Ohio State 125

[ugarles]

I didn't get to watch a lot of the Clarion Open this weekend, but i did notice that McCrone, Bouzakis and Kilkeary were all there at 125 as Davino won the 133 bracket. Embarrassment of riches, to be sure, even if nobody has AA'd yet.

With Bouzakis down at 125, does that mean Davino is getting his redshirt pulled to start at 133? Rough go for Bouzakis, who lost in the Clarion final to McCrone as well. Spring transfer in someone's future?

Not stirring shit, just some questions from what i'm seeing on paper.

[11986]

thought Davino was a redshirt last year. 

 

Edited November 3, 2025 by 11986

[ugarles]

Just now, 11986 said:

Davino was a redshirt last year. 

 

that's what i thought! turns out i was accidentally looking at the 2025 roster on WS.

someone HAS to be transferring out at 125. insane for Kilkeary especially to spend the year watching as the #3 with no real path to the mat on the horizon.

[11986]

from what others have shared here my recall is Bouzakis seemed focused on seeing how things played out this year and returning next where he would slot in either at 133 if Davino goes up or at 141 after Mendes is done. 

[MPhillips]

Davino RS already.

Bouzakis probably spent the last few or more months to get to 125 so he could wrestle McCrone and McCrone beats him. Bouzakis could be wrestling 133 somewhere and Kilkeary could be wrestling 125 somewhere.

[Gus]

1 hour ago, MPhillips said:

Davino RS already.

Bouzakis probably spent the last few or more months to get to 125 so he could wrestle McCrone and McCrone beats him. Bouzakis could be wrestling 133 somewhere and Kilkeary could be wrestling 125 somewhere.

I would assume that they will use McCrone and Bouzakis both throughout the year and see how they do against common opponents. The Knox win for Bouzakis is very significant in my opinion. Knox is very good. 

[MPhillips]

1 minute ago, Gus said:

I would assume that they will use McCrone and Bouzakis both throughout the year and see how they do against common opponents.

As would I.

 

 

Edited November 3, 2025 by MPhillips

[wrestlingfan22]

Yes, despite Bouzakis losing to McCrone, I still think he is their best option if he can maintain the cut all year. 

[MPhillips]

3 minutes ago, wrestlingfan22 said:

Yes, despite Bouzakis losing to McCrone, I still think he is their best option if he can maintain the cut all year. 

I wouldn't disagree. We shall see...

[ugarles]

27 minutes ago, Gus said:

I would assume that they will use McCrone and Bouzakis both throughout the year and see how they do against common opponents. The Knox win for Bouzakis is very significant in my opinion. Knox is very good. 

i think knox was sloppy early - particularly strategically. He threw away an escape point at the end of the first by shooting before the ref gave him credit (and getting stuck underneath for the last 10 seconds) then got himself reversed in the second. Blew his chance to get RT under a minute. Giving Bouzakis a lead like that was not something he could overcome. Hopefully he'll learn to adjust and be a little more careful at the higher level.

As for tOSU, McCrone won Clarion but by a thread. One point over Bouzakis and - more surprisingly - only 1-0 over Milani. 

[Gantry]

McCrone is scrappy and pulls out wins you don't expect, but it's always tough to go for the guy that relies so heavily on his top game - especially in the 3pt TD era. But he keeps proving people wrong, so...

Kilkeary to me seems like a distant 3rd, while he's certainly tough he's 32 matches into his career and I don't think he has a single win over an NCAA qualifier. He wrestles ranked guys close but seems to be always on the losing end of those. But he's young and the jury is still out. 

[Fletcher]

I though Bouzakis should've transferred after Devino arrived; his younger brother saw the writing on the wall. Feel bad for the kid - loyalty is not always rewarded.

[Hammerlock3]

3 hours ago, MPhillips said:

I wouldn't disagree. We shall see...

i disagree....but they'll both definitely gonna get a lot of dual starts based on how completely different they wrestle, its like having a right and left hander in the bullpen, but that said I think Mccrones insane mat work gives him a higher ceiling if he's going out against the top guys.

