Ruffin, Williams Advance to Day Two at Midlands

By SIUE Athletics

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. – SIUE’s Tyshawn Williams and Justin Ruffin are alive in the consolation bracket at the 2019 Ken Kraft Midlands Championships.

Both wrestlers were defeated in Sunday night’s quarterfinals. Williams dropped a 4-3 decision to Northern Iowa’s Max Thomsen at 149 pounds. Ruffin, the No. 5 seed at 157 pounds, was edged by fourth-seeded Anthony Artalona, of Penn, 3-1.

“They (Williams and Ruffin) competed at a high level,” said SIUE Head Coach Jeremy Spates. “Both of them wrestled the full seven minutes. They know that if they would able to get more offense they could be in the semifinals against a very tough bracket.”

Spates said this tournament was important for the Cougars considering it was against 10 nationally-ranked teams and a strong number of nationally-ranked individuals.

“It was an eye opener,” said Spates. “The event is smaller but very similar to the NCAA Tournament. I think it showed how important offense is to compete at this level.”

Williams and Ruffin will continue action Monday at noon.

COMPLETE SIUE RESULTS
125 – Noah Surtin (Missouri) TF Tommy Dineen (SIUE), 16-1 2:56
125 – Beau Bayless (Harvard) MD Tommy Dineen (SIUE), 8-0
141 – Dresden Simon (Central Michigan) DEC Saul Ervin (SIUE), 6-4
141 – Alec Mckenna (Northwestern) DEC Saul Ervin (SIUE), 3-2
149 – Jeren Glosser (Iowa) TF Max Kristoff (SIUE), 15-0 7:00
149 – Denton Spencer (Virginia) F Max Kristoff (SIUE), 0:59
149 – Tyshawn Williams (SIUE) DEC Pj Ogunsanya (Army West Point), 5-2
149 – Tyshawn Williams (SIUE) DEC Griffin Parriott (Purdue), 3-1 SV
149 – Max Thomsen (Northern Iowa) DEC Tyshawn Williams (SIUE), 4-3
157 – Justin Ruffin (SIUE) DEC Jace Luchau (Fresno State), 6-0
157 – Justin Ruffin (SIUE) MD Ethan Karsten (American), 10-0
157 – Anthony Artalona (Penn) DEC Justin Ruffin (SIUE), 3-1
157 – Paden Moore (Northern Iowa) MD Coleman Brainard (SIUE), 14-2
157 – Kyle Mosher (Columbia) F Coleman Brainard (SIUE), 3:00
165 – Philip Conigliaro (Harvard) DEC Chase Diehl (SIUE), 6-1
165 – Jake Lizak (Penn) DEC Chase Diehl (SIUE), 4-0
174 – Bryce Steiert (Northern Iowa) TF Kevin Gschwendtner (SIUE), 16-1 7:00
174 – Kevin Gschwendtner (SIUE) DEC Jake Hendricks (Penn), 5-3
174 – David Riojas (Illinois) DEC Kevin Gschwendtner (SIUE), 11-5
197 – Jake Boyd (Oklahoma) F Jake McKiernan (SIUE), 3:25
197 – Pete Christensen (Wisconsin) TF Jake McKiernan (SIUE), 17-2 6:59
197 – J.t. Brown (Army West Point) F Aric Bohn (SIUE), 0:45
197 – Aric Bohn (SIUE) DEC Danny Balderas (Omega Training Center), 10-4
197 – Landon Pelham (Central Michigan) F Aric Bohn (SIUE), 2:58
197 – Drew Phipps (Bucknell) F Austin Andres (SIUE), 6:29
197 – Noah Glaser (Northern Iowa) DEC Austin Andres (SIUE), 10-5
285 – Tommy Helton (SIUE) DEC Spencer Trenary (South Dakota State), 3-1
285 – Carter Isley (Northern Iowa) MD Tommy Helton (SIUE), 10-1
285 – Ben Goldin (Penn) DEC Tommy Helton (SIUE), 3-1 SV
285 – Bobby Heald (Army West Point) DEC Colton McKiernan (SIUE), 11-4
285 – Jack Delgarbino (Princeton) F Colton McKiernan (SIUE), 3:55