Michigan
EMU Open (unatt.)
Churella, Luke Lead Wolverines With Titles at EMU Open
11/4/2006 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
CANTON, Mich. -- Competing unattached in their first competitive appearances of the 2006-07 season, members of the University of Michigan wrestling team made their presence felt at the Eastern Michigan Open on Saturday (Nov. 4), capturing two individual titles and placing seven wrestlers among the top six in their respective weight classes.
Held this year at Canton High School, the annual preseason tournament marked the debut of several returning Wolverine starters in their new weight classes. Senior/junior Josh Churella (Northville, Mich./Novi HS) and junior/sophomore Steve Luke (Massillon, Ohio/Perry HS) adjusted comfortably to their new weights, as the U-M pair claimed individual crowns at 149 and 174 pounds, respectively.
Churella, a 2005 All-American at 141 pounds, wasted little time before going on the offensive in his championship match against Navy's John Cox. The Wolverine captain converted a single-leg takedown 20 seconds into the opening frame, and added another midway through the period, along the edge of the mat. Churella scored on two more single-leg attempts, one in each of the remaining periods, to cruise to a 9-2 decision. The win came in Churella's first-career appearance at the EMU Open.
Luke, who climbed two weight classes from his previous starting spot at 157, took a significant advantage in the early moments of his 174-pound final against Navy's Matt Stolpinski with a takedown and immediate suck back for five points. He added another takedown at the buzzer to lead by six points after one frame. The Wolverine sophomore converted on two more takedowns, but also gave up one himself in the closing moments of the match, to miss the major decision, but won by a 13-7 margin.
Churella and Luke were joined in the championship round by another Wolverine pair -- freshman Aaron Hynes (Mt. Morris, Mich./Flint Kearsley HS) and junior/sophomore Tyrel Todd (Bozeman, Mont./Bozeman HS) -- both of whom suffered narrow losses by decision in the 157- and 184-pound finals, respectively.
Hynes, in his collegiate debut, battled through the early competition en route to the 157-pound championship bout, suffering a narrow 5-4 decision against Michigan State's Tony Greathouse. Hynes struck first in the match, fighting to achieve a late first-period takedown. Greathouse, however, rallied in the subsequent frame with a pair of takedowns out of scrambles, stealing away the lead. Hynes nearly came back in the closing seconds of the match, countering a Greathouse single-leg attempt and coming out of the ensuing scramble on top, but ran out of time as the final buzzer sounded.
Squaring off against Northwestern's top-rated Jake Herbert in the 184-pound final, Todd gave up a takedown late in the opening period and a reversal and second takedown in the third, as the Wolverine lost a 6-3 decision. Todd cruised through early-round competition en route to the final, including an 18-8 victory over Ohio State's Jason Cook in the quarterfinals.
Junior/sophomore Casey White (Commerce, Mich./Walled Lake Central HS), fifth-year senior Mark Moos (Lorain, Ohio/St. Edward HS) and senior/junior Jeff Marsh (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS), rallied in the wrestlebacks to earn top-six finishes. White claimed third place at 197 pounds, while Moos and Sulaver took fifth at 125 and 157, respectively.
The Wolverines return to the mat next Friday (Nov. 10) for the annual Maize and Blue Intrasquad, which will determine the team's starting lineup. Matches are slated to begin at 7 p.m. at Cliff Keen Arena.
