Eight per weight advance to U.S. Nationals through Greco-Roman qualification tournament
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by Gary Abbott
LAS VEGAS, NEV. - The U.S. National Wrestling Championships in Greco-Roman began today with the Qualification Tournament in three weight divisions: 66 kg/145.5 lbs., 74 kg/163 lbs. and 84 kg/185 lbs.
In weight classes with 20 or more athletes, a Qualification Tournament is held the day prior to the U.S. Nationals. Eight athletes were selected by a committee of wrestling clubs to sit out until Friday's national competition. Three of the seven weight classes had more than 19 athletes.
At the Qualification Tournament, eight athletes in each of these three weight divisions advanced to compete in Friday's U.S. National Championships. That included four athletes who qualified for the semifinals on the championship side of the bracket, and four athletes who made it to the consolation semifinals. The bracket is not wrestled through, stopping when the eight advancing athletes are determined.
This can be compared to the play-in game held every year for the NCAA Basketball Championships. You need to earn the right to get into the Big Show.
For the athletes who made it through today, there is another full day of wrestling during the U.S. Nationals, with an opportunity to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. A top-seven finish on Friday places athletes into the Trials. For every athlete who survived today, the Olympic dream remains alive.
"There are a few people here today who could surprise some people tomorrow," said USA Wrestling National Coach Steve Fraser. "You have some talented kids who haven't wrestled for a year. There are guys here today who could qualify for the Olympic Trials."
Among the athletes who qualified to compete Friday was Shannon Slack at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., who advanced to the semifinals of his bracket. He won two matches, including a 3-1, 4-0 victory over Bo Beckman (Orem, Utah/USOEC) in the quarterfinals which clinched his qualification.
Slack is currently living in California, training with former U.S. National champion Darryl Christian and nationally-ranked athlete Pat Cadwallader. Slack attended Fresno State and Old Dominion University, and spent more than a year training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado before going back to California to train.
"I would have rather not wrestled," said Slack, who did not receive a top eight seed. "It feels good to compete. It has been awhile since I wrestled at this level. In, 2007, I was hurt throughout the year. It was good to get a feel for it."
Slack has high goals for Friday's U.S. Nationals, not satisfied with just getting through the Qualification Tournament.
"I came here to win the U.S. Nationals like everybody else," said Slack. "The main thing is to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. I want to drop down to 60 kg for the Trials. But I am here to win it. I want to win every tournament I enter."
Also qualifying at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. by making it to the semifinal round was Gabriel Mooney (Fargo, N.D./Minnetonka), who will be a senior next year at North Dakota State. Mooney stopped Nic Remer (Kennewick, Wash./U.S. Navy) in the quarterfinals, 3-0, 6-2.
"I have wrestled Greco-Roman since I was a little kid. Last year, I also spent three weeks at the U.S. Olympic Training Center," said Mooney.
"I knew coming in I'd be an underdog," said Mooney. "I signed up to compete both styles. I want to get as many matches as I can to improve for college wrestling. The more matches the better. Making the Olympic Trials would be a dream come true. Tomorrow, I have no expectations but to do my best."
Among the 84 kg/185 lbs. qualifiers was Zak Nielsen of the USOEC. Nielson is a freshman at Northern Michigan Univ. and a member of the U.S. Olympic Education Center Greco-Roman team there. On Wednesday, Nielsen won a gold medal at the FILA Junior National Greco-Roman Nationals.
"My goal for this tournament is that I want to place at the U.S. Nationals," said Nielsen. "It is a lofty goal. I want to improve at the upper levels. First, I wanted to win the FILA Juniors and I did that. Now, I want to have fun, get experience and try to place. I just want to wrestle my best. I can't fail now, because I won FILA Juniors. Everything else is just a bonus."
Nielsen earned his spot in the U.S. Nationals when he won a quarterfinal match against Peter Hicks (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Air Force), 4-0, 3-0.
