CLEVELAND "" Danny Zilverberg was watching when Andrew Howe knocked off twins Travis and Trent Paulson to win the U.S. Open freestyle title on Saturday night.
Zilverberg delivered in similar fashion when he knocked off talented twins Dylan and Andrew Alton to win a FILA Junior Nationals freestyle title Sunday afternoon.
Zilverberg rallied past Dylan Alton 0-7, 3-0, 1-1 in the semifinals before downing Andrew Alton 7-1, 2-0 in the 66 kg/145.5 lbs. finals at Cleveland State's Wolstein Center.
The Altons, who are Penn State recruits, both won Junior Nationals titles in 2009. Zilverberg fell short of placing in Fargo.
Zilverberg, a redshirt at Minnesota, was named Outstanding Wrestler.
"I've improved tremendously" Zilverberg said. "I just kept battling and pushing the pace out there. This is going to be a good motivator to keep training through the spring."
The champions in each of the seven Olympic weight classes, plus 50 kg/110 lbs., advance to the best-of-3 finals for May's FILA Junior World Team Trials in Colorado Springs. The top six wrestlers in each of those weight classes advance to the Junior World Team Trials.
University of Iowa freshman Nate Moore looked strong in winning the title at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. Moore downed Hawkeye recruit Josh Dziewa 3-0, 3-0 in the finals.
Moore returned to the mat for the time since facing a serious health scare during the college season. He was hospitalized for 11 days with a staph infection.
"It feels really good to be back out here" Moore said. "It's hard to describe "" especially after something gets taken away and you can't wrestle for a while. It makes you realize how much you love the sport."
Moore's Hawkeye teammate, Ethen Lofthouse, won a loaded weight class at 74 kg/163 lbs. that also included Penn State redshirt David Taylor and Iowa redshirt Derek St. John. Lofthouse downed Iowa State's Chris Spangler 1-1, 4-0 in the finals.
St. John outlasted Taylor in a wild three-period battle in the third round. St. John fell to Lofthouse in the semifinals before dropping a hard-fought, three-period battle to Taylor in the consolation semifinals.
Taylor finished third and St. John placed fifth.
High school sophomore Taylor Massa of Michigan downed R.J. Pena 7-0, 6-1 in the finals at 70 kg/154 lbs. Massa won back-to-back USA Wrestling Triple Crowns in Cadets in 2008 and 2009.
FILA JUNIOR NATIONALS FREESTYLE FINALS RESULTS
50 kg/110 lbs.
Nick Roberts (Young Guns) pinned Andrew Brackins (Team Michigan), 0-7, 1:44
55 kg/121 lbs.
Steven Keith (Gold Medal WC) dec. Anthony Zanetta (Pittsburgh WC), 4-3, 1-3, 3-1
60 kg/132 lbs.
Nick Dardanes (Team Overtime) dec. David Thorn (Minnesota Storm), 6-0, 3-2
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Nate Moore (Hawkeye Wrestling Club) dec. Josh Dziewa (Attack), 3-0, 3-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Danny Zilverberg (Minnesota Storm) dec. Andrew Alton (New York AC), 7-1, 2-0
70 kg/154 lbs.
Taylor Massa (Michigan Grappler) dec. R.J. Pena (Orange Crush), 7-0, 6-1
74 kg/163 lbs.
Ethen Lofthouse (Hawkeye WC) dec. Chris Spangler (Iowa State), 1-1, 4-0
79 kg/174 lbs.
Conrad Polz (Illini WC) dec. P.J. Tasser (Pittsburgh WC), 2-1, 1-2, 4-0
84 kg/185 lbs.
Lee Munster (Team Overtime) won by decision over Grant Gambrall (Hawkeye WC), 2-1, 3-2
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Derrick Borlie (Badger WC) dec. Joe Kennedy (Lehigh Valley AC), 2-0, 1-0
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Steve Andrus (Michigan WC) dec. Jeremy Johnson (Bobcat WC), 2-0, 1-3, 2-0
Zilverberg delivered in similar fashion when he knocked off talented twins Dylan and Andrew Alton to win a FILA Junior Nationals freestyle title Sunday afternoon.
