Moline's Musings

It's Midlands Time

Posted by: Brian Moline

Monday, December 29, 2008 10:45 AM

Mark Johnson's Fighting Illini wrestling team is in Evanston for the annual Midlands Wrestling Championships.  The first round (i.e. pigtail) matches got underway at 9:30 this morning.  Here's the complete schedule.

The final seeds were released late yesterday, and the Illini have seeded (top 8) wrestlers in six of the ten weight classes.  Jimmy Kennedy has the top seed at 133 pounds, John Wise is the fourth seed at heavyweight, John Dergo is seeded sixth at 174, while Roger Smith-Bergsrud (165), Jordan Blanton (184) and Patrick Bond (197) are all seventh seeds in their respective weight classes. 

The brackets have also been posted at Northwestern's website.  First up for the Illini wrestlers:

*B.J. Futrell at 125 pounds has a tough test off the bat, as he'll face fifth-seeded Anthony Robles from Arizona State in his second round match (both wrestlers had first round byes).

*Jimmy Kennedy faces Larmie Shaffer from Iowa State in his first bout at 133 pounds.

*It appears that Illinois will not have anyone competing at 141 pounds.  Ryan Prater injury defaulted out of his last match in Las Vegas on December 6.  Prater did wrestle in the home dual against Findlay on December 13, dropping a 7-6 decision to Josh Falk.

*Illinois will also not have anyone competing toward team points at 149, as Troy Tirapelle remains sidelined with a shoulder injury.  Eric Terrazas from Illinois will wrestle unattached this week.  Terrazas is a true freshman.

*With Mike Poeta still recovering from offseason knee surgery, and Grant Paswall (reason unknown) not competing this week, Clint Arlis from the Illini squad will wrestle unattached this week at 157 pounds.

*Roger Smith-Bergsrud has a first round (pigtail) match this morning against Menlo's Robert Davis.  If he wins, he'll face Brian Letters of Maryland in the second round.

*John Dergo's first match will be against Dave Sullivan of Pittsburgh, who he could see again very soon, as the Illini and Pitt have a dual meet on January 10.

*True freshman Jordan Blanton has a Big Ten opponent in his first round matchup, as he'll take on Michigan State's Nick Palmieri at 184.

*At 197, Patrick Bond will take on Northern Illinois' Scott Penny in the second round, after both wrestlers have first round byes.

*Finally, at heavyweight, the Illini's John Wise faces the winner of a piggyback match between Rider's Ed Bordas and Steve Franklin of San Francisco State.

I'll check in a little later today to give you an update on how the Illini are doing.  Until then.

bmoline@wdws.com

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