Michigan
Eastern Michigan Open
Five Wolverines Claim Championships at Eastern Michigan Open
11/6/2010 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Nov. 6, 2010
Site: Ypsilanti, Mich. (Bowen Field House)
Event: Eastern Michigan Open
U-M Finish: No Team Scoring
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Nov. 13 -- at Michigan State Open (East Lansing, Mich.), 2 p.m.
YPSILANTI, Mich. -- Competing unattached in the first competitive appearances of the 2010-11 season, the University of Michigan wrestling team had five members capture individual titles and placed 14 among the top six of their respective weight classes on Saturday (Nov. 7) at the Eastern Michigan Open, held at EMU's Bowen Field House.
Sophomore Sean Boyle (Lowell, Mass./Blair Academy), senior/junior Kellen Russell (High Bridge, N.J./Blair Academy) and fifth-year senior Anthony Biondo (Clinton Twp., Mich./Chippewa Valley HS) captured titles at 125, 141 and 197 pounds, respectively, while freshman Jake Salazar (Midway City, Utah/Wasatch HS) and sophomore/freshman Brandon Zeerip (Fremont, Mich./Hesperia HS) won at 149 and 157 pounds, respectively, in the freshman/sophomore division. The five individual champions represent Michigan's best showing the EMU event since crowing seven in 2001.
Boyle posted a 4-0 record en route to his first collegiate tournament title, earning a decisive major decision in his first bout before settling on closer margins in his subsequent matches. He knocked off three opponents from Central Michigan, including Christian Cullinan in the final, where he used a pair of first-period takedowns and a third-place reversal to secure a 6-4 decision. Boyle also defeated presumptive CMU starter Kyle Waldo 4-3 in the quarterfinals, rallying from an early deficit with snap down and go behind for the winning takedown in the third period.
Russell, a 2009 All-American and two-time Big Ten champion, cruised through the field at 141 pounds, outscoring his opposition 22-2 with perfect 3-0 record. The Wolverine captain defeated Eastern Michigan's Mike LeHolm 6-0 in the final, scoring on takedowns in the first and third periods to control throughout. Russell struggled to keep the Eagle wrestler in the circle, missing on several shots on the edge, but added 1:16 in time advantage to cap the decision.
Biondo, who claimed EMU runner-up honors last season, also went 3-0 to claim the individual title at 197 pounds. After cruising to dominate bonus wins in his earlier two matches, Biondo needed extra time to get by Michigan State's Tyler Dickenson in the championship bout. He twice had a cradle locked up in the third period but could not get Dickenson to his back, and the Spartan wrestler subsequently reversed the position at the buzzer to knot the score at regulation. Biondo shot deep on a double leg late in the overtime and after some maneuvering, earned the points -- and the 4-2 decision -- with 10 remaining on the score clock.
Salazar and Zeerip posted similar 5-0 records in their collegiate debuts in the freshman/sophomore division, winning back-to-back titles on adjacent mats. Salazar earned a pair of falls for his effort, including a quick first-period pin against Manchester's Cam Brady in the 149-pound final, where he used a whip over to direct Brady straight to his back and end the bout at 1:10. Zeerip secured a fall himself in the quarterfinals but battled to a 3-1 overtime win against Michigan State's Sean McMurray in the 157-pound final, using a single-leg shot and persevering through the ensuing scramble to earn the points late in the extra frame.
The Wolverines had three additional finalists, including sophomore/freshman Dan Yates (Hesperia, Mich./Hesperia HS) and senior/junior Justin Zeerip (Fremont, Mich./Hesperia HS) in the open division. Yates posted a 3-1 record, earning a tough quarterfinal decision over Virginia's Nick Sulzer on a third-period takedown, but he could not recover from a slow start in the championship match, falling to Cleveland State's Robbie Michaels, 10-8. Zeerip sacrificed an early advantage in the subsequent match at 174 pounds, giving up late takedowns in the third period and overtime frame to fall 7-5 to Lindenwood's Chris Chionuma.
Michigan will return to action next Saturday (Nov. 13) at the annual Michigan State Open in East Lansing, Mich. Action is slated for a 9 a.m. start at Jenison Field House, and all U-M participants will compete attached. The Wolverines kick off dual-meet competition on Sunday (Nov. 14) with a 2 p.m. non-conference slate against Pittsburgh at Cliff Keen Arena.
