MADRIGAL, SWAW, BAYSINGAR & GOEBEL -- First ILLINI Wins! (and Lindenwood Results)

FIRST ILLINI WINS!

Tony Madrigal (OPRF) made his ILLINI Wrestling debut in a dual against the University of North Carolina on November 19, 2023. This was his first match, first win, and first varsity win. It was a major decision. The day before, on November 18, 2023, a number of the ILLINI true Freshmen got their first wins in an ILLINI singlet at the Lindenwood Open. They include Logan Swaw (Lockport), Will Baysingar (Prospect) and Hudson Goebel (Findlay, Ohio). Audio credit to Mac Miller's "Best Day Ever" and, in the intro and outro sequences, Audio Beats. Color Analyst Brian Swaw. Video credit to the Big Ten Network. Image credits in the body of the video to ILLINI fans. Photo credits in the intro and outro sequences to FightingILLINI.com, NCAA.com, uiaa.org, wrestlingchangedmylife.com, ILLINOISMatmen.com, flowrestling.com, intermatwrestle.com. This video is not to be monetized.

LINDENWOOD RESULTS

It was BRIAN BEERS at 133 pounds getting the ILLINI off to a great start as he wrestled and won the first match of the tournament. CAELAN RILEY got a bunch of wins and wrestled for third, but we don't know the results of that match because Trackwrestling and FloWrestling suddenly succumbed to some type of media virus.

We do know that he had a major over former ILLINI commit Brandon Morvari (now Minnesota). That had to please Coach Poeta. We will continue to root for Morvari when he isn't wrestling the ILLINI, but when he is, we will be rooting against him extra hard.

At 141, WILLIAM BAYSINGAR earned a tech, while HUDSON GOEBEL got a pinfall.

At 149, CHARLIE FIFIELD rung up two tech falls, one against Wisconsin-Parkside and the other against McKendree. BRAEDEN SCOLES won at least four matches before the broadcast armageddon ended all coverage. His lone loss was to the #32-rated starter for the University of Northern Iowa. That was an even match until Scoles made one mistake.

TEGAN CHUMBLEY and COOPER WETTIG both got wins, although the latter had to medical forfeit out of the tournament after that. LOGAN SWAW added two tech falls, and he had to wrestle both of his teammates at 157, Scoles and Chumbley. Two of the three wins for CHARLIE HEYDORN were bonus-point victories. He must've placed, but we don't know where.

CHASE WAGGONER and DANIEL RENSHAW both notched up victories, with Waggoner's a tech fall. Chase also fell just short of having the comeback of the tournament in a last-seconds loss to an unattached giant named Monterail Johnson.

The actual comeback of the tournament starred JOEY BRAUNAGEL as the protagonist. With a couple seconds on the clock, he threw his opponent to his back and missed seeing Coach Poeta pumping his fist in the background because he was concentrating on winning that match. The takedown was scored with one second on the clock, giving the ILLINI the win. 

He also placed, but we don't know where. 

As for Trackwrestling and FloWrestling, they should be ashamed. Their product sucks in myriad ways. Each of their cameras claimed to be showing matches at 720 pixels but that was a lie. 

Later in the tournament, the names of the athletes were not uploaded to the scoreboards, the periods never changed, and so on. Then, Trackwrestling completely died. Even now, their bracket pages are not complete.