CMU beats Kent State to win share of MAC title
Five seconds. One takedown.
One match stood between the Central Michigan wrestling team finishing first in the Mid-American conference or third.
Picking up a 20-14 victory over a Kent State team that came into the day perfect in the MAC, CMU captured a share of the 2011 MAC title Sunday to close out the regular season.
“I thought we would have had a better crowd, but the crowd was very into the event, which made it fun,” said head coach Tom Borrelli. “Any time you’re in that type of environment and you’re an athlete and a competitor, that’s going to motivate you.”
CMU (8-8, 4-1 MAC) held a three-point lead heading into the final bout, needing a win from No. 2 heavyweight Jarod Trice to secure the team victory.
“I love going last, all eyes (are) on me and I know I’ve got to work harder because to me, it means more to win than to lose to a guy who has no business out there beating me,” Trice said. “I like to go out there to win for my team. I depend on them to win and they depend on me.”
After a scoreless first period, No. 14 Brendan Barlow started on bottom and scored an escape to take a 1-0 lead. Trice evened the score in the third, and drove Barlow to the mat to score a takedown with five seconds on the clock to seal the decision.
“I know when I’m wrestling out there I can push the pace and they can’t keep up because I’m not the average heavyweight,” Trice said. “Heavyweights can’t keep up and they fall on their face in the last five seconds of the match.”
KSU’s only lead of the meet came after the 125-pound match after No. 12 Nic Bedelyon knocked off Christian Cullinan by an 8-5 decision.
But CMU would take any momentum away, winning three straight matches.
No. 11 Scotti Sentes recorded his 26th victory of the season, scoring bonus points in the 133-pound bout, and Scott Mattingly and Donnie Corby each picked up decisions to give CMU a 10-3 lead.
“I thought the biggest match in the whole dual-meet was Scott Mattingly’s match, and whichever team won that match had the momentum,” Borrelli said. “I felt like 141, 149 and 184 were the real big swing matches, and we won two of the three.”
The Golden Flashes cut the Chippewa lead to a single decision when No. 17 Matt Cathell picked up a 9-1 major decision at 157, but wins from senior Mike Miller and sophomore Ben Bennett gave CMU some breathing room.
No. 7 Bennett was one of five Chippewas to pick up points on riding time, scoring a 9-1 major decision.
KSU answered back, winning two of the last three bouts, but Trice sealed the deal at heavyweight.
The win was the team’s season-best third straight, improving to 8-8 in dual-meets and 4-1 in the MAC. CMU will share the regular season title with KSU and Ohio after the Bobcats picked up a 28-9 victory Sunday over Eastern Michigan.
“We’ve got some young guys and they’re starting to improve,” Trice said. “We’re excited that we tied for the MAC championship, of course, and when we go into the MAC Tournament in a couple weeks, we plan on going in there to dominate and take first again.”
The tournament, scheduled for March 5 and 6, will be held in DeKalb, Ill., at Northern Illinois University.
