That mats are in the classic dog bone arrangement. Thats means its time for everyone's favorite, session 4 of the NCAA Championships!

Classic dog bone means two center mats hosting the semifinals mats, while two more mats on either side hold four bloodround matches. It looks like a big block capital letter "I" if you're still trying to picture it in your head. Regardless, trips to the finals are on the line for four wrestlers in each weight. For the other eight, its a guaranteed All-American honor somewhere between 3rd and 8th place. Four wrestlers will see their dreams agonizingly crushed. There's more emotion per square inch here on the floor of the Quicken Loans Arena than anywhere else on earth. 

This is going to sound corny but I was out in the concourse about 15 minutes before first whistle and the atmosphere is electric. I mean it's really something. Friday night in Cleveland, let's party. 

Penn State has 8 wrestlers, Ohio State has 9. Every match is going to matter in the team race. Every big move is going to get a big reaction from the packed house in the Q. 

Semifinals

125 Pounds

#1 Nick Suriano (Rutgers) vs #2 Darian Cruz (Lehigh)

We begin. Suriano taking crowd but no committed shots yet from either wrestler over two minutes gone. Now a stall warning on Cruz. No scores as they go to the second. Surianio escapes to break the tie. No takedown but another stall and Suriano leads by 2. They go to the third in neutral, same score. Less than a minute left in the third, same score. History happening, Suriano holds on to become the first finalist in Rutgers school history!

#3 Spencer Lee (Iowa) vs #4 Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State)

No scores after a minute. Lee gets in on a leg, he finishes and they go out of bounds. Big first score and now Lee goes to work on top.  Lee working head in the hole, keeping NaTo tied up. Riding time over a minute. Stall warning on NaTo and 2 swipes for Lee as time runs out. 4-0 lead as we go into the second.  NaTo choses neutral. That will likely be a theme for the rest of Lee's college career. NaTo in on a leg, he converts to cut the deficit to two. Lee escapes and its 5-2. Lee starts the third on bottom, escapes. NaTo in on a shot and Lee gets hit with a stall call. No takedown though. One minute to go. Simultaneously to Suriano winning, Lee gets NaTo in danger. He gets the takedown and NaTo is on his back. Lee gets the pin! True freshman Spencer Lee in the finals!

Bloodround results - winners are All-Americans

125 Sebastian Rivera (Northwestern) MD Louie Hayes (Virginia), 8-0

125 Ronnie Bresser (Oregon St.) DEC Luke Welch (Purdue), 8-6 SV

125 Zeke Moisey (West Virginia) DEC Taylor Lamont (Utah Valley), 8-5

125 Ethan Lizak (Minnesota) TF Nicholas Piccininni (Oklahoma St.), 16-0 4:19

133 Pounds

#1 Seth Gross (South Dakota State) vs #17 Tariq Wilson (NC State)

Unseeded freshman Tariq Wilson will try to keep his cinderella run going against the top seeded, top ranked wrestler in his weight division. Wilson gets off to a good start, he gets a takedown in the first 30 seconds. Gross escapes. Wilson gets in on the same shot and again converts. It's 4-1 for the Wolfpacker. But Gross reverses and now begins to chew up Wilson on top. Wilson dinged for stalling. Gross' world class top game kicking in now in the second period. Gross gets four backs with his signature tilt. He leads 7-4 now. Wilson still the boss from neutral, he takes down Gross and it's 8-6, Gross still with the lead. Wilson with another takedown. gross out with less than 20 on the clock. WILSON TAKES HIM DOWN AGAIN. He rides out to go force sudden victory 10-10. They're in on a scramble, unseeded Wilson trying to make history. But Gross crunches down on him, Wilson's on his back. 2 for the takedown AND THE FALL. Seth Gross is going back to the NCAA finals!

