Central Michigan University Athletics
Sunday, February 4
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
2 p.m.
Central Michigan University
28
vs
9
Ohio
CMU senior Alex Cramer (right) posted a crucial 4-1 overtime victory on Sunday in CMU's dual-meet win at McGuirk Arena over Ohio.
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Tech Falls, Gritty Wins Key Wrestling Dual Win Over Ohio
2/4/2024 6:07:00 PM | Wrestling
Chippewas score bonus points in three of seven wins in improving to 3-1 in MAC duals
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – An outstanding start, some gritty close wins, and an exclamation point pin.
Central Michigan won seven matches on Sunday in downing Ohio, 28-9, in a Mid-American Conference wrestling dual at McGuirk Arena, improving to 5-6, 3-1 MAC and continuing to build momentum as the regular season hits the home stretch.
"Today was a really good match for us," CMU coach Tom Borrelli said. "We wrestled some quality competition, and we didn't win all of those matches, but we were very, very competitive and won enough of them to win the dual meet.
"Really, we're just trying to improve, every day, (and) get ready for the conference tournament. That's what we're really focused on, being ready at the end of the month and the beginning of March."
The Chippewas, who entertain Buffalo (8-11, 3-2) in a MAC dual on Sunday, Feb. 11, got technical-fall wins from Sean Spidle (125 pounds) and Vince Perez (133) and a decision victory from Jimmy Nugent (141) in building a 13-0 lead over the Bobcats (5-5, 1-3).
"That was huge," Borrelli said. "In a dual meet, momentum's really important."
The start was critical because Ohio's strength is in the middle of its lineup, with nationally ranked wrestlers at 149, 157, 165, 174 and 184.
The Bobcats won by decision at three of those weights on Sunday, but the combination of the early lead, close wins from Corbyn Munson (149) and Alex Cramer (174), and not surrendering bonus points to Ohio in its three victories put the Chippewas over the top.
Munson, who is ranked eighth by the National Wrestling Coaches Association, posted a dramatic 8-7 victory over 28th-ranked Derek Raike at 149 to up the Chippewas' lead to 16-0 before Ohio took wins at 157 and at 165, cutting CMU's advantage to 16-6.
The Bobcats' Peyton Keller, who is ranked 13th, topped 21st-ranked Johnny Lovett, 6-0, at 157. At 165, 12th-ranked Garrett Thompson held on to beat unranked CMU sophomore Tyler Swiderski, 1-0.
Cramer, a senior, stepped up with a big 4-1 overtime victory over Sal Perrine at 174. Cramer, who is ranked first in the MAC and is the defending league champion, took down Perrine with 40 seconds remaining in the extra session, helping the Chippewas reseize momentum and control of the dual.
Perrine is ranked 18th nationally; Cramer is 22nd.
"I've been training really hard, and I was prepared when I got (to overtime)," said Cramer, who has won six consecutive matches and is 18-7 on the season. "I wasn't tired, and I was ready to push myself mentally to go ahead and get the takedown. I think you've just got to have no fear and confidence in yourself and look to score. You've got to go out and take the win at that point."
Cramer's previous five wins in his streak came with bonus points, three major decisions and two tech falls. But none of those opponents was the caliber of Perrine, who finished fourth last season in the MAC Championships and, like Cramer, qualified for the NCAA Championships.
"I don't think my mentality changes too much," Cramer said of facing a higher-ranked opponent. "If anything I get a little more excited, a little more up for those matches just knowing it's going to be a tough opponent. It's fun, it's what I really train for, to test myself … and see how I'm going to perform in stressful situations, in overtime periods. I just get excited for those matches."
After Ohio got a win from 26th-ranked Zayne Lehman at 184 to pull within 19-9, CMU's Cameron Wood (197) overcame 3-1 and 4-3 deficits to post a 7-4 win and up CMU's lead to 22-9 and clinch the dual. It was Wood's (11-11) fourth win in his last five matches.
