Michigan
Michigan State Open
Biondo, Yates Headline Wolverines' Effort at MSU Open
11/15/2009 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Nov. 15, 2009
Site: East Lansing, Mich. (Jenison Field House)
Event: MSU Open
U-M Finish: No Team Scoring
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Nov. 22 -- vs. Lehigh (Cliff Keen Arena), 2 p.m.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Senior/junior Anthony Biondo (Clinton Twp., Mich./Chippewa Valley HS) and freshman Dan Yates (Hesperia, Mich./Hesperia HS) captured individual titles to headline the University of Michigan wrestling team's performance at the annual Michigan State Open on Sunday (Nov. 15) at Jenison Field House. The Wolverines boasted six placewinners in their final tuneup for the dual-meet season.
Biondo, improving on his runner-up showing at last weekend's EMU open (Nov. 7), posted a perfect 4-0 record en route to the 197-pound title. The Wolverine junior cruised into the championship round, registering three consecutive first-period falls in a combined 3:46, including a quick 13-second pin against Cleveland State's Gahad Sulieman in the opening round. Squaring off against Purdue's A.J. Kissel -- with whom he split a pair of matches last season -- in the championship round, Biondo took advantage of an early lead to hold on for an 8-6 decision. Biondo struck first with a first-period takedown and reversed Kissel to his back for five points in the second. He gave up a takedown in the third but added a point at match's end for his 1:21 of riding-time advantage.
Yates, who is already 10-1 through two open tournaments, also picked up several big wins to secure the 165-pound title in the freshman/sophomore division. He earned a first-period pin -- his fifth of the season -- against Austin Kunze in the semifinals before knocking off Ohio's Kyle Lang, 6-1, in the championship match. Yates converted on takedowns in the first and second periods and built up nearly three minutes in riding time to cruise to his first collegiate tournament crown.
Sophomore Zac Stevens (Monroe, Mich./Monroe HS) rebounded from a semifinal loss to defending NCAA champion Franklin Gomez of Michigan State to claim third place at 133 pounds with a 3-1 record. Stevens wrestled Gomez close through two periods before the Spartan wrestler used a late takedown and riding time to seal up his 8-3 decision. Stevens struck early in the third-place bout against Appalachian State's Frank Celorrio with a first-period takedown, and the wrestlers traded escapes in the second and third to wrap up a 3-1 decision.
Sophomore Mark Weber (Goodrich, Mich./Goodrich HS) and junior/sophomore Justin Zeerip (Fremont, Mich./Hesperia HS) claimed fourth place at 141 and 174 pounds, respectively, and junior/sophomore Dave Johnson (Jenison, Mich./Jenison HS) took sixth at 157 to round out Michigan's placewinners.
The Wolverines will kick off the dual-meet portion of their 2009-10 schedule against Lehigh next Sunday (Nov. 22). The non-conference meet is slated for a 2 p.m. start at Cliff Keen Arena.
Michigan Results
FRESHMAN/SOPHOMORE DIVISION
125 - Sean Boyle
First Round - dec. Jared Germaine (Eastern Michigan), 7-2
Second Round - dec. Justin Brooks (Indiana), 6-4
Quarterfinals - pinned by Kyle McCrite (Northern Idaho), 2:11
Consolations - dec. Giazzi Segarra (Citadel), 4-1
Consolations - pinned by Jared Germaine (Eastern Michigan), 0:58
Eliminated with a 3-2 record
125 - Grant Pizzo
First Round - dec. Matt Peters (Cleveland State), 5-2
Second Round - dec. Chris Heading (Northern Illinois), 8-6
Quarterfinals - dec. by Kyle Ciccarello (Ohio), 5-3
Consolations - dec. by Justin Brooks (Indiana), 6-0
Eliminated with a 2-2 record
133 - Bret Marsh
First Round - Bye
Second Round - dec. by Ethan Harris (Indianapolis), 3-1
Consolations - dec. by Michael Perez (unattached), 3-1
Eliminated with a 0-2 record
133 - Jake Brown
First Round - Bye
Second Round - dec. by Levi Stace (Michigan State), 4-3
Consolations - dec. Chad Deno (Central Michigan), 5-4
Consolations - major dec. by Ethan Harris (Indianapolis), 14-2
Eliminated with a 1-2 record
141 - Gabe Sheena
First Round - dec. by David Ivashchenko (Citadel), 3-0
