May 2, 2008

ATHENS, Ohio - The Ohio wrestling team qualified four wrestlers for the World Team trials later this month in Colorado Springs, Colo., while competing during the spring season.

In the spring the Ohio wrestling team forms the Bobcat Wrestling Club and competes in FILA and University Nationals tournaments and Olympic Qualifying events in both Greco style and Freestyle wrestling.

The spring season began at the Northeast Regional Freestyle tournament in Brockport, N.Y., where Jacob Ison and Erik Schuth posted winning records with Ison going 4-2 and Schuth winning three of five matches. If Ison or Schuth would have won their respective weight classes at the Northeast Regional they would have had the opportunity to wrestle against other Regional winners for a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team.

The next tournament was the University Greco and Freestyle Nationals in Akron, Ohio. Tim Samson placed seventh in Freestyle with a 6-2 record. Ison took sixth in Greco with a mark of 4-2. Both Bobcats earned a berth to the University Nationals World Team Trials in Colorado Springs, Colo., on May 20-23. If Ison or Samson were to win at that event in late May, they could represent the United States in University World competition against collegiate wrestlers from other countries.

The most recent tournament was the FILA Junior Freestyle Nationals (20-and-under collegiate wrestlers only) in Las Vegas, Nevada where the Bobcats placed three wrestlers. Samson took eighth with a record of 3-3, Andy Hartshorn placed eighth also with a 3-3 record and Nick Purdue took fifth with a 5-2 mark. All three wrestlers earned a berth to the Under-20 University World Trials in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Since Samson qualified at both the FILA level (under-20) and the University level (collegiate wrestlers 23-and-under) he will have to decide which World Team he wants to compete for later this month. Head coach Joel Greenlee said Samson is likely to compete at the U-20 level.

Freestyle wrestling is like the type of competition the Bobcats engage in during the regular season but rather than needing to have both of an opponents shoulders on the ground to score back points, an opponents shoulders only need to break a 90-degree plane with the mat. You can also score one point in Freestyle by pushing your opponent outside the ring. The action is more fast-paced with many more points being scored in each round.

Greco wrestling is all about upper-body strength as shooting for an opponent's legs is not allowed. The goal is to lock up an opponent from the waist up and throw him to the ground and roll him over to his back. It is like Freestyle as both of the opponents shoulders do not need to touch the ground but only break the 90-degree angle with the mat. A point is also scored if any part of an opponent's body goes out of the ring.