Spartans fade late in 28-7 loss to U-M

After a back-and-forth first few matches, the MSU wrestling team surrendered its last six in a dual meet against Michigan on Sunday at Jenison Field House, falling 28-7.

The Wolverines held only a two-point advantage going into the halfway point but — with three ranked wrestlers in the final five matches — overpowered the Spartans in the heavier weight classes.

“There were so many matches that I thought we’d win that got away from us,” MSU head coach Tom Minkel said. “In the first half of the dual, we wrestled really well. Michigan is stronger in the second half of their lineup, but I thought we’d win a few more matches than we did.”

Sophomore Anthony Jones Jr. and senior Rex Kendle, each with 20-8 records going into the afternoon, fell in their respective matches at the 157- and 165-pound weight classes.

“Anthony’s was really a tough one,” Minkel said. “He created all the offense. That kind of took a little steam out of us and Rex’s match was pretty disappointing too. Then we run into their best kids. We win (those two matches) and the momentum is all different, the score is all different and maybe the ending is different.”

The Wolverines drew first blood on the afternoon as No. 17 senior Michael Watts earned a 7-2 decision against redshirt freshman Eric Olanowski, giving U-M an early 3-0 lead.

In the 133-pound class, MSU’s headliner, junior Franklin Gomez, defeated Zac Stevens 18-6 in a major decision and stole the lead away from U-M.

Gomez, ranked sixth in the nation with a 14-2 record, controlled the overmatched Stevens throughout.

“I thought I wrestled pretty good,” Gomez said. “I always want to do my best in all my matches and that’s always what I’m looking for. Winning is going to take care of itself if I give my best.”

Redshirt freshman Collin Dozier and U-M’s No. 5 Kellen Russell followed in the 141-pound weight class in a heated battle that resulted in three points for U-M with a 5-2 decision. Dozier fought to the finish, at times forcing Russell off the platform while Russell was able to slam Dozier to the ground on multiple occasions.

“One takedown at the beginning of the match was the only deciding factor of the match,” Dozier said.

Redshirt freshman David Cheza garnered a 9-3 decision in the 149-pound weight class, but Kendle fell in a 3-0 decision against Justin Zeerip, who holds a 5-12 record.

Following Zeerip, U-M sent No. 1 Steve Luke, No. 13 Anthony Biondo and No. 6 Tyrel Todd to the mat in the 174-, 184- and 197-pound classes, respectively. Luke won by major decision against redshirt freshman Ian Hinton before Todd earned the sole pin of the afternoon, which came early in the first period against redshirt freshman Tyler Dickenson.

In the heavyweight match, Eddie Phillips took a 3-1 decision in overtime.