Final Brackets

ITHACA, N.Y.—The No. 3 Big Red wrestling team finished in second place at the NWCA Cliff Keen National Duals regional on Sunday afternoon. Cornell opened the day by defeating Purdue, 29-6, but was edged out by No. 7 Illinois in a 19-16 nail biter in the finals.

Team rankings are from the Feb. 7 NWCA/USA Today Division I Team Coaches Poll, while individual rankings are from InterMat. 

Senior Cam Simaz won by bonus points in both of his matches on the day for the Big Red. Simaz pinned his Illinois opponent in the finals, and won by forfeit against Purdue. Sophomore Mike Nevinger also scored bonus points for Cornell with two major decisions at 141 pounds. At 184 pounds, Steve Bosak was 2-0 for the day with a major decision against the Boilermakers.

Cornell opened the day by defeating Purdue, 29-6, to move to 11-0 for the season. With the win, Cornell had increased its winstreak to 19- straight matches. With the loss to Illinois, the Big Red finishes its dual season with an 11-1 record.

Against Purdue, senior Frank Perrelli defeated Camden Eppert, 8-3 at 125 pounds to open the dual off with a win for the Big Red. The Boilermakers won at 133 and 149 pounds, but the Big Red finished the dual with five-straight wins.

In the finals against Illinois, No. 5 Perrelli opened the dual by facing No. 7 Jesse Delgado. After a scoreless first period, Delgado chose to start the second down and escaped after Perrelli returned him to the mat from his feet twice. Thirty seconds into the period Delgado took a 3-0 lead with a takedown. Perrelli circled out for an escape, but Delgado took him down once again. The action was brought back to center off a stalemate and Perrelli escaped off the whistle to bring the score to 5-2. Perrelli chose to start the third down, but was unable to escape before Delgado accumulated over a minute of riding time. Perrelli escaped to come within two points. Delgado sealed the win with a takedown off a shot by Perrelli to win an 8-3 decision.

At 133 pounds, No. 5 BJ Futrell held a 9-2 lead after the first period over Nick Arujau with three takedowns and a three-point nearfall. Futrell added two more takedowns in the second. The Illini wrestler reversed Arujau from his opening top position in the third, and with a three point nearfall won by an 18-3 technical fall.

No. 16 Mike Nevinger took on Daryl Thomas at 141 pounds. Nevinger took down Thomas a little over a minute into the period and added three back points before time ran out. Thomas chose neutral to start the second and neither team was able to score. Nevinger chose top to start the third and added three more back points. With riding time, Nevinger won a 9-0 major decision.

With 16 seconds left in the first period, No. 19 Eric Terrazas took down Chris Villalonga to take a 2-0 lead into the second. Villalonga scored the only point of the second by escaping from his down position. Terrazas chose neutral to start the third and with over a minute in riding time won a 3-1 decision.

At 157 pounds, No. 1 Kyle Dake squared off against Jackson Morse. Dake notched a takedown 15 seconds into the period and rode out his opponent for the remainder of the period. Dake let Morse up from his starting down position in the second and grabbed another takedown. Dake escaped from his opening down position in the third. With two seconds left on the clock, Morse notched a takedown. Dake would win a 6-4 decision with a point for riding time.

Marshall Peppelman faced No. 13 Conrad Polz at 165 pounds. Polz held a 2-1 lead after the first period with a takedown from which Peppelman escaped. Polz escaped from his opening down position to start the second and added another takedown. Peppelman escaped to start the third, but with another takedown and riding time, Polz won an 8-3 decision.

At 174 pounds, freshman Billy George took on No. 10 Jordan Blanton. Blanton took George down midway through the first period, but the Big Red wrestler escaped to come within a point. Blanton quickly escaped from his opening down position to start the second and added two more takedowns before the period was over. George immediately escaped to open the third and with 17 seconds left in the bout notched a takedown to come within a point. George was looking for the tilt, but time ran out and Blanton won a 7-6 decision. With Blanton's decision, Illinois held a 17-7 lead over the Big Red.

No. 5 Steve Bosak faced Tony Dallago at 184 pounds. After a scoreless first period, Dallago chose to start the second down on the mat. Bosak worked for backpoints throughout the entire two minutes and held a 2-0 lead after the second with a two-point nearfall. Bosak chose to start the third on top. Dallago was hit with his second stalling call to give Bosak another point. The Big Red wrestler was looking to help his team notch bonus points, but Dallago stayed flat to ensure only giving up the 4-0 decision.

At 197 pounds, No. 1 Cam Simaz notched two takedowns in the first period over Martin Smith. Smith chose down to start the second period and Simaz immediately started working to turn him. Simaz won by fall in 3:31 to give Cornell six vital team points.

Illinois was deducted a team point for unsportsmanlike behavior from Smith after the match. With the team point deduction, the dual was tied at 16-16.

The Illini moved up their No. 16 ranked 197 pound wrestler Mario Gonzalez to meet Maciej Jochym at heavyweight. Jochym was looking to score throughout the bout, but Gonzalez countered all of his shots. Gonzalez notched a takedown a period to win an 8-2 decision sealing the win for Illinois.

Illinois will move on the National Duals finals next weekend.

Cornell will break until March 3-4 when it will defend its team title at the EIWA championships at Princeton.

Cornell Regional Results
Quarterfinals
Purdue defeated Central Michigan, 27-9
Oklahoma defeated American, 35-19
Semifinals
Cornell defeated Purdue, 29-6
Illinois defeated Oklahoma, 21-18
Fifth place match
American defeated Central Michigan, 25-16
Finals
Illinois defeated Cornell, 19-16

Cornell  29, Purdue 6
125: No. 6 Frank Perrelli (Cornell) dec. Camden Eppert, 8-3
133: Cash Quiroga (Purdue) dec. Nick Arujau, 7-5
141: No. 16 Mike Nevinger (Cornell) maj. dec. Brandon Nelsen, 12-2
149: Ivan Lopouchanski (Purdue) dec. Chris Villalonga, 9-7
157: Craig Eifert (Cornell) dec. Tommy Churchard, 9-6
165: Marshall Peppelman (Cornell) dec. Kyle Mosier, 7-4
174: Billy George (Cornell) dec. Drake Stein, 5-2
184: No. 5 Steve Bosak (Cornell) maj. dec. Brandon Atwood, 10-0
197: Cam Simaz (Cornell) win by forfeit
HWT: Maciej Jochym dec. Alex White, 6-1

Illinois 19, Cornell 16
125: No. 7 Jesse Delgado (Illinois) dec. No. 5 Frank Perrelli, 8-3
133: No. 5 BJ Futrell (Illinois) tech fall, Nick Arujau, 18-3
141: No. 16 Mike Nevinger (Cornell) maj. dec. Daryl Thomas, 9-0
149: No. 19 Eric Terrazas (Illinois) dec. Chris Villalonga, 3-1
157: No. 1 Kyle Dake (Cornell) dec. Jackson Morse, 6-4
165: No. 12 Conrad Polz (Illinois) dec. Marshall Peppelman, 8-3
174: No. 11 Jordan Blanton (Illinois) dec. Billy George, 7-6
184: No. 5 Steve Bosak (Cornell) dec. Tony Dallago, 4-0
197: No. 1 Cam Simaz (Cornell) win by fall Martin Smith, 3:31
One Illinois team point deducted
HWT: No. 16 (197) Mario Gonzalez (Illinois) dec. Maciej Jochym, 8-2