"Our effort was really good and we won all the matches we were supposed to," Illinois head coach Jim Heffernan said. "This should help us as we get ready for the Big Ten and NCAA Championships because it's much easier to train on a positive note than a negative one. Our guys are getting more aggressive and giving ourselves chances to score, which is what will win us matches in those tournaments."
The dual started at 149 pounds, where Eric Terrazas shot in on Geno Capezio but Capezio sprawled out. Terrazas shot in on another single-leg and Capezio kept a whizzer in for about 10 seconds before finally giving into the takedown. Terrazas rode him out and Capezio started down in the second. Terrazas locked in a two-on-one but couldn't get Capezio's shoulders within criteria, then he relocked it and nearly got back points, but none were awarded. Terrazas rode him the entire period, then started down in the third. He escaped after 45 seconds to go ahead 3-0 with the riding-time point locked up. Neither man could score again and Terrazas took the 4-0 win to give the Illini a quick 3-0 lead.
No. 8 Paul Young got Jackson Morse in a quick front headlock at 157, but Morse was able to avoid any scoring when Young tried to circle behind for the takedown. Young was able to work an inside tie-up to a takedown, though, for a 2-0 advantage. Young cut him loose off a restart then hit a single-leg for a takedown. Young rode him out and took a 4-1 lead to the second. Morse started down in the second and escaped in 45 seconds to get within 4-2. Morse shot in on a leg and took Young over his head but a stalemate was called when he failed to improve his position. Morse continued to shoot in on Young's legs, but the Hoosier sprawled out every time to avoid giving up points. After another Morse shot, Young circled behind for the takedown and rode him out for a 6-2 lead after five minutes. Young chose a neutral start to the third but Morse shot in, got a leg and finished for a takedown to get within 6-4. He cut Young loose, making it 7-4, but Young hooked a leg and tripped Morse for a takedown to go ahead 9-4. Morse broke free with 40 seconds left and shot in on Young, but the Hoosier used a bodylock to fend him off. Morse hit a double-leg off a restart, but Young added the riding-time point for a 10-7 decision that tied the dual, 3-3.
Conrad Polz got a quick single-leg takedown against Ryan LeBlanc at 165, then nearly locked in a cradle but couldn't hold LeBlanc to the mat. Polz continued to try to work a half nelson, but LeBlanc finally bellied out. Polz cut him loose then worked into a deep single, planting LeBlanc on his back as the Hoosier was being warned for stalling. He rode out LeBlanc and the Hoosier started down in the second. LeBlanc escaped quickly but Polz was heavy on the head to an ankle pick for a takedown and a 6-2 lead. He cut LeBlanc loose off a restart with 55 seconds left and they finished the period on their feet with Polz leading 6-3. Polz started down in the third and was awarded a stalling point when LeBlanc didn't work up from the ankle. LeBlanc rode out Polz, but the Illini sophomore won, 7-3, giving the Illini a 6-3 lead.
Ben Friedl gave up a takedown to Nick Avery at 174 but Friedl escaped after 12 seconds. Friedl picked Avery's ankle on the edge, but the Hoosier was able to work out of bounds before any points were scored to take a 2-1 lead to the second. Friedl started down in the second and broke loose in eight seconds, tying the bout 2-2. Friedl shot in on a leg but couldn't finish as a stalemate was called. Friedl worked from a head tie to a double-leg, but Avery rolled out of bounds before any points could be awarded. Avery shot and Friedl blocked it, but he wasn't able to circle around as the buzzer sounded. Avery started down after taking 1:14 of injury time between periods. Friedl rode hard, eventually turning him for a three-point near-fall with 10 seconds left before adding the riding-time point for a 6-2 victory to push the Illinois lead to 9-3.
Eric Cameron worked a tight waist to a throw for a takedown against Tony Dallago 55 seconds into the bout but Dallago worked over the top, locked Cameron in a headlock for a reversal and stuck him for a fall in 1:20, moving the Illini lead to 15-3 at intermission.
No. 9 Matt Powless got one of Joe Barczak's legs a minute into their match at 197, but Barczak was able to score a reversal before Powless got away, giving the Hoosier a 3-2 lead with 90 seconds left in the period. Barczak shot in on a leg but Powless sprawled out to avoid any scoring. The pair finished the period neutral and Powless started down in the second after Barczak deferred. Powless escaped quickly, going ahead 4-2, and Barcak was warned for stalling. Powless shot in on a leg but couldn't change over to a double and a stalemate was called. The pair ended the period on their feet and Barczak started down in the third. Powless rode him for 1:56 before Barczak was able to work into a reversal off a restart, but time ran out before he could score again and Powless added the riding-time point for the 5-4 win, cutting Illinois' lead to 15-6.
