Wrestling Pounds No. 23 Northern Illinois, 30-7
Tenth-ranked Chippewas begins MAC season with a big road win.
DEKALB, Ill. – The 10th-ranked Central Michigan University wrestling team got its quest for a seventh-straight Mid-American Conference championship off to a strong start with a resounding 30-7 road victory at No. 23 Northern Illinois Friday night.
The Chippewas and Huskies were picked by the MAC coaches as the preseason co-favorites for the 2005 title, but CMU left little doubt by winning eight of 10 matches, three by major decision or better. The Chippewas were without the services of a pair of starters, eight-ranked Jason Borrelli at 133 and 12th-ranked Wynn Michalak at 197, but still rolled.
The Maroon and Gold are now 1-0 in the conference, 10-4 overall. NIU, who entered the contest on an 11-dual winning streak, falls to 11-3 overall, 3-1 in MAC play.
The dual did begin in a positive way for the Huskies as 141-pounder Josh Wooton won by major decision over Brandon Carter, 11-3.
It was all CMU from that point on as CMU would win the next seven matches, all by four points or more, to put away the dual. Tenth-ranked Mark DiSalvo kicked off the run with a 14-5 major decision over Mike Grimes at 149. Then it was Eric Neil’s turn as he defeated Joe Henning, 8-2, at 157. No. 7 David Bolyard kept the streak alive at 165 with a 7-3 victory over Johnny Galloway while seventh-ranked Mitch Hancock was a 7-3 victor over Danny Burk at 174.
CMU pretty much sealed the victory at 184 as 16th-ranked Alex Lammers scored a fall over Tyler Bruesewitz in 1:48. Russ Vanderheyden then bumped up to 197 to face Brandon Check and recorded a major decision, 12-4. CMU’s run was capped off at heavyweight with another major, this time by Bill Stouffer, ranked seventh, over Joe Sapp, 12-0.
The Huskies did stop CMU’s run with a victory at 125 as Chad Vandiver scored a controversial takedown early in the match and was able to hold on for a 6-5 victory over 11th-ranked Luke Smith. The final match pitted defending MAC champion and 11th-ranked Sam Hiatt and CMU’s Kyle Stoffer, who had been out because of an injury since early December. Stoffer scored the deciding takedown midway through the third period and held on for a 3-2 victory.
CMU’s quest for its seventh-straight MAC title continues this Sunday when it hosts Eastern Michigan in Rose Arena beginning at 2 p.m.
No. 10 Central Michigan 30, No. 23 Northern Illinois 7
141: Josh Wooton (NIU) major dec. Brandon Carter (CMU), 11-3
149: No. 10 Mark DiSalvo (CMU) major dec. Mike Grimes (NIU), 14-5
157: Eric Neil (CMU) dec. Joe Henning (NIU), 8-2
165: No. 7 David Bolyard (CMU) dec. Johnny Galloway (NIU), 7-3
174: No. 7 Mitch Hancock (CMU) dec. Danny Burk (NIU), 7-3
184: No. 16 Alex Lammers (CMU) pinned Tyler Bruesewitz (NIU), 1:48
197: Russ Vanderheyden (CMU) major dec. Brandon Check (NIU), 12-4
285: No. 7 Bill Stouffer (CMU) major dec. Joe Sapp (NIU), 12-0
125: Chad Vandiver (NIU) dec. No. 11 Luke Smith (CMU), 6-5
133: Kyle Stoffer (CMU) dec. No. 11 Sam Hiatt (NIU), 3-2
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