Chad Red and Gable Steveson score highlight wins at third annual Who's #1
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by Richard Immel USA Wrestling
No. 1 Chad Red takes on No. 2 Luke Pletcher at 132 pounds at Who's #1. |
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The top U.S. high school stars hit primetime on Saturday night at Flowrestling’s third annual Who’s #1 event at Grace Hall on the campus of Lehigh University.
Who’s #1 produced the first dual of its kind, pitting the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked high school wrestlers in each weight class against each other in a dual meet format. In addition, a special four-man bracket was wrestled at 132 pounds to determine the best in the U.S.
The star-studded affair began at 132 pounds, featuring two semifinal matches between the top four ranked wrestlers in the nation. Top-ranked Chad Red took out three-time U.S. Cadet World Team member Taylor Lamont 5-2 while second ranked Luke Pletcher defeated 2015 Cadet World champion Yianni Diakomihalis in a 6-5 thriller.
Red and Pletcher would meet in the main event of the evening, with Red maintaining his top spot in the 132-pound rankings courtesy of a wild 3-1 overtime victory. Red secured the winning takedown late in the second sudden death overtime period after a barrage of scrambles, yielding both men the opportunity to cinch the match.
Giants clashed at 220 pounds as 2015 Cadet World champion Gable Steveson took out 2014 Cadet World silver medalist Jordan Wood 5-4 in a match that lived up to the billing.
Steveson trailed early, but maintained his focus throughout against the high-paced Wood. In the final minute of the match Steveson secured a takedown to take the 5-4 advantage and fended off a deep Wood single leg as time ticked down to secure his spot as No. 1 in the U.S.
2014 Cadet World champion Mason Manville turned the tide against 2015 Junior Nationals champion Hayden Hidlay, avenging a three-match losing streak to the Pennsylvania native. Manville secured the winning takedown with less than five seconds left in the first overtime period to take the match 3-1 at 152 pounds.
Four-time Cadet Nationals champion Roman Bravo-Young pushed two-time Cadet World Team member Gavin Teasdale to the brink but fell just shy of overtaking the top ranking at 113 lbs. The two clashed through 13 minutes and three overtimes with Teasdale coming away with a 2-1 win courtesy of an overtime ride out.
2015 Cadet World champion and top-ranked wrestler at 145 pounds Jarod Verkleeren topped New Jersey State champion Kyle Bierdumpfel in a hard-fought 3-2 bout.
2015 Cadet World Bronze medalist Daton Fix powered his way to a 5-3 win over two-time Illinois State champion Rudy Yates at 126 pounds.
Pennsylvania State champion Dakota Geer stunned 2015 Junior Nationals champion Beau Breske with a takedown on the edge of the mat in the final minute of the 182-pound match to earn a 3-2 victory.
Four-time Fargo champion Nick Reenan cemented his place atop the 195-pound rankings with a 5-1 decision over 2015 Junior Nationals runner-up Sammy Colbray.
Who’s #1 Results
132 lbs. – No. 1 Chad Red dec. No. 4 Taylor LaMont, 5-2
132 lbs. – No. 2 Luke Pletcher dec. No. 3 Yianni Diakomihalis, 6-5
182 lbs. – No. 1 Dakota Geer dec. No. 2 Beau Breske, 3-2
113 lbs. – No. 1 Gavin Teasdale dec. No. 2 Roman Bravo-Young, 2-1 OT
145 lbs. – No. 1 Jarod Verkleeren dec. No. 2 Kyle Bierdumpfel, 3-2
152 lbs. – No. 2 Mason Manville dec. No. 1 Hayden Hidlay, 3-1 OT
195 lbs. – No. 1 Nick Reenan dec. No. 2 Sammy Colbray, 5-1
220 lbs. – No. 1 Gable Steveson dec. No. 2 Jordan Wood, 5-4
126 lbs. – No. 1 Daton Fix dec. No. 2 Rudy Yates, 5-3
132 lbs. – No. 1 Chad Red dec. No. 2 Luke Pletcher, 3-1 OT
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