Daton Fix stages two dramatic rallies to knock off Cadet World champion Spencer Lee
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by Craig Sesker, USA Wrestling
Outstanding Wrestler Daton Fix of Oklahoma with U.S. Cadet World Team Coach Jamill Kelly. Tyler Gonzales photo.
AKRON, Ohio – Oklahoma’s Daton Fix is never out of a wrestling match.
Even when he’s facing a reigning World champion.
Fix stormed back from deficits of five and four points to sweep his United World Wrestling Cadet Nationals final-round series in dramatic fashion on Sunday.
Fix fell behind 5-0 before rallying to knock off 2014 Cadet World champion Spencer Lee of Pennsylvania 5-5 on criteria in the first match of the best-of-3 freestyle finals. He then stormed back from a 4-0 deficit in the second match to win 9-6 over Lee.
Fix was named Outstanding Wrestler.
“It’s pretty awesome to beat a Cadet World champ,” Fix said. “Spencer’s a real tough wrestler, but I know I can wrestle with anybody in the World. I just have to go out there and compete the best that I can.”
Lee, who was trying to make his third straight U.S. Cadet World Team, came out aggressively in both matches before the unflappable Fix rallied at 54 kg/119 lbs. Fix made his second straight U.S. Cadet World Team.
“You just always have to keep wrestling, no matter what the score is,” Fix said. “That’s part of the game. You’re going to give up some points sometimes, but in the end you just got to go get that win.
“I knew I might give up some points early, but I’m in good enough shape that I know I can come back.”
Champions in all the weight classes, except 125 kg, qualify for the FILA Cadet World Championships on Aug. 25-30 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It was an amazing May for Fix, who captured a UWW Junior Nationals title at 55 kg/121 lbs. earlier this month in Las Vegas. He pulled on a T-shirt after his win Sunday with the letters, “LEAVE NO DOUBT” printed on the front.
Fix said if he wins the Junior World Team Trials 12 days from now in Madison, Wis., that he plans to compete in the Junior and Cadet Worlds.
“I want to make the Junior World Team,” Fix said, “and go win two World titles.”
Pennsylvania’s Jarod Verkleeren made his second straight Cadet World Team after claiming the title at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. He swept Michigan’s Kanen Storr 9-6 and 11-0 in the finals.
“It’s awesome – I’m blessed to be able to make another World Team,” Verkleeren said. “I went last year and I didn’t do what I wanted. I lost my first match, so I am hungry to get back there and score some points for Team USA. It was an incredible experience last year. It’s a different style of wrestling. I feel like I’ve improved a lot since then.”
Pennsylvania’s Gavin Teasdale made his second straight Cadet World Team after taking two straight from Ohio’s Drew Mattin in the finals at 50 kg/110 lbs. Teasdale placed fifth at the 2014 Cadet Worlds at 42 kg/92.5 lbs.
Minnesota’s Owen Webster dropped the first match before winning the last two against 2014 USA Wrestling Triple Crown winner Keegan Moore of Minnesota in the finals at 85 kg/187 lbs.
Minnesota’s Gable Steveson capped an impressive tournament by scoring a pair of technical falls over Indiana’s Kobe Woods in the finals. Steveson knocked off 2014 Cadet World silver medalist Jordan Wood of Pennsylvania en route to the finals.
Ohio’s Kevin Vough became a double champion here after capturing a freestyle title at heavyweight. He won a Greco-Roman championship on Friday.
Athletes from this event will be considered for the U.S. team for the Cadet Pan American Championships on July 3-5 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
UWW CADET NATIONALS
Freestyle
May 31, 2015 Akron, Ohio
Finals results
42 kg/92.5 lbs.
Malik Heinselman (Colorado) def. Mosha Schwartz (Colorado), 2 matches to 0
Heinselman dec. Schwartz, 8-2
Heinselman dec. Schwartz, 9-8
46 kg/101 lbs.