#2 Stevan Micic (Michigan) vs #3 Luke Pletcher (Ohio State)

Pletcher beat Micic at the CKLV in Decemeber but Micic's won the last two meeting in convincing manner. After NaTo's loss, this match becomes even more crucial to the Buckeyes. Micic scores early to make it 2-0. Pletcher is out at the same moment as Gross. Pletcher escapes in the second and it's 2-2. Micic starts the third on bottom and Pletcher cuts him. 3-2 lead for Micic, RT not a factor.  Pletcher with the takedown to take the lead. But Micic escapes. And Micic is back in on on Pletcher's legs. He puts Pletcher in danger. It's two, with 2 back points as time expires. Micic is going to the NCAA finals!

Guys I'm exhuasted and that's only two of ten weights. 

Bloodround results - winners are All-Americans

133 Kaid Brock (Oklahoma St.) MD Jack Mueller (Virginia), 16-7

133 Montorie Bridges (Wyoming) DEC John Erneste (Missouri), 5-4

133 Scott Delvecchio (Rutgers) DEC Austin Desanto (Drexel), 8-6 SV

133 Scott Parker (Lehigh) DEC Mitch Mckee (Minnesota), 3-1

141 Pounds

#1 Bryce Meredith (Wyoming) vs #4 Joey McKenna (Ohio State)

No scores after 90 seconds. McKenna trying to snap a 3 match losing streak for the Buckeyes. Donuts on the board after 3 minutes, Meredith will start the second underneath. Meredith escapes after 23 seconds. We start the third in neutral, Meredith with a 1-0 lead. McKenna in on a shot, Meredith countering, they're in a 50/50 position. No stalemate and no score. Meredith wins and the Wyoming Cowboy will be going back to the NCAA finals!

#2 Jaydin Eierman (Missouri) vs #3 Yianni Diakomihalis (Cornell)

Yianni's only loss on the year was to Eierman in a dual. Yianni trying to avenge that loss with a quick takedown. Eierman escapes after 17 seconds. Hand fighting but no scores or even scrambles for the rest of the period and we go to the second, Yianni starts on bottom. Yianni escapes in under a minute. He's in on a shot but runs out of mat space. Yianni leads 3-1. No scores but heavy hands from Eierman. Eierman starts the third underneath. A quick sit and turn makes it 3-2. 1:22 left in the third, RT not a factor. Yianni leads by 1. A crazy scramble, Eierman get two. He leads by one. Yianni doing his thing and wrestling for control. They go out of bounds. hey give him one, his coaches want a review. The call stands. It's tied, riding time not a factor, 20 seconds left in regulation. Nada. We are in sudden victory. Yianni in on legs. Eiermen body locks. He can't keep Yianni from from covering up. Cornell gets a finalist as true freshman Yianni Diakomihalis wins in overtime!

Bloodround results - winners are All-Americans

141 Nick Lee (Penn St.) DEC Tyler Smith (Bucknell), 13-6

141 Sa`derian Perry (Eastern Mich.) DEC Michael Carr (Illinois), 8-6 SV

141 Kevin Jack (NC State) TF Brock Zacherl (Clarion), 17-2 7:00

141 Chad Red (Nebraska) F Dean Heil (Oklahoma St.), 2:22

149 Pounds

#1 Zain Retherford (Penn State) vs #6 Troy Heilmann (UNC)

Zain with a quick TD, he's the heavy favorite here. Two TDs to 2 escapes makes it 4-2 for Zain. We're in the second now, Zain winning 7-3. Still 7-3. A takedown and escape makes it 9-4, plus a riding time point and Zain Retherford goes back to the finals. Heilmann managed to avoid the pain train on bottom but didn't come close to scoring. Penn State with their first finalist in 5 chances tonight. 

#7 Matt Kolodzik (Princeton) vs #15 Ronnie Perry (Lock Haven)

Kolodzik is the #11 seed and Perry the #15, so both of these guys already well exceeded expectations. No scores deep into the first period. Kolodzik starts the second on bottom, still zilch on the scoreboard. It's 1-1 in the second. Perry in on a leg but he runs out of both time and real estate. They go to the third tied. Perry on bottom, now escapes to make it 2-1 in the third. But yet another TD for clutch gene Kolodzik. He leads 3-2. But Perry escapes to tie it up. He Perry says he's the clutch one in this match. He gets a takedown and ride out to win 5-3. Lock Haven has their first finalist since Cary Kolat, and Ronnie Perry is the first 15 seed to make the finals ever!

