Michigan
Michigan State Open
Phillips Wins, Eight Wolverines Place at MSU Open
11/11/2007 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Competing unattached in its final preseason tune-up prior to the official start of the 2007-08 campaign, the University of Michigan wrestling team registered a solid showing at the Michigan State Open on Sunday (Nov. 11) at Jenison Field House. The Wolverines boasted four finalists, including sophomore/freshman Eddie Phillips(Woodland, Mich./Lakewood HS), who captured the 197-pound title in the freshman/sophomore division, and eight total placewinners against the field of more than 370 individual wrestlers from 33 schools, including Big Ten Conference rivals Indiana, Ohio State, Michigan State, Northwestern, Penn State and Purdue.
Phillips cruised past the opposition en route to the first open-tournament title of his career, earning a pair of decisions and fall before dominating Cleveland State's Alek Hughes 13-2 in the 197-pound final. Phillips was one of three Wolverines to advance to the championship round in the freshman/sophomore division as sophomore/freshman Mark Beaudry(Pueblo, Colo./South HS) and freshman Justin Zeerip(Fremont, Mich./Hesperia HS) claimed second-place honors at 141 and 165 pounds, respectively. It was Zeerip's second placing performance in as many collegiate appearances, adding to a seventh-place finish last weekend at the EMU Open (Nov. 3).
Fifth-year senior Jeff Marsh(Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) shared the Wolverines' headlining distinction -- and put together one of the most impressive performances of the tournament -- in his runner-up effort at 157 pounds. Marsh picked up a decisive 6-2 victory against two-time NCAA All-American Brandon Becker of Indiana in the quarterfinal round and dominated the Hoosier's Paul Young 11-0 to advance to the championship final, where he met Edinboro's Gregor Gillespie, last season's NCAA champion at 149 pounds. Marsh held a 3-0 advantage entering the final period after taking down Gillespie in the first and earning a favorable stalling call in the second. The Fighting Scot wrestler, however, took control of the match in the third frame, earning a takedown, two back points and riding time to claim the final 5-3 advantage.
Junior/sophomore Justin Chrzanowski(Metamora, Mich./Lapeer West HS) battled back from a close first-round loss to place fourth at 141 pounds, posting an impressive 5-2 record that included a dominant 12-3 major decision against Penn State's Mike Eagan in the consolation bracket.
Sophomore/freshman Aaron Hynes(Mt. Morris, Mich./Flint Kearsley HS), freshman Erich Smith(Ishpeming, Mich./Westwood HS) and sophomore/freshman Chad Bleske(Washington, Mich./Romeo HS) rounded out the Wolverines' placewinners, all taking sixth place at 157 and 184 pounds and heavyweight in the freshman/sophomore division, respectively.
The Wolverines return to the mat next Friday (Nov. 16) for the annual Maize and Blue Intrasquad, which will determine the team's starting lineup. Matches are slated to begin at 7 p.m. at Cliff Keen Arena.
