First 8 World Team spots earned during Greco-Roman Trials in Ithaca
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by Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
Justin Lester (in blue) battles Pat Smith at the Greco-Roman World Team Trials on Thursday night. Justin Hoch photo.
VIDEO: Greco-Roman World Team Trials Champion Interviews
ITHACA, N.Y. – Justin “Harry” Lester knows what it takes to be on a championship team.
He was a member of the only U.S. Greco-Roman squad to win a World team title in 2007.
Lester was one of eight wrestlers to earn titles at the U.S. Greco-Roman World Team Trials before a boisterous sellout crowd of 1,000 fans Thursday night at the Friedman Wrestling Center at Cornell University.
And Lester likes the makeup of the 2015 World Team that will represent the U.S. at September’s World Championships in Las Vegas.
Seven of the eight Greco World Team members are repeat members from 2014.
“I think we can do real well as a team,” Lester said. “We can feed off the medal that Andy Bisek won last year. We’ve all been there and we all know we can get the job done. I’m real excited to see what this team can do.”
This year’s Greco-Roman World Team Trials featured a unique competition process with only the 16 U.S. Open finalists qualifying for the event.
The U.S. Open finalists completed a best-of-3 wrestle-off in Ithaca to determine the World Team member in each weight category, with the U.S. Open finals constituting the first match. The U.S. Open champion in each weight had a 1-0 series lead entering competition in Ithaca.
Lester, a two-time World medalist, downed Pat Smith 8-2 on Thursday to make the team at 71 kg/156 lbs. Lester made his eighth World Team.
“It’s OK making World Teams, but you got to back it up wth a medal,” Lester said. “It’s great being back on this team again. 71 is a great weight for me. I went out firing at Worlds last year, but I gave up one big move to a really good guy. This year, it’s got to be mistake-free and I need to wrestle each match perfectly.
“I honestly felt like I was right there last year. I need to tune-up these next two months. I need to put in the work and I will be ready.”
Veteran Andy Bisek, a 2014 World bronze medalist, scored a quick 8-0 technical fall over Dillon Cowan to sweep the series at 75 kg/165 lbs. Bisek made his fourth World Team.
“I’m not going to take anybody lightly,” Bisek said. “I’m very confident going out there and I believe I’m going to win. It was a fun night. We had a great crowd with a lot of people and that got us pumped up.”
Two-time Olympian Spenser Mango earned his sixth straight trip to the World Championships by edging 2013 World Team member Jesse Thielke 4-3 at 59 kg/130 lbs. Mango was fifth in the World in 2013 and 2014.
“I would love to come home with a gold medal and I would love to be a World champion in my home country,” Mango said. “It hurts every time I think about finishing fifth at Worlds – it just kills me. I never want it to happen again.
“We have a real good team. I think we have a real good mix and I think this team can do real well at Worlds.”
Robby Smith earned his third consecutive trip to the World Championships after downing Toby Erickson 5-0 at 130 kg/286 lbs. Smith placed fifth at the 2013 Worlds.
Jordan Holm made his third straight U.S. World Team after holding off Jon Anderson at 85 kg/187 lbs. Holm won 2-2 on criteria after scoring on a caution early in the match.
“It was a good challenge for me,” Holm said. “Jon’s a real tough competitor and he pushed me. I have had a good year. I haven’t run into anybody that has beaten me and I need to carry it into Worlds.”
Caylor Williams hit a pair of big throws to earn his third straight trip to Worlds after earning an 8-0 technical fall over Kevin Beazley at 98 kg/216 lbs.
Returning World Team member Bryce Saddoris outlasted a determined Alejandro Sancho in a series that went the full three matches at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Patrick Martinez earned a hard-fought 2-0 win over C.J. Myers to complete a sweep of their series at 80 kg/176 lbs. Martinez made his first World Team.
Champions in the six Olympic weight classes – Mango, Saddoris, Bisek, Holm, Williams and Smith – will represent the U.S. at July’s Pan American Games in Toronto.
The final 16 World Team spots will be earned at the U.S. World Team Trials for men’s and women’s freestyle, set for June 13-14 in Madison, Wis.
2015 Greco-Roman World Team Trials
June 4, Friedman Wrestling Center, Ithaca, N.Y.
59 kg/130 lbs.
