UPDATED: Thielke upsets Mango at FILA Junior Greco-Roman World Team Trials
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by Gary Abbott
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. - High school sophomore Jesse Thielke (Germantown, Wis./Ringers) won two straight matches to upset FILA Junior Nationals champion Ryan Mango (St. Louis, Mo./New York AC) to capture the 55 kg/121 lbs. title at the 2009 FILA Junior World Greco-Roman Team Trials, held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, May 22.
FILA Junior athletes are from 17-20 years old. This includes many of the nation's top college underclassmen, as well as the most talented high school athletes. Champions from the FILA Junior World Team Trials earn the right to represent the USA at the FILA Junior World Team Trials in Ankara, Turkey, August 4-9.
The championship finals was a best-of-three series between the FILA Junior Nationals champion and the winner of Friday morning's Challenge Tournament. All eight of the championship finals were finished in two straight bouts.
Thielke, who is 16 years old and doesn't turn 17 for another month, has never beaten Mango before, dropping close matches in previous age-group national competitions.
"The first match was the first time I have beaten Ryan. I have lost to him twice," said Thielke. "I was looking to get a takedown and get on top of him. I stuck with my gut wrenches on top."
Thielke scored the first points in both periods of the first match to win it in two periods, 4-3, 2-1. The second match went into the deciding third period, and Thielke hit a three-point throw on the edge to score the only points for the win, 0-1, 1-0, 3-0.
"It is a whole new world," said Thielke of qualifying for the FILA Junior World Team. "I didn't expect to do as well as I did here."
Thielke had to win three matches in the Challenge Tournament to earn the right to face Mango for the championship.
"I was nervous from the first second, during every match. I tried to make as few mistakes as possible. Everything came together for me. It was my day," said Thielke.
Two members of the 2008 FILA Junior World Greco-Roman Team won their weight classes in two straight periods: Ben Provisor (Stevens Point, Wis./Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Peter Kowalczuk, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) at 120 kg/ 264.5 lbs. Both entered the event as No. 1 seeds after winning the FILA Junior Nationals in April.
Provisor beat Aaron Briggs (Tucson, Ariz./USOEC), in two straight, winning 4-0, 1-0 in the first bout and 3-0, 1-0 in the second bout.
"I feel good. I did what I needed to do to make the team. You can't be upset with that," said Provisor. "I have a great chance this year. I got a little bigger for 74 kg. I've worked on my technique with my coaches. I'll give it my all."
Kowalczuk stopped Quintas McCorkle (Alexandria, Va./Clarion WC), scoring a pin in the first match in 1:10 and taking the second match, 1-0, 4-0.
"Last year, I went with high hopes, but it just wasn't there. I have trained my butt off and I'm getting ready to try to take home the title," said Kowalczuk. "This team is going to be good. We have a lot of young talent. We have a tough group of guys ready to go."
At 96 kg/211.5 lbs., Tyrell Fortune (Portland, Ore./Peninsula WC) won both of his finals matches over Kazden Ikehara, Mililani, Hawaii (Falcon Training) by pin. In the first period, Fortune went into the second period before getting the pin, winning 6-0, 0:32. The second match ended quickly, with Fortune pinning Kazden in 12 seconds.
At 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Donald Vinson Jr. (Marathon, N.Y./Shamrock WC) won both of his finals bouts over Patrick Smith, Chaska, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) by technical fall. Vinson won the first bout, 6-0, 6-0 and the second bout, 6-0, 7-0.
Other individual champions earning spots on the U.S. Junior World Team were Max Nowry (Wheeling, Ill./USOEC) at 50 kg/110.25 lbs. and Travis Rutt (New Prague, Wis./Badger WC) at 84 kg/185 lbs.
The World Team member at 60 kg/132 lbs. has not yet been determined. In Greco-Roman, FILA Junior Nationals champions who also placed in the top seven at the U.S. Senior Nationals had the right to delay the best-of-three series to a later date, tentatively set for the middle of June. FILA Junior Nationals champion Jimmy Chase (Carol Stream, Ill./Pinnacle School of Wrestling) has chosen to delay his championship series.
He will face Justin LaValle (Burnsville, Minn./Minnesota Storm), who won his championship series on Friday in two straight matches. LaValle was third at the 2009 FILA Junior Nationals. The date and location of the Special Wrestle-off will be announced shortly.
