Michigan
Northern Iowa
Wolverines Advance to Semifinals at National Duals
1/12/2008 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Site: Cedar Falls, Iowa (UNI Dome)
Score: #7 Michigan 30, #24 Northern Iowa 6; #7 Michigan 19, #12 Hofstra 15
Records: U-M (10-1), Harvard (0-4), Columbia (0-4), Appalachian State (5-4)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Jan. 13 -- Day 2 at NWCA National Duals (Cedar Falls, Iowa)
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The No. 7-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team swept its first-day competition at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals on Saturday (Jan. 12), defeating No. 24 Northern Iowa (30-6) and No. 12 Hofstra (19-15). The Wolverines will face No. 2 Iowa in the semifinal round at 11 a.m. CST Sunday (Jan. 13) at the UNI Dome.
The Wolverines battled back from an early and sizable deficit against the Pride, who had defeated No. 3-ranked Iowa State 19-18 on criteria in the first round, winning five straight matches at the middleweights and using three bonus victories to make the difference. Hofstra claimed the first three matches, including a major decision at 133 pounds to gain a 10-point advantage, but was deducted a point midway through the 149-pound contest when its trainer was called for unsportsmanlike conduct after swearing at the officials.
Among the lightweight matches, freshman Kellen Russell(High Bridge, N.J./Blair Academy) suffered his second loss of the day, falling 7-5 in his rematch against fifth-ranked Charles Griffin. Russell, ranked No. 1 at 141 pounds, took the first advantage of a first-period single leg and traded reversals with the Pride wrestler to carry a two-point lead into the second. Griffin added another reversal in the second and, with the score tied midway through the third, converted on an outside single to earn the upset decision.
Fifth-year senior Josh Churella(Northville, Mich./Novi HS) keyed the Wolverines' comeback with a decisive 10-1 major decision against Mitch Smith at 149 pounds. Churella, ranked seventh, scored on a pair of single-leg shots in the first and second periods and used the splits to earn three back points at the end of the middle frame. The Wolverine rode out Smith in the third period, building 3:21 in riding time advantage, and earned a point on Smith's second stalling call to secure the major.
Fifth-year senior Jeff Marsh(Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) earned his second win of the day at 157 pounds, holding onto his advantage against Johnny Bonilla-Bowman to earn a 8-5 decision. Marsh built his lead on takedowns in the first and third periods and, despite and late takedown by the Panther wrestler, earned three minutes of riding time to stay in front. Fifth-year senior Eric Tannenbaum(Naperville, Ill./North HS), the nation's top-ranked wrestler at 165 pounds, used five takedowns, including two in the third period, and 3:19 in riding time to cruise past Anthony Tortora 12-4. Tannenbaum remains the Wolverines' lone unbeaten wrestler, improving his season mark to 18-0.
Senior/junior Steve Luke(Massillon, Ohio/Perry HS) won a narrow decision at 174 pounds, defeating the Pride's sixth-ranked Alton Lucas 3-2 on the strength of a quick first-period fireman's carry. The wrestlers traded escape points in the second and third periods as Luke, ranked second, held on for his ninth straight win. Senior/junior Tyrel Todd(Bozeman, Mont./Bozeman HS) pushed his winning streak to 14 matches with a dominant 21-6 technical fall on riding time over Justin Danz at 184 pounds, using eight takedowns, including four in the final frame, and a pair of third-period back points. Todd has boasted bonus points in eight consecutive matches, dating back to the Cliff Keen Invitational final.
Hofstra claimed the final two matches but, trailing by 10 points, were unable to secure the necessary bonus points. The Pride's ninth-ranked Joe Rovelli earned a 2-0 decision -- on a first-period takedown -- against sophomore/freshman Anthony Biondo(Clinton Twp., Mich./Chippewa Valley HS) at 197 pounds, snapping the Wolverine wrestler's nine-match winning streak. Tom Daddino won a 6-4 decision in the heavyweight bout, using a takedown and two reversals to beat sophomore/freshman Chad Bleske(Washington, Mich./Romeo HS) 6-4.
The Wolverines kicked off the competition with a dominant performance against host Northern Iowa, winning eight individual matches, including three with bonus points, en route to a 30-6 victory. Junior Michael Watts(Riverton, Utah/Riverton HS) rallied from an early deficit to earn his first pin of the season in the opening bout and put his team ahead for good in the dual. The Wolverine was trailing Caleb Flores at the time of the fall after giving up a pair of early takedowns, but, with the wrestlers locked up on their feet late in the frame, Watts used a lateral drop to take Flores directly to his back and secure the fall at 2:48.
Sophomore Chris Diehl(Burton, Mich./Flint Kearsley HS) also battled back to win 8-5 in the subsequent match at 133 pounds. The Panthers' Josh Baldridge took a quick four-point lead after hitting a fireman's carry and taking Diehl to his back for two additional points. The Wolverine narrowed the score with a takedown of his own in the closing seconds of the frame and, after adding another takedown in the second and a locked-hands call on Baldridge, held a narrow 6-5 lead midway through the final period. The Panther wrestler held Diehl down for most of the third and gained riding-time advantage, but when he attempted a late guillotine, Diehl reversed him and rode out the remainder of the period to erase the riding-time point.
