Central Michigan University Athletics
Sunday, November 11
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
2 p.m.
Central Michigan University
12
vs
32
Michigan
Photo by: Allissa Rusco
Chippewas Show Potential In Dual Loss To 5th-Ranked Michigan
11/11/2018 5:54:00 PM | Wrestling
Hildebrandt, Parks, Stencel notch victories for CMU
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – On the surface, it was a loss to the fifth-ranked team in the country.
Looking deeper, there were plenty of encouraging signs for the Central Michigan wrestling team on Sunday as it dropped its opening dual of the season to Michigan, 32-12, at McGuirk Arena.
"We have a lot of growing to do, this team," longtime CMU coach Tom Borrelli said. "I think the potential's there to grow a lot. Michigan has a pretty good team and I think this is a good place for us to start.
"Sometimes you have to know how high the mountain is before you can really know how hard you have to work to get there."
The Chippewas, with just two upperclassmen in the lineup, got victories from Drew Hildebrandt (125 pounds), Logan Parks (157) and Matt Stencel (285).
Michigan, which featured a lineup loaded with returning NCAA Championships qualifiers and All-Americans, won seven matches, three of them by pin and two by major decision.
"We're really, really young, we're really raw," Borrelli said. "Most of these guys are capable, but they spent the majority of the time wrestling in open and unattached events last year, so they weren't wrestling kids that were NCAA All-Americans, starters on good teams. That's what today was about a little bit."
GOOD START
Hildebrandt, a sophomore, opened the dual with an 8-4 victory over Drew Mattin. It was Hildebrant's first collegiate victory in five tries over Mattin, an NCAA qualifier in 2017.
"The first time they wrestled a couple years ago, it was 11-0 and it didn't go Drew Hildebrandt's way," Borrelli said.
Mattin is ranked 13th nationally by InterMat.
"It should help (Hildebrandt) tremendously," Borrelli said. "Those are signature wins as far as getting yourself in the rankings, so you can get to the nationals without having to place in a certain spot in the (Mid-American Conference) Tournament. That takes a lot of pressure off of you, but also now he knows he can beat guys like that."
PARKS BATTLES
In one of most competitive matches of the meet, Parks scored a takedown as time expired in the second overtime to post a dramatic 4-2 victory over Ben Lamantia.
"I was pretty tired," said Parks, a junior. "(Borrelli) was in the corner talking to me and that really helped (and) knowing I had to win no matter what it took. I think at the very end, (Lamantia) needed a takedown to win so he started to open it up more. When he started to open it up that's when I found an opportunity at the leg right there."
STENCEL CLOSES IT OUT
Stencel, a sophomore who is ranked 16th, closed the dual with a first-period pin of Luke Ready. It was Stencel's fourth win of the season. All four have come on pins. He also pinned Ready a week ago at the Michigan State Open.
"Matt's going to have to do that a lot for us this year if we're going to win dual meets," Borrelli said. "A lot of times it's going to come down to him like that and a dual meet's going to be on the line. It's nice to have someone who has a lot of confidence that you can depend on, that you know is a pinner."
TOUGH LINEUP
The Wolverines' three pins came from wrestlers who are ranked nationally: Stevan Micic, who is second at 133; Logan Massa, who is fifth at 165; and Myles Amine, who is third at 174. Micic was the runner-up at 133 and Amine placed third at 174 last March in the NCAA Championships. Massa was third at 165 in the nationals two years ago.
"Disappointed that we got pinned in three or four matches," Borrelli said. "We can't have that happen; we can't give up bonus points if you're going to win dual meets."
ENCOURAGING SIGNS
The Chippewas opened the season last week at the Michigan State Open and will take a break from competition until the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational at the end of November.
"I see our guys really trying to implement and execute the things we're working on in practice," Borrelli said. "After the Michigan State Open we spent a ton of time working on getting off the bottom. I saw a lot of good things with that today.
"We were executing some of the things we've been working in on practice and that we emphasize. If that continues I think we're going to get better from week to week and that's important."
Michigan 32, Central Michigan 12
125: Drew Hildebrandt (C) dec. Drew Mattin, 8-4
133: Stevan Micic (M) pinned Brock Bergelin, 4:00
141: Kanen Storr (M) major dec. Drew Marten, 15-5
149: Malik Amine (M) major dec. Dresden Simon, 10-2
157: Logan Parks (C) dec. Ben Lamantia, 4-2, SV-2
165: Logan Massa (M) pinned Blake Montrie, 4:59
174: Myles Amine (M) pinned Collin Lieber, 4:58
184: Jelani Embree (M) dec. Jordan Atienza, 9-4
197: Jackson Striggow (M) dec. Landon Pelham, 7-4
285: Matt Stencel (C) pinned Luke Ready, 2:12
Looking deeper, there were plenty of encouraging signs for the Central Michigan wrestling team on Sunday as it dropped its opening dual of the season to Michigan, 32-12, at McGuirk Arena.
