It was not so much the beginning or the end  but the middle that caught the Blue Streaks tonight in a 24-14 loss to Ohio Northern in the Ohio Athletic Conference wrestling opener for both teams Tuesday night at the DeCarlo Varsity Center.

John Carroll went 2-1 in both the lower and upper weights, but 0-4 with two losses by fall in the middle weights.

Freshman John Cobos was electrifying in his home debut, needing less than six minutes to post a 17-1 technical fall at 125 pounds.  Sophomore Kevin Nycz followed with a solid effort, but lost in the final second on a takedown to Jeremy Jones, 3-1.

Sophomore Greg Ryan stunned 2009 OAc runner-up Joe Spooner with three first period takedowns en route to a 10-8 victory at 141 pounds.

The match would turn dramatically in Ohio Northern's favor over the next four matches. Freshman Mick Letcher dominated his 149-pound bout, pinning Mauricio Gonzalez when already ahead by 14 points. Luke Miller, the #2 rated wrestler in Division III at the 157-pound weight class, was workmanlike in blanking Connor Suba.

Andrew Schafer's late rally was not enough to overcome early miscues in an 8-5 loss to Bill Painter at 165, and Travis Hammer proved no match for star freshman Kyle Kwait as the ONU rookie recorded a pin with less than 45 seconds left in the first period.

Facing a 21-8 deficit, JCU's Ben Adams -- ranked #6 at 184 pounds -- did his best to turn the tide. His consistent offense proved to be decisive, as he worked the match to overtime then prevailed on a second stalling warning that produced the winning point in a 2-1 decision.

Reigning OAC Wrestler of the Week Jim Nemunaitis had an early 2-0 lead, but got caught on a reversal and near fall in the second period, and could not overcome the deficit in a 5-4 loss to Nathan jones.

Senior Alec Barker finished the night with his first career DeCarlo Varsity Center win, a 9-6 decision over Joe Fisher in which he recorded four takedowns.

JCU falls to 1-2 overall and 0-1 in the OAC with the loss, while Ohio Northern improves to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in league action with the win.


125 - Cobos (JCU ) tech fall over Piszker, 17-1 (5:45); 133 – Jones (ONU) dec. Nycz, 3-1; 141 – Ryan (JCU) dec. Spooner, 10-8; 149 – Letcher (ONU) pinned Gonzalez, 5;50; 157 – Miller (ONU) dec. Suba, 6-0; 165 – Painter (ONU) dec. Schafer, 8-5; 174 – Kwait (ONU) pinned Hammer, 2:34; 184 – Adams (JCU) dec. Alexander, 2-1 (OT); 197 – N. Jones (ONU) dec. Nemunaitis, 5-4; 285 – Barker (JCU) dec. Fisher, 9-6