Champaign, Ill. - Jake Sueflohn (149), James Green
(157) and Josh Ihnen (184) advanced to the semifinals to lead the Nebraska
wrestling team at the Big Ten Championships after the first session on
Saturday. The trio will wrestle later today for a spot in the championship of
their respective weight classes.
The Huskers
are in seventh place after Session I with 26 points. Iowa leads the team
standings with 79 points.
Sueflohn
took a bye in the first round before winning a 10-6 decision over Penn State's
Andrew Alton at 149 pounds. Sueflohn, the No. 4 seed, will face No. 8-seed Ian
Paddock of Ohio State, who upset No. 1-seed Eric Grajales of Michigan in the
quarterfinals.
No. 4-seed
Green captured a 15-5 major decision over Indiana's No. 5-seed Taylor Walsh in
the quarterfinals. The major decision marked Green's sixth of the season and
his 19th overall victory in the 2012-13 campaign. He will face No.
1-seed Derek St. John of Iowa in the semifinals in the second session.
At 184 pounds,
No. 3-seed Ihnen opened with a 13-2 major decision over Michigan's Chris Heald
before taking down No. 6-seed Tony Dallago of Illinois in the quarterfinals by
a 7-5 decision. The senior earned his 23rd win of the season and 96th victory
of his career. Ihnen will try to avenge a loss earlier in the season to No.
2-seed Kevin Steinhaus in the semifinals.
Ridge Kiley
(141) and Robert Kokesh (174) earned first-round byes but fell in the
quarterfinals on Saturday. No. 6-seed Kiley lost a 6-1 decision to third-seeded
Mark Ballweg of Iowa. Kiley will face Wisconsin's Tom Kelliher in the
wrestleback bracket. At 174 pounds, Kokesh dropped an 8-2 decision against
Illinois' Jordan Blanton and will wrestle Cheney Dale of Indiana in the
wrestlebacks.
Eric Coufal
(125), Shawn Nagel (133), Austin Wilson (165), Caleb Kolb (197) and Spencer
Johnson (HWT) all dropped their first round matches and will look to bounce
back in Session II. Kolb grappled in an overtime match against No. 6-seed
Nathan Burak before falling by a 4-3 sudden victory.
Session II
starts at 5 p.m., and will be streamed on the Big Ten Digital Network, which
requires a subscription. Tournament Central is at: http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/m-wrestl/spec-rel/ill-big10-12-wrestl-championships.html.
Session I Results
First Round
125: #3 Jesse Delgado (ILL) by pin
over Eric Coufal (NEB), 4:10
133: Rossi Bruno (MICH) by dec. over
#8 Shawn Nagel (NEB), 5-3
165: #9 Mark Martin (OSU) by dec.
over #8 Austin Wilson (NEB), 6-2
184: #3 Josh Ihnen (NEB) by major
dec. over Chris Heald (MICH), 13-2
197: #6 Nathan Burak (IOWA) by
sudden victory over #11 Caleb Kolb (NEB), 4-3
HWT: #8 Ben Apland (MICH) by dec.
over #9 Spencer Johnson (NEB), 8-2
Quarterfinals
141: #3 Mark Ballweg (IOWA) by dec.
over #6 Ridge Kiley (NEB), 6-1
149: #4 Jake Sueflohn (NEB) by dec.
over #5 Andrew Alton (PSU), 10-6
157: #4 James Green (NEB) by major
dec. over #5 Taylor Walsh (IND), 15-5
174: #6 Jordan Blanton (ILL) by dec.
over #3 Robert Kokesh (NEB), 8-2
184: #3 Josh Ihnen (NEB) by dec.
over #6 Tony Dallago (ILL), 7-5
