The Official Cliff Keen Las Vegas Day I Recap

Dec 1, 2012 by Willie Saylor

Willie Saylor, Editor

When it comes time for wrestling season to roll around, when you get the early kinks out and the big opens are all completed, and it’s time for the winter to tell what you’ve been doing all summer, there are always surprises.

But Day I of Vegas was just wild.

Twelve of the top forty seeds went down. Among the casualties were two #1 seeds and two #2’s.

On the team side, Ohio State, largely on bonus point material, and Missouri, with sheer numbers, pulled away from the pack in grand fashion.

The Buckeyes came out guns blazin’, tallying four straight pins. Missouri pushed an unconscionable 7 wrestlers into the semi’s. Ohio State leads with 85 team points to Missouri’s 80.5, which is distanced from the rest of the field. Cornell and Oregon State are tied for 3rd with 53pts. Nebraska rounds out the Top 5, garnering 50pts.

Below we’ll break down all the Day I action and list the semifinal match-ups, which you can watch live through Flowrestling’s Tech Wave.

125lbs

Day I Surprises:

In a match-up of true freshman, Harvard’s Jeff Ott outlasted Beaver Joey Palmer 14-12. Ott then beat #5 seed Tyler Imuwara (CSUB) in the next round.

In a battle of Wolverines, UVU FR-Jade Rauser took out 3rd seeded Sean Boyle (MICH), before losing in quarters to Air Force’s 6th seeded Josh Martinez.

Semifinals:

#4-Alan Waters (MIZZ) vs. #14-Nikko Triggas (tOSU)

#9-Nashon Garrett (COR) vs. Josh Martinez (AF)

133lbs

Day I Surprises:

Two of the Top 4 seeds fell. For the second straight weight, a 3 seed went down. This time it was Boise’s Brian Owen losing to North Dakota’s Josh Rodriguez. 4 seed, Ian Nickell (CSUB) lost to Kent’s Kyle Bauer in Round 2. Neither Bauer nor Rodriguez made it to the semi’s, however, as each were beaten in the next round by true freshmen; Bauer by Poly’s Devin Lotito, and Rodriguez by Virginia Cav, George DiCamillo.

Semifinals:

#1-Logan Stieber (tOSU) vs. #17-Devon Lotito (Cal Poly)

#16-George DiCamillo (UVA) vs. #7-Nathan McCormick (MIZZ)

141lbs

Day I Surprises:

Although the top four seeds all cleared, there were some brow raising results. None more so than 5th seeded Camryn Jackson (MICH) being teched by San Francisco State’s Naveed Bagheri, 16-1, in the first round. 7th seeded Nick Hucke (MIZZ) went 0-2.

Semifinals:

#2-Hunter Stieber (tOSU) vs. #8-Mike Nevinger (COR)

#4-Tyler Graff (WISC) vs. #5-Mike Mangrum (Oregon St.)

149lbs

Day I Surprises:

Our first #1 to go down was Scott Sakaguchi, a returning All American from Oregon State who just last week beat the #1-ranked Jason Chamberlain from Boise. Sakaguchi lost in OT to Nebraska’s Jake Sueflohn, 9-7.

Eric Grajales’ falter made it 3 of 4 weights in which a #3 seed went down. He lost 13-6 to Northern Iowa’s Tanner Hiatt.

Semifinals:

#16-Jake Sueflohn (NEB) vs. #7-Cole Von Ohlen (AF)

#17-Cam Tessari (tOSU) vs. #5-Jason Chamberlain (BSU)

157lbs

Day I Surprises:

What a mess?!

Just one of the top four seeds made it through to tomorrow’s semi’s.

Although a Nebraska Cornhusker took out a #1 in the previous weight, they had a #1 of their own fall at the next. James Green was upset by Virginia’s Jedd Moore.

Second seeded Josh Demas (tOSU) was take out by Wyoming’s Andy McCulley. And Bobby Barnheisel (Navy) lost in the second round to Gabe Martinez of Air Force.

Semifinals:

#14-Jedd Moore (UVA) vs. Gabe Martinez (AF)

#12-RJ Pena (Oregon St.) vs. Andy McCulley (WYO)

165lbs

Day I Surprises:

Kyle Dake lost. Just kidding.

This weight was actually the only bracket to play true to form.

Of the top eight seeds, all of them made quarters except for Nebraska’s sixth seeded Austin Wilson. And the top four seeds are all in the semi’s.

The biggest match of note was Mizzou’s Zach Toal beating Michigan’s Taylor Massa, 9-7.

Semifinals:

#1-Kyle Dake (COR) vs. #15-Zach Toal (MIZZ)

#6-Nick Sulzer (UVA) vs. #8-Stephen Monk (NDSU)

174lbs

Day I Surprises:

Perhaps the surprise of the tournament has been Arizona State’s Blake Stauffer. He beat UVA’s Jon Fausey in the second round and eventually made the semi’s.

Another surprise, and one that has dramatic implications on the team chase, is that Ohio State’s Nick Heflin scratched.

The three other top seeds cruised.

Semifinals:

#8-Robert Kokesh (NEB) vs. #11-Matt Miller (NAVY)

#13-Dan Yates (MICH) vs. Blake Stauffer (ASU)

184lbs

Day I Surprises:

I love upsets. Unfortunately for me, all seeds held. The top eight made quarters, the top four, semi’s.

Of particular note was Kevin Radford (ASU) beating talented Buckeye Freshman, Kenny Courts, 6-4 in the opening round.

Semifinals:

#6-Josh Ihnen (NEB) vs. #10-Jake Swartz (BSU)

#9-Mike Larson (MIZZ) vs. #8-Ryan Loder (NIU)

197lbs

Day I Surprises:

There was only a single mild ‘surprise’ here, if you want to call it that. Fourth seeded Taylor Meeks (Oregon St.) lost to Ohio State’s Andrew Campolattano who made his official (and attached) season debut. He’s officially NOT redshirting, folks. In tomorrow’s semis’s, he’ll meet top seeded Kilgore for the third time already this season.

Semifinals:

#1-Dustin Kilgore (Kent St.) vs. Andrew Campolattano (Ohio St.)

#5-Brent Haynes (MIZZ) vs. #4-Alfonso Hernandez (WYO)

HWT

Day I Surprises:

Helping the Buckeyes to the Day I lead was HWT Peter Capone, who upset #3 seed, and 2011 All American, Levi Cooper, 4-3 OT, in quarters. The only other ‘upset’ was mild, where 5th seed Connor Medbery (WISC), beat Michigan’s Ben Apland, the 4 seed.

Semifinals:

#2-Dom Bradley (MIZZ) vs. #17-Connor Medbery (WISC)

#16-Peter Capone (tOSU) vs. #7-Chad Hanke (Oregon St.)