Michigan
Cliff Keen Invitational
Olson, Hrovat Lead Wolverines to First Cliff Keen Title
12/1/2001 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Seniors Otto Olson (Everett, Wash./Everett HS) and Andy Hrovat (Gates Mills, Ohio/St. Edward HS) won their individual weight classes on Saturday (Dec. 1) to lead the No. 4 University of Michigan wrestling team to its first Cliff Keen Invitational team championship. The Wolverines finished the two-day competition with 163 points, while runner-up West Virginia had 127 points.
Olson, seeded No. 1 at 174 pounds, had two major decisions, a technical fall and a fall en route to a 5-0 record. He dominated Air Force's Terry Parham in the championship match with a 14-4 major decision to claim his second career Cliff Keen title, having also won in 1999. Hrovat, who also received the No. 1 seed for the tournament, recorded three pins in his first three matches before earning a 4-1 decision over Pittsburgh's Dan Stine in the title match.
The Wolverines had five other place-winners. Foley Dowd (Howell, N.J./The Peddie School), who had three major decisions during the two-day event, finished runner-up at 133 pounds, and redshirt freshman 157-pounder Ryan Bertin (Broadview Heights, Ohio/St. Edward HS) placed third in his first appearance at the Cliff Keen Invitational. Mike Kulczycki (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Edward HS) finished in fourth place at 149 pounds with a 5-2 record, while 125-pounder A.J. Grant (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston HS) and 197-pounder Kyle Smith (Butte, Mont./Butte HS) both took fifth place.
Michigan heads to East Lansing, Mich., next Friday (Dec. 7) to take on Michigan State at 7:30 p.m. in its first dual meet of the season.
Top 10 Team Scores
1. MICHIGAN 163 2. West Virginia 127 3. Lehigh 120 4. Pittsburgh 99.5 5. Arizona State 97 6. Edinboro 96.5 7. Nebraska 89 8. Air Force 85 9. Cornell 73 10. Oregon State 70
Michigan Results
125 - A.J. Grant
First Round - dec. Lee (Cornell), 4-2
Second Round - pinned Bareng (San Francisco), 3:49
Third Round - dec. Rodrigues (North Carolina), 4-3
Semifinals - pinned by Powell (Nebraska), 2:32
Consolations - dec. by Simpson (Arizona State), 2-1 (2OT)
Fifth-Place Match - dec. Moreno (Cal-Bakersfield), 8-2
Finished in 5th place with a 4-2 record
133 - Foley Dowd
First Round - pinned Holt (Pacific Lutheran), 3:57
Second Round - major dec. Ceballos (Cal State-Bakersfield), 18-9
Third Round - major dec. Sola (North Carolina), 11-3
Quarterfinals - major dec. Harless (Oregon), 13-5
Semifinals - dec. Lauer (West Virginia), 9-7
Finals - dec. by Martinez (Clarion), 9-2
Finished in 2nd place with a 5-1 record
141 - Clark Forward
First Round - dec. by Horn (Oregon State), 7-5
Consolations - pinned Nay (Montana State), 3:31
Consolations - dec. Thomas (Colorado School of Mines), 7-1
Consolations - pinned Rohn (Lehigh), 2:22
Consolations - major dec. by Bennett (Air Force), 9-1
Finished with a 3-2 record
149 - Mike Kulczycki
First Round - pinned Fouch (Cal-Davis), 4:11
Second Round - tech. Fall Azure (Montana State), 23-7
Quarterfinals - dec. by Smith (West Virginia), 9-5
Consolations - forfeit Hoffer (American)
Consolations - dec. Sura (Clarion), 10-7
Consolations - default Larkin (Arizona State)
Third-Place Match - dec. by Pirozzola (Lehigh), 9-7
Finished in 4th place with a 5-2 record
157 - Ryan Bertin
First Round - major dec. Raca (Fresno State), 13-4
Second Round - tech. Fall Medina (Pima), 21-5
Third Round - major dec. Overstake (Oregon), 19-8
Quarterfinals - major dec. Prevost (Wyoming), 16-7
Semifinals - major dec. by Snyder (Nebraska), 17-7
Consolations - dec. Stout (Lehigh), 8-1
Third-Place Match - dec. Smart (Arizona State), 3-2
Finished in 3rd place with a 6-1
165 - Charles Martelli
First Round - pinned Rivera (Embry Ridde), 4:58
Second Round - major dec. Bundy (Northern Idaho), 9-1
Third Round - major dec. by King (Edinboro), 10-3
Consolations - dec. Schweda (Brown), 3-1
Consolations - dec. Durkee (Virginia), 7-6
Consolations - dec. by Pierson (Cal-Davis), 8-5
Finished with a 4-2 record
174 - Otto Olson
First Round - tech. fall Waldhaus (Wyoming), 19-4
Second Round - pinned Catullo (Pittsburgh), 1:11
Quarterfinals - major dec. Erwin (Virginia Military Institute), 14-2
Semifinals - dec. Jones (West Virginia), 9-8
Finals - major dec. Parham (Air Force), 14-4
Finished as 174-pound champion with a 5-0 record
184 - Andy Hrovat
First Round - pinned Detoro (Lassen), 2:53
Second Round - pinned Pettersen (Air Force), 3:19
Third Round - pinned Rufo (North Dakota State), 6:41
Quarterfinals - dec. Thivierge (Montana State), 9-4
Semifinals - dec. Weber (Oregon State), 6-1
Finals - dec. Stine (Pittsburgh), 4-1
Finished as 184-pound champion with a 5-0 record
197 - Kyle Smith
First Round - major dec. Moseley (Brown), 13-4
Second Round - pinned McKeever (Embry Ridge), 2:19
Third Round - pinned Folden (Pacific), 6:31
Quarterfinals - default Lovell (Oregon State)
Semifinals - dec. by Lawal (Central Oklahoma), 7-3
Consolations -- dec. by Ruiz (Nebraska), 11-4
Fifth-Place Match - dec. Sandberg (Pittsburgh), 6-5
Finished in 5th place with a 5-2 record
Hwt - Matt Brink
First Round - pinned Hamilton (Pacific Lutheran). 2:53
Second Round - major dec. Charbonneau (Northern Idaho), 9-0
Third Round - injury def. by Miron (Nebraska)
Finished with a 2-1 record
Q U O T E S
U-M Head Coach Joe McFarland
On the team's overall performance ... "We were excited to win the tournament and get the season started off on the right foot. We also saw some areas that we need to improve."
On the championships for Andy Hrovat and Otto Olson ... "Both Otto and Andy had very solid performances and I was pleased with the way both of them competed."
N O T E S
The last time Michigan crowned two individual Cliff Keen Invitational champions was in 1999 when Otto Olson (174 pounds) and Joe Warren (133 pounds) won titles. U-M has had two champions four times (1988, '93, '97, '99).
Otto Olson is just the second Wolverine wrestler to win two individual titles at the Cliff Keen Invitational. Jeff Catrabone (1995-98) won titles in 1996 and '97.
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
