give Ohio State a 13-10 lead.
Panthers No. 20 redshirt senior Reece Heller (10-1) put on a great performance like his brother Holden Heller, as he majored Buckeyes No. 15 graduate student Gavin Hoffman (4-3) in a 12-2 decision at 184 pounds. Reece Heller got three near fall points and then four back points on Hoffman to take an 8-0 lead after two periods and his takedown in the third period ensured the major decision and a 14-13 lead for the Panthers.
BIG WINNER at 184 » @ReeceHeller
HE MAJORS No. 15 GAVIN HOFFMAN 🔥
PITT TAKES THE LEAD IN COLUMBUS 👏
No. 19 Pitt 14, No. 5 Ohio State 13#H2P » #PINZBURGH pic.twitter.com/dGVMcdlFDM
— Pitt Wrestling (@Pitt_WRES) December 10, 2023
Pitt wrestling No. 17 redshirt first-year Mac Stout (10-2) stayed strong defensively throughout his match against Ohio State No. 22 redshirt first-year Luke Geog (5-3) at 197 pounds. He made a takedown in the first and third period to earn a 7-1 decision and put his team up 17-13 heading into the final match.
No. 14 redshirt first-year Dayton Pitzer (6-1) would seal the match for the Panthers, with a 12-2 major decision against Ohio State redshirt sophomore Hogan Swenski in the heavyweight class. Pitzer got a takedown in all three periods to ensure a 20-13 victory for the Panthers in the duel.
Pitt wrestling will finish out 2023 with the National Collegiate Duels in Nashville, Tenn next Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 18-19. They’ll face great teams in Cornell and Iowa State, along with Arkansas-Little Rock during their time there.
Pitt Wrestling Vs. Ohio State Results
No. 19 Pitt 21, No. 5 Ohio State 13
125: Colton Camacho (Pitt) dec. No. 22 Brendan McCrone (OSU), 14-9 (Pitt leads, 3-0)
133: No. 12 Nic Bouzakis (OSU) dec. No. 23 Vinnie Santaniello (Pitt), 5-2 (Tied, 3-3)
141: No. 20 Cole Matthews (Pitt) dec. No. 3 Jesse Mendez (OSU), 4-2 (Pitt leads, 6-3)
149: No. 5 Dylan D’Emilio (OSU) dec. No. 19 Finn Solomon (Pitt), 12-11 (Tied, 6-6)
157: No. 13 Paddy Gallagher (OSU) maj. dec. Jared Keslar (Pitt), 17-3 (OSU leads, 10-6)
165: No. 8 Holden Heller (Pitt) maj. dec. No. 20 Isaac Wilcox (OSU), 10-2 (Tied, 10-10)
174: No. 9 Carson Kharchla (OSU) dec. No. 19 Luca Augustine (Pitt), 11-7 (OSU leads, 13-10)
184: No. 20 Reece Heller (Pitt) maj. dec. No. 15 Gavin Hoffman (OSU), 12-2 (Pitt leads, 14-13)
197: No. 17 Mac Stout (Pitt) dec. No. 22 Luke Geog (OSU), 7-1 (Pitt leads, 17-13)
285: No. 14 Dayton Pitzer (Pitt) maj. dec. Hogan Swenski (OSU), 12-2 (Pitt wins, 21-13)
