Seven Huskers Advance at Cliff Keen Invite

Las Vegas — The Nebraska wrestling team started off strong at the Cliff Keen Invitational in Las Vegas on Friday, as seven Huskers advanced to Saturday’s competition.

Round of 32 

Tournament action for the Huskers began at 125 pounds. #27 Liam Cronin (125) set the tone with a major decision victory over Yanni VInes of Columbia, 15-4. #21 Boo Dryden (133) battled Angelo Rini of Columbia, recording a reversal and a takedown, but fell by 9-6 decision. 

At 149, Dayne Morton battled, but fell to #4 Jonathan Miller of Appalachian State by decision, 7-1. #4 Peyton Robb (157) tallied the team’s first bonus-point victory with a technical fall over Cal State Bakersfield’s Brock Rogers at 3:55. At 165, Bubba Wilson fell to Ohio State’s No. 6 Carson Kharchla, 8-2. 

#3 Mikey Labriola (174) tallied his fourth major decision victory of the year as he defeated Will Miller (Appalachian State), 14-5. At 184, Lenny Pinto trailed 7-6, but advanced to the Round of 16 as #7 Jonathan Loew of Cornell defaulted. #23 Silas Allred dominated his match against Bucknell’s Nolan Springer at 197, as Allred pinned Springer in the opening period. Rounding out the group was Cale Davidson (285) who secured the 4-3 victory by decision.           

Round of 16

#17 Brock Hardy (141) started off competition for the Huskers in the Round of 16 as he pinned Arizona State’s #18 Jesse Vasquez in the first period. The pin marked Hardy’s fourth fall of the season. At 157, Robb recorded his second technical fall of the day as he used three takedowns and a reversal in the third period to defeat Nick Delp of Bucknell, 22-7. 

Labriola continued to impress at 174 as he defeated Ross McFarland of Hofstra by decision, 11-6 to advance to the quarterfinals. At 185, Pinto grabbed his second win of the day with the major decision over Purdue’s Ben Vanadia. Pinto tallied four takedowns and four nearfall points to grab the 16-6 win. Allred (197) dominated his match against Ohio’s Carson Brewer. Allred secured a quick takedown before pinning Brewer in the opening period to tally his second-straight fall of the day. Davidson (285) was the last Husker to compete in this round. He battled the #1 ranked Cohlton Schultz of Arizona State but was pinned in the first period. 

Consolation

In the 125-consolation, Cronin recorded a trio of victories by decision as he defeated Jore Volk (Wyoming), 6-4, pinned Mike Manta of Sacred Heart and defeated #16 Eddie Ventresca of Virginia Tech, 7-3. 

Dryden (133) faced Dylan Koontz of Ohio State in the consolation round of 16 and fell by decision, 6-2. At 149, Morton was also eliminated from competition as Noah Tolentino of Ohio State won by decision, 8-2. 

Wilson at 165 recorded a pair of victories in the opening consolation rounds, defeating Cal State Bakersfield’s Evan Gilbert by technical fall and California Baptist’s Mateo De La Pena by decision, 9-2. Wilson then advanced to Saturday’s matches with an 8-0 major decision over Cal Poly’s #29 Legend Lamar and Arizona State’s Tony Negron, 3-1. 

At heavyweight, Davidson defeated Columbia’s Daniel Conley, 4-0, but fell in the next round to #18 Grady Griess of Navy by decision, 2-0.

Quarterfinals 

The Huskers were undefeated in the Friday night’s quarterfinal round. Hardy (141) was the first Husker to advance to the semifinals as he faced Michigan’s #10 Cole Mattin. Hardy worked fast and recorded his second pin of the day as he tallied the fall in the first period. 

Robb (157) also dominated his match, tallying his third-straight technical fall. Robb jumped out to an 11-0 lead after two periods against Ohio’s Peyten Kellar before grabbing the 15-0 win in the third period. 

At 174, Labriola, the defending Cliff Keen champion, tallied three takedowns in the third period to claim the 9-2 decision over Ohio’s #30 Sal Perrine. Pinto followed suit at 184 against #6 Trey Munoz of Oregon State. Pinto trailed to start Period 3, but recorded two late takedowns to secure the upset. 

Allred (197) faced Ohio State’s #16 Gavin Hoffman in the quarters. Allred recorded a pair of takedowns and an escape to grab the 5-2 decision. 

Action resumes tomorrow at 12 p.m. CT with the championship and consolation semifinals and the fifth and seventh place matches following shortly thereafter. The championship and third place matches are set for 5 p.m.