FILA JUNIOR GRECO-ROMAN WORLD TEAM TRIALS
At Colorado Springs, Colo., May 30-31
Championship Series
50 kg/110.25 lbs - Max Nowry, Wheeling, Ill. (USOEC) dec. Carson Kuhn, Sandy, Utah (Vandit), 2 matches to 0
Nowry dec. Kuhn, 3-0, 7-0
Nowry dec. Kuhn, 2-0, 6-0
55 kg/121 lbs - Jesse Thielke, Germantown, Wis. (Ringers) dec. Ryan Mango, St. Louis, Mo. (New York AC), 2 matches to 0
Thielke dec. Mango, 4-3, 2-1
Thielke dec. Mango, 0-1, 1-0, 3-0
60 kg/132.25 lbs. - Justin LaValle, Burnsville, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) dec. Vincente Gallegos, Denver, Colo. (Denver All-Stars), 2 matches to 0
LaValle pin Gallegos, 1:39
LaValle dec. Gallegos, 0-6, 3-2, 2-2
(LaValle to face FILA Junior National champion Jimmy Chase, Carol Stream, Ill. - Pinnacle School of Wrestling in best-of-three series at a later date).
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Donald Vinson Jr., Marathon, N.Y. (Shamrock WC) dec. Patrick Smith, Chaska, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 2 matches to 0
Vinson tech. fall Smith, 6-0, 6-0
Vinson tech. fall Smith, 6-0, 7-0
74 kg/163 lbs. - Ben Provisor, Stevens Point, Wis. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Aaron Briggs, Tucson, Ariz. (USOEC), 2 matches to 0
Provisor dec. Briggs, 4-0, 1-0
Provisor dec. Briggs, 3-0, 1-0
84 kg/185 lbs. - Travis Rutt, New Prague, Wis. (Badger WC) dec. Robert Barbour, Dolton, Ill. (USOEC), 2 matches to 0
Rutt dec. Barbour, 0-2, 2-0, 1-0
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Tyrell Fortune, Portland, Ore. (Peninsula WC) dec. Kazden Ikehara, Mililani, Hawaii (Falcon Training), 2 matches to 0
Fortune pin Kazden, 6-0, 0:32
Fortune pin Kazden, 0:12
120 kg/ 264.5 lbs. - Peter Kowalczuk, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Quintas McCorkle, Alexandria, Va. (Clarion WC), 2 matches to 0
Kowalczuk pin McCorkle, 1:10
Kowalczuk dec. 1-0, 4-0
FILA Junior athletes are from 17-20 years old. This includes many of the nation's top college underclassmen, as well as the most talented high school athletes. Champions from the FILA Junior World Team Trials earn the right to represent the USA at the FILA Junior World Team Trials in Ankara, Turkey, August 4-9.
The championship finals was a best-of-three series between the FILA Junior Nationals champion and the winner of Friday morning's Challenge Tournament. All eight of the championship finals were finished in two straight bouts.
Thielke, who is 16 years old and doesn't turn 17 for another month, has never beaten Mango before, dropping close matches in previous age-group national competitions.
"The first match was the first time I have beaten Ryan. I have lost to him twice," said Thielke. "I was looking to get a takedown and get on top of him. I stuck with my gut wrenches on top."
Thielke scored the first points in both periods of the first match to win it in two periods, 4-3, 2-1. The second match went into the deciding third period, and Thielke hit a three-point throw on the edge to score the only points for the win, 0-1, 1-0, 3-0.
"It is a whole new world," said Thielke of qualifying for the FILA Junior World Team. "I didn't expect to do as well as I did here."
Thielke had to win three matches in the Challenge Tournament to earn the right to face Mango for the championship.
"I was nervous from the first second, during every match. I tried to make as few mistakes as possible. Everything came together for me. It was my day," said Thielke.
Two members of the 2008 FILA Junior World Greco-Roman Team won their weight classes in two straight periods: Ben Provisor (Stevens Point, Wis./Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Peter Kowalczuk, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) at 120 kg/ 264.5 lbs. Both entered the event as No. 1 seeds after winning the FILA Junior Nationals in April.
Provisor beat Aaron Briggs (Tucson, Ariz./USOEC), in two straight, winning 4-0, 1-0 in the first bout and 3-0, 1-0 in the second bout.
"I feel good. I did what I needed to do to make the team. You can't be upset with that," said Provisor. "I have a great chance this year. I got a little bigger for 74 kg. I've worked on my technique with my coaches. I'll give it my all."
