For Immediate Release: Dec. 30, 2014 SID Contact: Paul Hurd, C: 563.571.0118; O: 217.300.1449 Link: fightingillini/sports/m-wrestl/recaps/123014aab.html FIGHTING ILLINI WRESTLING #9 Illini Finish Second at Midlands Championships Isaiah Martinez wins 157-pound title EVANSTON, Ill. – The Fighting Illini finished second at the 2014 Midlands Championships, tallying 130.5 points, behind only Iowa and its record 189 points. Seven Illinois grapplers garnered place-winner honors, led by Isaiah Martinez who took the crown at 157 pounds. Zane Richards (133) and Zac Brunson (174) advanced to the championships bout in their respective weight classes, earning runner-up honors after falling in the finals. Jackson Morse (165) finished third, while Steven Rodrigues (141), Nikko Reyes (184) and Jeff Koepke (197) finished sixth. Martinez started the day with 16-5 major decision over Iowa’s Mike Kelly in the semifinals. In the 157-pound championship match, Martinez faced off with South Dakota State’s Cody Pack. Martinez recorded two first-period takedowns, but Pack escaped from each, holding Martinez to a 4-2 lead. Martinez started down in the second period, escaping to earn a 5-2 lead. Pack chose down in the final period and escaped, but not before Martinez racked up the riding time. Martinez won the bout, 6-3, giving him his first Midlands Championships title of his career. Richards’ day began with a 1-0 win over top-ranked A.J. Schopp of Edinboro to advance to the championship match. In the 133-pound final, Richards faced off with Iowa’s Cory Clark. After a scoreless first period, Clark took a 1-0 lead with an escape in the second period. Richards matched Clark’s escape with one of his own, tying the match at 1-1. Clark recorded another takedown to take a 3-1, but Richards was able to escape to make it 3-2. Richards was unable to record a takedown of his own, dropping the bout, 4-2, after Clark was awarded a point for riding time. Brunson began the day with an 8-0 major decision over Northwestern’s Johnny Sebastian in the semifinals, advancing to the 174-pound championship bout where he faced Iowa’s Mike Evans. Brunson and Evans produced a scoreless first period in the final, but a Brunson escape in the second gave him a 1-0 lead heading into the final period. Brunson started on top of Evans in the last period, but Evans rolled into a reversal and rode out Brunson to earn the 2-1 win. Morse began the day with a loss to eventually champion Taylor Walsh of Indiana in the 165-pound semifinals, falling to the consolation bracket. Morse battled back to take third, beating CSU Bakerfield’s Adam Fierro and Iowa’s Nick Moore in the process. After advancing to the semifinal, Rodrigues dropped the bout to Virginia Tech’s Devan Carter, 15-6, falling to the consolation bracket. Rodrigues lost in the consolation semifinals to Joseph McKenna of Lehigh Valley Athletic Club, 8-3, before dropping the fifth-place match to Old Dominion’s Chris Mecate, 6-2. Reyes wrestled all day in the consolation bracket after dropping a match in Monday’s second round. After the loss, Reyes won four consecutive matches, before dropping decisions in the consolation semifinals and the fifth-place match. Koepke began his day in the championship semifinals, dropping a 5-3 decision to Wisconsin’s Timmy McCall. In the consolation semifinals, Koepke fell to Alex Polizzi of Northwestern, 4-1, before falling to Princeton’s Abe Ayala in the fifth-place match, 5-3. The Illini will return to action at the friendly confines of Huff Hall on Jan. 9 when they welcome Big Ten newcomer Rutgers to town. Action is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. CT. Midlands Results for Illinois 133 - Jered Cortez (Unattached) Champ. Round 1 - Cortez received a bye. Champ. Round 2 - Cortez won by decision over Alonzo Shepherd (Indiana) (Dec 6-1) Champ. Round 3 - Cory Clark (Iowa) won by decision over Cortez (Dec 6-2) Cons. Round 4 - Cortez won by decision over Chase Zemenak (Bloomsburg - Unattached) (Dec 9-3) Cons. Round 5 - Caleb Richardson (Penn) won by decision over Cortez (Dec 2-1) Cortez eliminated 133 - Zane Richards Champ. Round 1 - Richards received a bye Champ. Round 2 - Richards won by fall over Michael Hayes (Old Dominion) (Fall 1:53) Champ. Round 3 - Richards won by decision over Ian Nickell (CSU Bakersfield) (Dec 8-4) Quarterfinal - Richards won by major decision over Geoffrey Alexander (Maryland) (Maj 12-1) Semifinal - Richards won by decision over A.J. Schopp (Edinboro) (Dec 1-0) 1st Place Match - Cory Clark (Iowa) won by decision over Richards (Dec 4-2) Richards - 2nd place 141 - Logan Arlis Champ. Round 1 - Todd Preston (Harvard) won in tie breaker - 1 over Arlis (TB-1 3-2) Cons. Round 1 - Arlis received a bye Cons. Round 2 - Arlis won by decision over Ryan Ponte (Columbia) (Dec 6-0) Cons. Round 3 - Arlis won by decision over Jameston Oster (Northwestern) (Dec 5-1) Cons. Round 4 - Arlis won by decision over Nick Lawrence (Purdue) (Dec 3-2) Cons. Round 5 - Tommy Thorn (Minnesota - Unattached) won by decision over Arlis (Dec 6-1) Arlis eliminated 141 - Steven Rodrigues Champ. Round 1 - Rodrigues won by fall over Carter McElhany (Air Force) (Fall 5:00) Champ. Round 2 - Rodrigues won in sudden victory - 1 over Kyle Springer (Eastern Michigan) (SV-1 10-8) Champ. Round 3 - Rodrigues won by major decision over Jeff Canfora (Penn) (Maj 12-3) Quarterfinal - Rodrigues won by decision over Josh Dziewa (Iowa) (Dec 3-1) Semifinal - Devin Carter (Virginia Tech) won by major decision over Rodrigues (Maj 15-6) Cons. Semi - Joseph McKenna (Lehigh Valley Athletic Club) won by decision over Rodrigues (Dec 8-3) 5th Place Match - Chris Mecate (Old Dominion) won by decision over Rodrigues (Dec 6-2) Rodrigues – 6th place 141 - Brock Ervin (Unattached) Champ. Round 1 - Ervin received a bye Champ. Round 2 - Devin Carter (Virginia Tech) won by tech. fall over Ervin (TF4 25-10) Cons. Round 2 - Ervin won by major decision over Andrew Lenzi (Penn) (Maj 12-4) Cons. Round 3 - Ervin won by medical forfeit over Tyson Dippery (Rutgers) (MFF) Cons. Round 4 - Ervin won by fall over Chuck Zeisloft (Rider) (Fall 4:41) Cons. Round 5 - Ervin won by decision over Lucas Zilverberg (South Dakota State) (Dec 12-5) Cons. Round 6 - Josh Dziewa (Iowa) won by major decision over Ervin (Maj 9-1) Ervin eliminated 149 - Kyle Langenderfer Champ. Round 1 - Langenderfer won by decision over Zachary Stepan (Air Force) (Dec 8-4) Champ. Round 2 - Andrew Crone (Wisconsin) won by decision over Langenderfer (Dec 3-1) Cons. Round 2 - Langenderfer won by decision over Kevin Laubach (Bloomsburg) (Dec 8-1) Cons. Round 3 - Langenderfer won by fall over Tyler Cowger (Southern Oregon) (Fall 3:12) Cons. Round 4 - Tyler Ponte (Columbia) won by fall over Langenderfer (Fall 4:22) Langenderfer eliminated 157 - Isaiah Martinez Champ. Round 1 - Martinez received a bye Champ. Round 2 - Martinez won by tech fall over Luke Blanton (Indiana) (TF 18-2) Champ. Round 3 - Martinez won by injury default over Austin Eads (Old Dominion) (Inj. 5:44) Quarterfinal - Martinez won by major decision over Brandon Zeerip (Eastern Michigan) (Maj 24-10) Semifinal - Martinez won by major decision over Mike Kelly (Iowa) (Maj 16-5) 1st Place Match - Martinez won by decision over Cody Pack (South Dakota State) (Dec 6-3) Martinez – 1st place 165 - Jackson Morse Champ. Round 1 - Morse won by tech fall over Justin Samora (Adams State) (TF 16-0) Champ. Round 2 - Morse won by decision over Devan Marry (Eastern Michigan) (Dec 5-0) Champ. Round 3 - Morse won by decision over Shaun`Qae McMurtry (Northern Illinois) (Dec 7-1) Quarterfinal - Morse won by major decision over Jimmie Schuessler (Grand View) (Maj 13-1) Semifinal - Taylor Walsh (Indiana) won by fall over Morse (Fall 0:47) Cons. Semi - Morse won by decision over Adam Fierro (CSU Bakersfield) (Dec 5-1) 3rd Place Match - Morse won