University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Burak finishes fourth at Cliff Keen
12/4/2011 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
LAS VEGAS – Northern Colorado senior transfer Gabe Burak, ranked 12th in the nation according to Intermat, led the wrestling team at the prestigious Cliff Keen Invitational over the weekend, finishing in fourth place at 165 pounds. The Bears placed 24th overall with 24 points.
Burak entered the tournament as the No. 11 seed and won two of his first three bouts by fall, pinning Adrian Gonzales from Menlo (4:44) in the first round and Robert Kokesh from Nebraska (1:26), the third seed, in the quarterfinals. In the second round, Burak won 9-6 in overtime against sixth-seeded Daniel Yates from Michigan. Burak lost in the semifinals to the No. 2 seed, P.J. Gillespie from Hofstra, 5-3 for a 3-1 record in his second competition as a Bear.
Junior Sam Bauer was pinned in the opening round by third-seeded AJ Schopp from Edinboro, who advanced all the way to the finals of 133 pounds before losing 10-5 to Ohio State's Logan Stieber. Bauer won decisions in the first two consolation rounds, defeating Shane McGough from Arizona State, 12-7 and Indiana's Joseph Duca, 5-3 before dropping a hard-fought 3-2 decision to Brandon Rocha from Cal Poly.
Senior Casey Cruz received a bye in the first round and then lost by major decision to fourth-seeded Tyler Small from Kent State, 9-0. Cruz won one round in the back draw, defeating Cal Baptist's Bradford Gerl, 6-2 before losing 8-0 to West Virginia's Nathan Pennesi.
Sophomore Cody McAninch met up with second-seeded and eventual champion Joe LeBlanc from Wyoming in the first round. LeBlanc, the fourth-ranked wrestler in the nation at 184 pounds, pinned McAninch in 2:19. McAninch bounced back to post quality wins over North Idaho's Caleb Rivera, 16-3 and Michigan's Hunter Collins, 8-6 before falling to Arizona State's Kevin Radford in 2:16.
At heavyweight, Henry Chirino lost a 5-0 decision to eighth-seeded Kyle Frey from Drexel in the opening round. Chirino won the first two consolation rounds against San Francisco State's Otillo Gonzalez, 10-6 and Maciej Jochym from Cornell, 9-5, before being pinned by Nebraska-Kearney's Kyle Barrett in 2:00.
Both Jesse Meis and Josh Van Tine went 0-2 during the two-day tournament at 125 and 174 pounds, respectively.
The Bears will have next week off from competition due to final examinations, returning to the mats on Dec. 14 at the Campbell Duals in Buies Creek, North Carolina.
Jesse Meis, 125 pounds (0-2)
First Round: Shane McQuade (Wisconsin) dec. Meis, 11-6
Consolation First Round: Jaime Martinez (Cal Baptist) fall Meis, 4:45
Sam Bauer, 133 pounds (2-2)
First Round: #10 AJ Schopp (Edinboro) fall Bauer, 4:48
Consolation First Round: Bauer dec. Shane McGough (Arizona State), 12-7
Consolation Second Round: Bauer dec. Joseph Duca (Indiana), 5-3
Consolation Third Round: Brandon Rocha (Cal Poly) dec. Bauer, 3-2
Casey Cruz, 141 pounds (1-2)
First Round: Cruz received a bye
Second Round: #10 Tyler Small (Kent State) major Cruz, 9-0
Consolation Second Round: Cruz received a bye
Consolation Third Round: Cruz dec. Bradford Gerl (Cal Baptist), 6-2
Consolation Fourth Round: Nathan Pennesi (West Virginia) major Cruz, 8-0
Charlie McMartin, 157 pounds (1-2)
First Round: McMartin received a bye
Second Round: Napoleon Aniciete (Utah Valley) dec. McMartin, 11-8
Consolation Second Round: McMartin received a bye
Consolation Third Round: McMartin tech fall Ross Taylor (Western Wyoming), 19-4, 7:00
Consolation Fourth Round: Tyler Banks (Hofstra) major McMartin, 8-0
#12 Gabe Burak, 165 pounds (3-1, fourth place)
First Round: Burak fall Adrian Gonzales (Menlo College), 4:44
Second Round: Burak TB #18 Daniel Yates (Michigan), 9-6
Quarterfinals: Burak fall #10 Robert Kokesh (Nebraska), 1:26
Semifinals: #4 P.J. Gillespie (Hofstra) dec. Burak, 5-3
Josh Van Tine, 174 pounds (0-2)
First Round: Ryan Tompkins (Army) dec. Van Tine, 5-3
Consolation First Round: Richard McDonald (Brown) dec. Van Tine, 7-3
Cody McAninch, 184 pounds (2-2)
First Round: #4 Joe LeBlanc (Wyoming) fall McAninch, 2:19
Consolation First Round: McAninch major Caleb Rivera (North Idaho), 16-3
Consolation Second Round: McAninch dec. Hunter Collins (Michigan), 8-6
Consolation Third Round: Kevin Radford (Arizona State) fall McAninch, 2:16
Henry Chirino, Heavyweight (2-2)
First Round: #18 Kyle Frey (Drexel) dec. Chirino, 5-0
Consolation First Round: Chirino dec. Otillo Gonzalez (San Francisco State), 10-6
Consolation Second Round: Chirino dec. Maciej Jochym (Cornell), 9-5
Consolation Third Round: Kevin Barrett (Nebraska-Kearney) fall Chirino, 2:00
