Friday, December 29
Hoffman Estates, IL
10:30 AM
Indiana University
vs
Session I
Cole Weaver Advances to Midlands Semifinals
12/30/2017 12:11:00 AM | Wrestling
Danishek, Skatzka in the hunt for podium spots
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. – Indiana's wrestling team joined the nation's best this weekend at Sears Centre Arena for the 55th annual Ken Kraft Midlands Championships, hosted by Northwestern University. Junior Cole Weaver (141) led 13 Hoosiers in action through Friday's first two sessions, reaching the Midlands Championship semifinals for the first time in his career.
Entering the weekend as one of the top Midlands contenders with the third seed in his bracket, Weaver pushed to Saturday's semifinals with four decision wins. Weaver's bracket, starved of an overwhelming favorite, will see a first-time Midlands Champion with all four semifinalists having an equal shot at the top spot.
A 3-0 decision over Isaac Andrade (South Dakota State) began Weaver's tournament, followed by his 7-4 decision against Ben Freeman (unat. Michigan) on short rest. The IU junior pulled away late against Iowa's Vince Turk, 8-3, to enter the championship quarterfinals.
Weaver's bout with Yahya Thomas (unat. Northwestern) was his toughest yet. Trailing 3-0 nearing the end of the second period, Weaver took a hopeful shot that connected for a takedown in short time. His escape to start the third period tied the bout and turned the tide, for Weaver pulled ahead with a takedown and riding time point to complete his 6-3 decision.
A pair of Hoosiers, sophomore Devin Skatzka (174) and Jake Danishek (157), fell out of title contention but remain in the mix for podium placement on Saturday. The trials endured today by Skatzka and Danishek culminate in tomorrow's blood round, their first bouts of Session III.
Skatzka was inches from another quarterfinals appearance after a thrilling bout with No. 15 Dylan Lydy (Purdue). Points were at a premium action was abundant, as the two traded blows and scrambled for the lead. They had to settle the score in sudden victory, tied 2-2 after regulation, with Lydy securing the clinching takedown in the final 30 seconds for a SV-1 4-2 win. The state's wrestling fans will have their eye on the potential rematch between Skatzka and Lydy on February 4, when Purdue travels to Bloomington for a dual meet against the Hoosiers.
Skatzka remains in the hunt after an otherwise impressive outing in his third Midlands appearance. It began with a blistering 15-0 (4:45) technical fall over Khamari Wimper (Penn), his third of the season. Skatzka rattled off two consolation victories, one with bonus points and another by decision over Big Ten foe Josh Ugalde (Maryland), to reach the blood round.
Danishek opened his day with a two-point decision over Devin Bahr (unat. Wisconsin) and a second period pin against Hunter Willits (Oregon State) to crack the quarterfinal round, facing a tough draw with top-seeded, second-ranked Michael Kemerer (Iowa). The bout was the first against Kemerer since last year's NCAA Championships, where the Hawkeye took a win by major decision on his way to the All-American podium. Kemerer won their second meeting, this time by a fall in the first period.
Out of the title race but not the tournament, Danishek takes aim at John Van Schenkbrill (Rutgers) as the Big Ten grapplers clash for a spot on the podium.
Other bright spots came not from current varsity wrestlers; rather, a pair of graduates with Indiana ties. Current volunteer assistant coach Brandon Wright (149) entered his first open tournament since joining the Hoosiers' RTC this summer, posting a 3-2 record with three wins by decision.
Wright earned the fourth seed in his bracket and began by topping Joe Oliva (Penn) by decision, 11-5. After a loss in the round of 32, Wright scored an 11-7 decision victory over Evan DeLuise (Penn) and an airtight 4-3 win against Collin Purinton (Nebraska). His tournament trek came to an end with a loss by decision to recent Edinboro transfer Pat Lugo (unat. Iowa).
The Hoosiers also saw former teammate, two-time All-American, and 2017 graduate Nate Jackson (184) compete for Princeton's Wrestling Club as the top seed in his bracket. Jackson actually opened his day against a former teammate, Hoosier freshman Spencer Irick (184), with Jackson taking the match by technical fall, 26-10.
Jackson will battle No. 15 Jordan Ellingwood (Central Michigan) in tomorrow's semifinal round. Jackson met Ellingwood in last year's NCAA Championships, where the former Hoosier won a 9-6 decision.
Up Next: Session III of the 55th Ken Kraft Midlands Championships
Saturday, Dec. 30 • starts at 1:00 p.m. ET • BTN Plus • FloWrestling • TrackWrestling
Sears Centre Arena • Hoffman Estates, Ill.