Cliff Keen Las Vegas Collegiate Wrestling Invitational 

Dec. 2-3, 2022

Las Vegas, Nev. (Las Vegas Convention Center)

Match Results (rankings from InterMat)

125: #27 Liam Cronin (4-1) — In consolation on Saturday

Round of 32: #27 Liam Cronin major dec. Yanni Vines (Columbia), 15-4

Round of 12: #23 Caleb Smith (App St.) major dec. #27 Liam Cronin, 12-2

Cons. of 16 (#2): Liam Cronin dec. Jore Volk (Wyoming), 6-4 

Cons. of 8 (#1): Liam Cronin pinned Mike Manta (Sacred Heart) (0:40)

Cons. of 8 (#2): Liam Cronin dec. #16 Eddie Ventresca (Virginia Tech), 7-3

Cons. of 4: Liam Cronin vs. #33 Kurt McHenry (MICH)

133: #21 Boo Dryden (0-2) DNP

Round of 32: #25 Angelo Rini (Columbia) dec. #21 Boo Dryden, 9-6

Cons. of 16 (#1): Dylan Koontz (OSU) dec. #21 Boo Dryden, 6-2

141: #17 Brock Hardy (2-0) — In semifinals on Saturday  

Round of 32: Bye

Round of 16: #17 Brock Hardy pinned #18 Jesse Vasquez (ASU) (1:51)

Quarterfinals:  #17 Brock Hardy pinned #10 Cole Mattin (MICH) (0:39)

Semifinals: #17 Brock Hardy vs. #14 Ryan Jack (NCST) 

149: Dayne Morton (1-2) DNP

Round of 32: #4 Jonathan Millner (App State) dec. Dayne Morton, 7-1

Cons. of 16 (#1): Dayne Morton major dec. Jacob Pail (Edinboro), 12-4 

Cons. of 16 (#2): Noah Tolentino (OSU) dec. Dayne Morton, 8-2

157: #4 Peyton Robb (3-0) — In semifinals on Saturday  

Round of 32: #4 Peyton Robb tech. fall Brock Rogers (CSB) (3:55)

Round of 16: #4 Peyton Robb tech. fall Nick Delp (Bucknell) (6:33)

Quarterfinals: #4 Peyton Robb tech. fall Peyten Kellar (OHIO) (6:21)

Semifinals: #4 Peyton Robb vs. #9 Ed Scott (NCST)

165: Bubba Wilson (4-1) — In consolation on Saturday

Round of 32: #6 Carson Kharchla (OSU) dec. Bubba Wilson, 8-2

Cons. of 16 (#1): Bubba Wilson tech. fall Evan Gilbert (CSUB) (7:00)

Cons. of 16 (#2): Bubba Wilson dec. Mateo De La Pena (CBU), 9-2

Cons. of 8 (#1): Bubba Wilson major dec. #29 Legend Lamer (Cal Poly), 8-0

Cons. of 8 (#2): Bubba Wilson dec. Tony Negron (ASU), 3-1 

Cons. of 4: Bubba Wilson vs. #6 Carson Kharchla (OSU)

174: #3 Mikey Labriola (3-0) — In semifinals on Saturday  

Round of 32: #3 Mikey Labriola maj. dec. Will Miller (App. St.), 17-7

Round of 16: #3 Mikey Labriola dec. Ross McFarland (HOF), 11-6

Quarterfinals: #3 Mikey Labriola dec. #30 Sal Perrine (OHIO), 9-2

Semifinals: #3 Mikey Labriola vs. #5 Demetrius Romero (Utah Valley)

184: Lenny Pinto (3-0) —  In semifinals on Saturday 

Round of 32: #7 Jonathan Loew (Cornell) dec. Lenny Pinto, 7-6, MFF

Round of 16: Lenny Pinto major dec. #28 Ben Vanadia (Purdue), 16-6

Quarterfinals: Lenny Pinto dec. #6 Trey Munoz (ORST), 5-4

Semifinals: Lenny Pinto vs. Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa)

197: #23 Silas Allred (3-0) —  In semifinals on Saturday 

Round of 32: #23 Silas Allred pinned Nolan Springer (Bucknell) (1:17)

Round of 16: #23 Silas Allred pinned Carson Brewer (Ohio) (2:53)

Quarterfinals: #23 Silas Allred dec. #16 Gavin Hoffman (OSU), 5-2

Semifinals: #23 Silas Allred vs. #14 Isaac Trumble (NCST)  

HWT: Cale Davidson (2-2) — DNP

Round of 32: Cale Davidson dec. Trevor Tinker (Cal Poly), 4-3

Round of 16 (#1): Cohlton Schultz (ASU) pinned Cale Davidson (1:52)

Cons. of 16 (#2): Cale Davidson dec. Daniel Conley (Columbia), 4-0

Cons. of 8 (#1): #18 Grady Griess (NAVY) dec. Cale Davidson, 2-0