Zillmer, Perkins among six U.S. Greco-Roman finalists after day one at 20th Dave Schultz Memorial International
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Hayden Zillmer of the USA tosses an opponent in the preliminary rounds of the 2017 Dave Schultz Memorial International. Photo by Richard Immel.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Team USA pushed six Greco-Roman wrestlers into Wednesday’s finals at the 20th Dave Schultz Memorial International after a wide-open semifinal at Sports Center I at the U.S. Olympic Training Center on Tuesday night.
Included among the finalists is Hayden Zillmer of the Minnesota Storm, who is attempting to become the first athlete in Dave Schultz Memorial International history to win a title in both Greco-Roman and freestyle on the same year.
Zillmer, who was an NCAA All-American at North Dakota State, stopped USOTC resident Micah Burak of the Titan Mercury WC, 5-1 in the semifinals. He will face Korea’s Se-Yeol Lee in Thursday’s gold-medal round.
Zillmer became a member of the Senior National Team in both styles in 2017, with a No. 2 Greco-Roman placement and a No. 3 freestyle placement at the World Team Trials event. He is the first to do this since Sam Hazewinkel, who pulled the feat in 2014. Zillmer is also entered in the freestyle event, which begins on Friday.
“I’m feeling really good. I’m wrestling both styles, so I better be feeling good coming in. I’ve been training with the freestyle guys in Minnesota. It seems like a good fit and good chance for cross training with Greco and freestyle. I feel like they both play a role within each other,” said Zillmer.
In a battle of two of the top U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers on the scene today, Ravaughn Perkins of the New York AC won a 5-5 criteria decision in a spirited match at 77 kg against Christopher Gonzalez of the New York AC. In a bout with multiple challenges, Perkins held the edge because of a caution against Gonzalez.
“I really don’t know what was going on there. It was a wild match. I’m happy I came out on top. In practice, that’s what we focus on—the last 30 seconds. Guys are going to want to stall out. I just have to stay focused, not panic and do what I have to do,” said Perkins.
Perkins, a USOTC resident athlete, is going for third Dave Schultz Memorial title in a third weight class, after claiming a 66 kg gold medal in 2016 and a 71 kg gold medal in February 2017. To win his third straight title here, Perkins will need to defeat 2012 Olympic champion and 2013 World champion Kim Hyeon-Woo in the finals.
“I’m happy to be [in the finals]. I’ve got an Olympic and World champion from Korea. It’s going to be exciting. I’m bringing everything I’ve got,” he said.
Moving to the 63 kg finals, after winning a semifinal full of big throws was Ryan Mango of the U.S. Army WCAP, who outscored Mostafa Hassan of Egypt, 13-8. Mango has drawn Do-Kyung Jung of Korea in the finals.
There is an all-USA finals at 82 kg, where Dillon Cowan of U.S. Army WCAP will face Jon Stefanowicz of the U.S. Marine Corps. Cowan pinned Neulpuleunsan Jeon of Korea in 1:25 in his semifinal, while Stefanowicz edged Courtney Myers of the U.S. Army WCAP, 4-3 in his semfinal. Myers was in the U.S. Marines early in his career, before joining the U.S. Army
Going for the gold at 55 kg after a 2-0 record in his four-athlete roundrobin will be Max Nowry of the U.S. Army WCAP, who hit a five-point throw and scored a pin over Camden Russell of MWC Wrestling Academy in 3:26 in his evening bout. Nowry will face another 2-0 wrestler for the title on Thursday, Korea’s Hee-Dong Son.
There is a U.S. athlete in the five-athlete round-robin at 130 kg who is unbeaten after day one with a 2-0 record, Toby Erickson of the U.S. Army WCAP. Erickson will have two more matches but still has a great chance to win a gold medal.
Korea, which brought the largest foreign delegation to the Dave Schultz Memorial this year, placed six wrestlers into the finals as well, and still has three other wrestlers who could win gold in weights with round robins. Among the Korean stars going for gold is two-time World champion and Olympian Ryu Han-Soo at 67 kg. Japan qualified three for the finals as well.
Thursday’s action will include the start of women’s freestyle, which will run through its semifinals Thursday night. The Greco-Roman medal matches will be held Thursday night at 7:00 p.m.