Michigan Results
125 - Mark Moos
Pigtail Round - dec. by Brandon Precin (Northwestern), 8-4
Consolations - pinned Travis Murphy (Mott C.C.), 0:15
Consolations - tech. fall Bobby Joyce (Northwestern), 5:02
Consolations - tech. fall Josh Belliger (Brockport), 16-1
Consolations - med. forfeit Ben Kjar (Utah State)
Consolations - pinned Eric Gervais (Grand Valley State), 1:22
Fifth Place - dec. Brandon Precin (Northwestern), 8-3
Finished fifth with a 6-1 record
125 - Michael Watts
First Round - dec. Danny Marreale (Lindenwood), 9-5
Second Round - dec. Eric Gervais (Grand Valley State), 5-1
Quarterfinals - pinned by Jonathan Lloyd (Lindenwood), 0:39
Consolations - major dec. by Brandon Precin (Northwestern), 10-2
Eliminated with a 2-2 record
141 - Brad Cusumano
First Round - major dec. by Mike Harley (Cleveland State), 11-0
Consolations - dec. William Amundson (Eastern Michigan), 10-4
Consolations - dec. Nick Leon (Olivet), 4-2
Consolations - dec. Mark Beaudry (Michigan), 2-1
Consolations - dec. by Ryan Cubberly (Central Michigan), 6-2
Eliminated with a 3-2 record
141 - Mark Beaudry
First Round - dec. Tom Wechter (Michigan State), 9-3
Second Round - dec. by Reece Humphrey (Ohio State), 11-4
Consolations - dec. Drew Lesko (Eastern Michigan), 3-2
Consolations - dec. by Brad Cusumano (Michigan), 2-1
Eliminated with a 2-2 record
149 - Josh Churella
First Round - dec. Tyler Grayson (Central Michigan), 5-1
Second Round - dec. Mark Powell (Purdue), 10-3
Quarterfinals - major dec. Nick Fallico (Michigan State), 13-0
Semifinals - dec. Lance Palmer (Ohio State), 3-0
Finals - dec. John Cox (Navy), 9-2
Finished as the 149-pound champion with a 5-0 record
149 - Phil Shaheen
First Round - major dec. by Reece Mariacher (Brockport), 12-4
Consolations - dec. Mitchell Nock (Brockport), 7-5
Consolations - dec. by Sean Dong (Findlay), 7-1
Eliminated with a 1-2 record
157 - Aarons Hynes
First Round - pinned Scott Kaufman (Mott C.C.), 2:33
Second Round - dec. Cory Mancuso (Eastern Michigan), 10-8
Quarterfinals - dec. John Jarred (Navy), 7-5
Semifinals - dec. Justin Jacobs (Navy), 4-2
Final - dec. by Tony Greathouse (Michigan State), 5-4
Finished second with a 4-1 record
157 - Rob Sulaver
First Round - dec. James Tobias (Michigan), 3-0
Second Round - dec. Nick Conklin (Eastern Michigan), 2-1
Quarterfinals - dec. by Chris Vondruska (Ohio State), 4-3
Consolations - dec. Marc Hoff (Central Michigan), 9-2
Consolations - dec. by Jeff Marsh (Michigan), 4-3
Eliminated with a 3-2 record
157 - Jeff Marsh
First Round - pinned Quinn Boyce (Mott C.C.), 1:01
Second Round - dec. Sam Patacil (Purdue), 9-3
Quarterfinals - dec. by Tony Greathouse (Michigan State), 4-3
Consolations - major dec. Cory Mancuso (Eastern Michigan), 11-0
Consolations - dec. Rob Sulaver (Michigan), 4-3
Fifth Place - vs. Rex Kendle (Michigan State), double forfeit
Finished fifth with a 4-1 record
157 - Braden L'Amoreaux
First Round - dec. by Brandon Lozdoski (Northwestern), 5-3
Consolations - pinned James Forsyth (Brockport), 1:24
Consolations - dec. Sam Patacsil (Purdue), 7-3
Consolations - dec. by Rex Kendle (Michigan State), 5-2
Eliminated with a 2-2 record
157 - James Tobias
Pigtail Round - dec. Justin Brandel (Eastern Michigan), 5-2
Second Round - dec. by Rob Sulaver (Michigan), 3-0
Consolations - dec. Russell Correll (Grand Valley State), 4-2
