Central Michigan University Athletics
Three Chippewas Advance at NCAA Championships
3/17/2011 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Photos | NCAA Championships Central
Watch: Session I Highlights
PHILADELPHIA - All three of Central Michigan's seeded wrestlers have advanced to the second round at the NCAA Championships.
Scotti Sentes (133 pounds), Ben Bennett (174) and Jarod Trice (heavyweight) each won first-round matches during the first session of competition at the national tournament. Donnie Corby (149) was defeated in his first-round match and will compete in the consolation bracket Thursday night.
Sentes, the No. 11 seed at 133 pounds, opened the tournament for CMU with a 7-0 decision over West Virginia's Nathan Pennesi. Sentes scored early in each period—takedowns in the first and third, a reversal in the second—and rode Pennesi for 5:05 of the match's seven minutes.
Sentes, who improved to 31-6 on the season, set a new career high for victories with the win over Pennesi. He will meet in the second round No. 6 Tony Ramos (Iowa), who won a pigtail match and a first-round match during Thursday's first session.
Bennett, the No. 6 seed at 174, advanced in the championship bracket with an 8-0 major decision over Alex Caruso (Rutgers). Bennett took control of the bout in the second period, countering a shot by Caruso and adding two back points for a 5-0 lead. Bennett added a second takedown following a neutral start in the third period, then added riding time for the major decision.
In the second round, Bennett will face Michigan State's Curran Jacobs, who upset No. 11 seed Austin Meys (Lehigh) in the first round. Bennett defeated Jacobs, 5-2, during CMU's dual meet victory at Michigan State in January.
Trice, the No. 2 seed at heavyweight, advanced with a 3-1 sudden victory decision over VMI's Josh Wine. The duo traded escapes in regulation, and Trice just missed finishing multiple shots in the third period. After a scramble ina the sudden victory period, Trice grabbed Wine's ankle on the edge of the mat, dragged him back into the circle and fell onto Wine's back for the winning takedown.
Trice will meet Indiana's Ricardo Alcala in the second round Thursday night.
Corby dropped to the consolation bracket at 149 pounds, falling to No. 4 Kyle Dake (Cornell), 9-0. Dake, who won the 141-pound national title last season, scored his second takedown of the match at the final whistle to lock up the major decision.
Corby faces Gardner-Webb's Ryan Medved in the first round of the wrestlebacks Thursday night.
CMU is in a four-way tie for 24th place with seven points following the first session of competition. Penn State, with seven first-round victories, leads the team standings with 20 points. Iowa is second with 18.
Thursday's second session of competition begins at 6:30 p.m.
Michalak Wins All-Star Match: Three-time All-American Wynn Michalak , who was a national finalist at 197 pounds for CMU in 2008, represented the United States in an all-star international dual meet following the first session of the NCAA Championships on Thursday. Michalak defeated Mexico's Israel Silva, 1-0, 0-4, 1-0 in the 96 kg/211.5 pound freestyle bout. Michalak's victory helped Team USA defeat the international all-star squad, 12-10.
Central Michigan Bout-by-Bout Results
133 Pounds - No. 11 Scotti Sentes
First Round: W, dec. Nathan Pennesi (West Virginia), 7-0
Second Round: No. 6 Tony Ramos
149 Pounds - Donnie Corby
First Round: L, maj. dec. No. 4 Kyle Dake (Cornell), 9-0
Consolation First Round: Ryan Medved (Gardner-Webb) or Matt Lester (Oklahoma)
174 Pounds - No. 6 Ben Bennett
First Round: W, maj. dec. Alex Caruso (Rutgers), 8-0
Second Round: Curran Jacobs (Michigan State)
285 Pounds - No. 2 Jarod Trice
First Round: W, dec. Joshua Wine (VMI), 3-1 SV1
Second Round: Ricardo Alcala (Indiana)
