BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – A pair of Fighting Illini wrestlers earned individual titles at the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunner Open on Sunday afternoon, as sophomore No. 14 Travis Piotrowski (125 pounds) and redshirt senior No. 16 Kyle Langenderfer (157 pounds) each went undefeated at the open tournament. Six other Illini placed for head coach Jim Heffernan, including three runner-up finishes by redshirt junior No. 8 Emery Parker, redshirt freshman No. 17 Dylan Duncan (133 pounds) and redshirt sophomore No. 19 Eric Barone (149 pounds). Redshirt junior Andre Lee (fourth), redshirt freshman Jake Silzer (sixth) and redshirt junior Duece Rachal (sixth) also placed.
"Travis [Piotrowski] and Kyle [Langenderfer] both looked tonight," said coach Heffernan. "Travis still has a lot more in him. Kyle found a way to win at the end of the match."
With 12 wrestlers competing for the Orange and Blue on Sunday, coach Heffernan's squad racked up 18 bonus point victories for the course of the day, including six pins. The Illini advanced nine of its 12 grapplers to the quarterfinal round and five to the finals.
In arguably the most exciting finish to an Illini match on the day, Kyle Langenderfer came up big in the closing seconds of the 157-pound title bout against Wisconsin's Andrew Crone. After leading 3-0 over the Badger, Crone battled back to tie the match, 3-3, with 33 seconds remaining. With Crone able to get a point for riding time if he could ride the Illini senior out, Langenderfer mustered a reversal with less than 20 seconds left on the clock. Now leading 5-3, Langenderfer put the match away with four near fall points to win 9-4. Langenderfer reached the final by way of three victories, highlighted by a pin in round one and a major decision in his semifinal match.
Travis Piotrowski was dominant in each of his four victories on Sunday, allowing just one takedown combined between his four matches. The Illini sophomore 125-pounder started the day with a 13-1 major decision before posting shutouts, 3-0 and 4-0, respectively, in both the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. Facing Cal State Bakersfield's Sergio Mendez in the final, Piotrowski dominated the opening period with a takedown and four back points. A Mendez reversal to begin the second period cut into the lead, but Piotrowski bounced back with a takedown in each of the next two periods to win by a score of 11-4.
The closest of the three runner-up finishes for Illini came at 184 pounds, as eight-ranked Emery Parker battled Wisconsin's No. 11 Ricky Robertson. After a pair of escapes left the championship bout tied, 1-1, in the third period, a fast-paced final frame ended with sudden-victory needed. In the extra period, Robertson was able to get the first takedown of the match, winning it 3-1 with 20 seconds left on the clock.
Parker reached the final by recording three consecutive bonus point victories, a second period pin in his first match of the day and a pair of major decisions in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds.
Also placing runner-up was Dylan Duncan at 133 pounds. Duncan powered his way through the opening two rounds with bonus points in both of his first two wins, a pin in round one and a major decision in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Duncan led start to finish in a 7-3 decision over Fresno State's Gary Joint. But, in the final, Duncan was unable to get to his offense early, falling behind Sean Nickell (Cal State Bakersfield) 8-0 early. A pair of takedowns brought Duncan within four in the third period, but the first-year Illini starter was unable to draw any closer in a 9-4 decision for Nickell.
Concluding the three runner-up finishes was Eric Barone at 149 pounds. Barone reached the weight classes' final on the back of four victories, three of which with bonus points. Outscoring his first two opponents 35-4 in route to a pair of tech falls, the Illini redshirt sophomore advanced to the finals by defeating a pair of Stanford Cardinal. Barone defeated Jake Barry in the quarterfinals 10-4, and then earned bonus points with a 10-2 major decision against Jack Ramalia. Meeting Wisconsin's Zander Wick in the final, Wick scored the only takedown of the match in the first period and held on for a 4-2 decision over Barone.
Taking fourth place in the 197-pound bracket was Illini redshirt junior Andre Lee. After dropping his opening match of the day, Lee was methodical in working his way through the consolation bracket with four straight wins by decision to reach the third-place bout. Wrestling the No. 16 wrestler in his weight class in Wisconsin's Hunter Ritter, Lee battled tough but ultimately dropped the match to the ranked Badger, 3-2.
The other two Illini to place this afternoon came at 133 pounds and heavyweight, as redshirt freshman Jake Silzer and redshirt junior Duece Rachal finished in sixth after both forfeit their consolation semifinal and fifth-place match bouts due to injury. The two Illini combined for three pins on the afternoon, two from Rachal and one from Silzer.
165-pounder Isaiah Martinez did not compete in the open tournament on Sunday, as he prepares to travel to Poland for U-23 World Championships next weekend. The Illini redshirt senior won his 100th career match on Friday night at Fresno State by way of a 28-13 tech fall against Isaiah Hokit to lead the Illini to a 33-10 victory over the Bulldogs.
Up next, the Fighting Illini will have a week off from competition before opening Big Ten dual action at No. 7 Iowa on Friday, December 1. The dual will be streamed online through BTN Plus and on FloWrestling.
