Thomas Subaru tournament semifinals

Here's a quick rundown on the semifinal pairings for the Thomas Subaru tournament.

I hope to be able to provide a quick synopsis - or is that synKnopsis? - after each match.

Semifinals

106

1. Aaron Burkett, CR, 24-2, So., vs. 4. Andrew John, SF, 22-5, Jr.
6. Nolan Link, PC, 20-5, Jr. vs. 2. Sammy Hepler, TV, 19-4., Fr.
My picks: Burkett and Link.

Burket won by fall in 1:06. He's looking very good.
Hepler scored a third-period takedown to beat Link. I thought Link looked good early on, but Hepler carried the action in the third and it paid off.

113

1. Brendan Howard, JM, 20-3, Jr., vs. 4. Brock Biddle, CEN, 13-0, Fr.
3. Tommy DeArmitt, BB, 22-3, Sr., vs. 2. Jon Gabriel, BD, 16-3, So.
My picks: Howard and Gabriel.

Huge upset here, as Biddle pinned Howard. I've been anxious to see Biddle, but I certainly didn't expect this. He hit a first-period spladle and it was a clear pin. No doubt about it.
Gabriel beat DeArmitt 10-4. I probably would have expected a bigger win here, but DeArmitt has improved.

120

1. Caleb Bordner, TV, 23-2, Jr. vs. 4. Stephen Rouser, RI, 19-4, Jr.
3. Sage Moist, MU, 20-1, Sr., vs. 2. Joey Swank, BB, 20-2, So.
My picks: Bordner and Swank.
Bordner and Swank each won 8-1. I didn't see too much of either match, but they were both in control from the outset.

126

1. John DeMaske, JM, 23-0, Sr., vs. 6. Jake Boozel, MU, 18-3, So.
6. Justin Opel, NG, 22-1 vs. 2. Adam George, RI, 18-2, Jr.
My picks: DeMaske and Opel.

I didn't see either of these. DeMaske won by tech fall, so not much to talk about there.
I keep underestimating Adam George. After seeing Opel's win over Joe Davis, who I think a lot, I thought he would beat George, but the Richland junior keeps proving me wrong.

132

1. Ryan Easter, BD, 16-2, Sr. vs. 4. Tanner Hetrick, MY, 27-4, Sr.
3. JR Andrejcik, BUR, 13-6 vs. 2. Mike Carr, SF, 21-0, So.
My picks: Easter and Carr.

Missed these as well, but it looks like both Easter and Carr were in control. Easter won 13-2 and Carr won 10-3.

138

1. Derrick Claar, CR, 22-4, Jr. vs. 4. Nick Hoenstine, CEN, 12-1, So.
3. Garrett Thomas, BED, 14-3, Sr., vs. 2. Chase Schaeffer, TV, 19-5, So.
My picks: Claar and Schaeffer.

After a very close win over Northern Garrett's Kody Osselburn last night, Claar looked dominant before getting a fall in the semis. Thomas was up big early, let it get close, then scored late for 13-7 win.

145

8. Parker Bumbarger, WB, 22-0, Sr., vs. 4. Braden Fochtman, BB, 27-2, So.
6. Trent Crouse, CR, 19-6, Jr., vs. 2. Corey Falleroni, BUR, 20-6, Sr.
My picks: Fochtman and Falleroni.
Fochtman scored a third-period takedown then held off Bumbarger's late attacks for a 3-2 win in a good match.
I expected Crouse-Falleroni to be a good one as well, but Crouse stuck him in the first period. I didn't see how he pinned him, but Falleroni looked flat to me. He flipped out and cost his team a point in the standings.

152

1. Steve Edwards, BUR, 22-3, Sr. vs. 4. Jason Stay, BC, 17-6, Jr.
3. Grant Fetchet, SF, 21-1, Sr., vs. 2. Taylor Cahill, BB, 25-1, Jr.
My picks: Edwards and Cahill.

Edwards pinned Stay so quickly (55 seconds) that I didn't even see them on the mat.
Cahill built a big early lead against Fetchet, then held on for a 6-5 win. Very questionable coaching decision by South Fayette. With Fetchet down 6-5 and on top for a restart with five seconds remaining, they did not have him put Cahill on his feet for a change for last-gasp, tying takedown. Is a long shot? Sure. But not nearly as long as the odds of turning someone from a restart with five seconds left.

160

1. J.J. Walker, SF, 22-1, Jr. vs. 4. Levi Niebauer, CH, 17-1, Jr.
3. Ryan Zalar, JM, 19-1, Sr., vs. Bryce Fochtman, BB, 23-3, Jr.
My picks: Walker and Fochtman.

Walker pinned Niebauer in another one that I didn't see while Fochtman built a nice lead before pinning Zalar in the third.

170

1. Nico Pecora, RI, 19-0, Sr., vs. 4. Bill Bowlen, JM, 23-3, So.
3. Landon Lohr, SO, 13-1, Sr., vs. 2. Austin Hummel, NK, 22-1, Sr.,
My picks: Pecora and Hummel.

Bowlen jumped out to a 5-1 lead, then held on for a 6-4 upset of the top seeded Pecora. Hummel had no such problems in the bottom half of the braket, pinning Lohr in just 57 seconds.

182

1. Gavin Berkley, MY, 24-1, Sr., vs. 5. C.J. Steinhilber, NK, 11-3, So.
3. Hunter Connor, NS, 21-5, Jr., vs. 2. Conner Buttry, CR, 23-3, So.
My picks: Berkley and Buttry.

Berkley was his normal solid self in cruising to a 13-2 victory.
Buttry pinned Connor in 3:44. Buttry is another one that I keep doubting, but he keeps putting up results. He's much improved from last season, but the finals appearance against Berkley will tell me a lot about just how much he's improved.

195

1. Jared Beckwith, TY, 18-1, Sr., vs. 4. Alek Hummel, NK, 21-3, Jr.
3. Phil Kyle, MU, 17-4, Sr., vs. 2. Logan Eller, SO, 15-1, Jr.
My picks: Beckwith and Kyle.

Beckwith had a much closer match than I anticipated, going to sudden-victory for the 3-1 win. Hummel scored very late to send it to OT.
Kyle built an early lead over Eller, then saw it nearly evaporate before a desperation lateral-drop attempt by Eller gave Kyle a big margin of victory at 12-6.

220

1. Buzzy Maines, WB, 22-0, Jr., vs. 5. Ty Smith, MY, 26-6, Jr.
6. Darrian Stapleton, MU, 18-3, vs. 2. Stew Trulick, BB, 20-2, Sr.
My picks: Maines and Trulick.

Maines looked very good in dominating a solid wrestler in Ty Smith.
Trulick's pin of Stapleton was pretty entertaining. Stapleton hit a nice headlock to open the match, but Trulick got a reversal. It ended up tied at 6 before they Trulick ended up on top in a scramble and pinned him.

285

1. Al Beattie, BUR, 21-4, Jr., vs. 4. Aaron Gill, CH, 16-0, Sr.
6. Devin Reed, EV, 15-2, Jr. vs. 2. Nik Smith, MU, 19-2, Sr.
My picks: Beattie and Reed.

Beattie looked solid in a 3-0 win over Gill. I only saw the end of the Smith-Reed match, where Smith held him off for a 3-2 win.