Dominguez among 16 wrestlers to advance to Greco-Roman Nationals through Qualification Tournament
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by Gary Abbott
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Ever since USA Wrestling changed the format of the U.S. Nationals to a 16-athlete tournament, the top eight ranked wrestlers get the first day off. All of the other wrestlers are thrown into a Qualification Tournament, with only eight wrestlers qualifying for the next day.
On the winners side, you need to make it to the semifinal round, where wrestling stops and the athletes advance. On the losers side, you need to get to the consolation semifinals, and those four wrestlers also advance.
Some of the athletes competing today in the Greco-Roman Qualification Tournament were considered for a top-eight seed, while others are here to make a name for themselves.
One of those who just missed out on a seed was Zach Dominguez (Omaha, Neb., New York AC). He competes for the Univ. of Nebraska-Omaha, placing third at the Div. II nationals in March. He is wrestling his first Greco-Roman event since last summer.
Dominguez competed at the Junior World Greco-Roman Championships last year and even won a bout against 2008 Olympian Jake Deitchler at the Junior World Team Trials. He won two straight bouts in the Qualification Tournament to advance to the U.S. Nationals on the winners side at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.
"I put in a little bit of Greco during the folkstyle season. After the Div. II Nationals, I was back into Greco-Roman in two days. I wanted to keep my shape going, since it was close to when the U.S. Nationals were," said Dominguez.
Dominguez had a challenging first-round match, facing 2009 Northeast Regional champion Daniel Caywood of All-Navy. Caywood won the first period and even turned Dominguez to win it, 2-0. Dominguez came back in the second period with a takedown and turn and knotted it at 3-1. The final period was all Dominguez, who finished it with a headlock that was called a pin at 1:56.
The second match was much easier, as Dominguez ripped Tanner Andrews of the Pinnacle School of Wrestling by technical fall 6-0, 6-0.
"It would have been nice to been seeded. You always want to have that advantage," said Dominguez. "I got two more extra matches in today. I got the jitters and butterflies out in the first match. I did much better in the second match. It went the best way it could today."
Winning the Qualification Tournament is just a stepping stone to what Dominguez came to Las Vegas to accomplish this year.
"Anytime you show up at a tournament, you go to win it. I feel I am wrestling a lot better than last year. I am stronger, bigger, faster and more comfortable in the Greco positions," said Dominguez. "I live for Greco. It gets me through the folkstyle season, even though I like doing folkstyle. Greco is fun. It's more laid back; it's more enjoyable wrestling."
Half of those who qualified today lost one match and had to come back through the consolation brackets to get into Friday's tournament. One of them was Caywood, who came back after the first-round loss to Dominguez and qualified through the other side with two wins.
Caywood defeated Brandon Wilson of the Air Force, 7-0, 2-0, then stopped Joshua Castellano of the Pinnacle School of Wrestling, 1-3, 2-0, 3-0.
"It wasn't an ideal first-round matchup," said Caywood about his loss to Dominguez. "You go to the national tournament to wrestle the best guys. It was a privilege to wrestle a great opponent right off the bat."
Caywood, a native of Woodsboro, Md., has been on the All-Navy team for two years. He has set realistic goals for himself for this event, as well as for the season.
"We have some things to work on. I'll come in here tomorrow and hopefully get some great matches," said Caywood. "The goal this year is to get as many matches as possible. Wrestling last week (at the Northeast Regionals) helped our team. I hope to get as many matches as I can tomorrow."
The U.S. Greco-Roman Nationals will be held and completed on Friday.
GRECO-ROMAN QUALIFICATION TOURNAMENT
At Las Vegas, Nev., April 9
U.S. Nationals qualifiers
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Esai Dominguez, Omaha, Neb. (New York AC)
Ben Sanchez, Leominster, Mass. (USOEC)
Joseph Manzello, Leominster, Ill. (Elite School of Wrestling)
Tim Bleau, Ishpeming, Mich. (New York AC)
Daniel Caywood, Woodsboro, Md. (All-Navy)
Ryan Bridge, Galloway, N.J. (U.S. Marines)
Geoff Martin, Fargo, N.D. (GutZone)
Tanner Andrews, North Aurora, Ill. (Pinnacle School of Wrestling)
74 kg/163 lbs.
