HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. – No. 18 Rutgers wrestling finished the first day of the Ken Kraft Midlands Championships on Thursday in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Four Scarlet Knights – No. 12
Brian Soldano (184), No. 14
Sammy Alvarez (141), No. 18
Dean Peterson (125) and
Andrew Clark (157) – advanced to Friday morning's championship semifinals.
Thanks to its strong effort on Thursday and despite not having an entrant at 197 pounds, Rutgers sits in fourth place with 60 team points and trails just Wisconsin (78.5), Northwestern (63.0) and Pittsburgh (61.5). No. 9
Joe Heilmann (133) and No. 23
Boone McDermott (HWT) also registered multiple wins on the championship side of the bracket, while
Joseph Olivieri (141), who is competing unattached, collected two wins before he suffered a tough 2-1 loss to No. 1 Cole Matthews (Pittsburgh).
Friday's third session, which features championship semifinal bouts and wrestlebacks, begins at Noon ET and will stream on Big Ten Plus.
Friday Morning Semifinal Matchups (Noon ET)
125: No. 18
Dean Peterson vs. No. 7 Eric Barnett (Illinois)
141: No. 14
Sammy Alvarez vs. Josh Edmond (Unattached-Missouri)
157:
Andrew Clark vs. Drew Scharenbrock (Wisconsin)
184: No. 12
Brian Soldano vs. Jaritt Shinhoster (UW-Whitewater)
Soldano came out on top of what might have been the most thrilling match of the night against Evan Bates (Northwestern). On his back multiple times and down 12-6 midway through the second period, Soldano flipped around and reversed Bates, catching the Wildcat on his back for the second-period fall. The come-from-behind win wrapped up a 4-0 day for Soldano, who faces Jaritt Shinhoster (UW-Whitewater) Friday morning for a spot in the 184-pound finals.
Clark also registered a theatrical victory in his big to the semifinals, as he recorded a takedown in sudden victory for a 5-3 win over No. 15 Anthony Artalona (Penn). The win – one of two ranked victories for Rutgers on Thursday – catapulted Clark to a matchup with Drew Scharenbrock (Wisconsin) in the semifinals.
After an impressive come-from-behind win in the opening round, Alvarez cruised to four wins on the front side of the bracket. Alvarez pinned Joseph Cangro (Harvard) in the first period and followed with a 12-2 major decision over Danny Pucino (Illinois) to continue to Friday's semifinal round.
Peterson was consistent on Thursday, with three wins and a rematch victory over No. 21 Ryan Miller (Penn) in the championship quarterfinals. Peterson, who also defeated Miller earlier in the month at the Garden State Grapple in Newark, will face No. 7 Eric Barnett (Illinois) on Friday morning.
Day 1 Results
Dean Peterson (125)
Champ. Round 1 -
Dean Peterson (Rutgers) won by major decision over Michael Spangler (Indiana) (Maj 9-0)
Champ. Round 2 -
Dean Peterson (Rutgers) won by decision over Spencer Moore (North Carolina) (Dec 3-2)
Quarterfinal -
Dean Peterson (Rutgers) won by decision over Ryan Miller (Penn) (Dec 3-2)
Dylan Shawver (125)
Champ. Round 1 -
Dylan Shawver (Rutgers) won by major decision over Patrick McCormick (Virginia) (Maj 9-0)
Champ. Round 2 - Markel Baker (George Mason) won by decision over
Dylan Shawver (Rutgers) (Dec 4-2)
Cons. Round 2 -
Dylan Shawver (Rutgers) won by fall over Shay Horton (Thomas More) (Fall 1:03)
Cons. Round 3 -
Dylan Shawver (Rutgers) won by decision over Nicholas Kayal (Princeton) (Dec 9-2)
Joe Heilamnn (133)
Champ. Round 1 - Joe Heilman (Rutgers) received a bye () (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 - Joe Heilman (Rutgers) won by major decision over Griffin Seyfried (U. of Chicago) (Maj 10-1)
Champ. Round 3 - Joe Heilman (Rutgers) won by major decision over Nico Nardone (Penn) (Maj 10-1)
Quarterfinal - Ryan Crookham (Lehigh) won by decision over Joe Heilman (Rutgers) (Dec 2-1)
Devon Britton (133)
Champ. Round 1 - Gabe Vidlak (Oklahoma) won by decision over
Devon Britton (Rutgers) (Dec 11-8)
Cons. Round 1 -
Devon Britton (Rutgers) received a bye () (Bye)
Cons. Round 2 -
Devon Britton (Rutgers) won by decision over Elon Rodriguez (Triton Junior College) (Dec 4-2)
Cons. Round 3 - Eric Lovelace (Missouri) won by decision over
Devon Britton (Rutgers) (Dec 6-1)
Sammy Alvarez (141)
Champ. Round 1 -
Sammy Alvarez (Rutgers) won in sudden victory - 1 over Ryan Michaels (Pittsburgh) (SV-1 14-10)
Champ. Round 2 -
Sammy Alvarez (Rutgers) won by decision over Jackson Polo (Penn) (Dec 3-2)
Champ. Round 3 -
