Big Ten Wrestling Tournament

Michigan took 5^thwith 1 champion in Kellen Russell, who also won the tournaments outstanding wrestler award.  This was about where I thought they would end up, with some exceeding expectations and some falling short.  It averaged out, however, one would be curious to see if the ones falling short, pulled through a little better, where they might have ended up.  Probably not enough to move their placing, but, would have put them more in the mix with Minnesota and Wisconsin for 3^rdand 4^th.  Instead they stand alone as the clear 5^thbest with an 86.5 score.  6^thand 7^thwere 64(ILL) and 62(NW) respectively.  Wisconsin was 4^that 103.5 and Minnesota 3^rdwith 109.5.  The tournament came down to the last weight with Penn State edgeing out Iowa 139 to 138 for their 1^stBig Ten Title. 

Standings:

1. Penn State – 139
2. Iowa – 138
3. Minnesota – 109.5
4. Wisconsin – 103.5
5. Michigan – 86.5
6. Illinois – 64
7. Northwestern – 62
8. Ohio State – 57
9. Purdue – 51
10. Indiana – 50
11. Michigan State – 49.5

Here’s a weight by weight break down of the tournament:

125

As far as the favorites, everything went as expected with McDonough(Iowa) and Precin(NW) meeting in the finals.  After falling to Precin in the semi’s, Sanders(Minn) wrestled to 3^rdof Boyle(UM).  Surprises here would be the fall of Pataky(PSU), a 4 seed taking 7^thand Eppert(PUR), Kelliher(UW) taking 5^thand 6^thas 7^thand 8^thseeds.

Michigan:  Boyle won his key match in the quarters over PSU’s Pataky, keeping him away from Sanders in consolations until the 3^rdplace match.  He held serve against everyone he should have beat losing only to eventual champion McDonough and 3 seed Sanders.  Placing 4^th, Boyle earns a bid into NCAA’s

Finals Results:

• 1^st– McDonough(Iowa) 3-1 Dec over Precin(NW)
• 3^rd– Sanders(Minn) 12-4 Maj Dec over Boyle(UM)
• 5^th– Eppert(PUR) 3-0 Dec over Kelliher(UM)
• 7^th– Pataky(PSU) Tech Fall 16-1 over Olanowski(MSU)

133

A 1 and 2 seed final with Long(PSU) winning a tight one over Graff(UW) for the title.  The other half of the 4 contenders placed in the top 4.  The surprise was probably the fall of Mele(NW), a 5 seed taking 8^th.  Stevens(UM) and Paddock(OSU) were two low seeds that placed above expectations. 

Michigan:  Stevens came in a 7 seed and lost his first match to Graff(UW).  From there he wrestled to a key match with Thorn(Minn) where the win was the difference between wrestling for 5^thor 7^th.  His 5^thplace finish earns him an automatic bid to NCAA’s.

Finals Resutls:

• 1^st– Long(PSU) 7-3 Dec over Graff(UW)
• 3^rd– Ramos(Iowa) 6-2 Dec over Futrell(ILL)
• 5^th– Stevens(UM) Forfeit over Paddock(OSU)
• 7^th– Thorn(Minn) 6-4 Dec over Mele(NW)

141

Michigan’s Russell walked away with outstanding Wrestler of the tournament after winning the toughest weight in the Big Ten.  The top 4 wrestlers in the nation placed in the top 4 here with Russell beating Thorn(Minn).  Thorn won in OT over Marion(Iowa) who he lost to in the dual.  Marion’s hype as the guy that could knock off Russell took a big hit as he ended up in 4^th. 