[Dogbone]

I don't put too much stock in early season results for guys who change weights. If he can stabilize his weight at 125, I expect Bouzakis will look stronger throughout the year.   As others have said, I think the battle for the starting spot will continue well into the 2nd semester.  

[MPhillips]

2 hours ago, Hammerlock3 said:

i disagree....

Wouldn't have it any other way...

[MNRodent]

2 hours ago, Dogbone said:

I don't put too much stock in early season results for guys who change weights. If he can stabilize his weight at 125, I expect Bouzakis will look stronger throughout the year.   As others have said, I think the battle for the starting spot will continue well into the 2nd semester.  

Yes, some people might stabilize at a lighter weight, but others have just too big of a frame and continue to lose muscle mass as the year goes on.  Time will tell.

[Hammerlock3]

10 hours ago, MPhillips said:

Wouldn't have it any other way...

ah come on it was on behalf of a tOSU guy! I thought our thing wasn't personal!

[Winners Circle]

14 hours ago, Gantry said:

McCrone is scrappy and pulls out wins you don't expect, but it's always tough to go for the guy that relies so heavily on his top game - especially in the 3pt TD era. But he keeps proving people wrong, so...

Kilkeary to me seems like a distant 3rd, while he's certainly tough he's 32 matches into his career and I don't think he has a single win over an NCAA qualifier. He wrestles ranked guys close but seems to be always on the losing end of those. But he's young and the jury is still out. 

I get your point. But he just split takedowns with Bouzakis in their match. Could that be a one-off? Sure. But based on that I don't the neutral gap between the two is that significant. 

Additionally, Bouzakis relies a lot on his bottom game to win matches. He gets tons of reversals. So the same argument about McCrone relying on his top game, in a neutral world, is also applicable to Bouzakis relying on his bottom game. 

[juniorvarsity]

I think it is ongoing, but as it currently stands, Tom Ryan will say that McCrone has earned the starting spot for now. My guess, they will both get matches at National Duals. Ohio State not going to CKLV this year, so it is going to be determined in duals or in the room. tOSU will be going to Collegiate Duals in December, but I do not know who will be there off the top of my head.

My prediction is Bouzakis wrestles at Big Tens

[BruceyB]

21 hours ago, ugarles said:

that's what i thought! turns out i was accidentally looking at the 2025 roster on WS.

someone HAS to be transferring out at 125. insane for Kilkeary especially to spend the year watching as the #3 with no real path to the mat on the horizon.

With Kilkeary, I don't really see the point of him transferring out. He just lost to Milani and Burnett this past weekend. Milani is solid, and Burnett is a great high school prospect, but realistically Kilkeary is not even a lock to be an NCAA qualifier if he transfers. If he's happy at Ohio State and enjoys his teammates, that could be worth more than uprooting his life and leaving his friends to be a middling D1 starter.

[MPhillips]

3 hours ago, Hammerlock3 said:

ah come on it was on behalf of a tOSU guy! I thought our thing wasn't personal!

I know Brother. Not bothered a bit...

[ugarles]

4 hours ago, BruceyB said:

With Kilkeary ... If he's happy at Ohio State and enjoys his teammates, that could be worth more than uprooting his life and leaving his friends to be a middling D1 starter.

Absolutely true. That said, he could probably start at like Davidson and the chances of a SoCon bid are decent (though obvs no lock).

[Truzzcat]

I think it can go one of two ways for Nic. This was his first time wrestling multiple matches in one day after getting down to weight and he will get more adjusted as the season goes on. Or his body really cannot tolerate doing this cut and the wheels are going to fall off as the season progresses. If it is the former I think he clearly puts you in the best position to place highly in March. McCrone is awesome but I think he is very limited in the damage he can do with his limitations from neutral.

[MPhillips]

Making weight on the third of November and then wrestling well was a a huge positive for Bouzakis. It shows how important it is to him to get a spot. Losing in the final had to hurt. The whole purpose of wrestling down the first weekend was to beat McCrone. He'll have other chances I believe.  But round one goes to McCrone.

[Bias]

1 hour ago, ugarles said:

Absolutely true. That said, he could probably start at like Davidson and the chances of a SoCon bid are decent (though obvs no lock).

Ok but you understand that people who aren't you can sometimes have different priorities though, right?