Dec. 29, 2008

Updated Midlands Brackets
Updated Midlands Team Standings

EVANSTON, Ill.-Top-seeded and second-ranked Jimmy Kennedy advanced to the semifinals of the 46th annual Midlands Tournament Monday night with a 6-1 win over Iowa's Montell Marion, and six other Fighting Illini remain alive at the event as Illinois is tied for ninth place after two sessions.

No. 11 and seventh-seeded Roger Smith-Bergsrud (165), No. 16 and seventh-seeded Jordan Blanton (184) and sixth-seeded John Dergo (174) moved into the consolation round of 12 after dropping their quarterfinal bouts, while true-freshman Eric Terrazas (149), seventh-seeded Patrick Bond (197) and No. 5 and fourth-seeded John Wise (HWT) battled through the wrestleback bracket to reach the round of 12, which is one victory from ensuring a place finish.

Kennedy handled Marion going up 2-1 after the first period with a takedown at 1:53, then starting down in the second, escaping and scoring a takedown with 0:59 left for a 5-1 lead. Marion started down in the third and Kennedy rode him the entire period, adding the riding time point for the 6-1 win. At 165, Smith-Bergsrud fought Missouri's eighth-ranked and second-seeded Nick Marable to a scoreless first period before Marable started down in the second and escaped, then added a late takedown for a 3-0 lead. Smith-Bergsrud started down in the third and escaped but couldn't record the equalizing takedown, falling 3-1.

Dergo gave American's sixth-ranked and third-seeded Mike Cannon all he could handle through the first two periods, as the pair fought to a 3-3 tie after five minutes. But Cannon started down in the third and escaped before notching a takedown with 1:22 left and riding out Dergo for the 7-3 win. At 184, Blanton had trouble with third-ranked and second-seeded Phil Keddy (Iowa), giving up an early takedown and trailing 5-1 after two periods. He escaped twice in the third, but Keddy's takedown with 39 seconds left sealed the 8-3 win for the Hawkeye.

In one of the most exciting matches of the day for the Illini, Terrazas stayed alive with a 3-2 win against Rider's Nick Weaver. Weaver scored a first-period takedown for an early 2-0 lead then started down in the second. Terrazas rode him for two minutes to clear Weaver's advantage and the pair started neutral in the third. After a scramble near the Illinois coaches' chairs on the edge of the mat, Terrazas finally gained control with 45 seconds left for the takedown. He rode out Weaver and finished with 1:01 of riding time for the 3-2 win. He then cruised to a 7-2 win in the round of 16 over Harper College's Nate Stedaker to advance to the round of 12.

Action continues Tuesday at noon with the consolation round of 12, semifinal round, consolation semifinals and seventh-place matches. The tournament concludes Tuesday at 7:20 p.m. with the first-, third- and fifth-place matches.

125: B.J. Futrell, Fr., Park Forest, Ill., 17-5
1st Round: Tech. fall by #8, 5-seed Anthony Robles (Arizona State), 17-2 (7:00)
Consolation 1st Round: Maj. dec. Jordan McGuire (Eastern Michigan), 16-5
Consolation 2nd Round: Dec. Caleb Flores (Northern Iowa), 7-1
Consolation 3rd Round: Dec. Eric Olanowski (Michigan State), 9-3
Consolation 4th Round: Tech. fall by Ben Ashmore (unattached), 16-0 (4:34)
Futrell eliminated

133: #2 Jimmy Kennedy (No. 1 seed), Jr., Ingleside, Ill., 14-0
1st Round: Dec. Larmie Shaffer (Iowa State-unattached), 5-1
2nd Round: Dec. Jason Borshoff (American), 6-2
Quarterfinals: Dec. Montell Marion (Iowa), 6-1
Semifinals: #11, 4-seed Daniel Dennis (Iowa)

149: Eric Terrazas, Fr., Wheaton, Ill., 12-6
1st Round: Dec. by #8, 5-seed Steve Brown (Central Michigan), 4-1
Consolation 1st Round: Bye
Consolation 2nd Round: Dec. Islam Abitrov (Nebraska-Kearney), 6-5
Consolation 3rd Round: Dec. Nick Weaver (Rider), 3-2
Consolation 4th Round: Dec. Nate Stedaker (Harper), 7-2
Consolation Round of 12: vs. #19, 8-seed Charlie Ettelson (Northern Iowa)

157: Clint Arlis, Jr., Batavia, Ill., 4-4
Pigtail: Dec. by No. 5 seed Scott Winston (Rutgers), 11-4
Consolation 1st Round: Dec. Corey Carlo (Cleveland State), 13-6
Consolation 2nd Round: Dec. Teiovan Edwards (Arizona State), 8-7
Consolation 3rd Round: Dec. by Nick Bertucci (Purdue), 10-4
Arlis eliminated

165: #11 Roger Smith-Bergsrud (No. 7 seed), Sr., Lake Bluff, Ill., 12-1
Pigtail: Dec. Robert Davis (Menlo), 2-1
1st Round: Dec. Brian Letters (Maryland), 6-5
2nd Round: Dec. Frank Battaglia (Northwestern-unattached), 3-2
Quarterfinals: Dec. by #8, 2-seed Nick Marable (Missouri), 3-1
Consolation Round of 12: vs. Jake Kerr (Iowa)

165: Joe Barczak, So., Fox Lake, Ill., 7-5
Pigtail: Dec. by Bryan O'Connor (NIU), 7-4
Consolation 1st Round: Maj. dec. Dustin Doty (Cleveland State), 15-4
Consolation 2nd Round: Dec. by Robbie Michaels (Cleveland State), 4-3
Barczak eliminated

174: John Dergo (No. 6 seed), Jr., Morris, 4-0
1st Round: Dec. Dave Sullivan (Pittsburgh), 12-5
2nd Round: Dec. Ben Bennett (C. Michigan-unattached), 7-2
Quarterfinals: Dec. by #6, 3-seed Mike Cannon (American), 7-3
Consolation Round of 12: vs. Brandon Perkins (Oregon State)

184: #16 Jordan Blanton (No. 7 seed), Fr., Richmond, Ill., 14-4
1st Round: Dec. Nick Palmieri (Michigan State), 6-2
2nd Round: Maj. dec. Eric Bugenhagen (Wisconsin), 9-1
Quarterfinals: Dec. by #3, 2-seed Phil Keddy (Iowa), 8-3
Consolation Round of 12: vs. Dorian Henderson (Missouri)

197: Patrick Bond (No. 7 seed), Jr., Chesapeake, Va., 6-8
1st Round: Maj. dec. Scott Penny (Northern Illinois), 13-5
2nd Round: Dec. by Kyle Simonson, 3-1
Consolation 3rd Round: Dec. John McClure (E. Michigan), 11-6
Consolation 4th Round: Pinned A.J. Hunte (Pittsburgh), 1:18
Consolation Round of 12: vs. 8-seed Jesse Strawn (Old Dominion)

197: Jake Norman, Jr., Batavia, 2-6
1st Round: Tech. fall by Andy Silber (American), 18-2 (7:00)
Consolation 2nd Round: Pinned by Tyler Smith (Rider), 2:48
Norman eliminated

HWT: #5 John Wise (No. 4 seed), Pittsfield, Ill., 7-2
1st Round: Dec. by Ed Bordas (Rider), 6-5
Consolation 2nd Round: Pinned Cody Sliger (Chattanooga), 4:23
Consolation 3rd Round: Dec. Clayton Jack (Oregon State), 7-6
Consolation 4th Round: Dec. Pat Gilmore (Maryland), 7-3
Consolation Round of 12: vs. Dom Bradley (Missouri)