The event is broadcast live by Flowrestling.
DAVE SCHULTZ MEMORIAL INTERNATIONAL
At Colorado Springs, Colo., Nov. 1, 2017
GRECO-ROMAN FINALS PAIRINGS
55 kg - Max Nowry (U.S. Army WCAP) vs. Hee-Dong Son (Korea)
63 kg - Do-Kyung Jung (Korea) vs. Ryan Mango (U.S. Army WCAP)
67 kg - Han-Su Ryu (Korea) vs. Tsuchika Shimoyamada (Japan)
72 kg - Ji-Hun Kim (Korea) vs. Tomohiro Inoue (Japan)
77 kg - Hyeon-Woo Kim (Korea) vs. Ravaughn Perkins (NYAC)
82 kg - Dillon Cowan (U.S. Army WCAP) vs. Jon Stefanowicz (U.S. Marine Corps)
87 kg - Masato Sumi (Japan) vs. Giorgi Tsirekidze (Georgia)
97 kg - Hayden Zillmer (Minnesota Storm) vs. Se-Yeol Lee (Korea)
GRECO-ROMAN SEMIFINAL RESULTS
63 kg
Do-Kyung Jung (Korea) tech. fall Jung-Baik Lee (Korea), 9-0
Ryan Mango (U.S. Army WCAP) dec. Mostafa Hassan (Egypt), 13-8
67 kg
Han-Su Ryu (Korea) tech. fall Jessy Williams (NYAC), 9-0
Tsuchika Shimoyamada (Japan) tech. fall German Diaz (Puerto Rico/Marines), 12-3
72 kg
Ji-Hun Kim (Korea) tech. fall Cody Pack (NYAC), 9-0
Tomohiro Inoue (Japan) dec. Brandon Meuller (505 WC), 2-1
77 kg
Hyeon-Woo Kim (Korea) tech. fall Colin Schubert (NYAC), 8-0
Ravaughn Perkins (NYAC) dec. Christopher Gonzalez (NYAC), 5-5
82 kg
Dillon Cowan (U.S. Army WCAP) pin Neulpuleunsan Jeon (Korea), 1:25
Jon Stefanowicz (U.S. Marine Corps) dec. Courtney Myers (U.S. Army WCAP), 4-3
87 kg
Masato Sumi (Japan) dec. Khymba Johnson (NYAC), 4-2
Giorgi Tsirekidze (Georgia) dec. Cheney Haight (NYAC), 4-3
97 kg
Hayden Zillmer (Minnesota Storm) dec. Micah Burak (TMWC), 5-1
Se-Yeol Lee (Korea) dec. Zach Merrill (NYAC), 2-2
Round-Robin Results through Day One
55 kg
Max Nowry (U.S. Army WCAP) pin Camden Russell (MWC Wrestling Academy), 3:26
Hee-Dong Son (Korea) dec. Kyndall Rutz NMU (OTS), 8-4
Max Nowry (U.S. Army WCAP) tech fall.Kyndall Rutz NMU (OTS), 12-3 3:26
Hee-Dong Son (Korea) tech. fall Camden Russell (MWC Wrestling Academy), 8-0 0:34
60 kg
Seung Hak Kim (Korea) dec. Han-Jae Chung (Korea), 9-7
Mike Fuenffinger, (U.S. Army WCAP) dec. Han-Jae Chung (Korea), 4-1
Seung Hak Kim (Korea) tech. fall Hyun-Woong Choi (Korea), 10-1 5:08
Han-Jae Chung (Korea) dec. Mike Fuenffinger, (U.S. Army), 5-3
130 kg
Min Seok Kim (Korea) dec. Malcolm Allen (Minnesota Storm), 9-2
Toby Erickson (U.S. Army) dec. Donald Longendyke (Minnesota Storm), 7-2
Jacob Mitchell (U.S. Army) pin Donald Longendyke (Minnesota Storm), 1:45
Toby Erickson (U.S. Army) tech. fall Malcolm Allen (Minnesota Storm), 9-0 1:55
Min Seok Kim (Korea) pin Jacob Mitchell (U.S. Army), 2:22
Donald Longendyke (Minnesota Storm) tech. fall Malcolm Allen (Minnesota Storm), 14-5 5:23
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Team USA pushed six Greco-Roman wrestlers into Wednesday’s finals at the 20th Dave Schultz Memorial International after a wide-open semifinal at Sports Center I at the U.S. Olympic Training Center on Tuesday night.
