North Carolina
Ohio
Carolina Outlasts Ohio, 26-12
February 7, 2009 | Wrestling
Feb. 7, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Senior Keegan Mueller recorded his fourth pin of the season, and junior Dennis Drury and freshman Nick Shields each picked up major decisions to pace North Carolina to a 26-12 win over Ohio Saturday at Eddie Smith Field House. The Tar Heels improved to 12-7 with their eighth win in the last nine duals. The Bobcats dropped to 7-6-1 with the loss.
With the match starting at 149 pounds, Carolina sent a nationally-ranked wrestler to the mat in each of its first three bouts to jump out to a 12-0 lead. No. 15 Nick Stabile opened things with a 5-0 decision over Kevin Christensen at 149 for his second win of the weekend and a 23-8 record. Stabile outscored his two opponents by a combined 22-1 margin for the weekend.
No. 19 Thomas Scotton bounced back from a close loss Friday against NC State with a 3-2 victory over the Bobcats' Clay Tucker at 157. Scotton scored a first-period takedown and escaped in the third to move to 19-10 on the year.
Mueller, ranked 17th nationally, ran the margin to 12 with his fourth pin of the season at 165. The Dallas product jumped out to a commanding lead on Steve Wilson in the first period with a takedown and a three-point near fall before pinning him at the 4:02 mark to improve to 29-6 on the year.
Trailing 12-0, Ohio trimmed the lead to just three with a pin at 174 and a decision at 184. Jacob Ison pinned UNC's Kevin Owen in 2:31 at 174, and Erik Schuth followed with a 7-3 decision against Daniel Llamas at 184. Schuth broke open a tight match with an escape and a takedown in the third and added a point for riding time.
Carolina's fourth ranked individual of the afternoon put the Tar Heels back in the win column at 197. The 17th-ranked Drury, who scored a pin in the win over State Friday, put on another impressive performance with an 11-0 major decision over Chris Iammarino. Drury, now 25-6 this season, picked up three takedowns and three-point near fall to record his sixth major of the year.
Heavyweight Justin Dobies put a second straight win in the book for the Tar Heels with a 3-1 decision over Justin Powell for his 12th consecutive victory. Dobies, now 25-6 on the year, dropped Powell for a takedown as time expired in the third period for the win. Dobies now has 105 career victories and is just two away from cracking Carolina's all-time top-10 list.
Shields followed up a pin last night with an 8-0 major decision over Tim Silvers at 125 for his fifth win in his last seven outings. Shields picked up three takedowns, including one in the final seconds, of the third to secure the major.
After Quentin Keyes notched an 8-6 overtime win over Mike Robinson at 133, No. 20 Vincent Ramirez closed the afternoon with a 2-0 decision against Germane Lindsey at 141. Ramirez broke a scoreless tie with an escape in the third and added a point for riding time to improve to 26-7 on the year.
Carolina closes its home slate next Saturday, Feb. 14 against No. 4 Nebraska at 9 p.m. at the Smith Center. The Cornhuskers and UNC Greensboro will square off at 7 p.m., also at the Smith Center.
North Carolina 26, Ohio 12
Weight - Result (Team Score)
149 - #15 Nick Stabile (UNC) dec. Kevin Christenen (OHIO), 5-0 (UNC 3-0)
157 - #19 Thomas Scotton (UNC) dec. Clay Tucker (OHIO), 3-2 (UNC 6-0)
165 - #17 Keegan Mueller (UNC) pins Steve Wilson (OHIO), 4:02 (UNC 12-0)
174 - Jacob Ison (OHIO) pins Kevin Owen (UNC), 2:31 (UNC 12-6)
184 - Erik Schuth (OHIO) dec. Daniel Llamas (UNC), 7-3 (UNC 12-9)
197 - #17 Dennis Drury major dec. Chris Iammarino (OHIO), 11-0 (UNC 16-9)
HWT - Justin Dobies (UNC) dec. Justin Powell (OHIO), 3-1 (UNC 19-9)
125 - Nick Shields (UNC) major dec. Tim Silvers (OHIO), 8-0 (UNC 23-9)
133 - Quentin Keyes (OHIO) dec. Mike Robinson (UNC), 8-6 OT (UNC 23-12)
141 - #20 Vincent Ramirez (UNC) dec. Germane Lindsey (OHIO), 2-0 (UNC 26-12)
Players Mentioned
