Mendez Wins Title, Buckeyes Take Third At Cliff Keen Invite

Saturday, December 2

Las Vegas

Ohio State

Cliff Keen Invitational

Photo by: Sam Janicki

Mendez Wins Title, Buckeyes Take Third At Cliff Keen Invite

12/2/2023 8:12:00 PM | Wrestling

2023 Brackets Team Standings Photo Gallery

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Jesse Mendez took the 2023 Cliff Keen Invitational Title in the 141-pound bracket to help the Buckeyes to a third-place finish overall at the 41^st annual Las Vegas event.

Ohio State amassed 125.5 points over the two days to finished third behind Iowa State and Nebraska.

The Buckeyes finish in third place in the team race with 123.5 points?? #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/9RrICPOwEl
— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) December 3, 2023

Mendez earned the title with three-consecutive wins over Top 15 wrestlers in his weight class, including a major decision over Big Ten opponent Brock Hardy of Nebraska, who entered the event ranked No. 4 nationally.

MONEY ON MENACE MENDEZ EVERY TIME?? #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/xuAefasNcV
— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) December 2, 2023

just the champ cheesin'???? #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/uLCqY2GzLX
— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) December 2, 2023

The title was earned against No. 7 Ryan Jack of North Carolina State. Mendez tied the match at 1-all with an escape in the third period before getting the only takedown of the bout for a 5-2 win by decision.

Redshirt freshman Nic Bouzakis finished third at 133 with a 4-2 win by decision over Domenic Zaccone of Campbell. After an opening-round loss, Bouzakis won seven-consecutive bouts to medal at the event.

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An absolute monster on the backend of the bracket this weekend?? Bouzakis finishes on a high note with a 4-2 decision over Domenic Zaccone (Campbell) and takes home third place as a 6-seed. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/9jsSubq4od
— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) December 2, 2023

Redshirt senior Dylan D'Emilio also battled back to earn a spot in the third-place bout at 149. He faced No. 3 Kyle Parco of Arizona State. D'Emilio finished fourth after the Sun Devil prevailed with an 11-1 win by major decision.

Puttin' the new weight class on notice?? #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/WP6fxbipvv
— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) December 2, 2023

Carson Kharchla, a redshirt senior at 174, ended the night and the event for the Buckeyes in the third-place match in his bracket. He faced Danny Wask of Navy and easily cruised to a 10-3 win by decision.

Carson Kharchla plays his cards right and ends the day with a dominant 10-3 win over Danny Wask (Navy) taking third place???? #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/GNc9QlMQQw
— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) December 3, 2023

Redshirt-freshman heavyweight Nick Feldman took sixth after having to medically forfeit the fifth-place match.

No. 7 seed Nick Feldman medically forfeits his placement match vs. Grady Griess (Navy) and takes 6th. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/4ddIab5Woe
— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) December 2, 2023

Paddy Gallagher, a redshirt sophomore, finished the two-day event with a win in the seventh-place bout.

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No. 10 seed Paddy Gallagher finishes on a high note upsetting No. 7 seed and Big Ten foe Trevor Chumbley (NW) to take seventh place??#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/pIcwOyR7q6
— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) December 2, 2023

Ohio State has been among the Top 5 in 12 of the last 14 seasons at this event.

Up Next
Ohio State returns to dual competition next Sunday at the Covelli Center against visiting No. 18 Pittsburgh (Dec. 10). The first bout is scheduled for noon with the Big Ten Network broadcasting the action to a national audience.

On Friday…
Ohio State advanced five wrestlers to the quarterfinals of the 2023 Cliff Keen Invitational in Las Vegas, Friday, and three of those Buckeyes moved on to compete in the semifinals Saturday at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Mendez (141), D'Emilio (149), Kharchla (174), Gavin Hoffman (184) and Feldman (HWT) all won their early session matches Friday to advance to the quarterfinals later in the evening.

