Clarion head coach Teague Moore among qualifiers in freestyle for U.S. Nationals

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The Freestyle Qualification Tournament prior to the U.S. Freestyle Nationals does not feature any of the top eight wrestlers in each weight class, all who sit out until the final day. This tournament is often a proving ground for talented young hopefuls, looking to make their name on the Senior level.

In some cases, it is also a showcase of veteran talents, even those who have been away from competition for awhile.

Consider Clarion University head wrestling coach Teague Moore, 33 years old, who returned to competition after a five-year retirement to test himself at 60 kg/132 lbs. What would make a Div. I wrestling coach lace up the shoes and battle the young bucks?

"I missed the competition," said Moore. "Unfortunetly in our sport in this country, we move on quickly. I wanted to have fun. It has been five years. I feel healthy. I am in a good place in my life. I want to see what I can do."

What Moore could do was win three straight matches and qualify to compete in Saturday's U.S. Nationals.

Moore defeated Iowa State All-American Nick Gallick of the Sunkist Kids, 2-2, 1-0 in the first match. He followed with a 6-0, 3-0 win over Mario Morgan of the Maverick WC, then earned his qualification spot with a 5-0, 6-0 win over unattached Joseph Mavins.

Moore is not like UT-Chattanooga head coach Chris Bono, the No. 2 seed at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., who is still focused on being a World Champion athlete. Moore just wants to enjoy himself and see what he can do.

"The only thing I did was mentally focus on this tournament. I have no aspirations to be a World Champion or Olympic champion," said Moore.

Back in 2004, Teague Moore was one of the top hopefuls for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team at 55 kg/121 lbs. Moore has moved up a weight class in his comeback.

"I thought I would feel a bit small. I didn't feel that way. In my first match against (Nick) Gallick, I did a little. He is a 141 pounder, and the highest I wrestled in college was 125 pounds. I just had to stay intelligent and not make any stupid moves," he said.

Competing has become a passion for the entire coaching staff at Clarion, all who have been on the mats to wrestling in the last two weekends. At the Northeast Senior Regionals in Brockport, N.Y., former U.S. Nationals Greco-Roman champion Ethan Bosch won a gold medal, as did graduate assistant Jim Gibson.

"I am on the mats as much as I can with my guys, sometimes 5-6 days a week," said Moore. "Our staff is hands-on with our guys. Last week, Ethan (Bosch) did well, and our grad assistant Jim Gibson also won. It is good for all three of us to get into competition mode. You remember what it is like to get prepared to wrestle, to make weight. It comes back to you."

Moore does not know how he will do on Saturday, but he is enjoying his comeback so far.

"I am excited for tomorrow. I will take it one match at a time. I have some great wrestlers in the weight class. But on any given day, I feel I can go with any of them," said Moore.

There were five weight classes contested on Friday, which eight wrestlers in each weight advancing to Saturday's competition. Included were the four quarterfinalists on the championship side of the bracket, and the four consolation quarterfinalists in each division.

Gallick, who was third at the NCAA Championships this year, was one of the four wrestlers at 60 kg/132 lbs. who qualified through the loser's bracket, and get a fresh start in the U.S. Nationals on Saturday. Another Iowa State star, Cyler Sanderson, younger brother of Olympic champion Cael Sanderson, was among the qualifiers at 74 kg/163 lbs.

U.S. FREESTYLE NATIONALS QUALIFIERS

60 kg/132 lbs.
Kyle Jahn, Bolingbrook, Ill.(unattached)
Teague Moore, Clarion, Pa. (Gator WC)
Eric Albright, Pittsburgh, Pa.(Pitt)
Tyler Graff, Loveland, Colo. (New York AC)
Jesse Leng, Columbus, Ohio (unattached)
Nick Gallick, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
Ben Vombaur, Laramie, Wyo. (Gator WC)
Jason Guffey, Muncy, Pa. (Bloomsburg)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Eli Hutchison, Soldotna, Alaska (BWC)
Manuel Rivera, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
Levi Jones, Boise, Idaho (BWC)
Zack Kemmerer, Landsdale, Pa. (unattached)
Thomas Kimbrell, Vista, Calif. (No Mercy)
Don Ooton, Lewisburg, Pa. (Bison WC)
Elijiah Nacita, Bakersfield, Calif. (DSWC Bakersfield)
Kyle Ruschell, Crittenden, Ky. (Badger WC)

74 kg/163 lbs.
Cyler Sanderson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
Moza Fay, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Panther WC)
Hayden Harrison, Prescott, Ariz. (Embry-Riddle)
Bryce Saddoris, Spring Creek, Nev. (Navy Mat Club)
Matt Moley, Bloomsburg, Pa. (Bloomsburg)
Brian Sheehan, Lowell, Mass. (Brickhouse)
Derek Peperas, Norman, Okla. (Underdog WC)
James Allen, Allentown, Pa. (Matrix)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Alex Clemsen, Corvallis, Ore. (Sunkist Kids)
Phil Keddy, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC)
Enock Francois, W. Palm Beach, Fla. (DSWC/CBU Lancers)
Tom Meester, Sioux Falls, S.D. (Sunkist Kids)
David Bertolino, Norman, Okla. (Underdog WC)
Levi Wofford, Aurora, Neb. (Nebraska Extreme)
Raymond Jordan, New Bern, N.C. (Sunkist Kids)
Brandon Sinnott, Mt. Pleasant, Mich. (Gator WC)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Arturo Basulto, Oceano, Calif. (Basulto WC)
Matt Monteiro, San Luis Obispo, Calif. (Meathead WC)
Brandon Halsey, Vista, Calif. (No Mercy)
Riley Orozco, Fallon, Calif. (Runner WC)
Garth Wara, Fresno, Calif. (unattached)
Eddie Phillips, Ann Arbor, Mich (Cliff Keen)
Micah Burak, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Athletes in Action)
Alex Calvi, Cut Bank, Montana (Argo Wrestling)