At heavyweight, No. 9 Ricky Alcala and Pat Walker wrestled a scoreless first period and Alcala started down in the second. Alcala escaped after seven seconds and got one of Walker's legs, but he kicked free to avoid giving up points. The pair ended the period on their feet and Walker started down in the third and escaped in seven seconds, tying the bout 1-1. After a pair of blood timeouts to tend to Walker's bloody nose, the pair traded shots as time wound down but neither could score and the bout went to overtime. Late in the sudden-victory period, Alcala shot in and Walker passed by the elbow, sending the Hoosier flying toward the edge of the mat. Walker nearly grabbed both ankles, but he also fell out of bounds to keep from scoring. In the first tiebreak, Walker started down and escaped in 15 seconds, narrowly missing a reversal. Alcala started down in the second tiebreak and Walker rode him for 14 seconds before the Hoosier broke free, tying the bout, 2-2 and sending it into a second sudden-victory period. Walker shot in on Alcala's legs, but the Hoosier blocked it and went back after Walker's ankle. He got one, dragged Walker back toward the center and finished the takedown for a 4-2 victory in overtime, bringing the Hoosiers within 15-9.
Logan Arlis shot in on a leg of Justin Brooks after a restart at 125 and was able to clear his head past Brook's leg for a takedown for a 2-0 lead. Brooks rolled through and escaped after 19 seconds and Arlis used a tight waist to a throw, but Brooks scrambled through to avoid any scoring. After a blood timeout for Arlis, Brooks used a head tie-up to a throw but Arlis scrambled out and no points were earned. Brooks started down in the second and escaped, tying the bout 2-2. Arlis tried to pass Brooks' arm by, but the Hoosier grabbed Arlis' right leg and looked for the takedown. Arlis kept a whizzer in as he sprawled and avoided giving up any points as the pair ended the period neutral. Arlis chose a neutral start to the third and the pair traded shots early in the period without any points being scored. The duo continued to exchange shots and Brooks was able to connect on a double-leg with five seconds left after a restart to take the 4-2 win and cut Illinois' lead to 15-12.
At 133, No. 9 B.J. Futrell hit a quick double-leg takedown against Matt Ortega and took him straight to his back for three near-fall points and a 5-0 lead. Futrell cut Ortega loose off a restart and, after another restart, Futrell locked a cradle for another takedown and a 7-1 lead after the first period. Ortega started down in the second and Futrell cut him loose after a restart 32 seconds into the period. Ortega tried a throw off underhooks but Futrell scrambled free. Futrell blocked a shot by Ortega and grabbed a leg, finishing it for a takedown to go ahead 9-2. Futrell rode him out and started down in the third. Futrell nearly escaped multiple times, but Ortega was able to keep hold of him long enough to wipe off his riding-time advantage. Futrell held on for the 9-2 win, though, pushing the Illini lead to 18-12.
No. 4 Jimmy Kennedy nabbed Mitchell Richey's leg early in their 141-pound bout and scored the takedown in 27 seconds. Kennedy cut him loose after a 53-second ride and worked from a head tie-up to a single-leg for a takedown. Kennedy tried to lock in a leg turk with a crossface but couldn't get Richey's back within criteria. He wasn't able to score any near-fall points, taking a 4-1 lead with 2:02 of riding time to the second period. Kennedy started down in the second and escaped in five seconds. He scored another takedown and action was stopped for being potentially dangerous. Kennedy cut him loose then worked into a double-leg takedown to go up 9-2. Kennedy finally was able to lock in the same move, this time meeting criteria for a three-point near-fall as the period ended with the Illini senior leading 12-2. Richey chose to start in top position in the third, but Kennedy reversed him to go up 14-2. He cut Richey loose, blocked a shot by the Hoosier and circled behind for the takedown. He cut Richey loose and scored another takedown, then cut him loose again, hit a single-leg and the pair went out of bounds before any points could be scored. Kennedy then notched another single-leg and worked into the takedown for the deciding takedown and a 20-5 technical fall in 6:22.
"I felt really fluid out there and I was able to get into my positions," Kennedy said. "It was a nice way to finish my Huff career, but it really hasn't sunk in yet that this was the last time I'll wrestle in front of our home fans."
The Illini have 15 days off before the Big Ten Championships on March 5-6 at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Ill. The NCAA Championships will be held in Philadelphia, Pa., March 17-19.
Results:
149: Eric Terrazas (ILL) dec. Geno Capezio (IU), 4-0 (3-0)
157: #8 Paul Young (IU) dec. Jackson Morse (ILL), 10-7 (3-3)
165: Conrad Polz (ILL) dec. Ryan LeBlanc (IU), 7-3 (6-3)
174: Ben Friedl (ILL) dec. Nick Avery (IU), 6-2 (9-3)
184: Tony Dallago (ILL) pinned Eric Cameron (IU), 1:20 (15-3)
197: #9 Matt Powless (IU) dec. Joe Barczak (ILL), 5-4 (15-6)
HWT: #9 Ricky Alcala (IU) dec. Pat Walker (ILL), 4-2 SV2 (15-9)
125: Justin Brooks (IU) dec. Logan Arlis (ILL), 4-2 (15-12)
133: #9 B.J. Futrell (ILL) dec. Matt Ortega (IU), 9-2 (18-12)
141: #4 Jimmy Kennedy (ILL) tech. fall Mitchell Richey (IU), 20-5 (6:22) (23-12)
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