Michigan
Harvard
.jpg&height=300&type=webp)
Michigan Sweeps Opposition at Lone Star Duals
1/5/2008 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Site: South Grand Prairie, Texas (South Grand Prairie Warrior Coliseum)
Score: #7 Michigan 35, Harvard 12; #7 Michigan 43, Columbia 3;
#7 Michigan 32, Appalachian State 9
Records: U-M (10-1), Harvard (0-4), Columbia (0-4), Appalachian State (5-4)
Next U-M Event: Sat-Sun., Jan. 12-13 -- at NWCA National Duals (Cedar Falls, Iowa)
SOUTH GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas -- Headlined by senior/junior Steve Luke (Massillon, Ohio/Perry HS), the No. 7-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team extended its winning streak to nine straight dual-meet competitions after sweeping its opposition at the Lone Star Duals on Saturday (Jan. 5) at the South Grand Prairie Warrior Coliseum. Luke earned three falls and was named Outstanding Wrestler as the Wolverines defeated Harvard (35-12), Columbia (43-3) and Appalachian State (32-9).
The event kicked off with the Wolverines' most competitive and non-traditional contest, in which U-M earned a forfeit victory (141 pounds) and two injury defaults (165 and 184 pounds) en route to a lopsided 35-12 win. Harvard won three of the first five bouts and led the dual -- which only lasted an hour -- by three points at the midway point, but the Maize and Blue rallied with five straight wins at the upper weights to seal it up.
Junior Michael Watts(Riverton, Utah/Riverton HS) gave Michigan the initial lead after the opening weight, using a pair of takedowns and six back points to cruise to an 11-4 decision over Dan Kelly at 125 pounds. The teams split the subsequent bouts and swapped six points as the Crimson's Shay Warren earned a quick pin at 133 pounds -- locking up a cradle on sophomore Chris Diehl's (Burton, Mich./Flint Kearsley HS) single-leg attempt at 1:26 -- before his team forfeited at 141.
After two more, back-to-back Harvard wins, including fifth-ranked J.P O'Connor's narrow 4-3 decision on riding time over fifth-year senior Josh Churella(Northville, Mich./Novi HS), U-M scored six team points in each of its next three matches as fifth-year senior captain Eric Tannenbaum(Naperville, Ill./North HS) and senior/junior captain Tyrel Todd(Bozeman, Mont./Bozeman HS) each accepted injury defaults in the first period at 165 and 184 pounds, respectively, and Luke picked up a first-period fall against Frankie Colletta. Luke, ranked No. 2 at 174 pounds, secured a quick takedown and used an arm bar to turn Colletta for three points before using the same to stick the Crimson wrestler at 2:00.
Sophomore/freshman Anthony Biondo(Clinton Twp., Mich./Chippewa Valley HS) continued his tear at 197 pounds, scoring three takedowns and eight back points en route to a 15-0 technical fall over Jon Butler -- his second of the season. Sophomore/freshman Chad Bleske(Washington, Mich./Romeo HS) iced the Wolverines' victory with a 7-2 decision over Andrew Knapp at heavyweight. Bleske converted on a pair of double-leg takedowns and countered a Knapp shot for another takedowns in the middle frame to control the contest from start to finish.
Michigan was just a match away from shutting out Columbia in its second dual contest of the day, claiming nine individual matches en route to a 43-3 win -- the program's highest point total and largest margin of victory in seven years. Seven Wolverine wrestlers earned bonus points, including Diehl, Churella, Luke and Biondo, who all tallied first-period falls. Diehl and Churella avenged their losses from earlier in the day as each picked up his second fall of the season to prematurely end U-M's matches at 133 and 149 pounds, respectively. Diehl used an arm bar to stick Jerome Greco at the 2:05 mark, while Churella, ranked seventh, turned Anthony Constantino for the fourth time late in the opening frame and came around to the front to seal up his pin at 2:54. Luke's fall -- coming at the 2:42 mark against Travis Creagen -- capped his dominant first period that opened with a five-point move, while Biondo needed even less time, locking up a cradle on an early single-leg shot to roll up Mike Bossetta just 20 seconds into his bout.
Watts opened the dual with a 5-4 decision victory over 17th-ranked Brandon Kinney -- Columbia's lone ranked wrestler -- at 125 pounds. The Lion scored a late takedown in the third period to even the score, but Watts earned an immediate escape to stay ahead by one point. Fifth-year senior Jeff Marsh(Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) and Todd added major decisions at 157 and 184 pounds, respectively, while Tannenbaum earned a dominant 16-1 technical fall at 165. The Wolverine captain, ranked No. 1 at 165 pounds, tallied three takedowns and nine back points to end his match with Joe Kushnerick at the conclusion of the second period.
U-M closed the busy day in strong fashion, rallying from an early deficit with eight individual wins against Mountaineers, including two falls and two major decisions, to win 32-9. Freshman Kellen Russell(High Bridge, N.J./Blair Academy) earned his most convincing win of the day with a first-period pin against Marcus Cox -- the first fall of his collegiate career. The U-M rookie, ranked No. 1 at 141 pounds, scored two takedowns and a three-point near fall to lead 8-3 late in the frame before taking advantage of a scramble on the mat to stack up Cox and pin him at 2:49. With his perfect 3-0 mark at the Lone Star Duals, Russell improved his career record to 18-0. It is the best start for a U-M true freshman in program history.
