Led by falls from top-ranked seniors Mike Evans (Blair Academy, NJ) and Mike McMullan (Wyoming Seminary, PA), Team USA raced out to an early lead and never looked back in a 31-15 win over Team Illinois.
The dual alternated between lower and upper weights, and it started off with a bang at 112 pounds. Unranked Miko Villanueva (Dundee-Crown), a two-time third-place finisher at state, put Team Illinois up early with a stunningly dominant win over No. 5-ranked Blake Thomas (Brentwood High School, TN). Villanueva forced all the action, scoring four takedowns in a number of ways, and only giving up escapes en route to a 9-4 decision.
No. 1 heavyweight Mike McMullen wowed the near-capacity crowd on hand with a quick and powerful overwhelming of Andrew Ellington (Edwardsville). The Northwestern-bound recruit emerged from an early scramble with a takedown, then worked until he locked up a cradle and earned the first-period fall in 1:30.
That win was the first of five straight for Team USA, which put away the match early.
At 119, Illinois-bound Logan Arlis (Batavia, IL) used a nice headlock to throw No. 1 Ryak Finch (Safford, AZ) to his back early in the match. But the lanky senior couldn't hold it and Finch emerged from the scramble with a takedown. Arlis went to the well perhaps one too many times, as Finch was ready for the headlock after that, countering it a few more times on his way to an 8-4 decision.
Nebraska-bound Matt Dywer (Honenegah, IL) battled hard at 215 pounds against two-time Idaho state champion Trevor Rupp (Pocatello, ID). Dwyer, the brother of Huskers All-American Stephen, fought off numerous shots from the No. 3-ranked wrestler as the pair engaged in a physical, brawling match. Rupp eventually countered a Dwyer shot in overtime to emerge with the 3-1 sudden victory decision.
Columbia-recruit Matt Bystol (Libertyville, IL) hung with No. 3 Devin Carter (Christianburg, VA) for a while, with the match notted at 4 entering the third period. But the Va. Tech-bound Carter's relentless pressure wore Bystol down, as Carter used a couple gorgeous shuck-bys and a 3-point near fall in the final frame to win going away, 13-7.
There were several top high school and college coaches on hand, including Blair Academy Coach Jeff Buxton, there to watch his top-ranked 189-pounder, Mike Evans. He did not disappoint, as Evans racked up a 10-0 lead before pinning Princeton-bound Dan Santoro (Barrington, IL) as the second period ended.
With Team Illinois trailing 21-3, they needed an upset win somewhere to try and regain a little momentum. Nebraska-bound and No. 10 Keith Surber (O'Fallon) provided just that spark. He and top-ranked Frank Cagnina (Queen of Peace, NJ) wrestled an engaging, scramble-filled first two periods, but Surber only led 1-0 entering the third. Fresh off a senior nationals title in Virginia Beach, Surber is known around the state for being tough on top, and sure enough, he was able to take the Lehigh-bound recruit to his back for two near falls in his 6-2 upset decision.
"I'm at my best on the mat, so when went down to start the third, I knew I was in good shape," Surber said. "The win gives me a lot of confidence and it's real nice to come out here and get a win, especially in front of a great crowd of Illinois fans."
The run continued for Team Illinois at 171, as Andy Spangler (Neuqua Valley, IL) downed Ohio-bound Micheal Duckworth (Union County, IN) with a great ankle-pick in sudden victory for an 8-6 decision.
The highlight match of the evening came at 135. Two Big Ten-bound wrestlers in No. 2 Ryen Nieman (Bullock Creek, MI) and No. 8 Chris Dardanes (Oak Park, IL) squared off. Dardanes wrestled his relentless style, constantly moving forward on his feet and looking to score. But Nieman displayed great hips and defense to emerge unscathed from several scrambles and send it into overtime tied at 4. In the OT, Nieman tried a throw-by near the end of the mat, but Dardanes grabbed an ankle and pulled it into a double to win, 6-4.
"Events like this are great, bringing in the best seniors," Team Illinois coach Sean Bormet said. "It's a tremendous opportunity, and they do a good job of preparing these guys for the college level."
Cornell-bound recruit Marshall Peppelman got Team USA back on the winning track with a relatively easy 8-2 win over Joe Strocchia (Hinsdale Central, IL).
"It was a great experience coming out here, a huge honor to be a part of the team," Peppelman said. "Everyone was a little slow from being out all day, so we all agreed that we didn't wrestle our best."
The second of the Minnesota-bound Dardanes twins -- Nick -- took the mat at 140. No. 4-ranked Nick was originally scheduled to wrestle No. 1 Chris Villalonga of Blair, but a late scratch meant that Nick Dardanes had to settle for a solid 7-3 decision over Frankie Porras of nearby Hobart, IN.
Another set of twins -- the top-ranked Altons of Central Mountain, PA -- closed out the dual with consecutive wins at 152 and 145. Dylan Alton downed Joey Moorhouse (Morengo, IL) with a 10-6 decision after notching a takedown in the first seven seconds of the match.
Andrew found himself in a bit of a dogfight with the uber-athletic Demetrios Mitchell (Hersey High, IL), as Mitchell surprised the Penn State-bound recruit with a bear hug to his back for an early 5-2. But Andrew Alton recovered and proceeded to put on a takedown clinic in a 22-13 major decision.
"Illinois put together a good team," Buxton said afterwards. "Team USA got on kind of a roll there starting with McMullan, but there was great wrestling from both sides. It was good to see the kids gutting it out like that in April."
Results:
112: Miko Villanueva (Dundee Crown, IL) dec. No. 5 Blake Thomas (Brentwood, TN), 9-4
285: No. 1 Michael McMullen (Wyoming Seminary, PA) pinned Andrew Ellington (Edwardsville, IL)
119: No. 1 Ryak Finch (Safford, AZ) dec. Logan Arlis (Batavia, IL), 8-4
215: No. 3 Trevor Rupp (Pocatello, ID) dec. Matt Dwyer (Hononegah, IL), 3-1 OT
125: No. 3 (at 130) Devin Carter (Christiansburg, VA) dec. Matt Bystol (Libertyville, IL), 13-7
189: No. 1 Mike Evans (Blair Academy, NJ) pinned Dan Santoro (Barrington, IL)
130: No. 10 Keith Surber (O'Fallon, IL) dec. No. 1 Frank Cagnina (Queen of Peach, NJ), 6-2
171: Andy Spangler (Neuqua Valley, IL) dec. Michael Duckworth (Union County, IN), 8-6
135 No. 8 Chris Dardanes (Oak Park River Forest, IL) dec. No. 2 Ryan Nieman (Bullock Creek, MI), 6-4 OT
160 No. 1 Marshall Peppelman (Central Dauphin, PA) dec. Joe Strocchia (Hinsdale Central, IL), 8-2
140 No. 4 Nick Dardanes (Oak Park River Forest, IL) dec. Frankie Porras (Hobart, IN), 7-3
152 No. 1 Dylan Alton (Central Mountain, PA) dec. Joey Moorhouse (Marengo, IL), 10-6
145 No. 1 Andrew Alton (Central Mountain, PA) maj. dec. Demetrios Mitchell (Hersey, IL), 22-13
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