Super-Dual Breakdown: #2 Ohio State At #6 North Carolina State
Super-Dual Breakdown: #2 Ohio State At #6 North Carolina State
Breaking down the super dual between #2 Ohio State and #6 North Carolina State this Sunday in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Ohio State concludes its brutal final stretch of dual meets by traveling to Tobacco Road to take on North Carolina State this Sunday in Raleigh, NC. There could be as many as eight matches between top 20 wrestlers.
College wrestling saved one of its best for last, so let's break down the final super dual of the season and all its juicy matchups.
125: #4 Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State) vs. #5 Sean Fausz or Tommy Cox (NC State)
This match losses some of its luster if Tommy Cox gets the start, as he's done for the majority of the Wolfpack's dual meets this year. No disrespect to Cox but Fausz has proven himself to be a top contender at 125 with wins over Nick Piccininni and Taylor LaMont this season. Both Fausz and Tomasello are huge 125-pounders so expect a lightweight brawl if those two end up facing each other.
133: #3 Like Pletcher (Ohio State) vs. #12 Tariq Wilson (NC State)
Pletcher took his first lost of the season last weekend against Michigan's Stevan Micic. Pletcher won't have much time to regroup, as he'll face one of the hottest young 133-pounders in Tariq Wilson. While upsets from both Fausz and Wilson aren't likely, they aren't impossible either.
141: #7 Joey McKenna (Ohio State) vs. #2 Kevin Jack (NC State)
Our first matchup of All-Americans features a pair of former NCAA third-place finishers: McKenna in 2016 and Jack in 2017. We've never seen these two wrestle in college before, so we are all in for a treat. Jack's long, scrambling frame will have to contend with McKenna powerful and positionally sound defense. This 141lb bout is one of several marquee matchups in this dual.
Watch Kevin Jack take out Oklahoma State true frosh Kaden Gfeller at the 2017 Reno Tournament of Champions:
149: #5 Ke-Shawn Hayes (Ohio State) vs. #13 Beau Donahue (NC State)
Hayes will be the favorite here, although Donahue brings a wealth of experience to the mat after nearly five full seasons in the NC State practice room. Donahue will do well to keep this match to a regular decision, although head coach Pat Poplizio will no doubt want the upset.
157: #7 Micah Jordan (Ohio State) vs. #3 Hayden Hidlay (NC State)
Although Jordan is an All-American, finishing fourth in St. Louis last year, he will be an underdog against redshirt freshman phenom Hayden Hidlay, who enters the dual with an undefeated record. Jordan will be Hidlay's toughest opponent since he knocked off Joey Lavallee in the finals of the 2017 Reno Tournament of Champions, making 157 another weight class for the headlines.
165: #14 Te’Shan Campbell (Ohio State) vs. Brian Hamann (NC State)
The first five matches will be pivotal for NC State if it wants to pull off the upset, as the Buckeyes will be favored the rest of the way. Campbell will be looking to get out of a rut, as he has dropped his last seven matches in a row. Hamann is no pushover, but Campbell should get his first win since January 5.
174: #6 Bo Jordan (Ohio State) vs. Daniel Bullard (NC State)
Bo Jordan will also try to end a losing streak, though his is a shorter two-match skid. Daniel Bullard is likewise no pushover (to be honest there are no pushovers in Pat Popolizio's room, or Tom Ryan's room for that matter), but holding the match to a decision is likely his ideal outcome.
Watch Bo Jordan defeat Michigan's Myles Amine at the 2017 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational:
184: #2 Myles Martin (Ohio State) vs. #3 Pete Renda (NC State)
Although 141 and 157 should be bangers, 184 is the most anticipated weight class of the dual. True junior Myles Martin's All-American placements are first and fifth. Pete Renda took third two years ago before sitting out the entire NCAA season last year while redshirting. Renda owns a win over Martin at last year's Midlands, but Martin has been wrestling on another level this year. NCAA seeds, and potentially the dual meet, are on the line in this war between #2 and #3.
197: #1 Kollin Moore (Ohio State) vs. #7 Michael Macchiavello (NC State)
Kollin Moore suffered his first loss of the season two weeks ago against Penn State's Anthony Cassar. He bounced back nicely with a win over All-American Kevin Beazley last week and will have yet another difficult opponent in bloodround finisher Michael Macchiavello.
285: #2 Kyle Snyder (Ohio State) vs. #10 Michael Boykin or Malik McDonald (NC State)
The Wolfpack will need to be winning by more than three points if they want to have a shot at pulling off the upset, because you can count on Captain American being fired up and ready to shake off his first NCAA loss since the 2015 National Championships. Either Boykin or McDonald can cause problems, but look for Snyder to seal the deal in the final pre-conference tune-up of the year.
What an incredible way to close out the regular season. Enjoy the super dual, wrestling fans!
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