Zilverberg rallied past Dylan Alton 0-7, 3-0, 1-1 in the semifinals before downing Andrew Alton 7-1, 2-0 in the 66 kg/145.5 lbs. finals at Cleveland State's Wolstein Center.
The Altons, who are Penn State recruits, both won Junior Nationals titles in 2009. Zilverberg fell short of placing in Fargo.
Zilverberg, a redshirt at Minnesota, was named Outstanding Wrestler.
"I've improved tremendously" Zilverberg said. "I just kept battling and pushing the pace out there. This is going to be a good motivator to keep training through the spring."
The champions in each of the seven Olympic weight classes, plus 50 kg/110 lbs., advance to the best-of-3 finals for May's FILA Junior World Team Trials in Colorado Springs. The top six wrestlers in each of those weight classes advance to the Junior World Team Trials.
University of Iowa freshman Nate Moore looked strong in winning the title at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. Moore downed Hawkeye recruit Josh Dziewa 3-0, 3-0 in the finals.
Moore returned to the mat for the time since facing a serious health scare during the college season. He was hospitalized for 11 days with a staph infection.
"It feels really good to be back out here" Moore said. "It's hard to describe "" especially after something gets taken away and you can't wrestle for a while. It makes you realize how much you love the sport."
Moore's Hawkeye teammate, Ethen Lofthouse, won a loaded weight class at 74 kg/163 lbs. that also included Penn State redshirt David Taylor and Iowa redshirt Derek St. John. Lofthouse downed Iowa State's Chris Spangler 1-1, 4-0 in the finals.
St. John outlasted Taylor in a wild three-period battle in the third round. St. John fell to Lofthouse in the semifinals before dropping a hard-fought, three-period battle to Taylor in the consolation semifinals.
Taylor finished third and St. John placed fifth.
High school sophomore Taylor Massa of Michigan downed R.J. Pena 7-0, 6-1 in the finals at 70 kg/154 lbs. Massa won back-to-back USA Wrestling Triple Crowns in Cadets in 2008 and 2009.
FILA JUNIOR NATIONALS FREESTYLE FINALS RESULTS
50 kg/110 lbs.
Nick Roberts (Young Guns) pinned Andrew Brackins (Team Michigan), 0-7, 1:44
55 kg/121 lbs.
Steven Keith (Gold Medal WC) dec. Anthony Zanetta (Pittsburgh WC), 4-3, 1-3, 3-1
60 kg/132 lbs.
Nick Dardanes (Team Overtime) dec. David Thorn (Minnesota Storm), 6-0, 3-2
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Nate Moore (Hawkeye Wrestling Club) dec. Josh Dziewa (Attack), 3-0, 3-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Danny Zilverberg (Minnesota Storm) dec. Andrew Alton (New York AC), 7-1, 2-0
70 kg/154 lbs.
Taylor Massa (Michigan Grappler) dec. R.J. Pena (Orange Crush), 7-0, 6-1
74 kg/163 lbs.
Ethen Lofthouse (Hawkeye WC) dec. Chris Spangler (Iowa State), 1-1, 4-0
79 kg/174 lbs.
Conrad Polz (Illini WC) dec. P.J. Tasser (Pittsburgh WC), 2-1, 1-2, 4-0
84 kg/185 lbs.
Lee Munster (Team Overtime) won by decision over Grant Gambrall (Hawkeye WC), 2-1, 3-2
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Derrick Borlie (Badger WC) dec. Joe Kennedy (Lehigh Valley AC), 2-0, 1-0
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Steve Andrus (Michigan WC) dec. Jeremy Johnson (Bobcat WC), 2-0, 1-3, 2-0
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