CMU's Bryan Caves scored a first-period pin to finish of the day. It was Caves' second pin of the season and his first since the Michigan State Open in November. It was his third win in his last four matches as he upped his season mark to 8-11.
"He's really making strides," Borrelli said of Caves, a sophomore. "He's wrestled a lot of really good heavyweights. His record is not indicative of how good he is. He's still making strides, even from last year."
On the whole, it was a very good day for the Chippewas, starting with the tech fall victories by Spidle, his third of the season, and Perez, his first, and continuing with the grind-it-out wins by Nugent, Munson, Cramer and Wood, and then Caves' pin.
Munson's win, in particular, was a highlight. Munson, a graduate student who leads the Chippewas with 21 wins (against four losses), found himself in a 7-5 deficit after a second-period scramble.
Munson and Raike started the third period neutral and Munson got a takedown with 1:26 remaining and then rode out the match for the one-point win as he ran his win streak to seven.
"Corbyn really had to work to come back," Borrelli said. "He's in very, very good condition. He was never in this type of condition before and in the past, I don't know that he would have been able to come back and score when he needed to and then ride the match out.
"He's doing a lot of things right as far as sleep, diet, conditioning, wrestling in practice – he comes into practice with a purpose. All of those things matter."
Central Michigan 28, Ohio 9
125: Sean Spidle (C) tech fall Ryan Meek, 20-3, 6:44, Central Michigan 5, Ohio 0
133: Vince Perez (C) tech fall Malachi O'Leary, 17-1, 4:40, CMU 10, Ohio 0
141: Jimmy Nugent (C) dec. Kaden Jett, 6-3, CMU 13, Ohio 0
149: Corbyn Munson (C) dec. Derek Raike, 8-7, CMU 16, Ohio 0
157: Peyten Kellar (O) dec. Johnny Lovett, 6-0, CMU 16, Ohio 3
165: Garrett Thompson (O) dec. Tyler Swiderski, 1-0, CMU 16, Ohio 6
174: Alex Cramer (C) dec. Sal Perrine, 4-1, SV, CMU 19, Ohio 6
184: Zayne Lehman (O) dec. Adrien Cramer, 5-2, CMU 19, Ohio 9
197: Cameron Wood (C) dec. Austin Starr, 7-4, CMU 22, Ohio 9
285: Bryan Caves (C) pin Jacob Padilla, 2:10, CMU 28, Ohio 9
Central Michigan won seven matches on Sunday in downing Ohio, 28-9, in a Mid-American Conference wrestling dual at McGuirk Arena, improving to 5-6, 3-1 MAC and continuing to build momentum as the regular season hits the home stretch.
"Today was a really good match for us," CMU coach Tom Borrelli said. "We wrestled some quality competition, and we didn't win all of those matches, but we were very, very competitive and won enough of them to win the dual meet.
"Really, we're just trying to improve, every day, (and) get ready for the conference tournament. That's what we're really focused on, being ready at the end of the month and the beginning of March."
The Chippewas, who entertain Buffalo (8-11, 3-2) in a MAC dual on Sunday, Feb. 11, got technical-fall wins from Sean Spidle (125 pounds) and Vince Perez (133) and a decision victory from Jimmy Nugent (141) in building a 13-0 lead over the Bobcats (5-5, 1-3).
"That was huge," Borrelli said. "In a dual meet, momentum's really important."
The start was critical because Ohio's strength is in the middle of its lineup, with nationally ranked wrestlers at 149, 157, 165, 174 and 184.
The Bobcats won by decision at three of those weights on Sunday, but the combination of the early lead, close wins from Corbyn Munson (149) and Alex Cramer (174), and not surrendering bonus points to Ohio in its three victories put the Chippewas over the top.
Munson, who is ranked eighth by the National Wrestling Coaches Association, posted a dramatic 8-7 victory over 28th-ranked Derek Raike at 149 to up the Chippewas' lead to 16-0 before Ohio took wins at 157 and at 165, cutting CMU's advantage to 16-6.
