2004-05 WRM vs. Cleveland State -- Notes & Quotes
12/10/2004 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
N O T E S
The Wolverines' five pins against the Vikings are their most in dual-meet competition since Jan. 11, 1992, when U-M tallied six falls (Jason Cluff, Joey Gilbert, Sean Bormet, Lanny Green, Jehad Hamdan, Phil Tomek) en route to a 46-3 victory over Morgan State in its home opener.
With 40 points against Cleveland State, the Wolverines tallied their highest dual-meet point total since scoring 43 against Harvard at last season's Lone Star Duals (Jan. 3), in which the Crimson forfeited three matches. Prior to that meet, U-M registered three straight lopsided victories at the Wendy's Classic (Jan. 14, 2001) -- 48-0 vs. Cleveland State (with two wins by forfeit), 50-0 vs. Marquette (three wins by forfeit) and 45-0 vs. Binghamton (no wins by forfeit).
Fifth-year senior captain Ryan Bertin improved his career record to 119-20, needing just one more win to reach the 12th spot on U-M's career wins list, currently held by two-time All-American Lanny Green (120, 1990-93).
Fifth-year senior Jeremiah Tobias paces the Wolverines with eight falls already this season. Tobias has led the team in the falls category three out of his previous four seasons, including a U-M single-season record 17 in 2001-02.
Sophomore/freshman Josh Churella is the fourth Wolverine to make his dual-meet debut this season, joining freshman Craig Gillison, junior/sophomore J.R. Muldoon and sophomore/freshman Eric Tannenbaum.
With his first career varsity win, sophomore/freshman Josh Churella improved his U-M career record to a perfect 15-0. Churella boasted an undefeated 14-0 mark last season in open tournaments.
Q U O T E S
U-M Head Coach Joe McFarland
On the team's dominant performance ... "They really stepped it up tonight. Our guys are wrestling really aggressively, so they're creating opportunities for those falls. A lot of those pins we had tonight came off our aggressiveness. We've been wrestling like that all season so far, so I'm very happy with how the guys have been doing. We've been wrestling with a lot of confidence, and we just need to continue doing that."
On the opening weight classes ... "I was really happy for Craig (Gillison); he got us started off on the right foot and got the score evened out. Josh (Churella) did a great job. For his first match of the year, I thought he gave it a great effort. I always feel comfortable throwing Jeremiah (Tobias) in there; he's one of the biggest pinners we've had in our program ever. True to form, he gets a fall for us. I felt very comfortable after that match."
On the upcoming break ... "We've got a little holiday break coming, and I think the guys need a break right now. They need some time to concentrate on their studies and relax and enjoy the holiday for a week or so. Those guys will do a good job with staying on top of their workouts and come back ready to hit it hard for second semester."
On the team's performance during the first portion of the season ... "We're really rolling well right now. We've had a great start to the season; we just need to keep moving along as we get into the Big Ten season. Our conditioning looks good; the guys are wrestling well, making adjustments from week to week, match to match. That's really all you can ask; it's just about getting better. There's great chemistry on this team, and that's a tribute to those guys. The kids we have on this team are doing all the right things: they're committed to it, they're working hard, and everybody's on the same page. You can't ask for anything more as a coach."
Fifth-Year Senior Jeremiah Tobias
On his knack for pinning ... "It's just a feel. It's like Ryan (Bertin) or Eric (Tannenbaum) when they're on their feet, they know when to take a shot; or like Ryan or Josh Churella on top, they know when to get their legs in, and they know how to turn people. It's just a different style. I know how to bar-arm ride and how it feels and what I'm supposed to do in certain situations. It's all about feeling comfortable on top; once I'm on top, I settle down and I'm comfortable. As long as I don't burn myself out in the first period, I'm in good shape."
Freshman Craig Gillison
On his fall at 133 pounds ... "We were pummeling for hand position, and he took a low shot to my leg. I was able to bottle him up and get him in a good cradle. I got it tight enough and got my hand blocked. It took a long time, but once I got good position, I was able to get the fall."
On making his debut at Cliff Keen Arena ... "I was pretty excited going out there. I was a little nervous, so it was nice to get the job done and get it over with. We were down six points to start, so we needed the extra points to get it back to even."
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
