World Team Trials preview in freestyle at 65 kg

VIDEO: Metcalf vs. Russell in U.S. Open finals 

Brent Metcalf is ready for a breakthrough. 

The two-time World Team member is ready to win a World medal this season for the United States.

Metcalf looks well on his way after shutting out all four of his opponents en route to winning the U.S. Open freestyle title at 65 kg/143 lbs. He outscored his four Open foes a combined 39-0. 

Metcalf’s U.S. Open victory clinched him a spot in the final-round series for the U.S. World Team Trials, set for May 31-June 1 in Madison, Wis. He will face the winner of the Challenge Tournament in the best-of-3 match finals.

Champions at the Trials advance to September’s World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. 

Metcalf also went 5-0 at the World Cup this year and is coming off an 11-8 win over World No. 1 Magomed Kurbanaliev of Russia at the Beat the Streets Dual in New York City.

Metcalf is in a strong weight class with plenty of firepower. 

Two-time NCAA champion Kellen Russell was second to Metcalf at the 2013 Trials and 2014 Open.

Past Junior World medalists Logan Stieber and Jordan Oliver also can’t be counted out. Stieber will look to win his fourth NCAA title next season and Oliver has beaten a number of top foreign opponents, including Kubanaliev. 

Past NCAA champion Frank Molinaro has turned in a strong season. He was fourth at the Open.

Two-time World Team member Reece Humphrey took fifth at the Open while wrestling up a weight class.

University of Minnesota wrestler Nick Dardanes also is in the field after placing seventh at the Open. 

Northern Plains champion Jason Chamberlain is another wrestler who excels in freestyle and is a tough matchup in this division.

2014 NCAA champion Jason Tsirtsis also has qualified. Tsirtsis made the U.S. Junior World Team in 2013. 

Metcalf is clearly the favorite in this division, but he did drop a match to Oliver last year in the U.S. Open. There are a number of talented young stars who could be in the mix in this weight class at the Trials.

2014 U.S. Open Results

65 kg /143 lbs.

1st – Brent Metcalf, Iowa City, IA (NYAC/Hawkeye WC) dec. Kellen Russell, High Bridge, N.J (NYAC/MRTC), 9-0

3rd – Logan Stieber, Norwalk, Ohio (NYAC/Ohio RTC) dec. Frank Molinaro, South Plainfield, N.J. (Nittany Lion WC), 4-2

5th – Reece Humphrey, Columbus, OH (NYAC/Ohio RTC) forfeit Jordan Oliver, Stillwater, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC)

7th – Nick Dardanes, Oak Park, Ill. (Minnesota Storm) dec. Jason Chamberlain, Boise, Idaho (Titan Mercury WC),  2-1

2014 World Team Trials Qualifiers
65 kg/143 lbs.

Final Wrestle-off Qualifier
2014 U.S. Open champion - Brent Metcalf, Iowa City, Iowa (NYAC/Hawkeye WC)
Trials Tournament Qualifiers
2014 U.S. Open second place – Kellen Russell, Ann Arbor, Mich. (NYAC/Michigan RTC)
2014 U.S. Open third place – Logan Stieber, Norwalk, Ohio (NYAC/Ohio RTC)
2014 U.S. Open fourth place – Frank Molinaro, South Plainfield, N.J. (Nittany Lion WC)
2014 U.S. Open fifth place – Reece Humphrey, Columbus, OH (NYAC/Ohio RTC)
2014 U.S. Open sixth place – Jordan Oliver, Stillwater, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC)
2014 U.S. Open seventh place – Nick Dardanes, Oak Park, Ill. (Minnesota Storm)
2014 U.S. Open champion, 61 kg – Jimmy Kennedy, Ann Arbor, Mich. (NYAC/MRTC)
2014 U.S. Open second place, 61 kg – Coleman Scott, Stillwater, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC)
2014 U.S. Open third place, 61 kg – Bernard Futrell, Ann Arbor, Mich. (Titan Mercury WC)
2014 U.S. Open fourth place, 61 kg – Matt McDonough, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC)
2014 U.S. Open third place, 70 kg – Kyle Ruschell, Madison, Wis. (NYAC)
2014 U.S. Open fourth place, 70 kg – Kevin LeValley, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
2014 Northeast Senior Regionals champion – Nicholas Fanthorpe, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)
2014 Northern Plains Senior Regionals champion – Jason Chamberlain (Lincoln, Neb./Titan Mercury WC)
2014 NCAA Div. I champion, 149 – Jason Tsirtsis, Crown Point, Ind. (Northwestern Univ.)