Labriola Wins, NU Claims Second-Straight Cliff Keen Title

LAS VEGAS – Mikey Labriola (174) won an individual title and the No. 9 Nebraska wrestling team won its second-straight and fourth overall Cliff Keen Invitational team title on Saturday night at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Labriola was one of eight Huskers who placed as NU amassed 125 team points, the most among the 26 schools competing. 

Semifinals

The championship bracket began with semifinals matches. #11 Chad Red Jr. (141) was the first of seven Huskers to wrestle in the semifinals. Red matched up against #9 Andrew Alirez of Northern Colorado. Red recorded an early escape but couldn’t hold off Alirez who claimed the 3-1 decision. 

 

#12 Ridge Lovett (149) battled the two-time NCAA champion from Cornell, #1 Yianni Diakomihalis. Lovett tallied two escapes and a late reversal in the third period to force an extra period. In overtime, Diakomihalis recorded a takedown and defeated Lovett by decision, 6-4. 

#6 Peyton Robb (157) matched up with #5 Quincy Monday of Princeton. Monday worked quickly as he scored two takedowns and a reversal in the first period. Robb fought back as he totaled four escapes and a late takedown, but ultimately fell 11-6. 

#3 Mikey Labriola (174) was the first of three Huskers to qualify for the finals as he defeated #16 Cade Devos of South Dakota State. Labriola got an escape in the second period and four nearfall points and an escape in the third in route to a 6-2 victory.

 

Up next, #15 Taylor Venz (184) advanced to the finals with a dominating technical fall. Venz tallied two quick takedowns in the first period before recording a reversal, another takedown and back points to win 16-1. 

 

The final Husker to qualify for the finals was #10 Eric Schultz (197) as he upset 2021 NCAA championship semifinalist, #6 Jake Woodley of Oklahoma. Schultz grabbed a 3-0 lead after two periods before recording a takedown in the third period to secure the 6-2 win. 

 

#13 Christian Lance (285) battled Gray Traub of Oregon State, forcing an extra period. After three periods, the wrestlers were tied 1-1. Traub attacked quickly in overtime and recorded a takedown to defeat Lance 3-1. 

Consolation of 8 (#2)

Bubba Wilson (165) was the only Husker to compete in the consolation of eight bracket matches on Saturday. Wilson, who matched up against Matthew Malcom of UNK, recorded two takedowns, an escape and a reversal to claim the dominating 11-5 victory. 

Consolation of 4 

Bubba Wilson (165) battled Philip Conigliaro of Harvard, but came up short, falling 3-1. 

Consolation Semifinals 

#11 Chad Red Jr. (141) grabbed the 4-2 victory over #13 Grant Willits of Oregon State to become the first of three Huskers to qualify for the third-place bout.

 

#12 Ridge Lovett defeated #15 Mitch Moore of Oklahoma by decision, 3-2. Moore recorded a takedown in the first period, but Lovett responded with two escapes and claimed the riding time point to advance. 

 

#6 Peyton Robb lost by medical forfeit to #13 Jacob Wright of Wyoming. 

 

Rounding out the group was #13 Christian Lance (285) who outlasted #16 Lucas Davison of Northwestern. Lance trailed 6-3 before recording an escape and a takedown late in the third period to send the match into overtime. Lance struck first in the extra period to defeat Davison by decision, 8-6.  

Seventh-Place Bouts

Bubba Wilson (165) came up short against #31 Joshua Ogunsanya of Columbia, as he was pinned in the third period. Wilson finished in eighth place. 

Third-Place Bouts

#13 Christian Lance (285) scored four takedowns and an escape, upsetting #6 Tate Orndorff of Ohio State 9-4 to secure a third-place finish. 

 

#12 Ridge Lovett (149) joined Lance as a third-place finisher after #4 Yahya Thomas of Northwestern medically forfeited. 

 

To close out the third-place bouts, #11 Chad Red Jr. (141) became the third Husker to place third as he defeated Cole Mattin of Michigan 6-1. 

Finals

#3 Mikey Labriola (174) took on #6 Ethan Smith of Ohio State in the 174-pound title match on Saturday night. Labriola scored a takedown in sudden victory to secure the Cliff Keen individual title.  

#14 Taylor Venz (184) wrestled Kaleb Romero of Ohio State to a scoreless first period. Venz recorded three escapes but was unable to hold off Romero who tallied three takedowns and won by decision 7-3. 

 

The final Husker to qualify for the Cliff Keen individual finals was #10 Eric Schultz (197) who matched up against #9 Stephen Buchanan (Wyoming). Schultz, coming off an upset in the semifinals, attacked first with a takedown in the first period and grabbed the 2-1 lead. Schultz started the second period with an escape, but Buchanan found his footing and defeated Schultz by decision 7-3. 

              

The Huskers will take a two-week break from competition to wrap up the academic semester before returning to action on Dec. 18 when they host the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at 2 p.m. in the Devaney Center. Tickets are available on Huskers.com.

