Intrasquad meet gets team ready for start of season
Tuesday gave the Central Michigan a glimpse of what it might expect from the wrestling team this season during its annual intrasquad meet at the Indoor Athletic Complex.
“(The intrasquad meet) is more of a game time deal, where they’re wrestling on the mat with another guy, and there’s a referee and a floor clock,” said head coach Tom Borrelli.
The meet consisted of nine weight classes facing off, with the exception of the heavyweight class. Borrelli said he was impressed with what he saw in the 125, 141, and 197-pound matches, pointing out the youth in each weight class.
“We’ve got six young guys and we’re trying to put them in the right environment to determine who will be our starter earlier in the year,” Borrelli said.
The 141-pound match was decided in the third period. Redshirt freshman Scott Mattingly got a point for riding time on top of an escape in the third to get the 2-0 decision against freshman Dakota Cooley.
Redshirt freshman Adam Miller got the first pin of the night against freshman Taylor Schuck in 4:39, and sophomore Ben Bennett followed when he pinned freshman Ryan Quinn in 3:48. Miller competed in the 165-pound class and Bennett in the 174-pound class.
Bennett is coming off of an impressive freshman season, where he finished first at 174 pounds at the Mid-American Conference tournament and sixth at the NCAA Championships. He was named MAC Freshman of the Year and earned All-American honors.
The 197-pound match was one the closest contests of the evening, when redshirt freshmen Craig Kelliher got the 4-3 decision against Jeff Beebe. Heading into the third period, Beebe held a two-point lead, but Kelliher received a point for a technical violation and pulled ahead with a late takedown.
The team will be put to its first test of the 2010-11 season at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Eastern Michigan Open in Ypsilanti.
“We’re really excited to wrestle other people,” Borrelli said. “We want to see our guys wrestle with a lot of enthusiasm and really just push the pace in the MAC.”
Maroon-Gold Intrasquad results 125: Christian Cullinan dec. Joe Roth, 6-3? 133: Scotti Sentes technical fall Tyler Keselring, 16-0 at 4:52? 141: Scott Mattingly dec. Dakota Cooley, 2-0? 149: Donnie Corby dec. Jared Porter, 10-3? 157: Eric Cubberly dec. Zack Cline, 5-1? 165: Adam Miller fall Taylor Schuck, 4:39? 174: Ben Bennett fall Ryan Quinn, 3:48? 184: Chad Friend maj. dec. Dillon Kern, 15-5? 197: Craig Kelliher dec. Jeff Beebe, 4-3 285: Jarod Trice did not compete Tuesday
