Familiar rival betters Benion

   EVANSTON  University of Illinois All-American Ernest Benion wasnt supposed to bump into nemesis Joe Williams on the mat at the Midlands Wrestling Championships.

   But Williams dropped a weight class. Then he dropped Benion.

   In a rematch of last springs NCAA Championship bout at 158 pounds, Williams of Iowa edged Benion 7-4 Sunday night at Northwestern.

   Williams, who was scheduled to compete at 167 pounds, won his third Midlands title.

   Benion, the only Illini to advance to the finals, was shooting for his first Midlands title. He is 0-3 against Williams in his college career.

   In March, Williams tipped Benion 9-8 when the Hawkeye pulled off a controversial escape with six seconds left in the match.

   Top-ranked Iowa won the Midlands team title with 176 points.

   Sixth-ranked Illinois, which went into Sunday nights final matches in fifth place, finished in sixth with 79 points. Northwestern, Eastern Illinois and Northern Illinois finished 16-17-18.

   The UIs Lindsey Durlacher, the third seed at 118, finished third.

   Another Illini to place was Jevon Herman, who finished fourth at 177.

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