Henrich Advances to Semifinals at NCAA Championships

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia’s Chris Henrich (Jr., Lansdale, Pa.) advanced to the semifinals of the 174-pound weight class Friday morning at the NCAA Wrestling Championships in Omaha, Neb. With a 5-4 win over sixth-seeded Mike Benefiel of Oklahoma State, Henrich, the No. 3 seed, clinched All-America honors for the second straight season while becoming the first two-time All-American in Virginia wrestling history.

Henrich will now face second-seeded Jay Borschel of Iowa in the semifinals. The match will be part of ESPNU’s live coverage of championship-round matches beginning at 7 p.m. Friday. The win also was the 99th in Henrich’s career.

Through the first three sessions, Virginia has racked up 28.5 points and stands 11th in the team standings.

Henrich fell behind on an early Benefiel takedown but quickly battled back and scored on an escape and takedown later in the period to grab the lead, which he did not relinquish. He racked up one minute, 58 seconds in riding time to earn the riding time point, which proved to be the deciding score.

At 197 pounds, Brent Jones (R-Sr., Burke, Va.) stayed alive and continued his run through the consolation bracket with a pair of wins Friday. Jones (27-12) started with an 11-2 major decision against Logan Brown of Purdue, then wasted little time in dispatching Tyler Sorenson of South Dakota State, pinning him in just 30 seconds. Jones is one win away from All-America status and faces No. 8 seed Sonny Yohn of Minnesota tonight. Yohn pinned Jones at the Southern Scuffle earlier this season.

Ross Gitomer (R-Sr., Flemington, N.J.) won his first match Friday with a 3-2 victory over Joseph Lengel of Rutgers, avenging a loss earlier this season to the Scarlet Knight. Gitomer then dropped a 4-0 decision to second-seeded Troy Nickerson to complete his Virginia career. Gitomer finished with 93 career wins, which ranks eighth in Virginia history.

At 141 pounds, Derek Valenti (So., Newton, N.J.) fell to fifth-seeded Zack Bailey of Oklahoma, 15-2, Friday to complete his season with a 25-10 record.

At 149 pounds, Shawn Harris (R-So., Cleveland, Ohio) dropped an 11-3 major decision to Nicholas Bertucci of Purdue Friday and finished his season with a 20-14 record.

Danny Gonsor (R-So., Cleveland, Ohio) saw his season come to an end with a 6-0 loss to Indiana’s Kurt Kinser in the 157-pound wrestlebacks. Gonsor finished the year with a 19-11 record.

Jack Danilkowicz (R-Jr., Green Oaks, Ill.) was pinned by No. 10 seed Dominick Russo of Rutgers in the heavyweight wrestlebacks and completed his season with a 19-14 record.

Team Standings (through Session III)
1. Iowa, 73.0
2. Cornell, 54.0
3. Iowa State, 46.0
Ohio State, 46.0
5. Oklahoma, 44.0
6. Oklahoma State, 43.0
7. Minnesota, 35.0
8. Penn State, 33.0
Wisconsin, 33.0
10. Missouri, 30.0
11. Virginia, 28.5

Virginia Results
125 Pounds
First Round: No. 4 Anthony Robles (Arizona State) pinned Ross Gitomer, 2:59
Wrestleback Rd. 1: Gitomer dec. Eric Morrill (Edinboro), 3-1 (SV)
Wrestleback Rd. 2: Gitomer major dec. Jonathan Childress (Liberty), 11-1
Wrestleback Rd. 3: Gitomer dec. Joseph Langel (Rutgers), 3-2
Wrestleback Rd. 4: No. 2 Troy Nickerson (Cornell) dec. Gitomer, 4-0

141 Pounds
First Round: Derek Valenti dec. Ivan Lopouchanski (UNC Greensboro), 4-1
Round of 16: No. 2 Jamal Parks (Oklahoma State) dec. Valenti, 3-1
Wrestleback Rd. 3: No. 5 Zack Bailey (Oklahoma) major dec. Valenti, 15-2

149 Pounds
First Round: No. 11 Desmond Green (Buffalo) dec. Shawn Harris, 9-8
Wrestleback Rd. 2: Harris major dec. Brandon Butcher (George Mason), 8-0
Wrestleback Rd. 3: Nicholas Bertucci (Purdue) major dec. Harris, 11-3

157 Pounds
First Round: Danny Gonsor dec. Tyson Reiner (Northern Iowa), 9-4
Round of 16: No. 4 Cyler Sanderson (Penn State) dec. Danny Gonsor, 4-2
Wrestleback Rd. 3: Kurt Kinser (Indiana) dec. Harris, 6-0

174 Pounds
First Round: No. 3 Chris Henrich major dec. Dave Rella (Ohio State), 8-0
Round of 16: Henrich dec. Byron Sigmon (UNC Greensboro), 9-3
Quarterfinals: Henrich dec. No. 6 Mike Benefiel (Oklahoma State), 5-4
Semifinals: Henrich vs. No. 2 Jay Borschel (Iowa), Friday night (ESPNU)

184 Pounds

First Round: No. 9 Phil Keddy (Iowa) major dec. Mike Salopek, 11-3
Wrestleback Rd. 1: No. 10 Mike Pucillo (Ohio State) dec. Salopek, 2-0

197 Pounds
First Round: No. 5 Trevor Brandvold (Wisconsin) pinned Brent Jones, 3:19
Wrestleback Rd. 2: Jones pinned Erik Schuth (Ohio), 1:03
Wrestleback Rd. 3: Jones major dec. Logan Brown (Purdue), 11-2
Wrestleback Rd. 4: Jones pinned Tyler Sorenson (South Dakota State), 0:30
Wrestleback Rd. 5: Jones vs. No. 8 Sonny Yohn (Minnesota), Friday night

285 Pounds
First Round: Tucker Lane (Nebraska) dec. Jack Danilkowicz, 2-1
Wrestleback Rd. 2: Danilkowicz dec. Odie Delaney (The Citadel), 5-3 (SV)
Wrestleback Rd. 3: No. 10 Dominick Russo (Rutgers) pinned Danilkowicz, 6:18