Spenser Mango (U.S. Army) def. Jesse Thielke (New York AC), 2 matches to 0
U.S. Open Finals: Spenser Mango (U.S. Army) dec. Jesse Thielke (New York AC), 5-0
WTT Match 2: Mango dec. Thielke, 4-3
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Bryce Saddoris (U.S. Marines) def. Alejandro Sancho (New York AC), 2 matches to 1
U.S. Open Finals: Bryce Saddoris (U.S. Marines) dec. Alejandro Sancho (New York AC), 1-0
WTT Match 2: Sancho dec. Saddoris, 8-4
WTT Match 3: Saddoris dec. Sancho, 4-0
71 kg/156 lbs.
Justin Lester (U.S. Army) def. Pat Smith (Minnesota Storm), 2 matches to 0
U.S. Open Finals: Justin Lester (U.S. Army) dec. Pat Smith (Minnesota Storm), 7-2
WTT Match 2: Lester dec. Smith, 8-2
75 kg/165 lbs.
Andy Bisek (Minnesota Storm) def. Dillon Cowan (U.S. Army), 2 matches to 0
U.S. Open Finals: Andy Bisek (Minnesota Storm) tech. fall Dillon Cowan (U.S. Army), 11-0
WTT Match 2: Bisek tech. fall over Cowan, 8-0
80 kg/176 lbs.
Patrick Martinez (U.S. Army) def. C.J. Myers (U.S. Army), 2 matches to 0
U.S. Open Finals: Patrick Martinez (U.S. Army) dec. C.J. Myers (U.S. Army), 3-1
WTT Match 2: Martinez dec. Myers, 2-0
85 kg/187 lbs.
Jordan Holm (Minnesota Storm) def. Jon Anderson (U.S. Army), 2 matches to 0
U.S. Open Finals: Jordan Holm (Minnesota Storm) tech fall Jon Anderson (U.S. Army), 9-0
WTT Match 2: Holm dec. Anderson, 2-2 criteria
98 kg/216 lbs.
Caylor Williams (U.S. Army) def. Kevin Beazley (Virginia Beach RTC), 2 matches to 0
U.S. Open Finals: Caylor Williams (U.S. Army) tech fall Kevin Beazley (Virginia Beach RTC), 13-3
WTT Match 2: Williams won by tech. fall over Beazley, 8-0
130 kg/286 lbs.
Robby Smith (New York AC) def. Toby Erickson (New York AC), 2 matches to 0
U.S. Open Finals: Robby Smith (New York AC) pinned Toby Erickson (New York AC), 3:24
WTT Match 2: Smith dec. Erickson, 5-0
VIDEO: Greco-Roman World Team Trials Champion Interviews
ITHACA, N.Y. – Justin “Harry” Lester knows what it takes to be on a championship team.
He was a member of the only U.S. Greco-Roman squad to win a World team title in 2007.
Lester was one of eight wrestlers to earn titles at the U.S. Greco-Roman World Team Trials before a boisterous sellout crowd of 1,000 fans Thursday night at the Friedman Wrestling Center at Cornell University.
And Lester likes the makeup of the 2015 World Team that will represent the U.S. at September’s World Championships in Las Vegas.
Seven of the eight Greco World Team members are repeat members from 2014.
“I think we can do real well as a team,” Lester said. “We can feed off the medal that Andy Bisek won last year. We’ve all been there and we all know we can get the job done. I’m real excited to see what this team can do.”
This year’s Greco-Roman World Team Trials featured a unique competition process with only the 16 U.S. Open finalists qualifying for the event.
The U.S. Open finalists completed a best-of-3 wrestle-off in Ithaca to determine the World Team member in each weight category, with the U.S. Open finals constituting the first match. The U.S. Open champion in each weight had a 1-0 series lead entering competition in Ithaca.
Lester, a two-time World medalist, downed Pat Smith 8-2 on Thursday to make the team at 71 kg/156 lbs. Lester made his eighth World Team.
“It’s OK making World Teams, but you got to back it up wth a medal,” Lester said. “It’s great being back on this team again. 71 is a great weight for me. I went out firing at Worlds last year, but I gave up one big move to a really good guy. This year, it’s got to be mistake-free and I need to wrestle each match perfectly.
“I honestly felt like I was right there last year. I need to tune-up these next two months. I need to put in the work and I will be ready.”
Veteran Andy Bisek, a 2014 World bronze medalist, scored a quick 8-0 technical fall over Dillon Cowan to sweep the series at 75 kg/165 lbs. Bisek made his fourth World Team.
“I’m not going to take anybody lightly,” Bisek said. “I’m very confident going out there and I believe I’m going to win. It was a fun night. We had a great crowd with a lot of people and that got us pumped up.”
