For the second straight dual, the Wolverines earned big wins in swing matches at the middleweights, where sophomore/freshman Eric Grajales (Brandon, Fla./Brandon HS) and sophomore/freshman Brandon Zeerip (Fremont, Mich./Hesperia HS) claimed bonus points at 149 and 157 pounds, respectively, to provide U-M a sizable 12-point lead at the dual midpoint.
After winning with solid fundamentals Friday against Purdue, Grajales went with the big moves against Central Michigan's Donnie Corby, tallying a trio of five-point moves to roll to a 20-4 technical fall -- the first of his collegiate career. He took the initial lead on a counter takedown and subsequent ride-out in the first period before breaking open the match on a five-point headlock midway through the second frame. Corby fought off his back and scored a reversal on the edge of the mat, but Grajales earned those points back and then some, settling back into a Peterson off the subsequent restart for another five points. The Wolverine rookie scored on a single leg in the third and added another five-point headlock moments later to secure the tech-fall margin and end the match at 6:07.
Zeerip improved his dual record to 2-0 with a dominant 19-7 major decision over the Chippewas' Ryan Cubberly in the next match, converting on nine takedowns -- four in the third period -- to control the bout throughout. Zeerip countered a pair of Cubberly shots in the first period to set the early tone before using his own offense to overwhelm the Chippewa wrestler, scoring off a snap down, double leg and a pair of third-period whip-overs.
Sophomore Sean Boyle (Lowell, Mass./Blair Academy) kicked off the dual with a solid 9-5 decision over Christian Cullinan at 125 pounds, taking advantage of a quick start to claim his second win of the weekend. Boyle converted on three first-period takedowns, striking first on an ankle pick off an early restart before using two late flurries to score on a single leg and another ankle pick. The Wolverine wrestler kicked free and came around top for a second-period reversal and, despite giving up a late takedown off his own shot, accumulated 1:47 in riding time.
Senior/junior captain Kellen Russell (High Bridge, N.J./Blair Academy), the nation's No. 1-ranked 141-pounder, won a deceptively close 3-0 decision over Scott Mattingly on a second-period reversal and 1:44 in riding-time advantage. Despite controlling the shot margin by double digits, Russell struggled to penetrate Mattingly's leg defense but did enough to improve to 22-0 on the season.
After Central Michigan claimed back-to-back decisions at 165 and 174 pounds to narrow the team race, the Wolverines surged ahead with consecutive wins of their own as junior/sophomore Hunter Collins (Gilroy, Calif./Gilroy HS) and fifth-year senior captain Anthony Biondo (Clinton Twp., Mich./Chippewa Valley HS) won at 184 and 197 pounds, respectively, to seal the dual victory. Collins broke open his close bout against Chad Friend in the closing moments, scoring on a late single leg and cradling up the CMU wrestler for three back points -- and an 8-2 decision -- at the final buzzer.
With the raucous Chippewa crowd now silent, No. 13-ranked Biondo took advantage of a quick start to claim a 6-4 decision against Craig Kelliher. The Wolverine captain struck twice in the first period, scoring on a quick single leg and a late double leg on the edge to build a significant early advantage. Kelliher countered a Wolverine shot late in the bout to narrow the gap, but Biondo added a point after with 2:58 in time advantage.
Central Michigan claimed the final bout -- a rematch between No. 2-ranked Jarod Trice and junior/sophomore Ben Apland (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South HS) -- but not without a good amount of controversy. Trice held a narrow one-point lead and riding-time advantage late in the match but spent most of the third period backing away from the No. 10-ranked Wolverine wrestler. Apland went for it in the closing seconds, shooting in deep on a single leg from long distance to put Trice in trouble, but the official would not award the two points in the final 15 seconds as Trice held on for a 5-3 decision.
The Wolverines return to Big Ten Conference action next Friday (Jan. 21), hosting Northwestern in a 7 p.m. match at Cliff Keen Arena. Tickets are available for purchase online, and the first 300 fans will receive Michigan Silly Bandz.
Results:
125 -- Sean Boyle (U-M) dec. Christian Cullinan, 9-5 U-M, 3-0
133 -- #9 Scotti Sentes (CMU) dec. Zac Stevens, 5-1 Tie, 3-3
141 -- #1 Kellen Russell (U-M) dec. Scott Mattingly, 3-0 U-M, 6-3
149 -- Eric Grajales (U-M) tech. fall Donnie Corby, 20-4 (6:07) U-M, 11-3
157 -- Brandon Zeerip (U-M) major dec. Ryan Cubberly, 19-7 U-M, 15-3
165 -- Mike Miller (CMU) dec. Dan Yates, 9-7 SV U-M, 15-6
174 -- #5 Ben Bennett (CMU) dec. Aaron Hynes, 6-1 U-M, 15-9
184 -- Hunter Collins (U-M) dec. Chad Friend, 8-2 U-M, 18-9
197 --#13 Anthony Biondo (U-M) dec. Craig Kelliher, 6-4 U-M, 21-9
Hwt --#2 Jarod Trice (CMU) dec. #10 Ben Apland (U-M), 5-3 U-M, 21-12
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