Included among the finalists is Hayden Zillmer of the Minnesota Storm, who is attempting to become the first athlete in Dave Schultz Memorial International history to win a title in both Greco-Roman and freestyle on the same year.
Zillmer, who was an NCAA All-American at North Dakota State, stopped USOTC resident Micah Burak of the Titan Mercury WC, 5-1 in the semifinals. He will face Korea’s Se-Yeol Lee in Thursday’s gold-medal round.
Zillmer became a member of the Senior National Team in both styles in 2017, with a No. 2 Greco-Roman placement and a No. 3 freestyle placement at the World Team Trials event. He is the first to do this since Sam Hazewinkel, who pulled the feat in 2014. Zillmer is also entered in the freestyle event, which begins on Friday.
“I’m feeling really good. I’m wrestling both styles, so I better be feeling good coming in. I’ve been training with the freestyle guys in Minnesota. It seems like a good fit and good chance for cross training with Greco and freestyle. I feel like they both play a role within each other,” said Zillmer.
In a battle of two of the top U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers on the scene today, Ravaughn Perkins of the New York AC won a 5-5 criteria decision in a spirited match at 77 kg against Christopher Gonzalez of the New York AC. In a bout with multiple challenges, Perkins held the edge because of a caution against Gonzalez.
“I really don’t know what was going on there. It was a wild match. I’m happy I came out on top. In practice, that’s what we focus on—the last 30 seconds. Guys are going to want to stall out. I just have to stay focused, not panic and do what I have to do,” said Perkins.
Perkins, a USOTC resident athlete, is going for third Dave Schultz Memorial title in a third weight class, after claiming a 66 kg gold medal in 2016 and a 71 kg gold medal in February 2017. To win his third straight title here, Perkins will need to defeat 2012 Olympic champion and 2013 World champion Kim Hyeon-Woo in the finals.
“I’m happy to be [in the finals]. I’ve got an Olympic and World champion from Korea. It’s going to be exciting. I’m bringing everything I’ve got,” he said.
Moving to the 63 kg finals, after winning a semifinal full of big throws was Ryan Mango of the U.S. Army WCAP, who outscored Mostafa Hassan of Egypt, 13-8. Mango has drawn Do-Kyung Jung of Korea in the finals.
There is an all-USA finals at 82 kg, where Dillon Cowan of U.S. Army WCAP will face Jon Stefanowicz of the U.S. Marine Corps. Cowan pinned Neulpuleunsan Jeon of Korea in 1:25 in his semifinal, while Stefanowicz edged Courtney Myers of the U.S. Army WCAP, 4-3 in his semfinal. Myers was in the U.S. Marines early in his career, before joining the U.S. Army
Going for the gold at 55 kg after a 2-0 record in his four-athlete roundrobin will be Max Nowry of the U.S. Army WCAP, who hit a five-point throw and scored a pin over Camden Russell of MWC Wrestling Academy in 3:26 in his evening bout. Nowry will face another 2-0 wrestler for the title on Thursday, Korea’s Hee-Dong Son.
There is a U.S. athlete in the five-athlete round-robin at 130 kg who is unbeaten after day one with a 2-0 record, Toby Erickson of the U.S. Army WCAP. Erickson will have two more matches but still has a great chance to win a gold medal.
Korea, which brought the largest foreign delegation to the Dave Schultz Memorial this year, placed six wrestlers into the finals as well, and still has three other wrestlers who could win gold in weights with round robins. Among the Korean stars going for gold is two-time World champion and Olympian Ryu Han-Soo at 67 kg. Japan qualified three for the finals as well.
Thursday’s action will include the start of women’s freestyle, which will run through its semifinals Thursday night. The Greco-Roman medal matches will be held Thursday night at 7:00 p.m.
The event is broadcast live by Flowrestling.
