Northwestern picks up a crucial 27-12 victory over Michigan State.
Northwestern wrestling won its first Big Ten competition in nearly a year on Friday at home against Michigan State. After starting the season 0-5 in conference play and 2-6 overall, the ‘Cats decisively took seven of 10 matches to defeat the Spartans in front of the Welsh-Ryan crowd.
Despite redshirt junior Aiden Vandenbush dropping the first bout of the competition, Jon Halvorsen quickly countered with an exhilarating overtime win to kick off the Wildcats’ successful evening. Battling MSU’s Lucas Daly at 184 lbs, Halvorsen forced a two-minute sudden victory period as the wrestlers traded escapes in regulation. After neither Halvorsen nor Daly were able to log points in sudden death, the Northwestern graduate student finally came away with the win by earning an escape in the first tiebreak period and a rideout in the second.
Next, in the only ranked-vs-ranked matchup of the night, Northwestern’s Evan Bates dominated No. 25 Remy Cotton, pinning his opponent within 90 seconds. The No. 13 wrestler at 197 lbs drew upon the momentum Halvorsen built, quickly taking down Cotton twice before ultimately ending the match.
Bates’ first pin of conference play not only gave the ‘Cats a huge six points but set the tone for the Spartans’ downfall, dismantling their top-ranked player. The junior has now defeated nine heavyweights ranked in the top 33 by InterMat over the course of the season, asserting himself as a giant slayer in his division.
The other two ranked Wildcats who competed also took care of business. No. 25 Sam Cartella (149 lbs) extended his win streak to three consecutive bouts, coming out on top in a 9-6 decision. The up-and-coming Cartella has enjoyed a stellar redshirt-freshman campaign, winning eight of his last nine, including five Big Ten victories.
Northwestern’s highest-ranked wrestler by InterMat, No. 9 Trevor Chumbley, also came away with a win against Michigan State’s Braden Stauffenberg. Competing at 157 lbs, the Illinois-native picked up his second major decision in a row, earning the ‘Cats four points. Chumbley continues to make his case as one of the most highly decorated wrestlers in Northwestern history, moving to 82-37 across six seasons in Evanston.
Both Dedrick Navarro and Massey Odiotti aligned with Northwestern’s dominance, picking up major decisions as well. Navarro continues a hot streak of major decisions, as the redshirt first-year has taken home four points in three of his last four bouts, while Odiotti cruised after earning three takedowns in the first period. Graduate Chris Cannon also picked up a win at 141 lbs, showcasing his versatility by scoring with a takedown, a reversal and an escape.
While Michigan State was not the most impressive opponent, now standing 4-6 overall and remaining winless in conference play, Northwestern’s dominance is a sign that Matt Storniolo’s squad may have finally gotten over the hump. Multiple wrestlers seem to have found their stride at the right moment and are finally putting together winning performances. After a series of close losses where the team looked to be on the brink of a breakthrough, the tides might finally be shifting in the Wildcats’ direction.
Another sign of fortune to come: Northwestern faces the only other winless team in Big Ten play next as Wisconsin comes to Welsh-Ryan Arena on Friday. That’s a major opportunity on Senior Night before closing out the regular season at No. 3 Iowa the following weekend.