Illinois' top wrestlers advance

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By Jon Gremmels | Friday, March 21, 2008 12:57 AM CDT | () comments

20 March, 2008 -- Illinois' James Kennedy (red leg band) tangles with Bucknell's David Marble in the 133lb category during the first session of the NCAA wrestling championships at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo. Kennedy won the bout 12-2. Chris Lee | Post-Dispatch Buy this Photo

ST. LOUIS — Mike Poeta had to wait around all day for his first match at the NCAA Wrestling Championships. When he finally stepped on to the mat at 7:30 p.m., he didn’t impress himself.

After receiving a first-round bye, Poeta, the second seed at 157 pounds, advanced into today’s quarterfinals with a 3-2 win against Oklahoma State’s Newly McSpadden.

“That was pathetic,” Poeta, a junior from Highwood, Ill., said after the win. “I can put so many points up and I didn’t. It’s nothing against McSpadden, it’s me.”

Poeta never trailed after scoring a takedown with 1 minute, 47 seconds remaining in the first period. But he didn’t score any more offensive points, either.

“I have to make legitimate attempts,” he said.

Illinois coach Mark Johnson said he wasn’t surprised by the way Poeta wrestled.

“As long as you win, that’s the main thing,” Johnson said. “A bye in the first round really throws you off. I hated to see it. I figured he would be sluggish.”

Poeta said his sluggish match might have been because of the long wait, but he said that was no excuse for the performance.

“Any time you’re in the national tournament you don’t have to wrestle, you’ve got to take advantage of it,” he said. “I’ve got to move on.”

Poeta will face 10th-seeded Michael Chandler of Missouri in this morning’s quarterfinals. Poeta was one of three Fighting Illini who moved on to the quarterfinals.

Jimmy Kennedy, another No. 2 seed, opened with a major decision Thursday morning and followed with a 6-1 win against Tyler McCormick of Missouri in the second round. Sixth seed Gabe Flores (125) advanced with 6-4 and 4-3 wins.

“We got three in the quarterfinals, the three guys we thought we’d have, and everybody is still alive,” Johnson said. “All in all, it’s not a bad day.

John Dergo (174) and Patrick Bond (197) both won first-round matches but lost in the second round. Roger Smith-Bergsrud (165) and heavyweight John Wise lost in the first round but won consolation matches to remain alive.

The Fighting Illini were tied with Stanford for 16th place with 13.5 points after the first day. Iowa led with 29.5, three more than second-place Nebraska, but the top eight teams each had 22 points or more.

Jon Gremmels can be contacted at (563) 383-2294 or at jgremmels@qctimes.com.