Michigan
Eastern Michigan Open
Wolverines Boast Two Placewinners at EMU Open
11/4/2007 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
YPSILANTI, Mich. -- The University of Michigan wrestling team kicked off the preseason portion of its 2007-08 schedule with several representatives competing unattached at the Eastern Michigan Open Saturday (Nov. 3). The Wolverines claimed a pair of individuals placewinners, as freshman Justin Zeerip(Fremont, Mich./Hesperia HS) and sophomore/freshman Anthony Biondo(Clinton Twp., Mich./Chippewa Valley HS) finished among the top seven at 165 and 197 pounds, respectively.
Both wrestlers lost their first match of the competition but rallied to complete strong showings. Zeerip -- in his first-ever collegiate event -- posted an impressive 6-2 record en route to a seventh-place finish, outscoring his competition 37-13 with a pair of major decision, two pins and an injury default. After earning five straight wins in the wrestlebacks, Zeerip lost a close 6-3 decision against Michigan State's Rex Kendle, which dropped Zeerip into the seventh-place match. The placing bout was scrapped, however, as the tournament was prematurely ended due to time constraints.
Biondo made his own debut of sorts, appearing in his first competition at 197 pounds -- up two weight classes from last season. He posted a near-perfect 5-1 mark, outscoring his opposition 38-14 -- with two shutout victories -- to claim fifth place. It was the best possible finish for the Wolverine after narrowly losing in the first round to Ohio State's John Weakley 5-4. Biondo secured five straight wins in the consolation bracket, including a decisive 10-4 decision against Central Michigan's Vince Didona in the fifth-place bout.
Several additional Wolverine wrestlers registered strong performances at the EMU event. Junior/sophomore Jordan Sherrod(Portage, Mich./Central HS) recorded a 5-2 mark at 174 pounds, while sophomore/freshmen Mark Beaudry(Pueblo, Colo./South HS), Aaron Hynes(Mt. Morris, Mich./Flint Kearsley HS), Ryan Selley(Linden, Mich./Linden HS) and Chad Bleske(Washington, Mich./Romeo HS) each went 3-2 in the tournament.
Freshmen Jason Lara(Midway City, Calif./Calvary Chapel HS) and Kellen Russell(High Bridge, N.J./Blair Academy) tallied impressive collegiate debuts before they withdrew from the tournament. Lara rallied back from a first-round loss to post a 3-1 record, while Russell won both of his matches, including a dominant 16-1 technical fall against Mount St. Joseph's Dave Harris in his first-ever collegiate bout.
Michigan will continue early-season competition next Sunday (Nov. 11) at the annual Michigan State Open in East Lansing, Mich. U-M participants will again compete unattached.
Michigan Results
125 - Jason Lara
First Round - dec. by Ben Kjar (Utah Valley), 6-4
Consolations - major dec. Michael Donovan (Grand Valley State), 15-2
Consolations - injury def. Michael Watts (Michigan)
Consolations - dec. Josh Chappa (Cumberland), 2-1
Withdrew with a 3-1 record
125 - Michael Watts
First Round - dec. by Brandon Precin (Northwestern), 6-1
Withdrew with an 0-1 record
133 - Mike Sears
First Round - pinned by Joey Breen (Navy), 4:47
Consolations - dec. by Flint Ray (Utah Valley), 5-2
Finished with an 0-2 record
133 - James Shaheen
First Round - major dec. by Matt Pagan (Navy), 12-4
Consolations - dec. by Josh Bellinger (SUNY-Brockport), 5-2
Finished with an 0-2 record
141 - Mark Beaudry
First Round - tech. fall Tom Griffin (Mount St. Joseph), 5:20
Second Round - dec. by Keith Sulzer (Northwestern), 6-0
Consolations - major dec. Ryan Fallot (SUNY-Brockport), 16-3
Consolations - dec. James Kohlberg (Northwestern), 11-6
Consolations - dec. by Ryan Cubberly (Central Michigan), 5-1
Finished with a 3-2 record
141 - Kellen Russell
First Round - tech. fall Dave Harris (Mount St. Joseph), 16-1 (6:00)
Second Round - dec. Antonio Nicholson (Cleveland State), 3-2
Withdrew with a 2-0 record
149 - Phil Shaheen
First Round - dec. by Vince Lahar (Olivet), 8-3
