Michigan
Hofstra
Wolverines Claim Third Place at Cliff Keen National Duals
1/18/2004 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Site: Cleveland, Ohio (Cleveland State University Convocation Center)
Event: Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals
Team Finish: 3rd Place of 16 Teams
Scores: #6 Michigan 31, #11 Hofstra 10; #6 Michigan 21, #9 Penn State 17
Records: U-M (10-2)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Jan. 23 -- vs. Iowa (Crisler Arena), 7:30 p.m.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team rebounded Sunday (Jan. 18) in the Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals consolation bracket, posting back-to-back wins over No. 11 Hofstra (31-10) and No. 9 Penn State (21-17) to capture third place.
Fifth-year senior Foley Dowd (Howell, N.J/The Peddie School) was named the Divison I Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament after recording a perfect 5-0 mark, including upsets against two-time defending NCAA champion Johnny Thompson from Oklahoma State and Penn State's Josh Moore.
Dowd was part of Michigan's 1-2 punch at 125 and 133 pounds as he and sophomore/freshman Mark Moos (Lorain, Ohio/St. Edward HS) earned back-to-back wins to give the Wolverines the early advantage in every dual meet.
In the third-place match against Penn State, U-M held a nine-point lead after the first two bouts, with Moos receiving an injury default at 2:39 against 11th-ranked Adam Smith and Dowd earning a 4-2 overtime decision over sixth-ranked Moore. Moos scored a takedown midway through the first period, putting the Nittany Lion right into a pinning situation for a three-point near fall. Smith collected an escape at the edge of the mat, but as the two wrestlers fell out of bounds, he was hurt and could no longer continue wrestling. Dowd held the early lead with a first-period takedown at 133 pounds, but Moore responded with a pair of escapes to tie the score. After nearly scoring at the end of regulation, Dowd maintained the momentum in the extra frame, registering a takedown just five seconds into overtime.
Nate Driscoll put points on the board for PSU with an 8-3 win against fifth-year senior Clark Forward (Archbold, Ohio/Archbold HS) at 141 pounds. Down by one point after two periods, Driscoll dominated the final frame, scoring two takedowns and a three-point near fall to earn decision.
At 149 pounds, junior/sophomore Ryan Churella (Northville, Mich./Novi HS) came from behind to earn a remarkable 6-5 win against 16th-ranked Matt Storniolo in the second 30-second tiebreaker. Storniolo struck first with a takedown in the opening frame, but Churella evened the score with a reversal late in the period. After the Nittany Lion earned a reversal in the first 30-second tiebreaker, Churella needed two points to tie the score. The Wolverine scored a quick reversal to pull within one point, and with just seconds remaining on the clock registered the takedown the claim the decision.
Senior/junior Ryan Bertin (Broadview Heights, Ohio/St. Edward HS) dominated from his feet throughout his 157-pound match against James Woodall, scoring seven takedowns en route to a 16-10 victory. Fifth-year senior captain Pat Owen (Polson, Mont./Polson HS) earned big points for the Wolverines with a fall over the Nittany Lions' Chris Taylor. Owen put Taylor on the mat just seconds into the opening period and had him in a pinning situation just moments later, finally using a half-nelson to stick the Nittany Lion at the 1:21 mark.
PSU took a chunk out of the Wolverines' lead with four consecutive victories in the final four bouts. James Yonushanis scored a takedown midway through the third period to break a 1-1 tie with junior/sophomore R.J. Boudro (Richmond, Mich./Armada HS). Boudro earned an escape moments later but could not score again and Yonushanis won 3-2. Tenth-ranked Eric Bradley scored a pair of takedowns and a third-period three-point near fall to register a 6-3 win against freshman Joshua Weitzel (Lincoln University, Pa./Oxford HS).
At 197 pounds, 16th-ranked Joel Edwards was dominant in the top position, riding sophomore/freshman Chase Verdoorn (Platte City, Mo./Platte County HS) for nearly the entire first two periods and turning Verdoorn six times en route to a 15-0 technical fall after riding time. Junior/sophomore Greg Wagner (Fort Wayne, Ind./Snider HS) struck first against second-ranked Pat Cummins, fighting off a shot by the Nittany Lion to score a takedown on the edge of the mat. The Wolverine held the one-point lead until midway through the final period when Cummins used a leg sweep to put Wagner on the mat, adding a three-point near fall to earn a 7-3 decision.
The Wolverines advanced into the third-place meet after recording seven individual victories against Hofstra in the consolation semifinals. U-M never trailed in the meet, building a nine-point lead after just the first two bouts to cruise to the 31-10 victory.
Moos gave Michigan the early momentum with an 8-6 overtime victory against third-ranked Tom Noto at 125 pounds. Each wrestler recorded a pair of takedowns and two escapes to knot the score at six at the end of regulation. A shot by Noto midway through the sudden-victory frame put Moos on the mat, but the Wolverine was able to fight off the takedown.