Phillip Padilla, Colorado Springs, Colo. (OTC)
Aaron Briggs, Tucson, Ariz. (USOEC)
Anton Gottfredson, Laguna Hills, Calif. (USOEC)
Gregory Crane, Sunnyvale, Calif. (All-Navy)
Marco Toledo, Foley, Alabama (Michigan WC)
James Hodges, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force)
Rick Brownlee, Raleigh, N.C. (unattached)
George Bancroft, IV, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Bison WC)
On the winners side, you need to make it to the semifinal round, where wrestling stops and the athletes advance. On the losers side, you need to get to the consolation semifinals, and those four wrestlers also advance.
Some of the athletes competing today in the Greco-Roman Qualification Tournament were considered for a top-eight seed, while others are here to make a name for themselves.
One of those who just missed out on a seed was Zach Dominguez (Omaha, Neb., New York AC). He competes for the Univ. of Nebraska-Omaha, placing third at the Div. II nationals in March. He is wrestling his first Greco-Roman event since last summer.
Dominguez competed at the Junior World Greco-Roman Championships last year and even won a bout against 2008 Olympian Jake Deitchler at the Junior World Team Trials. He won two straight bouts in the Qualification Tournament to advance to the U.S. Nationals on the winners side at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.
"I put in a little bit of Greco during the folkstyle season. After the Div. II Nationals, I was back into Greco-Roman in two days. I wanted to keep my shape going, since it was close to when the U.S. Nationals were," said Dominguez.
Dominguez had a challenging first-round match, facing 2009 Northeast Regional champion Daniel Caywood of All-Navy. Caywood won the first period and even turned Dominguez to win it, 2-0. Dominguez came back in the second period with a takedown and turn and knotted it at 3-1. The final period was all Dominguez, who finished it with a headlock that was called a pin at 1:56.
The second match was much easier, as Dominguez ripped Tanner Andrews of the Pinnacle School of Wrestling by technical fall 6-0, 6-0.
"It would have been nice to been seeded. You always want to have that advantage," said Dominguez. "I got two more extra matches in today. I got the jitters and butterflies out in the first match. I did much better in the second match. It went the best way it could today."
Winning the Qualification Tournament is just a stepping stone to what Dominguez came to Las Vegas to accomplish this year.
"Anytime you show up at a tournament, you go to win it. I feel I am wrestling a lot better than last year. I am stronger, bigger, faster and more comfortable in the Greco positions," said Dominguez. "I live for Greco. It gets me through the folkstyle season, even though I like doing folkstyle. Greco is fun. It's more laid back; it's more enjoyable wrestling."
Half of those who qualified today lost one match and had to come back through the consolation brackets to get into Friday's tournament. One of them was Caywood, who came back after the first-round loss to Dominguez and qualified through the other side with two wins.
Caywood defeated Brandon Wilson of the Air Force, 7-0, 2-0, then stopped Joshua Castellano of the Pinnacle School of Wrestling, 1-3, 2-0, 3-0.
"It wasn't an ideal first-round matchup," said Caywood about his loss to Dominguez. "You go to the national tournament to wrestle the best guys. It was a privilege to wrestle a great opponent right off the bat."
Caywood, a native of Woodsboro, Md., has been on the All-Navy team for two years. He has set realistic goals for himself for this event, as well as for the season.
"We have some things to work on. I'll come in here tomorrow and hopefully get some great matches," said Caywood. "The goal this year is to get as many matches as possible. Wrestling last week (at the Northeast Regionals) helped our team. I hope to get as many matches as I can tomorrow."
The U.S. Greco-Roman Nationals will be held and completed on Friday.
GRECO-ROMAN QUALIFICATION TOURNAMENT
At Las Vegas, Nev., April 9
U.S. Nationals qualifiers
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Esai Dominguez, Omaha, Neb. (New York AC)
Ben Sanchez, Leominster, Mass. (USOEC)
Joseph Manzello, Leominster, Ill. (Elite School of Wrestling)
Tim Bleau, Ishpeming, Mich. (New York AC)
Daniel Caywood, Woodsboro, Md. (All-Navy)
Ryan Bridge, Galloway, N.J. (U.S. Marines)
Geoff Martin, Fargo, N.D. (GutZone)
Tanner Andrews, North Aurora, Ill. (Pinnacle School of Wrestling)
74 kg/163 lbs.
Phillip Padilla, Colorado Springs, Colo. (OTC)
Aaron Briggs, Tucson, Ariz. (USOEC)
Anton Gottfredson, Laguna Hills, Calif. (USOEC)
Gregory Crane, Sunnyvale, Calif. (All-Navy)
Marco Toledo, Foley, Alabama (Michigan WC)
James Hodges, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force)
Rick Brownlee, Raleigh, N.C. (unattached)
George Bancroft, IV, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Bison WC)
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