Consolations - dec. by Victer Crenshaw (Cleveland State), 6-1
Eliminated with a 2-2 record
165 - Anthony Biondo
First Round - injury default by Aaron Goebel (Purdue)
Withdrew with a 0-1 record
165 - Mike Milano
First Round - major dec. by Jake Dieffenbach (Lindenwood), 16-7
Consolations - Juston Fraga (Purdue), 4-2
Eliminated with an 0-2 record
174 - Steve Luke
First Round - pinned Josh Lewis (Eastern Michigan), 1:11
Second Round - major dec. Matt Cauley (Lindenwood), 13-4
Quarterfinals - pinned Tom Priesly (Ohio State), 1:41
Semifinals - dec. Kyle Vanderhyde (Olivet), 5-2
Final - dec. Matt Stolpinski (Navy), 13-7
Finished as the 174-pound champion with a 5-0 record
174 - Scott Giffin
First Round - major dec. Greg Jarratt (Olivet), 12-2
Second Round - dec. by John Salter (Lindenwood), 12-8
Consolations - tech. fall Joe McAllister (Olivet), 17-2
Consolations - dec. Jordan Sherrod (Michigan), 3-1
Consolations - dec. Wes Bergman (Ohio State), 6-3
Consolations - dec. by Matt Cauley (Lindenwood), 3-0
Eliminated with a 4-2 record
174 - Jordan Sherrod
First Round - dec. by Kyle Vanderhyde (Olivet), 3-2
Consolations - dec. Greg Goidosik (Michigan State), 2-1
Consolations - dec. by Scott Giffin (Michigan), 3-1
Eliminated with a 1-2 record
184 - Tyrel Todd
First Round - dec. Eric Simaz (Central Michigan), 5-3
Quarterfinals - major dec. Jason Cook (Ohio State), 18-8
Semifinals - dec. Joe Williams (Michigan State), 5-2
Final - dec. by Jake Herbert (Northwestern), 6-3
Finished second with a 3-1 record
184 - Nick Roy
First Round - major dec. Eric Anderson (Michigan State), 17-5
Second Round - dec. Hiram Smith (Findlay), 11-4
Quarterfinals - dec. by Charlie Pienaar (Eastern Michigan), 4-3
Withdrew with a 2-1 record
184 - Ryan Selley
First Round - dec. Jonathan Papp (Michigan), 6-5
Second Round - pinned by Jake Herbert (Northwestern), 1:50
Consolations - dec. Eric Anderson (Michigan State), 3-0
Consolations - major dec. by Eric Simaz (Central Michigan), 13-0
Eliminated with a 2-2 record
184 - Jonathan Papp
First Round - forfeit Tony Donaldson (Findlay)
Second Round - dec. by Ryan Selley (Michigan), 6-5
Consolations - dec. by Cody Reitmierer (Findlay), 6-3
Eliminated with an 1-2 record
197 - Casey White
First Round - tech. fall Theo McGinnis (Mott C.C.), 16-0
Second Round - dec. Kyle Frawley (Lindenwood), 5-1
Quarterfinals - major dec. Steve Spiegeleire (Brockport), 10-0
Semifinals - dec. by Mike Tamillow (Northwestern), 7-2
Third Place - dec. Tony Lyssiotis (Eastern Michigan), 8-2
Finished third with a 4-1 record
197 - Joshua Hartman
First Round - dec. by Benny Balogh (Cleveland State), 5-4
Consolations - dec. by Nickolai Timbs (Ohio State), 4-0
Eliminated with an 0-2 record
197 - Steven Russell
First Round - dec. by Benny Balogh (Cleveland State), 3-1
Consolations - dec. by Josh Fox (Findlay), 3-2
Eliminated with an 0-2 record
197 - Eddie Phillips
First Round - dec. by Nate Moore (Purdue), 7-3
Consolations - dec. by Nickolai Timbs (Ohio State), 3-1
Eliminated with an 0-2 record
Hwt - Omar Maktabi
First Round - dec. David Wade (Eastern Michigan), 3-1
Second Round - dec. by Dustin Fox (Northwestern), 6-2
Consolations - major dec. Andrew Middleton (Olivet), 9-1
Consolations - dec. Travis Clark (Findlay), 4-2
Consolations - dec. by Corey Morrison (Ohio State), 3-1
Eliminated with a 3-2 record
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
