Hremarkable: Hrovat Upsets Lawal for Olympics Berth
6/16/2008 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Former University of Michigan wrestling standout Andy Hrovat (1999-2002), who currently serves on the Wolverine staff as director of wrestling operations, rallied from a variety of deficits to pull off the upset against Mo Lawal in the 84 kg/185-pound championship series Sunday (June 15) and earn a berth to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The victory came in the freestyle portion of the USA Wrestling Olympic Team Trials at UNLV's Thomas and Mack Center.
Hrovat becomes the sixth Olympian in Wolverine program history and the first since Steve Fraser captured the 198-pound Greco-Roman gold medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, which marked the first time an American medaled in Greco-Roman Olympic competition. Fraser will join Hrovat in Beijing as the head coach of the USA Greco-Roman team.
After splitting the first two matches in the best-of-three championship series, Hrovat claimed the final two periods of the deciding third match, scoring in the closing seconds of both for the 0-1, 1-0, 2-2 victory. Lawal, who defeated the Wolverine wrestler in the championship match at the U.S. Senior Nationals in April, claimed the opening period on a late takedown on the edge of the mat, but Hrovat evened the score in the subsequent frame, using a takedown from a right-leg clinch with just six seconds remaining to force the third period.
Lawal again scored first on a late takedown, but with just seven seconds to go in the match Hrovat wrapped up Lawal's leg and forced him to the edge of the mat, driving him to his back for a two-point takedown. Lawal scored another takedown on the restart to even the score, but Hrovat's two-point move topped his opponent's pair of one-pointers as the Wolverine held on to secure his first trip to the Olympic Games.
Hrovat, who also represented the United States at the 2006 World Championships after pinning Lawal at the trials, dropped the first match of the series in two periods (1-3, 0-1) but rallied in the second bout to send it to the rubber match. After losing the first period on a takedown to pull within one period of elimination, Hrovat used a pair of late throws on the edge of the mat -- one from the defensive clinch in the second period and another off a double-leg counter -- to rack up big points and claim the remaining two frames 2-0 and 3-0.
The championship series victory wrapped up an exhaustive day for Hrovat, who had to battle his way through the challenge bracket before reaching the best-of-three series with Lawal. Hrovat earned three quick victories, including a 3-0, 3-0 win over Joe Williams, who beat Hrovat at last year's world trials, and did not give up a point until the second period of his third match against Iowa State All-American Jake Varner (2-0, 5-1). Hrovat began the day with a dominant 6-0, 6-0 technical against former Oklahoma State NCAA champion Chris Pendleton.
Michigan also earned strong finishes from senior/junior Tyrel Todd(Bozeman, Mont./Bozeman HS) and former Wolverine standout Ryan Churella (2003-06), who placed fourth at 84 kg/185 pounds and 74 kg/163 pounds, respectively, in their first-ever appearance at the Olympic Trials. Todd, who will return for his senior year in the fall as a two-time All-American, battled back from an early deficit to defeat Northwestern NCAA champion Jake Herbert in three periods (4-5, 1-1, 7-0) in the first round before falling into the wrestlebacks after losing to former Bloomsburg standout Bryce Hasseman. The Wolverine senior advanced to the third-place contest after back-to-back forfeits, and he again fell to Hasseman, 4-0, 1-1.
Churella, a three-time All-American who currently serves as the program's video coordinator, advanced to the semifinals of the challenge tournament after a first-round bye and three-period victory over former Iowa State All-American Travis Paulson. He claimed the first period of his match against former Oklahoma State All-American Tyrone Lewis but lost the remaining two frames to narrowly miss a berth to the championship series. Churella rallied in the wrestlebacks with a three-period victory over former world championships medalist Donny Pritzlaff but lost the rematch against Paulson 1-2, 1-4 in the third-place contest.
Michigan's lone representative in the Greco-Roman tournament, Mike Ellsworth (1993-95), was eliminated early from the 66 kg/145.5-pound competition after losing a pair of close matches to Oscar Wood and Shannon Slack.
The 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials will be aired via tape delay Sunday (June 22) on MSNBC. The two-hour coverage will kick off at noon EDT.
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
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