USA dominates India, 6-0, in freestyle dual meet during NCAA Fan Festival in Oklahoma City
Share:
by Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
Photos of U.S. wrestlers Jason Chamberlain and Kevin LeValley on the way to victories over India at the freestyle dual meet during NCAA Fan Festival by Tony Rotundo/Wrestlers Are Warriors.
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Team USA had a dominant performance, sweeping all of the bouts on the way to a 6-0 win over India at the USA Wrestling freestyle dual meet, which is part of the NCAA Fan Festival on Thursday.
The meet was held in front of a standing-room only crowd in the Cox Convention Center. This popular event was held after the first session of the NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championships and was free of charge to the fans.
Right off the bat, Team USA came out strong. At 61 kg/134 lbs., Illinois grad B.J. Futrell (Ann Arbor, Mich./Titan Mercury WC/Michigan RTC) locked up a cradle and pinned World bronze medalist Bajrang of India in 2:35. The match was close in the early going, with both athletes scoring takedowns, but Futrell used his favorite pinning technique to get the fall.
Next at 65 kg/143 lbs., Boise State grad Jason Chamberlain (Lincoln, Neb./Titan Mercury/Nebraska RTC) looked strong on both his feet and on the mat, scoring a 12-2 technical fall over Rajneesh in 3:31. Chamberlain secured an ankle lace turn early in the second period and turned Rajneesh a number of times to secure the technical fall.
After trailing 2-3 after the first period, Northern Iowa grad Moza Fay (Colorado Springs, Colo./Army WCAP/USOTC) opened up his offense to score an impressive 11-2 win over Amit Kumar Dhankhar at 70 kg/154 lbs. Fay scored points with both takedowns and turns on the way to the win.
Another comeback win for Team USA at 70 kg/154 lbs. came from Bucknell grad Kevin LeValley (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm), who beat Parveen Rana, 9-2. LeValley had two two-point exposures on tilts in the second period to open up his lead
The USA closed out the win with a pair of technical falls.
Past NCAA champion from Iowa State Jon Reader (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids/USOTC) scored a quick takedown and a series of turns to put away Pawan Kumar, 10-0 in just 57 seconds.
Kent State’s first NCAA champion Dustin Kilgore (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids/USOTC), followed with a technical fall of his own over Saywart Kadian, 11-1 in 4:08. He used an ankle lace for multiple turns in the second period to put the bout away.
“The effort was good. They had a World medalist and a Dave Schultz champion in their lineup. We put out some guys who haven’t all had extensive international experience. They performed today.; It shows we have some great depth in this country,” said National Freestyle Coach Zeke Jones.
USA 6, INDIA 0
at Oklahoma City, Okla., March 20
61 kg/134 lbs. – B.J. Futrell(USA) pin Bajrang (India), 2:35
65 kg/143 lbs. – Jason Chamberlain (USA) tech. fall Rajneesh (India), 12-2, 3:31
70 kg/154 lbs. – Moza Fay (USA) dec. Amit Kumar Dhankhar (India), 11-2
70 kg/154 lbs. – Kevin LeValley (USA) dec. Parveen Rana (India), 9-2
86 kg/189 lbs. – Jon Reader (USA) tech. fall, Pawan Kumar (India), 10-0, 0:57
97 kg/213 lbs. – Dustin Kilgore (USA) tech. fall Saywart Kadian, 11-1, 4:08
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Team USA had a dominant performance, sweeping all of the bouts on the way to a 6-0 win over India at the USA Wrestling freestyle dual meet, which is part of the NCAA Fan Festival on Thursday.
The meet was held in front of a standing-room only crowd in the Cox Convention Center. This popular event was held after the first session of the NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championships and was free of charge to the fans.
Right off the bat, Team USA came out strong. At 61 kg/134 lbs., Illinois grad B.J. Futrell (Ann Arbor, Mich./Titan Mercury WC/Michigan RTC) locked up a cradle and pinned World bronze medalist Bajrang of India in 2:35. The match was close in the early going, with both athletes scoring takedowns, but Futrell used his favorite pinning technique to get the fall.
Next at 65 kg/143 lbs., Boise State grad Jason Chamberlain (Lincoln, Neb./Titan Mercury/Nebraska RTC) looked strong on both his feet and on the mat, scoring a 12-2 technical fall over Rajneesh in 3:31. Chamberlain secured an ankle lace turn early in the second period and turned Rajneesh a number of times to secure the technical fall.
After trailing 2-3 after the first period, Northern Iowa grad Moza Fay (Colorado Springs, Colo./Army WCAP/USOTC) opened up his offense to score an impressive 11-2 win over Amit Kumar Dhankhar at 70 kg/154 lbs. Fay scored points with both takedowns and turns on the way to the win.
Another comeback win for Team USA at 70 kg/154 lbs. came from Bucknell grad Kevin LeValley (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm), who beat Parveen Rana, 9-2. LeValley had two two-point exposures on tilts in the second period to open up his lead
The USA closed out the win with a pair of technical falls.
Past NCAA champion from Iowa State Jon Reader (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids/USOTC) scored a quick takedown and a series of turns to put away Pawan Kumar, 10-0 in just 57 seconds.
Kent State’s first NCAA champion Dustin Kilgore (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids/USOTC), followed with a technical fall of his own over Saywart Kadian, 11-1 in 4:08. He used an ankle lace for multiple turns in the second period to put the bout away.
“The effort was good. They had a World medalist and a Dave Schultz champion in their lineup. We put out some guys who haven’t all had extensive international experience. They performed today.; It shows we have some great depth in this country,” said National Freestyle Coach Zeke Jones.
USA 6, INDIA 0
at Oklahoma City, Okla., March 20
61 kg/134 lbs. – B.J. Futrell(USA) pin Bajrang (India), 2:35
65 kg/143 lbs. – Jason Chamberlain (USA) tech. fall Rajneesh (India), 12-2, 3:31
70 kg/154 lbs. – Moza Fay (USA) dec. Amit Kumar Dhankhar (India), 11-2
70 kg/154 lbs. – Kevin LeValley (USA) dec. Parveen Rana (India), 9-2
86 kg/189 lbs. – Jon Reader (USA) tech. fall, Pawan Kumar (India), 10-0, 0:57
97 kg/213 lbs. – Dustin Kilgore (USA) tech. fall Saywart Kadian, 11-1, 4:08