Mendez, D'Emilio and Kharchla won their quarterfinal matches to advance to the semifinals Saturday.

Bouzakis (133) and Gallagher (157) battled back after early losses to advance in the consolation bracket and to remain in contention for third.

Hoffman and Feldman fell in quarterfinal bouts to drop into their respective consolation brackets. Hoffman lost his match before Feldman earned a win to remain in contention for third place when action resumed Saturday afternoon.

Ohio State Results-2023 Cliff Keen Invitational, Dec. 1-2, 2023

125-No. 23 Brendan McCrone (3-2)
Rnd 32: 125-Brendan McCrone (OSU) F Malik Hardy (The Citadel), 1:27
Rnd 16: 125-No. 11 Jore Volk (Wyoming) DEC Brendan McCrone (OSU), 4-2
C of 16 #2: 125-Brendan McCrone (OSU) MD No. 22 Tucker Owens (Air Force), 13-0
C of 8 #1: 125-Brendan McCrone (OSU) DEC No. 24 Nicholas Babin (Columbia), 5-3
C of 8 #2: 125- No. 16 Tanner Jordan (SDSU) DEC Brendan McCrone (OSU), 11-7

133-No. 15 Nic Bouzakis (7-1/3^rd)
Rnd 32: 133-Tyler Knox (Stanford) MD Nic Bouzakis (OSU), 11-3
C of 16 #1: 133-Nic Bouzakis (OSU) TF Wilfried Tanefeu (Michigan), 21-4 4:58
C of 16 #2: 133-Nic Bouzakis (OSU) TF Ethan Qureshi (Cornell), 21-4 4:09
C of 8 #1: 133-Nic Bouzakis (OSU) MD Dustin Norris (Purdue), 18-5
C of 8 #2: 133-Nic Bouzakis (OSU) MD Zeth Romney (Cal Poly), 20-6
C of 4: 133-Nic Bouzakis (OSU) F Ethan Oakley (APPST), 1:28
C SF: 133-Nic Bouzakis F Derrick Cardinal (SDSU), 3:39
3^rd: 133-Nic Bouzakis (OSU) DEC No. 14 Domenic Zaccone (CAMP), 4-2

Most pins?????? #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/411fpuEj5e
— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) December 3, 2023

141-No. 5 Jesse Mendez (5-0/1^st)
Rnd 32:141-Jesse Mendez (OSU) TF Isaac Byers (Appalachian State), 19-4 3:42
Rnd 16: 141-Jesse Mendez (OSU) F Jaden Pepe (Harvard), 1:32
QF: 141-Jesse Mendez (OSU) TF No. 14 Vince Cornella (Cornell), 18-1
SF: 141-Jesse Mendez (OSU) MD No. 4 Brock Hardy (Nebraska), 11-3
F: 141-Jesse Mendez (OSU) DEC No. 7 Ryan Jack (NCST), 5-2

149-No. 5 Dylan D'Emilio (5-2/4^th)
Rnd 64:149-Dylan D'Emilio (OSU) MD Jack Crook (Harvard), 13-3
Rnd 32:149-Dylan D'Emilio (OSU) F James Latona (Navy), 4:14
Rnd 16: 149-Dylan D'Emilio (OSU) MD Richard Fedalen (Columbia), 11-2
QF: 149- Dylan D'Emilio (OSU) DEC No. 6 Jackson Arrington (NC State), 9-8
SF: 149- No. 1 Ridge Lovett (Nebraska) MD Dylan D'Emilio (OSU), 11-1
C SF: 149-Dylan D'Emilio (OSU) DEC No. 13 Casey Swiderski (IAST), 13-10
3^rd: 149- No. 3 Kyle Parco (ASU) MD Dylan D'Emilio (OSU), 11-1