Luke secured the Wolverines' other pin against Appalachian State, sticking Brett Houghtman at 2:42 to earn three first-period falls in three matches. Luke struck immediately with a fireman's carry, sending Houghtman to his back for a quick five points, and, after using a chicken wing to pick up another three-point near fall, he finished on his third attempt late in the frame. Luke boasts four pins on the season.
Tannenbaum and Todd used a plethora of takedowns to earn major decisions in their matches. Tannenbaum scored five, picked up a pair of stalling points and accumulated 2:26 in riding time to cruise past Tommy Hutchinson 13-2. Tannenbaum improved his record to 16-0 with three wins on the day. Todd, ranked fourth, converted on four takedowns and earned more than three minutes of riding-time advantage to win against Austin Trotman and extend his winning streak to 12.
The Wolverines (10-1, 0-0 Big Ten) will compete in the prestigious Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals on Saturday and Sunday (Jan. 12-13) in Cedar Falls, Iowa. U-M will be one of 16 teams competing in the Division I field. Hosted by the University of Northern Iowa, all matches will be held at the UNI-Dome.
#7 Michigan 35, Harvard 12
(Individual rankings from NWCA/InterMat)
| 125 -- Michael Watts (U-M) dec. Dan Kelly, 11-4 | U-M, 3-0 | |
| 133 -- Shay Warren (Harvard) pinned Chris Diehl, 1:26 | Harvard, 6-3 | |
| 141 -- #1 Kellen Russell (U-M) won by forfeit | U-M, 9-6 | |
| 149 -- #5 J.P. O'Connor (Harvard) dec. #7 Josh Churella, 4-3 | Tie, 9-9 | |
| 157 -- Bobby Latessa (Harvard) dec. #20 Jeff Marsh, 5-3 | Harvard, 12-9 | |
| 165 -- #1 Eric Tannenbaum (U-M) injury def. Matt Button, 2:33 | U-M, 15-9 | |
| 174 -- #2 Steve Luke (U-M) pinned Frankie Colletta, 2:00 | U-M, 21-9 | |
| 184 -- #4 Tyrel Todd (U-M) injury def. Louis Caputo, 1:29 | U-M, 27-9 | |
| 197 -- #15 Anthony Biondo (U-M) tech. fall Jon Butler, 15-0 | U-M, 32-9 | |
| Hwt -- Chad Bleske (U-M) dec. Andrew Knapp, 7-2 | U-M, 35-9 |
#7 Michigan 43, Columbia 3
| 125 -- Michael Watts (U-M) dec. #17 Brandon Kinney, 5-4 | U-M, 3-0 | |
| 133 -- Chris Diehl (U-M) pinned Jerome Greco, 2:05 | U-M, 9-0 | |
| 141 -- #1 Kellen Russell (U-M) dec. Sal Tirico, 9-3 | U-M, 12-0 | |
| 149 -- #7 Josh Churella (U-M) pinned Anthony Constantino, 2:54 | U-M, 18-0 | |
| 157 -- #20 Jeff Marsh (U-M) major dec. Matt Dunn, 8-0 | U-M, 22-0 | |
| 165 -- #1 Eric Tannenbaum (U-M) tech. fall Josh Kushernick, 16-1 | U-M, 27-0 | |
| 174 -- #2 Steve Luke (U-M) pinned Travis Creagen, 2:42 | U-M, 33-0 | |
| 184 -- #4 Tyrel Todd (U-M) major dec. Kenji Porter, 13-1 | U-M, 37-0 | |
| 197 -- #15 Anthony Biondo (U-M) pinned Mike Bossetta, 0:20 | U-M, 43-0 | |
| Hwt -- Ryan Flores (Columbia) dec. Chad Bleske, 2-0 | U-M, 43-3 |
#7 Michigan 32, Appalachian State 9
| 125 -- Frank Celorrio (ASU) pinned Jason Lara, 1:54 | ASU, 6-0 | |
| 133 -- Chris Diehl (U-M) dec. Terreyl Williams, 10-5 | ASU, 6-3 | |
| 141 -- #1 Kellen Russell (U-M) pinned Marcus Cox, 2:49 | U-M, 9-6 | |
| 149 -- #7 Josh Churella (U-M) dec. #13 Dave Ervin, 5-1 | U-M, 12-6 | |
| 157 -- Eddie Hutchinson (ASU) dec. #20 Jeff Marsh, 4-2 | U-M, 12-9 | |
| 165 -- #1 Eric Tannenbaum (U-M) major dec. Tommy Hutchinson, 13-2 | U-M, 16-9 | |
| 174 -- #2 Steve Luke (U-M) pinned Brett Houghton, 2:42 | U-M, 22-9 | |
| 184 -- #4 Tyrel Todd (U-M) major dec. Austin Trotman, 11-2 | U-M, 26-9 | |
| 197 -- #15 Anthony Biondo (U-M) dec. Dylan Temple, 5-0 | U-M, 39-9 | |
| Hwt -- Chad Bleske (U-M) dec. Jared Campbell, 5-0 | U-M, 32-9 |
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