Dylan D’Emilio (Ohio) def. Rhett Golowenski (Oklahoma), 2 matches to 0
D’Emilio dec. Golowenski, 8-2
D’Emilio won by tech. fall over Golowenski, 10-0
50 kg/110 lbs.
Gavin Teasdale (Pennsylvania) def. Drew Mattin (Ohio), 2 matches to 0
Teasdale dec. Mattin, 4-1
Teasdale dec. Mattin, 4-2
54 kg/119 lbs.
Daton Fix (Oklahoma) def. Spencer Lee (Pennsylvania), 2 matches to 0
Fix dec. Lee, 5-5 criteria
Fix dec. Lee, 9-6
58 kg/127.5 lbs.
Yianni Diakomihalis (New York) def. Vito Arvjav (New York), 2 matches to 0
Diakomihalis pinned Arvjav, 1:15
Diakomihalis dec. Arjav, 8-4
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Jarod Verkleeren (Pennsylvania) def. Kanen Storr (Michigan), 2 matches to 0
Verkleeren dec. Storr, 9-6
Verkleeren won by tech. fall over Storr, 11-0
69 kg/152 lbs.
Brady Berge (Minnesota) def. David Carr (Ohio), 2 matches to 0
Berge dec. Carr, 5-2
Berge dec. Carr, 8-4
76 kg/167 lbs.
Jelani Embree (Michigan) def. Joseph Grello (New Jersey), 2 matches to 0
Embree won by tech. fall over Grello, 13-0
Embree dec. Grello, 7-1
85 kg/187 lbs.
Owen Webster (Minnesota) def. Keegan Moore (Minnesota), 2 matches to 1
Moore dec. Webster, 7-5
Webster dec. Moore, 8-6
Webster dec. Moore, 4-4
100 kg/220 lbs.
Gable Steveson (Minnesota) def. Kobe Woods (Indiana), 2 matches to 0
Steveson won by tech. fall over Woods, 11-1
Steveson won by tech. fall over Woods, 10-0
125 kg/275 lbs.
Kevin Vough (Ohio) def. Christian Rebottaro (California), 2 matches to 0
Vough won by tech. fall over Rebottaro, 17-7
Vough won by tech. fall over Rebottaro, 10-0
AKRON, Ohio – Oklahoma’s Daton Fix is never out of a wrestling match.
Even when he’s facing a reigning World champion.
Fix stormed back from deficits of five and four points to sweep his United World Wrestling Cadet Nationals final-round series in dramatic fashion on Sunday.
Fix fell behind 5-0 before rallying to knock off 2014 Cadet World champion Spencer Lee of Pennsylvania 5-5 on criteria in the first match of the best-of-3 freestyle finals. He then stormed back from a 4-0 deficit in the second match to win 9-6 over Lee.
Fix was named Outstanding Wrestler.
“It’s pretty awesome to beat a Cadet World champ,” Fix said. “Spencer’s a real tough wrestler, but I know I can wrestle with anybody in the World. I just have to go out there and compete the best that I can.”
Lee, who was trying to make his third straight U.S. Cadet World Team, came out aggressively in both matches before the unflappable Fix rallied at 54 kg/119 lbs. Fix made his second straight U.S. Cadet World Team.
“You just always have to keep wrestling, no matter what the score is,” Fix said. “That’s part of the game. You’re going to give up some points sometimes, but in the end you just got to go get that win.
“I knew I might give up some points early, but I’m in good enough shape that I know I can come back.”
Champions in all the weight classes, except 125 kg, qualify for the FILA Cadet World Championships on Aug. 25-30 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It was an amazing May for Fix, who captured a UWW Junior Nationals title at 55 kg/121 lbs. earlier this month in Las Vegas. He pulled on a T-shirt after his win Sunday with the letters, “LEAVE NO DOUBT” printed on the front.
Fix said if he wins the Junior World Team Trials 12 days from now in Madison, Wis., that he plans to compete in the Junior and Cadet Worlds.
“I want to make the Junior World Team,” Fix said, “and go win two World titles.”