Cliff Keen Las Vegas Collegiate Wrestling Invitational 

Dec. 3-4, 2021 

Las Vegas, Nev. (Las Vegas Convention Center)

Match Results (rankings from InterMat)

125: Jeremiah Reno (1-2) — DNP

Round of 16: Jack Medley (Michigan) tech. fall. Jeremiah Reno, 18-3 (7:00)

Cons. of 16 (#2): Jeremiah Reno dec. Greg Diakomihalis (Cornell), 4-3

Cons. of 8 (#1): Beau Bayless (Harvard) dec. Jeremiah Reno, 8-2

141: #11 Chad Red Jr. (5-1) – 3rd place

Round of 32: #11 Chad Red Jr. dec. Zach Zeamer (Oklahoma), 8-4 

Round of 16: #11 Chad Red Jr. dec. Cole Handlovic (Cornell), 6-4 

Quarterfinals: #11 Chad Red Jr.  dec. #20 Dylan D’Emilio (Ohio State), 3-2

Semifinals: #9 Andrew Alirez (Northern Colorado) dec. #11 Chad Red Jr., 3-1

Cons. Semifinals: #11 Chad Red Jr. dec. #13 Grant Willits (Oregon State), 4-2

Third Place Bout: #11 Chad Red Jr. dec. Cole Mattin (Michigan), 6-1

149: #12 Ridge Lovett (5-1) – 3rd place 

Round of 32: #12 Ridge Lovett major dec. Jaron Jensen (Wyoming), 11-2 

Round of 16: #12 Ridge Lovett pinned Kody Komara (Kent State) (4:29)

Quarterfinals: #12 Ridge Lovett dec. #6 Jaden Abas (Stanford), 9-2

Semifinals: #1 Yianni Diakomihalis (Cornell) dec. #12 Ridge Lovett, 6-4 SV

Cons. Semifinals: #12 Ridge Lovett dec. #15 Mitch Moore (Oklahoma), 3-2

Third Place Bout: #12 Ridge Lovett dec. #4 Yahya Thomas (Northwestern), medical forfeit

157: #6 Peyton Robb (2-2) – 6th place

Round of 32: Bye    

Round of 16: #6 Peyton Robb pinned Adam Santoro (Cornell) (6:22) 

Quarterfinals: #6 Peyton Robb dec. #31 Dazjon Casto (Citadel), 3-1

Semifinals: #5 Quincy Monday (Princeton) dec. #6 Peyton Robb, 11-6

Cons. Semifinals: #13 Jacob Wright dec. #6 Peyton Robb by medical forfeit

Fifth Place Bout: #6 Peyton Robb vs. #12 Kendall Coleman (Purdue), no contest

165: Bubba Wilson (3-3) – 8th place 

Round of 32: Cameron Amine (Michigan) dec. Bubba Wilson, 5-3

Cons. of 16 (#2): Bubba Wilson pinned Emil Soehnlen (Purdue) (2:13) 

Cons. of 8 (#1): Bubba Wilson dec. Matthew Olguin (Oregon State), 3-1

Cons. of 8 (#2): Bubba Wilson dec. Mathew Malcom (UNK), 11-5

Cons. of 4: Philip Conigliaro (Harvard) dec. Bubba Wilson, 3-1

Seventh Place Bout: Joshua Ogunsanya (Columbia) pinned Bubba Wilson (5:23)

174: #3 Mikey Labriola (5-0) – 1st place  

Round of 32: #3 Mikey Labriola major dec. Michael Squires (Princeton), 18-8 

Round of 16: #3 Mikey Labriola dec. Michael Ferree (Kent State), 9-7   

Quarterfinals: #3 Mikey Labriola tech. fall #22 Aaron Olmos (Oregon State) (5:19)

Semifinals:#3 Mikey Labriola dec. #16 Cade Devos (South Dakota State), 6-2

Finals: #3 Mikey Labriola dec. #6 Ethan Smith (Ohio State), 7-5 SV

184: #15 Taylor Venz (3-1) – 2nd place  

Round of 32: Bye  

Round of 16: #15 Taylor Venz pinned Jack Jessen (Northwestern) (5:27)  

Quarterfinals: #15 Taylor Venz  dec. #24 Travis Stefanik (Princeton), 6-2

Semifinals: #15 Taylor Venz tech. fall #16 Jonathan Loew (Cornell) (7:00)

Finals: Kaleb Romero (Ohio State) dec. #15 Taylor Venz, 7-3

197: #10 Eric Schultz (4-1) – 2nd place  

Round of 32: #10 Eric Schultz pinned Ben Stemmet (Citadel) (4:23)

Round of 16: #10 Eric Schultz dec. Andrew Davison (Northwestern) 4-0 

Quarterfinals: #10 Eric Schultz dec. #11 Lou Deprez (Binghamton), 2-0

Semifinals: #10 Eric Schultz dec. #6 Jake Woodley (Oklahoma), 6-2

Finals: #9 Stephen Buchanan (Wyoming) dec. #10 Eric Schultz, 7-3

   

HWT: #13 Christian Lance (4-1) –  3rd place

Round of 32: Bye

Round of 16: #13 Christian Lance major dec. Jacob Clover (Kent State), 20-8 

Quarterfinals: #13 Christian Lance dec. #22 AJ Nevills (SDSU), 6-3

Semifinals: Gary Traub (Oregon State) dec. #13 Christian Lance, 3-1 SV

Cons. Semifinals: #13 Christian Lance dec. #16 Lucas Davison (Northwestern), 8-6 SV

Third Place Bout: #13 Christian Lance dec. #6 Tate Orndorff, 9-4