Michigan Results
OPEN DIVISION
125 - Michael Watts
First Round - dec. Wesley Fike (Indiana), 6-4
Quarterfinal - dec. by Billy Chamberlain (Old Dominion), 5-4
Consolations - dec. by Michah Ferguson (Cal Poly), 9-5
Finished with a 1-2 record
141 - Justin Chrzanowski
First Round - dec. by Antonio Nicholson (Cleveland State), 5-4
Consolations - dec. Andy Wagner (Cal Poly), 3-2
Consolations - major dec. Mike Eagan (Penn State), 12-3
Consolations - dec. Scott Kelly (Indiana), 4-0
Consolations - dec. James Kohlberg (Northwestern), 1-0
Consolations - dec. Adam Koballa (unattached), 8-2
Third Place - dec. by Ryan Cubberly (Central Michigan), 3-1
Finished in fourth place with a 5-2 record
157 - James Tobias
First Round - dec. by Ben Fiacco (North Carolina), 7-4
Consolations - pinned by Dean Dong (Findlay), 3:23
Finished with an 0-2 record
157 - Dario Mainella
First Round - dec. by Nick Shafer (Michigan State), 4-3
Consolations - dec. by Pete Puckett (Central Michigan), 4-1
Finished with an 0-2 record
157 - Jeff Marsh
First Round - dec. Steven Brown (Central Michigan), 9-2
Quarterfinal - dec. Brandon Becker (Indiana), 6-2
Semifianals - major dec. Paul Young (Indiana), 11-0
First Place - dec. by Gregor Gillespie (Edinboro), 5-3
Finished in second place with a 3-1 record
174 - Jordan Sherrod
First Round - pinned by Trevor Perry (Indiana), 1:33
Consolations - dec. A.J. Brentzel (Pittsburgh), 6-0
Consolations - pinned Nick Kirkendall (Northern Michigan), 4:42
Consolations - dec. by Mike Miller (Central Michigan), 8-3
Finished with a 2-2 record
197 - Cody Waters
First Round - dec. by Joe Fagiono (Indiana), 9-3
Consolations - dec. by Patrick Bradshaw (Edinboro), 5-2
Finished with an 0-2 record
FRESH/SOPH DIVISION
133 - Mike Sears
First Round - dec. Adam Hass (Kent State), 4-0
Quarterfinal - tech. fall by Kyle Fluke (Edinoboro), 16-0
Consolations - pinned Austen Ruich (Manchester), 3:57
Consolations - dec. by Darrin Boing (Ohio), 8-3
Finished with a 2-2 record
141 - Mark Beaudry
First Round - major dec. Michael Fennell (Ohio), 13-0
Quarterfinal - major dec. Thomas Wipfli (Edinboro), 13-0
Semifinal - dec. Michael Holt (Central Michigan), 7-1
Final - pinned by Nick Stabile (North Carolina), 2:35
Finished in second place with a 3-1 record
157 - Dave Johnson
First Round - major dec. Sli Bostelman (Kent State), 15-3
Quaterfinals - dec. by Thomas Scotton (North Carolina), 9-7
Consolations - dec. by Tom Weinkam (Ohio), 4-0
Finished with a 1-2 record
157 - Aaron Hynes
First Round - dec. John Fulger (Michigan State), 4-0
Quarterfinals - dec. Rudy Moures (North Carolina), 6-2
Semifinals - dec. by Robbie Michaels (Cleveland State), 4-2 SV
Consolations - dec. by Tom Weinkam (Ohio), 3-2
Finished in sixth place with a 2-2 record
165 - Justin Zeerip
First Round - pinned Chris Hrunka (Edinboro), 0:36
Quarterfinals - major dec. Jake Bohn (unattached), 15-3
Semifinals - major dec. Matthew Coleman (Edinboro), 11-1
Final - dec. by Paul Paddock (Edinboro), 3-0
Finished in second place with a 3-1 record
184 - Erich Smith
First Round - pinned by Nick Tenpenny (North Carolina), 2:36
Consolations - pinned Jordan Knox (Manchester), 1:16
Consolations - dec. Erik Schuth (Ohio), 7-3
Consolations - dec. Kelan Bragg (Cal Poly), 10-4
Consolations - dec. by Nick Tenpenny (North Carolina), 4-3
Fifth Place - dec. by Cam Simz (unattached), 5-3
Finished in sixth place with a 3-3 record
197 - Eddie Phillips
First Round - dec. Bo Lukehart (Cal Poly), 3-1
Quarterfinals - pinned Aaron Schecter (Ohio), 1:44
Semifinals - dec. John Schoen (Northwestern), 6-3
Final - major dec. Alek Hughes (Cleveland State), 13-2
Finished as the 197-pound champion with a 4-0 record
Hwt- Chad Bleske
First Round - dec. Dom Doyle (Eastern Michigan), 4-2
Quarterfinals - dec. Travis Pettengill (unattached), 7-2
Semifinals - dec. by Jarod Trice (Central Michigan), 8-5
Finished in sixth place with a 2-1 record
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
