Roadrunner Open Results
BAKERSFIELD, Calif.- A trip to California surely melted away any iced nerves Wisconsin Wrestling may have had this weekend, as the Badgers completed the sweep taking first as a team in Sunday's Roadrunner Open. In all, there were five Roadrunner Open Champions who represented the Cardinal and White, with nine of the 15 competitors making the finals. At the end of the tournament, Wisconsin took first with 268.5 team points, with host Cal State Bakersfield taking second with 203.5 points. The team also beat out the likes of No.14 Illinois, No. 21 Stanford and Big Ten opponent Maryland.
"It was a good weekend," Assistant Coach
Kyle Ruschell said. "Our guys wrestled hard in every position and it showed in their results. We need to continue to get better, but overall it was a good weekend for the entire team."
Murrieta, California natives and freshmen Evan and Zander Wick were feeling right at home this weekend, both going undefeated and taking Roadrunner Open titles. Evan went 6-0 on the weekend, including two tech falls, and two major decisions, one of the majors coming against 17th-ranked Lorenzo De La Riva, whom he also defeated prior the open in the tri-dual action on Friday. Zander went a stunning 7-0 on the weekend, tallying two pins and two major decisions. He took the open championship by defeating Eric Barone of Illinois in a nail-biter 4-2.
Senior
Ricky Robertson was nothing less than dominant this weekend, going 7-0 and recording two pins, a tech fall and a major decision. His highlight of the weekend was when he faced eighth-ranked Emery Parker of Illinois in the open final at 184 pounds. The match was tight and neither competitor would budge as it went to sudden victory, but Ricky was able to counter a shot from Parker perfectly and get the takedown and the victory.
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Sophomore
Eli Stickley had himself a weekend as well, going 5-0 in route a Roadrunner title of his own. He started off by dominating No. 19 Russell Rohlfing of CSU Bakerfield in a 13-2 major decision. He climbed his way on Sunday to a finals matchup against fellow teammate
Cole Martin, where he would come out victorious in a 6-3 decision.
Ryan Christensen came into this weekend with a fury. The junior, like many of his teammates, went undefeated going 7-0 with two tech falls. In the 174-pound final, he faced teammate
Jacob Covaciu, where the match went down to the wire, and went in Christensen's favor due to riding time.
Other Notables
Senior
Andrew Crone performed well between Friday and Sunday, defeating 15th-ranked Taleb Rahmani of Pitt in a thriller where he got a late takedown to seal the victory 3-1. On Sunday, Andrew went 3-1 including a pin in 34 seconds and a major decision to finish in second place.
Freshman
Jacob Covaciu went 4-1, getting a pin and a tech fall where he finished second at 174 pounds.
Sophomore
Cole Martin made it to the final of the 141-pound Open, going 3-1 and pinning 19th-ranked Russell Rohlfing of Cal State Bakersfield.
Ben Stone took second place at heavyweight, going 4-1 and adding a pin, tech fall and major decision to his resume.
Hunter Ritter took third at 197 pounds in the open, going 4-1 on Sunday and 5-2 in the weekend overall.
Junior
Jens Lantz poised well on Sunday, going 4-1 and taking third in the Roadrunner Open at 133 pounds.
Freshman
Ethan Rotondo made his Wisconsin Wrestling debut Friday night against No. 25 Pittsburgh where he defeated Brendan Price. In total, Ethan went 5-3 placing fourth in the open.
