Wrestling: Mountaineers Face Ranked Illinois Squad
January 07, 2011 07:58 PM | General
MORGANTOWN, W. Va. – After a two-week break from competition over the holidays, the West Virginia University wrestling team returns to action as it travels to No.8-ranked Illinois to battle the Fighting Illini on Fri., Jan. 7, at 7 p.m. CST.
The Illini are the second of three schools from the Big 10 Conference that the Mountaineers will face this season as they were defeated by Penn State in November and will face Michigan State next week in the inaugural “Beauty and the Beast” event on Fri., Jan. 14.
WVU will look to improve on its 3-3 record in dual meets this season as it has not competed in a dual meet since the Sprawl & Brawl Duals in Vestal, N.Y., back on Nov. 21 when the Mountaineers defeated Sacred Heart, 41-0, before falling to No. 24 Rutgers, 14-25, and the No. 6 Nittany Lions, 3-40.
“Illinois has a very balanced, strong lineup this year,” says WVU coach Craig Turnbull. “They probably have a similar strength to Penn State, who we were beaten by earlier this year. In order for us to do well against them, we will need to have the guys turn in their personal best performances.”
Coming off a fourth-place finish at the Reno Tournament of Champions on Dec. 19, No. 23-ranked sophomore Shane Young (18-6) will go up against Illini freshman Logan Arlis (8-9) in the 125-pound class. In Reno, Young went 7-2 overall, including a win over No. 17 Aaron Kalil of Navy, before being defeated in the championship bouts.
Redshirt freshman Nathan Pennesi (16-3), ranked No. 14 in the country at 133 pounds, will once again face Illinois’ No. 5 B.J. Futrell as Futrell defeated Pennesi by decision, 5-6, at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Dec. 4. The Latrobe, Pa., native is coming off a second-place finish in Reno after falling to No.2-ranked Andrew Hochstrasser of Boise in the championship round. He was recently named the EWL Wrestler of the Week on Dec. 20.
At 141 pounds, WVU freshman Michael Morales (9-7) will face a formidable opponent in Illinois’ No. 2-ranked senior Jimmy Kennedy (10-1), a two-time All-American before redshirting last season.
Redshirt senior Brandon Rader (5-6) will look to avenge a defeat to the Illini’s No.7-ranked Eric Terrazas (15-3) from the Las Vegas tournament on Dec. 3.
“We do have a sense of how balanced their team is,” Turnbull says. “This schedule was not put together for my win-loss record or the team’s win-loss record, but to make sure that we stress to our guys that they need to be at their best by the end of the year. In order to do that, they must wrestle against the best out there.”
Making his first appearance since the Sprawl & Brawl Duals, redshirt junior Christian Mory (5-2) will travel with the team to compete at the 174-pound class after beating out teammate Matt Weston in a wrestle-off for the starting position this past week in practice. He will face Illinois’ No. 8 Jordan Blanton (6-3).
At 184 pounds, WVU redshirt junior Matt Ryan (11-3) also hopes to overcome a prior defeat to the Illini’s No. 17-ranked Tony Dallago (11-7) from the Las Vegas Invitational. Dallago defeated Ryan by fall in 2:44 on Dec. 3.
Senior Kyle Rooney (197 pounds) will face Illinois’ No. 20 Mario Gonzalez (9-2) before WVU heavyweight Philip Mandzik (7-11) hopes to redeem a 0-6 decision loss to the Illini’s Patrick Walker (6-6) from the Las Vegas tournament.
The Mountaineers were defeated last season by Illinois at the Sprawl & Brawl Duals by a score of 15-23.
“Our expectation is for us to go out there ready to battle and win as many of these weight classes as we can and put ourselves in a position to win,” Turnbull says. “This match is very valuable and important to us; if we continue to improve, we will be much better prepared for the end of the season.”
Live streaming of the meet can be seen at http://www.fightingillini.com/allaccess/?media=219689
WVU vs. No. 8 Illinois
125: No. 23 Shane Young, So. (18-6) vs. Logan Arlis, Fr. (8-9)
133: No. 14 Nathan Pennesi, r-Fr. (16-3) vs. No. 5 B.J. Futrell, So. (15-3)
141: Michael Morales, Fr. (9-7) vs. No. 2 Jimmy Kennedy, Sr. (10-1)
149: Brandon Rader, r-Sr. (5-6) vs. No. 7 Eric Terrazas, Jr. (15-3)
157: Ryan Goodman, r-Jr. (9-9) vs. Kyle Dooley, So. (7-6)
165: Donnie Jones, r-Sr. (8-3) vs. Conrad Polz, So. (5-5)
174: Christian Mory, r-Jr. (5-2) vs. No. 8 Jordan Blanton, Jr. (6-3)
184: Matt Ryan, r-Jr. (11-3) vs. No. 17 Tony Dallago, r-Fr. (11-7)
197: Kyle Rooney, Sr. (5-5) vs. No. 20 Mario Gonzalez, r-Fr. (9-2)
HWT: Philip Mandzik, Jr. (7-11) vs. Pat Walker, So. (6-6)
The Illini are the second of three schools from the Big 10 Conference that the Mountaineers will face this season as they were defeated by Penn State in November and will face Michigan State next week in the inaugural “Beauty and the Beast” event on Fri., Jan. 14.
