Logan Stieber is one of five Ohio State wrestlers in the semis (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)The Buckeyes' five semifinalists are Nathan Tomasello (125), Logan Stieber (141), Bo Jordan (165), Kenny Courts (184) and Kyle Snyder (197). Ohio State has no other wrestlers alive in the competition besides their five semifinalists. Iowa, Missouri and Cornell all have three wrestlers in the semifinals.
The lone No. 1 seed to lose was Nebraska's Robert Kokesh (174), who fell 4-3 to Pitt's Tyler Wilps in the quarterfinals.
North Carolina State's Kevin Jack (141) and Courts were the only unseeded wrestlers to advance to the semifinals.
Here is a weight class-by-weight class look at what transpired in Friday morning's quarterfinals:
125
Big Ten champion Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State) was dominant in a 16-1 technical fall over Kory Mines (Edinboro). The fourth-seeded freshman scored early and often against the 12th-seeded Mines.
No. 6 Thomas Gilman (Iowa) scored a takedown in sudden victory to defeat No. 3 Joey Dance (Virginia Tech). Dance led 5-3 late in the match and looked to be on his way to the semifinals. But Gilman stayed active and eventually scored a takedown in the final 10 seconds to send the match to sudden victory. Gilman then scored off a bear hug in the extra period to steal the victory.
Unseeded true freshman Zeke Moisey (West Virginia) punched his ticket to the semifinals with a 5-2 victory over Eddie Klimara (Oklahoma State). After a scoreless first period, Moisey picked up an escape and takedown in the second period to lead 3-0 heading into the final period. He added another takedown in the third period to seal the victory. It was Moisey's first win over Klimara in three matches this season.
No. 1 Alan Waters (Missouri) advanced to the semifinals with a 4-1 victory over David Terao (American). Waters scored a takedown late in the first period. He added an escape in the second period and with riding time took the 4-1 victory.
133
No. 7 Jimmy Gulibon topped No. 2 Ryan Taylor (Wisconsin), 9-4, to move on to the semifinals. Gulibon registerd a takedown and two nearfall points in the first period to jump out to a 4-0 lead. He led 7-4 after two periods and then added another takedown to win by five and send the second-seeded Badger to the consolation bracket.
Top-seeded Chris Dardanes (Minnesota) crusised to a 7-2 victory over Kevin Devoy (Drexel). Dardanes controlled the action from start to finish, scoring takedowns in each of the three periods.
In a Cy-Hawk battle, Cory Clark (Iowa) proved to be too much for Earl Hall (Iowa State). Clark scored a takedown and picked up three nearfall points in the first period to go up 5-0. He added an escape in the second period and coasted to the 7-1 victory.
Two-time All-American Cody Brewer (Oklahoma) reached the semifinals as the No. 13 seed, dominating George DiCamillo (Virginia), 14-5, in the quarterfinals. Brewer started quickly, collecting two takedowns and a three-point nearfall to take a 7-1 lead heading into the second. He led 11-4 through two periods and controlled the match the rest of the way.
141
No. 1 Logan Stieber (Ohio State) continued his dominance, picking up a 16-1 technical fall victory over Anthony Abidin (Nebraska) in the quarterfinals.
Arguably the biggest surprise of the tournament is unseeded true freshman Kevin Jack (North Carolina State) reaching the semifinals. He knocked off returning NCAA runner-up Devin Carter (Virginia Tech), 10-8, in the quarterfinals. The two went back-and-forth, and with the score tied 8-8, Jack picked up a reversal in the final minute to take the lead and then rode out the Hokie wrestler.
Chris Mecate (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Chris Mecate (Old Dominion) defeated No. 14 Dean Heil (Oklahoma State), 4-3. Mecate picked up an early takedown, which proved to be the difference in the match.
149
Top-seeded Drake Houdashelt (Missouri) had no trouble in the quarterfinals beating Alexander Richardson (Old Dominion), 13-2.
Chris Villalonga reached the semifinals and guaranteed himself All-American status for the first time in his career. His quarterfinal victory came over C.J. Cobb (Penn), 3-1. Villalonga led 1-0 after two periods, and then picked up a takedown with 1:11 left to go up 3-0, which is all he the scoring he would need.
Returning All-American David Habat (Edinboro) blanked Tywan Claxton (Ohio), 10-0. The match was scoreless after two periods before Habat broke it open in the third period, scoring 10 points and picking up a major decision.
Returning NCAA champion Jason Tsirtsis (Northwestern) edged No. 7 Sal Mastriani (Virginia Tech), 2-0. Tsirtsis used a second-period escape and riding time point to take the victory.
157
Brian Realbuto became Cornell's second semifinalist by beating Ian Miller (Kent State), 11-9, in sudden victory. Miller led 2-1 after one period, and 4-3 after two periods. Miller picked up a reversal in the second period and looked to be on his way to an upset victory. But the Big Red wrestler kept pressing and scored two late takedowns to force sudden victory. Realbuto then scored a takedown early in sudden victory to win.
Isaiah Martinez (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Two-time NCAA finalist Dylan Ness is back in the semifinals after a 4-3 victory over No. 11 Brian Murphy (Michigan). Ness scored a first-period takedown and added an escape in the second period to lead 3-0 through two periods. In the third period Murphy escaped and picked up a takedown to make it 3-3 on the scoreboard. However, Ness' riding time point gave him the one-point victory.
James Green cruised to a 12-4 major decision over returning All-American Mitch Minotti (Lehigh). Green led 4-1 after the opening period and stayed on the offensive the rest of the way. Green becomes the second wrestler in Nebraska history to earn All-American honors four times, joining his assistant coach Bryan Snyder.
