Central Michigan University Athletics
CMU Unbeaten in Opening Session of NCAA Wrestling Championships
3/20/2008 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
ST. LOUIS Central Michigan University’s nine individuals combined for a perfect 11-0 record in the opening session of the 2008 NCAA Wrestling Championships Thursday afternoon.
With one session complete, the Chippewas are second in the team standings with 18 points. All nine Chippewas will compete in the second round of the championship bracket Thursday night; CMU’s nine individuals alive in the championship bracket are tied with Iowa State for the most of any team in the tournament. The Chippewas are the only team with more than two qualifiers to go through the first round unbeaten.
Iowa leads the team standings with 19 points. Rounding out the top five are CMU, Iowa State, Minnesota and Nebraska.
Both Luke Smith (125 pounds) and Bubba Gritter (heavyweight) began the day with victories in first round pigtail matches. Smith opened the tournament with a 2-1 decision over Virginia’s Ross Gitomer; Smith scored an escape to open the second period and rode out Gitomer in the third.
Smith followed that victory with a 4-3 overtime decision over Iowa State’s Tyler Clark in the first round. A Clark escape in the closing seconds sent the match to overtime tied 3-3. The pair was scoreless in the first sudden victory period, and Smith rode out Clark in the first 30-second tiebreaker. Clark appeared set to ride Smith out in the second 30-second tiebreaker period, but Smith escaped just before the whistle for the 4-3 victory.
Gritter scored an escape and a takedown in the second period en route to a 5-1 decision over North Carolina’s Justin Dobies in their pigtail match.
Conor Beebe opened first-round action at 133 pounds with an upset of No. 9 seed Zach Tanelli (Wisconsin), 7-6. Beebe scored a takedown in the final seconds of the second period to take a 4-2 lead into the third period. He started the third period in the top position, but Tanelli escaped and scored a takedown in the opening minute of the period to assume a 5-4 lead. Beebe escaped to tie the score, then scored the decisive takedown on the edge of the mat with just two seconds left in the period. Beebe managed to keep his toes inside the circle while taking down Tanelli, and an official review determined that the takedown had occurred prior to the final whistle.
Brandon Carter recorded his first career victory at the NCAA Championships with a 5-3 decision over No. 10 seed Scott Ervin (Appalachian State) at 149 pounds. Carter scored a pair of takedowns in the victory.
Steve Brown was victorious in his NCAA Championships debut, earning a 5-4 decision over Army’s Christian Snook at 157 pounds. Brown trailed 1-0 before scoring a reversal and three-point nearfall combo with 30 seconds left in the third period.
Trevor Stewart followed Brown with a victory in his own national tournament debut. A takedown with 40 seconds remaining was the difference in Stewart’s 4-2 decision over Illinois’ Roger Smith-Bergsrud.
Brandon Sinnott advanced to the second round with a 5-1 decision over UC-Davis’ Tyler Bernacchi at 174 pounds. Sinnott scored takedowns in each of the first two periods in the win.
A first-period takedown and third-period escape were enough for Christian Sinnott to advance at 184 pounds. He and Army’s Scott Ferguson were tied, 2-2, entering the third period. Sinnott started in the bottom position and scored an escape for the decisive point in a 3-2 victory.
Wynn Michalak picked up bonus points for the Chippewas at 197 pounds, posting a 12-2 major decision over Fullerton’s John Drake. Michalak tallied five takedowns in the victory.
Bubba Gritter capped the session with a pin of Army’s Nathan Thobaben. Gritter had scored three takedowns and was leading 7-1 when he recorded the fall at the 4:18 mark.
Thursday’s second session of competition begins at 6:30 p.m. CDT.
COMPLETE CENTRAL MICHIGAN RESULTS
Luke Smith 125 pounds
Pigtail First Round: W, dec. Ross Gitomer (Virginia), 2-1
First Round: W, dec. Tyler Clark (Iowa State), 4-3 TB1
Second Round: No. 2 Jayson Ness (Minnesota)
Conor Beebe 133 pounds
First Round: W, dec. No. 9 Zach Tanelli (Wisconsin), 7-6
Second Round: No. 8 Mack Reiter (Minnesota)
Brandon Carter 149 pounds
First Round: W, dec. No. 10 Scott Ervin (Appalachian State), 5-3
Second Round: No. 7 Darrion Caldwell (North Carolina State)
Steve Brown 157 pounds
First Round: W, dec. Christian Snook (Army), 5-3
Second Round: No. 3 Dan Vallimont (Penn State)
No. 9 Trevor Stewart 165 pounds
First Round: W, dec. Roger Smith-Bergsrud (Illinois), 4-2
Second Round: No. 8 Moza Fay (Northern Iowa)
No. 5 Brandon Sinnott 174 pounds
First Round: W, dec. Tyler Bernacchi (UC Davis), 5-1
Second Round: Duke Burk (Northern Illinois)
No. 4 Christian Sinnott 184 pounds
First Round: W, dec. Scott Ferguson (Army), 3-2
Second Round: Trevor Brandvold (Wisconsin)
No. 4 Wynn Michalak 197 pounds
First Round: W, maj. dec. John Drake (Cal State Fullerton), 12-2
Second Round: Cayle Byers (George Mason)
No. 8 Bubba Gritter 285 pounds
Pigtail First Round: W, dec. Justin Dobies (North Carolina), 5-1
First Round: W, pin Nathan Thobaben (Army) at 4:18
Second Round: No. 9 Jermail Porter (Kent State)
With one session complete, the Chippewas are second in the team standings with 18 points. All nine Chippewas will compete in the second round of the championship bracket Thursday night; CMU’s nine individuals alive in the championship bracket are tied with Iowa State for the most of any team in the tournament. The Chippewas are the only team with more than two qualifiers to go through the first round unbeaten.
