Michigan
Ohio State
Caldwell, Wolverines Beat No. 7 Buckeyes
3/22/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Score: #5 Michigan 359.200, #7 Ohio State 356.250
Record: U-M (7-5)
Next U-M Event: Friday-Saturday, April 4-5 -- State College, Pa. (Rec Hall), 7 p.m.
Complete Results | Photo Gallery
ANN ARBOR , Mich. -- Junior Kent Caldwell(Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Latin) led the No. 5-ranked University of Michigan men's gymnastics team past the No. 7 Ohio State Buckeyes, 359.200-356.250, Saturday (March 22) at Cliff Keen Arena in Michigan's last regular season meet of the season.
Caldwell earned his highest floor routine score of the season with a 15.700 to win the event title. He also tied for fifth on the vault with junior Ralph Rosso(Morganville , N.J. /St. John Vianney) with a 15.650. Caldwell was named the Newt Loken award winner for his outstanding performance on the floor.
The Wolverines came out strong on the floor, earning the four of the top five spots in the event. Junior Jamie Thompson(Lakemont , Ga./Oconee County) earned his highest score of the season on the floor with a 15.650, leading the Wolverine bench to explode with enthusiasm.
On the pommel horse, freshman Chris Cameron(Winter Haven , Fla./Lake Region) earned his career-best with an impressive routine, scoring a 14.900 and the pommel title. Junior/sophomore Ryan McCarthy(Zionsville , Ind. /Community) earned a season-best on the pommel with a 13.950, but the Bucks closed in on Michigan after the second rotation with a combined score of 116.000 to Michigan's 118.900.
Junior/sophomore Phil Goldberg(Ringgold , Ga. /McCallie) earned the Maize and Blue's best score on rings to tie his season best with a 15.400. Ohio State overtook U-M after the third rotation with a combined 179.15 to Michigan's 179.05.
On the fourth rotation, Michigan took to the vault. Senior Dan Rais(Livonia , Mich./Franklin) earned U-M's highest vault score -- his highest all season -- to tie for second place in the meet with a 15.700. The strong showing by the Wolverines put them back on top, 241.600-238.300.
Michigan continued its lead after the fifth rotation. While on the parallel bars, sophomore Mel Santander(Southborough , Mass./Algonquin Regional) and junior Joe Catrambone(Deptford, N.J./Gloucester Catholic) earned Michigan's highest scores with a 14.600 and 15.100, respectively. The sextet of solid performances kept U-M ahead in the meet 299.450-296.600.
On the last rotation, Rais earned a career-best score on the high bar with a 15.000. Catrambone, still ranked No. 1 in the country in the high bar, once again led the Wolverines in the event with a 15.400 and his fourth title this season.
The Wolverines will compete at the Big Ten Championship Friday-Saturday, April 4-5 in State College, Pa. Action begins at 7 p.m.
Team Standings
Team FX PH SR V PB HB Total 1. Michigan 60.050 55.950 63.150 63.150 59.650 58.300 359.200 2. OSU 61.800 57.100 60.050 62.550 57.850 59.750 356.250
U-M Individual Event Scores
FLOOR EXERCISE Kent Caldwell 15.700 (1) Dan Rais 15.050 (5) Ben Baldus-Strauss 14.150 Jamie Thompson 15.650 (2) Chris Cameron 14.500 Thomas Kelley 15.400 (4) POMMEL HORSE Ralph Rosso 13.700 Mel Santander 14.400 (3) Phil Goldberg 13.850 Chris Cameron 14.900 (1) Ryan McCarthy 13.950 (5) Ben Baldus-Strauss 11.800 STILL RINGS Ralph Rosso 15.050 (2) Joe Catrambone 14.300 Phil Goldberg 15.400 (1) Thomas Kelley 14.800 Chris Cameron 14.250 Arren Yoshimura 14.900 (3) VAULT Kent Caldwell 15.650 (t5) Dan Rais 15.700 (2) Ben Baldus-Strauss 15.550 Ralph Rosso 15.650 (t5) Jamie Thompson 15.350 Thomas Kelley 15.150 PARALLEL BARS Ryan McCarthy 13.050 Arren Yoshimura 14.100 Mel Santander 14.400 (5) Joe Catrambone 15.100 (2) Thomas Kelley 13.850 Chris Cameron 14.050 HORIZONTAL BAR Joe Catrambone 15.400 (1) Thomas Kelley 14.450 Mel Santander 14.600 Arren Yoshimura 14.750 (3) Dan Rais 15.000 (2) Ryan McCarthy 14.450
Q U O T E S
Head Coach Kurt Golder
On beating Ohio State... "We've beaten them at Big Tens, NCAA's and even this year at the Windy City Invitational but when you're 0-3 against your biggest rival and going into your senior year, it's very special. They're a very dangerous team. They got banged up early in the year and now they're putting their strongest lineup together and everything is coming together for them."
On how this helps going into Big Tens... "It should give us a lot of confidence. I feel that we had our problems. To me, this is a bit of a hollow victory, it's always great to beat OSU but the question is whether or not we lived up to our capabilities -- we did not. We were far from it."
Junior Kent Caldwell
On his performance... "I think it came from Jamie Thompson's routine. It took my routine up and gave me confidence. It was the coolest feeling ever. I was so proud of him beforehand. It was a perfect setup. I competed my opening pass for the first time -- double twist and double back -- I was really nervous for that."
On how to take the energy from this win into BigTens... "I think we've proved to ourselves that we can win at home and on the road. We're definitely a top team contender. Using that, we've raised our status in the gym -- just go for polish and perfection and keep that excitement up. We're feeling really good about team unity and that's really important. We're right where we need to be to have a good postseason and I am very excited."
Senior Dan Rais
On his performance in his final home meet... "I was very excited to compete. We just wanted to beat Ohio State -- something this class hadn't done in a dual meet. That's the main thing we wanted to do. I feel very relieved that the meet is over and we beat OSU."
On the rivalry with Ohio State... "I've known most of the guys on the Ohio State squad for a long time, that's who I competed against with when I was younger. No matter what, we wanted to beat Ohio State. That was my goal."
Contact: Stacey Schwartz (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