Bloodround results - winners are All-Americans

149 Brandon Sorensen (Iowa) MD Ke-shawn Hayes (Ohio St.), 9-0

149 Boo Lewallen (Oklahoma St.) DEC Justin Oliver (Central Mich.), 9-4

149 Jason Tsirtis (Arizona St.) DEC Jarrett Degen (Iowa St.), 4-3

149 Grant Leeth (Missouri) DEC Max Thomsen (Uni), 3-2

157 Pounds

#2 Hayden Hidlay (NC State) vs #4 Alec Pantaleo (Michigan)

Both of these guys know their way around the weight room. They are also both deceptively quick. Pantaleo strikes first and gets a takedown. Hidlay escapes, 2-1. No other action in the first. In the second Hidlay gets an escape to knot the score. And there's a pancake from Hidlay! He goes feet to back and picks up 6 points. After the ride out Hidlay goes on bottom in the third. He escapes to make it 9-2. Hidlay looking to stay undefeated as a redshirt freshman. And he does! Add the riding time point and it's a 10-2 major decision for NC State's Hayden Hidlay in the NCAA semifinals!

#1 Jason Nolf (Penn State) vs #5 Micah Jordan (Ohio State)

Buckeyes and Nittany Lions, stakes don't get any higher. Nolf gets in on a leg and picks Jordan up completely in the air but can't finish as Jordan stays off the mat. Finally Nolf brings him down for two. Now he's cranking a half and getting swipes. No trouble with his knee here. And just like that it's 10-0, Nolf in command. In the 2nd period Nolf gets 2 and 4 more to make it a clean 16-0 tech fall. Nolf looks as good as ever and is headed back to the finals for a third straight time!

Bloodround results - winners are All-Americans

157 Luke Zilverberg (South Dakota St.) DEC Kennedy Monday (North Carolina), 6-5

157 Tyler Berger (Nebraska) DEC Paul Fox (Stanford), 6-3

157 Joshua Shields (Arizona St.) DEC John Van brill (Rutgers), 11-9 SV

157 Michael Kemerer (Iowa) DEC Joseph Lavallee (Missouri), 5-2

165 Pounds

#1 Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) vs #5 Alex Marinelli (Iowa)

IMar with an elbow post hi-c to a single. He's got it shelves and finishes for two. They go out of bounds and will restart after 35 seconds. Slide by attempt by IMar but no dice. IMar staying aggressive but Marinelli hanging tough and not giving any more ground. In the second Marinelli starts down. He escapes and we're tied. IMar with another single high in the air and somehow Marinelli kicks out and avoids the takedown. IMar goes double this time and now he converts, running the score to 4-2. IMar rides out and will start the third period underneath. IMar will escape and fend off all of Marinelli's attacks. IMar is going to his fourth consecutive NCAA finals and a rematch with Vincenzo Joseph!

#2 Vincenzo Joseph (Penn State) vs #3 David McFadden (Virginia Tech)

McFadden comes into the semis with an undefeated record. Cenzo comes in as the defending NCAA champ. Some scrambles and a body lock by Cenzo that goes no where and they go the second scoreless. Cenzo escapes and almost makes it a reversal but he runs out of real estate. He leads 1-0. Cenzo gets another body lock but this time converts despite a ferocious whizzer from McFadden. Cenzo cuts McFadden to make it 3-1. More body locks (of course) but no scores. Now 41 seconds left in the third, til 3-1 Cenzo. McFadden trying to go upper body but Cenzo is too tough. McFadden throws an inside trip but Cenzo defends easily. Time runs out on McFadden and Vincenzo Joseph is going to his second consecutive NCAA finals!

