BadgerStateWrestling commentator Shane Sparks called the finals of the Cadet Greco-Roman National Duals a story of runs. 

Basketball reference aside, the description was apt as Illinois used six straight victories in the middle weights to build a big lead and hang on beat Pennsylvania Red 39-32 in Daytona Beach, Fla., to win the team competition.

Team Illinois won its second title in the last three years. They previously won the event in Rochester, Minn., in 2009. Pennsylvania finished as the team runner-up for the second straight year.

Jabari Moody started things off by scoring a two-point gutwrench with eight seconds left in the third period to beat Luke Karem 1-0, 0-2, 2-0 to get Illinois off to a 3-1 start at 84 pounds. 

Illinois would extend its lead to 8-1 after Nicholas Koch picked up a forfeit at 91 pounds. 

Pennsylvania closed the gap to 8-4 when PIAA state runner-up Ethan Lizak topped Austin Ryan 3-0, 2-0 at 98 pounds. 

Pennsylvania closed the gap to 8-7 when highly-ranked Darian Cruz dominated Matthew Rundell, hitting a five-pointer in the first period and defending in the second to take a 6-0, 1-0 victory at 105 pounds.

Jon Marmalejo of Illinois finished undefeated on the tournament with a 4-0, 2-1 victory over Cole Walter at 112 pounds. Marmalejo scored two two-point gutwrenches in the first period. Walter scored a late point in the second after giving up a gutwrench from par terre to give Pennsylvania one team point, but Illinois extended its lead to 11-8.

At 119 pounds, FILA Cadet world team member Darius Henry of Illinois powered through Zach Kelly 6-0, 6-0.

Mike Sepke of Illinois topped Justin Staudenmyer 1-0, 4-0 at 125 pounds to give Illinois its third straight win and extend the lead to 18-8. Staudenmyer nearly turned Sepke to his back on a counter, but time expired and Staudenmyer wouldn’t score any team points. 

Jake O’Mara kept the momentum going Illinois’ way with a second-period fall over Pennsylvania’s Demitri D’Orseno at 130 pounds. It was followed by a dominant performance at 135 pounds by Xavier Montalvo, who teched Seth Decker 7-0, 6-0 to run the Illinois win streak to five matches in a row and extending the team lead to 27-8.

Mitchell Alexander used a big five-pointer from a reverse lift in par terre en route to an 8-0 first period win at 140 pounds. Alexander used a three-point throw and got two points from a Garrett Hammond leg foul to win the second period 5-0. It was the fifth straight match Illinois would win without surrendering a point.

Pennsylvania stopped the bleeding by picking up a forfeit at 145 pound with Connor Burns accepting the victory.

Chance Marsteller, an undefeated Pennsylvania state champion this past year as a freshman, pulled Pennsylvania closer countering a front headlock attempt and earning the first-period fall over Davonte Mahomes. The back-to-back five-point outcomes drew the Keystone kids within 30-18.

At 160 pounds, a pair of undefeated wrestlers met with Troy Hembury of Pennsylvania topping Richard Robertson 1-0, 2-2. It was Pennsylvania’s third straight win, closing the gap to 31-21.

After getting teched 8-2 in the first period at 171 pounds, Ray O’Donnell rallied to win the second period 8-1 then ran a bar in the third period to pick up a crucial fall over Illinois’ Joey Ariola. The outcome prevented Illinois from scoring any points and Pennsylvania crept closer, making the team score 31-26 with three weights remaining.

Illinois fought off the comeback with Sage Hecox knocking off Javon Reyes 2-0 4-2 at 189 pounds. The win extended Illinois win to 34-27.

Illinois wrapped it up with Edgar Ruano earning a first-period fall at 215 pounds over Pennsylvania’s Austin Buttry.

The dual ended with a forfeit at heavyweight with Nazar Mirenenko of Pennsylvania getting the win.

