Tenth Ranked Central Michigan advances 5 wrestlers to finals

Tenth-ranked Central Michigan University advanced five wrestlers to the finals en route to the team title at the Reno Tournament of Champions.

The championship is CMU's first at the event. Oklahoma State had won the tournament four straight years and nine times in the 12 years it has been held. The Chippewas tallied 132.5 team points, while Oklahoma State was runner-up with 131. Oregon State was third with 96.5 team points.

CMU held a commanding lead in the team standings entering the medal round, as five Chippewas advanced to the finals of their respective weight classes: No. 3 seed Trevor Stewart (165 pounds), No. 1 seed Brandon Sinnott (174), No. 1 seed Christian Sinnott (184), No. 1 seed Wynn Michalak (197) and No. 3 seed Bubba Gritter. All five finished runner-up, however, and a pair of Oklahoma State wrestlers claimed individual titles to nearly rally the Cowboys.

An 8-0 major decision over eighth-seeded Brandon Kelly (Newberry) highlighted Trevor Stewart's run to the finals at 165. He won five straight to earn a date with defending national champ Johnny Hendricks (Oklahoma State) in the championship match, but Hendricks scored a 15-5 major decision in the final. Hendricks was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler.

Brandon Sinnott claimed a 9-4 decision over No. 8 seed Nick Corpe (Purdue) and a 6-5 decision over No. 5 Nick Hayes (Northwestern) on his way to the finals at 174. He fell to No. 3 Ken Cook (UC Davis), 9-4, in the final.

Christian Sinnott was dominating in the early rounds, claiming a pair of major decisions and a tech fall to advance to semis. He was a 9-4 winner over unseeded Greg Gifford (Arizona State) in the semifinals, but dropped a 5-1 decision to Ian Murphy (Cal State Fullerton) in the championship match.

Michalak, the defending Reno champ at 197 pounds, posted falls in each of his first two matches, then claimed decisions over No. 8 seed Jason Trulson (Arizona State) and No. 4 seed Nate Moore (Purdue) to advance to the finals. In the final, however, second-seeded Mike Tamillow (Northwestern) scored a pair of takedowns in a 6-2 victory.

At heavyweight, Gritter earned a 3-2 decision over No. 2 seed Ty Watterson (Oregon State) to earn a spot in the finals, where he fell to Cody Parker (Cal Poly), 10-3.

Also placing in the top six for CMU were Luke Smith (fourth, 125 pounds), Brandon Carter (sixth, 149) and Eric Neil (sixth, 157).

CMU returns to action at Midlands in Evanston, Ill. on Dec. 29-30.