Dec. 29, 2003

Three University of Illinois wrestlers will compete tonight in the championship bracket of the 41st Midlands Classic in Evanston, Ill., as Mark Jayne, Alex Tirapelle and Brian Glynn advanced to the quarterfinals of the tournament. Illinois stands in third place after the first full session of competition. The Illini also have eight wrestlers still alive in the consolation bracket - Cassio Pero, 133; Michael Martin, 141; Cal Ferry, 149; Anthony Castillo, 165; Pete Friedl, 174; Mike Behnke, Hwt; Matt Fletcher, Hwt and Chris Little, Hwt.

Jayne (Jr., Elyria, Ohio), who is the tournament's No. 4-seed, advanced via major decisions over Rich Gebauer of Franklin and Marshall and Matt Eveleth of Penn. He will face the 12th-seed Sam Hiatt of Northern Illinois. The top-seeded 133-pounder Travis Lee of Cornell lost his first-round match, leaving only the nine and 12 seeds on Jayne's portion of the bracket.

At 157 pounds, Tirapelle (So., Clovis, Calif.) got his first win in the form of a major decision 11-2 win over Chad Roush of Eastern Michigan and won by injury default over Penn State's James Woodall. He will move on to face the No. 10-seed Brian Cobb of Cal-State Bakersfield. Both Jayne and Tirapelle remain unbeaten this season.

Glynn (Jr., Orland Park, Ill.) became the third quarterfinalist for the Illini with his 9-4 decision over Luke Lefever of Air Force. It was the second win of the day for the 184-pounder following a first-round major decision over John Garfinkel of Stanford.

NOTES: The 41st Midlands Classic will be broadcast on Fox Sports Chicago tape-delayed for a Jan. 17 airing at 8 p.m. CT ... Former Illinois All-American Nate Patrick was also in attendance competing at the tournament advancing to the quarterfinals at 197 pounds.

133: #4 No. 4-seed Mark Jayne (Jr., Elyria, Ohio) 13-0
1st Round: Major dec. Rich Gebauer (Franklin & Marshall), 15-3
2nd Round: Major dec. Matt Eveleth (Penn), 11-3
Quarterfinals: No. 12-seed Sam Hiatt (N. Illinois)

133: Cassio Pero (r-Fr., Chicago Heights, Ill.) 8-4
1st Round: Lost to Shawn Protz (Penn), 4-2
Consolation 1st Round: Pinned Dave Roberts (Millersville), 0:59
Consolation 2nd Round: Jesse Leng (Ohio State)

141: Michael Martin (r-Fr., Norfolk, Va.) 4-6
1st Round: Lost to #6 No. 3-seed Cliff Moore (Iowa), 13-6
Consolation 1st Round: Pinned Jim Comfort (Illinois), 5:32
Consolation 2nd Round: Ron Tarquinio (Pitt)

141: Jim Comfort (r-Fr., Peoria, Ill.) 4-6
Pigtail: Lost to Pacifico Garcia (San Fran. St.), 11-5
Consolation Pigtail: Dec. Justin Lijo (Cornell), 3-2
Consolation 1st Round: Lost by fall to Michael Martin (Illinois), 5:32 ... Comfort eliminated

149: Cal Ferry (So., Machesney, Ill.) 7-5
1st Round: Dec. Brett Stedman (Iowa), 3-1
2nd Round: Lost to #10 No. 6-seed Michael Maney (Lockhaven), 5-0
Consolation 2nd Round: James Strouse (Hofstra)

149: Anton Dietzen (Jr., Elmhurst, Ill.) 8-5
1st Round: Lost to #2 No. 1-seed Dustin Manotti (Cornell), 10-3
Consolation Pigtail: Dec. Matt Lamach (Penn), 8-4
Consolation 1st Round: Lost to James Strouse (Hofstra), 7-5 ... Dietzen eliminated

157: #1 No. 2-seed Alex Tirapelle (So., Clovis, Calif.) 12-0
1st Round: Major dec. Chad Roush (E. Michigan), 11-2
2nd Round: Won by injury default over James Woodall (Penn State)
Quarterfinals: No. 10-seed Brian Cobb (CS-Bakersfield)

157: Michael Boyd (So., Chicago, Ill.) 4-6
Pigtail: Lost to Rick Lemas (Elmhurst), 5-4 TB
Consolation: Lost to Amir Khan (Rutgers), 5-3 ... Boyd eliminated

165: Anthony Castillo (Jr., Western Springs, Ill.) 4-5
1st Round: Lost to Jason Gilligan (Lock Haven), 9-4
Consolation 1st Round: Dec. Rich Ferguson (Penn), 8-6
Consolation 2nd Round: Alex Nelson (N. Illinois)

174: #12 No. 6-seed Pete Friedl (So., Orland Park, Ill.) 11-3
1st Round: Dec. Francis Iorfido (Pitt), 3-1
2nd Round: Pinned by Ralph DeNisco (Wisconsin), 5:49
Consolation 2nd Round: Winner of Emory Willis (Unattached)/Greg Hallahan (Penn)

184: #8 No. 6-seed Brian Glynn (Jr., Orland Park, Ill.) 12-2 1st Round: Major dec. John Garfinkel (Stanford), 10-1
2nd Round: Dec. Luke Lefever (Air Force), 9-4
Quarterfinals: #3 No. 3-seed Ben Heizer (N. Illinois)

Hwt: #18 No. 11-seed Mike Behnke (r-Fr., Villa Park, Ill.) 8-5
1st Round: Dec. Joe Sapp (N. Illinois), 6-1
2nd Round: Lost to No. 6-seed Rafael Davis (Schultz WC), 7-2
Consolation 3rd Round: TBA

Hwt: Matt Fletcher (So., LaSalle, Ill.) 9-4
1st Round: Lost to #3 No. 4-seed Matt Feast (Penn), 18-9
Consolation 1st Round: Dec. Jake Rakevich (Oregon State), 4-3
Consolation 2nd Round: Dec. Chad Barkalow (Iowa), 2-1
Consolation 3rd Round: TBA

Hwt: Chris Little (So., Mahomet, Ill.) 3-3
1st Round Lost to #1 No. 2-seed Pat Cummins (Penn State), 21-7
Consolation 2nd Round: Dec. Max Lossen (Michigan State), 3-2
Consolation 3rd Round: TBA