165
Freshman Bo Jordan (Ohio State), a Big Ten runner-up, picked up his second pin in three matches and gave the Buckeyes a bonus point. His quarterfinal victim was Cooper Moore (Northern Iowa), who he pinned at 3:56.
NCAA champion and top-ranked Alex Dieringer (Oklahoma State) continues to wrestle like a man on a mission. He handled Jackson Morse (Illinois), 18-6, in the quarterfinals. Dieringer led 14-2 heading into the third period and coasted to the major decision victory.
In a Big Ten battle, Taylor Walsh (Indiana) edged Isaac Jordan (Wisconsin), 4-3. The two traded takedowns in each of the first two periods, and Walsh led 3-2 after two periods. Walsh escaped in the third period to go up 4-2, and Jordan added a late point, but was unable to score a winning takedown.
No. 15 Ethan Ramos (North Carolina) won by injury default over No. 7 Pierce Harger (Northwestern) to advance to the semifinals.
174
No. 8 Tyler Wilps (Pitt) upset top-seeded Robert Kokesh (Nebraska), 4-3, to advance to the semifinals. It was Kokesh's first loss this season, and he becomes the first No. 1 seed to lose. Wilps scored a takedown with just over 30 seconds left in the first period, which is the only takedown of the match and proved to be the difference.
No. 3 Mike Evans (Iowa) topped longtime Big Ten rival Logan Story (Minnesota), 2-1. The two traded escapes in the second and third periods, and with the match tied 1-1 went into sudden victory. Neither wrestler scored in the first period. In the first tiebreaker Evans escaped from Storley. He then rode out Storley for the victory.
No. 12 Kyle Crutchmer (Oklahoma State) reached the semifinals by defeating Pac-12 champion Joe Lathan (Oregon State), 5-2. The match was tied 2-2 after two periods. Crutchmer then took control in the final period, picking up an escape and late takedown to win by three.
No. 2 Matt Brown (Penn State) avenged a loss from earlier this season by defeating No. 7 Zach Epperly (Virginia Tech), 2-1, in a match that saw no takedowns scored. The two wrestlers traded escapes in the second and third periods, but it was Brown's riding time point that gave the Nittany Lion wrestler the victory. Brown, a senior, becomes Penn State's 24th three-time All-American.
184
No. 1 Gabe Dean (Cornell) won a hard-fought match over Sam Brooks (Iowa), 3-2, to advance to the semifinals. The match was tied 1-1 late before Dean picked up a takedown in the final minute to go up 3-1. Brooks quickly escaped, but was unable to break through Dean's defense.
Unseeded Kenny Courts (Ohio State) topped Matt McCutcheon (Penn State), 7-5, in sudden victory, and gave the Buckeyes critical team points. McCutcheon seemed to be in control. He led 4-2 after two periods and had over a minute of riding time. But Courts was not going to be denied. He escaped and picked up a takedown to go up 5-4. McCutcheon escaped to send the match to sudden victory. Courts then picked up the winning takedown in sudden victory.
No. 13 Vic Avery (Edinboro) continued his run through the championship bracket. He crushed No. 5 Taylor Meeks (Oregon State), 14-5. Avery led 6-2 after the first period and extended his lead to 9-2 through two periods. The Fighting Scot kept the pressure on and rolled to a convincing victory.
No. 7 Nathaniel Brown (Lehigh) used two first-period takedowns to pace him to a 7-4 victory over No. 2 Max Thomusseit (Pitt). Brown becomes Lehigh's 140th All-American and fourth in the last five years at 184 pounds (Robert Hamlin '11-'13).
197
True freshman Kyle Snyder (Ohio State) won a tight battle over No. 5 Scott Schiller (Minnesota), 3-2. Snyder picked up an early takedown and Schiller earned to escape, which made the match 2-1 after the opening period. Snyder escaped in the second period to go up 3-1. Schiller earned an escape in the third to cut the deficit to 3-2, which is how the match would end.
Returning NCAA champion J'den Cox (Missouri) was pushed in the quarterfinals by Max Huntley (Michigan), but came out on top, 3-2. Cox scored the match's only takedown in the second period.
No. 3 Kyven Gadson (Iowa State) dominated No. 6 Nathan Burak (Iowa), 12-2, to reach the semifinals. The match was scoreless after the first period before the Cyclone senior broke open the match with two takedowns in the second period.
In a wild and somewhat controversial match, Conner Hartmann (Duke) edged Morgan McIntosh (Penn State), 3-2. Hartmann grabbed a 2-1 lead in the second period by countering a McIntosh attack. McIntosh would tie the match 2-2 after an escape. Hartmann re-took the lead after an escape with 1:25 left in the match. Near the end of the match McIntosh nearly scored the winning takedown, but Hartmann held on for the victory.
285
NCAA champion Nick Gwiazdowski (North Carolina State) handled No. 8 Jimmy Lawson (Penn State), 11-3, to reach the semifinals. Gwiz picked up a takedown and two nearfall points to lead 4-0 after the opening period. He extended his lead to 8-2 after two periods and added another takedown in the final period to pick up the major decision.
No. 6 Adam Coon (Michigan) edged unseeded Spencer Myers (Maryland), 2-1, in a match with no takedowns. Coon's riding time point was the difference.
No. 2 Mike McMullan (Northwestern) topped No. 7 Blaize Cabell (Northern Iowa), 6-3. McMullan scored a second takedown midway through the second period to go up 5-1 and continued to rack up riding time.
No. 5 Connor Medbery (Wisconsin) and No. 4 Austin Marsden battled to a 1-1 tie after regulation. Eventually it was Medbery who scored a takedown in the second sudden victory period to win 5-3.
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