Wrestling looks to defeat Edinboro, Buffalo
The continuation of the MAC schedule and a rematch vs. Edinboro highlight the wrestling team’s weekend schedule.
CMU will continue its quest for a fourth consecutive MAC title and a 23rd consecutive MAC victory as it travels to Buffalo to at 1 p.m. Saturday.
“They’re (Buffalo) going to use the same style on us that most MAC schools do,” said Head Coach Tom Borrelli.
“You have to get an early takedown and get ahead and change that. When you get ahead, the other wrestler is forced to open it up and come after you a little bit.”
The Buffalo line up is stacked towards its upper weight classes. At 165, 184 and 197 pounds the Bulls have Dave Guarion, Garrett Bontempo and Kyle Cerminara respectively.
The 165-pounder Guarion is 14-7 overall (2-1 MAC). At 184 pounds, Bontempo is 22-6 on the year with a 2-1 conference mark and Cerminara is 17-10 overall, 3-0 in the MAC.
“Their guys in the upper weights are good. They have the returning MAC champion at 165,” Borrelli said .
CMU will have to wrestle underclassman because of injuries.
Kevin Carr, sidelined with a torn ACL, will be out at 165 pounds and in his place is Joe Ray Barry.
“Even though Joe is registered at 149 (pounds) he weighs more like 157 (pounds) and he’s a real strong kid,” Borrelli said.
“I’m not worried about his strength. It’s more about the guys just physically being too big.”
With Alex Lammers out with a torn ACL and meniscus at 184 pounds, and Russ Vanderheyden likely sidelined with an ankle injury suffered last weekend vs. Northern Illinois, it will be Jeff Pangborn facing Bontempo.
Pangborn started the year at 174 pounds and is an even 8-8 on the season. He has yet to wrestle in MAC competition this year.
At 197 pounds the Chippewas have freshman Bill Stouffer. Stouffer is 13-3 overall and a perfect 3-0 in the MAC, while wrestling for the injured Brett Faustman.
Leading the way of late for the Chippewas has been freshman David Bolyard.
Bolyard defeated Bryce Hasserman of NIU in a pivotal match at 165 pounds last week and was named MAC “Wrestler of the Week” for his victory.
Bolyard is registered at 157 pounds and was wrestling up a weight because of injury vs. the Huskies.
The Chippewas then travel to Edinboro, Penn. to face the Scots at 7 p.m. Sunday.
The Chippewas defeated Edinboro 17-16 Dec. 9 at the National Duals.
The match came down to the heavyweight in which senior Jack Leffler won.
“Going in there (Edinboro) will be kind of like going from the kitchen into the oven,” Borrelli said.
“They’re shuffling their line-up like us, so it should be interesting.”
CMU is ranked No. 16 in the nation, which is behind Edinboro, despite defeating the Scots.
“We beat them once and we’re behind them in the rankings, so if we beat them again we’ll have to move up,” said Borrelli.
