Team Illinois Dominates Greco-Roman Nationals, Takes Down Utah in Gold Medal Final

Illinois Sweeps to Title in Gold/Silver Pool Final
On Thursday evening at Wisconsin Center District in Milwaukee, Team Illinois rolled to the Greco Roman wrestling team title with a 39-24 win over Utah in the finals of the Gold/Silver Pool. Other Gold/Silver Pool victims were Washington (39-24), Michigan (52-13), and Oklahoma (48-15).
Path to the Finals: Illinois Cruises Through Pool B
To reach that Gold/Silver Pool, Illinois disposed of three foes in the Pool B Bracket to kick things off on Wednesday. California Blue fell, 38-28, Minnesota Red was handled by a 49-16 margin, and Maryland was discarded with a 56-12 count.
A Star-Studded Clash: Illinois vs. Utah Loaded with Ranked Wrestlers
The dual with Illinois and Utah was high on firepower as Illinois put forth eight nationally ranked guys and Utah served up six. As a refresher, team scoring is different in the Olympic styles as a disqualification, forfeit, or pin is worth five points instead of six. A technical fall earns four instead of five. The last quirk is if a wrestler scores a point and loses in anyway other then a fall or disqualification, his team earns a point.
Hence the reason that despite losing three of the first four matches, Utah accumulated seven team points. They picked up two of those points in losses, the first one coming at 113 pounds where Illinois’ Honorable Mention Kaleb Pratt won with a 12-4 tech of Kacen Jones.
U.S. Open and World Team Trials Greco Roman Champion, Caleb Noble (No. 6 at 113), was up at 120 pounds where he blanked Kaleb Blackner, 11-0 in 4:06, to keep Utah off the board. No. 18 Deven Casey’s 9-1 tech at 132 over Grady Roybal came at the 4:02 mark after building a 6-0 lead.
Utah’s Tanner Telford decked Noah Woods at 126 pounds for his squad’s big points in that four-match stretch. The pin came in 50 seconds after securing a headlock. Utah would win the 138-pound bout with Geronimo Rivera (No. 24 at 132) shutting out Chance Woods, 8-0 in 1:15. The Rivera win brought Utah within one of Illinois, 12-11.
Middle Weights Shift Momentum to Illinois
Illinois surged in the middle weights with three consecutive wins to go up by ten points, 23-13. At 144 pounds, No. 28 Evan Gosz handled Honorable Mention Austin Ellis rather easily with an 8-0 tech fall in 1:44. No. 16 Carson Weber edged No. 24 Jason Worthley, 2-1, at 150. They each scored a point with Weber’s coming last, so he held criteria but won 2-1 when he received a point for a failed challenge. Bruno Cassioppi hit a growth spurt this year that saw him shoot up from the lightweights to 157 where he finally seems to be getting comfortable as the 10-0 upset of No. 24 Austin Paris indicates.
Utah Rallies but Illinois Slams the Door Shut
Utah got two back at 165 and 175 pounds when No. 17 Tucker Roybal used an 8-0 tech in 1:26 of Pierre Walton (165) and Ladd Holman came back from an early deficit and took over the match at the beginning of the second frame for an 11-7 win over Ilia Dvoryannikov to bring his squad back into it at 24-20.
Illinois answered that with two wins of their own to go back up by ten again, 31-21. Jaxon Penovich won a 5-1 battle with Elijah Hawes at 190 pounds. Jimmy Mastny (No. 9 at 190), who bounced between 190 and 215, won at 215 versus Utah over Isaac McGee, 8-0 (3:21).
Heavyweight No. 26 Trayvn Boger put Utah’s final win in the book with a 3-0 decision of Josh Hoffer. With the score at 31-24 and two matches left, there was still Hope for Utah.
Two unranked guys hit the mat at 100 pounds and Illinois’ Symon Woods slammed the door shut with a quick 8-0 tech fall in 30 seconds on the strength of two gut wrenches. No. 6 Michael Rundell put the finishing touches on the win with a 9-0 tech of Kaden Oldroyd, 9-0 (1:48), at 106 pounds to make the final tally, 39-24.
All-Tournament Standouts Power Illinois' Dominance
Cracking the All-Tournament team (going undefeated over a minimum of five matches) were Cassioppi at 7-0. Three guys posted 6-0 records, Symon Woods (100/106), Noble, and Gosz. Going 5-0 were Rundell and Mastny. Other unscathed grapplers were Michael Bird (100/106), 3-0, Brayden Teunissen (126), 2-0, and Penovich, 4-0.
