EVANSTON, Ill. —After Session I, five Hawkeyes remain alive in the quest for individual titles at the Big Ten men’s wrestling championships inside Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Illinois, on Saturday.
Despite shaky starts to their debuts after byes, top-ranked duo 133-pounder Drake Ayala and 197-pounder Stephen Buchanan both advanced to the semifinals in Session II at 5 p.m.
But Arizona State transfer No. 4 Jacori Teemer, ranked in the top three nationally this season, hit a disappointing end to his Big Ten career. He lost to Minnesota’s No. 5 Tommy Askey, who he beat earlier this season, in a 4-1 overtime decision.
The Hawkeyes sit fourth in team points for that second session this afternoon with 54 — behind Illinois with 58.5, Nebraska with 60.5, and Penn State in first with 88.
125 pounds → Consolations
No. 5 Joey Cruz made it to the quarterfinals with an 11-7 decision over Michigan State’s No. 12 Christian Tanefeu, an easy start to the Hawkeyes’ day as the Spartans struggled as a whole. But he dropped his match in the second round to Penn State’s title-contending No. 4 Luke Lilledahl in an 11-1 major decision.
Bumped to the second round of the consolation bracket, Cruz’s third match will come in Session II against Michigan State’s No. 11 Caleb Weiand.
133 pounds → Semifinals
Ayala escaped No. 8 Angelo Rini of Indiana in a 13-9 decision to advance to the semifinals. One of the final four wrestlers vying for the 133-pound title, he’s now got No. 5 Dylan Shawver — who gave Penn State a shake as he upset the Nittany Lions’ No. 4 Braeden Davis in the quarterfinals — for a shot in the title match.
141 pounds → Consolations
Cullan Schriever’s search for a qualifying spot at the NCAA championships got much harder as he dropped his opening round match to Rutgers’ No. 6 Joseph Olivieri in a 4-2 decision. Beating Michigan State’s No. 14 Jaden Crumpler in an 18-2 technical fall, though, his search for third place is still alive.
Schriever will have No. 5 Sergio Lemley of Michigan — a must-win for one of the Big Ten’s seven NCAA qualifying spots in the weight class.
149 pounds → Semifinals
With a bye, No. 2 Kyle Parco needed just one match to move to the semifinals, besting No. 7 Sam Cartella of Northwestern in a 15-7 major decision. But his next match is huge — a rematch with Nebraska’s No. 3 Ridge Lovett.
While Parco beat Lovett in their dual meet matchup this season, Lovett is hot with a technical fall in the first round and 13-2 major decision over Rutgers’ No. 6 Andrew Clark.
157 pounds → Consolations
Teemer’s methodical method of wrestling earned him the 7-2 decision over Wisconsin’s No. 13 Luke Mechler. But a lack of offense cost him a semifinal shot as Askey won with an overtime takedown.
So Teemer’s next matchup is with Illinois’ No. 11 Jason Kraisser who lost off-rip to Purdue’s No. 6 Joey Blaze in the opening round.
165 pounds → Semifinals
No. 2 Michael Caliendo dominated in his lone match thus far, a bye setting him up for Rutgers’ No. 10 Anthony White. His 21-4 technical fall over White in five minutes next brings him Illinois’ No. 6 Braeden Scoles — who has a valuable upset win over No. 3 Christopher Minto of Nebraska in the opening round.
174 pounds → Semifinals
No. 4 Patrick Kennedy’s high-powered offense has dug him out and into a semifinal contest with Penn State’s No. 1 Levi Haines who is on fire with a pin this afternoon.
Kennedy beat No. 13 Ceasar Garza of Michigan State in a 22-5 technical fall before giving Maryland’s No. 12 Branson John a 20-3 technical fall too. That offense will be crucial but must be controlled against the technically fluent Haines tonight.
184 pounds → Consolations
No. 4 Gabe Arnold folded to Maryland’s No. 5 Jaxon Smith in the quarterfinals, riding time in overtime giving the latter the 3-2 win. So Arnold joins the consolation crew for Northwestern’s No. 11 Jon Halvorsen in what should be an easier route to the third-place contest.
197 pounds → Semifinals
Buchanan’s persistent effort produced an 8-0 major decision victory over Ohio State’s No. 9 Seth Shumate, but Illinois’ No. 5 Zac Braunagel will give him a threat. Braunagel has impressed thus far today, a 16-0 technical fall over Maryland’s No. 12 Chase Mielnik and a 10-4 decision over Minnesota’s No. 4 Isaiah Salazar.
Heavyweight → Consolations
In a stacked 285-pound class, No. 7 Ben Kueter ran into the power of Penn State’s No. 2 Greg Kerkvliet. Kueter beat Purdue’s No. 10 Hayden Filipovich, 5-1, but struggled under a pin-fall from Kerkvliet in the next round.
So Kueter is one of five Hawkeyes in the consolation bracket, taking Indiana’s No. 8 Jacob Bullock who fell to Maryland’s No. 9 Seth Nevills in a 3-0 first-round decision.