FARGO FEATURE: Pennsylvania's Zach Horan delivers upset in Cadet Nationals freestyle division
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by Craig Sesker
FARGO, N.D. - This is Zach Horan's first trip to Fargo.
But you would never know it by the way the young Pennsylvania wrestler performed late Wednesday afternoon in the Cadet Nationals freestyle division.
Horan looked like a seasoned veteran when he locked Wisconsin's Jesse Thielke in a cradle to record a first-period pin in their fifth round 112-pound match on Mat 11 in the Fargo Dome. The pin came 1 minute, 16 seconds into the first period.
Horan, fourth in Cadet Nationals in Greco-Roman earlier in the week, delivered a stunning win over Thielke. The Wisconsin wrestler is shooting for the Triple Crown after already winning Cadet Nationals titles in Folkstyle and Greco-Roman in 2008.
Thielke was named Cadet Nationals Outstanding Wrestler in Greco-Roman two days ago. Horan won his first six matches in freestyle on Wednesday.
"It was a real big win for me," Horan said. "When the brackets came out, I knew (Thielke) was the best guy in my pool. This is a tough weight class. You have to be ready for everybody."
Horan rallied from a 3-0 deficit against Thielke. Horan shot in on a leg attack midway through the first period. Thielke tried to counter, but Horan caught him in a cradle and recorded the fall. It was their first meeting.
"My coaches wanted me to go out a little more conservative in the first period," Horan said. "They didn't really want me to shoot early in the match. I saw an opening and took a shot, and I was able to put him in a cradle and get the fall. When you have a cradle locked up that tight you're not going to be able to get out of it."
Horan placed second in the Pennsylvania state high-school tournament as a freshman in 2008. He took third in FILA Cadet Nationals earlier this year.
Also in the 112 class in Fargo is Ohio's Hunter Stieber, a returning Cadet Nationals freestyle champion. Horan beat Stieber in a tough, three-period freestyle match at FILA Cadet Nationals earlier this year. Horan and Stieber are on opposite sides of the tough 112 bracket.
"I'm not really into Greco that much," Horan said. "I really like freestyle.
But you would never know it by the way the young Pennsylvania wrestler performed late Wednesday afternoon in the Cadet Nationals freestyle division.
Horan looked like a seasoned veteran when he locked Wisconsin's Jesse Thielke in a cradle to record a first-period pin in their fifth round 112-pound match on Mat 11 in the Fargo Dome. The pin came 1 minute, 16 seconds into the first period.
Horan, fourth in Cadet Nationals in Greco-Roman earlier in the week, delivered a stunning win over Thielke. The Wisconsin wrestler is shooting for the Triple Crown after already winning Cadet Nationals titles in Folkstyle and Greco-Roman in 2008.
Thielke was named Cadet Nationals Outstanding Wrestler in Greco-Roman two days ago. Horan won his first six matches in freestyle on Wednesday.
"It was a real big win for me," Horan said. "When the brackets came out, I knew (Thielke) was the best guy in my pool. This is a tough weight class. You have to be ready for everybody."
Horan rallied from a 3-0 deficit against Thielke. Horan shot in on a leg attack midway through the first period. Thielke tried to counter, but Horan caught him in a cradle and recorded the fall. It was their first meeting.
"My coaches wanted me to go out a little more conservative in the first period," Horan said. "They didn't really want me to shoot early in the match. I saw an opening and took a shot, and I was able to put him in a cradle and get the fall. When you have a cradle locked up that tight you're not going to be able to get out of it."
Horan placed second in the Pennsylvania state high-school tournament as a freshman in 2008. He took third in FILA Cadet Nationals earlier this year.
Also in the 112 class in Fargo is Ohio's Hunter Stieber, a returning Cadet Nationals freestyle champion. Horan beat Stieber in a tough, three-period freestyle match at FILA Cadet Nationals earlier this year. Horan and Stieber are on opposite sides of the tough 112 bracket.
"I'm not really into Greco that much," Horan said. "I really like freestyle.
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