Two-time Olympian Spenser Mango earned his sixth straight trip to the World Championships by edging 2013 World Team member Jesse Thielke 4-3 at 59 kg/130 lbs. Mango was fifth in the World in 2013 and 2014.
“I would love to come home with a gold medal and I would love to be a World champion in my home country,” Mango said. “It hurts every time I think about finishing fifth at Worlds – it just kills me. I never want it to happen again.
“We have a real good team. I think we have a real good mix and I think this team can do real well at Worlds.”
Robby Smith earned his third consecutive trip to the World Championships after downing Toby Erickson 5-0 at 130 kg/286 lbs. Smith placed fifth at the 2013 Worlds.
Jordan Holm made his third straight U.S. World Team after holding off Jon Anderson at 85 kg/187 lbs. Holm won 2-2 on criteria after scoring on a caution early in the match.
“It was a good challenge for me,” Holm said. “Jon’s a real tough competitor and he pushed me. I have had a good year. I haven’t run into anybody that has beaten me and I need to carry it into Worlds.”
Caylor Williams hit a pair of big throws to earn his third straight trip to Worlds after earning an 8-0 technical fall over Kevin Beazley at 98 kg/216 lbs.
Returning World Team member Bryce Saddoris outlasted a determined Alejandro Sancho in a series that went the full three matches at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Patrick Martinez earned a hard-fought 2-0 win over C.J. Myers to complete a sweep of their series at 80 kg/176 lbs. Martinez made his first World Team.
Champions in the six Olympic weight classes – Mango, Saddoris, Bisek, Holm, Williams and Smith – will represent the U.S. at July’s Pan American Games in Toronto.
The final 16 World Team spots will be earned at the U.S. World Team Trials for men’s and women’s freestyle, set for June 13-14 in Madison, Wis.
2015 Greco-Roman World Team Trials
June 4, Friedman Wrestling Center, Ithaca, N.Y.
59 kg/130 lbs.
Spenser Mango (U.S. Army) def. Jesse Thielke (New York AC), 2 matches to 0
U.S. Open Finals: Spenser Mango (U.S. Army) dec. Jesse Thielke (New York AC), 5-0
WTT Match 2: Mango dec. Thielke, 4-3
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Bryce Saddoris (U.S. Marines) def. Alejandro Sancho (New York AC), 2 matches to 1
U.S. Open Finals: Bryce Saddoris (U.S. Marines) dec. Alejandro Sancho (New York AC), 1-0
WTT Match 2: Sancho dec. Saddoris, 8-4
WTT Match 3: Saddoris dec. Sancho, 4-0
71 kg/156 lbs.
Justin Lester (U.S. Army) def. Pat Smith (Minnesota Storm), 2 matches to 0
U.S. Open Finals: Justin Lester (U.S. Army) dec. Pat Smith (Minnesota Storm), 7-2
WTT Match 2: Lester dec. Smith, 8-2
75 kg/165 lbs.
Andy Bisek (Minnesota Storm) def. Dillon Cowan (U.S. Army), 2 matches to 0
U.S. Open Finals: Andy Bisek (Minnesota Storm) tech. fall Dillon Cowan (U.S. Army), 11-0
WTT Match 2: Bisek tech. fall over Cowan, 8-0
80 kg/176 lbs.
Patrick Martinez (U.S. Army) def. C.J. Myers (U.S. Army), 2 matches to 0
U.S. Open Finals: Patrick Martinez (U.S. Army) dec. C.J. Myers (U.S. Army), 3-1
WTT Match 2: Martinez dec. Myers, 2-0
85 kg/187 lbs.
Jordan Holm (Minnesota Storm) def. Jon Anderson (U.S. Army), 2 matches to 0
U.S. Open Finals: Jordan Holm (Minnesota Storm) tech fall Jon Anderson (U.S. Army), 9-0
WTT Match 2: Holm dec. Anderson, 2-2 criteria
98 kg/216 lbs.
Caylor Williams (U.S. Army) def. Kevin Beazley (Virginia Beach RTC), 2 matches to 0
U.S. Open Finals: Caylor Williams (U.S. Army) tech fall Kevin Beazley (Virginia Beach RTC), 13-3
WTT Match 2: Williams won by tech. fall over Beazley, 8-0
130 kg/286 lbs.
Robby Smith (New York AC) def. Toby Erickson (New York AC), 2 matches to 0
U.S. Open Finals: Robby Smith (New York AC) pinned Toby Erickson (New York AC), 3:24
WTT Match 2: Smith dec. Erickson, 5-0
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