Bloodround results - winners are All-Americans

165 Chandler Rogers (Oklahoma St.) DEC Chad Walsh (Rider), 11-9

165 Chance Marsteller (Lock Haven) DEC Richie Lewis (Rutgers), 4-2

165 Evan Wick (Wisconsin) F Nicholas Wanzek (Minnesota), 3:17

165 Jonathon Chavez (Cornell) DEC Isaiah White (Nebraska), 2-1 TB2

174 Pounds

#1 Zahid Valencia (Arizona State) vs #5 Myles Amine (Michigan)

Amine gave Zahid a tough match at the CKLV but Zahid won and is undefeated on the year. Amine strikes first looking for revenge. It's 2-1 in favor of Amine. Concrete hands from Valencia, but Amine gets a go behind to extend his lead to 3. Zahid escapes in short time and it's 4-2. Amine starts the second on bottom. It's 5-3 now and their on their feet in the second. Valencia finds his offense and ties the score 5-5. In the third Valencia escapes to make it 6-5. Riding time not a factor, 90 seconds left. Valencia on the attack, gets a stall on Amine. Another stall makes it 7-5. Valencia will grind down the clock and win 7-5! Mark Hall beat Valencia in the semifinals in 2017. Valencia gets another crack at him in the finals in 2018. 

#2 Mark Hall (Penn State) vs #4 Daniel Lewis (Missouri)

Hall and Lewis are both undefeated on the year. The All-Star Classic match Hall lost to Zahid does not count on his official record. Hall gets the first points with a takedown. Now 2-1. In the second it's 4-2, Hall riding, and he gets two back points to make 6-2. Into the third, Lewis will take neutral down four points with 2 minutes left in regulation. Lewis in on Hall's legs, but Hall uses sorcery and flips Lewis on his back. Lewis is in trouble, Hall with the pin! The arena erupts! Mark Hall going to back-to-back NCAA finals looking for title number two!

Bloodround results - winners are All-Americans

174 Jordan Kutler (Lehigh) DEC Dylan Lydy (Purdue), 4-1

174 David Kocer (South Dakota St.) DEC Jadaen Bernstein (Navy), 5-4 TB2

174 Jacobe Smith (Oklahoma St.) DEC Taylor Lujan (Uni), 10-8

174 Bo Jordan (Ohio St.) DEC Ben Harvey (Army West Point), 11-6

184 Pounds

#1 Bo Nickal (Penn State) vs #4 Dom Abounader (Michigan)

And we're off, Nickal looking to make the finals for third time in his career. Nickal finishes on the edge, 2-0 lead about 30 seconds in. Nickal trying to roll through a half but Abounader is up to his feet and out. Great counter and trip for Nickal to take the 4-1 lead. Out of bounds once again with under a minute left in the first period. Nickal with an escape early in the period, has 1:15 of riding time. No other points in the second. Abounader up and out to make it 5-3 in the third. Bo Nickal is a junior, and a three-time NCAA Finalist. He increases Penn State's lead in the team race.

#2 Myles Martin (Ohio State) vs #6 Zachary Zavatsky (Virginia Tech)

A rematch of last year's CKLV semis, won by Zavatsky. Zavatsky using his length well to keep Martin at  bay. Looks like the first frame will end scoreless. Zavatsky on bottom to start the second. Flurry and Martin finishes on the edge to take a 2-1 lead. ZZ Top with the escape to tie it up. Martin will take down in the third and gets the quick escape to lead 3-2. Martin finishes the go-behind and it looks like we're gonna get another Martin/Nickal final. Another takedown to make it 7-3, plus riding time. Martin wins 8-4.

