Dec. 29, 2006

Contact: Josh Rattray

EVANSTON, Ill. - Senior David Gilkey and sophomore Victer Crenshaw combined to win five bouts and both are still alive and Cleveland State wrestlers combined to win 13 matches on the first day of the two-day Midlands Invitational on the campus of Northwestern University. Senior Ryan Hurley won three matches before being knocked out as the Vikings finished the day in 14^th place with 21.5 team points.

 

Gilkey (12-6) became the only CSU grappler to win his first two matches when he opened the day with two pins to advance to the quarterfinals at 184 pounds. The quarterfinal bout was not as kind, as Gilkey lost by tech fall, 16-0, to Ben Wissel.

 

Crenshaw rebounded from a 10-2 loss in the first round to win three straight matches, two decisions and one pin, in the consolation bracket. Crenshaw will wrestle Jason Knipp of Iowa State tomorrow.

 

"Despite a tough draw, Victer fought back hard and put himself in a good place in this tournament," head coach Jack Effner said. "Gilkey has just been on fire. He's really wrestling

 

Hurley (14-5) pinned Danny Zeman of Illinois before falling in the second, 3-1, to Nick Fallico of Michigan State. Hurley then won two decisions in the consolation bracket before Mark Powell of Purdue eliminated him with a 6-3 win.

 

Sophomore Marcus Effner (14-8) and freshman Kyle Chittick (8-8) each won a bout by fall before being eliminated in three matches at 165 and 174 pounds, respectively.

 

Junior Mike Hurley won, 7-3, in the first round of the 141-pound bracket over Liberty's Tim Hamer before falling in his next to bouts. Sophomore Chris Hahn (3-2 at 197) also won in the first round before bowing out of the tournament with two straight losses as did sophomore heavyweight Rashard Goff. Goff (16-7) downed Michigan State's Alan O'Donnell by a 3-2 count before falling to top-seeded Dustin Fox and Purdue's Chris Kasten each by 2-1 scores.

 

Juniors David Armstrong (6-4 at 133) and Nate Kmetz (3-9 at 174) and freshman Benny Balogh (7-10 at 197) each went 0-2 on the day.

 

"A lot of great teams are here and that is good for us to get exposure to a national tournament like this," Effner said. "This can light the fire in our minds and hearts to get to the next level."

 

The Midlands, one of the most prestigious tournaments of the season, featured 56 teams with nine squads being ranked in the NWCA Top 25. The second day of the Midlands begins tomorrow with semi-final and consolation action at 1:00 p.m.

 

DAY 1 RESULTS

 

125 - Angel Escobedo (Indiana) major dec. Ryan Riggs , 10-2

        - Christian Smith (Liberty) dec. Ryan Riggs , 4-3

 

133 - Sean Schmaltz (Purdue) dec. David Armstrong , 3-1

        - Paul Njoku (MacMurray) dec. David Armstrong , 4-2

 

141 - Mike Hurley dec. Tim Hamer (Liberty), 7-3

        - Cassio Pero (Illinois) major dec. Mike Hurley , 16-3

        - Cory Dunn (Sacred Heart) dec. Mike Hurley , 7-2

 

149 - Ryan Hurley FALL Danny Zeman (Illinois), (5:17)

        - Nick Fallico (Mich. St.) dec. Ryan Hurley , 3-1

        - Ryan Hurley dec. Brett Stedman (Iowa), 4-3

        - Ryan Hurley dec. Andrew Plata (MacMurray), 8-2

        - Mark Powell (Purdue) dec. Ryan Hurley , 6-3

 

157 - Brandon Becker (Indiana) major dec. Victer Crenshaw, 10-2

         - Victer Crenshaw dec. Roberto Vargus (Roadrunner Club), 6-2

         - Victer Crenshaw FALL Kyle Katz (Elmhurst), (3:23)

         - Victer Crenshaw dec. Eric Howe (Purdue), 3-1

 

 

165 - Jason Martin (Purdue) dec. Marcus Effner , 5-3

         - Marcus Effner FALL Billy Gallo (Eastern Illinois), (3:01)

         - Justin Fragga (Purdue) dec. Marcus Effner , 3-2

 

174 - Kyle Chittick FALL Grant Turner (Iowa St.), (2:59)

         - James Yonushonis (Penn St.) dec. Kyle Chittick , 5-1

         - Danny Burk (No. Ill.) dec. Kyle Chittick , 5-3

 

        - Kyle Vanderhyde (Olivet) major dec. Nate Kmetz , 13-2

        - Danny Burk (No. Ill.) major dec. Nate Kmetz , 19-8

 

184 - David Gilkey FALL Scott Hazen (No. Iowa), (4:00)

         - David Gilkey FALL Jason Luloff (UW-LaCrosse), (6:39)

         - Benjamin Wissel (Independent) TECH FALL David Gilkey , 16-0

 

197 - Chris Hahn major dec. Jeff Wright (Olivet), 15-7

         - Andrew Anderson (No. Iowa) dec. Chris Hahn , 8-3

         - Nick Palmieri (Mich. St.) dec. Chris Hahn , 9-2

 

        - Ryan Phillips (Upper Iowa) major dec. Benny Balogh , 14-6

        - Nate Everhart (Indiana) FALL Benny Balogh , (2:38)

 

285 - Rashard Goff dec. Alan O'Donnell (Mich. St.), 3-2

         - Dustin Fox (N'western) dec. Rashard Goff , 2-1

         - Chris Kasten (Purdue) dec. Rashard Goff , 2-1

 

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