Michigan:  Russell was the winner and Outstanding Wrestler.  He beat eventual 3^rdplace Kennedy(ILL) in the semi’s before winning his final over Thorn(Minn).  He was Michigan lone champion and of course earns a bid into NCAA’s

Finals Results:

• 1^st– Russell(UM) 8-4 Dec over Thorn(Minn)
• 3^rd– Kennedy(ILL) 9-6 Dec over Marion(Iowa)
• 5^th– Alton(PSU) 6-4 Dec over Friedley(NW)
• 7^th– Richey(IU) 5-3ot Dec over Fleckenstein(PUR)

149

First big surprise matched the expected in the finals as 6^thseed Grajales(UM) took on 1^stseed Molinaro(PSU).  The dream run came to an end here for Grajales though.  It certainly wasn’t an easy path, beating the eventual 3^rdand 4^thplace finishers.  Nadhir(NW) the 2^ndseed fell to 4^thas one of the victumes of Grajales.  Schmitt(UW) the 5^thseed came in after a poor showing since returning from injury.  He finished 8^th. 

Michigan:  Grajales went on a tear here beating Ballweg(Iowa), #3 seed Kinser(IU) and 2^ndseed Nadhir(NW) before falling to #1 Molinaro(PSU) in the finals.  A great run for the freshman.  In his match against Molinaro, you could see the difference between the favored veteran and Grajales.  He didn’t have much chance, but, put together a good fight.  He’s earned his bid to NCAA’s and should be fun to watch in the future.

Finals Results:

• 1^st– Molinaro(PSU) 3-0 Dec over Grajales(UM)
• 3^rd– Kinser(IU) 6-4ot Dec over Nadhir(NW)
• 5^th– Terrazas(ILL) 9-1 Maj Dec over Zilverburg(Minn)
• 7^th– Osterman(MSU) FALL 1:00 over Schmitt(UW)

157

Expected final between Taylor(PSU) and St. John(Iowa), with Taylor winning by a little closer then expected.  He was the clear cut favorite.  Only surprises were at the bottom half of the places with Michigan native and Illini Morse(ILL) having an impressive tournament, finishing 7^th.

Michigan:  Not a good showing for Zeerip.  A 6 seed coming in, he went 0-2, ending his tournament as a victim of Morse(ILL) by a Maj Dec.  Zeerip is someone I thought could possible fight his way into the 5^thplace match and could settle for 7^th.  Not placing doesn’t get him an bid to NCAA’s and his showing makes an at-large bid unlikely.

Finals Results:

• 1^st– Taylor(PSU) 8-3 Dec over St. John(Iowa)
• 3^rd– Welch(NW) 4-3 Dec over Young(IU)
• 5^th– Salazar(PUR) 4-2 Dec over McMurray(MSU)
• 7^th– Morse(ILL) 4-0 Dec over Nemec(OSU)

165

A lot of questions were surrounding the return of Howe(UW) from injury as this was his first appearance since.  He looked back to form, winning his 3^rdBig Ten Title.  The 4 and 3 seed flipped places as Janssen(Iowa) got revenge on Yohn(Minn) from their dual. 

Michigan:  Yates won an overtime match against Vollrath(PSU) to guarantee the 5^thplace match, where he had to come from behind and pin the 5^thseed Polz(ILL).  That win got him the last bid at that weight for NCAA’s.

Finals Results:

• 1^st- Howe(UW) 3-1ot Dec over Sponseller(OSU)
• 3^rd– Janssen(Iowa) 4-2 Dec over Yohn(Minn)
• 5^th– Yates(UM) FALL 3:22 over Polz(ILL)
• 7^th– Vollrath(PSU) FALL :57 over Bialka(NW)

174

Wide open weight after eventual champion Ruth(PSU).  He won by beating Heflin(OSU) who edged out each match along the way to the finals.  Lofthouse(Iowa) had a good tournament as a 5 seed taking 3^rdwhile Glasser(Minn) didn’t as the 3^rdseed taking 5^th. 

Michigan:  Bad tournament for the other Zeerip brother.  He lost to Heflin(OSU) by 1 and would have taken on Jordan(UW) in the semi’s, who he has beat already this year.  Instead he fell into consolations and lost to Glasser(Minn), another guy he beat earlier in their dual.  This sent him into the 7^thplace match against MSU’s Jacobs where he lost in OT.  A could have 2^ndplace finish turned into 8^th.  Luckily 8^thgot him the last NCAA bid.

