The 21st-ranked Chippewas (4-0) are 14-1 in the last 15 meetings with the Spartans (0-5).
CMU has notched 30-plus point victories in two straight duals. The Chippewas downed Northern Illinois, 39-3, in the their Mid-American Conference opener last Thursday.
Although pleased with the overall performance of the team this season, CMU coach Tom Borrelli said that there is plenty of room for improvement.
"I just don't know if we initiated as much as I wanted us to today," Borrelli said. "I would have liked to have seen us score more points, I feel like we left points out there that we were capable of getting."
Sophomore 125-pounder Brent Fleetwood started things off with a 3-2. Junior Corey Kenner (133) won by technical fall, 21-6, to run the score to 8-0.
The Chippewas entered completion with five wrestlers ranked in the top 20 nationally by Amateur Wrestling News: Senior Zach Horan (141), No. 9; Colin Heffernan (149), No.10; Luke Smith (157), No. 13; Mike Ottinger (174), No. 9; and Austin Severn (184), No. 14. All five claimed decisions in the win.
Severn, a junior, owns a 6-1 record and is ranked for the first time in his college career.
"He is really starting to come on for us," Borrelli said. "He is starting to wrestle with a lot more confidence and he is a guy that I really think is turning the corner."
CMU senior Jackson Lewis had an exciting victory 197. Trailing 4-3 heading into the third period, Lewis scored a takedown and several near-fall points to claim the match by a 13-5 major decision.
"(Lewis) was real good on top today," Borrelli said. "He turned a guy twice with the legs and that's something new for him."
Sunday's victory over the Spartans marks the last time Borrelli and the Chippewas will square off with longtime MSU coach Tom Minkel, who will retire at the end of the season after 25 years at the helm of the program.
Minkel was a three-time All-American at CMU and was an assistant under head coach Chick Sherwood for the Chippewas. Minkel, Sherwood and wrestlers from the 1985-86 CMU squad, the first to win a Mid-American Conference championship, were honored before Sunday's meet.
"He's a professional and very much a gentleman," said Borrelli. "Being in the Big Ten, they don't have to wrestle us, obviously its great for wrestling in the state, we have a good crowd in the stands when we wrestle them.
"It's a good rivalry, and he doesn't have to (schedule CMU). There are other coaches that probably wouldn't put their teams in that situation, and he's never been that way."
Minkel succeeded Sherwood as CMU's head coach and led the Chippewas from 1989-91 then left for MSU. Borrelli took over at CMU for Minkel.
"He and coach Sherwood built this program - (Minkel) worked here for 13 years, coach Sherwood worked here for 25 years," Borrelli said. "They're the ones who gave me this opportunity and I don't know how you repay that."
The Chippewas will return to the mat Dec. 20 as they take part in the Reno Tournament of Champions in Reno, Nev.
Results:
125: Brent Fleetwood (CMU) dec. Mitch Rogaliner, 3-2
133: Corey Keener (CMU) tech. fall Patrick Blommel, 21-6
141: Zach Horan (CMU) dec. Garth Yenter, 4-3
149: Colin Heffernan (CMU) dec. Mark Bozzo, 4-1
157: Luke Smith (CMU) dec. Joe Johnson, 5-0
165: Jordan Atienza (CMU) dec. Travis Curley, 8-2
174: Mike Ottinger (CMU) dec. Shane Shadaia, 7-1
184: Austin Severn (CMU) dec. Schwan Shadaia, 8-2
197: Jackson Lewis (CMU) major dec. Jacob Cooper, 13-5
HWT: Newton Smerchek (CMU) dec. Dimitrus Renfroe, 2-0
Recommended Comments
There are no comments to display.
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now