Indiana University Athletics
Thursday, December 29
Evanston, IL
10:30 AM
Indiana University
vs
Midlands - Session 1
Jackson Advances to Quarterfinals at #Midlands54
12/29/2016 7:03:00 PM | Wrestling
Quintet of Hoosiers keep podium dreams alive in wrestle backs
EVANSTON, Ill. – The Indiana Hoosiers made a welcome return to the 54th Annual Ken Kraft Midlands Championships on Thursday morning on the Northwestern University campus. After the first session of matches, six of Indiana's 15 entrants remain standing. Senior Nate Jackson (184) extended his unbeaten start to the year with three wins, including two bonus point wins, to reach the championship quarterfinals.
Jackson (18-0) has won 16 of his matches with bonus points this season, and after the first session has three wins over ranked grapplers on the year. He began with an 18-3 technical fall in 5:59 over Bryce Gorman (Northern Illinois), followed by a tough 7-2 decision win against Jason Grimes (American). The senior reached the quarterfinal round with a 14-3 major decision over 16th-ranked, 12th-seeded Mitch Sliga (Northwestern). He didn't yield a takedown in any of his bouts, and he's only allowed two to his opponents this season.
True freshman Devin Skatzka made an emphatic return to Midlands in his first match, earning a win by fall against C.J. Brucki (Central Michigan). The win against ninth-ranked Brucki was Skatzka's first win over a ranked opponent in his brief varsity career, and it was his fifth consecutive win by fall. Skatzka slipped into the consolation bracket after a second round loss to 11-seed Austin Dewey (Boise State).
Skatzka wasn't the only Indiana grappler to begin his day with a pin. Unattached freshman Blake Rypel (197) took a bye into the second round, where he upended Alex Bleeker (North Dakota State) with a fall in 80 seconds. Rypel bowed out of the championship with a loss by fall to #7 Brett Harner (Princeton) before he could reach the quarterfinals.
In the 157 lbs. bracket, sophomore Jake Danishek continued an outstanding run of form with a second-round win, 10-5, over Jared Scharenbrock (Wisconsin). That advanced 14-seeded Danishek to his toughest opponent of the year, former NCAA Champion Jason Tsirtsis (unat. Arizona State). Third-seeded Tsirtsis jumped out to a lead and failed to give an opening for Danishek, who fell to the consolation bracket after Tsirtsis' 9-3 win.
Cole Weaver bounced back from an early second-round setback, a 3-1 decision against Nicholas Villareal (Arizona State), to win a pair of bouts in the wrestle-backs. The sophomore scored a 12-5 decision over Angel Velaquez before earning a win by fall, his second of the year, over Noah Teaney (unat. Oklahoma). Weaver and Teaney got into a scramble early in the first period before Weaver saw his opportunity, sticking Teaney in 1:13.
Luke Blanton's tournament campaign has a similar trajectory after one session. Blanton dropped a 10-4 decision to #17 Andrew Crone (Wisconsin) and, after advancing via forfeit over teammate Chris Perez, he followed with a 3:49 win by fall against Tyshawn Williams (SIU-Edwardsville).
Norman Conley split his campaign, going 2-2 in the first session with a 9-4 decision over Nate Hall (Ohio) and a 3-2 decision against Blake Reid (Purdue). He bowed out after a 5-2 loss to Brown's C.J. LaFragola. Senior Chris Perez (149) picked up a first round win over former teammate Max Rogers (Princeton) before dropping a 3-0 decision to Eric Barone (Illinois).
Cole Jones (285) and Brandon James (133), both semester transfers and redshirt freshman, made their varsity debuts for the Hoosiers on Thursday. James wrestled unattached after transferring this semester from Old Dominion. Neither were able to secure a win against tough competition.
Up Next: Session II – Quarterfinals and Wrestle Backs
Thursday, Dec. 29 • 8:00 p.m. ET • Watch Live on BTN Plus
For Jackson, his upcoming quarterfinals matchup promises to be his toughest of the season to date. He faces a bout with #5 Sam Brooks (Iowa), the reigning Big Ten Champion at 184 lbs. and a returning All-American from the 2016 NCAA Championships. This will be their first meeting in their careers, and could be a tantalizing preview of what's to come in their upcoming dual (Feb. 10) and potentially at the Big Ten Championships.