157-No. 16 Paddy Gallagher (5-2/7^th)
Rnd 32: 157-Paddy Gallagher (OSU) TF Daniel Manibog (Oklahoma State), 21-5 6:13
Rnd 16: 157-Ryder Downey (Northern Iowa) DEC Paddy Gallagher (OSU), 8-5
C of 16 #2: 157- Paddy Gallagher (OSU) MD Rhise Royster (Long Island), 14-4
C of 8 #1: 157- Paddy Gallagher (OSU) MD Christopher Earnest (Campbell), 10-1
C of 8 #2: 157- Paddy Gallagher (OSU) DEC No. 19 Peyton Keller (Ohio), 6-5
C of 4: 157- No. 5 Bryce Andonian (VTU) DEC Paddy Gallagher (OSU), 8-2
7th: 157-Paddy Gallagher (OSU) DEC No. 10 Trevor Chumbley (NW), 9-5

165-Isaac Wilcox (2-2)
Rnd 32:165-Isaac Wilcox (OSU) DEC Jaxon Garoutte (Utah Valley), 5-2
Rnd 16:165-No. 8 Matthew Olguin (Oregon State) DEC Isaac Wilcox (OSU), 4-1 SV
C of 16 #2: 165-Isaac Wilcox (OSU) MD Kyle Mosher (Columbia), 14-3
C of 8 #1: 165- Hunter Garvin (Stanford) MD Isaac Wilcox (OSU), 16-6

174-No. 5 Carson Kharchla (5-1/3^rd)
Rnd 32:174-Carson Kharchla (OSU) F Cortilius Vann (Morgan State), 1:32
Rnd 16:174-Carson Kharchla (OSU) F Adam Thebeau (Nebraska), 2:12
QF: 174-Carson Kharchla (OSU) DEC No. 22 Austin Murphy (Campbell), 6-0
SF: 174-No. 7 Cade DeVos (SDSU) DEC Carson Kharchla (OSU), 11-8
C SF: 174-Carson Kharchla (OSU) DEC Sal Perrine (Ohio), 11-7
3^rd: 174-Carson Kharchla (OSU) DED Danny Wask (NAVY), 10-3

184-No. 8 Gavin Hoffman (2-2)
Rnd 32: 184-Gavin Hoffman (OSU) DEC Kingsley Menifee (Morgan State), 12-9 SV
Rnd 16: 184-Gavin Hoffman (OSU) DEC No. 18 Sam Fisher (Virginia Tech), 2-1
QF: 184- Sam Wolf (USAF) DEC Gavin Hoffman (OSU), 4-1 SV
C of 8 #2: 184-Jaden Bullock (Michigan) DEC Gavin Hoffman (OSU), 4-3

197-No. 14 Luke Geog (1-2)
Rnd 32:197-Luke Geog (OSU) TF Cael Crebs (Navy), 19-4 6:51
Rnd 16:197-Max Shaw (North Carolina) DEC Luke Geog (OSU), 5-4
C of 16 #2: 197- Joey Novak (Wyoming) F Luke Geog (OSU), 5:58

285-No. 17 Nick Feldman (5-3/6^th)
Rnd 64:285-Nick Feldman (OSU) TF Ben Stemmet (The Citadel), 17-2 4:02
Rnd 32:285-Nick Feldman (OSU) TF Jeff Crooks (Harvard), 19-4 2:17
Rnd 16:285-Nick Feldman (OSU) DEC No. 21 Lewis Fernandes (Cornell), 8-1
QF: 285-No. 7 Yonger Bastida (Iowa State) MD Nick Feldman (OSU), 13-5
C of 8#2: 285-Nick Feldman (OSU) TF Jose Valdez (UNIA), 19-3
C of 4: 285-Nick Feldman (OSU) MD Cory Day (BING), 14-3
C SF: 285-No. 15 Taye Ghadiali (CAMP) F Nick Feldman (OSU), 5:33
5^th: 285-No. 10 Grady Griess (NAVY) MFF Nick Feldman (OSU)

#GoBucks