Three Buckeyes Will Wrestle In Big Ten Semifinal Matches Saturday Night
3/5/2022 5:14:18 PM | General, Wrestling
LINCOLN, Neb. – Ohio State advanced three wrestlers to the semifinal round of the 2022 Big Ten championships Saturday after the first session of the event in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Sammy Sasso (149), Carson Kharchla (165) and Kaleb Romero (184) will wrestle Saturday evening for a chance to advance to the finals Sunday in their respective weight classes. In the team standings, the Buckeyes currently sit in sixth place with 33.0 points.
Malik Heinselman (125), Dylan D’Emilio (141), Bryce Hepner (157), Ethan Smith (174), Gavin Hoffman (197) and Tate Orndorff (285) all won their first matches before falling in the quarterfinal round. All will will continue to wrestle with a chance to finish as high as third when competition resumes Saturday evening and Sunday morning.
2022 Big Ten Wrestling Championships – Session One (3/5/22)
125 | (4) Malik Heinselman (OSU) def. (13) Jerimiah Reno (NEB) | MD, 10-1
Heinselman scored first with a takedown midway through the first period. He then added a four-point near fall to lead 6-0 after three minutes. An escape to start the second and a late takedown added another three points to make it 9-0 with two minutes left in the match. With a point for riding time, Heinselman won by major decision, 10-1.
125 | (5) Devin Schroder (PUR) def. (4) Malik Heinselman (OSU) | D, 3-1
Neither wrestler was able to put points on the board in the first two periods. Schroder took the lead with an escape to start the third and then earned a takedown to go up 3-0. Heinselman was awarded a point for locked hands but lost by decision, 3-1
133 | (3) Lucas Byrd (ILL) def. (14) Dylan Koontz (OSU) | D, 6-2
Byrd scored first with Koontz earning a quick escape to end the first with Illinois leading 2-1. Byrd added three points with an escape and takedown in the second to lead 5-1 heading to the third. Koontz managed an escape in the third to end the bout with a loss by decision, 6-2.
133 | (11) Kyle Burwick (WIS) def. (14) Dylan Koontz (OSU) | TF, 19-0 (4:46)
141 | (7) Dylan D’Emilio (OSU) def. (10) Frankie Tai Shahar (NU) | D, 7-1
There was no score before Tai Shahar earned an escape to start the second period. That was the only score until D’Emilio tied the bout with an escape in the third. After a scramble, D’Emilio scored the first takedown of the match and then added a four point near fall to win 7-1 by decision.
141 | (2) Jaydin Eierman (IOWA) def. (7) Dylan D’Emilio (OSU) | D, 10-3
Eierman took a 6-2 lead into the second with three takedowns and two D’Emilio escapes. Eierman added an escape in the third followed a takedown then finished off the match for the win by decision, 10-3.
149 | (1) Sammy Sasso (OSU) Bye
149| (1) Sammy Sasso (OSU) def. (9) Graham Rooks (IND) | D, 6-3
Sasso got on the board first in the quarterfinal match with a takedown in the first. A Rooks escape make it 2-1 Buckeyes headed into the second. Sasso escaped to start the second to go up 3-1 and added a takedown to lead 5-2 after two. Rooks escaped in the third but Sasso held on for the 5-6 win by decision, advancing to the semifinals.
157 | (9) Bryce Hepner (OSU) def. (8) Robert Kanniard (RUT) | D, 10-6
Kanniard posted the first points with a takedown early in the first period. Hepner escaped, added a takedown an a four-point near fall to take a 7-2 lead. Kanniard added a takedown to send the match into the third with the Buckeyes leading 7-4. Hepner escaped to start the third and added a takedown and maintained the lead in a win by decision, 10-6.
157 | (1) Ryan Deakin (NU) def. (9) Bryce Hepner (OSU) | Fall, 4:14
Hepner fell behind 2-1 on a Deakin takedown and escape. Deakin added another takedown to lead 4-1 after three minutes. Deakin added a point and a takedown early in the third and went on to win by fall.
165 | (1) Carson Kharchla (OSU) Bye
165 | (1) Carson Kharchla (OSU) def. (8) Clayton Wilson (NEB) | D, 7-2
Kharchla started his first Big Ten Championship match with a pair of first period takedowns to lead 4-1 after three minutes. Wilson escaped to start the second and Kharchla opened the third with a reversal to take a 6-2 lead and win by decision 7-2 to advance to the semifinals.
174 | (5) Ethan Smith (OSU) def. (12) Nick South (IND) | D, 6-4
Smith scored the early takedown followed by a South escape. Smith added a reversal and a takedown in the second. Leading 6-4 in the third, Smith held on for the win by decision.
174 | (4) Michael Kemerer (IOWA) def. (5) Ethan Smith (OSU) | D, 5-4
Smith opened his bid for a trip to the semifinals trailing Kemerer 2-1 after the first period. Smith tied the match at 2-all with an escape to start the second and added another to take a 3-2 lead. Kemerer tied the match and took the lead with an escape and takedown and held on for the 5-4 win by decision.
184 | (3) Kaleb Romero (OSU) def. (14) Jack Jessen (NU) | MD, 18-5
A quick takedown in the first put Romero in the lead 2-1. Two more takedowns made it 6-2 Buckeyes after the second. Romero escaped to start the third and added several more takedowns to win by major decision, 18-5.
184 | (3) Kaleb Romero (OSU) def. (11) Christopher Weiler (WIS) | MD, 10-1
Romero led 2-0 after the first period on a takedown midway through the period. He added another takedown to start the second and after a Weiler escape, took him down again for a 6-1 lead. Romero escaped, added a takedown and a point for riding time for a 10-1 win by major decision to secure a trip to the semifinals.
197 | (9) Gavin Hoffman (OSU) def. (8) Braxton Amos (WIS) | SV-1, 7-5
There was no points scored in the first before Amos escaped to start the second and added a point for stalling and then a takedown to lead 4-0 heading into the third. Hoffman escaped and tied the match with a pair of takedowns to send the match into sudden victory tied at 5-all. In overtime, Hoffman scored the takedown to win by decision, 7-5.
197 | (1) Eric Schultz (NEB) def. (9) Gavin Hoffman (OSU) | D, 3-1
There was no score in the first period. Schultz escaped and added a takedown in the second to take a 3-0 lead. Hoffman escaped to start the third but fell by decision, 3-1.
285 | (8) Tate Orndorff (OSU) def. (9) Luke Luffman (ILL) | D, 3-2
Orndorff fell behind 1-0 on an Illinois escape to start the second period. The Buckeyes went up briefly on a takedown before a Luffman escape made it 2-all with two minutes remaining in the match. Ordorff escaped to take the lead and held on to win by decision, 3-2.
285 | (1) Gable Steveson (MINN) def. (8) Tate Orndorff (OSU) | TF, 20-5 (3:49)
Steveson scored an early takedown and then a pair of two-point near falls along with another takedown for a quick 8-1 lead. The reining Olympic champion entered the second period with a 14-3 advantage. He then closed out the match to win by technical fall, 20-5.