Michigan Results
FRESHMAN/SOPHOMORE DIVISION
125 - Grant Pizzo
Pigtails - dec. Jared Snyder (Manchester), 7-1
First Round - tech. fall Terrance Jimerson (Lindenwood), 19-4
Quarterfinals - dec. Chris Lyon (Michigan State), 6-0
Semifinals - dec. by Myron Bradbury (Lindsey Wilson), 1-0
Consolations - dec. Brian St. James (Indiana), 10-8 SV
Third Place - dec. Brennan Lyon (Michigan State), 8-2
Finished in third place with a 5-1 record
133 - Zebulon Hilyard
First Round - pinned by Nick Flannery (Cleveland State), 3:22
Consolations - dec. by Leon Shannon (Notre Dame), 7-2
Eliminated with a 0-2 record
141 - Tommy Brosnahan
First Round - pinned Jeremy Hicks (Manchester), 4:13
Second Round - tech. fall by Sean Turner (unattached), 21-5
Consolations - dec. Jeremy Ward (Olivet), 13-12
Consolations - dec. by Jacob James (Lindenwood), 8-4
Eliminated with a 2-2 record
141 - John Evashevski
First Round - dec. by Dakota Cooley (Central Michigan), 4-1
Consolations - dec. by Luke Faultersack (unattached), 5-3
Eliminated with a 0-2 record
141 - Donnie Watkins
Pigtails - tech. fall Luke Faultersack (unattached), 16-0
First Round - dec. Jacob Janes (Lindenwood), 10-7
Second Round - major dec. Cody Fellers (Mount St. Joseph), 12-1
Quarterfinals - major dec. Alex Lopez (Cleveland State), 13-0
Semifinals - dec. Derrick Weller (Lindenwood), 4-3
Final - dec. by Ryan Neiman (Indiana), 6-2
Finished in second place with a 5-1 record
149 - Jake Salazar
Pigtails - pinned Tim Streit (Oakland), 1:04
First Round - dec. Jared Porter (Central Michigan), 4-2 SV
Second Round - major dec. Eliah Golding (Brockport), 13-4
Quarterfinals - dec. Brandon Sommers (Cleveland State), 7-4
Semifinals - dec. Frankie Porras (Purdue), 5-3
Finals - pinned Cam Brady (Manchester), 1:10
Finished as the 149-pound champion with a 5-0 record
149 - Matt Lyon
First Round - major dec. Austin Dingledine (Grand Valley State), 10-0
Second Round - dec. by Brandon Sommers (Cleveland State), 8-1
Consolations - dec. by Joe Conrad (Mount St. Joseph), 7-3
Eliminated with a 1-2 record
149 - Ameer Al-Gharib
First Round - dec. by Frankie Porras (Purdue), 4-1
Consolations - injury default by Jaylyn Bohl (Eastern Michigan), 3:31
Eliminated with a 0-2 record
149 - Tanner Zych
Pigtails - dec. Ian Wagner (Brockport), 9-6
First Round - major dec. Jordan Deady (Ashland), 9-0
Second Round - dec. by Brian Hittle (Oakland), 5-3
Consolations - major dec. by Dyalan Marriott (Northwestern), 12-2
Eliminated with a 2-2 record
149 - Collin Zeerip
Pigtails - pinned Daylan Marriott (Northwestern), 3:27
First Round - pinned David Bolger (Tiffin), 4:11
Second Round - dec. Luke Gillespe (Oakland), 8-3
Quarterfinals - dec. by Cam Brady (Manchester), 5-2
Consolations - dec. by Eliah Golding (Brockport), 4-0
Eliminated with a 3-2 record
157 - Brandon Zeerip
Pigtails - major dec. Matt Donahoe (Cleveland State), 16-3
First Round - dec. Brent Winekoff (Eastern Michigan), 8-1
Quarterfinals - pinned Chandler Pogue (Manchester), 1:00
Semifinals - dec. Troy Lamson (Michigan State), 7-2
Final - dec. Sean McMurray (Michigan State), 3-1 SV
Finished as the 157-pound champion with a 5-0 record
157 - Michael Carpenter
Pigtails - pinned by Sean McMurray (Michigan State), 2:36
Consolations - pinned by Eric Telford (Muskegon C.C.), 5:50
Eliminated with a 0-2 record
184 - Jonathan Beck
Pigtails - dec. Travis Ostrowski (Notre Dame), 11-4
First Round - major dec. J.J. Hrabak (unattached), 12-3
Quarterfinals - dec. Garrett Johnston (Oakland), 2-0
Semifinals - pinned by Khodar Hoballah (Eastern Michigan), 4:13
Consolations - dec. by John Rizgallah (Michigan State), 5-3
Fifth Place - dec. Garrett Johnston (Oakland), 6-1
Finished in fifth place with a 4-2 record
184 - Matt Hart
