Dec. 3, 2005
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - For the third time in the past four years, the Boilermakers put a wrestler in the top spot of the awards podium at the Cliff Keen Invitational. In 2005, that champion was senior Ben Wissel.
Wissel, ranked fourth nationally at 184 pounds, defeated Pete Friedl of Illinois in the final match by a 6-2 final.
In 2002, Chris Fleeger captured the crown at 125 pounds. One year later, Ryan Lange brought the 174-pound title back to West Lafayette.
Wissel scored the first points of the match with a takedown near the end of the opening stanza, taking a 2-0 lead in the second period. After an escape by the Illini grappler to open the second, Wissel posted another takedown to go up 4-1. Friedl got away before the end of the frame to draw to within two after five minutes. Starting on bottom in the third, Wissel scored the escape, the final scoring of the match. The Boilermaker senior was awarded a riding time point for the final four-point magin of victory.
The first-place finish for Wissel completed his climb up the Cliff Keen Invitational podium. Wissel finished fourth in last year's event, a year after finishing sixth in 2003. Wissel did not place in his first attempt in Las Vegas as a freshman in 2002.
In a dominating show at the invitational, Wissel posted 21 takedowns while allowing only two. In six matches, Wissel out-scored his opponents 60-23, of which 19 of his opponents' points came via escapes.
Senior Doug Withstandley, Purdue's other finalist on Saturday evening, came up short in his bid for a title, falling to Edinboro's Gregor Gillespie, 14-3. Gillespie scored on two takedowns and two three-point nearfalls in the opening three minutes to build a 10-3 lead, a lead that proved insurmountable.
In the team standings, Purdue placed ninth with 69.5 points. Big Ten foe Michigan claimed the team title for the third time in four years with a total of 145.0 points. Other Big Ten schools in the tournament were Illinois (6th, 88.5 points), Wisconsin (19th, 43.5), and Ohio State (20th, 42.5).
Ben Wissel ~ 184-pound Champion=======================================================Season Record: 11-0National Rank: 4th (InterMat/NWCA)Tournaments: 1st, Eastern Michigan Open 1st, Cliff Keen InvitationalSeason Takedowns: 47 for / 2 against
In the Purdue Record Book:Career Wins: 87 / 16th placeCareer Takedowns: 263 / 9th place
2005 Cliff Keen Invitational 184 Championship Match #4 Ben Wissel [2] vs. #3 Pete Friedl [1]-------------------------------------------------------1st: Wissel takedown 2:34 (2-0).2nd: Friedl Bottom. Friedl escape 3:21 (2-1); Wissel takedown 3:38 (4-1); Friedl escape 4:36 (4-2).3rd: Wissel Bottom. Wissel escape 5:10 (5-2); Wissel riding time [1:29] (6-2).
Doug Withstandley ~ 149-pound Runner-Up=======================================================Season Record: 11-3National Rank: 7th (InterMat/NWCA)Tournaments: 6th, Eastern Michigan Open 2nd, Cliff Keen InvitationalSeason Takedowns: 28 for / 8 against
In the Purdue Record Book:Career Falls: 17 / 11th placeCareer Back Points: 185 / 5th place
2005 Cliff Keen Invitational 149 Championship Match #7 Doug Withstandley [5] vs. #11 Gregor Gillespie [3]-------------------------------------------------------1st: Gillespie takedown 0:16 (0-2); Withstandley escape 0:34 (1-2); Gillespie takedown 1:09 (1-4); Gillespie nearfall-3 1:22 (1-7); Gillespie nearfall-3 1:36 (1-10); Withstandley reversal 1:39 (3-10); Gillespie reversal 2:32 (3-12).2nd: Gillespie Neutral. Gillespie takedown 3:18 (3-14).3rd: Withstandley Top.