Dvoryannikov was 6-1. Casey was 5-1. Josh Hoffer went 5-2 between 215 and 285. Pratt was 3-2 win a win over No. 9 Jarrett Smith of Michigan, 8-0 (2:26). Also going 3-2 was Jeremy Marshall (285). Chance and Noah Woods were both 3-3. Weber was 2-2. Vince DeMarco split his two matches at 113 pounds.
Other Team Notes: Minnesota Blue Secures Third
Minnesota Blue took out Oklahoma, 55-13, in the third-place match.
Greco-Roman Results
Gold/Silver Bracket
1st Place – Illinois
2nd Place – Utah
3rd Place – Minnesota Blue
4th Place – Oklahoma
5th Place – Washington
6th Place – California Blue
7th Place – Iowa
8th Place – Michigan
1st Place Match – Illinois defeated Utah, 39-24 #
100 lbs. – Symon Woods, IL tech. fall Jantz Greenhalgh, UT, 8-0
106 lbs. – Michael Rundell, IL tech. fall Kaden Oldroyd, UT, 9-0
113 lbs. – Kaleb Pratt, IL tech. fall Kacen Jones, UT, 12-4
120 lbs. – Caleb Noble, IL tech. fall Kaleb Blackner, UT, 11-0
126 lbs. – Tanner Telford, UT fall Noah Woods, IL, 0:50
132 lbs. – Deven Casey, IL tech. fall Grady Roybal, UT, 9-1
138 lbs. – Geronimo Rivera, UT tech. fall Chance Woods, IL, 8-0
144 lbs. – Evan Gosz, IL tech. fall Austin Ellis, UT, 8-0
150 lbs. – Carson Weber, IL dec. Jason Worthley, UT, 2-1
157 lbs. – Bruno Cassioppi, IL tech. fall Austin Paris, UT, 10-2
165 lbs. – Tucker Roybal, UT tech. fall Pierre Walton, IL, 8-0
175 lbs. – Ladd Holman, UT dec. Ilia Dvoryannikov, IL, 11-7
190 lbs. – Jaxon Penovich, IL dec. Elijah Hawes, UT, 5-1
215 lbs. – Jimmy Mastny, IL tech. fall Isaac McGee, UT, 8-0
285 lbs. – Trayvn Boger, UT dec. Josh Hoffer, IL, 3-0
3rd Place Match – Minnesota Blue defeated Oklahoma, 55-13 #
100 lbs. – Jackson Thorn, MN B forfeit
106 lbs. – Heydan Danielson, MN B forfeit
113 lbs. – Ethan Phanmanivong, MN B tech. fall Garrett Short, OK, 13-4
120 lbs. – Joel Friederichs, MN B fall Rodolfo Rojas, OK, 5:14
126 lbs. – Eli Schultz, MN B dec. Madden Edgar, OK, 6-2
132 lbs. – Lawson Eller, MN B dec. David Ritchey, OK, 10-6
138 lbs. – Hudson Beckley, OK fall Bennett Kujawa, MN B, 2:57
144 lbs. – Garrison Sartain, OK tech. fall Trey Gunderson, MN B, 8-0
150 lbs. – Cavin Carlson, MN B forfeit
157 lbs. – Conlan Carlson, MN B tech. fall Kaden Wallace, OK, 11-2
165 lbs. – Luke Hoag, MN B tech. fall Wesley Madden, OK, 8-0
175 lbs. – Bryce Burkett, MN B tech. fall Zylan Johnson, OK, 8-0
190 lbs. – Jarrett Wadsen, MN B tech. fall Peyton Callis, OK, 10-0
215 lbs. – Ethan Swenson, MN B tech. fall Trey Tunnell, OK, 8-0
285 lbs. – Cole Will, MN B forfeit
5th Place Match – Washington defeated California Blue, 37-27 #
100 lbs. – Alex Salas, CA B tech. fall Hunter Shirley, WA, 8-0
106 lbs. – Nery Rivas, WA tech. fall Niko Selianitis, CA B, 15-4
113 lbs. – Lazarus McEwen, WA tech. fall Jax Vang, CA B, 9-0
120 lbs. – Arcadius Cruz, WA tech. fall Gabriel Dela Rosa, CA B, 10-0
126 lbs. – Czar Quintanilla, WA dec. Siraj Sidhu, CA B, 10-8
