Ageless Clark, rising star Speiller and confident Hutchison among finalists at U.S. Nationals/Trials Qualifier in Las Vegas
Share:
by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Jake Clark locks up Lucas Sheridan in the 85 kg semifinals in Greco-Roman at the U.S. Nationals/Trials Qualifier on Las Vegas. Photo by Larry Slater.
VIDEO: U.S. Senior Nationals & Olympic Trials Qualifier Interviews
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Finalists were set in nine weight classes at the U.S. Senior Nationals/Trials Qualifier at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Friday. All six Olympic Greco-Roman weight classes are being held today, along with three of the women’s freestyle weight classes.
Reaching the finals at 86 kg/187 lbs. was 2006 World Team member Jacob Clark of the Minnesota Storm, who returned after a few years off the mat with some great wrestling this morning. His last major achievement was a bronze medal at the 2012 U.S. Open.
The 35-year-old Clark defeated Lucas Sheridan of the U.S. Army in the semifinals, 4-0. He also had a big win in the quarterfinals, beating Mark Stenberg, 6-0. Clark, who lives in Hawaii, returned to his native Minnesota recently to train for this event.
“I’m going up against a lot of these younger guys that I haven’t really competed against. I’ve been kind of on vacation since the last Olympic Trials. Being off the mat that long it really burns inside of you and makes me want to be back on the mat. My body is healthy and now I just have to tweak a bunch of things here or there. It’s always nice to make a statement as the older guy here. I feel great out there,” said Clark.
He will battle 2012 Olympian Ben Provisor of the New York AC in the gold-medal finals.
Sheridan, a Junior World Team member who competed in Div. I wrestling at Indiana. He defeated No 1 seed and Pan American Games champion Jon Anderson in quarterfinals, 7-4, to earn his semifinal berth against Clark.
Earning a berth in the finals at 75 kg/165 lbs. was Geordan Speiller of the Florida Jets, who edged 2012 Olympian and three-time World bronze medalist Justin Lester of the Army WCAP, 1-0. The difference in the match was that Lester was penalized one point for passivity.
“I had a game plan. I watched a lot of his videos. I knew what he was going to do before he was going to do it. I knew coming that I had to be really sharp and knowledgeable on all the different tactics he was going to apply,” said Speiller
Speiller was injured last year, after a strong 2014, when he was third at the U.S. Open. He will battle 2011 World Team member Cheney Haight of the New York AC in the finals.
“I feel amazing. I’m glad that I went through what I went through because it really made me appreciate the sport of wrestling and how much I really enjoy it. Every time I put on my shoes it’s a privilege for me,” he said.
In the deepest weight class in the women’s action on Friday, 2015 World Team Trials runner-up Michaela Hutchison of Titan Mercury will face Haley Augello of the New York AC in the finals. They were the top two seeds in the weight class.
Hutchison pinned Sarah Hildebrandt of the New York AC in her semifinal, while Augello defeated Deanna Betterman of the Sunkist Kids on the other side, 5-0. Hutchison had three consecutive pins to earn her spot in the finals.
“When I put people on their back I just try to keep them there. What I’ve been working on is mental toughness. Whenever someone gets me down by two, it’s okay. There is still plenty of time in the match and I work hard and just try to push through it. That’s really what I’ve been working on, just getting better every match and no matter the opponent, just wrestle the same,” said Hutchison.
The championship finals are set for 7:00 p.m. Pacific Time, and will be broadcast live by TrackWrestling.
Four past Olympians have qualified for the gold-medal finals.
Two-time Olympian Spenser Mango of the U.S. Army, who has made every U.S. World and Olympic Team since 2008, will wrestle his Army teammate Ildar Hafizov of the Army in the finals at 59 kg/130 lbs. Mango dispatched Sam Jones of the New York AC in the semifinals, 11-2.
The anticipated finals between Mango and his younger brother Ryan did not happen, after Hafizov scored a 10-2 technical fall over Ryan Mango in the semifinals. Hafizov, a naturalized U.S. citizen, competed in the 2008 Olympic Games for Uzbekistan, making the 59 kg finals a battle of Olympians.
2012 Olympian Kelsey Campbell of the Sunkist Kids will be in the 58 kg/128 lbs. finals, after her semifinal win over Randi Beltz of the Titan Mercury WC, 4-2. Her opponent will be 2014 Cadet World Team member Teshya Alo of Titan Mercury, who scored a semifinal technical fall over Maya Nelson of Sunkist Kids, 10-0. Alo was third at the 2015 World Team Trials at this weight, while Campbell was second.
