Freestyle World Team Trials preview at 61 kg/134 lbs.
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Logan Stieber of the USA dominates Shingo Arimoto of Japan at the 2017 Beat the Streets Benefit in Times Square. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors.
2016 World Champion Logan Stieber advances directly to the best-of-three Championship Series at 61 kg, which is a non-Olympic weight. Stieber made the drop from 65 kg in November, dominated at the World Team Trials, then ran the table at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary with a clutch performance.
He has decided to stay at 61 kg at least for this season and fight for another World title. A four-time NCAA champion for Ohio State, Stieber was also a Junior World silver medalist earlier in his career. He was very successful at 65 kg in recent seasons as well. Stieber’s preparation for the World Team Trials has been all international events, the World Cup in Iran, the Pan American Championships in Brazil and the Beat the Streets Benefit in Times Square. He has taken a few losses, but has also faced some very high quality competitors along the way.
The 2017 U.S. Open champion is 2013 NCAA champion Kendric Maple from Oklahoma, who has not wrestled a lot of freestyle, but when he does, he is very successful. Maple was second in the 2015 U.S. Open in his only other big test at the Senior level. Maple also won a UWW Junior Nationals title back in 2011. Maple has shown the ability to score points when needed, and keeps good position, skills that translate well to freestyle success.
A big surprise at this weight is 2017 U.S. Open runner-up Brandon Wright, who won a pair of NAIA national titles for Grand View. He is not a freestyle rookie, however. He was second in the 2013 University Nationals, and going back to his high school days in Indiana, Wright won a Cadet Nationals title. The World Team Trials will be a good test to see if Wright can put together back-to-back winning performances at the national level.
Placing third at the U.S. Open was former Oklahoma State star Josh Kindig, who is training at North Carolina in freestyle. He was a UWW Junior Nationals champion back in 2011 and a top high school freestyler from Pennsylvania before college. Kindig is just scratching the surface of his potential in freestyle, and will be a tough draw in Lincoln.
The exciting Cody Brewer was fourth at the U.S. Open, and is capable of winning any match where his offense gets rolling. A 2015 NCAA champion for Oklahoma and a four-time All-American, Brewer was fourth in the World Team Trials at this weight in 2016. Going back to 2012, he was a UWW Junior Nationals runner-up. Brewer is unafraid of testing himself against top competition. The kind of excitement he brings to his matches is reminiscent of high-octane stars like Randy Lewis, but his success at this level may be dependent upon beefing up his defense against quality opponents.
Seth Gross, who was NCAA runner-up in 2017 for South Dakota State, placed a strong fifth at the U.S. Open. In 2016, he made the UWW Junior World Team and placed eighth at the Junior World Championships. Gross also won a Junior Nationals title in freestyle as a high schooler from Minnesota. With strong freestyle coaches like Chris Bono and Jon Reader, Gross should continue to progress.
Taking sixth at the U.S. Open was Joe Colon, who made a Senior National Team by placing second at the 2015 World Team Trials down at 57 kg. His college pedigree is strong, with a third-place finish at the 2014 NCAAs for Northern Iowa, and a JUCO national title for Iowa Central. He has the skill set and experience to make a run for the finals in Lincoln.
Former Minnesota star Chris Dardanes placed seventh at the 2017 U.S. Open to qualify for Lincoln. He was a 2012 University Nationals champion and placed second in the University World Team Trials that year. Dardanes has been paying his dues at the Senior level, and it is starting to show in his performances.
The 2017 NCAA champion was Iowa senior Cory Clark, who was restricted by injury but still powered his way to the national title. Clark has high goals for freestyle but he may not by physically ready to compete in time for Lincoln. He has trained in freestyle during his college career, so when he able to compete, he should be a factor.
Making the field with his second place finish at the 2017 Dave Schultz International was Kanen Storr, who was on a redshirt for Iowa State this year and competed extensively in freestyle this winter. Storr showed both skill and heart in beating good athletes who were older than he is. Although qualifying at 65 kg, 2016 Bill Farrell International champion B.J. Futrell may make the drop to 61 kg, where he would be a top contender.
Winning the battle for the final spot in the field by winning the Last Chance Qualifier in Minnesota in May was Jayson Ness, a 2010 NCAA champion for Minnesota. Ness took a number of years off the mat after his college career, but returned in 2015 and has made some big strides. He was third in the 2016 World Team Trials, and won a gold at the 2016 Dave Schultz Memorial. To win the Last Chance Qualifier, he defeated former UNI star Joey Lazor handily in the finals.
