Photo Credit: Pete Borg/Rider University
TRENTON, N.J. – The Cleveland State wrestling team will have two representatives in the final matches of the 2021 MAC Championship tomorrow (Saturday, February 27), as Marcus Robinson (149) and Ben Smith (197) advanced to the championship round in their respective weight classes.
After the first day of action at the MAC Championship, Cleveland State stands fifth in the team standings with 56.5 points, just one point behind fourth place Northern Illinois. Leading the team standings after day one is Missouri with 161.5 points.
At 149 pounds, Marcus Robinson – who was wrestling as the No. 6 seed – picked up three wins on Friday to advance to the championship match. In his opening round contest, Robinson earned a 3-1 decision over Rider's Wyatt McCarthy, before earning a 9-5 upset decision over third-seeded Tyler Vath of Edinboro in the quarterfinals.
Robinson then picked up another upset win in the semifinals, as he earned a 5-1 decision over second-seeded Anthony Cheloni of Northern Illinois.
Robinson will now face top-seeded Brock Mauller of Missouri in tomorrow's championship match, which is set for 2:30 p.m.
At 197 pounds, Ben Smith was wrestling as one of Cleveland State's highest seeded participants, as he earned the No. 4 seed prior to this weekend's championship. After having a bye in the opening round, Smith picked up a 3-2 decision over Central Michigan's Landon Pelham in the quarterfinals, before upsetting top-seeded Greg Bulsak of Clarion with a 12-5 decision in the semifinals.
Smith will take his 2-0 MAC Championship record into tomorrow's championship match against second-seeded Rocky Elam of Missouri at 2:30 p.m.
In addition to Robinson and Smith, the Vikings had two more wrestlers make it to the semifinals of their respective weight classes, as Riley Smucker picked up a pair of wins at 165 pounds, while DeAndre Nassar also earned two wins at 184 pounds.
Nassar, who was wrestling as the No. 4 seed, picked up an 8-3 decision over Lockhaven's Colin Fegley in the opening round, and then earned a 3-2 decision over Clarion's Max Wohlabaugh in the quarterfinals.
Nassar's semifinal match pitted him against top-seeded Brett Wilson from Northern Illinois, with Wilson earning a 12-3 major decision.
After entering the 2021 MAC Championships as the No. 6 seed, Smucker picked up a pair of wins in his first two matches before falling in the semifinals of the 165 weight class.
In the opening round, Smucker posted a 4-2 decision over SIUE's Chase Diehl, and then earned a 6-4 decision over third-seeded Colt Yinger of Ohio in the quarterfinals. Smucker was then matched up against second-seeded Izzak Olejnik of Northern Illinois in the semifinals, with Olejnik picking up a 9-3 decision.
The final Viking to win a match in the main draw was Daniel Patten at 157 pounds, as he earned a 7-1 decision over seventh-seeded Anthony Gibson of Northern Illinois in the opening round. Although he would fall in the quarterfinals, Patten also picked up a 6-2 decision over Clarion's Taylor Ortz in a consolation match.
The trio of Justin Patrick (133), Anthony Rice (174) and John Kelbly (285) all picked up a consolation victory on Friday, Patrick earning a 5-2 decision over Buffalo's Caleb Svingala, Rice earning a 12-7 win over Lockhaven's Austin Bell, and Kelbly posting a 10-0 major decision over George Mason's Ali Salem.
Cody Moosman (125) and Jack Gorman (141) were also in action at the MAC Championships on Friday.
CSU Results at the Mid-American Conference Championships
125
First Round: No. 6 Josh Jones (George Mason) over Cody Moosman (CSU) – Fall 0:43
Consolation First Round: Moosman (CSU) – bye
Consolation Second Round: No. 4 Luke Werner (Lockhaven) over Moosman (CSU) – 11-0 MD
133
First Round: Cole Rhone (Bloomsburg) over No. 7 Justin Patrick (CSU) – 4-3 dec.
Consolation First Round: No. 7 Patrick (CSU) over Caleb Svingala (Buffalo) – 5-2 dec.
Consolation Second Round: No. 8 Aaron Schulist (SIUE) over No. 7 Patrick (CSU) – Fall 4:24
141
First Round: No. 2 Dresden Simon (CMU) over Jack Gorman (CSU) – Fall 6:18
Consolation First Round: Gorman (CSU) – bye
Consolation Second Round: No. 8 Josh Mason (Bloomsburg) over Gorman (CSU) – Fall 1:01
149
First Round: No. 6 Marcus Robinson (CSU) over Wyatt McCarthy (Rider) – 3-1 dec.
Quarterfinals: No. 6 Robinson (CSU) over No. 3 Tyler Vath (Edinboro) – 9-5 dec.
Semifinals: No. 6 Robinson (CSU) over No. 2 Anthony Cheloni (NIU) – 5-1 dec.
157
First Round: Daniel Patten (CSU) over No. 7 Anthony Gibson (NIU) – 7-1 dec.
Quarterfinals: No. 2 Jarrett Jacques (Missouri) over Patten (CSU) – Fall 2:02
Consolation Second Round: Patten (CSU) over Taylor Ortz (Clarion) – 6-2 dec.
165
First Round: No. 6 Riley Smucker (CSU) over Chase Diehl (SIUE) – 4-2 dec.
Quarterfinals: No. 6 Smucker (CSU) over No. 3 Colt Yinger (Ohio) – 6-4 dec.
Semifinals: No. 2 Izzak Olejnik (NIU) over No. 6 Smucker (CSU) – 9-3 dec.
174
First Round: Jake Lowell (CMU) over No. 7 Anthony Rice (CSU) – 8-5 dec.
Consolation First Round: No. 7 Rice (CSU) – bye
Consolation Second Round: No. 7 Rice (CSU) over No. 8 Austin Bell (Lockhaven) – 12-7 dec.
184
First Round: No. 4 DeAndre Nassar (CSU) over Colin Fegley (Lockhaven) – 8-3 dec.
Quarterfinals: No. 4 Nassar (CSU) over No. 5 Max Wohlabaugh (Clarion) – 3-2 dec.
Semifinals: No. 1 Brett Wilson (NIU) over No. 4 Nassar (CSU) – 12-3 MD
197
First Round: No. 4 Ben Smith (CSU) – bye
Quarterfinals: No. 4 Smith (CSU) over No. 5 Landon Pelham (CMU) – 3-2 dec.
Semifinals: No. 4 Smith (CSU) over No. 1 Greg Bulsak (Clarion) – 12-5 dec.
285
First Round: No. 4 Sam Schuyler (Buffalo) over John Kelbly (CSU) – 13-5 MD
Consolation First Round: Kelbly (CSU) over Ali Salem (George Mason) – 10-0 MD
Consolation Second Round: No. 6 Colton McKiernan (SIUE) over Kelbly (CSU) – 3-1 dec.