Kent: Kent State University won its second outright Mid-American Conference regular season title in the last four years with a 28-10 win over Eastern Michigan (13-6, 2-2) Sunday afternoon at the M.A.C. Center.
The Golden Flashes (12-4, 5-0) won all but two matches in wrapping up an undefeated MAC season.
Coach Jim Andrassy has now led KSU to at least a share of the MAC regular season title in three of the past four years.
Still, he has his sights set on loftier goals, speaking of the tournament championship as well as nationals.
“For us, this is just Step 1 to other things we’re hoping to accomplish,” Andrassy said. “It isn’t what we set our goals at the beginning of the year, but it’s very important for our administration to win this.”
This title is more impressive when considering it was done without a national champion, Dustin Kilgore, who is taking an Olympic redshirt.
Seniors Brendan Barlow and Marcel Clotpon rejected the notion, however, that Kilgore’s absence would put a dent in KSU’s chances.
“We have great wrestlers, one guy doesn’t make the team, and that’s all there is to it,” Barlow said.
Clotpon added, “We expected our senior year to go just as planned, expected to keep winning MAC titles.”
Senior Nic Bedelyon (125 pounds) opened the day with a pin of EMU’s Jared Germaine at 2:22.
“I feel like if I have a good match and get it going, our team will do good,” Bedelyon said. “I think it starts with me. I just gotta go out and get it done and get it started.”
After EMU’s Andrew Novak won a major decision, 13-5, KSU’s Tyler Small notched two takedowns en route to a 7-0 regular decision in the 141-pound class.
Clotpon, who has been stepping in for senior Ian Miller at 149 pounds, took an 8-2 regular decision to put KSU up 12-4.
Miller is the No. 1 wrestler in the MAC in his weight class but has been out with a concussion the past week. Andrassy hopes to be able to make a decision Tuesday on Miller’s status.
Clotpon feels he is just as capable should Miller remain on the sidelines.
“It happens, you lose your spot sometimes [but] whatever, as long as we get the win,” Clotpon said. “I still feel like I’m one of the top 30 wrestlers in the country.”
Andrassy has the luxury of exceptional depth at that position, boasting two of the better wrestlers in the conference. He has also valued how Clotpon has handled being replaced in the lineup and then being asked to step in again.
“That shows you what a professional he is,” Andrassy said. “I can tell you what most college students are doing this time of year, and he just trains hard, doesn’t miss practice. For what he’s done today, that speaks volumes on what kind of a kid he is.”
Senior Ross Tice is also coming around at just the right time. Tice had been struggling with breathing issues and anxiety after a knee injury in December derailed his season.
Tice won a 13-8 regular decision over EMU’s Lester France behind a 5-point move (takedown and near fall) just before the end of the second period.
“I just believed in myself more,” Tice said. “I believed I wasn’t gonna get tired and slow down.”
Kent State expects to be the No. 4 or No. 3 seed at the National Dual Regionals Saturday in Piscataway, N.J., depending on today’s final polls.