Of the qualifiers at 61 kg, Logan Stieber is the only one to make a past Senior World Team. He dominated the American field at the 2016 World Team Trials at this weight. A big question will be whether anybody at this weight in Lincoln has improved enough in the last eight months to give Stieber a tough fight in the finals series.
The 2017 Freestyle World Team Trials will be hosted at the Devaney Center at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, June 10. Tickets can be purchased here
The event will be broadcast by Flowrestling.
World Team Qualifiers at 61 kg/134 lbs.
’16 World medalist advances to Trials Finals series – Logan Stieber, Columbus, Ohio (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC)
World Team Trials Tournament qualifiers
’17 Dave Schultz highest U.S. medalist – Kanen Storr, Leslie, Mich. (Titan Mercury WC)
’17 NCAA Division I champion – Cory Clark, Pleasant Hill, Iowa (Iowa)
’17 U.S. Open champion – Kendric Maple, West Lafayette, Ind. (Titan Mercury WC)
’17 U.S. Open runner-up – Brandon Wright, Indianapolis, Ind. (RNO, IPWA)
’17 U.S. Open third place – Josh Kindig, Chapel Hill, N.C. (Sunkist Kids)
’17 U.S. Open fourth place – Cody Brewer, Evanston, Ill. (Titan Mercury WC)
’17 U.S. Open fifth place – Seth Gross, Apple Valley, Minn. (Jackrabbit WC)
’17 U.S. Open sixth place – Joe Colon, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC)
’17 U.S. Open seventh place – Chris Dardanes, Minneapolis, Minn. (Titan Mercury WC)
’17 Last Chance Trials Qualifier highest placer – Jayson Ness, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
2016 World Team Trials results at 61 kg/134 lbs.
61 kg/134 lbs. - Logan Stieber (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) dec. Tyler Graff (New York AC), two matches to none
Bout One – Stieber tech. fall Graff, 10-0, 4:06
Bout Two – Stieber tech. fall Graff, 10-0, 1:46
3rd –Jayson Ness (Minnesota Storm) tech. fall Cody Brewer (Titan Mercury WC/Chicago RTC), 12-2, 1:49
2016 World Champion Logan Stieber advances directly to the best-of-three Championship Series at 61 kg, which is a non-Olympic weight. Stieber made the drop from 65 kg in November, dominated at the World Team Trials, then ran the table at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary with a clutch performance.
He has decided to stay at 61 kg at least for this season and fight for another World title. A four-time NCAA champion for Ohio State, Stieber was also a Junior World silver medalist earlier in his career. He was very successful at 65 kg in recent seasons as well. Stieber’s preparation for the World Team Trials has been all international events, the World Cup in Iran, the Pan American Championships in Brazil and the Beat the Streets Benefit in Times Square. He has taken a few losses, but has also faced some very high quality competitors along the way.
The 2017 U.S. Open champion is 2013 NCAA champion Kendric Maple from Oklahoma, who has not wrestled a lot of freestyle, but when he does, he is very successful. Maple was second in the 2015 U.S. Open in his only other big test at the Senior level. Maple also won a UWW Junior Nationals title back in 2011. Maple has shown the ability to score points when needed, and keeps good position, skills that translate well to freestyle success.
A big surprise at this weight is 2017 U.S. Open runner-up Brandon Wright, who won a pair of NAIA national titles for Grand View. He is not a freestyle rookie, however. He was second in the 2013 University Nationals, and going back to his high school days in Indiana, Wright won a Cadet Nationals title. The World Team Trials will be a good test to see if Wright can put together back-to-back winning performances at the national level.
Placing third at the U.S. Open was former Oklahoma State star Josh Kindig, who is training at North Carolina in freestyle. He was a UWW Junior Nationals champion back in 2011 and a top high school freestyler from Pennsylvania before college. Kindig is just scratching the surface of his potential in freestyle, and will be a tough draw in Lincoln.
The exciting Cody Brewer was fourth at the U.S. Open, and is capable of winning any match where his offense gets rolling. A 2015 NCAA champion for Oklahoma and a four-time All-American, Brewer was fourth in the World Team Trials at this weight in 2016. Going back to 2012, he was a UWW Junior Nationals runner-up. Brewer is unafraid of testing himself against top competition. The kind of excitement he brings to his matches is reminiscent of high-octane stars like Randy Lewis, but his success at this level may be dependent upon beefing up his defense against quality opponents.