Consolations - major dec. Tom Wechter (Michigan State), 8-0
Consolations - dec. by Ryan Thatcher (Findlay), 6-4
Finished with a 1-2 record
157 - Aaron Hynes
First Round - major dec. Ted Admunsen (Eastern Michigan), 11-1
Second Round - dec. Joe Butcher (Navy), 5-2
Third Round - dec. Vince Coletti (Northwestern), 6-5
Quarterfinals - dec. by Jason Brew (Olivet), 6-4 SV
Consolations - dec. by Sam Patacsil (Purdue), 10-3
Finished with a 3-2 record
157 - Dario Mainella
First Round - injury def. Colton Salazar (Purdue)
Second Round - major dec. Josh Moulton (Eastern Michigan), 11-0
Consolations - dec. by John Fulger (Michigan State), 1-0
Withdrew with a 1-2 record
157 - Braden L'Amoreaux
First Round - tech. fall by Maurice Cox (Eastern Michigan), 4:20
Consolations - dec. by Marc Huff (Central Michigan), 7-2
Finished with an 0-2 record
157 - Dave Johnson
First Round - dec. by Nick Betucci (Purdue), 10-6
Consolations - dec. by Martin Everin (Princeton), 2-1
Finished with an 0-2 record
165 - Justin Zeerip
First Round - dec. by Luke Manuel (Purdue), 2-1
Consolations - pinned Ethan Geppert (unattached), 1:20
Consolations - injury def. Jeremy Bloom (Michigan State)
Consolations - major dec. A.J. Brentzle (Pittsburgh), 13-2
Consolations - major dec. C.D. Johnson (Southwest Minnesota State), 15-2
Consolations - pinned Nate Kmetz (Cleveland State), 1:45
Consolations dec. Frank Battaglia (Northwestern), 5-1
Consolations - dec. by Rex Kendle (Michigan State), 6-3
Finished seventh with a 6-2 record
174 - Jordan Sherrod
First Round - pinned Thurman Gast (unattached), 2:48
Second Round - major dec. by Mike Benefiel (Northwestern), 13-3
Consolations - dec. Richard Goss (Findlay), 11-4
Consolations - pinned Matt Burn (Lindenwood), 4:53
Consolations - pinned Marc Fenwick (Utah Valley), 0:34
Consolations - dec. Eric Van Patten (SUNY-Brockport), 9-3
Consolations - dec. by Chris Gibbs (Shippensburg), 2-0
Finished with a 5-2 record
184 - Ryan Selley
First Round - dec. Chad Craft (Mount St. Joseph), 5-3
Second Round - dec. Derek Cummins (Cleveland State), 6-4
Quarterfinals - dec. by Abe Cross (Michigan State), 2-0
Consolations - dec. by Dave Sullivan (Pittsburgh), 6-1
Finished with a 3-2 record
184 - Erich Smith
First Round - pinned Billy Grove (Mount St. Joseph), 1:15
Consolations - dec. Ben Balogh (Cleveland State), 4-1
Consolations - dec. by Nick Palmieri (Michigan State), 9-3
Consolations - dec. by Keneth Caldwell (Navy), 6-4
Finished with a 2-2 record
197 - Anthony Biondo
First Round - dec. by John Weakley (Ohio State), 5-4
Consolations - dec. Carl Howe (Northwestern), 8-1
Consolations - dec. Eddie Phillips (Michigan), 4-0
Consolations - dec. Robert Johnston (Navy), 6-0
Consolations - dec. Hafeez Qureshi (Central Michigan), 6-4
Fifth Place - dec. Vince Didona (Central Michigan), 10-4
Finished in 5th place with a 5-1 record
197 - Eddie Phillips
First Round - dec. Nicolai Timbs (Michigan State), 6-4
Second Round - dec. by Vince Didano (Central Michigan), 6-5
Consolations - major dec. Alek Hughes (Cleveland State), 15-2
Consolations - dec. by Anthony Biondo (Michigan), 4-0
Finished with a 2-2 record
197 - Cody Waters
First Round - dec. Josh Fox (Findlay), 8-2
Second Round - dec. by Talyor Moyer (Navy), 3-2
Consolations - dec. by Jacob Hale (Ohio State), 8-4
Finished with a 1-2 record
197 - Steven Russell
First Round - dec. by Robert Johnston (Navy), 5-3
Withdrew with an 0-1 record
Hwt - Matt Guhn
First Round - pinned by Eric DiAgosta (Ohio State), 3:30
Consolations - pinned Justin Kuhn (Indiana), 1:16
Consolations - dec. Dan Craig (Lock Haven), 7-6
Withdrew with a 2-1 record
Hwt - Chad Bleske
First Round - dec. by Corey Morrison (Ohio State), 8-4
Consolations - pinned Rob Helton (Indiana), 2:42
Consolations - dec. Wes Schroeder (Eastern Michigan), 4-1
Consolations - dec. Freddie DeRamus (Michigan State), 5-2
Consolations - dec. by Zach Sheaffer (Pittsburgh), 2-0
Finished with a 3-2 record
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
