Ohio State senior Lance Palmer had lost four matches to Iowa's Brent Metcalf during his career. Each loss was close, but Palmer could never beat Metcalf, arguably the best collegiate wrestler today.
Yesterday, he finally did at the Big Ten championships in Ann Arbor, Mich. Palmer, ranked No.2 nationally, rallied from a 3-1 deficit at the start of the third period and scored a takedown and near fall in the final 25 seconds to beat No.1 Metcalf 9-3 in the 149-pound final.
"It feels good not just to beat him, but to be a Big Ten champ," Palmer said. "Brent is obviously a great wrestler, one of the top in the country. That's why we train so hard every day - to wrestle and win."
Palmer was named the outstanding wrestler of the meet and was Ohio State's only champion. Reece Humphrey lost the 141 final to Mike Thorn of Minnesota 3-1 on a takedown with 20 seconds left. Colt Sponseller lost the 165 final to Wisconsin's Andrew Howe 3-2.
Mike Pucillo (184) placed third. Nikko Triggas (125) and Ian Paddock (133) were fifth. Dave Rella (174) and Corey Morrison (heavyweight) were seventh and Cody Magrum (197) was eighth.
Ohio State finished fourth, behind champion Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
- Jeremy McLaughlin
jmclaughlin@dispatch.com