Finals Results:

• 1^st- Ruth(PSU) 8-5 Dec over Heflin(OSU)
• 3^rd– Lofthouse(Iowa) 4-1 Dec over Manuel(PUR)
• 5^th– Glasser(Minn) 6-1 Dec over Jordan(UW)
• 7^th– Jacobs(MSU) 6-5ot Dec over Zeerip(UM)

184

The shock of the tournament.  8^thseed Wright(PSU) made a dream run to win the weight class and in turn, won the team title for PSU.  He knocked off #1 Rutt(UW) in the quarters and beat #2 Steinhaus(Minn) in the finals who had Majored him not too long ago.  7^thseed Magrum(OSU) fought his way to a 4^thplace finish.  The upset of Rutt effected Gambrall’s(Iowa) path as he settled for 5^th. 

Michigan:  Collins was unseeded and lost first to the eventual champion Wright(PSU) 10-2.  Then he lost in the consolations to Magrum(OSU).  Finished 0-2, not placing and not getting any bids.

Finals Results:

• 1^st– Wright(PSU) 4-3 Dec over Steinhaus(Minn)
• 3^rd– Rutt(UW) 6-0 Dec over Magrum(OSU)
• 5^th– Gambrall(Iowa) 10-2 Maj Dec over Dallago(ILL)
• 7^th– Kissel(PUR) 5-3ot Dec over Hinton(MSU)

197

The top 2 seeds Brandvold(UW) and Lofthouse(Iowa) got to the finals with Brandvold winning.  Powless(IU) took a tough path after losing in the first round to an unseeded Dickenson(MSU), only to win out and finish 3^rd, beating Dickenson in his final. 

Michigan:  Unlucky tournament for Biondo.  His first match took 3^rdseed Brown(PUR) into OT before losing and dropping him into the consolation bracket.  In his first match there, he got 4^thseed Powless(IU) who was upset in the first round and eventually took 3^rd.  That took Biondo out of the tournament with no auto-bid and puts his hopes on an at-large spot.  He’ll be near the top of the list ranked 11^thnationally. 

Finals Results:

• 1^st– Brandvold(UW) 5-2 Dec over Lofthouse(Iowa)
•  3^rd– Powless(IU) 6-2 Dec over Dickenson(MSU)
• 5^th– Yohn(Minn) 3-2 Dec over Brown(PUR)
• 7^th– Capone(OSU) 2-0 Dec over Barczak(ILL)

285

I have to eat me words here.  Rasing(Iowa) did have a favorable route though.  He missed 2^ndseed Alcala(IU) who was upset by Rizqallah(MSU) in the quarters and didn’t have to deal with top seed Wade(PSU), who had a bad tournament, in the finals.  Instead he used his size advantage to beat redshirt Freshman Nelson(Minn) to win it all.  A big surprise came from Bugenhagen(UW).  A 6^thseed with no impressive wins on the year, beats #2 Alcala and #1 Wade on his way to finishing 3^rd.  Wade did redeem himself with a Maj Dec over Apland(UM) for 5^ththat sealed the title for Penn State.

Michigan:  Apland has been an inconsistent wrestler for Michigan this year.  He lost early to Nelson(Minn) in the quarters and had to work his way through the consolation bracket until he fell to Rizqallah(MSU) in OT to get into the 3^rdplace match.  That sent him to 5^thwhere he was majored by Wade(PSU).  Finishing 6^thdoes get him the last auto-bid for NCAA’s

Finals Results:

• 1^st– Rasing(Iowa) 5-2 Dec over Nelson(Minn)
• 3^rd– Bugenhagen(UW) 6-1 Dec over Rizqallah(MSU)
• 5^th– Wade(PSU) 9-0 Maj Dec over Apland(UM)
• 7^th– Alcala(IU) 5-2 Dec over Kuhar(NW)

Michigan finishes with 7/10 placers, with all 7 also getting bids to NCAA’s.  They’ll have Biondo(197) and B. Zeerip(157) hoping for at-large spots. 

NCAA Tournament starts March 17^thand runs through the 19^thin Philadelphia, PA.  I’ll get together a pre-view for the Michigan grapplers.