Exciting first session sets stage for U.S. Open freestyle semifinals
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by Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
Olympic champion Jake Varner stormed into the U.S. Open semifinals on Friday afternoon in Las Vegas. John Sachs photo.
LAS VEGAS – An action-packed first session has set the stage for an exciting night of wrestling in men’s and women’s freestyle at the U.S. Open.
The U.S. Open semifinal matchups are now set for Friday night at the South Point Arena. The semifinals will start at 7 p.m. Pacific Time on Friday.
Among the men’s wrestlers reaching the semifinals are Olympic champion Jake Varner, World silver medalist Jake Herbert and two-time World bronze medalist Tervel Dlagnev.
The fifth-seeded Herbert, a 2012 Olympian who is back competing again this season, earned a fall over No. 4 seed Richard Perry in the quarters at 86 kg/189 lbs.
Herbert will face 2014 World Team member Ed Ruth in the semis. Ruth pinned Herbert in an exhibition event in late March prior to the NCAA tournament in St. Louis.
“I felt great. I love the way this is structured,” Herbert said. “Through the quarters this morning, a nice long break to the semis, it feels awesome. There is some great wrestling. It’s great to be back instead of being on the media side, to be competing again. I’ve done a great job of not letting people get to my legs. I am getting to their legs, and when I get there, I am scoring. I have a big challenge ahead of me tonight with The Truth.”
2013 Junior World champion Kyle Snyder earned a 12-3 quarterfinal win over 2014 World Team Trials runner-up Dustin Kilgore in the quarterfinals at 97 kg/213 lbs.
Snyder jumped right into freestyle training after placing second at the 2014 NCAA tournament as a freshman for team champion Ohio State. Snyder trained with Kilgore last year at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
“To me, the wrestling isn’t the difficult part,” Snyder said of facing Kilgore. “We are good friends. I like to hang out with him. I’d rather compete against somebody I don’t know. I’m sure Kilgore feels the same way. It’s about winning wrestling matches. I feel good. Freestyle is my favorite style. I’m quick to adjust to this style. If you watch me wrestle folkstyle, I am not doing too much stuff differently. It’s all the same stuff.”
2014 U.S. Open runner-up Kellen Russell earned a 5-4 win over four-time NCAA champion Logan Stieber in the quarterfinals at 65 kg/143 lbs.
“I won a couple of those scrambles,” Russell said. “It was close. We were both getting in on each other. It was hard to finish on each other. But I won a few scrambles. I want to score as many points as I can. That match was not as offensive as I wanted. I have to keep working my offense.”
2012 Olympic bronze medalist and No. 1 seed Coleman Scott suffered a 5-4 loss to Ali Naser in the second round at 61 kg/134 lbs.
On the women’s side, two-time World champion Adeline Gray, World champions Elena Pirzohkova, Clarissa Chun and Iris Smith, Olympic medalist Randi Miller, and World medalists Helen Maroulis and Alyssa Lampe reached the semifinals.
Maroulis will face 2014 Cadet World champion Teshya Alo in the semifinals.
Chun and Lampe will continue their rivalry with another battle in the semifinals tonight.
2006 U.S. Open champion Sharon Jacobson advanced to the semis at 55 kg/121 lbs. Jacobson, now competing in mixed martial arts, is wrestling for the first time since 2012.
“It is going good,” Jacobson said. “It’s fun being back. It’s fun being on elevated mats. I’m here for fun and it feels really good. It is funny. There is no pressure any more. It doesn’t matter how I do. It allows me to open up more and take solid risks and just wrestle. Anything you enter, you want to win. So I want to win this. We will see how it all goes.”
Jacobson will face 2014 World Team Trials runner-up Sarah Hildebrandt in the semis.
Two-time World Team member Alli Ragan rolled into the semis at 58 kg/128 lbs.
“It shows that 58 kg is an Olympic weight, and a lot of people will go there this year.” Ragan said of being the No. 2 seed. “I want to solidify that this weight class is mine. Whoever comes my way, if they come up or they come down, I just have to win. This is my spot. This is my weight. We have had a good hard month of training. We really pushed it then tapered a little bit, so I am ready.”
U.S. Open
May 8, South Point Arena, Las Vegas
Men’s freestyle semifinalists
57 kg/125.5 lbs.
Tony Ramos (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Joe Colon (Titan Mercury WC)
Dan Mitcheff (New York AC) vs. Andrew Hochstrasser (Titan Mercury WC)
61 kg/134 lbs.
Kendric Maple (Sooner WC) vs. Alan Waters (Missouri Wrestling Foundation)
Reece Humphrey (New York AC) vs. Daniel Dennis (Titan Mercury WC)
65 kg/143 lbs.
Brent Metcalf (New York AC) vs. Frank Molinaro (Nittany Lion WC)
Jordan Oliver (Sunkist Kids) vs. Kellen Russell (New York AC)
70 kg/154 lbs.