Three Hoosiers return to action for the final day of #Midlands55 with the third session, set to host the semifinals, consolation matches, and seventh-place podium battles. Indiana's first pairings for that session are as follows:
141 Championship Semifinal: No. 16 Cole Weaver (Indiana) vs. Nate Limmex (Purdue)
157 Blood Round: Jake Danishek (Indiana) vs. John Van Schenkbrill (Rutgers)
174 Blood Round: No. 18 Devin Skatzka (Indiana) vs. No. 20 Josef Johnson (Harvard)
Entering the weekend as one of the top Midlands contenders with the third seed in his bracket, Weaver pushed to Saturday's semifinals with four decision wins. Weaver's bracket, starved of an overwhelming favorite, will see a first-time Midlands Champion with all four semifinalists having an equal shot at the top spot.
A 3-0 decision over Isaac Andrade (South Dakota State) began Weaver's tournament, followed by his 7-4 decision against Ben Freeman (unat. Michigan) on short rest. The IU junior pulled away late against Iowa's Vince Turk, 8-3, to enter the championship quarterfinals.
Weaver's bout with Yahya Thomas (unat. Northwestern) was his toughest yet. Trailing 3-0 nearing the end of the second period, Weaver took a hopeful shot that connected for a takedown in short time. His escape to start the third period tied the bout and turned the tide, for Weaver pulled ahead with a takedown and riding time point to complete his 6-3 decision.
A pair of Hoosiers, sophomore Devin Skatzka (174) and Jake Danishek (157), fell out of title contention but remain in the mix for podium placement on Saturday. The trials endured today by Skatzka and Danishek culminate in tomorrow's blood round, their first bouts of Session III.
Skatzka was inches from another quarterfinals appearance after a thrilling bout with No. 15 Dylan Lydy (Purdue). Points were at a premium action was abundant, as the two traded blows and scrambled for the lead. They had to settle the score in sudden victory, tied 2-2 after regulation, with Lydy securing the clinching takedown in the final 30 seconds for a SV-1 4-2 win. The state's wrestling fans will have their eye on the potential rematch between Skatzka and Lydy on February 4, when Purdue travels to Bloomington for a dual meet against the Hoosiers.
Skatzka remains in the hunt after an otherwise impressive outing in his third Midlands appearance. It began with a blistering 15-0 (4:45) technical fall over Khamari Wimper (Penn), his third of the season. Skatzka rattled off two consolation victories, one with bonus points and another by decision over Big Ten foe Josh Ugalde (Maryland), to reach the blood round.
Danishek opened his day with a two-point decision over Devin Bahr (unat. Wisconsin) and a second period pin against Hunter Willits (Oregon State) to crack the quarterfinal round, facing a tough draw with top-seeded, second-ranked Michael Kemerer (Iowa). The bout was the first against Kemerer since last year's NCAA Championships, where the Hawkeye took a win by major decision on his way to the All-American podium. Kemerer won their second meeting, this time by a fall in the first period.
Out of the title race but not the tournament, Danishek takes aim at John Van Schenkbrill (Rutgers) as the Big Ten grapplers clash for a spot on the podium.
Other bright spots came not from current varsity wrestlers; rather, a pair of graduates with Indiana ties. Current volunteer assistant coach Brandon Wright (149) entered his first open tournament since joining the Hoosiers' RTC this summer, posting a 3-2 record with three wins by decision.
Wright earned the fourth seed in his bracket and began by topping Joe Oliva (Penn) by decision, 11-5. After a loss in the round of 32, Wright scored an 11-7 decision victory over Evan DeLuise (Penn) and an airtight 4-3 win against Collin Purinton (Nebraska). His tournament trek came to an end with a loss by decision to recent Edinboro transfer Pat Lugo (unat. Iowa).
The Hoosiers also saw former teammate, two-time All-American, and 2017 graduate Nate Jackson (184) compete for Princeton's Wrestling Club as the top seed in his bracket. Jackson actually opened his day against a former teammate, Hoosier freshman Spencer Irick (184), with Jackson taking the match by technical fall, 26-10.
Jackson will battle No. 15 Jordan Ellingwood (Central Michigan) in tomorrow's semifinal round. Jackson met Ellingwood in last year's NCAA Championships, where the former Hoosier won a 9-6 decision.
Up Next: Session III of the 55th Ken Kraft Midlands Championships
Saturday, Dec. 30 • starts at 1:00 p.m. ET • BTN Plus • FloWrestling • TrackWrestling
Sears Centre Arena • Hoffman Estates, Ill.
Three Hoosiers return to action for the final day of #Midlands55 with the third session, set to host the semifinals, consolation matches, and seventh-place podium battles. Indiana's first pairings for that session are as follows:
141 Championship Semifinal: No. 16 Cole Weaver (Indiana) vs. Nate Limmex (Purdue)
157 Blood Round: Jake Danishek (Indiana) vs. John Van Schenkbrill (Rutgers)
174 Blood Round: No. 18 Devin Skatzka (Indiana) vs. No. 20 Josef Johnson (Harvard)
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