We’re moving forward here in Tulsa. After a brief respite from the action, we’re back on the mats for the round of 16 and consolation matches. And we’re here to blog it all for you LIVE and in real time from the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
March 16-18 Resumes yesterday at 16:00 UTC
2023 NCAA Championships Watch Party
It’s raining here in Tulsa but still a great night for NCAA wrestling in my opinion!
A stunning second rendition of the national anthem and we’re minutes away.
What are you saying ? Don’t like blogging, just want the results? Ok great, here is a link to just the results, no blog. Go see them and ignore this blog. It’s fine, I’ll get over it.
Round of 16
125 pounds
A minute into the round, Spencer Lee leads Michigan’s Jack Medley 10-0. And it’s a 16-0 techfall for Spencer Lee. He’s pretty good.
Wyoming’s Jore Volk and Killian Cardinale in a battle of the 21 and 28 seeds respectively, although Cardinale is seeded 14th. Cardinale showing no signs of injury which has slowed him down this season and 5-1 after 2 periods. Cardinale will make the decision and is one game away from his second AA medal.
Lock Haven’s Noto is technically the highest seed to Wisconcin’s Barnett, the Badger All-American is ranked higher at No. 6 through No. 10. It’s 3-3 in third. Barnett escapes to make it 4-3 in his favor at the end of the third but Noto gets the withdrawal in the dying seconds to advance to the quarter-finals.
Jarrett Trombley and Matt Ramos in overtime, 4-4. A few scrambles are about to score for each wrestler, but the score stays even and it’s on to the tiebreakers. Trombley has Boilermakers fans sweating but number 4 Matt Ramos survives the quarters.
Nebraska’s Liam Cronin, the No. 3 seed who has never AA’d, advances to quarterbacks over UMD’s Braxton Brown.
Glory leads Ungar 4-0 and pours it over rival EIWA. The Princeton Tiger smooths the Cornellian to win by major.
Brandon Courtney ends Jack Wagner’s Cinderella offer. The Sun Devil defeats the Tar Heel by regular decision.
Notable consolation results
Northwestern’s 4th and 12th seeded Mike DeAugustino wins to eliminate App State’s 5th and 11th seeded Caleb Smith.
133 pounds
#1 Roman Bravo-Young continues his march to number three. UTC’s Brayden Palmer made it work but RBY took the win without too much trouble.
NC State’s Kai Orine takes on CSU-Bakersfield’s sole representative, Chance Rich. Orine takes it by major and does the Iguana Tongue Celebration (I guess) to the sizable contingent of Wolfpack present.
UPSET ALERT: #19 Eddie Ventresca knocks out #7 and two-time All-AMerican Pat McKee. This is where McKee thrives though, in the consolation bracket. He was eliminated early in the last two NCAAs in which he placed 3rd and 5th.
One of the most anticipated fights of the tournament, at least after the 133-pound bracket update once Lehigh’s McGonagle was scratched, begins, as ASU’s Michael McGee takes on Ohio State’s Jesse Mendez. McGee never lets Mendez reach his offense and beats the rookie 6-2.
Red hot Aaron Nagao has Pitt’s Mickey Phillippi, a three-time Bloodrounder looking for his first trip to the medal round in his final year of eligibility. And Nagao goes into beast mode, driving through a scramble and getting two sets of near drops before securing the drop.
Vito Arujau drives up the score on Zach Redding, at least in two periods.
Daton Fix, a three-time NCAA finalist who really wants to add a title to this list of accolades, quickly takes the lead in the arena closest to his hometown of Sand Springs, Oklahoma. And it’s an 8-4 win for Fix, his 100th win of his college career, stat courtesy of arena announcer Bryan Hazard. That’s a lot of wins!
Sam Latona, Virginia Tech All-American through Alabama, scores another close victory, this time 2-1 on driving time, over Air Force Cody Phippen.
Illinois’ Lucas Byrd beats Penn’s Michael Colaiocco in a slight upset, 10th seeded 11th over 7th seeded 6th.
141 pounds
Cole Matthews of Pitt (and sponsored by Primanti Brothers) takes the first weight class win with a 1-0 win over Cael Happel.
NC State’s Ryan Jack via Connecticut leads Purdue’s Parker Filius via Montana in a battle of two wrestlers from states that aren’t often heavily represented in the NCAA. And Filius gets the win from behind – late UPSET ALERT – and Purdue advances their second wrestler to the quarterfinals.
Real Woods was nearly bowled over by Ohio State’s Dylan D’Emilio, but Iowan narrowly escaped, much to the approval of Hawkeye fans and the disapproval of nearly everyone in the arena.