After a Michigan loss at 141 pounds, in which Russell was unable to rally from a five-point move in the first period, the Wolverine middleweights took control, winning six consecutive matches to put the dual away. Churella earned takedowns in the first and second periods against Charlie Ettelson at 149 pounds -- the latter of which came with just one second remaining in the middle frame -- and added two back points when the Panther tried to roll and put himself on his back in the third. Just a point shy of the major late in the final period, Churella let Ettelson up and quickly took him down to win 10-2 after riding time.
The Wolverines allowed just seven points in the next four matches and earned two more wins by major decision. Marsh struck quickly at 157, using a barrel roll off his second leg shot to put Jarion Beets on his back for five points. He added a pair of single-leg takedowns in the second period and rode out Beets in the third to accumulate 3:42 in riding-time advantage and win 13-3. Tannenbaum claimed the marquee match of the dual, defeating eighth-ranked Moza Fay 8-2 at 165 pounds. The Wolverine captain failed on a couple, early single-leg shots but converted on a double-leg attempt midway through the first and rode out the frame to build riding-time advantage. He secured another double-leg takedown on his first shot of the second period and added another double off a restart early in the third to control the bout from start to finish.
Luke needed only a big, five-point first period to earn a 7-0 decision against Alex Dolly in the 174-pound contest. The U-M wrestler converted on a quick single leg and used a suck back to add three points and close out the match's offensive scoring. Luke earned his escape point in the second and another for 2:31 in riding time. Todd dominated Andy O'Loughlin at 184 pounds, using four takedowns -- two in the first -- and more than four minutes in riding time to win 10-2.
Biondo persevered through a wild third period and held on to claim the 197-pound match 15-12 over Andy Anderson. After trading a takedown and reversal early in the first, the Wolverine took a big lead with a reversal of his own late, immediately locking up a cradle for five points at the buzzer. Anderson scored a pair of reversals and a takedown in the final four minutes, but Biondo held onto the lead with a takedown midway through the final period. Northern Iowa claimed the heavyweight match as Dustin Bauman secured an escape and riding time to defeat Bleske 2-0.
#7 Michigan 30, #24 Northern Iowa 6
(Individual rankings from NWCA/InterMat)
| 125 -- Michael Watts (U-M) pinned Caleb Flores, 2:48 | U-M, 6-0 | |
| 133 -- Chris Diehl (U-M) dec. Josh Baldridge, 8-5 | U-M, 9-0 | |
| 141 -- C.J. Ettelson (UNI) dec. #1 Kellen Russell, 9-3 | U-M, 9-3 | |
| 149 -- #7 Josh Churella (U-M) major dec. Charlie Ettelson, 10-2 | U-M, 13-3 | |
| 157 -- Jeff Marsh (U-M) major dec. Jarion Beets, 13-3 | U-M, 17-3 | |
| 165 -- #1 Eric Tannenbaum (U-M) dec. #8 Moza Fay, 8-2 | U-M, 20-3 | |
| 174 -- #2 Steve Luke (U-M) dec. Alex Dolly, 7-0 | U-M, 23-3 | |
| 184 -- #4 Tyrel Todd (U-M) major dec. Andy O'Loughlin, 12-3 | U-M, 27-3 | |
| 197 -- #15 Anthony Biondo (U-M) dec. Andy Anderson, 15-12 | U-M, 30-3 | |
| Hwt -- Dustin Bauman (UNI) dec. Chad Bleske, 2-0 | U-M, 30-6 |
#7 Michigan 19, #12 Hofstra 15
| 125 -- #10 Dave Tomasette (Hofstra) dec. Michael Watts, 12-5 | Hofstra, 3-0 | |
| 133 -- #8 Lou Ruggirello (Hofstra) major dec. Chris Diehl, 8-0 | Hofstra, 6-0 | |
| 141 -- #5 Charles Griffin (Hofstra) dec. #1 Kellen Russell, 7-5 | Hofstra, 10-0 | |
| 149 -- #7 Josh Churella (U-M) major dec. Mitch Smith, 10-1 | Hofstra, 9-4* | |
| 157 -- Jeff Marsh (U-M) dec. Jonny Bonilla-Bowman, 8-5 | Hofstra, 9-7 | |
| 165 -- #1 Eric Tannenbaum (U-M) major dec. Anthony Tortora, 12-4 | U-M, 11-9 | |
| 174 -- #2 Steve Luke (U-M) dec. #6 Alton Lucas, 3-2 | U-M, 14-9 | |
| 184 -- #4 Tyrel Todd (U-M) tech. fall Justin Danz, 21-6 (7:00) | U-M, 19-9 | |
| 197 -- #9 Joe Rovelli (Hofstra) dec. #15 Anthony Biondo, 2-0 | U-M, 19-12 | |
| Hwt -- Tom Daddino (Hofstra) dec. Chad Bleske, 6-4 | U-M, 19-15 |
* Hofstra deducted one point for unsportsmanlike conduct
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
