Michigan
Michigan State Open
Apland Runner-up, Bleske Places Third at MSU Open
11/9/2008 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Site: East Lansing, Mich. (Jenison Field House)
Event: Michigan State Open
U-M Team Finish: No Team Scoring
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Nov. 16 -- Maize and Blue Intrasquad (Cliff Keen Arena), 2 p.m.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Competing unattached in their final preseason tune-up prior to the official start of the 2008-09 campaign, 14 University of Michigan wrestlers registered a solid showing at the Michigan State Open on Sunday (Nov. 9) at Jenison Field House. The heavyweights set the tone for the Wolverines as freshman Ben Apland(Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove HS) and junior/sophomore Chad Bleske(Washington, Mich./Romeo HS) turned in top-three performances in the freshman/sophomore and open divisions, respectively.
Apland, who rebounded from a disappointing 0-2 showing in his collegiate debut at last weekend's Eastern Michigan Open (Nov. 1), posted an impressive 4-1 record en route to a second-place finish, outscoring his opposition 40-10 with a pin, technical fall and major decision in the early rounds. After winning four straight to cruise into the championship match, Apland suffered a 5-2 decision loss against Indiana's Nick Cook in his final bout. The Hoosier wrestler countered a pair of Apland shots, including one in the waning seconds of the match, to earn his points.
After suffering a close second-round loss to Old Dominion's Roy Dragon, Bleske reeled off five straight wins in the wrestlebacks to finish in third place. The Wolverine sophomore, who shared U-M's heavyweight starting role last season, accumulated a 6-1 mark to claim third place, his best tournament finish in three seasons for the Maize and Blue. Bleske battled throughout the day with all but one of his matches decided by three points or less, including his 3-2 victory over Franklin & Marshall's Nico Somers in the third-place contest. Trailing by one point after two periods, Bleske earned a quick reversal in the third frame and accumulated riding-time advantage to hold on for the victory.
Several additional Wolverine wrestlers registered strong performances at the MSU event. Freshman Bret Marsh(Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) recorded a 3-2 mark in the 125-pound freshman/sophomore division with a pair of falls, while freshman Joel Vallier(Gladstone, Mich./Gladstone HS), sophomore/freshman Dave Johnson(Jenison, Mich./Jenison HS), senior/junior James Tobias(Manchester, Mich./Manchester HS), freshman Hunter Collins(Gilroy, Calif./Gilroy HS) and junior/sophomore Ryan Selley(Linden, Mich./Linden HS) all went 2-2 in the tournament.
The Wolverines return to the mat next Sunday (Nov. 16) for the annual Maize and Blue Intrasquad, which will determine the team's starting lineup. Matches are slated to begin at 2 p.m. at Cliff Keen Arena.
Michigan Results
FRESHMAN/SOPHOMORE DIVISION
125 - Bret Marsh
First Round - pinned Jon Murray (Grand Valley State), 2:26
Second Round - dec. by Tim Silvers (Ohio), 7-5
Consolations - pinned Evan Cusumano (Olivet), 2:56
Consolations - dec. Robbie Bidlingmaier (Anchor Bay), 6-2
Consolations - dec. by Gabe Ramos (Ohio), 2-0
Eliminated with a 3-2 record
149 - Mark Boyer
First Round - dec. by Chris Harris (Muskegon CC),9-5
Consolations - dec. by Kyle Friedman (Bloomsburg), 8-1
Eliminated with a 0-2 record
197 - Joel Vallier
First Round - dec. Jordon Knox (Manchester), 10-4
Second Round - dec. Chad Friend (Muskegon CC), 11-8
Quarterfinals - pinned by Keith Witt (Kent State), 1:41
Consolations - pinned by Dylan Wrage (Ohio), 1:18
Eliminated with a 2-2 record
Hwt - Ben Apland
First Round - major dec. Joe Kuzmicz (Grand Valley State), 10-1
Second Round - pinned Ben Long (Manchester), 2:03
Quarterfinals - tech fall Paul Rands (Northwestern), 16-1
Semifinals - dec. Matt Clum (Findlay), 12-5
Final - dec. by Nick Cook (Indiana), 5-2
Finished in second place with a 4-1 record
OPEN DIVISION
133 - Mike Sears
First Round - dec. by Mike Mencini (Cleveland State), 4-2 SV
Consolations - dec. by Adam Lynch (Penn State), 9-3
Eliminated with a 0-2 record
149 - Justin Chrzanowski
First Round - dec. by Antonio Nicholson (Cleveland State), 4-2
Consolations - dec. by Donnie Corby (Central Michigan), 8-6
Eliminated with a 0-2 record
149 - Jacob Johnson
First Round - dec. by Marty Gould (Northwestern), 3-1
Consolations - dec. by George Hickman (Bloomsburg), 5-2
Eliminated with a 0-2 record
157 - Dave Johnson
First Round - dec. Pat Riley (Virginia), 4-3
Second Round - pinned Nick Wolf (Olivet), 6:24
Quarterfinals - tech. fall by Matt Moley (Bloomsburg), 19-3
Consolations - major dec. by Kyle Bounds (Michigan State), 12-4
Eliminated with a 2-2 record
157 - James Tobias
First Round - dec. by Clay Tucker (Ohio), 5-1
Consolations - pinned Adam Fitterer (Virginia), 2:57
Consolations - pinned Nick Wolf (Olivet), 1:04
Consolations - major dec. by Michael Lybarger (Findlay), 12-3
Eliminated with a 2-2 record
165 - Cody Waters
First Round - dec. by Dan Artusio (Virginia), 6-4
Consolations - dec. by Michael Sewell (Virginia), 6-4
Eliminated with a 0-2 record
184 - Hunter Collins
First Round - dec. Eric Anderson (Michigan State), 6-1
Second Round - pinned by Jake Herbert (Northwestern), 0:14
Consolations - dec. Brock Mantella (Pittsburgh), 10-4
Consolations - pinned by Derek Foore (Eastern Michigan), 0:58
Eliminated with a 2-2 record
184 - Erich Smith
First Round - Bye
Second Round - dec. by Andy Vaughan (Pittsburgh), 6-3
Consolations - pinned by Seth Parker (Indiana), 5:17
Eliminated with a 0-2 record
197 - Ryan Selley
First Round - dec. by Andy Zalaiskalns (Findlay), 6-0
Consolations - dec. Dan Stevenson (Findlay), 3-1
Consolations - dec. Josh Fox (Findlay), 8-3
Consolations - dec. by A.J. Hunte (Pittsburgh), 5-3
Eliminated with a 2-2 record
Hwt - Chad Bleske
First Round - dec. Ben Kuhar (Northwestern), 4-2
Second Round - dec. by Roy Dragon (Old Dominion), 2-1
Consolations - dec. Pat Walsh (Ohio State), 9-2
Consolations - dec. Wes Schroeder (Eastern Michigan), 2-1
Consolations - dec. Cameron Wade (Penn State), 4-1
Consolations - dec. David Wade (Eastern Michigan), 4-1
Third Place - dec. Nico Somers (Franklin & Marshall), 3-2
Finished in third place with a 6-1 record
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
