Nov. 7, 2009
YPSILANTI, Mich. - The Purdue wrestling team opened their 2009-10 season in grand fashion on Saturday, winning five individual championships and posting 10 placewinning performances at the Eastern Michigan Open, hosted by the Eagles in Bowen Field House. Junior Logan Brown repeated as tournament champion at 197 pounds, while classmates Colton Salazar, Luke Manuel, Akif Eren and Juan Archuleta all won their first career title at the event.
Brown entered the season ranked 13th in the country by InterMat Wrestling, and defended his preseason mark with four consecutive victories on the day. He won his first match of the day by major decision, and capped the tournament with a win over 17th-ranked Anthony Biondo of Michigan in the finals.
Salazar, ranked 11th in the nation at 157 pounds, knocked off a pair of highly-touted foes en route to the tournament crown, edging out seventh-ranked returning All-American Bryce Saddoris of Navy by sudden victory in the semifinals, 3-1, and topping No. 12 Kurt Kinser of Indiana in the finals, 7-5, also in an overtime session.
Manuel opened his first collegiate season at 174 pound in a solid manner, winning his second career EMU title with a 4-0 mark. Ranked 11th in the preseason poll, he posted a major decision in the second round before slipping past Michigan's Justin Zeerip in sudden victory, 3-1, and handling No. 14 Luke Rebertus of Navy in the finals, 8-3.
Eren and Archuleta were solid throughout the day as they won four matches apiece at 133 and 141 pounds, respectively. Eren won all four of his matches by decision, while Archuleta had a major decision, a sudden victory win and a pair of decisions, including his 2-0 blanking of Michigan's Mark Weber in the finals.
Other placewinners for the Old Gold and Black were seniors Nick Bertucci and Sam Patacsil, junior David Pisarcik, sophomore Matt Fields and freshman Cashé Quiroga. Bertucci and Patacsil were third and fifth, respectively at 149 pounds, while Pisarcik injury defaulted to sixth place at 197 pounds after advancing to the semifinals, and Quiroga and Fields were fourth and fifth at 125.
The Boilermakers look to continue their hot start next weekend, heading to Northwestern for a trio of duals, including a Big Ten matchup with the host Wildcats.