University of Illinois
Cougar Clash
Fighting Illini Wrestling Completes Competition at Cougar Clash
December 7, 2024 | Wrestling
RECAP
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – The Illinois wrestling team completed the Cougar Clash on Saturday (Dec. 7) at First Community Arena on the campus of SIUE.
Redshirt senior Jake Harrier posted a fifth-place finish at 149 pounds after registering three wins on the day. Harrier started his tournament run with a hard-fought 6-5 decision over Northern Colorado's Rudy Lopez. He then progressed into the semifinal with a dominant 13-4 major decision against Eric Almarinez of SIUE. After moving into the consolation bracket, Harrier picked up another victory against Almarinez, this time with a pin (4:35) in the fifth-place match.
Redshirt junior at 184 pounds Dylan Connell finished sixth after totaling three wins during his time at the Cougar Clash. Connell began the day with a 5-1 decision over Bellarmine's Jack Ring before dropping into the consolation bracket. He then defeated Little Rock's Jake Stacy in an 8-6 decision, and he pinned Bellarmine's Sam Schroeder in 1:56 for his third triumph of the meet.
Freshman 157-pounder Ryan Bennett made his Fighting Illini debut at the meet, securing sixth place in his weight class. Bennett recorded his first collegiate win with an 8-2 decision against SIUE's Braxton Strick. He added two more victories in the consolation bracket, including a 4-1 decision against Bellarmine's Gray Ortis and his first-career pin against Bronson Baxter of Little Rock.
FULL RESULTS
Joey Ruzic, 125
Champ. Round 1: Joey Ruzic (ILL) dec. Deion Johnson (SIUE), 5-4
Quarterfinal: Cooper Flynn (MINN) over Joey Ruzic (ILL), fall (4:57)
Cons. Round 2: Damion Ryan (BELL) dec. Joey Ruzic (ILL), 8-5
Ruzic eliminated.
Brian Beers, 133
Champ. Round 1: Trayce Eckman (BELL) over Brian Beers (ILL), fall (2:27)
Cons. Round 2: Mikai Alirez (NCU) dec. Brian Beers (ILL), 4-2
Beers eliminated.
Jackson Herman, 141
Champ. Round 1: Owen Uhls (MIZ) tech. fall Jackson Herman (ILL), 18-2 (5:22)
Cons. Round 2: Armando Garcia (NCU) dec. Jackson Herman (ILL), 5-1
Herman eliminated.
Jake Harrier, 149
Champ. Round 1: Jake Harrier (ILL) dec. Rudy Lopez (NCU), 6-5
Quarterfinal: Jake Harrier (ILL) major dec. Eric Almarinez (SIUE), 13-4
Semifinal: Drew Roberts (MINN) dec. Jake Harrier (ILL), 11-4
Cons. Semifinal: Zeke Seltzer (MIZ) over Jake Harrier (ILL), fall (2:54)
5th Place: Jake Harrier (ILL) over Erik Almarinez (SIUE), fall (4:35)
Harrier placed fifth.
Ryan Bennett, 157
Champ. Round 1: Ryan Bennett (ILL) dec. Braxton Strick (SIUE), 8-2
Quarterfinal: James Conway (MIZ) major dec. Ryan Bennett (ILL), 13-1
Cons. Round 2: Ryan Bennett (ILL) dec. Gray Ortis (BELL), 4-1
Cons. Round 3: Ryan Bennett (ILL) over Bronson Baxter (ARK-LR), fall (4:30)
Cons. Semifinal: Joel Mylin (MIZ) major dec. Ryan Bennett (ILL), 11-1
5th place: Landen Johnson (NIU) tech. fall Ryan Bennett (ILL), 16-1 (4:22)
Bennett placed sixth.
Charlie Fifield, 157
Champ. Round 1: James Conway (MIZ) tech. fall Charlie Fifield (ILL), 18-3 (5:23)
Cons. Round 1: Charlie Fifield (ILL) dec. Braxton Strick (SIUE), SV-1 4-1
Cons. Round 2: Brody Hallin (NIU) dec. Charlie Fifield (ILL), 7-3
Fifield eliminated.
Caden Ernd, 165
Champ. Round 1: Caden Ernd (ILL) dec. Kilian Schultz (NCU), 3-0
Quarterfinal: Cole Nance (BELL) over Caden Ernd (ILL), fall (4:36)
Cons. Round 3: Brett Smith (NIU) dec. Caden Ernd (ILL), 10-7
7th place: Austin Keal (ARK-LR) dec. Caden Ernd (ILL), 10-7
Ernd placed eighth.
Dylan Connell, 184
Champ. Round 1: Dylan Connell (ILL) dec. Jack Ring (BELL), 5-1
Quarterfinal: Branson Britten (ARK-LR) major dec. Dylan Connell (ILL), 10-2
Cons. Round 2: Dylan Connell (ILL) dec. Jake Stacy (ARK-LR), 8-6
Cons. Round 3: Dylan Connell (ILL) over Sam Schroeder (BELL), fall (1:56)
Cons. Semifinal: Devan Hendricks (BELL) dec. Dylan Connell, 2-0
5th place: Branson Britten (ARK-LR) dec. Dylan Connell (ILL), 7-0
Connell placed sixth.
Marko Ivanisevic, 285
Quarterfinal: Jacob Christensen (NIU) dec. Marko Ivanisevic (ILL), 4-2
Cons. Round 2: Bryson Buck (SIUE) dec. Marko Ivanisevic (ILL), 5-2
Ivanisevic eliminated.
UP NEXT
The Illinois wrestling team is off for about a month before they return to action against No. 6 Ohio State for their Big Ten home opener on Jan. 10.
