No. 13 Michigan rolls past Central Michigan, 34-6
Wolverines collected eight bout wins — five for bonus points — to close dual slate at McGuirk Arena.
Mt. Pleasant, Mich. — No. 13 Michigan defeated Central Michigan 34-6 on Feb. 22, closing its dual-meet slate with eight victories, five of them bonus-point wins.
Diego Sotelo opened the dual at 125 pounds with a 14-4 major decision, rallying after an early 3-0 deficit and using takedowns and multi-point nearfalls to build the margin. Sotelo’s major decision set the tone for Michigan’s early cushion.
Central Michigan responded with a narrow 7-5 win at 133 pounds when Andrew Austin scored a third-period takedown to move ahead and hold the lead. Luke Cochran also secured a late victory for the Chippewas, recording a third-period takedown to beat No. 24 Hayden Walters 4-2 at 197 pounds.
Michigan rebuilt the lead through a string of bonus-point finishes. Eren Sement posted a 4-0 decision at 141 after scoring an escape and a late 3-point takedown in the third. No. 13 Lachlan McNeil ended his 149-pound match by technical fall, 22-6, compiling seven takedowns and an escape to force the early stoppage.
Cameron Catrabone supplied one of the tighter wins of the dual, scoring a 3-point takedown in the first overtime to beat Mason Shrader 8-5 at 157. Shrader entered ranked No. 24 at 157; Catrabone’s overtime takedown produced the decisive margin.
Michigan’s upperweights provided the knockout blows late. No. 8 Beau Mantanona pinned Cody Brenner in a 9-2 match at 174, finishing after a reversal and a multi-point nearfall sequence. No. 7 Brock Mantanona followed with a 16-1 technical fall at 184, and No. 4 Taye Ghadiali closed the scoring at heavyweight with a 17-2 technical fall that featured multiple takedowns and two nearfalls in the opening period.
Justin Gates added a 4-1 decision at 165, overturning a 1-0 deficit with a takedown and escape in the third to preserve Michigan’s margin. Central Michigan’s two wins came at 133 and 197; Michigan accounted for the other eight bouts, four before and four after the intermission.
The dual ended with Michigan ahead 34-6 as the Wolverines completed their regular-season dual schedule. The outcome combined bonus-point production from ranked starters and close decisions that avoided any sustained comeback by the Chippewas.