Sammy Alvarez (Rutgers) won by fall over Joseph Cangro (Harvard) (Fall 2:13)
Quarterfinal -
Sammy Alvarez (Rutgers) won by major decision over Danny Pucino (Illinois) (Maj 12-2)
Joseph Olivieri (141-Unattached)
Champ. Round 1 - Joe Olivieri (Rutgers) won by fall over Michael Dolan (West Virginia) (Fall 5:55)
Champ. Round 2 - Joe Olivieri (Rutgers) won by fall over Kenny Herrmann (Harvard) (Fall 1:16)
Champ. Round 3 - Joe Olivieri (Rutgers) won by decision over Carmen Ferrante (Penn) (Dec 3-1)
Quarterfinal - Cole Matthews (Pittsburgh) won by decision over Joe Olivieri (Rutgers) (Dec 2-1)
Tony White (149)
Champ. Round 1 - Jude Swisher (Pennsylvania RTC) won by decision over Anthony White (Rutgers) (Dec 3-1)
Cons. Round 1 - Anthony White (Rutgers) received a bye () (Bye)
Cons. Round 2 - John Wiley (Oklahoma) won by decision over Anthony White (Rutgers) (Dec 11-10)
Al DeSantis (157)
Champ. Round 1 - Alfred Desantis (Rutgers) won by decision over Trevor Tarsi (Harvard) (Dec 4-3)
Champ. Round 2 - Alfred Desantis (Rutgers) won by decision over Brody Hallin (Omega Training Center) (Dec 6-1)
Champ. Round 3 - Trevor Chumbley (Northwestern) won by major decision over Alfred Desantis (Rutgers) (Maj 14-1)
Cons. Round 4 - Alfred Desantis (Rutgers) won by decision over Nic Sansone (Virginia) (Dec 7-6)
Cons. Round 5 - Aiden Vandenbush (Northwestern) won by decision over Alfred Desantis (Rutgers) (Dec 8-4)
Andrew Clark (157)
Champ. Round 1 -
Andrew Clark (Rutgers) received a bye () (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 -
Andrew Clark (Rutgers) won by decision over Nic Sansone (Virginia) (Dec 7-4)
Champ. Round 3 -
Andrew Clark (Rutgers) won in sudden victory - 1 over Jared Hill (Oklahoma) (SV-1 2-1)
Quarterfinal -
Andrew Clark (Rutgers) won in sudden victory - 1 over Anthony Artalona (Penn) (SV-1 5-3)
Dylan Weaver (157)
Champ. Round 1 -
Dylan Weaver (Rutgers) received a bye () (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 - Nick Vafiadis (Navy Prep) won by fall over
Dylan Weaver (Rutgers) (Fall 2:52)
Cons. Round 2 -
Dylan Weaver (Rutgers) received a bye () (Bye)
Cons. Round 3 -
Dylan Weaver (Rutgers) won by medical forfeit over Nick Sanko (Virginia) (MFF)
Cons. Round 4 -
Dylan Weaver (Rutgers) won by fall over Cam Picklo (Oklahoma) (Fall 0:42)
Cons. Round 5 - Alejandro Herrera-Rondon (Oklahoma) won by fall over
Dylan Weaver (Rutgers) (Fall 0:55)
Connor O'Neill (165)
Champ. Round 1 - Connor O`Neill (Rutgers) received a bye () (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 - Dan Braunagel (Illinois) won by major decision over Connor O`Neill (Rutgers) (Maj 14-4)
Cons. Round 2 - Blaine Bergey (Princeton) won by decision over Connor O`Neill (Rutgers) (Dec 8-3)
Luke Gayer (165)
Champ. Round 1 -
Luke Gayer (Rutgers) received a bye () (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 -
Luke Gayer (Rutgers) won by major decision over Ryan Vedner (UW-Whitewater) (Maj 8-0)
Champ. Round 3 - Dean Hamiti (Wisconsin) won by fall over
Luke Gayer (Rutgers) (Fall 5:32)
Cons. Round 4 -
Luke Gayer (Rutgers) won by major decision over Bradley Gillum (SIU Edwardsville) (Maj 8-0)
Cons. Round 5 - Lucas Revano (Penn) won by decision over
Luke Gayer (Rutgers) (Dec 6-3)
Jackson Turley (174)
Champ. Round 1 - James Rowley (Wisconsin) won by decision over
Jackson Turley (Rutgers) (Dec 7-1)
Cons. Round 1 -
Jackson Turley (Rutgers) won by decision over Ankha Enkhmandakh (Northwestern) (Dec 10-7)
Cons. Round 2 - Scott Joll (West Virginia) won by major decision over
Jackson Turley (Rutgers) (Maj 15-2)
Brian Soldano (184)
Champ. Round 1 -
Brian Soldano (Rutgers) won by major decision over Tyler Kocak (George Mason) (Maj 9-1)
Champ. Round 2 -
Brian Soldano (Rutgers) won by decision over Maximus Hale (Penn) (Dec 4-3)
Champ. Round 3 -
Brian Soldano (Rutgers) won by fall over Shane Moran (Omega Training Center) (Fall 2:30)
Quarterfinal -
Brian Soldano (Rutgers) won by fall over Evan Bates (Northwestern) (Fall 3:54)
Boone McDermott (HWT)
Champ. Round 1 - Boone Mcdermott (Rutgers) won by decision over Daniel Bucknavich (Cleveland State) (Dec 5-3)
Champ. Round 2 - Boone Mcdermott (Rutgers) won by decision over Ryan Boersma (Missouri) (Dec 4-1)
Quarterfinal - Trent Hillger (Wisconsin) won by decision over Boone Mcdermott (Rutgers) (Dec 6-0)
John O'Donnell (HWT)
Champ. Round 1 - Peter Christensen (Wisconsin) won by decision over John O`Donnell (Rutgers) (Dec 2-0)
Cons. Round 1 - Vincenzo Pelusi (Franklin & Marshall) won by decision over John O`Donnell (Rutgers) (Dec 2-1)
