U.S. NATIONALS: Herbert leads charge as seven first-time champions crowned in freestyle
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by Craig Sesker
Jake Herbert wins his first U.S. Nationals title. Photo by Larry Slater.
LAS VEGAS - The new four-year Olympic cycle is in full swing and Jake Herbert is leading the charge.
Herbert was among a number of rising young stars who made resounding statements by capturing crowns in the U.S. Nationals freestyle competition on Saturday night.
Herbert, who just won the Hodge Trophy as the best college wrestler in America, took his first step toward making his first World Team by capturing the U.S. Nationals title at 84 kg/185 lbs.
The sixth-seeded Herbert beat No. 5 Eric Luedke 7-0, 1-3, 1-0 in the finals. Herbert, a past World University bronze medalist in freestyle, was named the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler.
"This was tougher than I expected," Herbert said. "I had wins over all of these guys coming into this tournament, so I felt pretty confident I could win it. There was no doubt in my mind that I could win this. It wasn't any kind of upset at all."
All seven champions were first-time U.S. Nationals winners on Saturday night at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
"I think a lot of these young guys are the future of USA Wrestling," Herbert said. "We've all grown up together and wrestled together in college and we're friends. We all train with one another and we're not afraid to wrestle with people in our own weight class. That can separate us from the old days when guys wouldn't wrestle the other guys in the same weight class."
Champions in each weight class draw the No. 1 seed for the U.S. World Team Trials on May 30-31 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The top seven finishers in each weight class qualify for the World Team Trials.
2008 Olympians Mike Zadick and Steve Mocco also won titles.
Zadick, a 2006 World silver medalist, won his first career U.S. Nationals title at 60 kg/132 lbs. Zadick won a hard-fought, entertaining, three-period battle over the explosive Shawn Bunch in the finals.
Zadick dropped the first period, but came back strong to prevail.
Mocco avenged a loss from earlier this year by beating Tervel Dlagnev in three periods in the finals at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Mocco won his first U.S. Nationals title after placing second in this event the past five years.
"This is a National title, but it's a qualifying tournament," said Mocco, who placed seventh in the Olympics. "There is a good deal of satisfaction with it and I'm happy to win it, but I don't want to jump up too high because I know there are more battles to come. I think I would do myself an injustice to celebrate now. I still have the Trials and the World Championships."
2009 NCAA champion Jake Varner of Iowa State won the title at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. while former Cyclones Trent and Travis Paulson also claimed titles. Trent won at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Travis won at 74 kg/163 lbs.
Varner, who has one year of college eligibility left, swept Kyle Cerminara in two straight periods in the finals. Varner has worked closely with ISU coach Cael Sanderson, a past Olympic gold medalist.
"I pretty much give all the credit for what's happened this year to (Sanderson) and Coach (Casey) Cunningham," Varner said. "Those guys have helped me so much. I couldn't have done this without them."
Top-seeded Trent Paulson downed 2008 Hodge Trophy winner Brent Metcalf in three periods in the finals. Top-seeded Travis Paulson outlasted Keith Gavin in three periods in the final round.
The Paulsons will be favored to win their divisions when they compete in their hometown of Council Bluffs at the World Team Trials.
Top-seeded Nick Simmons captured his first U.S. Nationals title with a 7-4, 7-1 win over surprise finalist Obe Blanc at 55 kg/121 lbs. Simmons used a succession of turns in both periods to pile up the points in the win.
U.S. NATIONALS FREESTYLE - FINALS RESULTS
55 kg/121 lbs.
Nick Simmons (Corvallis, Ore./Sunkist Kids) dec. Obe Blanc (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC), 7-4, 7-1
60 kg/132 lbs.
Mike Zadick (Solon, Iowa/Gator WC) dec. Shawn Bunch (Columbus, Ohio/Gator WC), 1-2, 2-0, 1-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Trent Paulson (Lincoln, Neb./Sunkist Kids) dec. Brent Metcalf (Davison, Mich./Gator WC), 0-1, 3-0, 3-0
74 kg/163 lbs.
Travis Paulson (Lincoln, Neb./Sunkist Kids) dec. Keith Gavin (Pittsburgh, Pa./New York AC), 0-1, 1-0, 1-0
84 kg/185 lbs.
Jake Herbert (Wexford, Pa./New York AC) dec. Eric Luedke (Iowa City, Iowa/Gator WC), 7-0, 1-3, 1-0
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Jake Varner (Bakersfield, Calif./Sunkist Kids) dec. Kyle Cerminara (Edinboro, Pa./New York AC), 2-0, 2-0
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Steve Mocco (Iowa City, Iowa/New York AC) dec. Tervel Dlagnev (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Sunkist Kids), 1-0, 2-2, 1-0
LAS VEGAS - The new four-year Olympic cycle is in full swing and Jake Herbert is leading the charge.
