Michigan
Big Ten Championships
Biondo's Third-Place Finish Highlights U-M's Effort at Big Tens
3/7/2010 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Arena)
Event: Big Ten Championships
U-M Standing: 10th Place of 11 Teams (57.5 Points)
Next U-M Event: Thu-Sat., March 18-20 -- at NCAA Championships (Omaha, Neb.)
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Behind the efforts of seven individual placewinners, the University of Michigan wrestling team took 10th place (57.5 points) following the conclusion of the Big Ten Conference Championships on Sunday (March 7) at Crisler Arena. Senior/junior captain Anthony Biondo (Clinton Twp., Mich./Chippewa Valley HS) and junior/sophomore Justin Zeerip (Fremont, Mich./Hesperia HS) earned automatic qualifying bids for the NCAA Championships with their third- and fourth-place finishes at 197 and 174 pounds, respectively.
Biondo bounced back from his disappointing semifinal loss, earning a pair of wins in the wrestlebacks to secure third place at 197 pounds -- his best-ever Big Ten finish. Biondo eked past Purdue's seventh-seeded Logan Brown in the third-place contest, using an early lead and riding time to claim a 5-4 decision. The Wolverine captain struck on a quick takedown in the opening stanza and rode out the period. He added an escape in the second and, after giving up a pair of third-period takedowns, used his 1:58 in time advantage to provide the difference. Biondo rolled past Illinois' fourth-seeded Patrick Bond in the consolation semifinals, converting on takedowns in the first and third periods to lock up a 6-3 decision.
Zeerip split a pair of day-two matches to secure a fourth-place finish at 174 pounds -- his best-ever Big Ten finish. Zeerip battled past Michigan State's Ian Hinton in the consolation semifinals, using a second-period escape and 1:57 in riding-time advantage to win 2-0. His second bout produced a similar result for his opponent as Illinois' fifth-seeded Jordan Blanton rode out the third period to claim a 2-0 decision in the third-place contest.
Junior/sophomore Dave Johnson (Jenison, Mich./Jenison HS) dropped a pair of day-two matches to claim sixth place in his first Big Ten Tournament appearance at 157 pounds. He lost a close to Iowa's fourth-seeded Jake Kerr in the consolation semifinals, falling 5-3 despite controlling the third period. Kerr converted on takedowns in the first and second periods, countering a Michigan shot on the latter. Starting the third in the neutral position, Johnson shot in on a single and won the ensuing scramble to pull within three points midway through. He drew two stalling calls on the Hawkeye wrestler and rode out the match but couldn't get the necessary turn.
Sophomore/freshman heavyweight Ben Apland (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South HS) also suffered a pair of day-two losses to wrap up the tournament in sixth place. He lost a close 3-2 heartbreaker to Minnesota's fourth-seeded Ben Berhow in the consolation semifinals. Berhow built up a three-point cushion on a second-period escape and subsequent takedown. Apland earned a quick escape and added another in the third but could not score again.
While all three Wolverine wrestlers in the seventh-place round won their matches, two of them needed a little extra time. Sophomore captain Zac Stevens' (Monroe, Mich./Monroe HS) 5-4 decision over Northwestern's fifth-seeded Eric Metzler in the 133-pound division was not without a bit of controversy. Stevens held the lead for the bulk of the match after striking on a first-period takedown, but Metzler stole away the lead with a takedown of his own in the third. Stevens reversed late to regain the lead and held on through the remainder of regulation, but the officials conferred to overrule the reversal, awarded only the escape to send the bout to overtime. After a scoreless sudden-victory frame and a quick escape in the first tiebreaker, Stevens rode out the entirety of the second tiebreaker to seal the win.
Sophomore/freshman Hunter Collins (Gilroy, Mich./Gilroy HS) used a four-point overtime move in his 184-pound bout against Northwestern's Aaron Jones to secure a 10-6 decision and claim seventh in his first Big Ten Tournament appearance. Collins converted on takedowns in the first and second periods to claim an early lead but allowed the Wildcat to sneak back in with a takedown of his own late in the middle period. The Wolverine wrestler initiated a scramble midway through the sudden-victory frame, maneuvering Jones to his back for the winning takedown and two-point near fall.
Sophomore Mark Weber (Goodrich, Mich./Goodrich HS) also earned a seventh-place finish in his first Big Ten appearance, converting on takedowns in the first and third periods and accumulating 1:08 in riding-time advantage to defeat Michigan State's Dan Osterman, 6-1, and avenge his loss to the Spartan wrestler from the season's dual meet.
The Wolverines will take a two-week break to prepare for the NCAA Championships, scheduled for March 18-20 in Omaha, Neb. Michigan will send at least two wrestlers to the national event and have the opportunity to add another one or two when wild cards are announced on Wednesday (March 10).
Final Team Standings
1. Iowa 156.5
2. Minnesota 119.5
3. Wisconsin 109.0
4. Ohio State 102.5
5. Penn State 91.0
6. Purdue 76.0
7. Michigan State 68.5
8. Illinois 64.0
Indiana 64.0
10. MICHIGAN 57.5
11. Northwestern 20.0
Michigan Results
Numbers listed are tournament seedings
133 pounds - #6 Zac Stevens
Seventh Place - dec. #5 Eric Metzler (Northwestern), 5-4 TB
Finished in seventh place with a 2-2 record
141 pounds - Mark Weber
Seventh Place - dec. #7 Dan Osterman (Michigan State), 6-1
Finished in seventh place with a 1-2 record
157 pounds - #6 Dave Johnson
Consolations - dec. by #4 Jake Kerr (Iowa), 5-3
Fifth Place - pinned by #3 Kurt Kinser (Indiana), 2:31
Finished in sixth place with a 1-3 record
174 pounds - #8 Justin Zeerip
Consolations - dec. #7 Ian Hinton (Michigan State), 2-0
Third Place - dec. by #5 Jordan Blanton (Illinois), 2-0
Finished in fourth place with a 3-2 record
184 pounds - #7 Hunter Collins
Seventh Place - dec. Aaron Jones (Northwestern), 10-6 SV
Finished in seventh place with a 1-2 record
197 pounds - #3 Anthony Biondo
Consolations - dec. #4 Patrick Bond (Illinois), 6-3
Third Place - dec. #7 Logan Brown (Purdue), 5-4
Finished in third place with a 3-1 record
Heavyweight - #7 Ben Apland
Consolations - dec. by #4 Ben Berhow (Minnesota), 3-2
Fifth Place - pinned by #3 Cameron Wade (Penn State), 1:23
Finished in sixth place with a 2-3 record
Players Mentioned
