Smith Upsets Top-Ranked Trenge as U-M Downs Lehigh

Friday, November 22

Bethlehem, Pa.

7:00 PM

Michigan

Lehigh

11/22/2002 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Fifth-year senior Kyle Smith (Butte, Mont./Butte HS) earned an upset victory over Lehigh's top-ranked Jon Trenge in the 197-pound match as the fifth-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team cruised to a 26-12 over eighth-ranked Lehigh on Friday (Nov. 22). In front of a sold-out crowd of 2,676 in the last dual meet held at the original Grace Hall, the Wolverines won seven of 10 matches in the season-opening dual meet.

Smith's upset of No. 1 Trenge at 197 pounds capped U-M's decisive win.

With his victory in the final bout of the meet, Smith slammed the door on Lehigh's late run of three consecutive wins with a 6-4 upset over Trenge, last season's NCAA 197-pound runner-up to Iowa State's Cael Sanderson, and put an exclamation point on the Michigan team victory.

With the meet starting at heavyweight, the Wolverines stormed to a commanding 23-0 lead by winning the first six bouts of the dual. At heavyweight, redshirt freshman Greg Wagner (Fort Wayne, Ind./Snider HS) won a 6-1 decision over Lehigh's Joe Sahl in his varsity debut, holding the Mountain Hawk to a single escape. Senior A.J. Grant (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston HS), ranked eighth by InterMat, earned a 10-2 major decision over 20th-ranked Mario Stuart.

Senior/junior Foley Dowd (Howell, N.J./The Peddie School), ranked seventh, built on to the Wolverines' lead with a 13-7 victory over 12th-ranked Cory Cooperman in the 133-pound match, and 13th-ranked Clark Forward (Archbold, Ohio/Archbold HS) eked out a 3-2 decision against 15th-ranked Tristan Boyd.

Also making his dual-meet debut, junior/sophomore Jeremiah Tobias (Manchester, Mich./Manchester HS) earned a fall in the 149-pound bout over Lehigh's Aaron Kling, pinning the Mountain Hawk at the 6:38 mark to add another six points to the Wolverines' team score. Junior/sophomore Ryan Bertin (Broadview Heights, Ohio/St. Edward HS), ranked fourth, dominated 16th-ranked Derek Zinck in the 157-pound match, earning a 12-4 major decision.

The Mountain Hawks put themselves on the board midway through the dual with victories in three consecutive weight classes. At 165 pounds, Lehigh's ninth-ranked Troy Letters earned 5-2 decision over senior/junior Pat Owen (Polson, Mont./Polson HS). Redshirt freshmen R.J. Boudro (Richmond, Mich./Armada HS) and Willie Breyer (Oxford, Mich./Oxford HS) both lost in their varsity debuts, with Boudro being pinned by 13th-ranked Brad Dillon at the 4:38 mark of the 174-pound match and Breyer losing a 6-3 decision against 11th-ranked Travis Frick.

After a two-week hiatus, Michigan will travel to Las Vegas, Nev., to defend its 2001 team title at the annual Cliff Keen Invitational (Dec. 6-7).

#5 Michigan 26, #8 Lehigh 12
(Individual rankings from Intermat)

Hwt -- Greg Wagner (U-M) dec. Joe Sahl, 6-1	U-M, 3-0
125 -- #8 A.J. Grant (U-M) major dec. #20 Mario Stuart, 10-2	U-M, 7-0
133 -- #7 Foley Dowd (U-M) dec. #12 Cory Cooperman, 13-7	U-M, 10-0
141 -- #13 Clark Forward (U-M) dec. #15 Tristan Boyd, 3-2	U-M, 13-0
149 -- Jeremiah Tobias (U-M) pinned Aaron Kling, 6:38	U-M, 19-0
157 -- #4 Ryan Bertin (U-M) major dec. #16 Derek Zinck, 12-4	U-M, 23-0
165 -- #9 Troy Letters (Lehigh) dec. Pat Owen, 5-2	U-M, 23-3
174 -- #13 Brad Dillon (Lehigh) pinned R.J. Boudro, 4:38	U-M, 23-9
184 -- #11 Travis Frick (Lehigh) dec. Willie Breyer, 6-3	U-M, 23-12
197 -- #5 Kyle Smith (U-M) dec. #1 Jon Trenge, 6-4	U-M, 26-12