The upcoming matches for Indiana's remaining grapplers are as follows:
• #6 [5] Nate Jackson (184) vs. #5 [4] Sam Brooks (Iowa) in the Championship Quarterfinals
• Cole Weaver (141) vs. Jack Mutchnik (American) in the consolation fourth round
• Luke Blanton (149) vs. #19 [16] Davion Jeffries (Oklahoma) in the consolation fourth round
• Jake Danishek (157) vs. [9] Justin Staudenmayer (unat. Brown) in the consolation fourth round
• Devin Skatzka (174) vs. Austin Coniker (Columbia) in the consolation second round
• [13] Blake Rypel (197, unattached) vs. #15 [8] Brad Johnson (Oklahoma) in the consolation fourth round
Jackson (18-0) has won 16 of his matches with bonus points this season, and after the first session has three wins over ranked grapplers on the year. He began with an 18-3 technical fall in 5:59 over Bryce Gorman (Northern Illinois), followed by a tough 7-2 decision win against Jason Grimes (American). The senior reached the quarterfinal round with a 14-3 major decision over 16th-ranked, 12th-seeded Mitch Sliga (Northwestern). He didn't yield a takedown in any of his bouts, and he's only allowed two to his opponents this season.
True freshman Devin Skatzka made an emphatic return to Midlands in his first match, earning a win by fall against C.J. Brucki (Central Michigan). The win against ninth-ranked Brucki was Skatzka's first win over a ranked opponent in his brief varsity career, and it was his fifth consecutive win by fall. Skatzka slipped into the consolation bracket after a second round loss to 11-seed Austin Dewey (Boise State).
Skatzka wasn't the only Indiana grappler to begin his day with a pin. Unattached freshman Blake Rypel (197) took a bye into the second round, where he upended Alex Bleeker (North Dakota State) with a fall in 80 seconds. Rypel bowed out of the championship with a loss by fall to #7 Brett Harner (Princeton) before he could reach the quarterfinals.
In the 157 lbs. bracket, sophomore Jake Danishek continued an outstanding run of form with a second-round win, 10-5, over Jared Scharenbrock (Wisconsin). That advanced 14-seeded Danishek to his toughest opponent of the year, former NCAA Champion Jason Tsirtsis (unat. Arizona State). Third-seeded Tsirtsis jumped out to a lead and failed to give an opening for Danishek, who fell to the consolation bracket after Tsirtsis' 9-3 win.
Cole Weaver bounced back from an early second-round setback, a 3-1 decision against Nicholas Villareal (Arizona State), to win a pair of bouts in the wrestle-backs. The sophomore scored a 12-5 decision over Angel Velaquez before earning a win by fall, his second of the year, over Noah Teaney (unat. Oklahoma). Weaver and Teaney got into a scramble early in the first period before Weaver saw his opportunity, sticking Teaney in 1:13.
Luke Blanton's tournament campaign has a similar trajectory after one session. Blanton dropped a 10-4 decision to #17 Andrew Crone (Wisconsin) and, after advancing via forfeit over teammate Chris Perez, he followed with a 3:49 win by fall against Tyshawn Williams (SIU-Edwardsville).
Norman Conley split his campaign, going 2-2 in the first session with a 9-4 decision over Nate Hall (Ohio) and a 3-2 decision against Blake Reid (Purdue). He bowed out after a 5-2 loss to Brown's C.J. LaFragola. Senior Chris Perez (149) picked up a first round win over former teammate Max Rogers (Princeton) before dropping a 3-0 decision to Eric Barone (Illinois).
Cole Jones (285) and Brandon James (133), both semester transfers and redshirt freshman, made their varsity debuts for the Hoosiers on Thursday. James wrestled unattached after transferring this semester from Old Dominion. Neither were able to secure a win against tough competition.
Up Next: Session II – Quarterfinals and Wrestle Backs
Thursday, Dec. 29 • 8:00 p.m. ET • Watch Live on BTN Plus
For Jackson, his upcoming quarterfinals matchup promises to be his toughest of the season to date. He faces a bout with #5 Sam Brooks (Iowa), the reigning Big Ten Champion at 184 lbs. and a returning All-American from the 2016 NCAA Championships. This will be their first meeting in their careers, and could be a tantalizing preview of what's to come in their upcoming dual (Feb. 10) and potentially at the Big Ten Championships.
The upcoming matches for Indiana's remaining grapplers are as follows:
• #6 [5] Nate Jackson (184) vs. #5 [4] Sam Brooks (Iowa) in the Championship Quarterfinals
• Cole Weaver (141) vs. Jack Mutchnik (American) in the consolation fourth round
• Luke Blanton (149) vs. #19 [16] Davion Jeffries (Oklahoma) in the consolation fourth round
• Jake Danishek (157) vs. [9] Justin Staudenmayer (unat. Brown) in the consolation fourth round
• Devin Skatzka (174) vs. Austin Coniker (Columbia) in the consolation second round
• [13] Blake Rypel (197, unattached) vs. #15 [8] Brad Johnson (Oklahoma) in the consolation fourth round
Players Mentioned
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