National Champ Bertin Leads U-M to Second at NCAAs

Saturday, March 19

St. Louis, Mo.

4:00 PM CT

Michigan

NCAA Session VI

3/19/2005 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Fifth-year senior Ryan Bertin (Broadview Heights, Ohio/St. Edward HS) closed out his stellar University of Michigan wrestling career by capturing his second 157-pound national title at the NCAA Championships on Saturday (March 19) in front of 16,302 fans at the Savvis Center. The Wolverines finished runner-up in the team standings with 83 points -- behind champion Oklahoma State (153.5) -- for their best NCAA finish in 31 years and matched the best finish in program history.

Bertin finished his senior season with a 31-1 record.

Using three takedowns to secure a 8-5 decision over Iowa's eighth-seeded Joe Johnston in the championship bout, Bertin returned to the top of the NCAA winner's podium after claiming third-place honors at last season's tournament. The Wolverine captain ends his collegiate career fifth on U-M's all-time wins list with a career mark of 142-21 and stands as just the fifth U-M wrestler to earn four NCAA All-America citations.

Bertin went on the attack from the opening whistle of the bout, taking three early single-leg shots, all of which Johnston was able to sprawl and fight off, resulting in a stalemate. Johnston registered the first quality scoring opportunity midway through the first frame, and despite having a good grip on Bertin's leg, he could not convert as Bertin grabbed ahold of his foot to neutralize the action on the mat. In the ensuing scramble, Bertin leaned back into a Peterson to score the first points of the bout with 50 seconds remaning in the opening period. After a late escape by Johnston, the Wolverine held just a narrow one-point advantage heading into the middle stanza.

Starting the second frame in the bottom position, Bertin wasted little time in earning his escape and putting the wrestlers on their feet. The Wolverine got in deep on a single leg at the halfway point and, after fighting for it for several seconds, was awarded the takedown with 50 seconds left. Bertin was again unable to ride the Hawkeye for the remainder of the period and led 5-2 after five minutes.

On top to start the third, Bertin held Johnston long enough to accumulate riding time before letting him go about 45 seconds into the period. The Wolverine collected his third takedown of the match -- another single leg with approximately 50 seconds remaining -- to seal up his victory. Bertin gave up two more points in the closing seconds of the bout but earned another himself with 2:29 in total riding-time advantage.

Also earning All-America honors for the Wolverines earlier in the day were a trio of fourth-place finishers -- redshirt freshman Eric Tannenbaum (Naperville, Ill./North HS) at 141 pounds, senior/junior Ryan Churella (Northville, Mich./Novi HS) at 165 pounds and senior/junior Greg Wagner (Fort Wayne, Ind./Snider HS) at heavyweight -- and redshirt freshman Josh Churella (Northville, Mich./Novi HS), who took eighth at 141 pounds.

Final Team Standings (Top 10)

1. Oklahoma State 153.5

2. MICHIGAN 83

3. Oklahoma 77.5

4. Cornell 76.5

5. Minnesota 72.5

6. Illinois 70.5

7. Iowa 66

8. Lehigh 60

9. Indiana 58.5

10. Iowa State 57

Complete Michigan Results

133 pounds -- Mark Moos
First Round - dec. by #2 Shawn Bunch (Edinboro), 9-8
Consolation - pinned Sam Hiatt (Northern Illinois), 3:39
Consolation - dec. by #12 Mario Galanakis (Iowa), 5-2
Eliminated with a 1-2 record

141 pounds -- #3 Josh Churella
First Round - dec. Charlie Pinto (Maryland), 8-1
Second Round - dec. Don Fisch (Rider), 10-8 TB
Quarterfinals - dec. by #11 Michael Keefe (Tennessee-Chatanooga), 6-5
Consolation - major dec. Juan Mora (Cal State Fullerton), 10-2
Consolation - dec. by #7 Daniel Frischkorn (Oklahoma State), 8-6
Seventh Place - dec. by Cassio Pero (Illinois), 6-5 TB
Finished eighth with a 3-3 record

149 pounds -- #5 Eric Tannenbaum
First Round - dec. Travis Shufelt (Nebraska), 6-4
Second Round - major dec. #12 Darren McKnight (Michigan State), 8-0
Quarterfinals - dec. #4 Matt Storniolo (Oklahoma), 4-3
Semifinals - dec. by #1 Zack Esposito (Oklahoma State), 7-2
Consolation - dec. #6 Ty Eustice (Iowa), 5-3
Third Place - dec. by #9 Jon Masa (Hofstra), 8-1
Finished fourth with a 4-2 record

157 pounds -- #2 Ryan Bertin
First Round - pinned Cory Mancuso (Slippery Rock), 2:23
Second Round - major dec. Matt Kocher (Pittsburgh), 15-5
Quarterfinals - dec. #10 Brian Stith (Arizona State), 4-2
Semifinals - dec. #6 Trent Paulson (Iowa State), 10-7
Final - dec. #8 Joe Johnston (Iowa), 8-5
Finished as 157-pound champion with a 5-0 record

165 pounds -- #2 Ryan Churella
First Round - major dec. Gary Dack (Wyoming), 11-0
Second Round - major dec. Matt Ellis (Oregon State), 10-1
Quarterfinals - major dec. #7 Jacob Klein (Nebraska), 8-0
Semifinals - dec. by #3 Johny Handricks (Oklahoma State), 6-2
Consolation - tech. fall #10 Matt Nagel (Minnesota), 16-0
Third Place - dec. by #1 Troy Letters (Lehigh), 7-5
Finished fourth with a 4-2 record

174 pounds -- Nick Roy
First Round - dec. by #10 E.K. Waldhaus (Oklahoma), 6-1
Consolation - tech. fall Ron Silva (UC Davis), 20-5 (5:11)
Consolation - pinned by #4 Jake Herbert (Northwestern), 4:56
Eliminated with a 1-2 record

184 pounds -- Joshua Weitzel
First Round - dec. by #7 Tyler Baier (Cornell), 3-0
Consolation - dec. by Ron Howard (Cleveland State), 5-2
Eliminated with an 0-2 record

Heavyweight -- #5 Greg Wagner
First Round - major dec. Joe Dennis (Cleveland State), 12-1
Second Round - dec. #12 Dustin Fox (Northwestern), 3-1 OT
Quarterfinals - dec. by #4 Pat DeGain (Indiana), 4-2
Consolation - major dec. Jake Hager (Oklahoma), 11-2
Consolation - dec. Bill Stouffer (Central Michigan), 6-5
Consolation - dec. #3 Cain Velasquex (Arizona State), 4-1
Third Place - dec. by #4 Pat DeGain (Indiana), 5-3 OT
Finished fourth with a 4-2 record

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