Cadet World champs Lee and Hall, plus PSU’s Cassar get freestyle draws for UWW Junior Worlds
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by USA Wrestling
SALVADOR, Brazil –The first three U.S. men’s wrestlers have weighed in and received their draws for Friday’s competition at the UWW Junior World Championships.
A pair of 2014 UWW Cadet World champions move up to the Junior level this year, Spencer Lee (Murraysville, Pa./Young Guns) at 50 kg/110 lbs. and Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 74 kg163 lbs.
They were among the top high school wrestlers in the nation in 2015, members of the ASICS First Team. Hall won a bronze medal in his first Senior-level international event this summer at the Grand Prix of Spain.
Lee will face Roman Gutsalyak of Ukraine in his opening match.
“His confidence is what sets him apart. He expects to win. It doesn’t matter that he is 16 years old. He is a competitor. He pushes himself every day to get better. He did a nice job getting down to 110 pounds. It has been awhile since he has made 50 kg. The expectation is really high for him,” said Nickerson.
Hall will battle Yayuro Yamasaki of Japan in the first round.
“Mark has been the most relaxed and calm wrestler thoughout the whole training camp and the time we have been in Brazil so far. A lot of that is experience, even though he is young. He has been in this position before. He brings a high skill level to our team. His calmness really reflects on the team, and he keeps everybody down to earth,” said Nickerson.
Also competing on Saturday is Penn State wrestler Anthony Cassar (Bridgewater, N.J./Nittany Lion WC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. He has a bye in his first match, then faces the winner of Kristoff Wittmann of Hungary and Ali Hamdy of Egypt in the next round.
“Anthony is our underdog this year. The best thing about him is nobody knows who the heck he is. They haven’t see a lot of film on him. He has only wrestled in three freestyle tournaments in his life, and he has won them all. He is expecting nothing less than to win a World title. His confidence is high and he will lay it on the line,” said Nickerson.
2014 UWW Junior World silver medalist Joey McKenna (Towaco, N.J./Lehigh Valley AC) did not make weight at 60 kg/132 lbs.
The U.S. Junior World men’s freestyle team placed second in the team standings in 2014, led by four medalists. This year’s team has set high goals.
“We had a great training camp in Colorado Springs. We brought in a lot of partners. We had a great group train with our World Team to propel them into these championships. We got here at the beginning of the week. The guys have done a great job getting comfortable with the atmosphere and getting ready to win World titles,” said Nickerson.
UWW JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Salvador, Brazil
Men’s Freestyle draws
50 kg/110 lbs. – Spencer Lee, Murraysville, Pa. (Young Guns)
Vs. Roman Gutsalyak (Ukraine)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Joey McKenna, Towaco, N.J. (Lehigh Valley AC)
Did not make weight
74 kg163 lbs. – Mark Hall, Apple Valley, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
Vs. Yayuro Yamasaki (Japan)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Anthony Cassar, Bridgewater, N.J. (Nittany Lion WC)
Vs winner of Kristoff Wittmann (Hungary) and Ali Hamdy (Egypt)
A pair of 2014 UWW Cadet World champions move up to the Junior level this year, Spencer Lee (Murraysville, Pa./Young Guns) at 50 kg/110 lbs. and Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 74 kg163 lbs.
They were among the top high school wrestlers in the nation in 2015, members of the ASICS First Team. Hall won a bronze medal in his first Senior-level international event this summer at the Grand Prix of Spain.
Lee will face Roman Gutsalyak of Ukraine in his opening match.
“His confidence is what sets him apart. He expects to win. It doesn’t matter that he is 16 years old. He is a competitor. He pushes himself every day to get better. He did a nice job getting down to 110 pounds. It has been awhile since he has made 50 kg. The expectation is really high for him,” said Nickerson.
Hall will battle Yayuro Yamasaki of Japan in the first round.
“Mark has been the most relaxed and calm wrestler thoughout the whole training camp and the time we have been in Brazil so far. A lot of that is experience, even though he is young. He has been in this position before. He brings a high skill level to our team. His calmness really reflects on the team, and he keeps everybody down to earth,” said Nickerson.
Also competing on Saturday is Penn State wrestler Anthony Cassar (Bridgewater, N.J./Nittany Lion WC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. He has a bye in his first match, then faces the winner of Kristoff Wittmann of Hungary and Ali Hamdy of Egypt in the next round.
“Anthony is our underdog this year. The best thing about him is nobody knows who the heck he is. They haven’t see a lot of film on him. He has only wrestled in three freestyle tournaments in his life, and he has won them all. He is expecting nothing less than to win a World title. His confidence is high and he will lay it on the line,” said Nickerson.
2014 UWW Junior World silver medalist Joey McKenna (Towaco, N.J./Lehigh Valley AC) did not make weight at 60 kg/132 lbs.
The U.S. Junior World men’s freestyle team placed second in the team standings in 2014, led by four medalists. This year’s team has set high goals.
“We had a great training camp in Colorado Springs. We brought in a lot of partners. We had a great group train with our World Team to propel them into these championships. We got here at the beginning of the week. The guys have done a great job getting comfortable with the atmosphere and getting ready to win World titles,” said Nickerson.
UWW JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Salvador, Brazil
Men’s Freestyle draws
50 kg/110 lbs. – Spencer Lee, Murraysville, Pa. (Young Guns)
Vs. Roman Gutsalyak (Ukraine)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Joey McKenna, Towaco, N.J. (Lehigh Valley AC)
Did not make weight
74 kg163 lbs. – Mark Hall, Apple Valley, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
Vs. Yayuro Yamasaki (Japan)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Anthony Cassar, Bridgewater, N.J. (Nittany Lion WC)
Vs winner of Kristoff Wittmann (Hungary) and Ali Hamdy (Egypt)
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