2012 Olympian Ellis Coleman of the Minnesota Storm reached the 66 kg/145.5 lbs. finals, defeating 2013 World Team member Jesse Thielke of the New York AC, 3-0. He will face Patrick Smith of the Minnesota Storm, who dropped down from 70 kg to test himself at this Olympic weight class.
At 98 kg/216 lbs. in Greco-Roman, three-time World Team member Caylor Williams of the Army will face 2014 World Team member Joe Rau of the Minnesota Storm in the finals. The other Greco-Roman final will include 2014 Junior World bronze medalist Adam Coon of the New York AC facing Parker Betts of the Minnesota Storm at 130 kg/286 lbs.
The 75 kg/165 lbs. women’s finals will pit 2014 Junior World bronze medalist Victoria Francis of the Titan Mercury WC, who will face 2015 World Team Trials runner-up Jackie Surber of the Titan Mercury for the gold.
The top seven placewinners in each weight class this weekend qualify to compete at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City, Iowa, April 9-10. This is the largest of the #Road2IowaCity qualifying events.
U.S. NATIONALS/TRIALS QUALIFIER
At Las Vegas, Nev., December 18
Greco-Roman Finals Pairings
59 kg/130 lbs. - Spenser Mango (Army) vs. Ildar Hafizov (Army)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Patrick Smith (Minnesota Storm) vs. Ellis Coleman (Army)
75 kg/165 lbs. - Geordan Speiller (Florida Jets) vs. Cheney Haight (NYAC/OTC)
85 kg/187 lbs. - Jacob Clark (Minnesota Storm) vs. Ben Provisor (NYAC/OTC)
98 kg/216 lbs. - Caylor Williams (Army WCAP) vs. Joe Rau (Minnesota Storm)
130 kg/286 lbs. - Adam Coon (NYAC/CKWC) vs. Parker Betts (Minnesota Storm)
Women’s Finals Pairings
53 kg/116.5 lbs. - Michaela Hutchison (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Haley Augello (NYAC/OTC)
58 kg/128 lbs. - Kelsey Campbell (Sunkist Kids) vs. Teshya Alo (Titan Mercury)
75 kg/165 lbs. - Victoria Francis (Titan Mercury) vs. Jackie Surber (Titan Mercury)
Greco-Roman semifinals results
59 kg/130 lbs.
Spenser Mango (Army WCAP) tech. fall Sam Jones (NYAC/NMU), 11-2
Ildar Hafizov (Army WCAP) tech. fall Ryan Mango (Army), 10-2
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Patrick Smith (Minnesota Storm) dec. Alejandro Sancho (NYAC/NMU), 5-2
Ellis Coleman (Army WCAP) dec. Jesse Thielke (NYAC/OTC), 3-0
75 kg/165 lbs.
Geordan Speiller (Florida Jets) dec. Justin Lester (Army WCAP), 1-0
Cheney Haight (NYAC/OTC) tech. fall Tarrance Williams (CSU Pueblo WC), 8-0
85 kg/187 lbs.
Jacob Clark (Minnesota Storm) dec. Lucas Sheridan (Army), 4-0
Ben Provisor (NYAC/OTC) dec. Patrick Martinez (Army), 3-1
98 kg/216 lbs.
Caylor Williams (Army WCAP) tech. fall Orry Elor (NYAC/NMU), 8-0
Joe Rau (Minnesota Storm) tech. fall G’Angelo Hancock (NYAC/OTC), 9-1
130 kg/286 lbs.
Adam Coon (NYAC/CKWC) tech. fall Jacob Mitchell (CSU Pueblo WC), 8-0
Parker Betts (Minnesota Storm) dec. Matthew Lamb (Army), 2-1
Women’s freestyle semifinals results
53 kg/116.5 lbs.
Michaela Hutchison (Titan Mercury WC) pin Sarah Hildebrandt (NYAC/OTC), 5:25
Haley Augello (NYAC/OTC) dec. Deanna Betterman (Sunkist Kids), 5-2
58 kg/128 lbs.
Kelsey Campbell (Sunkist Kids) dec. Randi Beltz (Titan Mercury WC), 4-2
Teshya Alo (Titan Mercury) tech. fall Maya Nelson (Sunkist Kids), 10-0
75 kg/165 lbs.
Victoria Francis (Titan Mercury) dec. Julia Salata (NYAC/OTC), 6-0
Jackie Surber (Titan Mercury) tech. fall Brandy Lowe (Bearcat WC), 12-1
VIDEO: U.S. Senior Nationals & Olympic Trials Qualifier Interviews
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Finalists were set in nine weight classes at the U.S. Senior Nationals/Trials Qualifier at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Friday. All six Olympic Greco-Roman weight classes are being held today, along with three of the women’s freestyle weight classes.
