Michigan
Arizona State
Michigan Wins Two, Loses Two at NWCA National Duals
1/22/2005 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Site: Cleveland, Ohio (CSU Convocation Center)
Event: Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals
Scores: #4 Michigan 24, #16 Arizona State 16; #8 Minnesota 21, #4 Michigan 16;
#4 Michigan 19, #6 Hofstra 18, #10 Oklahoma 24, #4 Michigan 13
Records: U-M (8-3)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Jan. 23 -- vs. Penn State at Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals (Cleveland, Ohio), 3:00 p.m.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The No. 4-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team will wrestle in the seventh-place match of the Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals after splitting a quartet of dual meets during the first day of competition Saturday (Jan. 22) at the CSU Convocation Center. The Wolverines earned victories over No. 16 Arizona State (24-16) and No. 6 Hofstra (19-18) while falling to No. 8 Minnesota (21-16) and No. 10 Oklahoma (24-13) and will face No. 21 Penn State tomorrow (Sunday, Jan. 23) at 3 p.m. in a rematch of last weekend's Big Ten Conference opener.
Michigan gave up an early six points with a 125-pound forfeit in every dual meet of the competition; against ASU and Hofstra, the Wolverines were able to overcome that deficit, while against Minnesota and Oklahoma they were not. The U-M captains -- fifth-year senior Ryan Bertin (Broadview Heights, Ohio/St. Edwards HS) and Ryan Churella (Northville, Mich./Novi HS) -- both registered perfect 4-0 records to extend their recent winning streaks.
U-M posted six consecutive wins against the Sun Devils in the first round, including back-to-back falls by redshirt freshmen Josh Churella (Northville, Mich./Novi HS) and Eric Tannenbaum (Naperville, Ill./North HS) at 141 and 149 pounds, respectively, to seal the early 24-16 win for Michigan.
The Wolverines were knocked into the consolation bracket after suffering a 21-16 loss to Big Ten foe Minnesota in the quarterfinals. The Gophers jumped to a sizable 12-point advantage after just the second bout of the contest as Minnesota's Mack Reiter used a cradle midway through the second period to pin junior/sophomore Mark Moos (Lorain, Ohio/St. Edwards HS) at 4:04. U-M rallied, however, with five straight wins to steal away the lead. Tannenbaum used a pair of takedowns en route to a 5-4 decision over C.P Schlatter, while Bertin earned the Wolverines bonus points with a 14-3 major decision over Nik Lentz.
Minnesota retook the lead with back-to-back wins at 184 and 197 pounds and held a narrow two-point advantage heading into the final match, weighing the dual's final score directly upon the heavyweight bout that pitted second-ranked senior/junior Greg Wagner (Fort Wayne, Ind./Snider HS) against third-ranked Cole Konrad. The Gopher wrestler proved the more aggressive of the two, scoring a pair of takedowns and riding out Wagner for the entire second period to earn a 4-1 decision and seal the Minnesota victory.
The Maize and Blue rebounded in the wrestlebacks, narrowly edging out No. 6 Hofstra with a 19-18 victory. With U-M trailing by five points and facing elimination with just one bout remaining, Wagner registered a fall at 3:31 against Hofstra's Billy Simmons, earning U-M six team points and keeping the Wolverines alive in the tournament. Fifth-year senior Steve Heleniak (Galesburg, Mich./Franklin HS) put U-M in the position to win the dual meet -- despite falling at 197 pounds -- by holding second-ranked Chris Skretkowicz to just a 9-3 decision. Also earning victories against Hofstra were Josh Churella, Tannenbaum, Bertin and Ryan Churella, who combined to give U-M a four-point advantage after the 165-pound match with four consecutive wins.
The Wolverines suffered their second defeat of the day with a 24-13 loss to No. 10 Oklahoma in the evening session. After giving up the initial 125-pound forfeit, U-M pulled within just two points after earning three wins in the next five bouts. Freshman Craig Gillison (Arcadia, Mich./Benzie Central HS) returned to the lineup for the first time since mid-December to record a 10-3 decision over the Sooners' Trey Blakely behind three first-period takedowns. Bertin collected his fourth win of the tournament with a pair of takedowns and riding time in a 6-3 decision over Charles Jones, while Ryan Churella tallied his 20th straight win with an 11-0 major decision over Randy Sulaver, brother of Wolverine junior/sophomore Rob Sulaver (Dearborn, Mich./Dearborn HS). Churella dominated the middle frame with a quick reversal and three-point near fall in addition to takedowns in the first and third periods.
Wagner collected the only win for Michigan in the remaining four bouts -- a 3-2 decision over 13th-ranked Jake Hager -- as the Sooners sent U-M into the seventh-place dual. The Wolverine heavyweight trailed 2-1 heading into the final period but rallied for the win with a takedown midway through the frame.
