Things looked different for Illinois (6-0) when it visited SIUE (1-2) Saturday for the annual Cougar Clash. None of Illinois’ regular starters competed, and several wrestlers made their collegiate debut. The starters had competed just the day before when they dominated No. 28 Indiana (4-1) 34-3 in the Big Ten opener. Despite the lineup changes, the Illini still managed to put up a solid showing, highlighted by three top-six finishes.
Match highlights
The action kicked off in Edwardsville with 125-pound freshman Joey Ruzic. Ruzic showed some promise, winning his first dual 5-4 against SIUE’s 125-pound sophomore Deion Johnson. But Illinois was outmatched in the quarterfinal by Minnesota’s 125-pound redshirt junior Cooper Flynn, who led the weight class.
After back-to-back Round 1 losses by 133-pound redshirt sophomore Brian Beers and 141-pound freshman Jackson Herman, the Illini started to turn things around. 149-pound redshirt senior Jake Harrier’s experience proved valuable as he pulled out three wins. It was good enough for No. 5 in his weight class.
Momentum carried for the Illini as 157-pound freshman Ryan Bennett followed Harrier’s performance with another three wins and finished No. 6. The Illini had two wrestlers compete in the 157-pound class, with redshirt sophomore Charlie Fifield joining Bennett. Both wrestlers were eliminated by Missouri’s 157-pound redshirt sophomore James Conway, who previously fell to Illinois’ starting 157-pound graduate student Jason Kraisser in the Illini’s upset of No. 6 Mizzou on Nov. 21.
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At the 184-pound class, redshirt junior Dylan Connell started strong with a 5-1 win against Bellarmine’s 184-pound redshirt freshman Jack Ring. He then lost 10-2 in a tough matchup to 184-pound senior Branson Britten of Arkansas-Little Rock in the quarterfinals. Connell bounced back in the consolation bracket to secure Illinois’ third top-six finish.
Heavyweight 285-pound freshman Marko Ivanisevic struggled in his collegiate debut and dropped two close matchups. One was to NIU’s 285-pound redshirt junior Jacob Christensen, 4-2, and the second loss was to SIUE’s 285-pound redshirt sophomore Bryson Buhk, 5-2. Despite the losses, both duals were kept tightly contested throughout.
Rising stars signal promising future
With all their starters absent, the Illini gave fans a first glimpse of the future at the Cougar Clash. Four freshmen made their collegiate debuts and provided a fresh look at the talent to come for the Illini. The starters consist of five redshirt seniors, a graduate student and a mix of juniors.
Ruzic showed promise with his opening win. The former two-time IHSA state champion competed in the 125-pound class on Saturday despite originally being listed as a 133-pounder coming into college. It will be interesting to see how he transitions to this weight class and whether it becomes permanent.
On the other hand, Bennett competed in a weight class that weighed 149 pounds to 157 pounds. The freshman was much more successful and won his three duals. Bennett was the No. 78 ranked recruit in the nation last year and Illinois’ second-highest commitment. He showed flashes of this potential Saturday, sparking Illini high hopes from fans.
The other freshmen, Ivanisevic and Herman, faced tough competition at the Cougar Clash. They each failed to win a match in their respective weight classes, but the experience was most important. Both will have opportunities to prove themselves again in the future.
What’s next?
After a successful weekend that included a 34-3 demolition of No. 28 Indiana and a solid showing at the Cougar Clash, Illinois wrestlers now have about a month off before facing No. 7 Ohio State in Champaign on Jan. 10. The Illini only have ranked Big Ten opponents remaining on the schedule as they try to stay undefeated.
