EAST LANSING, Mich. — Two Northwestern wrestlers have punched their ticket to the NCAA Championships — and to the Big Ten Championships semifinals — in Session I at the Breslin Center on Saturday afternoon.
Ryan Deakin (149) and Johnny Sebastian (174) both won both of their bouts in the early-tournament action, ensuing that neither grappler could finish any worse than sixth place, thereby ensuring they meet the NCAA qualifying allocation.
For Sebastian, it is his second-straight trip to the NCAA Championships. It is the first trip in the first try for the redshirt first-year Deakin.
Deakin will face Iowa's Brandon Sorensen in the evening session, while Sebastian will face Penn State's Mark Hall.
Additionally, seven Wildcats are still alive in consolation competition and will all wrestle in Session II. Also, Michael Sepke (165) will continue to wrestle in an additional bracket to determine additional placewinners for NCAA Championships qualification purposes.
FIRST ROUND
First year Sebastian Rivera (125), seeded fourth in the tournament, started Northwestern's day off with an 8-2 decision over (13) Brandon Cray of Maryland.
The next Wildcat win came from (3) Ryan Deakin, (149) who pinned Indiana's AJ Raya in 1:37. For Deakin, it was his second-straight pin over his Hoosier opponent, winning by fall also in NU's dual on February 11.
The Wildcats picked up another pin from (5) Johnny Sebastian (174), who narrowly escaped a time crunch in the second period to pin Illinois' David Riojas in 3:58.
For the second-straight season, (6) Conan Jennings (285) topped a Nebraska Jensen in the first round of the Big Ten Championships. After topping Collin Jensen in the first round last season, he beat his brother, David, via 2-0 decision to advance into the Big Ten Championships quarterfinals.
QUARTERFINALS
Rivera started off the Wildcats off with a neck-and-neck battle at 125 lbs., but fell to Ethan Lizak of Minnesota. The redshirt first-year posted a late-time takedown of the Golden Gopher, but Lizak carried the riding time advantage to win, 3-2.
Deakin faced Rutgers' Eleazar Deluca for the second time this season and recorded another victory, this time a major decision. Deakin controlled the bout from start-to-finish, and won, 11-1 to advance to the semifinals for a highly anticipated reprise with Iowa's Brandon Sorensen.
At 174 lbs., Sebastian's bout with Purdue's Dylan Lydy, the No. 4 seed, was essentially decided with a late-second period stalling call against the Boilermaker. Sebastian notched a third period stalling that was the difference for the 2-1 win.
Finally, Penn State's Nick Nevills, the No. 3 seed in the tournament, defeated (6) Conan Jennings, 5-0, at heavyweight.
CONSOLATIONS
Northwestern's only consolation bout in the first session was Michael Sepke (165), who lost a 12-6 decision to Indiana's Bryce Martin.
WHAT NEXT
Session II will begin at 5 p.m. CT from the Breslin Center and will include the semifinals and two rounds of consolations.
Session I Results
First Round
125: (4) Sebastian Rivera (NU) dec. (13) Brandon Cray (MD), 8-2
133: (3) Mitch McKee (MINN) Fall Colin Valdiviez (NU), 1:55
141: (3) Michael Carr (ILL) maj. dec. Alec McKenna (NU), 10-2
149: (3) Ryan Deakin (NU) Fall (14) AJ Raya (IND), 1:37
157: (5) Tyler Berger (NEB) dec. Shayne Oster (NU), 8-3
165: (3) Vincenzo Joseph (PSU) Fall (14) Michael Sepke (NU), 3:39
174: (5) Johnny Sebastian (NU) Fall David Riojas (ILL), 3:58
184: (8) Brandon Krone (MINN) dec. Mitch Sliga (NU), 6-5
197: (7) Zack Chakonis (NU) received a BYE
285: (6) Conan Jennings (NU) dec. David Jensen (NEB), 2-0
Quarterfinals
125: (5) Ethan Lizak (MINN) dec. (4) Sebastian Rivera, 3-2
149: (3) Ryan Deakin (NU) maj. dec. (6) Eleazar Deluca (RUT), 11-1
174: (5) Johnny Sebastian (NU) dec. (4) Dylan Lydy (PUR), 2-1
285: (3) Nick Nevills (PSU) dec. (6) Conan Jennings (NU), 5-0
Consolation – First Round
165: (11) Bryce Martin (IND) dec. (14) Michael Sepke (NU), 12-6
Ryan Deakin (149) and Johnny Sebastian (174) both won both of their bouts in the early-tournament action, ensuing that neither grappler could finish any worse than sixth place, thereby ensuring they meet the NCAA qualifying allocation.