Reaching the finals at 86 kg/187 lbs. was 2006 World Team member Jacob Clark of the Minnesota Storm, who returned after a few years off the mat with some great wrestling this morning. His last major achievement was a bronze medal at the 2012 U.S. Open.
The 35-year-old Clark defeated Lucas Sheridan of the U.S. Army in the semifinals, 4-0. He also had a big win in the quarterfinals, beating Mark Stenberg, 6-0. Clark, who lives in Hawaii, returned to his native Minnesota recently to train for this event.
“I’m going up against a lot of these younger guys that I haven’t really competed against. I’ve been kind of on vacation since the last Olympic Trials. Being off the mat that long it really burns inside of you and makes me want to be back on the mat. My body is healthy and now I just have to tweak a bunch of things here or there. It’s always nice to make a statement as the older guy here. I feel great out there,” said Clark.
He will battle 2012 Olympian Ben Provisor of the New York AC in the gold-medal finals.
Sheridan, a Junior World Team member who competed in Div. I wrestling at Indiana. He defeated No 1 seed and Pan American Games champion Jon Anderson in quarterfinals, 7-4, to earn his semifinal berth against Clark.
Earning a berth in the finals at 75 kg/165 lbs. was Geordan Speiller of the Florida Jets, who edged 2012 Olympian and three-time World bronze medalist Justin Lester of the Army WCAP, 1-0. The difference in the match was that Lester was penalized one point for passivity.
“I had a game plan. I watched a lot of his videos. I knew what he was going to do before he was going to do it. I knew coming that I had to be really sharp and knowledgeable on all the different tactics he was going to apply,” said Speiller
Speiller was injured last year, after a strong 2014, when he was third at the U.S. Open. He will battle 2011 World Team member Cheney Haight of the New York AC in the finals.
“I feel amazing. I’m glad that I went through what I went through because it really made me appreciate the sport of wrestling and how much I really enjoy it. Every time I put on my shoes it’s a privilege for me,” he said.
In the deepest weight class in the women’s action on Friday, 2015 World Team Trials runner-up Michaela Hutchison of Titan Mercury will face Haley Augello of the New York AC in the finals. They were the top two seeds in the weight class.
Hutchison pinned Sarah Hildebrandt of the New York AC in her semifinal, while Augello defeated Deanna Betterman of the Sunkist Kids on the other side, 5-0. Hutchison had three consecutive pins to earn her spot in the finals.
“When I put people on their back I just try to keep them there. What I’ve been working on is mental toughness. Whenever someone gets me down by two, it’s okay. There is still plenty of time in the match and I work hard and just try to push through it. That’s really what I’ve been working on, just getting better every match and no matter the opponent, just wrestle the same,” said Hutchison.
The championship finals are set for 7:00 p.m. Pacific Time, and will be broadcast live by TrackWrestling.
Four past Olympians have qualified for the gold-medal finals.
Two-time Olympian Spenser Mango of the U.S. Army, who has made every U.S. World and Olympic Team since 2008, will wrestle his Army teammate Ildar Hafizov of the Army in the finals at 59 kg/130 lbs. Mango dispatched Sam Jones of the New York AC in the semifinals, 11-2.
The anticipated finals between Mango and his younger brother Ryan did not happen, after Hafizov scored a 10-2 technical fall over Ryan Mango in the semifinals. Hafizov, a naturalized U.S. citizen, competed in the 2008 Olympic Games for Uzbekistan, making the 59 kg finals a battle of Olympians.
2012 Olympian Kelsey Campbell of the Sunkist Kids will be in the 58 kg/128 lbs. finals, after her semifinal win over Randi Beltz of the Titan Mercury WC, 4-2. Her opponent will be 2014 Cadet World Team member Teshya Alo of Titan Mercury, who scored a semifinal technical fall over Maya Nelson of Sunkist Kids, 10-0. Alo was third at the 2015 World Team Trials at this weight, while Campbell was second.
2012 Olympian Ellis Coleman of the Minnesota Storm reached the 66 kg/145.5 lbs. finals, defeating 2013 World Team member Jesse Thielke of the New York AC, 3-0. He will face Patrick Smith of the Minnesota Storm, who dropped down from 70 kg to test himself at this Olympic weight class.