WVU will look to improve on its 3-3 record in dual meets this season as it has not competed in a dual meet since the Sprawl & Brawl Duals in Vestal, N.Y., back on Nov. 21 when the Mountaineers defeated Sacred Heart, 41-0, before falling to No. 24 Rutgers, 14-25, and the No. 6 Nittany Lions, 3-40.
“Illinois has a very balanced, strong lineup this year,” says WVU coach Craig Turnbull. “They probably have a similar strength to Penn State, who we were beaten by earlier this year. In order for us to do well against them, we will need to have the guys turn in their personal best performances.”
Coming off a fourth-place finish at the Reno Tournament of Champions on Dec. 19, No. 23-ranked sophomore Shane Young (18-6) will go up against Illini freshman Logan Arlis (8-9) in the 125-pound class. In Reno, Young went 7-2 overall, including a win over No. 17 Aaron Kalil of Navy, before being defeated in the championship bouts.
Redshirt freshman Nathan Pennesi (16-3), ranked No. 14 in the country at 133 pounds, will once again face Illinois’ No. 5 B.J. Futrell as Futrell defeated Pennesi by decision, 5-6, at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Dec. 4. The Latrobe, Pa., native is coming off a second-place finish in Reno after falling to No.2-ranked Andrew Hochstrasser of Boise in the championship round. He was recently named the EWL Wrestler of the Week on Dec. 20.
At 141 pounds, WVU freshman Michael Morales (9-7) will face a formidable opponent in Illinois’ No. 2-ranked senior Jimmy Kennedy (10-1), a two-time All-American before redshirting last season.
Redshirt senior Brandon Rader (5-6) will look to avenge a defeat to the Illini’s No.7-ranked Eric Terrazas (15-3) from the Las Vegas tournament on Dec. 3.
“We do have a sense of how balanced their team is,” Turnbull says. “This schedule was not put together for my win-loss record or the team’s win-loss record, but to make sure that we stress to our guys that they need to be at their best by the end of the year. In order to do that, they must wrestle against the best out there.”
Making his first appearance since the Sprawl & Brawl Duals, redshirt junior Christian Mory (5-2) will travel with the team to compete at the 174-pound class after beating out teammate Matt Weston in a wrestle-off for the starting position this past week in practice. He will face Illinois’ No. 8 Jordan Blanton (6-3).
At 184 pounds, WVU redshirt junior Matt Ryan (11-3) also hopes to overcome a prior defeat to the Illini’s No. 17-ranked Tony Dallago (11-7) from the Las Vegas Invitational. Dallago defeated Ryan by fall in 2:44 on Dec. 3.
Senior Kyle Rooney (197 pounds) will face Illinois’ No. 20 Mario Gonzalez (9-2) before WVU heavyweight Philip Mandzik (7-11) hopes to redeem a 0-6 decision loss to the Illini’s Patrick Walker (6-6) from the Las Vegas tournament.
The Mountaineers were defeated last season by Illinois at the Sprawl & Brawl Duals by a score of 15-23.
“Our expectation is for us to go out there ready to battle and win as many of these weight classes as we can and put ourselves in a position to win,” Turnbull says. “This match is very valuable and important to us; if we continue to improve, we will be much better prepared for the end of the season.”
Live streaming of the meet can be seen at http://www.fightingillini.com/allaccess/?media=219689
WVU vs. No. 8 Illinois
125: No. 23 Shane Young, So. (18-6) vs. Logan Arlis, Fr. (8-9)
133: No. 14 Nathan Pennesi, r-Fr. (16-3) vs. No. 5 B.J. Futrell, So. (15-3)
141: Michael Morales, Fr. (9-7) vs. No. 2 Jimmy Kennedy, Sr. (10-1)
149: Brandon Rader, r-Sr. (5-6) vs. No. 7 Eric Terrazas, Jr. (15-3)
157: Ryan Goodman, r-Jr. (9-9) vs. Kyle Dooley, So. (7-6)
165: Donnie Jones, r-Sr. (8-3) vs. Conrad Polz, So. (5-5)
174: Christian Mory, r-Jr. (5-2) vs. No. 8 Jordan Blanton, Jr. (6-3)
184: Matt Ryan, r-Jr. (11-3) vs. No. 17 Tony Dallago, r-Fr. (11-7)
197: Kyle Rooney, Sr. (5-5) vs. No. 20 Mario Gonzalez, r-Fr. (9-2)
HWT: Philip Mandzik, Jr. (7-11) vs. Pat Walker, So. (6-6)
Gold-Blue Spring Festival Fan Recap
Sunday, April 19
John Neider | April 18
Saturday, April 18
Coach Zac Alley | April 18
Saturday, April 18
Coach Rich Rodriguez | April 18
Saturday, April 18
