Finals matchups are set at Midlands Championships
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by Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
Iowa’s Cory Clark wins a wild 7-6 match against Jarrod Garnett in the Midlands semifinals at 133 pounds on Tuesday afternoon. Mark Lundy photo.
EVANSTON, Ill. – Iowa’s Cory Clark was not going to be denied.
Clark had dropped Midlands semifinals matches to Jarrod Garnett in 2012 and 2013, but he was determined to make sure it didn’t happen a third time.
Clark won a wild scramble where he came out on top for a takedown in the final seconds to edge Garnett 7-6 in the semifinals of the Midlands Championships on Tuesday afternoon at Northwestern’s Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Clark had lost by scores of 10-6 and 10-8 to Garnett, an assistant coach at Lehigh, the previous two seasons in the Midlands semis at 125. Both wrestlers moved up to 133 this year.
Iowa has clinched its 24th Midlands team title and has 173 points entering the finals. Iowa has four wrestlers in the finals. Illinois is second with 125.5 and Northwestern third with 102.
The Midlands finals are scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be televised live on the Big Ten Network.
Illinois sophomore Zane Richards, the No. 4 seed, knocked off No. 1 A.J. Schopp of Edinboro 1-0 in the 133-pound semifinals.
Schopp, lethal in the top position, chose top in the second period but Richards escaped to lead 1-0 entering the final period. Richards chose neutral in the third and Schopp was unable to score a takedown in the final two minutes.
Returning champion Mike Evans of Iowa took control in the second period to top three-time NAIA national champion Brock Gutches of Southern Oregon 4-0 in the 174 semis.
Evans escaped to start the second period and then slipped under a Gutches headlock attempt for a takedown to lead 3-0. Evans then rode Gutches out in the final period to add a riding-time point.
Returning champion and No. 1 seed Thomas Gilman of Iowa rallied for a 4-3 win over Northwestern redshirt Stevan Micic in the 125-pound semifinals.
Micic struck quickly on an early leg attack for a takedown. Gilman trailed 3-2 before spinning behind Micic for a takedown with just under a minute left. Gilman then rode Micic out to earn the victory.
Gilman will meet No. 2 seed Joey Dance of Virginia Tech in the finals. Dance was fourth at the 2014 NCAA tournament.
Iowa has a fourth finalist in 2013 Midlands runner-up Bobby Telford at 285. Iowa’s Nathan Burak, competing unattached, reached the finals at 197.
Top seed and returning champion Mitchell Port of Edinboro downed Old Dominion’s Chris Mecate 11-7 in the 141 semis. Port will face No. 2 seed and 2014 NCAA runner-up Devin Carter of Virginia Tech in the finals.
2014 NCAA champion Jason Tsirtsis of Northwestern outlasted Iowa’s Brody Grothus in the 149 semis. The match went through both overtime cycles and was tied 2-2, but Tsirtsis prevailed because of a five-second edge in riding time.
Top seed Isaiah Martinez of Illinois continued his strong tournament by landing a spot in the 157 finals.
Finals matchups
125 pounds
Thomas Gilman (Iowa) vs. Joey Dance (Virginia Tech)
133 pounds
Zane Richards (Illinois) vs. Cory Clark (Iowa)
141 pounds
Mitchell Port (Edinboro) vs. Devin Carter (Virginia Tech)
149 pounds
Jason Tsirtsis (Northwestern) vs. David Habat (Edinboro)
157 pounds
Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) vs. Cody Pack (South Dakota State)
165 pounds
Taylor Walsh (Indiana) vs. Pierce Harger (Northwestern)
174 pounds
Mike Evans (Iowa) vs. Zac Brunson (Illinois)
184 pounds
Lorenzo Thomas (Penn) vs. Jack Dechow (Old Dominion)
197 pounds
Nathan Burak (Iowa-Unattached) vs. Timmy McCall (Wisconsin)
285 pounds
Mike McMullan (Northwestern) vs. Bobby Telford (Iowa)
EVANSTON, Ill. – Iowa’s Cory Clark was not going to be denied.
Clark had dropped Midlands semifinals matches to Jarrod Garnett in 2012 and 2013, but he was determined to make sure it didn’t happen a third time.
Clark won a wild scramble where he came out on top for a takedown in the final seconds to edge Garnett 7-6 in the semifinals of the Midlands Championships on Tuesday afternoon at Northwestern’s Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Clark had lost by scores of 10-6 and 10-8 to Garnett, an assistant coach at Lehigh, the previous two seasons in the Midlands semis at 125. Both wrestlers moved up to 133 this year.
Iowa has clinched its 24th Midlands team title and has 173 points entering the finals. Iowa has four wrestlers in the finals. Illinois is second with 125.5 and Northwestern third with 102.
The Midlands finals are scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be televised live on the Big Ten Network.
Illinois sophomore Zane Richards, the No. 4 seed, knocked off No. 1 A.J. Schopp of Edinboro 1-0 in the 133-pound semifinals.
Schopp, lethal in the top position, chose top in the second period but Richards escaped to lead 1-0 entering the final period. Richards chose neutral in the third and Schopp was unable to score a takedown in the final two minutes.
Returning champion Mike Evans of Iowa took control in the second period to top three-time NAIA national champion Brock Gutches of Southern Oregon 4-0 in the 174 semis.
Evans escaped to start the second period and then slipped under a Gutches headlock attempt for a takedown to lead 3-0. Evans then rode Gutches out in the final period to add a riding-time point.
Returning champion and No. 1 seed Thomas Gilman of Iowa rallied for a 4-3 win over Northwestern redshirt Stevan Micic in the 125-pound semifinals.
Micic struck quickly on an early leg attack for a takedown. Gilman trailed 3-2 before spinning behind Micic for a takedown with just under a minute left. Gilman then rode Micic out to earn the victory.
Gilman will meet No. 2 seed Joey Dance of Virginia Tech in the finals. Dance was fourth at the 2014 NCAA tournament.
Iowa has a fourth finalist in 2013 Midlands runner-up Bobby Telford at 285. Iowa’s Nathan Burak, competing unattached, reached the finals at 197.
Top seed and returning champion Mitchell Port of Edinboro downed Old Dominion’s Chris Mecate 11-7 in the 141 semis. Port will face No. 2 seed and 2014 NCAA runner-up Devin Carter of Virginia Tech in the finals.
2014 NCAA champion Jason Tsirtsis of Northwestern outlasted Iowa’s Brody Grothus in the 149 semis. The match went through both overtime cycles and was tied 2-2, but Tsirtsis prevailed because of a five-second edge in riding time.
Top seed Isaiah Martinez of Illinois continued his strong tournament by landing a spot in the 157 finals.
Finals matchups
125 pounds
Thomas Gilman (Iowa) vs. Joey Dance (Virginia Tech)
133 pounds
Zane Richards (Illinois) vs. Cory Clark (Iowa)
141 pounds
Mitchell Port (Edinboro) vs. Devin Carter (Virginia Tech)
149 pounds
Jason Tsirtsis (Northwestern) vs. David Habat (Edinboro)
157 pounds
Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) vs. Cody Pack (South Dakota State)
165 pounds
Taylor Walsh (Indiana) vs. Pierce Harger (Northwestern)
174 pounds
Mike Evans (Iowa) vs. Zac Brunson (Illinois)
184 pounds
Lorenzo Thomas (Penn) vs. Jack Dechow (Old Dominion)
197 pounds
Nathan Burak (Iowa-Unattached) vs. Timmy McCall (Wisconsin)
285 pounds
Mike McMullan (Northwestern) vs. Bobby Telford (Iowa)
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