DAVE SCHULTZ MEMORIAL INTERNATIONAL
At Colorado Springs, Colo., Nov. 1, 2017
GRECO-ROMAN FINALS PAIRINGS
55 kg - Max Nowry (U.S. Army WCAP) vs. Hee-Dong Son (Korea)
63 kg - Do-Kyung Jung (Korea) vs. Ryan Mango (U.S. Army WCAP)
67 kg - Han-Su Ryu (Korea) vs. Tsuchika Shimoyamada (Japan)
72 kg - Ji-Hun Kim (Korea) vs. Tomohiro Inoue (Japan)
77 kg - Hyeon-Woo Kim (Korea) vs. Ravaughn Perkins (NYAC)
82 kg - Dillon Cowan (U.S. Army WCAP) vs. Jon Stefanowicz (U.S. Marine Corps)
87 kg - Masato Sumi (Japan) vs. Giorgi Tsirekidze (Georgia)
97 kg - Hayden Zillmer (Minnesota Storm) vs. Se-Yeol Lee (Korea)
GRECO-ROMAN SEMIFINAL RESULTS
63 kg
Do-Kyung Jung (Korea) tech. fall Jung-Baik Lee (Korea), 9-0
Ryan Mango (U.S. Army WCAP) dec. Mostafa Hassan (Egypt), 13-8
67 kg
Han-Su Ryu (Korea) tech. fall Jessy Williams (NYAC), 9-0
Tsuchika Shimoyamada (Japan) tech. fall German Diaz (Puerto Rico/Marines), 12-3
72 kg
Ji-Hun Kim (Korea) tech. fall Cody Pack (NYAC), 9-0
Tomohiro Inoue (Japan) dec. Brandon Meuller (505 WC), 2-1
77 kg
Hyeon-Woo Kim (Korea) tech. fall Colin Schubert (NYAC), 8-0
Ravaughn Perkins (NYAC) dec. Christopher Gonzalez (NYAC), 5-5
82 kg
Dillon Cowan (U.S. Army WCAP) pin Neulpuleunsan Jeon (Korea), 1:25
Jon Stefanowicz (U.S. Marine Corps) dec. Courtney Myers (U.S. Army WCAP), 4-3
87 kg
Masato Sumi (Japan) dec. Khymba Johnson (NYAC), 4-2
Giorgi Tsirekidze (Georgia) dec. Cheney Haight (NYAC), 4-3
97 kg
Hayden Zillmer (Minnesota Storm) dec. Micah Burak (TMWC), 5-1
Se-Yeol Lee (Korea) dec. Zach Merrill (NYAC), 2-2
Round-Robin Results through Day One
55 kg
Max Nowry (U.S. Army WCAP) pin Camden Russell (MWC Wrestling Academy), 3:26
Hee-Dong Son (Korea) dec. Kyndall Rutz NMU (OTS), 8-4
Max Nowry (U.S. Army WCAP) tech fall.Kyndall Rutz NMU (OTS), 12-3 3:26
Hee-Dong Son (Korea) tech. fall Camden Russell (MWC Wrestling Academy), 8-0 0:34
60 kg
Seung Hak Kim (Korea) dec. Han-Jae Chung (Korea), 9-7
Mike Fuenffinger, (U.S. Army WCAP) dec. Han-Jae Chung (Korea), 4-1
Seung Hak Kim (Korea) tech. fall Hyun-Woong Choi (Korea), 10-1 5:08
Han-Jae Chung (Korea) dec. Mike Fuenffinger, (U.S. Army), 5-3
130 kg
Min Seok Kim (Korea) dec. Malcolm Allen (Minnesota Storm), 9-2
Toby Erickson (U.S. Army) dec. Donald Longendyke (Minnesota Storm), 7-2
Jacob Mitchell (U.S. Army) pin Donald Longendyke (Minnesota Storm), 1:45
Toby Erickson (U.S. Army) tech. fall Malcolm Allen (Minnesota Storm), 9-0 1:55
Min Seok Kim (Korea) pin Jacob Mitchell (U.S. Army), 2:22
Donald Longendyke (Minnesota Storm) tech. fall Malcolm Allen (Minnesota Storm), 14-5 5:23
