Central looking to gain respect

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The wrestling team still hasn’t been able to get the one thing it feels it doesn’t have despite all the accolades it has garnered – national respect.

The team won the Reno Tournament of Champions by beating four-time defending champion Oklahoma State. It also has won eight consecutive Mid-American Conference Championships and is ranked No. 9 in the nation.

But junior 197-pounder Wynn Michalak said the Chippewas still haven’t been able to obtain admiration.

“I don’t think a lot of people take us seriously, being a small school,” Michalak said. “Some people say, ‘They’re young, they’re inexperienced, they can’t finish the big matches.’ I feel like a lot of people doubt us because we’re not from the Big Ten, we’re not from the Big 12. We can show them we’re a good team this weekend.”

CMU gets another shot at earning respect this weekend at the National Duals, when it travels to Cedar Falls, Iowa.

The team’s first-round opponent is a familiar one – it will face No. 7 Oklahoma for the third consecutive year in the tournament. The Chippewas beat the Sooners 19-15 last year en route to a fourth-place finish.

If Central beats the Sooners again, it likely will face No. 2 Minnesota, a team that beat it at the tournament last season.

Coach Tom Borrelli likes the draw that is similar to last year’s.

“I don’t mind it because they’re good programs to gauge where we are,” he said. “Sometimes you’d like to wrestle someone else – but I think our guys are up for it.”

The Sooners have No. 1 ranked Sam Hazewinkel at 125 pounds and No. 7 Joel Flaggert at 197 pounds. Michalak is looking to avenge last season’s 6-4 loss to Flaggert at National Duals.

“I don’t feel like I have wrestled real well so far this year,” Michalak said. “I feel like he’s one of the guys I need to wrestle to get some confidence back and show everybody I’m still one of the top guys at the weight.”

Junior 174-pounder Brandon Sinnott said he welcomes a possible second round meeting against Minnesota. The Golden Gophers have beaten CMU twice in each of the last two seasons and once this season.

“Every time we wrestle Minnesota, I get so excited and I know Christian (Sinnott) gets really excited because he gets to face (No. 2) Roger Kish,” Brandon Sinnott said. “Our team matches up well with Minnesota, so I think we will have a good shot at beating them.”

rsgro@cm-life.com