Alabama's Tanner Moon shooting for title after knocking off returning champion
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by Craig Sesker
FARGO, N.D. - Stepping into the Fargo Dome and competing on one of the 20-plus mats can be a little intimidating for a teenage kid.
Just ask Alabama's Tanner Moon.
The young wrestler from Birmingham, Ala., admits he was a little overwhelmed when he competed in the Cadet Nationals for the first time in 2007.
Moon still turned in a respectable performance in this event last year, missing All-American honors by just one win in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. A year older and a year wiser, Moon has set his sights on not only being an All-American but on winning the title.
Moon delivered the first big shocker of the 2008 event when he downed returning champion Valyen Rauser of Montana 1-1, 2-1, 3-2 in his second match of the day in the Cadet National Greco-Roman division. Moon won his first three matches at 98 pounds on Day 1 of the competition.
"It was pretty frustrating last year," Moon said. "I lost my first match in Greco last year and it was a match I definitely should have won. I got caught up in how big this place was and everything."
Moon said he was ready for the early bout with Rauser.
"Last year I didn't have much offense on my feet and this year I have a lot more offense," Moon said. "We have a new coach, Damir (Zakhartdinov), who is Russian. He was fourth in the Olympics. He's shown me a bunch of moves and now I can score a lot more on my feet."
Zakhartdinov wrestled for Uzbekistan in the 2000 Olympic Games. He lost to American Terry Brands in the bronze-medal match at the Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
Alabama state chairman and head coach Rod Gaddy invited Zakhartdinov to work with his team.
The big win over Rauser has Moon shooting for, well, the moon in Fargo. Moon, who will be a junior in high school, placed second at the Alabama state high-school tournament in 2008.
"It is fun testing yourself against the best guys in the nation here in Fargo," said Moon, who also is scheduled to compete in freestyle in Fargo. "I'm feeling really confident after beating Rauser. I really want to win this tournament."
Just ask Alabama's Tanner Moon.
The young wrestler from Birmingham, Ala., admits he was a little overwhelmed when he competed in the Cadet Nationals for the first time in 2007.
Moon still turned in a respectable performance in this event last year, missing All-American honors by just one win in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. A year older and a year wiser, Moon has set his sights on not only being an All-American but on winning the title.
Moon delivered the first big shocker of the 2008 event when he downed returning champion Valyen Rauser of Montana 1-1, 2-1, 3-2 in his second match of the day in the Cadet National Greco-Roman division. Moon won his first three matches at 98 pounds on Day 1 of the competition.
"It was pretty frustrating last year," Moon said. "I lost my first match in Greco last year and it was a match I definitely should have won. I got caught up in how big this place was and everything."
Moon said he was ready for the early bout with Rauser.
"Last year I didn't have much offense on my feet and this year I have a lot more offense," Moon said. "We have a new coach, Damir (Zakhartdinov), who is Russian. He was fourth in the Olympics. He's shown me a bunch of moves and now I can score a lot more on my feet."
Zakhartdinov wrestled for Uzbekistan in the 2000 Olympic Games. He lost to American Terry Brands in the bronze-medal match at the Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
Alabama state chairman and head coach Rod Gaddy invited Zakhartdinov to work with his team.
The big win over Rauser has Moon shooting for, well, the moon in Fargo. Moon, who will be a junior in high school, placed second at the Alabama state high-school tournament in 2008.
"It is fun testing yourself against the best guys in the nation here in Fargo," said Moon, who also is scheduled to compete in freestyle in Fargo. "I'm feeling really confident after beating Rauser. I really want to win this tournament."
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