Bloodround results - winners are All-Americans

184 Taylor Venz (Nebraska) MD Pete Renda (NC State), 11-3

184 Maxwell Dean (Cornell) DEC Bryce Carr (Chattanooga), 6-4

184 Chip Ness (North Carolina) DEC Michael Coleman (Navy), 5-4

184 Emory Parker (Illinois) DEC Ryan Preisch (Lehigh), 5-1

197 Pounds

Kyle Conel (Kent St.) vs #4 Michael Macchiavello (NC State)

Kyle Conel, the story of the the tournament, gets the first takedown of of the match. Macchiavello escapes and answers back with a takedown of his own. He puts in a figure four on Conel's leg and starts to ride.  Macchiavello escapes to make it 4-2 in his favor and their back in neutral. They lock upper body and Macchiavello gives Conel a taste of his own medicine, flattening him and picking up the fall. Conel is still an incredible story but it's Macchiavello, the Peruvian Powerhouse, who is a first time finalist, the second for North Carolina State. 

#3 Jared Haught (Virginia Tech) vs #1 Ben Darmstadt (Cornell)

Slow start for this match. Darmstadt is comfortable in scrambles and Haught wisely decides not to mix it up. They go to the second scoreless. It's 2-2 now in the third, riding time not a factor. Only 3 loses between these two wrestlers on the year. And Haught goes beast mode and pancakes Ben Darmstadt. Picked him up and flipped him over to his back. A pinfall for Jared Haught and Virginia Tech gets their second ever NCAA finalist! The other was Devin Carter. Also, it's an all ACC final! I don't have the stats for when the last time that ever happened, if ever. 

Bloodround results - winners are All-Americans

197 Shakur Rasheed (Penn St.) DEC Frank Mattiace (Penn), 6-5

197 Kollin Moore (Ohio St.) DEC Cash Wilcke (Iowa), 6-2

197 Jacob Holschlag (Uni) DEC Chris Weiler (Lehigh), 3-2

197 William Miklus (Missouri) DEC Nate Rotert (South Dakota St.), 9-4

285 Pounds

#1 Kyle Snyder (Ohio St.) vs #4 Jacob Kasper (Duke)

This is a rematch of last year's semifinal. Snyder won that one handily, and jumps out to a 2-0 lead in the first. Kasper escapes quickly to make it 2-1. A takedown in short time makes it 4-1 as the 1st period ends. Kasper starts the 2nd underneath and escapes, then takes down the Olympic champ to draw the scores even! Snyder escapes to regain the lead. 1 minute left in the second, riding time not a factor. Another takedown and rideout makes it 7-4 going into the third. Snyder starts pouring it on in the third. It's 10-4 with just a few ticks remaining. That's how it ends, and Kyle Snyder is going back to the finals for the fourth time!

#6 Amar Dhesi (Oregon St.) vs #2 Adam Coon (Michigan)

Coon is the heavy favorite but Dhesi is the one who strikes first. Coon escapes and it's 2-1 in favor of Dhesi. Coon start the second on bottom and escapes to tie things up. No scores so we go to third, still 2-2. They're in neutral with 2 minutes left in regulation. Dhesi does have a win over Coon, though it was in freestyle a few years ago. With less than 60 seconds Coon gets on his offense and scores a clutch takedown. It's 4-2 Coon with 26 seconds left, RT not a factor. Coon fends of Dhesi to match it to the finals and round three on the season with Kyle Snyder!

Bloodround results - winners are All-Americans

285 Youssif Hemida (Maryland) DEF Jordan Wood (Lehigh)

285 Mike Hughes (Hofstra) DEC Derek White (Oklahoma St.), 6-1

285 Samuel Stoll (Iowa) MD Nathan Butler (Stanford), 15-3

285 Nick Nevills (Penn St.) DEC Jere Heino (Campbell), 6-1

Welp I'm spent. That session lived up to it's billing and then some. Another rowdy sell out crowd created an incredible atmosphere. Penn State has a massive round, passing Ohio State. The Nittany Lions will have a 10 point lead going into the last day of the tournament.

Ohio State has two finalists and six more fighting for placement. Penn State's five returning champs are all back in the finals and three more fighting for placement. 

Session 5 starts tomorrow at 11:00AM ET. The finals start at 8:00 PM ET. Thanks as always for being the best wrestling fans in the world and following along. Apologies for the innumerable typos and see you tomorrow!