BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The No. 13 Illinois wrestling team completed the Journeymen Collegiate Classic tournament at WrangleMania on Sunday (Nov. 10). Today's competition was a round robin style tournament where five Illini grapplers took home first place.
Redshirt senior 133 pounder Lucas Byrd went 3-0 today en route to his first-place finish. He started with a shutout decision over Alex Almeyda (PENN), 7-0. In the second match he beat Cornell's Tyler Ferrara via 8-2 decision to advance to the first-place bout. He matched up against another Cornell wrestler in Brett Ungar who he also shutout by a score of 2-0.
Redshirt junior 141 pounder Danny Pucino won all three of his matches to top the podium. He started off with an overtime 10-8 decision over Hofstra's Justin Hoyle. Pucino then pinned Carter Bailey (Lehigh) in 5:44 to advance to the first-place match. He handled Evan Mougalian (PENN) in a 14-7 decision to win the gold.
Redshirt freshman at 149 pounds Kannon Webster also took home first place with his 3-0 day. His first match was just over a minute when he pinned Jaden Pepe of Harvard in 1:17; he followed that up with a 4-1 decision over Alex Nini of Rutgers. In the gold medal match he faced Cross Wasiliewski (PENN) whom he beat in an 8-7 decision.
Fellow redshirt freshman Braeden Scoles won the 165 pound bracket going a perfect 3-0. He won all his matches in dominating fashion starting off with a 16-4 major decision over Gage McClenahan (Cornell), 16-4. In round two he beat Evan Canoyer (Cornell) with a tech. fall, 19-4 (6:45). In the gold medal match he pinned NC State's Luke Ahrberg in 3:30.
Junior 125 pounder Caelan Riley won the gold in his bracket. He started off with a tech. fall on Noah Tonsor (Army), 18-3 (4:10), then beat Joe Sciarrone (Cornell) in a 9-4 decision before he edged out a 6-5 decision win over Trevon Grey (Pitt-Johnstown) in the first-place match.
FULL ROUND ROBIN RESULTS
Caelan Riley
125: Caelan Riley (ILL) tech. fall Noah Tonsor (Army), 18-3 (4:10).
125: Caelan Riley (ILL) dec. Joe Sciarrone (Cornell), 9-4.
125: Caelan Riley (ILL) dec. Trevon Grey (Pitt-Johnstown), 6-5.
Riley placed first.
Lucas Byrd
133: Lucas Byrd (ILL) dec. Alex Almeyda (PENN), 7-0.
133: Lucas Byrd (ILL) dec. Tyler Ferrara (Cornell), 8-2.
133: Lucas Byrd (ILL) dec. Brett Ungar (Cornell), 2-0.
Byrd placed first.
Will Baysingar
141: Luke Stanich (Lehigh) tech. fall Will Baysingar (ILL), 19-3 (6:41).
141: Kai Orine (NCST) dec. Will Baysingar (ILL), 3-1.
141: Will Baysingar (ILL) dec. Max Hermes (RUT), 5-2.
Baysingar placed fifth.
Danny Pucino
141: Danny Pucino (ILL) dec. Justin Hoyle (Hofstra), SV-1 10-8.
141: Danny Pucino (ILL) pins Carter Bailey (Lehigh), fall (5:44).
141: Danny Pucino (ILL) dec. Evan Mougalian (PENN), 14-7.
Pucino placed first.
Kannon Webster
149: Kannon Webster (ILL) pins Jaden Pepe (Harvard), fall (1:17).
149: Kannon Webster (ILL) dec. Alex Nini (RUT), 4-1.
149: Kannon Webster (ILL) dec. Cross Wasiliewski (PENN), 8-7.
Webster placed first.
Jason Kraisser
157: Jude Swisher (PENN) major dec. Jason Kraisser (ILL), 15-2.
157: Ed Scott (NCST) major dec. Jason Kraisser (ILL), 18-6.
157: Jason Kraisser (ILL) medical forfeit Meyer Shapiro (Cornell).
Kraisser placed fifth.
Caden Ernd
165: Max Brignola (Lehigh) tech. fall Caden Ernd (ILL), 20-4 (6:27).
165: Nicco Ruiz (ASU) tech. fall Caden Ernd (ILL), 17-2 (4:08).
165: Thayne Lawrence (Lehigh) dec. Caden Ernd (ILL), 2-1.
Ernd placed sixth.
Braeden Scoles
165: Braeden Scoles (ILL) major dec. Gage McClenahan (Cornell), 16-4.
165: Braeden Scoles (ILL) tech. fall Evan Canoyer (Cornell), 19-4 (6:45).
165: Braeden Scoles (ILL) pins Luke Ahrberg (NCST), fall (3:30).
Scoles placed first.
Danny Braunagel
174: Danny Braunagel (ILL) dec. Matty Singleton (NCST), 9-8.
174: Nick Incontrera (Penn) dec. Danny Braunagel (ILL), 8-5.
174: Luca Augustine (PITT) dec. Danny Braunagel (ILL), 7-3.
Braunagel placed fourth.
Dylan Connell
184: Reece Heller (PITT) dec. Dylan Connell (ILL), SV-1 4-1.
184: Dylan Fishback (NCST) dec. Dylan Connell (ILL), 7-3.
184: Dylan Connell (ILL) major dec. Matt Walsh (Harvard), 8-0.
Connell placed fifth.
Edmond Ruth
184: Edmond Ruth (ILL) major dec. Matt Walsh (Harvard), 14-3.
184: Brian Soldano (RUT) pins Edmond Ruth (ILL), SV-1 fall (7:54).
184: Edmond Ruth (ILL) dec. Dylan Fishback (NCST), 2-1.
Ruth placed third.
Zac Braunagel
197: Zac Braunagel (ILL) major dec. JT Davis (Lehigh), 17-5.
197: Zac Braunagel (ILL) dec. Mac Stout (PITT), SV-1 4-1.
197: Michael Beard (Lehigh) dec. Zac Braunagel (ILL), 7-6.
Braunagel placed second.
Luke Luffman
285: Luke Luffman (ILL) tech. fall Trent Sibble (BING), 15-0 (7:00).
285: Luke Luffman (ILL) dec. John Pardo (PENN), 8-2.
285: Owen Trephan (NCST) dec. Luke Luffman (ILL), SV-1 4-1.
Luffman placed second.
UP NEXT
Illinois wrestling returns to action on Thursday (Nov. 21) for their home opener against No. 14 Missouri with a dinner theater experience in the Lot 31 Stadium Club tent. Fans can purchase tickets here.