For Sebastian, it is his second-straight trip to the NCAA Championships. It is the first trip in the first try for the redshirt first-year Deakin.
Deakin will face Iowa's Brandon Sorensen in the evening session, while Sebastian will face Penn State's Mark Hall.
Additionally, seven Wildcats are still alive in consolation competition and will all wrestle in Session II. Also, Michael Sepke (165) will continue to wrestle in an additional bracket to determine additional placewinners for NCAA Championships qualification purposes.
FIRST ROUND
First year Sebastian Rivera (125), seeded fourth in the tournament, started Northwestern's day off with an 8-2 decision over (13) Brandon Cray of Maryland.
The next Wildcat win came from (3) Ryan Deakin, (149) who pinned Indiana's AJ Raya in 1:37. For Deakin, it was his second-straight pin over his Hoosier opponent, winning by fall also in NU's dual on February 11.
The Wildcats picked up another pin from (5) Johnny Sebastian (174), who narrowly escaped a time crunch in the second period to pin Illinois' David Riojas in 3:58.
For the second-straight season, (6) Conan Jennings (285) topped a Nebraska Jensen in the first round of the Big Ten Championships. After topping Collin Jensen in the first round last season, he beat his brother, David, via 2-0 decision to advance into the Big Ten Championships quarterfinals.
QUARTERFINALS
Rivera started off the Wildcats off with a neck-and-neck battle at 125 lbs., but fell to Ethan Lizak of Minnesota. The redshirt first-year posted a late-time takedown of the Golden Gopher, but Lizak carried the riding time advantage to win, 3-2.
Deakin faced Rutgers' Eleazar Deluca for the second time this season and recorded another victory, this time a major decision. Deakin controlled the bout from start-to-finish, and won, 11-1 to advance to the semifinals for a highly anticipated reprise with Iowa's Brandon Sorensen.
At 174 lbs., Sebastian's bout with Purdue's Dylan Lydy, the No. 4 seed, was essentially decided with a late-second period stalling call against the Boilermaker. Sebastian notched a third period stalling that was the difference for the 2-1 win.
Finally, Penn State's Nick Nevills, the No. 3 seed in the tournament, defeated (6) Conan Jennings, 5-0, at heavyweight.
CONSOLATIONS
Northwestern's only consolation bout in the first session was Michael Sepke (165), who lost a 12-6 decision to Indiana's Bryce Martin.
WHAT NEXT
Session II will begin at 5 p.m. CT from the Breslin Center and will include the semifinals and two rounds of consolations.
Session I Results
First Round
125: (4) Sebastian Rivera (NU) dec. (13) Brandon Cray (MD), 8-2
133: (3) Mitch McKee (MINN) Fall Colin Valdiviez (NU), 1:55
141: (3) Michael Carr (ILL) maj. dec. Alec McKenna (NU), 10-2
149: (3) Ryan Deakin (NU) Fall (14) AJ Raya (IND), 1:37
157: (5) Tyler Berger (NEB) dec. Shayne Oster (NU), 8-3
165: (3) Vincenzo Joseph (PSU) Fall (14) Michael Sepke (NU), 3:39
174: (5) Johnny Sebastian (NU) Fall David Riojas (ILL), 3:58
184: (8) Brandon Krone (MINN) dec. Mitch Sliga (NU), 6-5
197: (7) Zack Chakonis (NU) received a BYE
285: (6) Conan Jennings (NU) dec. David Jensen (NEB), 2-0
Quarterfinals
125: (5) Ethan Lizak (MINN) dec. (4) Sebastian Rivera, 3-2
149: (3) Ryan Deakin (NU) maj. dec. (6) Eleazar Deluca (RUT), 11-1
174: (5) Johnny Sebastian (NU) dec. (4) Dylan Lydy (PUR), 2-1
285: (3) Nick Nevills (PSU) dec. (6) Conan Jennings (NU), 5-0
Consolation – First Round
165: (11) Bryce Martin (IND) dec. (14) Michael Sepke (NU), 12-6