Iowa sends nine to Midlands semifinals
EVANSTON, Ill. — Nine wrestlers from the University of Iowa advanced to the semifinals of the 51st annual Midlands, which began Sunday in Welch-Ryan Arena, to help the Hawkeyes build a commanding 112-57 lead over second-place Illinois.
The following is closer look at the quarterfinals, which were held Sunday evening. The semifinals are set to begin at noon CST with the finals starting Sunday night at 8 p.m.
midlands brackets before semifinals
125 pounds
#1 Jesse Delgado (Illinois) dec. Conor Youtsey (Michigan), 8-4
The 2012 Midlands Runner-up at 125 pounds moved through the quarterfinal round smoothly as he scored three takedowns and was awarded one point after Youtsey was called for unsportsmanlike conduct late in the third period.
#4 Thomas Gillman (Iowa) dec. #5 Dylan Peters (Northern Iowa), 6-3
Gillman scored a takedown in both the first and third periods and added a 1:18 riding time advantage over the Panther.
#3 Cory Clark (Iowa) dec. #6 Robbie Deutsch (Rider), 8-1
The Hawkeye scored two takedowns in the first two minutes with the first also putting Deutsch on his back for a two-point nearfall.
#2 Jarrod Garnett (Virginia Tech) dec. Sean Boyle (Michigan), 8-3
In a high-energy quarterfinal match, the 2012 Midlands champion and former Virginia Tech Hokie gave up the first takedown with :20 left in the first period, but then went on a 7-1 run to roll past Boyle.
133 pounds
#1 AJ Schopp (Edinboro) dec. #8 Rossi Bruno (Michigan), 6-0
Schopp scored a takedown on Bruno halfway through the first period and followed it up with a three-point near fall. Schopp rode Bruno out the entire third period, gaining riding time advantage for a final score of 6-0
#4 Joe Colon (Northern Iowa) dec. #5 Tyler Graff (Wisconsin) 6-3
Colon was down 3-0 with 47 seconds to go in the third period when he scored a three-point nearfall and tacked on an additional two back points to take the lead.
#6 Alan Waters (Unattached) dec. #3 Mason Beckman (Lehigh), 2-0
The former Missouri All-American rode Beckman the entire second period en route to an eventual 1:17 riding time advantage. Waters other point came off a third-period escape.
#2 Tony Ramos (Iowa) dec. #10 Devon Lotito (Cal Poly), 14-5
Ramos scored five takedowns — two in each the first and second periods — for the major decision.
141 pounds
#1 Mitchell Port (Edinboro) major dec. #9 Ethan Raley (Indiana), 15-4
The defending national runner-up scored three takedowns in the first period to lead 6-2, then quickly opened the second period with six straight points off an escape, takedown and three-point nearfall.
#12 Pat Greco (Northwestern) dec. US Tyler Argue (Northern Illinois), 5-3
US Stephen Rodriques (Illinois) dec. #3 Adam Krop (Princeton), 10-8
Krop led 4-0 on a takedown and two-point nearfall before the Illini battled back to first force overtime on two third-period takedowns. The final takedown came with 12 seconds gone in overtime.
#7 Josh Dziewa (Iowa) dec. #2 Richard Durso (Franklin & Marshall), 6-1
The match was tied 1-1 in the final 30 seconds before the Hawkeye countered a shot by Durso to not only score the bout’s only takedown and hold the F&M wrestler on his back for the final three points.
149 pounds
#1 Jason Tsirtsis (Northwestern) dec. #8 Jake Short (Minnesota), 2-0
#5 Eric Grajales (Michigan) vs. #4 Zach Neibert (Virginia Tech), 6-0
The Wolverine was only up 2-0 heading into the third period when Grajales scored a three-point nearfall and added a 3:46 riding time advantage.
#6 Mitchell Minotti (Lehigh) dec. #3 David Habat (Edinboro), 7-0
The Mountain Hawk amassed a 5:53 riding time advantage for the surprising upset.
#10 Blake Roulo (George Mason-unattached) dec. US Ryan Lubeck (Wisconsin), 5-3
Roulo clinched the match with his second takedown of the bout in the closing 20 seconds.
157 pounds
#1 Derek St. John (Iowa) major dec. #8 John Greisheimer (Edinboro), 10-2
The defending national champ tallied two of his four takedowns in the final period before adding a 2:49 riding time advantage.
#4 Isaac Jordan (Wisconsin) pinned US Chad Ryan (Columbia), 2:22
The Badger was leading 2-0 when he caught Ryan in a cradle for the fall.