Illinois Individual Results (Full Brackets)
125 // No. 14 Travis Piotrowski // 4-0 // 1st Place
Round 1: Bye
Round 2: Piotrowski major dec. Brandon Vu (San Francisco State), 13-1
Quarterfinals: Piotrowski dec. Brandon Courtney (Arizona State), 3-0
Semifinals: Piotrowski dec. Ethan Rotondo (Wisconsin), 4-0
Finals: Piotrowski dec. Sergio Mendez (Cal State Bakersfield), 11-4
157 // #16 Kyle Langenderfer // 4-0 – 1st Place
Round 1: Bye
Round 2: Langenderfer fall Joe LaRosa (Cal Poly), 0:52
Quarterfinals: Langenderfer dec. Walker Dempsey (Stanford), 7-2
Semifinals: Langenderfer major dec. Jared Scharenbrock (Wisconsin), 12-2
Finals: Langenderfer dec. Andrew Crone (Wisconsin), 9-4
184 // #8 Emery Parker // 3-1 // 2nd Place
Round 1: Bye
Round 2: Parker fall Elias Rosales (San Francisco State), 3:50
Quarterfinals: Parker major dec. Josh Loomer (Cal State Bakersfield), 12-3
Semifinals: Parker major dec. Dom Ducharme (Cal State Bakersfield), 20-6
Finals: #11 Ricky Robertson (Wisconsin) dec. Parker, 3-1 (SV-1)
133 // #17 Dylan Duncan // 3-1 // 2nd Place
Round 1: Duncan fall Genario Lopez (UNLV), 2:24
Quarterfinals: Duncan major dec. Nathan Cervantes (San Francisco State), 10-2
Semifinals: Duncan dec. Gary Joint (Fresno State), 7-3
Finals: Sean Nickell (Cal State Bakersfield) dec. Duncan, 10-4
149 // #19 Eric Barone // 4-1 // 2nd Place
Round 1: Barone tech fall Killian Vendler (Cal Poly), 17-2
Round 2: Barone tech fall Anthony Hinkle (Otero Jr. College), 18-2
Quarterfinals: Barone dec. Jake Barry (Stanford), 10-4
Semifinals: Barone major dec. Jack Ramalia (Stanford), 10-2
Finals: Zander Wick (Wisconsin) dec. Barone, 4-2
197 // Andre Lee // 4-2 // 4th Place
Round 1: Alexander Cruz (unattached) dec. Lee, 9-6
Cons. Rd. 1: Lee dec. Chad Porter (Arizona State), 11-4
Cons. Rd.2: Lee dec. Austyn Harris (Arizona State), 6-3
Cons. Rd. 3: Lee dec. David Showunmi (Stanford), 2-0
Cons. Semifinals: Lee dec. Alexander Cruz (Unattached), 9-7
3rd Place: #16 Hunter Ritter (Wisconsin) dec. Lee, 3-2
HWT // Duece Rachal // 4-3 // 6th Place
Round 1: Rachal major dec. Richardo Jaramillo (San Francisco State), 14-2
Round 2: Rachal dec. Jarrod Snyder (Cal St. Bakersfield), 4-2
Quarterfinals: Youssif Hemida (Maryland) dec. Rachal, 7-3
Cons. Rd. 4: Rachal fall Sam Aguilar (Cal Poly), 1:16
Cons. Rd. 5: Rachal fall Trevor Rasmussen (Stanford), 3:24
Cons. Semifinals: Javier Gonzalez (Menlo College) forfeit Rachal
5th Place: Mark Penyacsek (Cal State Bakersfield) forfeit Rachal
133 / Jake Silzer // 3-3 // 6th Place
Round 1: Silzer dec. Gabe Townsell (Stanford), 4-3
Quarterfinals: Jens Lantz (Wisconsin) dec. Silzer, 2-1
Cons. Rd. 2: Silzer fall Anthony Le (Stanford), 1:58
Cons. Rd. 3: Silzer dec. Noah Blakley-Beanes (Cal St. Bakersfield), 4-3
Cons. Semifinals: Gary Joint (Fresno State) forfeit Silzer
5th Place: Gabe Townsell (Stanford) forfeit Silzer
149 // Isaac Reinemann //4-2
Round 1: Jake Douglas (Cal Poly) dec. Reinemann, 7-5 (SV-1)
Cons. Rd. 1: Reinemann tech fall Michael Zaragzoa (San Francisco St.), 16-2
Cons. Rd. 2: Reinemann dec. Kurtis Clem (San Francisco St.), 11-6
Cons. Rd. 3: Reinemann dec. Jeffery Uyesaka (Menlo College), 9-6
Cons. Rd. 4: Reinemann dec. Isiah Alva (San Francisco State), 6-5
Cons. Rd. 5: Kalani Tonge (Cal State Bakersfield) dec. Reinemann, 6-3
Isaac Reinemann eliminated
174 // David Riojas // 1-2
Round 1: Bye
Round 2: Riojas fall Julian Del Rio (UNLV), 1:47
Quarterfinals: Jacob Covaciu (Wisconsin) dec. Riojas, 5-2
Cons. Rd. 4: Austin Clayton (Arizona State) dec. Riojas, 8-6
David Riojas eliminated
157 // Nick Gasbarro // 2-2
Round 1: Gasbarro fall Larry Rodguiez (RWA), 3:27
Round 2: Gasbarro dec. Kevin James (Menlo College), 6-5
Quarterfinals: Andrew Crone (Wisconsin) major dec. Gasbarro, 14-2
Cons. Rd. 4: Oliver Pierce (Arizona State) dec. Gasbaroo, 4-1
Nick Gasbarro eliminated
141 // Dylan Thurston // 1-2
Round 1: Bye
Round 2: Eli Stickley (Wisconsin) dec. Thurston, 5-1
Cons. Round 2: Bye
Cons. Round 3: Thurston forfeit Brandon Kier (Stanford)
Cons. Round 4: Isaiah Locsin (Stanford), 8-6 (SV-1)
Dylan Thurston eliminated
For complete coverage of Fighting Illini wrestling, go to FIGHTINILLINI.com and follow @IlliniWrestling on Twitter and Instagram.
