ESPN Covers the Chippewas

Santos · 03-05-2009, 07:05 PM

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=3954111

Scotti Sentes is a bit of a jokester. There are photos on the walls of Central Michigan's Rose Arena -- pictures of the best Chippewas athletes to walk those halls. Among them is a photo of 2008 graduate Luke Smith, a two-time MAC champion wrestler at 125 pounds. With Smith still around at CMU and constantly ribbing Sentes, the new 125-pounder, that he will always be the program's best wrestler, Sentes decided to print out a picture of his own face and place it over Smith's on the wall décor.It was just a wisecrack for Sentes' face to replace Smith's in the hallway. But as tournament time approaches in the college wrestling world, it seems the freshman has done a pretty good job of replacing Smith on the mat, as well. Good thing, too -- after CMU lost seven seniors, six of whom started in a 16-2, MAC championship season last year, the Chippewas needed it. With the help of Sentes and a young squad that features six grapplers who have either never started or never contributed much before this season, the Chippewas have shocked the NCAA to stand at 17-3-1 (4-1 MAC) as they head into the weekend looking to pick up their eighth consecutive MAC tournament title. "I expected to have a little more drop-off and by the end of the season, the end of the year, be better," said CMU coach Tom Borrelli, whose team just missed what would have been the program's 11th straight MAC title when CMU suffered a close loss to Kent State on Feb. 19. "I didn't know we would be as competitive all year long." The success of the 10th-ranked Chippewas has been a complete team effort. Along with Sentes, who is ranked 13th nationally at 125 pounds, several others have stepped up this season. Junior Steve Brown went down a weight class from 157 and now ranks 11th at 147 pounds; fellow junior Conor Beebe bounced back from early struggles to reach No. 18 at 133 pounds; senior co-captain Trevor Stewart ranks 11th among 165-pounders; and sophomore Mike Miller is eighth at 174. But rankings don't show the sheer will and determination that was evident throughout the team in an early loss to undisputed No. 1 Iowa. Rankings don't show the groundwork that was laid over the summer, when nearly every returner stayed at CMU to train and a few freshmen enrolled in summer courses to get a head start on their collegiate careers.

And rankings don't show the force behind the team -- a 10-time MAC coach of the year who pushes his athletes to believe in themselves, and five '08 grads who stayed behind to help guide the group that would try to continue their legacy. Brandon Carter, Bubba Gritter, Wynn Michalak, Christian Sinnott and Smith all had various options after graduating. But they discussed the fact CMU had one of the top recruiting classes in the country and decided the Chippewas could use their help in shaping a team that wanted to prove itself as just as competitive as the one to precede it. "[I wanted] to use my experience to help out," said Smith, a three-time national qualifier who has his eye on the 2012 Olympics. "I'm graduated now and I know the ups and downs of the season. I wanted to share my knowledge to help them." The five of them work with the team two to three days a week, focusing on individuals in their former weight classes. Their presence has helped acclimate the freshmen and new starters, as well as give the team insight on some of the wrestlers they've faced this year, many of whom the graduates faced during their CMU careers. "It's not like we lost them completely because they're helping out," Stewart said of the graduates. "It would've hurt us if they had left completely, but it's kind of like we still have them." Borrelli had reservations going into the summer -- and even the season -- about just how competitive his 2008-09 squad could be. But the extra support has made a difference. "They've helped tremendously, just to be in the room," Borelli said. "Just having them around kind of puts on subtle pressure: 'We were pretty good, can you guys be as good as us?' It's not said, but it's there." If that pressure should be there for anyone, it's Sentes. But there is no weight on the carefree freshman's shoulders, and if anything, he seems happy to work harder to live up to Smith's career. "I was recruited to take over for Luke," said Sentes, who felt like he had an extra year under his belt after training at CMU over the summer. "I had to come in and start -- not many freshmen start, so I had to work a little harder than everyone else, I think. "There's actually less pressure because Luke is a real tough 125-pounder and he works one-on-one with me, and that helps a lot."Smith, who believes Borrelli is a big part of Sentes' and the team's success, also credits Sentes' quick learning and mentality with his acclimation to the collegiate level. "His attitude is what has helped him excel -- his attitude and his work ethic," Smith said. "I think he just has a lot of confidence in himself. He goes out there and he doesn't care who he's wrestling, he believes he can win." These days, all the Chippewas believe they can win. And while Sentes can put the photo printouts away because he'll likely have his own picture up in Rose Arena someday, the focus now is on the team: winning the MAC tournament this weekend and getting as many guys as possible to nationals. "If you have a good season and a good MAC [tournament], you set yourself up for a good nationals," Stewart said. "We try to stay together as a team and everyone works toward one goal throughout the season." With a group that somehow grows with its losses, team focus is really no surprise.

