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Wrestlers down Eagles in dual meet

YPSILANTI -- Road kill.

To most of us, the phrase brings to mind flat, dead animals. To the Michigan wrestling team, it is also an apt description of what they did to Eastern Michigan last night.

The No. 13 Wolverines dismantled the Eagles in Ypsilanti as they jumped out to an early 16-0 lead, before beating the Eagles by 22 points.

The 28-6 final marked the most points the Wolverines have put on the board since a Jan. 12 pounding of Edinboro.

The victory over the Eagles brought Michigan's regular season to an end. The Wolverines finished 12-5-1 overall and 6-2-1 in the Big Ten.

Earlier yesterday, Michigan upset No. 9 Indiana by the skin of its collective fangs, 19-17, in a dual meet at Cliff Keen Arena.

The highlight of the day for the Wolverines came against Indiana, as 190-pound Michigan senior Lanre Olabisi upset the Hoosiers' 13th-ranked wrestler, Ben Nachtrieb.

After racing to a 9-0 lead after two matches, the Wolverines allowed Indiana to reel off 10 unanswered points in the next three.

Sophomore Jeff Catrabone managed to stop the bleeding somewhat with a decision at 158,which put Michigan back in front at 12-10, only to have the Hoosiers win the next two.

With the Wolverines desperately in need of a win to retain any hope of victory, Olabisi hung tough against his ranked opponent and gained a 4-1 victory. Michigan was within two points at 17-15, easily in striking distance going into the final bout.

As usual, sophomore heavyweight Airron Richardson was able to put the lid on the opposition, recording an 8-0 major decision over Hoosier Jason DeVries to put another `W' into the books for Michigan.

"Lanre has got to be the star today," Michigan coach Dale Bahr said after the first victory of the day. "When you see a couple guys you depend on go down (150-pounder Bill Lacure and 177-pounder Jesse Rawls Jr.), then somebody else has got to step up, and I think that's been a key to this team all year long."

The loss was Indiana's first in the Big Ten, and it came at the hands of a red-hot Wolverine squad.

Michigan finished the season on a six-meet winning streak, and has won eight of its last 10 dual meets.

The most impressive fact about the win streak is that three of the six victories have come against more highly ranked opponents, the other two having been No. 7 Minnesota and No. 11 Wisconsin, both last weekend.

Although the Wolverines were able to flatten Eastern Michigan, it was a low-key win, an uninspired blowout.

"It was kind of a mental letdown after wrestling Indiana," Bahr said after the victory over the Eagles. "To come over here it's just like, `Well, let's just go and get the job done.' It's like going to the office and working the three hours you need to work."

"Basically, we wanted to get through this and get ready for (the Big Ten tournament, to be held March 9 and 10 at East Lansing)," Bahr added.

A couple of highlights did indeed come out of the clipping of the Eagles, despite the lackluster atmosphere surrounding the meet.

Freshman Jeff Reese recorded his first career dual meet victory at 142 pounds, by romping to a 16-3 major decision over Eastern's Noah Delaney.

Catrabone's two victories on the day allowed him to finish the dual-meet season undefeated, having reeled off 18 consecutive wins.

"I was happy to have a perfect season in dual meets," Catrabone said.

"I was really nervous (before the Indiana and Eastern Michigan matches) thinking, `Don't let me screw it up.'"

The team will now turn its attention to the upcoming Big Ten and NCAA tournaments.

"The weather's getting nice out," Bahr said. "It's time not to have duals anymore.