Championship Finals
Illinois defeated Pennsylvania Red 39-32
84 - Jabari Moody (Illinois) over Luke Karem (Pennsylvania Red) Dec 1-0,0-2,2-0
91 - Nicholas Koch (Illinois) over Colin Mashack (Pennsylvania Red) Forf 
98 - Ethan Lizak (Pennsylvania Red) over Austin Ryan (Illinois) Dec 3-0,2-0
105 - Darian Cruz (Pennsylvania Red) over Matthew Rundell (Illinois) Dec 6-0,1-0
112 - Jon Marmolejo (Illinois) over Cole Walter (Pennsylvania Red) Dec 4-0,2-1
119 - Darius Henry (Illinois) over Zach Kelly (Pennsylvania Red) TF 6-0,6-0
125 - Michael Sepke (Illinois) over Justin Staudenamyer (Pennsylvania Red) Dec 1-0,4-0
130 - Jake O`Mara (Illinois) over Demetri D`Orsaneo (Pennsylvania Red) Pin 7-0,1:16
135 - Xavier Montalvo (Illinois) over Seth Decker (Pennsylvania Red) TF 7-0,6-0
140 - Mitchell Alexander (Illinois) over Garrett Hammond (Pennsylvania Red) Dec 8-0,5-0
145 - Connor Burns (Pennsylvania Red) over Zachary Pickering (Illinois) Forf 
152 - Chance Marsteller (Pennsylvania Red) over Davonte Mahomes (Illinois) Pin 1:49
160 - Troy Hembury (Pennsylvania Red) over Richard Robertson (Illinois) Dec 1-0,3-2
171 - Raymond O`Donnell (Pennsylvania Red) over Joey Ariola (Illinois) Pin 2-8,8-1,0:39
189 - Sage Hecox (Illinois) over Javon Reyes (Pennsylvania Red) Dec 2-0,4-2
215 - Edgar Ruano (Illinois) over Austin Buttry (Pennsylvania Red) Pin 1:16
285 - Nazar Mirenenko (Pennsylvania Red) over Adarios Jones (Illinois) Forf 

Third Place
Michigan Red defeated New Jersey 41-24
84 - Brandon Paetzell (New Jersey) over Dalton Roberts (Michigan Red) Dec 7-0,1-6,5-1
91 - Lincoln Olson (Michigan Red) over Dan Boychuck (New Jersey) Dec 0-1,2-1,1-0
98 - Joe Garcia (Michigan Red) over Tyler Casamenti (New Jersey) Dec 2-0,2-0
105 - Joseph Ghione (New Jersey) over Logan Griffin (Michigan Red) Dec 7-1,6-5
112 - Joseph McKenna (New Jersey) over Zac Hall (Michigan Red) Dec 6-1,6-0
119 - Cole Weaver (Michigan Red) over Xaviel Ramos (New Jersey) Dec 0-6,6-5,4-1
125 - Anthony Gonzales (Michigan Red) over Anthony Ashnault (New Jersey) Dec 0-3,3-3,3-1
130 - Zehlin Storr (Michigan Red) over John Van Brill (New Jersey) Dec 2-0,7-0
135 - Riley Hanson (Michigan Red) over Myles Martin (New Jersey) Dec 3-0,1-0
140 - Toby Hague (New Jersey) over Logan Marcicki (Michigan Red) Dec 7-1,4-1
145 - TJ Barnes (Michigan Red) over Dillon Artigliere (New Jersey) Dec 2-0,4-0
152 - Andrew Garcia (Michigan Red) over Dylan Milonas (New Jersey) Dec 5-0,4-1,0-0
160 - Johnny Sebastian (New Jersey) over Shon Powell (Michigan Red) Dec 7-3,5-3
171 - Jadean Bernstein (New Jersey) over Teddy Warren (Michigan Red) Dec 7-0,3-2
189 - Mitchell Tyler (Michigan Red) over Corey Damiana (New Jersey) Dec 4-3,1-0
215 - Brian Moran (Michigan Red) over Jeff Miller (New Jersey) Pin 0:57
285 - Miguel Correa (Michigan Red) over Carmine Goldsack (New Jersey) Dec 2-0,2-2

