No. 8 Buckeyes Open Season with 23-12 Win

COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 8 Ohio State (1-0) opened the 2021-22 dual season against No. 14 North Carolina (0-1) with a 23-12 win before 2,875 fans at the Covelli Center Sunday.

How it Happened

The match began with the 165-pound bout and the debut of Carson Kharchla from nearby Powell, Ohio. He quickly recorded the first takedown of the season and built a 4-1 lead after the first period over UNCs Sonny Santiago. Kharchla finished out the match with a 10-2 major decision and four team points.

Ethan Smith posted a six-point first period in the 174-pound match and led after two periods 9-6. Smith finished off the match to earn three team points with a 17-10 decision.

At 184, Ohio State’s Rocky Jordan recorded the first takedown of the match in the third period to break a 1-all tie with No. 17 Clay Lautt. Jordan finished off the match without giving up a point and with riding time, won 4-1 for another three team points to put the Buckeyes up 10-0.

Gavin Hoffmann built a 4-1 lead after the first period over UNC’s Mark Chaid at 197. Leading 10-3 after two periods, Hoffmann closed out the match winning by major decision, 14-3.

In the heavyweight match, Tate Orndorff was the first to score with an escape to start the second period. Tate earned another point with riding time in the third period to win by decision, 2-0.

After five matches, the teams broke for a 10-minute break with the Buckeyes leading 17-0.

Malik Heinselman got the Buckeyes another three team points after the break with a 6-2 decision at 125

The Tar Heels won at 133 and 141 to make it 20-6 in favor of the Buckeyes.

Top ranked Sammy Sasso scored the first takedown of the match at 149 vs. No. 5 Zach Sherman of UNC. Leading 2-0 in the second, Sasso earned a point with an escape for a 3-0 lead after two periods. Sherman was awarded two points in the third on technical violations.

Sasso closed out the match earning a point with the riding time advantage after an UNC escape to win 4-3. The win added the final three points in the 23-6 Ohio State win in the dual.

The Buckeyes and Tar Heels have met 12 times dating to the 1964 season and most recently in 2011 when the Buckeyes earned a 36-6 win at the Wrestle for a Cure Duals in Harrisburg, Pa., Nov. 12, 2011. Ohio State is 7-5 in the series.
Ohio State has won three of the last four duals in the series. The match Sunday was just the third contested in Columbus. Before Sunday, Ohio State won 35-4 in the last Columbus meeting (at St. John Arena, 1/21/01). UNC won on its first trip to Columbus (24-11, 1/17/98). UNC is 4-2 in Chapel Hill while OSU is 2-1 in neutral meetings.
The Tar Heels enter the match ranked No. 14 after finishing the 2021 season in the No. 14 position.
According to Intermat Wrestling, the Buckeyes entered the 2021-22 season with eight Buckeyes ranked among the Top 25 in their respective weight Classes. They are: Malik Heinselman (No. 15/125); Dylan D’Emilio (No. 18/141); Sammy Sasso (No. 1/149); Carson Kharchla (No. 10/165); Ethan Smith (No. 6/174); Kaleb Romero (No. 11/184); Rocky Jordan (No. 17/197); and Tate Orndorff (No. 7/HWT).
The Tar Heels entered the match with ranked wrestlers at 133 (No. 13 Jamie Hernandez); 141 (No. 14 Kizhan Clarke); 149 (No. 5 Zach Sherman); 157 (No. 2 Austin O’Connor); 174 (No. 22 Gavin Kane); 184 (No. 17 Clay Lautt); 197 (No. 23 Max Shaw) and at HWT (No. 33 Brandon Whitman).
Sasso finished the 2021 season as the NCAA Runner up at 149 with a 16-1 overall record and a 9-0 mark in duals. He recorded a 9-1 record vs. ranked opponents and had five pins, one technical fall and one major decision on the year.
In additions to Sasso, Heinselman (11-5), D’Emilio (10-8), Smith (15-4), Romero (11-6) and Orndorff (11-11) all posted 10 or more victories in the shortened 2021 season.
Tickets are available for the remaining Ohio State duals at the Covelli Center. To purchase click HERE or call 1-800-GO-BUCKS.

Results

Ohio State 23, North Carolina 12	OSU	UNC
165 \| No. 10 Carson Kharchla (OSU) def. Sonny Santiago (UNC) \| MD, 10-2	4	0
174 \| No. 6 Ethan Smith (OSU) def. No. 22 Gavin Kane (UNC) \| D, 17-10	7	0
184 \| No. 17* Rocky Jordan (OSU) def. No. 17 Clay Lautt (UNC) \| D, 4-1	10	0
197 \| Gavin Hoffman (OSU) def. Mark Chaid (UNC) \| MD, 14-3	14	0
285 \| No. 7 Tate Orndorff (OSU) def. No. 33 Brandon Whitman (UNC) \| D, 2-0	17	0
125 \| No. 15 Malik Heinselman (OSU) def. Spencer Moore (UNC) \| D, 6-2	20	0
133 \| No. 13 Jamie Hernandez (UNC) def. Dylan Koontz (OSU) \| D, 5-3	20	3
141 \| No. 14 Kizhan Clark (UNC) def. Jordan Decatur (OSU) \| SV, 3-1	20	6
149 \| No. 1 Sammy Sasso (OSU) vs. No. 5 Zach Sherman (UNC) \| D, 4-3	23	6
157 \| No. 2 Austin O’Connor (UNC) def. Jashon Hubbard (OSU) \| Fall, 3:43	23	12

Highlights

Kharchla records first takedown of the season on way to 4-1 lead after the first period. pic.twitter.com/bUyeboBC20

— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) November 7, 2021

Smith with 2 to lead 6-5 after first period. pic.twitter.com/Jj4EN9SWDm

— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) November 7, 2021

Jordan with the 3rd period takedown to break a 1-all tie. pic.twitter.com/kCfcQJBJHY

— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) November 7, 2021

Malik Heinselman gets us started after the break with a takedown. pic.twitter.com/3pCtDZ7jro

— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) November 7, 2021

Top ranked Sammy Sasso gets on the board first in 149 bout. pic.twitter.com/4kZsdxOt4D

— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) November 7, 2021

Up Next

Ohio State will next take part in the Intercollegiate Open in Tiffin, Ohio, Nov. 14 before traveling to Virginia Tech Nov. 19 for a dual vs. the No. 6 Hokies (7 p.m.).

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