COLUMN: Wrestling team have tough task this weekend
The youth of the Central Michigan wrestling team finally appears to be rearing its ugly head as the season nears a close in the next five weeks.
The Chippewas have lost four of the last five duals, all against ranked opponents. But they started the season 3-2 against schools in the top 25.
While individual achievements from sophomore Joe Roth, junior Ben Bennett, senior Peter Sturgeon are still in reach, the team goals have gone by the wayside.
Their hopes of winning the Mid-American Conference regular season championship for the 13th time in 14 years were dashed when they lost to Kent State, a team they have dominated.
The weight divisions from 133 through 149 pounds failed them once more, but they still could have won without uncharacteristic losses by Sturgeon and Roth.
CMU will have to overcome odds that seem insurmountable this weekend to win the Cornell Regional in the National Duals.
They are presented Purdue to start off in a rematch of the consolation game last year. They beat the Boilermakers 21-19 after Jarod Trice clinched an 8-2 decision.
It should be just as highly contested this season. If neither team wins the Cornell regional, the teams will receive a double dose of each other by facing off again next weekend in the regular-season finale in Oregon, Ohio.
The match will likely come down to No. 4 Bennett against No. 19 Brian Atwood and whoever else grabs victories among the few matchups of unranked wrestlers.
If the Chippewas win their first dual things become more difficult. They will square off against defending National Duals champion Cornell.
The Big Red will be rested and ready after a first round bye as if they even needed it.
They dominated CMU 24-10 in the regular season last year. The always unflappable Bennett even suffered a defeat. Cornell won seven of ten matches in the dual. The three Chippewas wrestlers that came out victorious have not wrestled this season.
The No. 3 Big Red have four wrestlers ranked in the top five of their division this year. The 93-8 combined record of the four wrestlers aided in clinching their 10th straight Ivy League title last Saturday.
The chances of winning the Nationals Duals have always been slim to none for the Chippewas and this year is no different. Beating Purdue and giving Cornell all they can handle is all they can hope for.