Fifth Place
Wisconsin defeated Utah 46-26
84 - Brock George (Utah) over Walker Christensen (Wisconsin) Dec 2-0,5-4
91 - Joe Mondragon (Utah) over Dillon Koenigs (Wisconsin) Dec 2-1,5-0
98 - Ty Pelot (Wisconsin) over Jaydon Rogers (Utah) TF 6-0,9-2
105 - Jens Lantz (Wisconsin) over Dusty Hone (Utah) Dec 1-0,1-0
112 - Branson Ashworth (Utah) over Andrew Crone (Wisconsin) Pin 1:11
119 - Gabriel Grahek (Wisconsin) over Antonio Meikel (Utah) Dec 3-1,2-2
125 - Jacob Armstrong (Utah) over Kyle Mezera (Wisconsin) Dec 3-2,3-1
130 - Joseph Nelson (Wisconsin) over Landon Knutzen (Utah) Dec 6-0,5-2
135 - Grant LaMont (Utah) over Mitchell Berenz (Wisconsin) Dec 8-0,2-1
140 - Travis Hettinga (Wisconsin) over Dalton Harmon (Utah) Pin 0:30
145 - Kimball Bastian (Utah) over Jared Scharenbrock (Wisconsin) Dec 0-3,4-0,5-0
152 - Jared Schaaf (Wisconsin) over Jake Tolman (Utah) Dec 2-0,1-0
160 - Jake Stilling (Wisconsin) over Nick Sorenson (Utah) TF 10-4,8-1
171 - Aaron Rothwell (Wisconsin) over Kohler Smoot (Utah) Dec 3-1,1-0
189 - Quinn Faust (Wisconsin) over Daviaire Dickerson (Utah) Pin 1:03
215 - Dakota Johnson (Wisconsin) over Roy Nash (Utah) Pin 8-1,0-2,0:58
285 - Alex Lennartson (Wisconsin) over Zac Dawe (Utah) Dec 1-1,2-0

Seventh Place
Minnesota Storm defeated Missouri 37-31
84 - Double Forfeit
91 - Gannon Volk (Minnesota Storm) over Carter Behler (Missouri) TF 7-0,6-0
98 - Ke-Shawn Hayes (Missouri) over Blane Tschida (Minnesota Storm) TF 6-0,7-0
105 - Reid Lyden (Minnesota Storm) over Matt Barmann (Missouri) TF 6-0,6-0
112 - Devan Richter (Missouri) over James Pleski (Minnesota Storm) Pin 5-3,0:13
119 - Seth Gross (Minnesota Storm) over Seth Brayfield (Missouri) Pin 4-3,1:58
125 - Brett Stolarczyk (Minnesota Storm) over Colston DiBlasi (Missouri) Pin 4-0,0:23
130 - Aaron Trio (Minnesota Storm) over Montel Maggitt (Missouri) Dec 7-1,5-1
135 - Mason Moreno (Minnesota Storm) over Tyler Brown (Missouri) TF 6-0,8-0
140 - Grant Leeth (Missouri) over TJ O`Hara (Minnesota Storm) Dec 1-0,2-0
145 - Dayton Racer (Missouri) over Jake Deutchlander (Minnesota Storm) Dec 4-4,3-0,1-0
152 - Austin Boniface (Minnesota Storm) over Tony Clinesmith (Missouri) Pin 0:33
160 - Brennan Johnson (Missouri) over Gus Phillips (Minnesota Storm) Pin 1:12
171 - Joseph Bradford (Missouri) over Isaac Josephson (Minnesota Storm) Dec 6-5,3-3
189 - Matt McClimens (Missouri) over Will Balow (Minnesota Storm) Dec 1-0,6-0
215 - J`den Cox (Missouri) over Nathan Preston (Minnesota Storm) TF 6-0,8-0
285 - Sam Stoll (Minnesota Storm) over Jacob Semple (Missouri) Pin 0:32

Full Results: Cadet National Duals Greco-Roman

All-Tournament Team
84 
Jabari Moody of Illinois went 8-0
91 
Gannon Volk of Minnesota Storm went 9-0
Isaac Jimenez of Texas went 7-0
105 
Darian Cruz of Pennsylvania Red went 9-0
112 
Joseph McKenna of New Jersey went 9-0
119 
Darius Henry of Illinois went 7-0
125 
Anthony Gonzales of Michigan Red went 7-0
135 
Grant LaMont of Utah went 9-0
Bo Nickal of Texas went 7-0
Fox Baldwin of Florida Blue went 7-0
John Edwards of Georgia Red went 7-0
140 
Mitchell Alexander of Illinois went 9-0
152 
Chance Marsteller of Pennsylvania Red went 9-0
Andrew Garcia of Michigan Red went 7-0
171 
Jadean Bernstein of New Jersey went 9-0
Kacee Hutchinson of North Carolina went 6-0
189 
Tyler Andreason of Florida Blue went 7-0
Tyler Denova of Georgia Red went 7-0
215 
Carter Shipley of Florida Blue went 7-0
Edgar Ruano of Illinois went 6-0
285 
Nazar Mirenenko of Pennsylvania Red went 9-0
Sam Stoll of Minnesota Storm went 8-0