Dec. 4, 2009
LAS VEGAS -
With a lineup riddled with early season injuries, the Illinois wrestling team knew it would be tough to do much damage in the team race at the 2009 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, annually one of the toughest early tournaments. But No. 9 and fourth-seeded John Dergo continued to prove that his offseason move up to 184 pounds is paying off, as he reached the semifinals on the first day of action by going 3-0 with a pin, a technical fall and a major decision. He'll face Ohio State's No. 3 and top-seeded Mike Pucillo in the semifinals Saturday at noon CT.
No. 17 and eighth-seeded Patrick Bond reached the quarterfinals before he dropped a 6-0 decision to Nebraska's top-seeded and second-ranked Craig Brester and was pinned in his consolation round of 12 match, falling a win short of placing.
The day started well for the Illini as No. 17 Conrad Polz earned a decision in his pigtail bout and Joe Barczak, filling in for No. 9 Jordan Blanton at 174, scored a 15-0 technical fall in his pigtail bout. John Deneen wrestled tough against No. 10 and sixth-seeded Michael Martinez (Wyoming) but dropped the 3-2 decision at 125. Deneen would win his first-round consolation bout over 11th-seeded Jamie Franco (Hofstra) before bowing out in the second round of consolation action.
At 133, redshirt-freshman Daryl Thomas scored a major decision in his first bout before dropping a 4-1 decision to 18th-ranked and fourth-seeded Steve Mytych (Drexel). He scored an explosive 18-12 win over Indiana's 10th-seeded Matt Ortega in the consolation second round and notched a 7-6 win over Columbia's Andrew Grabfelder. But he fell one round short of placing in his first Las Vegas Invitational, as Bucknell's No. 20 and sixth-seeded David Marble pinned Thomas in 1:27 in the round of 12.
No. 14 Ryan Prater pulled out of the tournament prior to the first round because of neck stingers and 149-pounder Jake Beechy went 0-2 in his two bouts. Redshirt-freshman Kyle Dooley also dropped his two bouts on the day, but Polz kept fighting to advance throughout the day.
After his pigtail win, Polz scored a 12-4 major decision over Western State's Skye Wells. But he ran up against No. 6 and second-seeded Andy Rendos (Bucknell) and dropped an 8-1 bout, sending him to the consolation bracket. Polz responded with an 8-2 win over UNC-Greensboro's Victor Hojilla to set up a meeting with Hofstra's P.J. Gillespie. The two battled to a 1-1 tie after regulation and headed to overtime, where Gillespie scored a takedown in the first sudden-victory period for the 3-1 win, ending Polz' run.
After his pigtail win, Barczak ran up against top-ranked and top-seeded Mack Lewnes (Cornell), who sent him to the consolation bracket. The Illini junior notched a 7-5 win over Rider's Jim Resnick, but a 10-6 loss to Indiana's 18th-ranked and 11th-seeded Trevor Perry ended Barczak's tournament.
Dergo started his day strong with an 18-4 major decision over Brown's Brian Crudden, narrowly missing the technical fall. But he got the technical fall in his next match against Northern Colorado's Eric Brennan with a 22-7 win just as time expired. Dergo kept wrestling strong, notching a pin over No. 20 and fifth-seeded Steve Bosak (Cornell) in 4:50 to set up a semifinal match on Saturday with Ohio State's top-seeded and third-ranked Mike Pucillo.
Bond also wrestled tough early in the day, opening with an 8-3 win over Jeremy Cannon (UNC-Greensboro) and following that up with a 6-3 win over No. 18 and ninth-seeded Riley Orozco (Cal State Bakersfield). He fell, 6-0, to Brester, then gave up a pin to Rider's Tyler Smith in their consolation round of 12 bout, falling one win short of placing.
125: John Deneen, Jr., Marengo, Ill., 4-2
1st Round: Dec. by #10, 6-seed Michael Martinez (Wyoming), 3-2
Consolation 1st Round: Dec. #11 seed Jamie Franco (Hofstra), 5-0
Consolation 2nd Round: Pinned by Chancey Philipps (California Baptist), 4:25
Deneen eliminated
133: Daryl Thomas, r-Fr., Edwardsville, Ill., 9-5
1st Round: Maj. dec. Donovan Troup (New Mexico), 13-5
2nd Round: Dec. by #18, 4-seed Steve Mytych (Drexel), 4-1
Consolation 2nd Round: Dec. 10-seed Matt Ortega (Indiana), 18-12
Consolation 3rd Round: Dec. Andrew Grabfelder (Columbia), 7-6
Consolation Round of 12: Pinned by #20, 6-seed David Marble (Bucknell), 1:27
Thomas eliminated
149: Jake Beechy, So., New Lenox, Ill., 1-6
1st Round: Pinned by 10-seed Barrett Abel (Cal Davis), 2:53
Consolation 1st Round: Pinned by Chris Hacker (Nebraska), 3:40
Beechy eliminated
157: Kyle Dooley, r-Fr., Monticello, Ill., 6-5
1st Round: Dec. by Ryan Goodman (West Virginia), 7-4
Consolation 1st Round: Pinned by #9, 5-seed Colton Salazar (Purdue), 1:15
Dooley eliminated
165: #17 Conrad Polz, r-Fr., Orland Park, Ill., 10-5
Pigtail: Dec. Quinn Donnell (Colorado State-Pueblo), 6-1
1st Round: Maj. dec. Skye Wells (Western State), 12-4
2nd Round: Dec. by #6, 2-seed Andy Rendos (Bucknell), 8-1
Consolation 2nd round: Dec. Victor Hojilla (UNC Greensboro), 8-2
Consolation 3rd round: Dec. by P.J. Gillespie (Hofstra), 3-1 SV1
Polz eliminated
174: Joe Barczak, So., Fox Lake, Ill., 7-3
Pigtail: Tech. fall Kelvin Gastelum, 15-0
1st Round: Maj. dec. by #1, 1-seed Mack Lewnes (Cornell), 15-1
Consolation 1st Round: Dec. Jim Resnick (Rider), 7-5
Consolation 2nd Round: Dec. by #18, 11-seed Trevor Perry (Indiana), 10-6
Barczak eliminated
184: #9 John Dergo (No. 4 seed), Sr., Morris, Ill., 10-1
1st Round: Maj. dec. Brian Crudden (Brown), 18-4
2nd Round: Tech. fall Eric Brennan (Northern Colorado), 22-7 (7:00)
Quarterfinals: Pinned #20, 5-seed Steve Bosak (Cornell), 4:50
Semifinals: vs. #3, 1-seed Mike Pucillo (Ohio State)
197: #17 Patrick Bond (No. 8 seed), So., Chesapeake, Va., 6-3
1st Round: Dec. Jeremy Cannon (UNC Greensboro), 8-3
2nd Round: Dec. #18, 9-seed Riley Orozco (Cal State Bakersfield), 6-3
Quarterfinals: Dec. by #2, 1-seed Craig Brester (Nebraska), 6-0
Consolation Round of 12: Pinned by Tyler Smith (Rider), 3:30
Bond eliminated
HWT: Pat Walker, r-Fr., Lombard, Ill., 8-9
1st Round: Dec. by 10-seed Erik Nye (Arizona State), 7-2
Consolation 1st Round: Kurt Klimek (Cal State Fullerton), 5-1
Walker eliminated
