For a while, a lone Terrier wrestler grappled with giants in the Motor City, but his time on the mats ran short in the season’s final tournament.
Boston University 149-pound wrestler Mike Roberts wrestled with the best in the nation this past weekend at the NCAA Division I tournament at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Detroit, Mich. Though Roberts’s run at the championship was unsuccessful, his tournament performance was remarkable.
Roberts opened the tournament facing Iowa State grappler Cyler Sanderson, the 11th-seeded wrestler in Roberts’s bracket. Though Sanderson is a freshman, just reading his last name on a tournament bracket can invoke fear in his opponents: The Sanderson family has produced a total of four NCAA wrestlers, including Iowa State head coach and 2004 Olympic gold medalist Cael Sanderson.
“Cael is one of the best American wrestlers,” said BU coach Carl Adams. “His brother Cyler is a great wrestler too, possibly the best wrestler in the country coming out of high school.”
The name wasn’t enough to intimidate Roberts though, as he stood toe to toe against Sanderson for the entire nine-minute match, giving up Sanderson’s two-point takedown and subsequent victory in the waning seconds of the final period. Roberts had a shot at a takedown with seconds left in the period, but Sanderson was able to turn the move around for a takedown of his own with only eight ticks left.
“Mike was right there with him,” Adams said. “A lot of people out there believe Mike outwrestled him.”
The loss sent Roberts into the consolation bracket, matching him up against University of Wyoming grappler Carter Downing.
“Downing is a great wrestler,” said Adams, referring to a recent poll that has Downing ranked 20th in the nation amongst 149-pounders.
Trying to keep his bronze medal hopes alive, Roberts came out strong against Downing early in the first period. Gaining two takedowns, but allowing two escapes, Roberts took a 4-2 lead into the second period, when a huge reversal gave him a 6-2 advantage.
In the third period, with the score 6-4, Roberts sealed the deal with a four-point move, boosting him to an eventual 11-7 decision. The win secured a matchup against 12th-seeded Dan Valimont of Pennsylvania State University.
Roberts’s NCAA run ended in his matchup with Valimont, but not without a little excitement. With Valimont up 9-1 heading in to the final period, Roberts had to make an immediate impact. Realizing this, Roberts successfully pulled off a five-point move, putting Valimont to his back and keeping him there for two points on a takedown and three points on a near fall. As the match reached the closing seconds, Roberts battled to keep Valimont on his back and advance with a pin victory, but time ran short on the match and consequently, Roberts’ NCAA tournament experience.
“That was a tough match for Mike, and it was a really tough weight class this year,” Adams said.
But that doesn’t mean Roberts can’t go far next season in his junior year. Just ask Adams, who happens to be an NCAA champion himself.
“Mike did a great job this year winning (the Colonial Athletic Association Championship) against some tough competition. It was amazing to see him qualify for the NCAAs,” Adams said. “He is for real, a top-notch competitor and he showed that at the NCAAs. Mike will be right there with the best kids next year.”