Consolations - tech. fall by Matt Smith (Allegan HS), 15-0
Eliminated with an 0-2 record
141 - Ameer Al-Gharib
First Round - dec. Joe Dennis (Cleveland State), 6-2
Second Round - pinned by Malcolm Martin (Hesperia HS), 6:30
Consolations - pinned Michael Hummer (unattached), 7:00
Consolations - major dec. by Kyle Begg (Tiffin), 14-2
Eliminated with a 2-2 record
141 - Pete Rendina
First Round - dec. Gabe Miranda (North Idaho), 8-3
Second Round - pinned by Max Ortega (Indiana), 1:40
Consolations - dec. Nick Harris (North Idaho), 5-1
Eliminated with a 1-2 record
141 - Mike Hillock
First Round - dec. by Seth Schaner (Eastern Michigan), 5-1
Consolations - dec. Adam Fahs (Michigan Xtreme), 10-5
Consolations - dec. Billy Osborne (Central Michigan), 11-4
Consolations - dec. David Ivashchenko (Citadel), 4-1
Consolations - dec. by Max Ortega (Indiana), 7-2
Eliminated with a 3-2 record
149 - Matt Lyon
First Round - Bye
Second Round - pinned Andrew Biebuyck (Unattached), 2:59
Quarterfinals - dec. by Drew Leonard (Kent State), 4-3
Consolations - dec. by Aaron Risch (Williamston), 6-3
Eliminated with a 1-2 record
165 - Dan Yates
First Round - Bye
Quarterfinals - major dec. Johnny Merryman (Tiffin), 11-1
Semifinals - pinned Austin Kunze (unattached), 2:05
Final - dec. Kyle Lang (Ohio), 6-1
Finished as the 165-pound champion with a 3-0 record
184 - Will Lamping
First Round - Bye
Second Round - major dec. by Paul Glover (Appalachian State), 11-2
Consolations - pinned by Austin Pickering (Port Huron Northern), 2:19
Eliminated with an 0-2 record
OPEN DIVISION
133 - Zac Stevens
First Round - Bye
Quarterfinals - dec. Zach Neibert (Northern Illinois), 12-8
Semifinals - dec. by Franklin Gomez (Michigan State), 8-3
Semifinals - dec. Sean Clair (Eastern Michigan), 8-3
Third Place - dec. Frank Celorrio (Appalachian State), 3-1
Finished in third place with a 3-1 record
141 - Mark Weber
First Round - pinned Matt Manuel (Purdue), 2:58
Second Round - dec. Frank Sade (Eastern Michigan), 4-2
Quarterfinals - major dec. Chris Collura (Appalachian State), 10-2
Semifinals - dec. by Germane Lindsey (Ohio University), 5-2
Consolations - dec. Mike Kessler (Appalachian State), 11-7
Third Place - dec. by Danny Monaco (Indiana), 5-1
Finished in fourth place with a 4-2 record
157 - Dave Johnson
First Round - dec. Michael Lybarger (Findlay), 8-2
Quarterfinals - dec. by Clay Tucker (Ohio), 5-0
Consolations - dec. Joe Clothier (Northern Illinois), 9-2
Consolations - pinned Travis Puckett (Appalachian State), 1:48
Consolations - dec. by Corey Carlo (Cleveland State), 7-6
Fifth Place - dec. Ryan Konz (Indiana), 9-2
Finished in sixth place with a 3-3 record
174 - Justin Zeerip
First Round - dec. Derrick Yant (Northern Illinois), 2-0
Quarterfinals - dec. by Peter Capone (Ohio State), 5-4
Consolations - pinned Jordan Yesesky (Findlay), 2:55
Consolations - major dec. Drew Graber (Cleveland State), 8-0
Consolations - dec. Ian Hinton (Michigan State), 2-1
Third Place - dec. by Peter Capone (Ohio State), 3-1
Finished in fourth place with a 4-2 record
184 - Erich Smith
First Round - Bye
Second Round - dec. by Chris Honeycutt (Edinboro), 7-1
Consolations - dec. by Jeff Havelka (Findlay), 5-1
Eliminated with a 0-2 record
184 - Hunter Collins
First Round - dec. Jeff Havelka (Findlay), 8-2
Second Round - major dec. by Celic Bell (North Idaho), 14-6
Consolations - pinned Brian Driscoll (Ohio), 1:55
Consolations - dec. Eric Anderson (Michigan State), 10-6
Consolations - major dec. Craig Kelliher (Central Michigan), 15-4
Consolations - pinned by Dylan Temple (Appalachian State), 0:41
Eliminated with a 4-2 record
197 - Anthony Biondo
First Round - pinned Gahad Sulieman (Cleveland State), 0:13
Quarterfinals - pinned Jeff Beebe (Central Michigan), 1:13
Semifinals - pinned Matt Powless (Indiana), 2:20
Final - dec. A.J Kissel (Purdue), 8-6
Finished as the 197-pound champion with a 4-0 record
Hwt - Eddie Phillips
First Round - Bye
Second Round - dec. by Wes Schroeder (Eastern Michigan), 4-3 SV
Consolations - pinned Cody Ruffer (Findlay), 2:55
Consolations - dec. by Dakota Greenhaw (Northern Illinois), 4-3
Eliminated with a 1-2 record
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
