NCAA RECAP - Russell, Stevens shine for Wolverines

By Dan Cleypool

MI Grappler Staff Writer

ST. LOUIS -- University of Michigan wrestling coach Joe McFarland

wanted more from his Wolverines from this past weekends NCAA

Division I Wrestling Championships

He is going to expect more in the future.

The wolverines qualified seven wrestlers: senior Zac Stevens at 133

pounds, senior Kellen Russell at 141, sophomore Eric Grajales at

149, sophomore Dan Yates at 165, senior Justin Zeerip at 174,

freshman Max Huntley at 197 and junior Ben Apland at heavyweight.

A solid lineup that headed to the Scottrade Center this past

weekend for the finals, however, the talented group produced only

two All Americans and fell 1.5 points short of placing the team in

the top ten.

“We are a bit disappointed, we certainly want to have more All-

Americans,” McFarland said. “We have a lot of work ahead of us,

and we know what we need to do to get more placers at the national

tournament.”

Six of the qualifiers earned points for the Wolverines, but it was Stevens who improved upon his eighth seed, winning his final match and placing seventh.

“Zac has been a great leader for us, both in the room and outside of wrestling,” McFarland said. “He did a great job of improving during the season so as to prepare for this tournament. He had to beat kids that he had lost to earlier in the season, so to do what he did, and the fact that he did it, tells you a little about Zac Stevens. We'll

miss him.”

Another wrestler McFarland will miss. And one who seems to thrive under the bright lights of the finals, is senior Russell of famed New Jersey high school team Blair Academy.

Russell won his second straight national title with a hard-fought 6-4 overtime win over Iowa's Montell Marion in the championship finals.

Russell finished his senior season with a 33-1 record.

“I think starting from the Big Ten finals to now, its been the best matches I've wrestled in along time,” Russell said. “Im more offensive, Im opening up a little more, taking more shots. Its leading me to score more points and Im still not giving up a lot of points.

McFarland and the Michigan coaching staff were emotionally charged following Russells performance and though they will share in the gratification of their two-time champion, there is an expectation and level of excitement moving forward with the program.

“I am very excited about what we have back and what we have coming in,” McFarland said. “The kids from our state that we are getting are quality wrestlers who want to work.”

Among the new recruits will be three-time Division 2 state champion Jordan Thomas (189 pounds) from Greenville High School, four-time undefeated Division 2 state champion Taylor Massa (171 pounds) from Saint Johns, and Division 1 state champion Angelo Latora (145 pounds) from Portage Central High School.

“Those guys, along with the kids from outside the state will give us good depth,” McFarland said. “We've got work to do, but we are going in the right direction.”

Dan Yates, who prepped at Hesperia High School, shares in his coach's excitement.  Yates who will now have to say goodbye to teammate and friend Justin Zeerip, also of Hesperia, but will be welcoming Thomas and Massa, who he feels are like family members already.

“Justin has been a brother to me, our whole team is very tight,” Yates said. “People dont realize how tight we are with the guys coming in, they are like younger brothers to me, and there are plenty of guys who are older than me who remain like older brothers to me – it's tight like a family.

“These are guys that I have worked out with for years,” he added. “And what we will do is always try and make each other better!.”

Zeerip agrees: “Yates has been like a brother to me, and good to room with. We have always been able to bounce ideas off each other, knowing that we have each others best interest in mind.”

So just like a lot of tight families out there, some must move on, but others move in.

Copyright 2007-2012, Michigan Grappler, LLC

May not be republished or reproduced without expressed, written permission

Contact Michigan Grappler via E-Mail: admin@michigangrappler.com