Iowa leads the team standings with 19 points. Rounding out the top five are CMU, Iowa State, Minnesota and Nebraska.
Both Luke Smith (125 pounds) and Bubba Gritter (heavyweight) began the day with victories in first round pigtail matches. Smith opened the tournament with a 2-1 decision over Virginia’s Ross Gitomer; Smith scored an escape to open the second period and rode out Gitomer in the third.
Smith followed that victory with a 4-3 overtime decision over Iowa State’s Tyler Clark in the first round. A Clark escape in the closing seconds sent the match to overtime tied 3-3. The pair was scoreless in the first sudden victory period, and Smith rode out Clark in the first 30-second tiebreaker. Clark appeared set to ride Smith out in the second 30-second tiebreaker period, but Smith escaped just before the whistle for the 4-3 victory.
Gritter scored an escape and a takedown in the second period en route to a 5-1 decision over North Carolina’s Justin Dobies in their pigtail match.
Conor Beebe opened first-round action at 133 pounds with an upset of No. 9 seed Zach Tanelli (Wisconsin), 7-6. Beebe scored a takedown in the final seconds of the second period to take a 4-2 lead into the third period. He started the third period in the top position, but Tanelli escaped and scored a takedown in the opening minute of the period to assume a 5-4 lead. Beebe escaped to tie the score, then scored the decisive takedown on the edge of the mat with just two seconds left in the period. Beebe managed to keep his toes inside the circle while taking down Tanelli, and an official review determined that the takedown had occurred prior to the final whistle.
Brandon Carter recorded his first career victory at the NCAA Championships with a 5-3 decision over No. 10 seed Scott Ervin (Appalachian State) at 149 pounds. Carter scored a pair of takedowns in the victory.
Steve Brown was victorious in his NCAA Championships debut, earning a 5-4 decision over Army’s Christian Snook at 157 pounds. Brown trailed 1-0 before scoring a reversal and three-point nearfall combo with 30 seconds left in the third period.
Trevor Stewart followed Brown with a victory in his own national tournament debut. A takedown with 40 seconds remaining was the difference in Stewart’s 4-2 decision over Illinois’ Roger Smith-Bergsrud.
Brandon Sinnott advanced to the second round with a 5-1 decision over UC-Davis’ Tyler Bernacchi at 174 pounds. Sinnott scored takedowns in each of the first two periods in the win.
A first-period takedown and third-period escape were enough for Christian Sinnott to advance at 184 pounds. He and Army’s Scott Ferguson were tied, 2-2, entering the third period. Sinnott started in the bottom position and scored an escape for the decisive point in a 3-2 victory.
Wynn Michalak picked up bonus points for the Chippewas at 197 pounds, posting a 12-2 major decision over Fullerton’s John Drake. Michalak tallied five takedowns in the victory.
Bubba Gritter capped the session with a pin of Army’s Nathan Thobaben. Gritter had scored three takedowns and was leading 7-1 when he recorded the fall at the 4:18 mark.
Thursday’s second session of competition begins at 6:30 p.m. CDT.
COMPLETE CENTRAL MICHIGAN RESULTS
Luke Smith 125 pounds
Pigtail First Round: W, dec. Ross Gitomer (Virginia), 2-1
First Round: W, dec. Tyler Clark (Iowa State), 4-3 TB1
Second Round: No. 2 Jayson Ness (Minnesota)
Conor Beebe 133 pounds
First Round: W, dec. No. 9 Zach Tanelli (Wisconsin), 7-6
Second Round: No. 8 Mack Reiter (Minnesota)
Brandon Carter 149 pounds
First Round: W, dec. No. 10 Scott Ervin (Appalachian State), 5-3
Second Round: No. 7 Darrion Caldwell (North Carolina State)
Steve Brown 157 pounds
First Round: W, dec. Christian Snook (Army), 5-3
Second Round: No. 3 Dan Vallimont (Penn State)
No. 9 Trevor Stewart 165 pounds
First Round: W, dec. Roger Smith-Bergsrud (Illinois), 4-2
Second Round: No. 8 Moza Fay (Northern Iowa)
No. 5 Brandon Sinnott 174 pounds
First Round: W, dec. Tyler Bernacchi (UC Davis), 5-1
Second Round: Duke Burk (Northern Illinois)
No. 4 Christian Sinnott 184 pounds
First Round: W, dec. Scott Ferguson (Army), 3-2
Second Round: Trevor Brandvold (Wisconsin)
No. 4 Wynn Michalak 197 pounds
First Round: W, maj. dec. John Drake (Cal State Fullerton), 12-2
Second Round: Cayle Byers (George Mason)
No. 8 Bubba Gritter 285 pounds
Pigtail First Round: W, dec. Justin Dobies (North Carolina), 5-1
First Round: W, pin Nathan Thobaben (Army) at 4:18
Second Round: No. 9 Jermail Porter (Kent State)
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