Pennsylvania’s Jarod Verkleeren made his second straight Cadet World Team after claiming the title at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. He swept Michigan’s Kanen Storr 9-6 and 11-0 in the finals.
“It’s awesome – I’m blessed to be able to make another World Team,” Verkleeren said. “I went last year and I didn’t do what I wanted. I lost my first match, so I am hungry to get back there and score some points for Team USA. It was an incredible experience last year. It’s a different style of wrestling. I feel like I’ve improved a lot since then.”
Pennsylvania’s Gavin Teasdale made his second straight Cadet World Team after taking two straight from Ohio’s Drew Mattin in the finals at 50 kg/110 lbs. Teasdale placed fifth at the 2014 Cadet Worlds at 42 kg/92.5 lbs.
Minnesota’s Owen Webster dropped the first match before winning the last two against 2014 USA Wrestling Triple Crown winner Keegan Moore of Minnesota in the finals at 85 kg/187 lbs.
Minnesota’s Gable Steveson capped an impressive tournament by scoring a pair of technical falls over Indiana’s Kobe Woods in the finals. Steveson knocked off 2014 Cadet World silver medalist Jordan Wood of Pennsylvania en route to the finals.
Ohio’s Kevin Vough became a double champion here after capturing a freestyle title at heavyweight. He won a Greco-Roman championship on Friday.
Athletes from this event will be considered for the U.S. team for the Cadet Pan American Championships on July 3-5 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
UWW CADET NATIONALS
Freestyle
May 31, 2015 Akron, Ohio
Finals results
42 kg/92.5 lbs.
Malik Heinselman (Colorado) def. Mosha Schwartz (Colorado), 2 matches to 0
Heinselman dec. Schwartz, 8-2
Heinselman dec. Schwartz, 9-8
46 kg/101 lbs.
Dylan D’Emilio (Ohio) def. Rhett Golowenski (Oklahoma), 2 matches to 0
D’Emilio dec. Golowenski, 8-2
D’Emilio won by tech. fall over Golowenski, 10-0
50 kg/110 lbs.
Gavin Teasdale (Pennsylvania) def. Drew Mattin (Ohio), 2 matches to 0
Teasdale dec. Mattin, 4-1
Teasdale dec. Mattin, 4-2
54 kg/119 lbs.
Daton Fix (Oklahoma) def. Spencer Lee (Pennsylvania), 2 matches to 0
Fix dec. Lee, 5-5 criteria
Fix dec. Lee, 9-6
58 kg/127.5 lbs.
Yianni Diakomihalis (New York) def. Vito Arvjav (New York), 2 matches to 0
Diakomihalis pinned Arvjav, 1:15
Diakomihalis dec. Arjav, 8-4
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Jarod Verkleeren (Pennsylvania) def. Kanen Storr (Michigan), 2 matches to 0
Verkleeren dec. Storr, 9-6
Verkleeren won by tech. fall over Storr, 11-0
69 kg/152 lbs.
Brady Berge (Minnesota) def. David Carr (Ohio), 2 matches to 0
Berge dec. Carr, 5-2
Berge dec. Carr, 8-4
76 kg/167 lbs.
Jelani Embree (Michigan) def. Joseph Grello (New Jersey), 2 matches to 0
Embree won by tech. fall over Grello, 13-0
Embree dec. Grello, 7-1
85 kg/187 lbs.
Owen Webster (Minnesota) def. Keegan Moore (Minnesota), 2 matches to 1
Moore dec. Webster, 7-5
Webster dec. Moore, 8-6
Webster dec. Moore, 4-4
100 kg/220 lbs.
Gable Steveson (Minnesota) def. Kobe Woods (Indiana), 2 matches to 0
Steveson won by tech. fall over Woods, 11-1
Steveson won by tech. fall over Woods, 10-0
125 kg/275 lbs.
Kevin Vough (Ohio) def. Christian Rebottaro (California), 2 matches to 0
Vough won by tech. fall over Rebottaro, 17-7
Vough won by tech. fall over Rebottaro, 10-0
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