"I knew who he was and that he is experienced. I tried to stay smart. I hit my key points. I knew he had a good lift and I was prepared for it. It paid off for me," said Nielsen.
The eight athletes in each weight class who advanced will be added to eight wrestlers who were separated by the committee to form a 16-man bracket at their weight class. The big show begins on Friday morning.
GRECO-ROMAN QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT
66 kg/145.5 lbs. Qualifiers
Semifinalists
Steve Clayberg, Omaha, Neb. (Maverick WC)
Shannon Slack, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
Gabriel Mooney, Fargo, N.D. (Minnekota)
Ben Sanchez, Leominster, Mass. (NMU/USOEC)
Consolation semifinalists
Gabe Schaefer, Beaumont, Calif. (U.S. Air Force)
Nic Remer, Kennewick, Wash. (U.S. Navy)
Bo Beckman, Orem, Utah (NMU/USOEC)
Quincy Osborn, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
74 kg/163 lbs.
Semifinalists
Phillip Padilla, Tempe, AZ (Arizona)
Anton Gottfredson, Laguna Hills, Calif. (NMU/USOEC)
James Johnson, Colorado Springs, CO (U.S. Army)
Aaron Briggs, Marquette, MI (NMU/USOEC)
Consolation semifinalists
Tim Bleau, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
Trevor Hall, Bakersfield, Calif. (Dave Schultz)
Marco Toledo, Foley, Ala. (NMU/USOEC)
Tyler Sherfey, Boise, Idaho (Bronco Wrestling) or Mahdi Farahani, Portland, Ore. (Peninsula Wrestling (match still to be held)
84 kg/185 lbs.
Semifinalists
Zak Nielsen, Zimmerman, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
Jim Gibson, Clarion, Pa. (Clarion WC)
Walter Hoffman, Chesapeake Beach, Md. (U.S. Air Force)
David Spangler, Iowa City, Iowa (Air Force)
Consolation semifinalists
Michael Kelly, Marquette, Mich. (NMU/USOEC)
Jeff Funicello, Phoenix, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
Nathaniel Mesyn, Mich. (Unattached)
Peter Hicks, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force)
In weight classes with 20 or more athletes, a Qualification Tournament is held the day prior to the U.S. Nationals. Eight athletes were selected by a committee of wrestling clubs to sit out until Friday's national competition. Three of the seven weight classes had more than 19 athletes.
At the Qualification Tournament, eight athletes in each of these three weight divisions advanced to compete in Friday's U.S. National Championships. That included four athletes who qualified for the semifinals on the championship side of the bracket, and four athletes who made it to the consolation semifinals. The bracket is not wrestled through, stopping when the eight advancing athletes are determined.
This can be compared to the play-in game held every year for the NCAA Basketball Championships. You need to earn the right to get into the Big Show.
For the athletes who made it through today, there is another full day of wrestling during the U.S. Nationals, with an opportunity to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. A top-seven finish on Friday places athletes into the Trials. For every athlete who survived today, the Olympic dream remains alive.
"There are a few people here today who could surprise some people tomorrow," said USA Wrestling National Coach Steve Fraser. "You have some talented kids who haven't wrestled for a year. There are guys here today who could qualify for the Olympic Trials."
Among the athletes who qualified to compete Friday was Shannon Slack at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., who advanced to the semifinals of his bracket. He won two matches, including a 3-1, 4-0 victory over Bo Beckman (Orem, Utah/USOEC) in the quarterfinals which clinched his qualification.
Slack is currently living in California, training with former U.S. National champion Darryl Christian and nationally-ranked athlete Pat Cadwallader. Slack attended Fresno State and Old Dominion University, and spent more than a year training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado before going back to California to train.
"I would have rather not wrestled," said Slack, who did not receive a top eight seed. "It feels good to compete. It has been awhile since I wrestled at this level. In, 2007, I was hurt throughout the year. It was good to get a feel for it."
