Sixth-ranked heavyweight Karl Roesler has helped lead Illinois to the No. 7 spot in the National Wrestling Coaches Association's latest team rankings.

The Illini are behind three other Big Ten teams: No. 2 Minnesota, No. 3 Iowa and No. 4 Penn State.

Steve Doerrer finished second at 125 pounds to lead Illinois to a fourth-place finish in a 55-team field at Wednesday's 36th Midlands Wrestling Championships in Evanston.

Doerrer, the sixth seed, lost to top-seeded Jody Strittman 10-3 in the finals.

Illinois' Steve Doerrer went 2-0 at 125 pounds Tuesday, moving on to the quarterfinals at the 36th annual Midlands Wrestling Championship at Evanston.

Eighth-ranked Illinois opened its wrestling season in commanding fashion, winning nine of 10 matches to dispatch Missouri 33-3 Saturday at Granite City High School.

Steve Doerrer (at 125 pounds), Adam Tirapelle (149) and heavyweight Karl Roesler each won by major decision for the Illini. Other winners: Dave Stoltz (133), Carl Perry (141), Griff Powell (157), Ben King (179), Nate Patrick (184) and Pat Quirk (197).

   CHAMPAIGN  Don''t be alarmed by those rumbling bellows or piercing screams coming from the subterranean level of Huff Hall.

   It''s just the guy they call Big Daddy verbalizing the strain of hoisting hundreds of pounds of weights.

Illinois assistant wrestling coach Steve Marianetti, an NCAA champion at Illinois, dropped out of medal contention Wednesday at the World Wrestling Championships in Tehran, Iran.

Illinois wrestling recruit Ryan Berger of Mahomet, competing at 143 pounds in the freestyle division, improved to 6-1 Friday at the ASICS Tiger Junior National Championships in Fargo, N.D., after claiming a controversial 6-4 overtime victory against Mike Kulczycki of Ohio.

   FARGO, N.D.  Ryan Berger has taken his wrestling act on the road this week.

   And taken the national competition by storm.

   The two-time state champion from Mahomet-Seymour High School won all 10 of his matches to capture the 143-pound Greco-Roman title at the ASICS Tiger Junior National Championships.