The Chippewas downed Edinboro, 30-6, and then topped the host Bulls, 40-0, posting their first shutout over a Division I program since a 33-0 win over Michigan State on Dec. 6, 2015.
The victories closed a weekend road trip that started with a 21-15 MAC win at Cleveland State on Friday. The Chippewas and Vikings split the 10 matches in that dual, as CMU was clearly feeling the physical effects of a long COVID-related layoff.
They showed no such effects on Sunday, stepping on the gas throughout and scoring bonus points in 10 of their victories. The Chippewas combined to post one pin, four technical falls, and five major decisions in the two duals.
"I was really impressed with our guys," CMU coach Tom Borrelli said. "I just felt we controlled the pace of the matches really well, kept scoring, and in every match we were trying to get bonus points. We just had so much more energy than we had Friday."
CMU won its final four duals of the season and finished 5-2, 4-1 MAC. They are scheduled to partake in the MAC Championships at Rider in Lawrenceville, N.J. on Feb. 27-28.
"We should feel good about ourselves," Borrelli said. "I'm not real concerned about the message that we're sending to our competition, I'm more concerned about what we're thinking and we should be thinking right after today."
CMU's Drew Hildebrandt (125 pounds), Drew Marten (133), Dresden Simon (141), Johnny Lovett (157), Alex Cramer (165), Ben Cushman (184), Landon Pelham (197) and Matt Stencel (285) each went 2-0 on the day.
Stencel, who is ranked fourth nationally, recorded a 7-2 victory over Edinboro's John Spaulding, who is ranked 24th.
Hildebrandt posted two major-decision victories, Marten had two tech falls, Simon had a tech fall and a pin, Cushman posted one tech fall, and Cramer won one of his matches by major decision. CMU's Mason Breece (149) and Jake Lowell (174) also won by major decision against Buffalo.
Hildebrandt, Marten and Simon got the Chippewas off to outstanding starts in both duals, combing for three tech falls, two majors and a pin. After those three finished their respective matches, the Chippewas led 14-0 against Edinboro, and 15-0 against Buffalo.
Simon, who is ranked 12th, posted a technical-fall win over Edinboro and then pinned Buffalo's Derek Spann, who is ranked 23rd. It was the first pin of the season for Simon, a returning All-American and the defending MAC champion at 141.
Both of Simon's matches ended, impressively, in the first period. He also won by technical fall on Friday at Cleveland State.
"That's pretty rare in college wrestling," Borrelli said of Simon's first-period tech fall. "He's pretty strong for a 141-pounder. If he gets out to a good start, look out. Sometimes he gets frustrated because he's not throwing (an opponent) around in the first period, but today he got off to a good start in the first period."
Hildebrandt, who is 7-0 and ranked fourth, continued his dominance with two major-decision wins as he outscored his opponents by a combined 22-5. Hildebrandt, who pinned his Cleveland State opponent on Friday, has scored bonus points in five of his wins this season, including the last four consecutively.
"He had to wrestle hard today to get both of those majors," Borrelli said. "He had to score late in both third periods. Normally he's really good on top at turning people but he didn't get any turns today, so he had to wrestle really hard on his feet which was good, very good."
It was a big day for Marten, who upped his win streak to four matches after he won twice in non-varsity competition against Cleveland State on Friday. Prior to the Cleveland State dual, Marten had lost three-consecutive matches.
On Sunday, the 2020 NCAA qualifier outscored his opponents by a combined 33-1. His two wins at Cleveland State also came on tech falls.
"Marty wrestled today like we have expected him to wrestle all year," Borrelli said. "He's really, really good on top."
In extra matches against Edinboro, CMU got major-decision victories from Vince Perez (125), Brock Bergelin (133) and Tracy Hubbard (157); against the Bulls, Bergelin and Cade Dallwitz (285) won by pin and Hubbard won by decision.
Central Michigan 30, Edinboro 6
125: Drew Hildebrandt (C) major dec. Lucas Rodriguez, 12-4
133: Drew Marten (C) tech. fall Tye Varndell, 6:35, 17-1
141: Dresden Simon (C) tech. fall Ryan Burgos, 1:50, 17-1
149: Tyler Vath (E) dec. Corbyn Munson, 8-4
157: Johnny Lovett (C) dec. Peter Pappas, 7-3
165: Alex Cramer (C) major dec. P.J. Gohn, 10-2
174: Jacob Oliver (E) dec. Jake Lowell, 6-5
184: Ben Cushman (C) dec. Ethan Ducca, 10-4
197: Landon Pelham (C) dec. Cody Mulligan, 4-3
285: Matt Stencel (C) dec. Jon Spaulding, 7-2
Central Michigan 40, Buffalo 0
125: Drew Hildebrandt (C) major dec. Tristan Daugherty, 10-1
133: Drew Marten (C) tech. fall Caleb Svingala, 4:43, 16-0
141: Dresden Simon (C) pinned Derek Spann, 2:18
149: Mason Breece (C) major dec. Ty Raines, 8-0
157: Johnny Lovett (C) dec. Michael Petite, 3-2
165: Alex Cramer (C) dec. Noah Grover, 6-4
174: Jake Lowell (C) major dec. Jake Lanning, 12-3
184: Ben Cushman (C) tech. fall Guiseppe Hoose, 4:56, 16-0
197: Landon Pelham (C) dec. Sam Mitchell, 10-4
285: Matt Stencel (C) dec. Toby Cahill, 13-6
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