Kowalczuk stopped Quintas McCorkle (Alexandria, Va./Clarion WC), scoring a pin in the first match in 1:10 and taking the second match, 1-0, 4-0.
"Last year, I went with high hopes, but it just wasn't there. I have trained my butt off and I'm getting ready to try to take home the title," said Kowalczuk. "This team is going to be good. We have a lot of young talent. We have a tough group of guys ready to go."
At 96 kg/211.5 lbs., Tyrell Fortune (Portland, Ore./Peninsula WC) won both of his finals matches over Kazden Ikehara, Mililani, Hawaii (Falcon Training) by pin. In the first period, Fortune went into the second period before getting the pin, winning 6-0, 0:32. The second match ended quickly, with Fortune pinning Kazden in 12 seconds.
At 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Donald Vinson Jr. (Marathon, N.Y./Shamrock WC) won both of his finals bouts over Patrick Smith, Chaska, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) by technical fall. Vinson won the first bout, 6-0, 6-0 and the second bout, 6-0, 7-0.
Other individual champions earning spots on the U.S. Junior World Team were Max Nowry (Wheeling, Ill./USOEC) at 50 kg/110.25 lbs. and Travis Rutt (New Prague, Wis./Badger WC) at 84 kg/185 lbs.
The World Team member at 60 kg/132 lbs. has not yet been determined. In Greco-Roman, FILA Junior Nationals champions who also placed in the top seven at the U.S. Senior Nationals had the right to delay the best-of-three series to a later date, tentatively set for the middle of June. FILA Junior Nationals champion Jimmy Chase (Carol Stream, Ill./Pinnacle School of Wrestling) has chosen to delay his championship series.
He will face Justin LaValle (Burnsville, Minn./Minnesota Storm), who won his championship series on Friday in two straight matches. LaValle was third at the 2009 FILA Junior Nationals. The date and location of the Special Wrestle-off will be announced shortly.
FILA JUNIOR GRECO-ROMAN WORLD TEAM TRIALS
At Colorado Springs, Colo., May 30-31
Championship Series
50 kg/110.25 lbs - Max Nowry, Wheeling, Ill. (USOEC) dec. Carson Kuhn, Sandy, Utah (Vandit), 2 matches to 0
Nowry dec. Kuhn, 3-0, 7-0
Nowry dec. Kuhn, 2-0, 6-0
55 kg/121 lbs - Jesse Thielke, Germantown, Wis. (Ringers) dec. Ryan Mango, St. Louis, Mo. (New York AC), 2 matches to 0
Thielke dec. Mango, 4-3, 2-1
Thielke dec. Mango, 0-1, 1-0, 3-0
60 kg/132.25 lbs. - Justin LaValle, Burnsville, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) dec. Vincente Gallegos, Denver, Colo. (Denver All-Stars), 2 matches to 0
LaValle pin Gallegos, 1:39
LaValle dec. Gallegos, 0-6, 3-2, 2-2
(LaValle to face FILA Junior National champion Jimmy Chase, Carol Stream, Ill. - Pinnacle School of Wrestling in best-of-three series at a later date).
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Donald Vinson Jr., Marathon, N.Y. (Shamrock WC) dec. Patrick Smith, Chaska, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 2 matches to 0
Vinson tech. fall Smith, 6-0, 6-0
Vinson tech. fall Smith, 6-0, 7-0
74 kg/163 lbs. - Ben Provisor, Stevens Point, Wis. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Aaron Briggs, Tucson, Ariz. (USOEC), 2 matches to 0
Provisor dec. Briggs, 4-0, 1-0
Provisor dec. Briggs, 3-0, 1-0
84 kg/185 lbs. - Travis Rutt, New Prague, Wis. (Badger WC) dec. Robert Barbour, Dolton, Ill. (USOEC), 2 matches to 0
Rutt dec. Barbour, 0-2, 2-0, 1-0
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Tyrell Fortune, Portland, Ore. (Peninsula WC) dec. Kazden Ikehara, Mililani, Hawaii (Falcon Training), 2 matches to 0
Fortune pin Kazden, 6-0, 0:32
Fortune pin Kazden, 0:12
120 kg/ 264.5 lbs. - Peter Kowalczuk, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Quintas McCorkle, Alexandria, Va. (Clarion WC), 2 matches to 0
Kowalczuk pin McCorkle, 1:10
Kowalczuk dec. 1-0, 4-0
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