COLUMN: Will resting wrestlers pay off in MAC tournament for Borrelli?
Resting – It is an approach that just might pay off for the Central Michigan wrestling team.
Chippewas head coach Tom Borrelli, winner of over 300 duals in his career, thought it would be beneficial taking two weeks away from competition, instead of devoting all of their time to improving “technique.”
It may be exactly what they need after facing a rigid schedule. One that heavyweight Peter Sturgeon struggled with, coming out of North Carolina-Greensboro’s cupcake schedule in years past.
The young roster may also have felt fatigued after facing difficult opponents week after week. Is it a coincidence that the Chippewas have lost seven of their last nine duals after starting 12-2?
Scott Sentes’ absence is one of the reasons the lineup is filled with inexperience.
The heavyweight position would have also been held by a young member with Jarod Trice pursuing the Olympics, but Peter Sturgeon landed on the lap of the Chippewas.
He filled Trice’s role well, finishing the regular season ranked 17th. It will be Sturgeon’s one and only appearance in the MAC tournament. He was the runner up in the past two Southern Conference Championships.
Like he has said, while the schedule was draining, he is now battle tested. Look for him to play above his third place heavyweight ranking in the conference.
The first five weight classes, aside from Joe Roth, would have benefited greatly from the presence of 133-pound Sentes.
The Chippewas have been down by an insurmountable amount in many duals when 165-pound Mike Ottinger takes to the mat.
Two of the first five in the lineup features Scott Mattingly and Donnie Corby, who both lost in the conference finals last year. They have endured slight declines.
Corby has won 57 percent of his matches this year compared to 61 percent last season. Mattingly has won 39 percent of his matches, a six percent decline from last year.
CMU would be in great shape if both clinched an individual title. Surely, Mattingly only in his second year is better off with the rest. So is Corby, who suffered a foot injury at the beginning of the season.
Will a decision as simple as resting be enough to earn his eleventh straight MAC tournament championship? We shall see when all is decided Sunday.