132 lbs. – Justyce Zuniga, WA dec. Tas Storer, CA B, 5-0
138 lbs. – Mason DesRochers, WA tech. fall Moses Mendoza, CA B, 9-0
144 lbs. – Zackery Motzkus, WA tech. fall Matthew Orbeta, CA B, 9-0
150 lbs. – Israel Acosta, WA tech. fall Ames-Michael Hoevker, CA B, 12-4
157 lbs. – Bailey Holman, CA B dec. Tre Haines, WA, 3-1
165 lbs. – Dylan Pile, CA B tech. fall Colby Ducatt, WA, 8-0
175 lbs. – Mario Carini, CA B tech. fall Noah Holman, WA, 17-8
190 lbs. – David Calkins Jr, CA B tech. fall Simon Jarrell, WA, 8-0
215 lbs. – Levi Bussey, CA B tech. fall Odin Schwabenbauer, WA, 11-2
285 lbs. – Kade West, WA tech. fall Abraham Datte, CA B, 13-2
7th Place Match – Iowa defeated Michigan, 42-26 #
100 lbs. – Dakota Harmer, MI fall Jaxsen Vestal, IA, 0:45
106 lbs. – Ethan Humphrey, IA forfeit
113 lbs. – Jarrett Smith, MI tech. fall Trace Rial, IA, 8-0
120 lbs. – Max Millage, IA fall Layne Martin, MI, 2:47
126 lbs. – Benjamin Walsh, IA tech. fall Keagen Elliott, MI, 9-0
132 lbs. – Brady Baker, MI tech. fall Mitchell Murphy, IA, 9-0
138 lbs. – Cody Trevino, IA tech. fall Meyer Murray, MI, 12-4
144 lbs. – Jase Jaspers, IA tech. fall Austin Gyorkos, MI, 8-0
150 lbs. – Brady Patterson, IA tech. fall Ryan Woods, MI, 14-3
157 lbs. – Dokken Biladeau, IA dec. Lane Blanchard, MI, 8-3
165 lbs. – Eli Roe, MI tech. fall Bode Stanley, IA, 8-0
175 lbs. – Jaxon Miller, IA tech. fall James Moore, MI, 10-2
190 lbs. – Brenden Heying, IA tech. fall Waylon Lamkin, MI, 8-0
215 lbs. – Ashton Honnold, IA fall Liam O'Neil, MI, 0:25
285 lbs. – Layne O'Neil, MI dq. Andrew Hine, IA, 1:28
Bronze/Copper Bracket
1st Place – Ohio Scarlet
2nd Place – Pennsylvania
3rd Place – Colorado
4th Place – Wisconsin
5th Place – Idaho
6th Place – Georgia
7th Place – Missouri
8th Place – Minnesota Red
1st Place Match – Ohio Scarlet defeated Pennsylvania, 36-27
3rd Place Match – Colorado defeated Wisconsin, 38-26
5th Place Match – Idaho defeated Georgia, 40-30
7th Place Match – Missouri defeated Minnesota Red, 33-26
Blue/Red Bracket
1st Place – Virginia
2nd Place – Ohio Gray
3rd Place – North Dakota
4th Place – Indiana
5th Place – Alabama
6th Place – Kansas Blue
7th Place – Oregon
8th Place – Maryland
1st Place Match – Virginia defeated Ohio Gray, 38-29
3rd Place Match – North Dakota defeated Indiana, 43-27
5th Place Match – Alabama defeated Kansas Blue, 53-17
7th Place Match – Oregon defeated Maryland, 44-26
Green Bracket
1st Place – Kansas Red
2nd Place – California Red
3rd Place – South Carolina
4th Place – Texas
5th Place – Arizona
Round-robin records: Kansas Red (4-0), California Red (3-1), South Carolina (2-2), Texas (1-3), Arizona (0-4)
Yellow Bracket
1st Place – Florida
2nd Place – Tennessee
3rd Place – Nebraska
4th Place – Louisiana
5th Place – Arkansas
Round-robin records: Florida (4-0), Tennessee (3-1), Nebraska (2-2), Louisiana (1-3), Arkansas (0-4)
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