The University of Wisconsin wrestling team kicked off the 2008-09 season Saturday by hosting its annual intra-squad scrimmage. The scrimmage featured five matches, along with one exhibition match.
The first match of the night was at 125 pounds and featured two juniors in Drew Hammen and Kyle Reeve. Hammen controlled the beginning of the match, scoring a takedown in both the first and second periods to lead 4-0 going into the third. Reeve scored a takedown in the third but was unable to make a successful comeback. Hammen won the match 5-2 after being awarded riding time.
The 133-pound weight class featured two Colorado natives, true freshman Tyler Graff and junior Erik Senescu. Graff scored an early takedown in the first period and never looked back, taking a 21-7 major decision. Graff wrestled with a methodic approach, never losing focus and always looking to score.
“I wrestle the same every time. It doesn’t matter who it is, as long as there is a mat and ref, it’s a match to me,” Graff said. “I approached it (the wrestle off) like any match, the same every time.”
At 141 pounds, senior Zach Tanelli faced off against true freshman Trey Bertram. Tanelli took a quick 8-0 lead before pinning Bertram 1:42 into the first period. Tanelli, a two-time NCAA qualifier at 133 pounds, has moved up to the 141-pound weight class for his senior season.
“I feel really good,” Tanelli said. “It’s nice not having to worry about my weight all the time. I’ll be able to wrestle in a match like I can in practice.”
Tanelli has adjusted to the new weight and enters the season ranked No. 13 at 141 pounds.
At 149 pounds, junior co-captain Kyle Ruschell took on true freshman Cole Schmitt. After a few minutes of scrambles, Ruschell ended up on top and pinned Schmitt with just five seconds left in the first period. Ruschell, a two-time national qualifier and Big Ten runner-up, enters the season ranked No.11 in the national preseason rankings.
Sophomore Gabe Stoppelmoor and true freshman Ben Jordan competed for the spot at 157 pounds. Jordan scored first with an escape to start the second period and followed it up with a takedown to lead 3-0. Stoppelmoor responded quickly with a reversal — the period ended 3-2 in favor of Jordan — but he later scored an escape in the third to tie the match at 3-3. But Jordan was able to secure a takedown with just seconds to go to get the win with a final score of 5-3.
The last match of the night was an exhibition match at 174 pounds between junior Dan Rivers and freshman Travis Rutt. Rivers, who normally wrestles at 157 pounds, bumped up two weight classes to wrestle the match.
Rutt scored a takedown and five nearfall points in the first period to lead 7-0. Rivers earned an escape in the second period, but Rutt managed to extend his lead to 11-1 at the end of the second. Rutt got the win by achieving a tech fall over Rivers with 27 seconds to go in the match.
Head coach Barry Davis was pleased with how the team wrestled as a whole but saw some areas to improve on as they enter the regular season.
“It’s hard to watch two guys who are your own, but overall I was pleased with how the matches went,” Davis said. “A couple of things we need to work on … but it was good to see them in a live situation.”
