Eastern Michigan Athletics
Wrestling Weekly Release: 1/2/09
1/2/2009 11:39:23 AM | Wrestling
Eagles come home to start new year
YPSILANTI, Mich.- The Eastern Michigan University wrestling team will start the new calendar year with a home match Sunday, Jan. 11, against Cleveland State University. The match is slated for 3 p.m. The Eagles will be looking for their fourth win of the season.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!: The Eagles will kick off 2009 at Bowen Field House when they host Cleveland State University, Jan. 11, at 3 p.m. Eastern is 0-1 in home matches this season, and will look to even that mark against a Vikings team whom they defeated 22-12 in Cleveland, Ohio, Jan. 12, 2008.
A LOOK BACK AT 2008: Eastern participated in a total of 13 total events in the 2008 portion of the season and currently holds a 3-6 overall record (0-1 MAC) through nine dual matches. Twenty-nine Eagles have combined for a record of 157-190 in individual bouts. After four tournaments, two Eagle grapplers, sophomore Andrew Novak and redshirt junior Justin Brandel, have placed first in their respective weight classes. Both of these performances came at the Cleveland State Open, Dec. 21.
Redshirt freshman J.J. Johnson was named the "MAC Wrestler of the Week" for the period ending Dec. 7. On Dec. 5, Johnson pinned Michigan State University’s Tim Hammer in a non-conference dual at Bowen Field House. The pin at the 3:41 mark of the 149 lb. match came to a thunderous applause of the partisan crowd to put the Eagles on top, 15-12. The Spartans would come back to win the match, however, 18-15.
MIDLANDS WRAPUP: The Eagles are coming off an encouraging performance at the Midlands Wrestling Championship at Northwestern University, Dec. 29-30. Redshirt junior Sean Clair and redshirt freshman J.J. Johnson fought their ways to winning records (3-2 and 4-2, respectively) and were the only Eagles to make it to the second day of the event. Clair anchored the 133 lb. weight class and just missed advancing to a sixth match when he dropped a 5-4 decision to No. 5 ranked Connor Beebe of Central Michigan University. At 149, Johnson lost his first match but responded with four straight victroies. He was also eliminated by a ranked opponent. Eastern earned a respectable 15-20 record throughout the event.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT: Redshirt junior Justin Brandel made it the fartherst into the winner’s bracket of any Eagle at the Midland’s as a result of recording victories in each of his first two matches in the 165 lb. weight class. Brandel would drop to the consolation bracket due to a third round setback. He finished the competition with a 2-2 record.
TRIPLE DOUBLE: Three Eagles walk into the new year with double-digits showing in the win column. Redshirt junior Zack Donofrio continues to lead all Eagle wrestlers with 13 wins (13-7) but is closely followed by redshirt freshman J.J. Johnson, who has an 11-7 record. Finally, senior Josh Moulton holds a 10-10 record after a 2-2 mark at the Midlands.
Redshirt juniors Justin Brandel and David Pienaar and sopohomore Andrew Novak are just shy of the 10-win mark with nine victories apiece.
JANUARY OUTLOOK: Four opponents await the Eagles in January. The Vikings come calling Jan. 11 followed by a Jan. 17 tussle with Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. The Eagles will then look to take out conference powerhouse and rival Central Michigan, Jan. 22, in Mt. Pleasant, Mich. On Jan. 31, Eastern will head down to Boiling Springs, N.C. to participate in the annual Gardner-Webb Duals.
SAVE THE DATES: Eastern’s home match against Cleveland State will be the second of three at Bowen for the 2008-09 campaign at 4 p.m. The final home match scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 15, when the Eagles battle Kent State in an inter-conference bout at 4 p.m.
Over 550 fans packed Bowen for the Dec. 5 match against Michigan State. Come out, support your Eagles, and watch some hard-hitting wrestling action!