Alisha Ricardi is an editor for ESPN.com. She may be reached at espn.ar@gmail.com.

goferphan · 03-05-2009, 07:58 PM

Great story...great team...great program.

Gantry · 03-05-2009, 09:48 PM

Link doesn't work anymore

goferphan · 03-06-2009, 06:31 AM

Did for me...7:30 a.m., Friday.

Gripsnhips · 03-06-2009, 07:19 AM

love them chips

OldShamrock · 03-06-2009, 10:37 AM

Looking forward to watching them qualify 10 at MACs this weekend in Ypsi...

03-05-2009, 07:05 PM	#1 (permalink)
Santos Redshirt Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 54	ESPN Covers the Chippewas http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=3954111 Scotti Sentes is a bit of a jokester. There are photos on the walls of Central Michigan's Rose Arena -- pictures of the best Chippewas athletes to walk those halls. Among them is a photo of 2008 graduate Luke Smith, a two-time MAC champion wrestler at 125 pounds. With Smith still around at CMU and constantly ribbing Sentes, the new 125-pounder, that he will always be the program's best wrestler, Sentes decided to print out a picture of his own face and place it over Smith's on the wall décor.It was just a wisecrack for Sentes' face to replace Smith's in the hallway. But as tournament time approaches in the college wrestling world, it seems the freshman has done a pretty good job of replacing Smith on the mat, as well. Good thing, too -- after CMU lost seven seniors, six of whom started in a 16-2, MAC championship season last year, the Chippewas needed it. With the help of Sentes and a young squad that features six grapplers who have either never started or never contributed much before this season, the Chippewas have shocked the NCAA to stand at 17-3-1 (4-1 MAC) as they head into the weekend looking to pick up their eighth consecutive MAC tournament title. "I expected to have a little more drop-off and by the end of the season, the end of the year, be better," said CMU coach Tom Borrelli, whose team just missed what would have been the program's 11th straight MAC title when CMU suffered a close loss to Kent State on Feb. 19. "I didn't know we would be as competitive all year long." The success of the 10th-ranked Chippewas has been a complete team effort. Along with Sentes, who is ranked 13th nationally at 125 pounds, several others have stepped up this season. Junior Steve Brown went down a weight class from 157 and now ranks 11th at 147 pounds; fellow junior Conor Beebe bounced back from early struggles to reach No. 18 at 133 pounds; senior co-captain Trevor Stewart ranks 11th among 165-pounders; and sophomore Mike Miller is eighth at 174. But rankings don't show the sheer will and determination that was evident throughout the team in an early loss to undisputed No. 1 Iowa. Rankings don't show the groundwork that was laid over the summer, when nearly every returner stayed at CMU to train and a few freshmen enrolled in summer courses to get a head start on their collegiate careers. And rankings don't show the force behind the team -- a 10-time MAC coach of the year who pushes his athletes to believe in themselves, and five '08 grads who stayed behind to help guide the group that would try to continue their legacy. Brandon Carter, Bubba Gritter, Wynn Michalak, Christian Sinnott and Smith all had various options after graduating. But they discussed the fact CMU had one of the top recruiting classes in the country and decided the Chippewas could use their help in shaping a team that wanted to prove itself as just as competitive as the one to precede it. "[I wanted] to use my experience to help out," said Smith, a three-time national qualifier who has his eye on the 2012 Olympics. "I'm graduated now and I know the ups and downs of the season. I wanted to share my knowledge to help them." The five of them work with the team two to three days a week, focusing on individuals in their former weight classes. Their presence has helped acclimate the