"We have a lot of growing to do, this team," longtime CMU coach Tom Borrelli said. "I think the potential's there to grow a lot. Michigan has a pretty good team and I think this is a good place for us to start.
"Sometimes you have to know how high the mountain is before you can really know how hard you have to work to get there."
The Chippewas, with just two upperclassmen in the lineup, got victories from Drew Hildebrandt (125 pounds), Logan Parks (157) and Matt Stencel (285).
Michigan, which featured a lineup loaded with returning NCAA Championships qualifiers and All-Americans, won seven matches, three of them by pin and two by major decision.
"We're really, really young, we're really raw," Borrelli said. "Most of these guys are capable, but they spent the majority of the time wrestling in open and unattached events last year, so they weren't wrestling kids that were NCAA All-Americans, starters on good teams. That's what today was about a little bit."
GOOD START
Hildebrandt, a sophomore, opened the dual with an 8-4 victory over Drew Mattin. It was Hildebrant's first collegiate victory in five tries over Mattin, an NCAA qualifier in 2017.
"The first time they wrestled a couple years ago, it was 11-0 and it didn't go Drew Hildebrandt's way," Borrelli said.
Mattin is ranked 13th nationally by InterMat.
"It should help (Hildebrandt) tremendously," Borrelli said. "Those are signature wins as far as getting yourself in the rankings, so you can get to the nationals without having to place in a certain spot in the (Mid-American Conference) Tournament. That takes a lot of pressure off of you, but also now he knows he can beat guys like that."
PARKS BATTLES
In one of most competitive matches of the meet, Parks scored a takedown as time expired in the second overtime to post a dramatic 4-2 victory over Ben Lamantia.
"I was pretty tired," said Parks, a junior. "(Borrelli) was in the corner talking to me and that really helped (and) knowing I had to win no matter what it took. I think at the very end, (Lamantia) needed a takedown to win so he started to open it up more. When he started to open it up that's when I found an opportunity at the leg right there."
STENCEL CLOSES IT OUT
Stencel, a sophomore who is ranked 16th, closed the dual with a first-period pin of Luke Ready. It was Stencel's fourth win of the season. All four have come on pins. He also pinned Ready a week ago at the Michigan State Open.
"Matt's going to have to do that a lot for us this year if we're going to win dual meets," Borrelli said. "A lot of times it's going to come down to him like that and a dual meet's going to be on the line. It's nice to have someone who has a lot of confidence that you can depend on, that you know is a pinner."
TOUGH LINEUP
The Wolverines' three pins came from wrestlers who are ranked nationally: Stevan Micic, who is second at 133; Logan Massa, who is fifth at 165; and Myles Amine, who is third at 174. Micic was the runner-up at 133 and Amine placed third at 174 last March in the NCAA Championships. Massa was third at 165 in the nationals two years ago.
"Disappointed that we got pinned in three or four matches," Borrelli said. "We can't have that happen; we can't give up bonus points if you're going to win dual meets."
ENCOURAGING SIGNS
The Chippewas opened the season last week at the Michigan State Open and will take a break from competition until the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational at the end of November.
"I see our guys really trying to implement and execute the things we're working on in practice," Borrelli said. "After the Michigan State Open we spent a ton of time working on getting off the bottom. I saw a lot of good things with that today.
"We were executing some of the things we've been working in on practice and that we emphasize. If that continues I think we're going to get better from week to week and that's important."
Michigan 32, Central Michigan 12
125: Drew Hildebrandt (C) dec. Drew Mattin, 8-4
133: Stevan Micic (M) pinned Brock Bergelin, 4:00
141: Kanen Storr (M) major dec. Drew Marten, 15-5
149: Malik Amine (M) major dec. Dresden Simon, 10-2
157: Logan Parks (C) dec. Ben Lamantia, 4-2, SV-2
165: Logan Massa (M) pinned Blake Montrie, 4:59
174: Myles Amine (M) pinned Collin Lieber, 4:58
184: Jelani Embree (M) dec. Jordan Atienza, 9-4
197: Jackson Striggow (M) dec. Landon Pelham, 7-4
285: Matt Stencel (C) pinned Luke Ready, 2:12
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