by decision over Nick Moore (Iowa) (Dec 5-2) Morse – 3rd place 165 - Emery Parker Champ. Round 1 - Parker received a bye Champ. Round 2 - Tristan Warner (Old Dominion) won by decision over Parker (Dec 4-0) Cons. Round 2 - Parker received a bye Cons. Round 3 - Parker won by decision over Matt Lemanowicz (Missouri) (Dec 13-9) Cons. Round 4 - Parker won by decision over Casey Fuller (Edinboro) (Dec 12-6) Cons. Round 5 - Tyrel White (Columbia) won by decision over Parker (Dec 5-4) Parker eliminated 165 - Matt Nora Champ. Round 1 - Nora won by decision over Andrew Hoselton (Purdue) (Dec 5-0) Champ. Round 2 - Adam Fierro (CSU Bakersfield) won by major decision over Nora (Maj 11-3) Cons. Round 2 - Nora won by decision over John Nething II (South Dakota State) (Dec 5-4) Cons. Round 3 - Nora won by decision over David Bergida (Virginia Tech) (Dec 3-1) Cons. Round 4 - Shaun`Qae McMurtry (Northern Illinois) won by fall over Nora (Fall 5:00) Nora eliminated 174 - Zac Brunson Champ. Round 1 - Brunson received a bye Champ. Round 2 - Brunson won by tech fall over Garett Stehley (Lehigh) (TF 19-4) Champ. Round 3 - Brunson won by decision over Patrick Jennings (Edinboro) (Dec 3-0) Quarterfinal - Brunson won by major decision over Frank Cousins (Wisconsin) (Maj 11-3) Semifinal - Brunson won by major decision over Johnny Sebastian (Northwestern - Unattached) (Maj 8-0) 1st Place Match - Mike Evans (Iowa) won by decision over Brunson (Dec 2-1) Brunson – 2nd place 184 - Nikko Reyes Champ. Round 1 - Reyes won by fall over Michael Curby (Eastern Michigan) (Fall 2:20) Champ. Round 2 - Vic Avery (Edinboro) won by decision over Reyes (Dec 3-2) Cons. Round 2 - Reyes won by decision over Scott Patrick (Davidson) (Dec 4-1) Cons. Round 3 - Reyes won by decision over Ryan McWatters (Southern Oregon) (Dec 7-6) Cons. Round 4 - Reyes won by fall over Ophir Bernstein (Brown) (Fall 0:34) Cons. Round 5 - Reyes won by decision over Brett Harner (Princeton) (Dec 5-4) Cons. Semi - Hayden Zillmer (North Dakota State) won by decision over Reyes (Dec 4-0) 5th Place Match - Vic Avery (Edinboro) won by decision over Reyes (Dec 3-2) Reyes – 6th place 197 - Jeff Koepke Champ. Round 1 - Koepke received a bye Champ. Round 2 - Koepke won by major decision over Parker Hines (Air Force) (Maj 12-4) Champ. Round 3 - Koepke won by decision over Thomas Petersen (North Dakota State) (Dec 5-3) Quarterfinal - Koepke won in sudden victory - 1 over Ruben Franklin (CSU Bakersfield) (SV-1 3-1) Semifinal - Timmy McCall (Wisconsin) won by decision over Koepke (Dec 5-3) Cons. Semi - Alex Polizzi (Northwestern) won by decision over Koepke (Dec 4-1) 5th Place Match - Abe Ayala (Princeton) won by decision over Koepke (Dec 5-3) Koepke – 6th place 285 - Chris Lopez Champ. Round 1 - Lopez won in tie breaker - 1 over Conan Jennings (Northwestern - Unattached) (TB-1 6-5) Champ. Round 2 - Garret Goldman (Indiana) won by decision over Lopez (Dec 5-2) Cons. Round 2 - Lopez received a bye Cons. Round 3 - Lopez won by decision over Sean Twigg (Maryland) (Dec 6-1) Cons. Round 4 - Dan Garwood (Virginia Tech) won by decision over Lopez (Dec 3-2) Lopez eliminated Midlands 285 - Brooks Black Champ. Round 1 - Black received a bye Champ. Round 2 - Garrett Ryan (Columbia) won by decision over Black (Dec 3-1) Cons. Round 2 - Black received a bye Cons. Round 3 - Black won by decision over Fletcher Miller (Indiana) (Dec 3-0) Cons. Round 4 - Black won by fall over Gage Hutchison (Eastern Michigan) (Fall 5:24) Cons. Round 5 - Garret Goldman (Indiana) won in tie breaker - 1 over Black (TB-1 2-1) Black eliminated - ILLINI - FightingIllini Paul Hurd Athletic Communications Intern Division of Intercollegiate Athletics | University of Illinois SID Contact: XC, Track & Field, Wrestling, Swimming & Diving Office: 217.300.1449 | Cell: 563.571.0118
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 04:59:11 +0000
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