By: Matthew Florjancic, Staff Writer
BEREA, OHIO —Unfortunately for the Baldwin-Wallace College wrestling team, injuries have forced 17-year veteran coach Rich Fleming to rely on the younger members of his team this winter. One of the first-year grapplers that Fleming is counting on is Northfield Center resident and Nordonia graduate Gino Russo.
But despite the worries, Fleming, a resident of Sagamore Hills and the former 20-year head coach at Parma Senior High School is undaunted.
"Gino is experienced for his age," said Fleming, who is the second winningest wrestling coach in B-W history, only behind Cleveland wrestling legend John Summa. "Gino had a solid high school career, so when we began to experience a lot of preseason injury problems, I knew I could rely on Gino right from the start.
"We brgan the season with some of our veteran folks injured," continued Fleming. "I think it is great that Gino come out and wrestled strong."
Russo, a 19 year-old, began in wrestling while in junior high school.
"I started competing in wrestling in the seventh grade," said Russo, who is majoring in business administration and accounting. "My brother was a freshman at St. Peter Chanel (in Bedford) and I just got interested in wrestling."
Russo took this early love for the sport into high school where he was a star performer and a record- setter at Nordonia. He was a four-year letterman, four-year District qualifier and set a Knight school-record for career victories. During his senior year, he placed third in the preseason National Tournament, qualified at the Senior National Tournament and was a first-team All Western Reserve Conference selection.
Even though Russo did well, he felt like there was more he could have accomplished.
"I was improving season by season," Russo stated, who ended high prep career with 110 career victories. "Then, my senior year, I was stopped by some injuries and I didn’t get to do as well as I had hoped It left me with a feeling that I still need to accomplish more."
That is something that Fleming has noticed.
"Gino has so much ability and a great deal of room to get better and better," said Fleming, who has coached 34 Yellow Jacket grapplers to the NCAA Division III National Tournament during his career. "Gino has great natural ability and is extremely strong. We feel that he is going to be an outstanding Division III competitor."
When Russo came to B-W, he noticed there was a major difference between the high school and college levels.
"Every match you have to come out at the top of your game because you’re not going to face an opponent like you would in high school," stated Russo. "Every opponent is talented and has the ability to beat you if you are not at the top of your game. Many have competed at the state level in high school. You can underestimate anyone."
Russo has noticed that the level of competition is more challenging but he feels that he can get more time in working on his skills to improve himself in college than he could in high school.
"It’s a lot easier to go and workout whenever you want," said Russo. "It’s [the gym is] always right outside your door. You need to be committed and have the desire to get better. Wrestling is an individual sport, so it is up to you to help yourself as much as possible."
So, what are Russo’s individual goals in wrestling while at B-W.
"I want to be an OAC champion and I want to be an All-American before I graduate," said Russo.
Throughout his first season as a Yellow Jacket, Russo has helped his team. In the 157-pound weight class, he has amassed a 7-4 overall record, including a perfect 3-0 mark at the season-opening Case Western Reserve University Quad Meet when he beat opponents from CWRU, Waynesburg (Pa.) and another from the College of Mount St. Joseph. His seven wins tie him with junior 174-pounder T. Terry (Bedford/ St. Peter Chanel) for third on the team behind junior 285-pounder Bryan Kmetz (12-3) from Brunswick and junior 197-pounder Devin Carman (10-1) from Geneva.
"We are a very young team," said Fleming, "and Gino is just one of a number of talented young wrestlers in our program. "Like many of his teammates, Gino has a lot of room to get better."
Coach Rich Fleming is happy with the success of Russo and is also not surprised.
"I’m not surprised that Gino has started out strong," said Fleming. "This summer he was successful in an Open Tournament in Virginia Beach (Va.), and at the high school Senior National Tournament right here in Cleveland, he won three matches. So, I knew he was a good, quality wrestler."
Russo’s teammates have taken notice of the freshman and are happy to see him doing well.
"Gino is really effective on his feet," said senior 149-pounder Scott Conrath of St. Clairsville. "He can take an opponent’s offensive move, counter it, and make him pay. He has been a great addition to our team."
"He’s always aware of what he’s doing out there," said Terry. "He makes sure he puts himself in the right situations. He uses his intelligence, experience and talent to be successful. He has the talent and ability to be very good at this level and in the OAC."
Though Russo has experienced success so far, his coach and teammates feel that he can improve his style to make himself an even tougher opponent.
"He needs to keep listening, keep learning and has to keep working harder in the weightroom to get stronger," said Fleming. "He has those great works habits. So, as a coach, you know he will just get better and better because he will work harder and harder."
Russo wants the Yellow Jacket team to experience more success as the season continues with its first meet at Ithaca, New York on January 8.
"I just want to see us do well," said Russo. "So far, we have wrestled below our potential, and we could be doing alot better. We have had a ton of injuries and that has had a lot to do with our 3-6 record so far.
"In the second half of the season, we’ve just got to turn it up in the wrestling room," continued Russo.
"We will get some of our starters back who have been out and it should make the competition better every day in practice."
It sounds like Russo is ready to go.
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