Dramatic Win Gives CMU 'Challenge' Title

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – All the sentimentality, all the catching up, all the memories were out the window when it came down to winning time.

Matt Stencel posted a dramatic 2-1 overtime victory in the final match of the day on Sunday, giving the Central Michigan wrestling team a 19-15 victory over Campbell in the Chippewa Challenge at McGuirk Arena.

It capped a perfect 3-0 day for CMU and its legendary coach Tom Borrelli, who squared off with three of his former wrestlers in the quad. Borrelli's Chippewas (5-2) also defeated Cal State Bakersfield and American to run their win streak to four.

American is coached by Jason Borrelli, Tom's son; Campbell is led by Scotti Sentes, and CSU Bakersfield is coached by Luke Smith. All three wrestled for Borrelli, as did Campbell assistant Wynn Michalak. Both CMU assistants, Ben Bennett and Colin Heffernan, are also former Chippewas who wrestled under Borrelli, who is in his 31^st season in charge of the program.

"It's kind of a lifetime of work," Tom Borrelli said of facing teams coached by his protégés. "You're looking at a lifetime of work. What can you say that that means? You know, that's your life."

And Borrelli's current charges delivered when it mattered most in a showdown with the Camels (6-3), who are ranked 25^th nationally and fifth in the mid-major poll. CMU is unranked nationally and is 10^th in the most recent mid-major poll.

"Our guys rose to the occasion," Borrelli said.

The Chippewas won 17 of 20 matches in defeating CSU Bakersfield, 31-6, and then American, 36-3. Campbell downed American, 28-9, and CSU Bakersfield, 30-9.

That set the stage for a nip-and-tuck final between Borrelli's Chippewas and Sentes' Camels.

Campbell won the first two bouts by decision to seize a 6-0 lead. CMU won the next four consecutively, the final two a 13-2 major from Johnny Lovett at 157 pounds and a thrilling 7-5 victory from Tracy Hubbard (165) to take a 13-6 lead.

Hubbard scored a takedown at the buzzer to break a 5-5 tie with Campbell's Troy Nation, who had won his first two matches of the day by pin and technical fall.

The Camels got a decision victory at 174 and then a pin at 184 to pull ahead, 15-13. Aaron Bolo then posted a tight 7-4 win over Chris Kober to put CMU back in front, 16-15.

"We had an unfortunate pin at 184 and Bolo came back and won a big match against a guy who's been ranked nationally," Borrelli said. "That was a big win for him; and a big win for (Hubbard).

"You've got to have performances like that if you're going to be successful."

Stencel, who is ranked ninth nationally, and Campbell's Taye Ghadiali battled to a 1-1 tie through three periods. In overtime, the 25^th-ranked Ghadiali was called for stalling which gave Stencel the victory.

"We'll take the win," Borrelli said. "I thought it was the right call; (Ghadiali) backed out of bounds and (Stencel was) in double under hooks. But you don't like to win that way. You'd like to see your guy go out and get a takedown; go out and really solidify the victory. Matt understands that."

Stencel, Dresden Simon (140), Lovett, Hubbard and Bolo all went 3-0 on the day.

Stencel recorded two pins in the quad and his 3-0 day upped his record to 7-3 with six pins.

Hubbard's first two victories in the event came on major decisions, while Simon posted a tech fall and took a 10-8 win over CSU Bakersfield's Angelo Martinoni, who is ranked 27^th. Bolo also recorded a pin.