First Round - major dec. Ray Canale (Ashland), 11-2
Quarterfinals - pinned by Brandon Atwood (Purdue), 1:48
Consolations - dec. by John Rizgallah (Michigan State), 8-4
Eliminated with a 1-2 record
197 - Max Huntley
First Round - injury def. by Jacob Bradford (Lindsey Wilson), 3:47
Withdrew with a 0-1 record
Hwt - Jordan Smith
Pigtails - dec. by Andrew Tumlin (Findlay), 8-2
Consolations - pinned Logan Renas (Olivet), 2:35
Consolations - dec. by Julian Smith (McKendree), 6-2
Eliminated with a 1-2 record
OPEN DIVISION
125 - Sean Boyle
First Round - Bye
Second Round - major dec. Chad Deno (Central Michigan), 11-2
Quarterfinals - dec. Kyle Waldo (Central Michigan), 4-3
Semifinals - dec. Aaron Kalil (Navy), 4-2
Final - dec. Christian Cullinan (Central Michigan), 6-4
Finished as the 125-pound champion with a 4-0 record
125 - Pete Rendina
First Round - dec. by Ben Sergent (Findlay), 6-1
Consolations - major dec. by Joe Roth (Central Michigan), 14-3
Eliminated with a 0-2 record
133 - Zac Stevens
First Round - Bye
Quarterfinals - major dec. Jan Ulinski (Findlay), 15-3
Semifinals - pinned by Filiberto Colon (Eastern Michigan), 3:47
Consolations - pinned Nick Lawrence (Purdue), 2:43
Third Place - dec. Andrew Novak (Eastern Michigan), 5-1
Finished in third place with a 3-1 record
141 - Kellen Russell
First Round - Bye
Quarterfinals - dec. Seth Schaner (Eastern Michigan), 7-1
Semifinals - major dec. Scott Mattingly (Central Michigan), 9-1
Final - dec. Mike LeHolm (Eastern Michigan), 6-0
Finished as the 141-pound champion with a 3-0 record
149 - Mark Weber
First Round - dec. Zach Basich (Navy), 3-1
Quarterfinals - dec. by Jeremy Espinoza (Findlay), 4-2
Consolations - major dec. Andy Shoultz (Cumberland), 11-2
Consolations - dec. by Eric Filipowicz (Navy), 6-4
Eliminated with a 2-2 record
157 - Aaron Hynes
First Round - dec. Tom Rispoli (Brockport), 8-1
Quarterfinals - dec. Phil Kozein (Michigan State), 3-1
Semifinals - dec. by Aaron Sulzer (Eastern Michigan), 6-3
Consolations - tech. fall by Pierce Harger (Northwestern), 16-0
Fifth Place - dec. Zack Cline (Central Michigan), 8-4
Finished in fifth place with a 3-2 record
157 - Mark Boyer
First Round - dec. by Alex Kluge (McKendree), 6-5
Consolations - dec. by Donald Woods (Lindenwood), 4-2 SV2
Eliminated with a 0-2 record
165 - Dan Yates
First Round - dec. Drae Cox (Lindenwood), 6-1
Quarterfinals - dec. Nick Sulzer (Virginia), 4-3
Semifinals - dec. Bobby Barnhisel (Navy), 7-1
Final - dec. by Robbie Michaels (Cleveland State), 10-8
Finished in second place with a 3-1 record
174 - Justin Zeerip
First Round - Bye
Quarterfinals - dec. Matt DeMichael (Navy), 2-1
Semifinals - pinned Oscar Huntley (Navy), 2:23
Final - dec. by Chris Chionuma (Lindenwood), 7-5 SV
Finished in second place with a 2-1 record
184 - Hunter Collins
First Round - Bye
Quarterfinals - dec. by Lee Munster (Northwestern), 10-4
Consolations - major dec. C.D. Johnson (Southwest Minnesota State), 12-1
Consolations - major dec. by Kyle Reid (McKendree), 11-1
Fifth Place - pinned by Tanner Wolf (McKendree), 0:22
Finished in sixth place with a 1-3 record
197 - Anthony Biondo
First Round - Bye
Quarterfinals - pinned Travis Stanback (Eastern Michigan), 4:27
Semifinals - major dec. Craig Kelliher (Central Michigan), 10-1
Final - dec. Tyler Dickenson (Michigan State), 4-2 SV
Finished as the 197-pound champion with a 3-0 record
Hwt - Chad Bleske
First Round - Bye
Quarterfinals - pinned Hassan El-Sayed (unattached), 4:51
Semifinals - dec. by Steve Andrus (Michigan State), 4-3 TB2
Consolations - dec. by Mike McMullan (Northwestern), 6-4
Fifth Place - major dec. Steven Butler (Lindenwood), 15-7
Finished in fifth place with a 2-2 record
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
