"Isaiah was great as always, said head coach Jim Heffernan. "It was good to get him back home one last time. Fresno did a phenomenal job with the event and should be congratulated. I was also really impressed with the way David Riojas handled himself in his first time out. [He] kept his composure, competed hard and got it done."
Martinez's 100th win proved to be quite similar to 40 of his previous victories, as the Illini 165-pounder dominated Isaiah Hokit for the tech fall (5:05), alternating between takedowns and cutting his opponent loose to get back to his offense throughout the match. Using 11 takedowns, paired with a reversal and a two-point near fall, Martinez powered his way to his second tech fall in as many matches this season.
Friday night's dual also marked the first home dual for Fresno State since their program was reinstated beginning this season. The Bulldogs wrestling team was cut as a varsity sport following the 2005-06 season.
Starting at 125 pounds, the Fighting Illini jumped out to an early 13-0 lead with wins in each of their first three matches, highlighted by a pin and the first Illini victories for redshirt freshmen Dylan Duncan and Mike Carr.
Sophomore Travis Piotrowski opened the dual with a commanding pin just a into the 125-pound bout against Fresno State's Sean Williams. After a scramble on the outside of the mat, Piotrowski gained control for the takedown. Over the next 30 seconds, Piotrowski worked both of Williams' shoulders, eventually getting both on the mat 1:04 into the match.
Adding four more points to the Illinois score at 133 pounds, redshirt freshman Dylan Duncan picked up his first career win in an Illini singlet with a major decision over Trevor Williams. Leading wire-to-wire, Duncan earned a takedown in the first period, another takedown in the second, followed by three more in the final frame to win 12-4 with riding time.
The third straight victory to open the dual came from another first-year starter for Coach Heffernan, as redshirt freshman Mike Carr won by decision, 13-7, against Chris De Loza at 141 pounds. After falling behind 2-0 early, Carr bounced back to tie the match, 3-3, at the end of the first. Over the remaining two periods Carr held De Loza without a takedown while notching four two-pointers of his own to pull away for his first win as an Illini.
Fresno State picked up a pair of victories at 149 and 157 pounds to cut into the Illinois lead. Kristian Olivas defeated redshirt sophomore Eric Barone by a 10-2 major decision on the backs of a 8-0 run in the final frame. At 157 pounds, redshirt senior Langenderfer opened the scoring for the Illini, but a 7-0 run by Greg Gaxiola put the match out of reach as the Bulldog held on for a 9-5 decision.
After Isaiah Martinez's tech fall put the Illini back in the win column following intermission, the Illini iced the victory with back-to-back falls at 174 pound and 184 pounds from true freshman David Riojas and redshirt junior Emery Parker.
Making his collegiate debut, Riojas picked up the pin over Dominic Kincaid midway through the second period. Tied 3-3 entering the second frame, Kincaid got in on a leg of Riojas but was stymied by the first-time starter as he scramble out of danger. Riojas quickly got back to his offense, notching the go-ahead takedown, 5-3, and then worked Kincaid to his back for the fall with 38 seconds left (4:22) in the period.
Parker made it back-to-back pins when he put Angel Solis on his back early in the third period. After a single takedown in the first period, Parker added three more in the second to take a 9-2 advantage into the final frame. Having worn down Solis in the previous period, Parker finished off the Bulldogs' 184-pounder 20 seconds into the third (5:20) with his first pin of the season.
Illinois won their seventh and final match of the night at 197 pounds, as redshirt junior Andre Lee edged Richie Brandt by way of a 4-3 decision to push Illinois' lead to 33-7. After a takedown late in the first period, Brandt tied the match with a takedown of his own in the second period. An escape by the Illini 197-pounder in the final period proved to be the difference as Lee held staved off late shots by Brandt.
Ending the match at heavyweight, Illini redshirt junior Duece Rachal dropped a back-and-forth battle against A.J. Nevills by a score of 7-5. Tied 5-5 entering the final period, Nevills countered a late shot by Rachal to get a takedown with 13 seconds remaining to seal the third win for Fresno State.
Up next, the Orange and Blue will continue their trip in the Sunshine State with the Roadrunner Open on Sunday, November 19. Held in Bakersfield, the all-day tournament will begin at noon central time, 10 a.m. locally, and be broadcast via subscription on FloWrestling.
Results:
125: #14 Travis Piotrowski (ILL) fall Sean Williams (Fresno), 1:04 | ILL 6, Fresno 0
133: #17 Dylan Duncan major dec. (ILL) Trevor Williams (Fresno), 12-4 | ILL 10, Fresno 0
141: Mike Carr (ILL) dec. Chris De Loza (Fresno), 13-7 | ILL 13, Fresno 0
149: Kristian Olivas (Fresno) major dec. #19 Eric Barone (ILL), 10-2 | ILL 13, Fresno 4
157: Greg Gaxiola (Fresno) dec. #16 Kyle Langenderfer (ILL), 9-5 | ILL 13, Fresno 7
165: #2 Isaiah Martinez (ILL) tech fall Isaiah Hokit (Fresno), 28-13 (5:05) | ILL 18, Fresno 7
174: David Riojas (ILL) fall Dominic Kincaid (Fresno), 4:22 | ILL 24, Fresno 7
184: #8 Emery Parker (ILL) Fall Angel Solis (Fresno), 5:20 | ILL 30, Fresno 7
197: Andre Lee (ILL) dec. Richie Brandt (Fresno), 4-3 | ILL 33, Fresno 7
HWT: AJ Nevills (Fresno) dec. Duece Rachal (ILL), 7-5 | ILL 33, Fresno 10
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