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Grapplers ready for No. 18 Ohio State

The No. 15 Michigan wrestling team will play host to Ohio State this Sunday at Cliff Keen Arena with one eye on the Buckeyes, and the other focusing in on the Big Ten and national championships.

This is not to say that No. 18 Ohio State will be taken lightly. With every Big Ten team ranked in the top 25, every meet is chock full of excellent competition.

Michigan coach Dale Bahr said the team will begin to tune up this week as the most important matches of the season draw near.

"Our key focus for these last couple of dual meets is beginning to change," Bahr said. "Right now, we're starting to intensify practices so we can get ready for the Big Ten and NCAA Championships."

While the Big Ten Championships are over a month away, the Wolverines must begin their most strenuous training now to allow for a period of taper.

In any event, the Buckeyes (11-6-1) present one of several hurdles that Michigan (7-5-1) must clear along the road to any of these championship events.

Two of Sunday's pivotal match-ups will test the skills of the Wolverines' younger set in freshmen Joe Warren and Jeff Reese.

Warren (118 pounds) will take on Shawn Conyers, who has compiled a record of 17-11 for the Buckeyes this season and until recently was nationaly ranked.

Warren did not see any action last Sunday against Purdue, having won by forfeit.

Reese will look to record his first dual meet win at 142 when he squares off against another of Ohio State's top wrestlers in Jay Micheals (15-5).

Another key match at 150 will pit ninth-ranked sophomore Bill Lacure against the Buckeyes' No. 6 Charley Becks (24-4). Lacure (23-7) has been a solid performer for the Wolverines and is coming off an overtime loss to Purdue's Mickey Griffin.

"Those three matches will probably go a long way in determining the outcome of the meet," Bahr said. "I think we've got the better wrestlers, but we've got to prove it."

At 158, No. 5 Jeff Catrabone will try to retain his status as Michigan's only unbeaten starter. If Catrabone (33-4) can record just nine more victories, he can crack the top ten on Michigan's all-time list for wins in a season.

Fourth-ranked senior captain Jesse Rawls Jr. (177) appears to be in top form, recording a major decision over Purdue's David Peterson last weekend.

No. 7 Airron Richardson (heavyweight) suffered his first dual meet loss of the season at the hands of the Boilermakers' No. 6 Tony Vaughn last Sunday. He will be tested again this Sunday by Ohio State's Nick Nutter, owner of a 22-6 record and the No. 12 ranking.

A victory against the Buckeyes would tie the Wolverines season win streak at two. If history is any indication, a win would appear likely as Michigan is 54-13-4 in previous confrontations with Ohio State.