Jan. 6, 2007
Complete Results | Photo Gallery 
OXFORD, Ind. - The Purdue University wrestling team protected its perfect dual record and improved to 10-0 on the year at the first-ever Boilermaker Duals, held at Benton Central High School in Oxford, Ind. on Saturday. The Boilers defeated Eastern Illinois University (EIU), 34-8, Appalachian State University (ASU), 28-9, and Cleveland State University (CSU), 30-6, to hit the double digit win mark for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
CSU went 2-1 on the day defeating ASU, 25-18, and EIU, 32-12, while ASU went 1-2 with its lone victory coming over EIU, 30-12.
Senior Nathan Moore, junior Brandon Tucker and freshman Nick Bertucci, Justin Fraga and Chris Kasten all recorded 3-0 sweeps on the day to lead the way for Purdue, while senior Nick Skinner and junior Sean Schmaltz each grabbed a pair of wins.
Purdue was nearly untouchable in the day's opening match as they flattened EIU, 34-8. The Boilers won eight of the 10 matches in the contest including a pin, two technical falls and a trio of major decisions.
Bertucci jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead on senior 141-pounder Casey Cerrino, taking him to the mat and dragging him to his back for a three-point nearfall. The scoring stalled until the next period, when Bertucci extended his lead with another takedown and a pair of two-point nearfalls, making it 11-0 heading into the final frame. Bertucci ended the match shortly into the third, reversing Cerrino and putting his shoulders close to the mat for a two-point nearfall and 15-0 technical fall.
Powell continued the Boilers' winning ways at 149-pounds, gaining an early two-point advantage over freshman Tommy Reamer. After building 1:38 of riding time, Powell allowed Reamer back to his feet, only to slam him back down again with a takedown shot and end the first with a 4-1 edge. Powell reversed Reamer to open the second session and again allowed him back to his feet for the escape point. A quick knee pick by Powell took the match back to the mat, where he worked Reamer towards his back, but was unable to score the nearfall. Powell opened the third with another reversal and used a series of takedowns to push the count to 14-3 late in the match. Reamer earned a reversal in the final 20 seconds, but it proved too little, too late as Powell sealed the 15-6 major decision and stretch the Purdue lead to 15-0.
Purdue sophomore Jake Murphy worked his way to the back of freshman Kile O'Toole 1:20 into the 157-pound match and rode his way to the second period with the 2-0 advantage. Murphy used an acrobatic spin to stretch his edge to four in the first 25 seconds of the second and used a half nelson to score a pair of back points and make it 6-0. Murphy notched the Boilermakers' second shutout of the day and second major decision as well, as he escaped and scored another takedown in the third for a 12-0 victory.
At 165 pounds, Purdue freshman Justin Fraga fought his way through a front headlock to pick the knee of fellow freshman Billy Gallo and secure another early advantage for the Boilers. However, Gallo scrambled back to his feet and resumed his attempts to control Fraga's head. Fraga contnued to fight his way through and scored another takedown, lifting Gallo's left knee and tipping him to the mat for a 4-1 first-period lead. The second frame consisted of a Gallo escape and another Fraga takedown, making it 6-2 heading into the final period, where Fraga used an escape and a pair of takedowns for the 12-3 major decision win.
EIU senior Kenny Robertson secured the Panthers' first points of the day, topping 174-pound freshman Jason Martin, 8-0, and Skinner was unable to avenge his previous loss to EIU's junior 184-pounder Greg Perz, falling by major decision, 13-5.
Moore resumed Purdue's winning ways at 197 pounds, stomping junior Jason Sherko for a 16-1 technical fall. Moore wrestled down Sherko for a pair of first-period takedowns, and then wrangled Sherko to his back for a two-point nearfall and 6-1 lead. Moore nearly ended the match in the second, locking in a cradle for a near pin, but settled for a three-point nearfall. He continued to tack on five more back points in the period and then used a quick reversal for the technical fall in the third.
Freshman Chris Kasten capped off the win for Purdue at the 285-pound weight class, pinning freshman Joe Trinka in 5:08. Kasten locked in a front headlock in the first and worked Trinka's head to the mat before spinning to his back for the two-point takedown. Kasten maintained a solid advantage throughout the second and slid Trinka off his back and onto Trinka's shoulders for the pinfall.
In the second round of matches, Purdue picked up its 11th win of the year by defeating ASU, 28-9. At 125 pounds, Tucker fell behind 3-1 to ASU's Frank Celorrio, but evened the match with a second-period takedown and rallied to score his first pin of the year in the third, reversing Celorrio and flattening him out for the win.
Tenth-ranked sophomore Jake Patacsil was upset by No. 17 Scott Erwin at 149 pounds for ASU's first team points, 6-4. Patacsil drew first blood in the match, taking Erwin to the mat, but Erwin managed to even the count with a reversal at the 1:50-mark where the score stayed through the first. However, Patacsil added to his team-best back-point total in the second, tilting Erwin for a two-point nearfall and a 4-2 lead. Erwin evened the score with two back points of his own in the third and Patacsil was unable to escape, forcing overtime. Erwin scored the sudden victory in the extra frame.
Junior Eddie Hutchinson followed with another win for the Mountaineers at 157-pounds, topping freshman Eric Howe, 5-1, but Fraga pushed the Purdue lead to 16-6 at 165 pounds scoring an 11-3 win over freshman Tommy Hutchinson. Fraga used a trip to jump on top of Tommy Hutchinson 2-0, and after trading an escape and a penalty point ended the first with a 3-1 lead. He extended his lead to 6-1 with an escape and a takedown in the second, and registered a takedown and two-point nearfall in the closing seconds to secure the major decision.
At 174 pounds, junior Neal Martin pulled ASU within seven, 16-9, edging Jason Martin, 2-0, but Skinner bounced back for the Boilers, toppling Dan Carrasco, 5-1, Moore took a forfeit win at 197 pounds to push the lead back to 25-9 and Kasten closed out the match with a 9-3 win.
Purdue completed the sweep with a 30-6 win over CSU, posting a pinfall and a trio of major decisions. Tucker notched the first major decision, dropping 125-pound junior Ryan Riggs, 15-3, while Skinner and Moore earned the other majors winning 16-7 and 8-0, respectively.
Tucker slipped under the right arm of Riggs to open the final match with a 2-0 lead, and after riding him though the final two minutes of the frame and allowing an escape to start the second, took Riggs down for the second time and stretched him to his back for a trio of back points and a 7-1 advantage. Tucker continued his dominance, registering two more takedowns and a three-point nearfall en route to a 15-3 major decision.
Bertucci opened up a 4-0 edge in the first period at 141 pounds, and locked up a cradle to pin Antonio Nicholson at 4:42 and extend the Purdue lead to 10-3.
Skinner, Moore and Kasten rolled through the final three matches of the day as Skinner and moore each scored major decisions, while Kasten earned a 6-2 win over sophomore Rashard Goff, his second win over Goff in a week.
The Boilermakers enter conference play next Sunday, Jan. 14, as the travel to Columbus, Ohio to face 20th-ranked Ohio State University at 2 p.m.