The Bobcats' Peyton Keller, who is ranked 13th, topped 21st-ranked Johnny Lovett, 6-0, at 157. At 165, 12th-ranked Garrett Thompson held on to beat unranked CMU sophomore Tyler Swiderski, 1-0.
Cramer, a senior, stepped up with a big 4-1 overtime victory over Sal Perrine at 174. Cramer, who is ranked first in the MAC and is the defending league champion, took down Perrine with 40 seconds remaining in the extra session, helping the Chippewas reseize momentum and control of the dual.
Perrine is ranked 18th nationally; Cramer is 22nd.
"I've been training really hard, and I was prepared when I got (to overtime)," said Cramer, who has won six consecutive matches and is 18-7 on the season. "I wasn't tired, and I was ready to push myself mentally to go ahead and get the takedown. I think you've just got to have no fear and confidence in yourself and look to score. You've got to go out and take the win at that point."
Cramer's previous five wins in his streak came with bonus points, three major decisions and two tech falls. But none of those opponents was the caliber of Perrine, who finished fourth last season in the MAC Championships and, like Cramer, qualified for the NCAA Championships.
"I don't think my mentality changes too much," Cramer said of facing a higher-ranked opponent. "If anything I get a little more excited, a little more up for those matches just knowing it's going to be a tough opponent. It's fun, it's what I really train for, to test myself … and see how I'm going to perform in stressful situations, in overtime periods. I just get excited for those matches."
After Ohio got a win from 26th-ranked Zayne Lehman at 184 to pull within 19-9, CMU's Cameron Wood (197) overcame 3-1 and 4-3 deficits to post a 7-4 win and up CMU's lead to 22-9 and clinch the dual. It was Wood's (11-11) fourth win in his last five matches.
CMU's Bryan Caves scored a first-period pin to finish of the day. It was Caves' second pin of the season and his first since the Michigan State Open in November. It was his third win in his last four matches as he upped his season mark to 8-11.
"He's really making strides," Borrelli said of Caves, a sophomore. "He's wrestled a lot of really good heavyweights. His record is not indicative of how good he is. He's still making strides, even from last year."
On the whole, it was a very good day for the Chippewas, starting with the tech fall victories by Spidle, his third of the season, and Perez, his first, and continuing with the grind-it-out wins by Nugent, Munson, Cramer and Wood, and then Caves' pin.
Munson's win, in particular, was a highlight. Munson, a graduate student who leads the Chippewas with 21 wins (against four losses), found himself in a 7-5 deficit after a second-period scramble.
Munson and Raike started the third period neutral and Munson got a takedown with 1:26 remaining and then rode out the match for the one-point win as he ran his win streak to seven.
"Corbyn really had to work to come back," Borrelli said. "He's in very, very good condition. He was never in this type of condition before and in the past, I don't know that he would have been able to come back and score when he needed to and then ride the match out.
"He's doing a lot of things right as far as sleep, diet, conditioning, wrestling in practice – he comes into practice with a purpose. All of those things matter."
Central Michigan 28, Ohio 9
125: Sean Spidle (C) tech fall Ryan Meek, 20-3, 6:44, Central Michigan 5, Ohio 0
133: Vince Perez (C) tech fall Malachi O'Leary, 17-1, 4:40, CMU 10, Ohio 0
141: Jimmy Nugent (C) dec. Kaden Jett, 6-3, CMU 13, Ohio 0
149: Corbyn Munson (C) dec. Derek Raike, 8-7, CMU 16, Ohio 0
157: Peyten Kellar (O) dec. Johnny Lovett, 6-0, CMU 16, Ohio 3
165: Garrett Thompson (O) dec. Tyler Swiderski, 1-0, CMU 16, Ohio 6
174: Alex Cramer (C) dec. Sal Perrine, 4-1, SV, CMU 19, Ohio 6
184: Zayne Lehman (O) dec. Adrien Cramer, 5-2, CMU 19, Ohio 9
197: Cameron Wood (C) dec. Austin Starr, 7-4, CMU 22, Ohio 9
285: Bryan Caves (C) pin Jacob Padilla, 2:10, CMU 28, Ohio 9
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