University of Illinois
NCAA Championships Session 4
Poeta Reaches Title Bout
March 21, 2008 | Wrestling
March 21, 2008
NCAA Semifinal Match: #2 Mike Poeta vs. #3 Dan Vallimont (PSU) 
ST. LOUIS - No. 2 seed Mike Poeta defeated Penn State's third-seeded Dan Vallimont for the third time this season, winning 6-5 in his 157-pound NCAA semifinal match to advance to Saturday night's title bout against Cornell's eighth-seeded Jordan Leen. No. 2 seed Jimmy Kennedy (133) dropped a narrow 4-2 decision to third-seeded Coleman Scott (Oklahoma State) in his semifinal bout, and No. 6 seed Gabe Flores (125) and No. 13 John Wise (HWT) each came up one win short of their first career All-America accolades. As a team, Illinois stands in 12th place with 37.0 points.
Flores squared off against Penn State's No. 19 Mark McKnight with the Nittany Lion scoring a takedown with 20 seconds left in the first period to take a 2-0 lead. Flores deferred choice and McKnight started down in the second, earning a quick escape when Flores tried to tilt him for a 3-0 lead. But Flores shot in and got a takedown with five seconds left to cut McKnight's lead to 3-2 after two periods. Flores started down in the third and quickly got a reversal to take a 4-3 lead. Flores worked hard for the tilt, but McKnight escaped to tie the match at 4. The Lion nearly got a takedown, but Flores scrambled around and worked into a stalemate with 50 seconds left. McKnight shot with 30 seconds left, but Flores desperately held onto a high crotch to send the bout into overtime. In the sudden-victory period, a wild scramble started with 40 seconds and Flores nearly got the takedown. McKnight worked around and nearly got two points for himself, but Flores held on and the two tumbled out of bounds. Flores shot with 10 seconds and worked into the Iranian position, but time ran out before either could score. McKnight started down in the first tiebreak and escaped with six seconds left. Flores started down in the second tiebreak and McKnight rode him out to end the Illini senior's run through the consolations one step short of All-America, 5-4.
In Kennedy's semifinal bout against third-seeded Coleman Scott, the pair traded shots through a scoreless first period before Kennedy started down in the second. Scott rode the Illini sophomore hard, with Kennedy repeatedly working to his feet with Scott on his back before stalemates were called. But Scott rode out Kennedy the entire period, leaving the score tied after two periods. Scott started down in the third and Kennedy chose the optional restart, giving Scott a 1-0 lead. Kennedy got deep on a double-leg, but Scott worked out of bounds to avoid the takedown. Scott was called for stalling a second time to tie the score at 1, but he still held 1:59 of riding time advantage. Kennedy continued to push the pace and Scott was called for stalling once again. But Scott shot with 15 seconds and got the takedown to win, 4-2 with riding time. Kennedy will wrestle Minnesota's eighth-seeded Mack Reiter on Saturday morning for the right to wrestle for third place.
No. 3 seed Dan Vallimont (Penn State) got a leg early against Poeta, but the two were ruled out of bounds before any scoring. Vallimont shot again but a scramble took the pair out of bounds once more. Quickly off the restart, Poeta shot in for the takedown, but Vallimont escaped before the duo tumbled off the mat, making Poeta's lead 2-1 at the end of the first. Poeta started down in the second and quickly rolled out for a 3-1 lead. After a scramble, Vallimont tied the bout with a takedown at 1:17 left in the period, but Poeta escaped and a neutral restart was called. Poeta got behind Vallimont for a takedown and a 6-3 lead with 21 seconds left, but Vallimont narrowly got an escape at the buzzer to get within 6-4 after two periods. The Nittany Lion started down in the third and quickly escaped, making Poeta's margin a slim 6-5. Poeta was warned for stalling with 20 seconds left, then got a leg, but Vallimont held onto a high crotch. Time expired before any further scoring and Poeta advanced to the title bout with a 6-5 win, his third victory over Vallimont this season. In Saturday night's title bout, Poeta will face Cornell's eighth-seeded Jordan Leen, who upset top-seeded Gregor Gillespie (Edinboro), 8-6, in the quarterfinals.