#3 Taylor Walsh (Indiana) pinned #11 Destin McCauley (Nebraska-unattached), 3:41
The Hoosier was winning 7-4 when he first reversed McCauley and turned the move into a headlock and eventually a pin. The only part of Walsh’s body that remained inside the circle were his toes.
#2 Nick Brascetta (Virginia Tech) dec. Brandon Zeerip (Eastern Michigan), 13-6
165 pounds
#1 Steven Monk (North Dakota State) dec. #9 Josh Houldsworth (Columbia), 1-0
The only point came on a second-period escape by the Bison. Houldsworth chose neutral in the first period but could not earn a takedown.
#5 Cooper Moore (Northern Iowa) dec. #4 Jackson Morse (Illinois), 5-2
The Panther actually trailed 2-1 after one period before he rallied with a second period escape and two-point reversal in the third.
#3 Taylor Massa (Michigan-unattached) pinned US Josh Snook (Maryland), 3:48
The Wolverine was leading 11-1 before ending the match with a fall.
#2 Nick Moore (Iowa) dec. #7 Pierce Harger (Northwestern), 7-4
The Hawkeye clinched the match with two takedowns in the third period, including the final takedown with nine seconds left. The match was scoreless after one period before Moore scored a takedown 15 seconds in the second, a move that was sandwiched with a pair of escapes.
174 pounds
#1 Mike Evans (Iowa) major dec. #9 Scott Liegel (Wisconsin), 12-4
#12 Zack Epperly (Virginia Tech-unattached) dec. US Jordan Wohfert (Michigan State-unattached), 4-1
US Shane Hughes (Columbia) dec. #3 Elliot Riddick (Lehigh), 4-2 sv
The unseeded Lion waited until 29 seconds gone in overtime to score his only takedown and earn the upset. After a scoreless first period, Riddick jumped on top with a second period takedown before giving up a pair of escapes in the second and third frames.
#7 Brock Gutches (Southern Oregon) pinned #2 Hayden Zillmer (North Dakota State) 1:22
The match was scoreless until the defending NAIA champion caught the Bison wrestler in a headlock for the fall.
184 pounds
#1 Ethen Lofthouse (Iowa) dec. #9 Nikko Reyes (Illinois), 7-3
#5 Ophir Bernstein (Brown) dec. #4 Vic Avery (Edinboro), 9-3
#3 Nate Brown (Lehigh-unattached) dec. #11 Dominic Abounader (Michigan), 6-1
A first-period takedown by Brown first gave him a 2:25 riding time advantage after period one before clinching the bout on a takedown with third period.
#2 Jimmy Sheptock (Maryland) dec. #7 Sam Brooks (Iowa), 3-2
197 pounds
#1 Mario Gonzales (Illinois) dec. Joe Rau (Minn. Storm), 10-6
The Illini clinched the match on a fourth takedown in the closing seconds after Rau — the former NCAA Division III champ from Elmhurst College — scored his only takedown with 1:38 left in the bout to cut Gonzales’ lead to 7-5.
#4 Braden Atwood (Purdue) dec. #5 Alex Polizzi (Northwestern), 2-1 tb
The Boilermaker earned the win when he first rode out the Wildcat for 30 second before scoring an escape in the last tiebreaker.
#3 Nathan Burak (Iowa-unattached) dec. #6 Chris Penny (Virginia Tech), 9-7 sv
The Hawkeye sophomore rallied from a 6-5 deficit in the third period when Burak tallied his second takedown with 1:34 left, then needed just 22 seconds in sudden victory for the decision.
#2 Christian Boley (Maryland) dec. #10 Donald McNeil (Rider), 10-4
The Terp clinched the match by scoring two of his four takedowns in the final 45 seconds. He also added a 1:17 riding time advantage.
Heavyweight
#1 Bobby Telford (Iowa) dec. #8 Adam Fager (Utah Valley), 6-1
#4 JT Felix (Boise State) dec. #5 Connor Medbery (Wisconsin), 7-4
The Bronco scored one takedown in each period for the victory.
#3 Adam Coon (Michigan) dec. #6 Eric Thompson (Grand View), 11-5
The true freshman Wolverine jumped on top 4-0 early in the match when the first of three takedowns also put the defending NAIA champion on his back. A second-period escape by Thompson cut the margin to 5-4 before Coon scored two third-period takedowns and added a 1:10 riding time advantage.
#2 Spencer Myers (Maryland) dec. #10 Ernest James (Edinboro), 3-2
The Terp scored the match’s only takedown with 1:05 left in the third period.
