The event kicked off with the Wolverines' most competitive and non-traditional contest, in which U-M earned a forfeit victory (141 pounds) and two injury defaults (165 and 184 pounds) en route to a lopsided 35-12 win. Harvard won three of the first five bouts and led the dual -- which only lasted an hour -- by three points at the midway point, but the Maize and Blue rallied with five straight wins at the upper weights to seal it up.
Junior Michael Watts (Riverton, Utah/Riverton HS) gave Michigan the initial lead after the opening weight, using a pair of takedowns and six back points to cruise to an 11-4 decision over Dan Kelly at 125 pounds. The teams split the subsequent bouts and swapped six points as the Crimson's Shay Warren earned a quick pin at 133 pounds -- locking up a cradle on sophomore Chris Diehl's (Burton, Mich./Flint Kearsley HS) single-leg attempt at 1:26 -- before his team forfeited at 141.
After two more, back-to-back Harvard wins, including fifth-ranked J.P O'Connor's narrow 4-3 decision on riding time over fifth-year senior Josh Churella (Northville, Mich./Novi HS), U-M scored six team points in each of its next three matches as fifth-year senior captain Eric Tannenbaum (Naperville, Ill./North HS) and senior/junior captain Tyrel Todd (Bozeman, Mont./Bozeman HS) each accepted injury defaults in the first period at 165 and 184 pounds, respectively, and senior/junior Steve Luke (Massillon, Ohio/Perry HS) picked up a first-period fall against Frankie Colletta. Luke, ranked No. 2 at 174 pounds, secured a quick takedown and used an arm bar to turn Colletta for three points before using the same to stick the Crimson wrestler at 2:00.
Sophomore/freshman Anthony Biondo (Clinton Twp., Mich./Chippewa Valley HS) continued his tear at 197 pounds, scoring three takedowns and eight back points en route to a 15-0 technical fall over Jon Butler -- his second of the season. Sophomore/freshman Chad Bleske (Washington, Mich./Romeo HS) iced the Wolverines' victory with a 7-2 decision over Andrew Knapp at heavyweight. Bleske converted on a pair of double-leg takedowns and countered a Knapp shot for another takedowns in the middle frame to control the contest from start to finish.
Michigan was just a match away from shutting out Columbia in its second dual contest of the day, claiming nine individual matches en route to a 43-3 win -- the program's highest point total and largest margin of victory in seven years. Seven Wolverine wrestlers earned bonus points, including Diehl, Churella, Luke and Biondo, who all tallied first-period falls. Diehl and Churella avenged their losses from earlier in the day as each picked up his second fall of the season to prematurely end U-M's matches at 133 and 149 pounds, respectively. Diehl used an arm bar to stick Jerome Greco at the 2:05 mark, while Churella, ranked seventh, turned Anthony Constantino for the fourth time late in the opening frame and came around to the front to seal up his pin at 2:54. Luke's fall -- coming at the 2:42 mark against Travis Creagen -- capped his dominant first period that opened with a five-point move, while Biondo needed even less time, locking up a cradle on an early single-leg shot to roll up Mike Bossetta just 20 seconds into his bout.
Watts opened the dual with a 5-4 decision victory over 17th-ranked Brandon Kinney -- Columbia's lone ranked wrestler -- at 125 pounds. The Lion scored a late takedown in the third period to even the score, but Watts earned an immediate escape to stay ahead by one point. Fifth-year senior Jeff Marsh (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) and Todd added major decisions at 157 and 184 pounds, respectively, while Tannenbaum earned a dominant 16-1 technical fall at 165. The Wolverine captain, ranked No. 1 at 165 pounds, tallied three takedowns and nine back points to end his match with Joe Kushnerick at the conclusion of the second period.
U-M closed the busy day in strong fashion, rallying from an early deficit with eight individual wins against Mountaineers, including two falls and two major decisions, to win 32-9. Freshman Kellen Russell (High Bridge, N.J./Blair Academy) earned his most convincing win of the day with a first-period pin against Marcus Cox -- the first fall of his collegiate career. The U-M rookie, ranked No. 1 at 141 pounds, scored two takedowns and a three-point near fall to lead 8-3 late in the frame before taking advantage of a scramble on the mat to stack up Cox and pin him at 2:49. With his perfect 3-0 mark at the Lone Star Duals, Russell improved his career record to 18-0. It is the best start for a U-M true freshman in program history.
Luke secured the Wolverines' other pin against Appalachian State, sticking Brett Houghtman at 2:42 to earn three first-period falls in three matches. Luke struck immediately with a fireman's carry, sending Houghtman to his back for a quick five points, and, after using a chicken wing to pick up another three-point near fall, he finished on his third attempt late in the frame. Luke boasts four pins on the season.
Tannenbaum and Todd used a plethora of takedowns to earn major decisions in their matches. Tannenbaum scored five, picked up a pair of stalling points and accumulated 2:26 in riding time to cruise past Tommy Hutchinson 13-2. Tannenbaum improved his record to 16-0 with three wins on the day. Todd, ranked fourth, converted on four takedowns and earned more than three minutes of riding-time advantage to win against Austin Trotman and extend his winning streak to 12.
The Wolverines (10-1, 0-0 Big Ten) will compete in the prestigious Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals on Saturday and Sunday (Jan. 12-13) in Cedar Falls, Iowa. U-M will be one of 16 teams competing in the Division I field. Hosted by the University of Northern Iowa, all matches will be held at the UNI-Dome.
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