Seth Gross, who was NCAA runner-up in 2017 for South Dakota State, placed a strong fifth at the U.S. Open. In 2016, he made the UWW Junior World Team and placed eighth at the Junior World Championships. Gross also won a Junior Nationals title in freestyle as a high schooler from Minnesota. With strong freestyle coaches like Chris Bono and Jon Reader, Gross should continue to progress.
Taking sixth at the U.S. Open was Joe Colon, who made a Senior National Team by placing second at the 2015 World Team Trials down at 57 kg. His college pedigree is strong, with a third-place finish at the 2014 NCAAs for Northern Iowa, and a JUCO national title for Iowa Central. He has the skill set and experience to make a run for the finals in Lincoln.
Former Minnesota star Chris Dardanes placed seventh at the 2017 U.S. Open to qualify for Lincoln. He was a 2012 University Nationals champion and placed second in the University World Team Trials that year. Dardanes has been paying his dues at the Senior level, and it is starting to show in his performances.
The 2017 NCAA champion was Iowa senior Cory Clark, who was restricted by injury but still powered his way to the national title. Clark has high goals for freestyle but he may not by physically ready to compete in time for Lincoln. He has trained in freestyle during his college career, so when he able to compete, he should be a factor.
Making the field with his second place finish at the 2017 Dave Schultz International was Kanen Storr, who was on a redshirt for Iowa State this year and competed extensively in freestyle this winter. Storr showed both skill and heart in beating good athletes who were older than he is. Although qualifying at 65 kg, 2016 Bill Farrell International champion B.J. Futrell may make the drop to 61 kg, where he would be a top contender.
Winning the battle for the final spot in the field by winning the Last Chance Qualifier in Minnesota in May was Jayson Ness, a 2010 NCAA champion for Minnesota. Ness took a number of years off the mat after his college career, but returned in 2015 and has made some big strides. He was third in the 2016 World Team Trials, and won a gold at the 2016 Dave Schultz Memorial. To win the Last Chance Qualifier, he defeated former UNI star Joey Lazor handily in the finals.
Of the qualifiers at 61 kg, Logan Stieber is the only one to make a past Senior World Team. He dominated the American field at the 2016 World Team Trials at this weight. A big question will be whether anybody at this weight in Lincoln has improved enough in the last eight months to give Stieber a tough fight in the finals series.
The 2017 Freestyle World Team Trials will be hosted at the Devaney Center at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, June 10. Tickets can be purchased here
The event will be broadcast by Flowrestling.
World Team Qualifiers at 61 kg/134 lbs.
’16 World medalist advances to Trials Finals series – Logan Stieber, Columbus, Ohio (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC)
World Team Trials Tournament qualifiers
’17 Dave Schultz highest U.S. medalist – Kanen Storr, Leslie, Mich. (Titan Mercury WC)
’17 NCAA Division I champion – Cory Clark, Pleasant Hill, Iowa (Iowa)
’17 U.S. Open champion – Kendric Maple, West Lafayette, Ind. (Titan Mercury WC)
’17 U.S. Open runner-up – Brandon Wright, Indianapolis, Ind. (RNO, IPWA)
’17 U.S. Open third place – Josh Kindig, Chapel Hill, N.C. (Sunkist Kids)
’17 U.S. Open fourth place – Cody Brewer, Evanston, Ill. (Titan Mercury WC)
’17 U.S. Open fifth place – Seth Gross, Apple Valley, Minn. (Jackrabbit WC)
’17 U.S. Open sixth place – Joe Colon, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC)
’17 U.S. Open seventh place – Chris Dardanes, Minneapolis, Minn. (Titan Mercury WC)
’17 Last Chance Trials Qualifier highest placer – Jayson Ness, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
2016 World Team Trials results at 61 kg/134 lbs.
61 kg/134 lbs. - Logan Stieber (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) dec. Tyler Graff (New York AC), two matches to none
Bout One – Stieber tech. fall Graff, 10-0, 4:06
Bout Two – Stieber tech. fall Graff, 10-0, 1:46
3rd –Jayson Ness (Minnesota Storm) tech. fall Cody Brewer (Titan Mercury WC/Chicago RTC), 12-2, 1:49