Wise took on eighth-seeded Bubba Gritter (Central Michigan) in his Round of 12 bout. Wise got in on a leg with 50 seconds left, but Gritter fought it off and spun around for a takedown then got two near-fall points to take a 4-0 lead after the first period. Wise started down in the second and escaped in 30 seconds to make the score 4-1. Wise shot with 1:10 left, but Gritter defended it once again and scored a takedown to make it 6-1. He rode out Wise before starting neutral in the third. Gritter got a takedown 30 seconds into the bout and Wise escaped with 20 seconds left, but Gritter scored a takedown before the buzzer for the 11-2 major decision victory, ending the Illini junior's bid for his first All-America honor.
TEAM STANDINGS 1. Iowa 102.0 2. Ohio State 71.0 3. Iowa State 68.0 4. Penn State 63.0 5. Central Michigan 61.5 6. Michigan 61.0 7. Nebraska 58.0 Oklahoma State 58.0 9. Cornell 57.5 10. Minnesota 56.5 12. ILLINOIS 37.0 WEIGHT-BY-WEIGHT RESULTS 125: No. 6 seed, #6 Gabe Flores First Round: dec. Nicholas Bedelyon (Kent State), 6-4 Second Round: dec. No. 11 seed, #11 Dave Tomasette (Hofstra), 4-3 Quarterfinals: dec. by No. 3 seed, #3 Paul Donahoe (Nebraska), 4-2 Consolation Fourth Round: dec. by #19 Mark McKnight (Penn State), 5-4 (TB2) Flores Eliminated 133: No. 2 seed, #2 Jimmy Kennedy First Round: maj. dec. David Marble (Bucknell), 12-2 Second Round: dec. #19 Tyler McCormick (Missouri), 6-1 Quarterfinals: dec. No. 7 seed, #4 Mike Grey (Cornell), 8-6 (SV1) Semifinals: dec. by No. 3 seed, #3 Coleman Scott (Oklahoma State), 4-2 Up Next - Consolation Semifinals: No. 8 seed, #8 Mack Reiter (Minnesota) 157: No. 2 seed, #2 Mike Poeta First Round: Bye Second Round: dec. #17 Newly McSpadden (Oklahoma State), 3-2 Quarterfinals: dec. No. 10 seed, #12 Michael Chandler (Missouri), 7-3 Semifinals: dec. No. 3 seed, #3 Dan Vallimont (Penn State), 6-5 Up Next - Championship: No. 8 seed, #8 Jordan Leen (Cornell) 165: #20 Roger Smith-Bergsrud First Round: dec. by No. 9 seed Trevor Stewart (Central Michigan), 4-2 Consolation First Round: dec. Matt Epperly (Virginia Tech), 8-6 Consolation Second Round: dec. by Zack Shanaman (Penn), 4-1 Smith-Bergsrud eliminated 174: #15 John Dergo First Round: dec. #16 Philip Moricone (Edinboro), 5-1 Second Round: pinned by No. 4 seed, #4 Jay Borschel (Iowa), 6:06 Consolation Second Round: dec. Chris Henrich (Virginia), 5-1 Consolation Third Round: dec. by Duke Burk (Northern Illinois), 3-1 Dergo eliminated 197: No. 9 seed, #9 Patrick Bond First Round: dec. Thomas Shovlin (Penn), 3-1 (SV1) Second Round: dec. by No. 8 seed, #8 Craig Brester (Nebraska), 7-2 Consolation Second Round: dec. by Jason Trulson (Arizona State), 7-2 Bond eliminated HWT: #13 John Wise First Round: dec. by No. 12 seed Mark Ellis (Missouri), 5-4 Consolation First Round: dec. Trey McLean (Penn), 6-0 Consolation Second Round: dec. Joe Fendone (Edinboro), 4-0 Consolation Third Round: maj. dec. Reece Hopkin (Northern Colorado), 8-0 Consolation Fourth Round: maj. dec. by No. 8 seed Bubba Gritter (Central Michigan), 11-2 Wise eliminated