After Dowd was awarded a forfeit at 133 pounds, Hofstra put three points on the board with a 7-6 decision at 141. John Manarte struck first, taking down Forward early in the first period, but the Wolverine responded with a takedown of his own to tie the score. Manarte scored another takedown in the third period, which proved to be the deciding factor in the bout.
Churella earned bonus points for the Wolverines, recording a 11-2 major decision over Chris Vondruska at 149 pounds. After a scoreless first period, Churella tallied a pair of takedowns in the second period and another takedown and two-point near fall in the third to control the action throughout the match. Bertin scored five takedowns against 13th-ranked Paul Siemon to build a substanial lead, and despite being taken down himself twice in the third period, held on for a 12-9 decision.
At 165 pounds, Owen pinned ninth-ranked Ralph Everett at the 5:37 mark. The Wolverine wrestler went on the attack in the second period, scoring a takedown and four-point near fall after Everett signaled for injury during a pinning situtation. Owen added another takedown in the third period, using an underhook to throw Everett straight to his back to end the match.
The teams traded decision victories at 174 and 184 pounds as sophomore/freshman Nick Roy (Wall, N.J./Wall HS) was unable to earn the escape in the second 30-second tiebreaker to fall to the Pride's eighth-ranked Noel Thompson 2-1, and Weitzel scored a takedown with just 10 seconds remaining in the match to register a 4-2 win over Brad Christie.
At 197 pounds, second-ranked Chris Skretkowicz earned a 14-0 major decision over junior/sophomore Willie Breyer (Oxford, Mich./Oxford HS). Skretkowicz scored a takedown, two reversals and seven back points in the shutout victory. The meet ended with Wagner taking a forfeit at heavyweight to add six additional points to Michigan's team score.
Michigan will open Big Ten Conference action by hosting a pair of perennial powerhouses next weekend in Crisler Arena. The Wolverines will face Iowa on Friday (Jan. 23) at 7:30 p.m. and entertain Minnesota on Saturday (Jan. 24) at 7 p.m.
#6 Michigan 31, #11 Hofstra 10
(Individual rankings from Amateur Wrestling News)
| 125 -- #4 Mark Moos (U-M) dec. #3 Tom Noto, 8-6 SV | U-M, 3-0 |
| 133 -- #7 Foley Dowd (U-M) won by forfeit | U-M, 9-0 |
| 141 -- John Manarte (Hofstra) dec.#17 Clark Forward, 7-6 | U-M, 9-3 |
| 149 -- #7 Ryan Churella (U-M) major dec. Chris Vondruska, 11-2 | U-M, 9-3 |
| 157 -- #2 Ryan Bertin (U-M) dec. #13 Paul Siemon, 12-9 | U-M, 13-3 |
| 165 -- #5 Pat Owen (U-M) pinned #9 Ralph Everett, 5:37 | U-M, 16-3 |
| 174 -- #8 Noel Thompson (Hofstra) dec. Nick Roy, 2-1 | U-M, 22-6 |
| 184 -- Joshua Weitzel (U-M) dec. Brad Christie, 4-2 | U-M, 22-6 |
| 197 -- #2 Chris Skretkowicz (Hofstra) major dec. Willie Breyer, 14-0 | U-M, 25-10 |
| Hwt -- #5 Greg Wagner (U-M) won by forfeit | U-M, 31-10 |
#6 Michigan 21, #9 Penn State 17
| 125 -- #4 Mark Moos (U-M) injury def. #11 Adam Smith, 2:39 | U-M, 6-0 |
| 133 -- #7 Foley Dowd (U-M) dec. Josh Moore, 4-2 SV | U-M, 9-0 |
| 141 -- Nate Driscoll (PSU) dec. #17 Clark Forward, 8-3 | U-M, 9-3 |
| 149 -- #7 Ryan Churella (U-M) dec. #16 Matt Storniolo, 6-5 TB | U-M, 12-3 |
| 157 -- #2 Ryan Bertin (U-M) dec. James Woodall, 16-10 | U-M, 15-3 |
| 165 -- #5 Pat Owen (U-M) pinned Chris Taylor, 1:21 | U-M, 21-3 |
| 174 -- James Yonushanis (PSU) dec. R.J. Boudro, 3-2 | U-M, 21-6 |
| 184 -- #10 Eric Bradley (PSU) dec. Joshua Weitzel, 6-3 | U-M, 27-9 |
| 197 -- #16 Joel Edwards (PSU) tech. fall Chase Verdoorn, 15-0 | U-M, 27-14 |
| Hwt -- #2 Pat Cummins (PSU) dec. #5 Greg Wagner, 7-3 | U-M, 30-17 |
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
