Michigan
Cliff Keen Invitational
Six Wolverines Advance to Semifinals at Cliff Keen Invite
12/5/2003 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- With six individuals advancing into the semifinal round, the No. 7-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team sits in second place with 95 points after the first day of competition at the Cliff Keen Invitational on Friday (Dec. 5).
Freshman Mark Moos (Lorain, Ohio/St. Edward HS), seeded seventh, quickly swept through his four opponents at 125 pounds, posting a pair of falls, including a first-period pin against second-seeded Bobbie Lowe from Minnesota in the quarterfinals. Moos scored a takedown midway through the opening frame and maneuvered the Gopher wrestler to his back to end the match at the 2:04 mark.
At 141 pounds, fourth-seeded fifth-year senior Clark Forward (Archbold, Ohio/St. Edward HS) won a battle in the quarterfinal round against fifth-seeded Blake Gunter from Wyoming. Gunter knotted the score at one point apiece with an early escape in the third frame and held riding time advantage late into the period. In the closing moments of the match Forward scored a takedown with just 10 seconds remaining to steal the lead and, after earning an additional point for Gunter's two cautions, won the match 4-2.
Top-seeded junior/sophomore Ryan Churella (Northville, Mich./Novi HS) dominated the competition at 149 pounds, earning three consecutive falls, including a pin at 6:07 against North Carolina State's Jake Giamoni, seeded eighth, in the quarterfinals. Churella was en route to a technical fall against Giamoni, scoring four takedowns and a pair of three-point near falls before sticking the pin midway through the final period.
Senior/junior Ryan Bertin (Broadview Heights, Ohio/St. Edward HS), seeded first at 157 pounds, also posted three dominant performances to advance into the semifinals. Bertin faced his toughest competition in the quarterfinals, squaring off against North Carolina State's eighth-seeded Scott Garren. Bertin jumped to an early lead, scoring a takedown and five near-fall points in the first period. The reigning NCAA champion added a takedown in each of the final two periods to win 11-4.
Fifth-year/senior Pat Owen (Polson, Mont./Polson HS), seeded eighth, scored a reversal and two-point near fall in the final 10 seconds of his quarterfinal match to upset top-seeded Jacob Volkmann from Minnesota 6-3 and advance into the 165-pound semifinals.
Heavyweight junior/sophomore Greg Wagner (Fort Wayne, Ind./ Snider HS), seeded second, made it six-for-six for the Wolverines in the quarterfinal round as he defeated seventh-seeded Clint Walbeck from Fresno State 6-3. After scoring a takedown in the second period to give himself the edge heading into the final frame, Wagner sealed the victory by adding a second takedown in the final seconds of the match.
After losing to fifth-seeded Nick Frost from Arizona State 7-3 in the second round, freshman Joshua Weitzel (Lincoln University, Pa./Oxford HS) posted back-to-back victories to stay alive in the 184-pound consolation bracket.
The Wolverines will return to the mat tomorrow (Saturday, Dec. 6) for the second and final day of competition at the Cliff Keen Invitational in Las Vegas, Nev. The action will begin at 9 a.m. PST with semifinal matches and consolation finals.
Team Standings (After Day 1)
1. Nebraska 99.5 2. MICHIGAN 95 3. Missouri 64.5 4. Arizona State 62.5 5. Illinois 61.5 6. Ohio State 59 7. Purdue 52.5 8. Bakersfield 50 9. Edinboro 47 10. Minnesota 38.5
Michigan Results
125 pounds - #7 Mark Moos
Pigtail Round - pinned Matt Cole (Eastern Michigan), 0:25
First Round - major dec. Tommy Sehurkamp (Cal Davis), 16-4
Second Round - dec. #10 Jacob Gray (Edinboro), 6-0
Quarterfinals - pinned #2 Bobbie Lowe (Minnesota), 1:04
Semifinals - vs. #6 Efran Ceballos (Cal State Bakersfield)
133 pounds - Chase Metcalf
First Round - major dec. by #5 Derek Moore (Cal Davis), 9-0
Consolation - dec. by Lucas Hambleton (Portland State), 10-5
Finished with a 0-2 record
141 pounds - #4 Clark Forward
First Round - dec. Doug Withstandley (Purdue), 7-3
Second Round - dec. #13 Jeff Bristol (Cal Davis), 5-1
Quarterfinals - dec. #5 Blake Gunter (Wyoming), 4-2
Semifinals - vs. #9 Matt Murray (Nebraska)
149 pounds - #1 Ryan Churella
First Round - pinned Adrian Jiron (Western Colorado), 3:59
Second Round - pinned Eddie Dahlen (Portland State), 1:33
Quarterfinals - pinned #8 Jake Giamoni (NC State), 6:07
Semifinals - vs. #4 Jeremy Spates (Missouri)
157 pounds - #1 Ryan Bertin
First Round - major dec. Dustin Vance (Cal State Fullerton), 15-5
Second Round - tech. fall Shane Seibert (Fresno State), 21-6
Quarterfinals - dec. #8 Scott Garren (NC State), 11-4
Semfinals - vs. #5 Kenny Burleson (Missouri)
165 pounds - #8 Pat Owen
First Round - major dec. Jonathon Spiker (Harvard), 13-2
Second Round - dec. #9 Dustin Kawa (NC State), 6-2
Quarterfinals - dec. #1 Jacob Volkmann (Minnesota), 6-3
Semifinals - vs. #13 J.J. Holmes (Eastern Michigan)
174 pounds - R.J. Boudro
First Round - tech. fall Darin Harris (Utah Valley), 21-5
Second Round - dec. by Pete Freidl (Illinois), 7-2
Consolations - pinned Alex Joseph (Northern Colorado), 2:38
Consolations - pinned by Tim Hoff (Eastern Michigan), 2:32
Finished with a 2-2 record
184 pounds - #12 Joshua Weitzel
Pigtail Round - pinned Daniel Humphries (NC State), 6:46
First Round - pinned Matt Herman (North Dakota State), 1:21
Second Round - dec. by #5 Nick Frost (Arizona State), 7-3
Consolations - pinned Bryan Tapley (Central Michigan), 1:58
Consolations - dec. Luke Leferer (Air Force), 7-4
Consolations - vs. #11 Tom Meester (Augustana)
197 pounds - #10 Chase Verdoorn
Pigtail Round - dec. by Joe Forsman (Army), 2-0
Consolations - dec. Zach Garren (NC State), 4-1
Consolations - major dec. Jon Stevebs (Lassen), 15-3
Consolations - dec. Tim Boldt (South Dakota State), 6-4
Consolations - dec. by #6 Matt Daddino (West Virginia), 5-3
Finished with a 3-2 record
Heavyweight - #2 Greg Wagner
First Round - pinned Eric Parker (Cal Bakersfield), 4:44
Second Round - major dec. Bo Reynolds (Army), 10-1
Quarterfinals - dec. #7 Clint Walbeck (Fresno State), 6-3
Semifinals - vs. #6 Cain Velasquez (Arizona State)
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