Nick Marable (Sunkist Kids) vs. Moza Fay (U.S. Army)
Dustin Schlatter (Minnesota Storm) vs. Kevin LeValley (Minnesota Storm)
74 kg/163 lbs.
David Taylor (Nittany Lion WC) vs. Tyler Caldwell (Sunkist Kids)
Andrew Howe (New York AC) vs. Anthony Valencia (Sunkist Kids)
84 kg/185 lbs.
Ed Ruth (Sunkist Kids) vs. Jake Herbert (New York AC)
Keith Gavin (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Deron Winn (Titan Mercury WC)
97 kg/213 lbs.
Jake Varner (Nittany Lion WC) vs. J.D. Bergman (New York AC)
Kyle Snyder (Titan Mercury) vs. J’den Cox (Missouri Wrestling Foundation)
125 kg/275 lbs.
Tervel Dlagnev (Sunkist Kids) vs. Nick Gwiazdowski (New York AC)
Zach Rey (Lehigh Valley AC) vs. Tyrell Fortune (Titan Mercury)
Women’s freestyle semifinalists
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Victoria Anthony (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Erin Golston (New York AC)
Alyssa Lampe (Sunkist Kids) vs. Clarissa Chun (Sunkist Kids)
53 kg/116.5 lbs.
Whitney Conder (U.S. Army) vs. Michaela Hutchison (Titan Mercury WC)
Haley Augello (New York AC) vs. Carlene Sluberski (Titan Mercury WC)
55 kg/121 lbs.
Jacarra Winchester (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Hanna Grisewood (King College)
Sarah Hildebrandt (New York AC) vs. Sharon Jacobson (U.S. Army)
58 kg/128 lbs.
Helen Maroulis (Sunkist Kids) vs. Teshya Alo (Titan Mercury WC)
Alli Ragan (New York AC) vs. Kelsey Campbell (Sunkist Kids)
60 kg/132 lbs.
Jennifer Page (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Leigh Jaynes-Provisor (U.S. Army)
Jenna Burkert (New York AC) vs. Lauren Louive (Lindenwood Women’s Wrestling)
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Erin Clodgo (Sunkist Kids) vs. Koral Sugiyama (Pocatello Grapplers Wrestling)
Amanda Hendey (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Jessica Kee (King College)
69 kg/152 lbs.
Randi Miller (U.S. Army) vs. Kayla Aggio (Gator/OKCU)
Elena Pirozhkova (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Veronia Carlson (New York AC)
75 kg/165 lbs.
Adeline Gray (New York AC) vs. Victoria Francis (Lindenwood)
Jackie Cataline (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Iris Smith (U.S. Army)
LAS VEGAS – An action-packed first session has set the stage for an exciting night of wrestling in men’s and women’s freestyle at the U.S. Open.
The U.S. Open semifinal matchups are now set for Friday night at the South Point Arena. The semifinals will start at 7 p.m. Pacific Time on Friday.
Among the men’s wrestlers reaching the semifinals are Olympic champion Jake Varner, World silver medalist Jake Herbert and two-time World bronze medalist Tervel Dlagnev.
The fifth-seeded Herbert, a 2012 Olympian who is back competing again this season, earned a fall over No. 4 seed Richard Perry in the quarters at 86 kg/189 lbs.
Herbert will face 2014 World Team member Ed Ruth in the semis. Ruth pinned Herbert in an exhibition event in late March prior to the NCAA tournament in St. Louis.
“I felt great. I love the way this is structured,” Herbert said. “Through the quarters this morning, a nice long break to the semis, it feels awesome. There is some great wrestling. It’s great to be back instead of being on the media side, to be competing again. I’ve done a great job of not letting people get to my legs. I am getting to their legs, and when I get there, I am scoring. I have a big challenge ahead of me tonight with The Truth.”
2013 Junior World champion Kyle Snyder earned a 12-3 quarterfinal win over 2014 World Team Trials runner-up Dustin Kilgore in the quarterfinals at 97 kg/213 lbs.
Snyder jumped right into freestyle training after placing second at the 2014 NCAA tournament as a freshman for team champion Ohio State. Snyder trained with Kilgore last year at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
“To me, the wrestling isn’t the difficult part,” Snyder said of facing Kilgore. “We are good friends. I like to hang out with him. I’d rather compete against somebody I don’t know. I’m sure Kilgore feels the same way. It’s about winning wrestling matches. I feel good. Freestyle is my favorite style. I’m quick to adjust to this style. If you watch me wrestle folkstyle, I am not doing too much stuff differently. It’s all the same stuff.”
2014 U.S. Open runner-up Kellen Russell earned a 5-4 win over four-time NCAA champion Logan Stieber in the quarterfinals at 65 kg/143 lbs.
“I won a couple of those scrambles,” Russell said. “It was close. We were both getting in on each other. It was hard to finish on each other. But I won a few scrambles. I want to score as many points as I can. That match was not as offensive as I wanted. I have to keep working my offense.”