Slack has high goals for Friday's U.S. Nationals, not satisfied with just getting through the Qualification Tournament.
"I came here to win the U.S. Nationals like everybody else," said Slack. "The main thing is to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. I want to drop down to 60 kg for the Trials. But I am here to win it. I want to win every tournament I enter."
Also qualifying at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. by making it to the semifinal round was Gabriel Mooney (Fargo, N.D./Minnetonka), who will be a senior next year at North Dakota State. Mooney stopped Nic Remer (Kennewick, Wash./U.S. Navy) in the quarterfinals, 3-0, 6-2.
"I have wrestled Greco-Roman since I was a little kid. Last year, I also spent three weeks at the U.S. Olympic Training Center," said Mooney.
"I knew coming in I'd be an underdog," said Mooney. "I signed up to compete both styles. I want to get as many matches as I can to improve for college wrestling. The more matches the better. Making the Olympic Trials would be a dream come true. Tomorrow, I have no expectations but to do my best."
Among the 84 kg/185 lbs. qualifiers was Zak Nielsen of the USOEC. Nielson is a freshman at Northern Michigan Univ. and a member of the U.S. Olympic Education Center Greco-Roman team there. On Wednesday, Nielsen won a gold medal at the FILA Junior National Greco-Roman Nationals.
"My goal for this tournament is that I want to place at the U.S. Nationals," said Nielsen. "It is a lofty goal. I want to improve at the upper levels. First, I wanted to win the FILA Juniors and I did that. Now, I want to have fun, get experience and try to place. I just want to wrestle my best. I can't fail now, because I won FILA Juniors. Everything else is just a bonus."
Nielsen earned his spot in the U.S. Nationals when he won a quarterfinal match against Peter Hicks (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Air Force), 4-0, 3-0.
"I knew who he was and that he is experienced. I tried to stay smart. I hit my key points. I knew he had a good lift and I was prepared for it. It paid off for me," said Nielsen.
The eight athletes in each weight class who advanced will be added to eight wrestlers who were separated by the committee to form a 16-man bracket at their weight class. The big show begins on Friday morning.
GRECO-ROMAN QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT
66 kg/145.5 lbs. Qualifiers
Semifinalists
Steve Clayberg, Omaha, Neb. (Maverick WC)
Shannon Slack, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
Gabriel Mooney, Fargo, N.D. (Minnekota)
Ben Sanchez, Leominster, Mass. (NMU/USOEC)
Consolation semifinalists
Gabe Schaefer, Beaumont, Calif. (U.S. Air Force)
Nic Remer, Kennewick, Wash. (U.S. Navy)
Bo Beckman, Orem, Utah (NMU/USOEC)
Quincy Osborn, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
74 kg/163 lbs.
Semifinalists
Phillip Padilla, Tempe, AZ (Arizona)
Anton Gottfredson, Laguna Hills, Calif. (NMU/USOEC)
James Johnson, Colorado Springs, CO (U.S. Army)
Aaron Briggs, Marquette, MI (NMU/USOEC)
Consolation semifinalists
Tim Bleau, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
Trevor Hall, Bakersfield, Calif. (Dave Schultz)
Marco Toledo, Foley, Ala. (NMU/USOEC)
Tyler Sherfey, Boise, Idaho (Bronco Wrestling) or Mahdi Farahani, Portland, Ore. (Peninsula Wrestling (match still to be held)
84 kg/185 lbs.
Semifinalists
Zak Nielsen, Zimmerman, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
Jim Gibson, Clarion, Pa. (Clarion WC)
Walter Hoffman, Chesapeake Beach, Md. (U.S. Air Force)
David Spangler, Iowa City, Iowa (Air Force)
Consolation semifinalists
Michael Kelly, Marquette, Mich. (NMU/USOEC)
Jeff Funicello, Phoenix, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
Nathaniel Mesyn, Mich. (Unattached)
Peter Hicks, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force)
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