ROUND 1
Central Michigan 31, CSU Bakersfield 6
125: Brock Bergelin (C) dec. Eddie Flores, 9-2
133: Vince Perez (C) won by forfeit
141: Dresden Simon (C) dec. Angelo Martinoni, 10-8
149: Josh Brown (CSUB) dec. Mason Breece, 11-5 SV-1
157: Johnny Lovett (C) dec. Brock Rogers, 9-4
165: Tracy Hubbard (C) major dec. Augustine Garcia, 8-0
174: Bret Fedewa (C) dec. Albert Urias, 5-4
184: Jacob Hansen (CSUB) dec. Ben Cushman, 9-3
197: Aaron Bolo (C) dec. Josh Loomer, 7-2
285: Matt Stencel (C) pinned Jacob Sieder, 4:24

Campbell 28, American 9
125: Korbin Meink (C) pinned Max Leete, 2:00
133: Domenic Zaccone (C) major dec. Jack Maida, 13-3
141: Shannon Hanna (C) dec. Ethan Szerencsits, 9-6
149: Patrick Ryan (A) dec. Chris Rivera, 9-4
157: Antonio Segura (A) dec. Matthew Dallara, 5-3 SV-1
165: Troy Nation (C) tech fall Breon Phifer 16-0
174: Austin Murphy (C) dec. Tim Fitzpatrick, 10-7
184: Caleb Hopkins (C) dec. Colin Shannon, 24-6
197: Chris Kober (C) major dec. Carsten Rawls, 12-4
285: Isaac Righter (A) dec. Luke Davis, 8-2

ROUND 2
Central Michigan 36, American 3
125: Sean Spidle (C) dec. Leete, 4-2
133: Ja'Kerion Merritt (C) dec. Andy Fallon, 6-4
141: Simon (C) tech fall Szerencsits, 19-0
149: Corbyn Munson (C) dec. Ryan, 7-2
157: Lovett (C) dec. Segura, 6-2
165: Hubbard (C) major dec. Phifer, 8-0
174: Fedewa (C) dec. Fitzpatrick, 5-3
184: Cushman (C) dec. Shannon, 3-2
197: Bolo (C) pinned Connor Bourne, 1:57
285: Stencel (C) pinned Righter, 1:23

Campbell 30, CSU Bakersfield 9
125: Meink (C) dec. Flores, 7-5 SV-1
133: Zaccone (C) won by forfeit
141: Martinoni (CSUB) pinned Hanna, 4:39
149: Rivera (C) dec. Brown, 8-7
157: Dallara (C) dec. Rogers, 7-2
165: Nation (C) pinned Garcia, 1:58
174: Murphy (C) dec. Urias, 5-3
184: C. Hopkins (C) dec. Hansen, 3-0
197: Loomer (CSUB) dec. L. Hopkins, 3-2
285: Taye Ghadiali (C) dec. Sieder, 8-7

ROUND 3
Central Michigan 19, Campbell 15
125: Meink (Camp) dec. Bergelin, 4-1
133: Zaccone (Camp) dec. Perez, 12-9
141: Simon (CMU) dec. Rivera, 6-1
149: Munson (CMU) dec. Hanna, 6-0
157: Lovett (CMU) major dec. Dallara, 13-2
165: Hubbard (CMU) dec. Nation, 7-5
174: Murphy (Camp) dec. Fedewa, 6-1
184: C. Hopkins (Camp) pinned Cushman, 1:03
197: Bolo (CMU) dec. Kober, 7-4
285: Stencel (CMU) dec. Ghadiali, 2-1 SV-1

CSU Bakersfield 35, American 6
125: Flores (CSUB) dec. Leete, 9-6
133: Maida (A) won by forfeit
141: Martinoni (CSUB) tech fall Szerencsits, 17-0
149: Brown dec. Ryan, 7-5
157: Rogers (CSUB) dec. Segura, 3-1
165: Garcia (CSUB) major dec. Phifer, 8-0
174: Urias (CSUB) dec. Fitzpatrick, 3-2
184: Hansen (CSUB) dec. Shannon, 5-0
197: Loomer (CSUB) tech fall Rawls, 17-0
285: Sieder (CSUB) pinned Righter, 1:09

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Brock Bergelin

Aaron Bolo

Mason Breece

Ben Cushman

Bret Fedewa

Tracy Hubbard

Johnny Lovett

Ja’Kerion Merritt

Corbyn Munson

Vince Perez

Dresden Simon

Sean Spidle

Matt Stencel