#4 Michigan 24, #16 Arizona State 16
(Individual rankings from NWCA/InterMat)
| 125 -- #11 Jeremy Mendoza (ASU) won by forfeit | ASU, 6-0 |
| 133 -- #11 Mark Moos (U-M) dec. John Espinoza, 8-4 | ASU, 6-3 |
| 141 -- #6 Josh Churella (U-M) pinned Chris Freije, 4:34 | U-M, 9-6 |
| 149 -- #7 Eric Tannenbaum (U-M) pinned Ross Cromartie, 0:55 | U-M, 15-6 |
| 157 -- #4 Ryan Bertin (U-M) dec. #15 Brian Stith, 4-3 | U-M, 18-6 |
| 165 -- #2 Ryan Churella (U-M) dec. Patrick Pitsch, 8-3 | U-M, 21-6 |
| 174 -- #12 Nick Roy (U-M) dec. Rick Renzi, 9-4 | U-M, 24-6 |
| 184 -- #10 C.B. Dollaway (ASU) dec. Joshua Weitzel, 9-7 | U-M, 24-9 |
| 197 -- #8 Ryan Bader (ASU) major dec. Steve Heleniak, 8-0 | U-M, 24-13 |
| 285 -- #6 Cain Velasquez (ASU) dec. Tony Grygorzyk, 5-0 | U-M, 24-16 |
#8 Minnesota 21, #4 Michigan 16
| 125 -- #4 Bobbe Lowe (Minn.) won by forfeit | Minn., 6-0 |
| 133 -- Mack Reiter (Minn.) pinned #11 Mark Moos, 4:04 | Minn., 12-0 |
| 141 -- #6 Josh Churella (U-M) dec. Tommy Owen, 7-4 | Minn., 12-3 |
| 149 -- #7 Eric Tannenbaum (U-M) dec. #18 C.P. Schlatter, 5-4 | Minn., 12-6 |
| 157 -- #4 Ryan Bertin (U-M) major dec. Nik Lentz, 14-3 | Minn., 12-10 |
| 165 -- #2 Ryan Churella (U-M) dec. #10 Matt Nagel, 5-4 | U-M, 13-12 |
| 174 -- #12 Nick Roy (U-M) dec. Josh McLay, 3-1 | U-M, 16-12 |
| 184 -- #7 Roger Kish (Minn.) dec. Joshua Weitzel, 3-1 | U-M, 16-15 |
| 197 -- Jon Duncombe (Minn.) dec. Steve Heleniak, 7-3 | Minn., 18-16 |
| 285 -- #3 Cole Konrad (Minn.) dec. #2 Greg Wagner, 4-1 | Minn., 21-16 |
#4 Michigan 19, #6 Hofstra 18
| 125 -- Dave Tomasette (HU) won by forfeit | HU, 6-0 |
| 133 -- #16 Charles Griffin (HU) dec. Craig Gillison, 7-2 | HU, 9-0 |
| 141 -- #6 Josh Churella (U-M) dec. Ricky LaForge, 11-9 | HU, 9-3 |
| 149 -- #7 Eric Tannenbaum (U-M) dec. #5 Jon Masa, 5-3 | HU, 9-6 |
| 157 -- #4 Ryan Bertin (U-M) major dec. James Strouse, 11-1 | U-M, 10-9 |
| 165 -- #2 Ryan Churella (U-M) dec. #17 Mike Patrovich, 9-4 | U-M, 13-9 |
| 174 -- #17 Paul Siemon (HU) dec. #12 Nick Roy, 3-2 | U-M, 13-12 |
| 184 -- Joe Rovelli (HU) dec. Joshua Weitzel, 5-1 | HU, 15-13 |
| 197 -- #2 Chris Skretkowicz (HU) dec. Steve Heleniak, 9-3 | HU, 18-13 |
| 285 -- #2 Greg Wagner (U-M) pinned Billy Simons, 3:31 | U-M, 19-18 |
#10 Oklahoma 24, #4 Michigan 13
| 125 -- #1 Sam Hazewinkle (OU) won by forfeit | OU, 6-0 |
| 133 -- Craig Gillison (U-M) dec. Trey Blakely, 10-3 | OU, 6-3 |
| 141 -- #2 Teyon Ware (OU) dec. #6 Josh Churella, 4-1 | OU, 9-3 |
| 149 -- #6 Matt Storniolo (OU) dec. #7 Eric Tannenbaum, 4-2 | OU, 12-3 |
| 157 -- #4 Ryan Bertin (U-M) dec. Charles Jones, 6-3 | OU, 12-6 |
| 165 -- #2 Ryan Churella (U-M) major dec. Randy Sulaver, 11-0 | OU, 12-10 |
| 174 -- #5 E.K.Walldhaus (OU) dec. #12 Nick Roy, 3-1 | OU, 15-10 |
| 184 -- #14 Justin Dyer (OU) dec. Joshua Weitzel, 6-2 | OU, 18-10 |
| 197 -- #16 Joel Flaggert (OU) pinned Steve Heleniak, 1:54 | OU, 24-10 |
| 285 -- #2 Greg Wagner (U-M) dec. #13 Jake Hager, 3-2 | OU, 24-13 |
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