freshmen and new starters, as well as give the team insight on some of the wrestlers they've faced this year, many of whom the graduates faced during their CMU careers. "It's not like we lost them completely because they're helping out," Stewart said of the graduates. "It would've hurt us if they had left completely, but it's kind of like we still have them." Borrelli had reservations going into the summer -- and even the season -- about just how competitive his 2008-09 squad could be. But the extra support has made a difference. "They've helped tremendously, just to be in the room," Borelli said. "Just having them around kind of puts on subtle pressure: 'We were pretty good, can you guys be as good as us?' It's not said, but it's there." If that pressure should be there for anyone, it's Sentes. But there is no weight on the carefree freshman's shoulders, and if anything, he seems happy to work harder to live up to Smith's career. "I was recruited to take over for Luke," said Sentes, who felt like he had an extra year under his belt after training at CMU over the summer. "I had to come in and start -- not many freshmen start, so I had to work a little harder than everyone else, I think. "There's actually less pressure because Luke is a real tough 125-pounder and he works one-on-one with me, and that helps a lot."Smith, who believes Borrelli is a big part of Sentes' and the team's success, also credits Sentes' quick learning and mentality with his acclimation to the collegiate level. "His attitude is what has helped him excel -- his attitude and his work ethic," Smith said. "I think he just has a lot of confidence in himself. He goes out there and he doesn't care who he's wrestling, he believes he can win." These days, all the Chippewas believe they can win. And while Sentes can put the photo printouts away because he'll likely have his own picture up in Rose Arena someday, the focus now is on the team: winning the MAC tournament this weekend and getting as many guys as possible to nationals. "If you have a good season and a good MAC [tournament], you set yourself up for a good nationals," Stewart said. "We try to stay together as a team and everyone works toward one goal throughout the season." With a group that somehow grows with its losses, team focus is really no surprise. Alisha Ricardi is an editor for ESPN.com. She may be reached at espn.ar@gmail.com. Last edited by Schlottke; 03-05-2009 at 09:52 PM.

03-05-2009, 07:58 PM	#2 (permalink)
goferphan Olympic Champ Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 10,811	Re: ESPN Covers the Chippewas Great story...great team...great program. __________________ Looking forward to the greatest team, the Iowa Hawkeyes, dominating their way to a third straight NCAA title with my role model and paragon of virtue, Tom Brands, at the helm.

03-05-2009, 09:48 PM	#3 (permalink)
Gantry NCAA Champ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,071	Re: ESPN Covers the Chippewas Link doesn't work anymore

03-06-2009, 06:31 AM	#4 (permalink)
goferphan Olympic Champ Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 10,811	Re: ESPN Covers the Chippewas Did for me...7:30 a.m., Friday. __________________ Looking forward to the greatest team, the Iowa Hawkeyes, dominating their way to a third straight NCAA title with my role model and paragon of virtue, Tom Brands, at the helm.

03-06-2009, 07:19 AM	#5 (permalink)
Gripsnhips Herbert DEC Askren 5-4 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Pier Village, NJ Posts: 2,694	Re: ESPN Covers the Chippewas love them chips __________________ I wish I could kick Matt Dragon in the balls. In his Dragonballz.

03-06-2009, 10:37 AM	#6 (permalink)
OldShamrock Round of 12 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 248	Re: ESPN Covers the Chippewas Looking forward to watching them qualify 10 at MACs this weekend in Ypsi...

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