Brackets | Trackwrestling Hub
PITTSBURGH - Four Illini advanced to the second round of the championship bracket with opening round victories during Session I of NCAA Championships on Thursday afternoon. Junior Travis Piotrowski (125), redshirt sophomore Mike Carr (141), redshirt junior Eric Barone (157) and redshirt senior Emery Parker (184) all won their first round bouts by decision. Second round matchups and the start of consolation bracket bouts will take place tonight during Session II, which will begin at 6 p.m. CT and air on ESPN.
Three-time NCAA qualifier Travis Piotrowski let his experience show in the first round, coming through in the final seconds to earn a spot in the next round. Trailing 3-2 in the final seconds of his opening round matchup against Wyoming's Cole Verner, Piotrowski picked up a takedown in the final 10 seconds of the match. After review, the takedown was confirmed, and Piotrowski won the decision over Verner, 4-3, to advance to the second round. The No. 11 seed at 125-pounds, Piotrowski will take on No. 6 Sean Russell of Minnesota in tonight's second round matchup.
South Fayette, Pa. native and No. 6 seeded Mike Carr faced off against No. 27 Anthony Sparacio out of Binghamton in the first round Thursday afternoon. After a scoreless first period, Carr jumped out in front early in the second with an escape followed by a quick takedown. He would pick up a second takedown to take a 5-1 lead into the third. Adding on a third takedown in the final period along with a point for riding time, Carr won his first round bout in an 8-2 decision over Sparacio to advance to the second round. Carr will meet Iowa's No. 22 Max Murin in the second round.
Redshirt junior Eric Barone recorded his first-career NCAA Championships victory with his first round win over Central Michigan's Logan Parks. After initially trailing the match 2-1 in the opening period, Barone responded with a late first period takedown to take a 3-2 lead into the second. With the match later tied 3-3 at the start of the final period, Barone would regain the lead with a quick escape at the start of the period. That escape would be the deciding point, and Barone would go on to take a 5-3 decision over Parks to advance to the next round. Barone will match up against No. 2 seed Tyler Berger of Nebraska in the second round.
2018 All-American Emery Parker opened his 2019 NCAA Championships taking on Virginia's Will Schany in the first round. After a scoreless first period, Parker would quickly escape to start the second to take a 1-0 lead. He would then add on a takedown later in the period to take a 3-0 lead. Parker would close out the match with a takedown in the final seconds, and would win the 184-pound bout in a 5-2 decision over Schany. The No. 4 seed at 184-pounds, Parker will square off against No. 13 Nino Bonaccorsi of host-school Pittsburgh in the second round.
Redshirt sophomore Dylan Duncan (133) and Redshirt junior Joey Gunther (165) were defeated in their opening round matchups. Duncan was defeated in a 12-3 major decision by Big Ten Champion Nick Suriano of Rutgers, and Gunther dropped a 5-1 decision to No. 7 Isaiah White of Nebraska. Both wrestlers will look to bounce back tonight in the first set of wrestlebacks matches.
Session II will begin at 6 p.m. CT, airing live on ESPN.
Session II Matches:
125 Champ Round 2: #12 (11) Travis Piotrowski vs. #6 (6) Sean Russell (Minnesota)
141 Champ Round 2: #9 (6) Mike Carr vs. #18 (22) Max Murin (Iowa)
157 Champ Round 2: #13 (15) Eric Barone vs. #2 (2) Tyler Berger (Nebraska)
184 Champ Round 2: #4 (4) Emery Parker vs. #8 (13) Nino Bonaccorsi (Pittsburgh)
133 Cons Round 1: #22 (30) Dylan Duncan vs. (32) Devan Turner (Oregon State)
165 Cons Round 1: #27 (26) Joey Gunther vs. #24 (23) Zach Finesilver (Duke)
Full First Round Results:
125: #12 (11) Travis Piotrowski | 1-0
Champ Round 1: #12 (11) Travis Piotrowski dec. #25 (22) Cole Verner (Wyoming), 4-3
133: #22 (30) Dylan Duncan | 0-1
Champ Round 1: #3 (3) Nick Suriano (Rutgers) major dec. #22 (30) Dylan Duncan, 12-3
141: #9 (6) Mike Carr | 1-0
Champ Round 1: #9 (6) Mike Carr dec. #27 (7) Anthony Sparacio (Binghamton), 8-2
157: #13 (15) Eric Barone | 1-0
Champ Round 1: #13 (15) Eric Barone dec. #19 (18) Logan Parks (Central Michigan), 5-3
165: #27 (26) Joey Gunther | 0-1
Champ Round 1: #7 (7) Isaiah White (Nebraska) dec. #27 (26) Joey Gunther, 5-1
184: #4 (4) Emery Parker | 1-0
Champ Round 1: #4 (4) Emery Parker dec. #30 (29) Will Schany (Virginia), 5-2
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