At 98 kg/216 lbs. in Greco-Roman, three-time World Team member Caylor Williams of the Army will face 2014 World Team member Joe Rau of the Minnesota Storm in the finals. The other Greco-Roman final will include 2014 Junior World bronze medalist Adam Coon of the New York AC facing Parker Betts of the Minnesota Storm at 130 kg/286 lbs.
The 75 kg/165 lbs. women’s finals will pit 2014 Junior World bronze medalist Victoria Francis of the Titan Mercury WC, who will face 2015 World Team Trials runner-up Jackie Surber of the Titan Mercury for the gold.
The top seven placewinners in each weight class this weekend qualify to compete at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City, Iowa, April 9-10. This is the largest of the #Road2IowaCity qualifying events.
U.S. NATIONALS/TRIALS QUALIFIER
At Las Vegas, Nev., December 18
Greco-Roman Finals Pairings
59 kg/130 lbs. - Spenser Mango (Army) vs. Ildar Hafizov (Army)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Patrick Smith (Minnesota Storm) vs. Ellis Coleman (Army)
75 kg/165 lbs. - Geordan Speiller (Florida Jets) vs. Cheney Haight (NYAC/OTC)
85 kg/187 lbs. - Jacob Clark (Minnesota Storm) vs. Ben Provisor (NYAC/OTC)
98 kg/216 lbs. - Caylor Williams (Army WCAP) vs. Joe Rau (Minnesota Storm)
130 kg/286 lbs. - Adam Coon (NYAC/CKWC) vs. Parker Betts (Minnesota Storm)
Women’s Finals Pairings
53 kg/116.5 lbs. - Michaela Hutchison (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Haley Augello (NYAC/OTC)
58 kg/128 lbs. - Kelsey Campbell (Sunkist Kids) vs. Teshya Alo (Titan Mercury)
75 kg/165 lbs. - Victoria Francis (Titan Mercury) vs. Jackie Surber (Titan Mercury)
Greco-Roman semifinals results
59 kg/130 lbs.
Spenser Mango (Army WCAP) tech. fall Sam Jones (NYAC/NMU), 11-2
Ildar Hafizov (Army WCAP) tech. fall Ryan Mango (Army), 10-2
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Patrick Smith (Minnesota Storm) dec. Alejandro Sancho (NYAC/NMU), 5-2
Ellis Coleman (Army WCAP) dec. Jesse Thielke (NYAC/OTC), 3-0
75 kg/165 lbs.
Geordan Speiller (Florida Jets) dec. Justin Lester (Army WCAP), 1-0
Cheney Haight (NYAC/OTC) tech. fall Tarrance Williams (CSU Pueblo WC), 8-0
85 kg/187 lbs.
Jacob Clark (Minnesota Storm) dec. Lucas Sheridan (Army), 4-0
Ben Provisor (NYAC/OTC) dec. Patrick Martinez (Army), 3-1
98 kg/216 lbs.
Caylor Williams (Army WCAP) tech. fall Orry Elor (NYAC/NMU), 8-0
Joe Rau (Minnesota Storm) tech. fall G’Angelo Hancock (NYAC/OTC), 9-1
130 kg/286 lbs.
Adam Coon (NYAC/CKWC) tech. fall Jacob Mitchell (CSU Pueblo WC), 8-0
Parker Betts (Minnesota Storm) dec. Matthew Lamb (Army), 2-1
Women’s freestyle semifinals results
53 kg/116.5 lbs.
Michaela Hutchison (Titan Mercury WC) pin Sarah Hildebrandt (NYAC/OTC), 5:25
Haley Augello (NYAC/OTC) dec. Deanna Betterman (Sunkist Kids), 5-2
58 kg/128 lbs.
Kelsey Campbell (Sunkist Kids) dec. Randi Beltz (Titan Mercury WC), 4-2
Teshya Alo (Titan Mercury) tech. fall Maya Nelson (Sunkist Kids), 10-0
75 kg/165 lbs.
Victoria Francis (Titan Mercury) dec. Julia Salata (NYAC/OTC), 6-0
Jackie Surber (Titan Mercury) tech. fall Brandy Lowe (Bearcat WC), 12-1
Read More#
Bouzakis, Jaffe, Robinson advance to semifinals at U17 Worlds in women’s freestyle in Istanbul
Turner, Crull and Fowler advance to semifinals at U17 Worlds in women’s freestyle; two others from USA eliminated
Winchester, Page to wrestle for gold, Makoyed goes for bronze at Budapest Ranking Series event
Olympic medalists Snyder, Hildebrandt lead U.S. into Budapest Ranking Series event, July 13-16
