What 2 Watch 4: That Which Happens In Vegas
What 2 Watch 4: That Which Happens In Vegas
All the college wrestling you need to watch, especially that which happens in Las Vegas, in week 5 of the NCAA season.
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As we trundle like fatted calves into a new weekend, plump from a merry Thanksgiving holiday, one event looms large on the horizon. This weekend is all about Vegas. The Cliff Keen Las Vegas Collegiate Wrestling Internation (or the CKLV if you're into the whole brevity thing) will be one of, if not the toughest tournaments of the season outside of the NCAAs.
Obviously, you should plan your weekend around that event. Specifically, like so.
Friday, November 30
Cliff Keen Las Vegas Collegiate Wrestling Invitational
There are over 100 top-20 wrestlers registered to compete at the CKLV. There is a good chance we'll see half of the 2019 All-Americans in this tournament. Pick you're favorite adjective to describe something big (mine is brobdingnagian), and that applies to the CKLV.
Here is the schedule for Day 1:
1200PM ET: Pig Tail (Championship) > Round of 32 (Championship) > Round of 32 (Consolation) > Round of 16 (Championship) > 1st Round of 16 (Consolation) > 2nd Round of 16 (Consolation)
9:00 PM ET: Quarterfinals (Championship) and 1st Round of 8 (Consolation)
You get everything up until the semis and bloodround on Day 1. The brackets are going to be 40-plus per weight class too, so you have a very full day of wrestling to watch.
Also, Mike Mal and Mr. Ryan Holmes will be shepherding you through the quarterfinals with FloZone! That will include a pre- and post-zone show. How delightful!
Probably what I'm personally looking forward to most about the CKLV, besides the wrestling, are the famous Las Vegas buffets. Can't beat 'em!
Penn State at Bucknell, 7:00 PM
Of course, not every D1 team is going to be in Vegas this weekend. There is a pretty decent team from Central PA by the name of Penn State that will be heading due East to take on an intrastate rival Bucknell. Our man Mark Bader will be on locaton bringing you all the best content as the Nittany Lions take on the Bison.
The Sojka Pavillion is sold out, so the only way you'll be able to watch is right here on Flo.
Check out Penn State true frosh Roman Bravo-Young (who is not ranked because he doesn't yet have the resume of a top-20 wrestler but will at some point so please just be patient) in the first varsity match of his career:
Northern Illinois at Indiana, 7 PM
If that's still not enough wrestling for your Friday evening, may I reccomend a Midwestern artisinal dual meet? Two young, under-the-radar guys to glimpse in this tilt are Brit Wilson of Northern Illinois at 174 pounds and Paul Konrath of Indiana at 141 (or 133) pounds.
Princeton at Lehigh, 7:00 PM
Some of the big brains of the EIWA also wrestle this evening. Lehigh is probably still a little banged up, so the headling match will likely be at 197, where Princeton's #7 Pat Brucki takes on Lehigh's #14 Jake Jakobsen. Or Chris Weiler could get the nod for the Mountain Hawks, who is also a top-20 talent. Really can't go wrong with either of those dudes.
George Mason at Lock Haven, 7:00 PM
Ohio at Appalachian State, 7:00 PM
Friday night is also going to see the first ever event from the nascent American Wrestling League. The US Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, will play host to some of America's most talented freestylers, for those of you still jonesing for the international style.
Saturday, December 1
Cliff Keen Las Vegas Collegiate Wrestling Invitational
Here is your schedule for day 2 of one of the gnarliest tournaments of the year.
12:00PM ET: 2nd Round of 8 (Consolation)
1:00PM ET: Semifinals (Championship) > Semifinals (Consolation) > 5th & 7th Place Matches
6:00PM ET: CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS 1st & 3rd Place Matches
If your appetite needs further wetting, please see below.
- Betting Guide (it is in Vegas, after all)
- Darkhorses (say you saw them coming when no one else did!)
- Ultimate Preview (experience the ultimate!)
- Team Race (I will have this link ready for this soon!)
I tried finding a PG clip of Casino, the best movie ever made set in Las Vegas, to put here, but none appear to exist, and since this is a family website, I will instead insert another clip from Vegas Vacation.
But seriously, after the wrestling is done for the day, do yourself a favor and watch Casino. It is a classic.
Iowa State at Iowa, 3 PM
Did you know there are nine Children of the Corn movies? I only saw the first one. It was pretty good, although the ending was a little goofy.
In any event, the annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk wrestling rivalry is here to help tide you over between the semis and finals of the CKLV.
Although Iowa State's Austin Gomez is not yet ranked, the redshirt freshman has the potential to crash the All-American party in March, and his match with Iowa's #9 Austin DeSanto will be one of the most anticipated bouts of the dual.
#7 Pat Lugo of Iowa and #14 Jarrett Degen of Iowa State is another potential ranked matchup at 149-pounds, as is #11 Jacob Warner of Iowa and #5 Willie Miklus of Iowa State at 197.
For more on this storied intrastate rivarly, your guy Daniel Nomad breaks down the nitty gritty.
Here is the Bull administering the horns in one of his most recent matches this season:
Sacred Heart vs VMI, TBD
Sacred Heart at Davidson, 1:30 PM
VMI at Davidson, 3:00 PM
Sacred Heart has already doubled their D1 win total from last year. Might they triple, or even quadruple it Saturday afternoon? It's possible!
Sunday, December 2
Cougar Clash, 11:00 AM
Who amongst us does not enjoy a clash of cougars? Featured D1 teams include Arizona State, Army West Point, Chattanooga, Cleveland State, Kent State, Southern Illinois Edwardsville, and Wisconsin.
Lehigh at Penn State, 1:30 PM
You cord-having types with BTN are able to enjoy these potential top 20 matchups.
157: #14 Gordon Wolf, LU vs #1 Jason Nolf, PSU (although Lehigh started Kent Lane in their last dual against Michigan)
165: #12 Cole Walter, LU vs #1 Vincenzo Joseph, PSU
174: #7 Jordan Kutler, LU vs #2 Mark Hall, PSU
184: #7 Ryan Preisch, LU vs #7 Shakur Rasheed, PSU (Andrew Price got the nod for the Mountain Hawks against Michigan)
197: #14 Jake Jakobsen, LU vs #1 Bo Nickal, PSU
285: #6 Jordon Wood, LU vs #2 Anthony Cassar, PSU
Not a particularly insightful observation, but that's a lot of upper-weight firepower!
Maryland at Penn, 4:00 PM
Nothing on Flo this Sunday. May I recommend CKLV reruns to close out the weekend? Or perhaps another Vegas based-movie. We've already covered Casino and Vegas Vacation. What are some other good ones?
Leaving Las Vegas was incredible but maybe a tad depressing for Sunday night. Swingers is a dependable standby. The Hangover, that's a good one. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas? Although that really requires a rather particular... mood, to be properly enjoyed. What else? What are your favorites? I've got a three-hour flight ahead of me; suggestions are most welcome.
Enjoy the wrestling my friends!