MAC Champion John McClure St. Louis Bound

Final Brackets.

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YPSILANTI, Mich.– The Eastern Michigan University wrestling team accomplished something it had not done since 2007 here Sunday, March 8, at the Mid-American Conference Championships at the Convocation Center– celebrate a MAC Individual Title. Senior John McClure (Holland, Mich.-West Ottawa) is headed to the NCAA Championships after a brilliant 3-2 victory in the 197 lb. championship bout against James Hamel of the University at Buffalo. The Eagles as a team finished in fifth place with 36.5 points. Central Michigan University claimed its eight consecutive MAC Title, tallying 111.5 points.

Kent State University scored 82.5 points to take second place honors while Northern Illinois took third spot with 39 points. The University at Buffalo finish fourth with EMU fifth and Ohio University sixth place with 39 and 15.5 points, respectively.

Five Eagles earned top-four finishes in this year's tournament including redshirt junior Chris Jenkins (Tecumseh, Mich.-Tecumseh) at 125 (third place), redshirt junior Sean Clair (Turtlecreek, Pa.-Plum) at 133 (fourth place), redshirt freshman J.J. Johnson (Rockford, Mich.-Rockford) at 149 (third place) McClure at 197 (first place) and redshirt sophomore David Wade (Beavercreek, Ohio-Beavercreek) at heavyweight (third place)

The marquee match of the Championship for the Green and White took place in the 197 lb. championship bout, where senior McClure took on Hamel. McClure got on the board first with an escape in the early stages of the second period. McClure then went ahead, 3-0, with a forceful takedown of Hamel at the edge of the ring. A Hamel escape sent the match into the third period with McClure ahead, 3-1.

The two contestants engaged in a passionate battle through the final two minutes as Hamel fought desperately to get back in the match. Hamel recorded an early escape to inch closer, 3-2, but McClure was able to hold his ground until the final buzzer sounded. The home crowd erupted in cheers as McClure's hand was raised, signaling EMU's first conference champion since Jermaine Thompson in 2007. McClure's stunning victory earned him an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships.

Jenkins started the day off for the Eagles once again in a consolation round bout against Buffalo's Dan Bishop at 125. Jenkins, in search of his third victory of the Championship, wrestled Bishop to a 2-2 tie until the end of regulation, where EMU was awarded the extra point to take the win, 3-2, and advance to the runner-up match.

Next to the mat was Clair to face off against NIU's Tristen DeShazer in the 133 lb. consolation match. Down 2-1 to begin the final two minutes, Clair tied the match with an escape point to send the match into overtime. After a scoreless first minute in the extra frame, DeShazer managed an escape to begin the middle 30 seconds, which proved to be the deciding factor in the bout. Clair was eliminated from the Championship to the displeasure of the home crowd.

In the 149 consolation match, Johnson used some last-second heroics to send the match to overtime tied at three against Steve Zimmerman of the Huskies. Johnson needed just 19 seconds of the extra period to notch a takedown and win the match, 5-3.

Following McClure's victory was Wade, who earned a spot in the runner-up match thanks to a 2-1 decision over Andy Hartson of Ohio. The victory marked his second in a row after an opening round setback.

All that remained now were the second place matches. Jenkins squared-off for the 125 lb. runner-up honors against Nic Bedelyon of Kent State. The redshirt junior opened the scoring with two points early in the second, but quickly fell behind as Bedelyon tallied six unanswered points to take a 6-2 lead into the final frame. Jenkins could not regain his early lead in the third, dropping the match, 6-3.

McClure will now head to St. Louis, Mo. to compete in the NCAA Championships, March 19-21.

FINAL TEAM RESULTS
1. Central Michigan 111.5
2. Kent State 82.5
3. Northern Illinois 47.5
4. Buffalo 39
5. Eastern Michigan 36.5
6. Ohio University 15.5

FINAL EMU INDIVIDUAL RESLUTS
125• Chris Jenkins
   Chris Jenkins (EMU) dec Dan Bishop (UB), 6-4
   Scotti Sentes (CMU) fall Chris Jenkins (EMU), 1:53
   Chris Jenkins (EMU) fall Tim Silvers (OU), 0:44
   Chris Jenkins (EMU) dec. Dan Bishop (UB), 3-2
   Nic Bedelyon (KSU) dec. Chris Jenkins (EMU), 7-3
   Third Place Finish

133• Sean Clair
   Quentin Keyes (OU) dec. Sean Clair (EMU), 5-3
   Sean Clair (EMU) dec. Kevin Smith (UB), 5-4 (OT)
   Tristen DeShazer (NIU) dec. Sean Clair (EMU), 3-2 (OT)
   Fourth Place Finish

141• Zach Donofrio
   Patrick McLemore (NIU) maj. dec. Zach Donofrio (EMU), 9-1
   Germane Lindsey (CMU) maj. dec. Zach Donofrio (EMU), 12-5

149• J.J. Johnson
    Desmond Green (UB) dec. J.J. Johnson (EMU), 7-5
    J.J. Johnson (EMU) pin Clint Sponseller (KSU), 1:18
    J.J. Johnson (EMU) dec. Steve Zimmerman (NIU), 5-3 (OT)
    Third Place Finish

157• Josh Moulton
   Josh Moulton (EMU) pin John Martin-Cannon (UB), 2:20
   Clay Tucker (OU) dec. Josh Moulton (EMU), 6-2
   Germane Lindsey (CMU) maj. dec. Josh Moulton (EMU), 14-6

165• Justin Brandel
   John Odeen (NIU) maj. dec. Justin Brandel (EMU), 10-0
   Ron Majerus (UB) maj. dec. Justin Brandel (EMU), 12-3

174• Don Funk
   Derrick Yant (NIU) dec. Don Funk (EMU), 9-4
   Nick Purdue (OU) dec. Don Funk (EMU), 6-0

184• Derek Foore
   Vince DiDona (CMU) dec. Derek Foore (EMU), 4-0
   Mickey Moran (UB) dec. Derek Foore (EMU), 7-3

197• John McClure
   John McClure (EMU) dec. Eric Chine (KSU), 3-2 (OT)
   John McClure (EMU) dec. James Hamel (UB), 3-2
   First Place Finish (NCAA Qualifier)

HWT• David Wade
   Jarod Trice (CMU) dec. David Wade (EMU), 8-3
   David Wade (EMU) dec. Dakota Greenhaw (NIU), 2-0
   David Wade (EMU) dec. Andy Hartshorn (OU), 2-0
   Third Place Finish

TEAM AWARDS

FIRST TEAM ALL-MAC
125: Scotti Sentes (CMU)
133: Dan Mitcheff (KSU)
141: Drew Lashaway (KSU)
149: Steve Brown (CMU)
157: Bryan Deutsch (NIU)
165: Trevor Stewart (CMU)
174: Mike Miller (CMU)
184: Dustin Kilgore (KSU)
197: John McClure (EMU)
HWT: Jermail Porter (KSU)

COACH OF THE YEAR
Jim Andrassy (KSU)

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Dustin Kilgore (KSU)

WRESTLER OF THE YEAR
Jermail Porter (KSU)

MAC TOURNAMENT OUTSTANDING WRESTLER
Dan Mitcheff (KSU)

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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