Herbert was among a number of rising young stars who made resounding statements by capturing crowns in the U.S. Nationals freestyle competition on Saturday night.
Herbert, who just won the Hodge Trophy as the best college wrestler in America, took his first step toward making his first World Team by capturing the U.S. Nationals title at 84 kg/185 lbs.
The sixth-seeded Herbert beat No. 5 Eric Luedke 7-0, 1-3, 1-0 in the finals. Herbert, a past World University bronze medalist in freestyle, was named the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler.
"This was tougher than I expected," Herbert said. "I had wins over all of these guys coming into this tournament, so I felt pretty confident I could win it. There was no doubt in my mind that I could win this. It wasn't any kind of upset at all."
All seven champions were first-time U.S. Nationals winners on Saturday night at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
"I think a lot of these young guys are the future of USA Wrestling," Herbert said. "We've all grown up together and wrestled together in college and we're friends. We all train with one another and we're not afraid to wrestle with people in our own weight class. That can separate us from the old days when guys wouldn't wrestle the other guys in the same weight class."
Champions in each weight class draw the No. 1 seed for the U.S. World Team Trials on May 30-31 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The top seven finishers in each weight class qualify for the World Team Trials.
2008 Olympians Mike Zadick and Steve Mocco also won titles.
Zadick, a 2006 World silver medalist, won his first career U.S. Nationals title at 60 kg/132 lbs. Zadick won a hard-fought, entertaining, three-period battle over the explosive Shawn Bunch in the finals.
Zadick dropped the first period, but came back strong to prevail.
Mocco avenged a loss from earlier this year by beating Tervel Dlagnev in three periods in the finals at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Mocco won his first U.S. Nationals title after placing second in this event the past five years.
"This is a National title, but it's a qualifying tournament," said Mocco, who placed seventh in the Olympics. "There is a good deal of satisfaction with it and I'm happy to win it, but I don't want to jump up too high because I know there are more battles to come. I think I would do myself an injustice to celebrate now. I still have the Trials and the World Championships."
2009 NCAA champion Jake Varner of Iowa State won the title at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. while former Cyclones Trent and Travis Paulson also claimed titles. Trent won at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Travis won at 74 kg/163 lbs.
Varner, who has one year of college eligibility left, swept Kyle Cerminara in two straight periods in the finals. Varner has worked closely with ISU coach Cael Sanderson, a past Olympic gold medalist.
"I pretty much give all the credit for what's happened this year to (Sanderson) and Coach (Casey) Cunningham," Varner said. "Those guys have helped me so much. I couldn't have done this without them."
Top-seeded Trent Paulson downed 2008 Hodge Trophy winner Brent Metcalf in three periods in the finals. Top-seeded Travis Paulson outlasted Keith Gavin in three periods in the final round.
The Paulsons will be favored to win their divisions when they compete in their hometown of Council Bluffs at the World Team Trials.
Top-seeded Nick Simmons captured his first U.S. Nationals title with a 7-4, 7-1 win over surprise finalist Obe Blanc at 55 kg/121 lbs. Simmons used a succession of turns in both periods to pile up the points in the win.
U.S. NATIONALS FREESTYLE - FINALS RESULTS
55 kg/121 lbs.
Nick Simmons (Corvallis, Ore./Sunkist Kids) dec. Obe Blanc (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC), 7-4, 7-1
60 kg/132 lbs.
Mike Zadick (Solon, Iowa/Gator WC) dec. Shawn Bunch (Columbus, Ohio/Gator WC), 1-2, 2-0, 1-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Trent Paulson (Lincoln, Neb./Sunkist Kids) dec. Brent Metcalf (Davison, Mich./Gator WC), 0-1, 3-0, 3-0
74 kg/163 lbs.
Travis Paulson (Lincoln, Neb./Sunkist Kids) dec. Keith Gavin (Pittsburgh, Pa./New York AC), 0-1, 1-0, 1-0
84 kg/185 lbs.
Jake Herbert (Wexford, Pa./New York AC) dec. Eric Luedke (Iowa City, Iowa/Gator WC), 7-0, 1-3, 1-0
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Jake Varner (Bakersfield, Calif./Sunkist Kids) dec. Kyle Cerminara (Edinboro, Pa./New York AC), 2-0, 2-0
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Steve Mocco (Iowa City, Iowa/New York AC) dec. Tervel Dlagnev (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Sunkist Kids), 1-0, 2-2, 1-0
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