2012 Olympic bronze medalist and No. 1 seed Coleman Scott suffered a 5-4 loss to Ali Naser in the second round at 61 kg/134 lbs.
On the women’s side, two-time World champion Adeline Gray, World champions Elena Pirzohkova, Clarissa Chun and Iris Smith, Olympic medalist Randi Miller, and World medalists Helen Maroulis and Alyssa Lampe reached the semifinals.
Maroulis will face 2014 Cadet World champion Teshya Alo in the semifinals.
Chun and Lampe will continue their rivalry with another battle in the semifinals tonight.
2006 U.S. Open champion Sharon Jacobson advanced to the semis at 55 kg/121 lbs. Jacobson, now competing in mixed martial arts, is wrestling for the first time since 2012.
“It is going good,” Jacobson said. “It’s fun being back. It’s fun being on elevated mats. I’m here for fun and it feels really good. It is funny. There is no pressure any more. It doesn’t matter how I do. It allows me to open up more and take solid risks and just wrestle. Anything you enter, you want to win. So I want to win this. We will see how it all goes.”
Jacobson will face 2014 World Team Trials runner-up Sarah Hildebrandt in the semis.
Two-time World Team member Alli Ragan rolled into the semis at 58 kg/128 lbs.
“It shows that 58 kg is an Olympic weight, and a lot of people will go there this year.” Ragan said of being the No. 2 seed. “I want to solidify that this weight class is mine. Whoever comes my way, if they come up or they come down, I just have to win. This is my spot. This is my weight. We have had a good hard month of training. We really pushed it then tapered a little bit, so I am ready.”
U.S. Open
May 8, South Point Arena, Las Vegas
Men’s freestyle semifinalists
57 kg/125.5 lbs.
Tony Ramos (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Joe Colon (Titan Mercury WC)
Dan Mitcheff (New York AC) vs. Andrew Hochstrasser (Titan Mercury WC)
61 kg/134 lbs.
Kendric Maple (Sooner WC) vs. Alan Waters (Missouri Wrestling Foundation)
Reece Humphrey (New York AC) vs. Daniel Dennis (Titan Mercury WC)
65 kg/143 lbs.
Brent Metcalf (New York AC) vs. Frank Molinaro (Nittany Lion WC)
Jordan Oliver (Sunkist Kids) vs. Kellen Russell (New York AC)
70 kg/154 lbs.
Nick Marable (Sunkist Kids) vs. Moza Fay (U.S. Army)
Dustin Schlatter (Minnesota Storm) vs. Kevin LeValley (Minnesota Storm)
74 kg/163 lbs.
David Taylor (Nittany Lion WC) vs. Tyler Caldwell (Sunkist Kids)
Andrew Howe (New York AC) vs. Anthony Valencia (Sunkist Kids)
84 kg/185 lbs.
Ed Ruth (Sunkist Kids) vs. Jake Herbert (New York AC)
Keith Gavin (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Deron Winn (Titan Mercury WC)
97 kg/213 lbs.
Jake Varner (Nittany Lion WC) vs. J.D. Bergman (New York AC)
Kyle Snyder (Titan Mercury) vs. J’den Cox (Missouri Wrestling Foundation)
125 kg/275 lbs.
Tervel Dlagnev (Sunkist Kids) vs. Nick Gwiazdowski (New York AC)
Zach Rey (Lehigh Valley AC) vs. Tyrell Fortune (Titan Mercury)
Women’s freestyle semifinalists
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Victoria Anthony (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Erin Golston (New York AC)
Alyssa Lampe (Sunkist Kids) vs. Clarissa Chun (Sunkist Kids)
53 kg/116.5 lbs.
Whitney Conder (U.S. Army) vs. Michaela Hutchison (Titan Mercury WC)
Haley Augello (New York AC) vs. Carlene Sluberski (Titan Mercury WC)
55 kg/121 lbs.
Jacarra Winchester (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Hanna Grisewood (King College)
Sarah Hildebrandt (New York AC) vs. Sharon Jacobson (U.S. Army)
58 kg/128 lbs.
Helen Maroulis (Sunkist Kids) vs. Teshya Alo (Titan Mercury WC)
Alli Ragan (New York AC) vs. Kelsey Campbell (Sunkist Kids)
60 kg/132 lbs.
Jennifer Page (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Leigh Jaynes-Provisor (U.S. Army)
Jenna Burkert (New York AC) vs. Lauren Louive (Lindenwood Women’s Wrestling)
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Erin Clodgo (Sunkist Kids) vs. Koral Sugiyama (Pocatello Grapplers Wrestling)
Amanda Hendey (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Jessica Kee (King College)
69 kg/152 lbs.
Randi Miller (U.S. Army) vs. Kayla Aggio (Gator/OKCU)
Elena Pirozhkova (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Veronia Carlson (New York AC)
75 kg/165 lbs.
Adeline Gray (New York AC) vs. Victoria Francis (Lindenwood)
Jackie Cataline (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Iris Smith (U.S. Army)
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