Maroulis vs. Hedrick Final X Special Wrestle-off set for October 6 at Grace Hall on Lehigh campus
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
2017 World champion Helen Maroulis of the Sunkist Kids will face 2018 Freestyle World Team Trials Challenge Tournament champion Alex Hedrick of the Titan Mercury WC in a Final X Special Wrestle-off to determine the U.S. Senior World Team member in women’s freestyle at 57 kg/125.5 lbs.
This best-of-three Championship Series will be held on Saturday, October 6, in Grace Hall on the campus of Lehigh University, starting at 6:30 p.m. The winner will compete at the 2018 World Wrestling Championships in Budapest, Hungary, which will be held October 20-28.
This will be the night prior to Who’s #1, the popular pre-season high school all-star showcase developed by FloWrestling, featuring the nation’s best high school stars, which will be held on Sunday, October 7 in Grace Hall.
Both the Maroulis vs. Hedrick Final X Special Wrestle-off and Who’s #1 will be broadcast live by FloWrestling.
The Maroulis vs. Hedrick Championship Series was originally scheduled as part of Final X at Lehigh, held at Grace Hall on June 23, but the series was delayed due to an injury to Maroulis.
According to the 2018 General World Team Trials Procedures, “only a 2017 Senior World medalist who earned an automatic berth into the final wrestle-off can request a delay of the Final Wrestle-Off for medical reasons.” As is required for the delay to be awarded, Maroulis made the request more than 48 hours prior to the weigh-in, and also had a written certification of injury from a USA Wrestling approved medical doctor.
Maroulis is a 2016 Olympic champion and two-time World champion. She has won five World or Olympic medals for Team USA, with World titles in 2015 and 2017, a World silver medal in 2012 and a World bronze medal in 2014. Maroulis was the first American woman to win an Olympic wrestling gold medal. She will be seeking her eighth U.S. Senior World Team berth. Maroulis won four WCWA college national titles, three for Simon Fraser and one at Missouri Baptist.
Hedrick currently attends Simon Fraser, where she was a WCWA runner-up as a freshman and burst on the Senior scene by winning the 2018 U.S. Open. She won the Freestyle World Team Trials Challenge Tournament in Rochester, Minn. in May to qualify for Final X. Hedrick also won the 2018 UWW Junior World Team Trials, and will compete in the 2018 UWW Junior World Championships in Trnava, Slovakia, Sept. 17-23.
FINAL X SPECIAL WRESTLE-OFF
Saturday, October 6 at Grace Hall, Bethlehem, Pa.
Best-of-three Championship Series to begin at 6:30 p.m.
Women's freestyle 57 kg/125.5 lbs.
2017 World champion – Helen Maroulis, New York, N.Y. (Sunkist Kids/NYCRTC)
2018 WTT Challenge Tournament champion – Alex Hedrick, Fair Oaks, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
WHO’S #1
Sunday, October 7 at Grace Hall, Bethlehem, Pa.
106 - #1 Richie Figueroa vs. TBA
120 - #1 Kurt McHenry vs. #2 Eric Barnett
132 - #1 Josh Saunders vs. #2 Jordan Decatur
138 - #1 JoJo Aragona vs. #4 Gabe Tagg
138 - #3 Jaden Abas vs. #2 Keegan O'Toole
152 - #1 Andrew Alirez vs. #2 Jace Luchau
160 - #1 Brevin Balmaceda vs. #2 Alex Facundo
170 - #1 Julian Ramirez vs. #2 Carson Kharchla
182 - #1 Abe Assad vs. #3 Devin Winston
152 Girls - Macey Kilty vs. Kennedy Blades
This best-of-three Championship Series will be held on Saturday, October 6, in Grace Hall on the campus of Lehigh University, starting at 6:30 p.m. The winner will compete at the 2018 World Wrestling Championships in Budapest, Hungary, which will be held October 20-28.
This will be the night prior to Who’s #1, the popular pre-season high school all-star showcase developed by FloWrestling, featuring the nation’s best high school stars, which will be held on Sunday, October 7 in Grace Hall.
Both the Maroulis vs. Hedrick Final X Special Wrestle-off and Who’s #1 will be broadcast live by FloWrestling.
The Maroulis vs. Hedrick Championship Series was originally scheduled as part of Final X at Lehigh, held at Grace Hall on June 23, but the series was delayed due to an injury to Maroulis.
According to the 2018 General World Team Trials Procedures, “only a 2017 Senior World medalist who earned an automatic berth into the final wrestle-off can request a delay of the Final Wrestle-Off for medical reasons.” As is required for the delay to be awarded, Maroulis made the request more than 48 hours prior to the weigh-in, and also had a written certification of injury from a USA Wrestling approved medical doctor.
Maroulis is a 2016 Olympic champion and two-time World champion. She has won five World or Olympic medals for Team USA, with World titles in 2015 and 2017, a World silver medal in 2012 and a World bronze medal in 2014. Maroulis was the first American woman to win an Olympic wrestling gold medal. She will be seeking her eighth U.S. Senior World Team berth. Maroulis won four WCWA college national titles, three for Simon Fraser and one at Missouri Baptist.
Hedrick currently attends Simon Fraser, where she was a WCWA runner-up as a freshman and burst on the Senior scene by winning the 2018 U.S. Open. She won the Freestyle World Team Trials Challenge Tournament in Rochester, Minn. in May to qualify for Final X. Hedrick also won the 2018 UWW Junior World Team Trials, and will compete in the 2018 UWW Junior World Championships in Trnava, Slovakia, Sept. 17-23.
FINAL X SPECIAL WRESTLE-OFF
Saturday, October 6 at Grace Hall, Bethlehem, Pa.
Best-of-three Championship Series to begin at 6:30 p.m.
Women's freestyle 57 kg/125.5 lbs.
2017 World champion – Helen Maroulis, New York, N.Y. (Sunkist Kids/NYCRTC)
2018 WTT Challenge Tournament champion – Alex Hedrick, Fair Oaks, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
WHO’S #1
Sunday, October 7 at Grace Hall, Bethlehem, Pa.
106 - #1 Richie Figueroa vs. TBA
120 - #1 Kurt McHenry vs. #2 Eric Barnett
132 - #1 Josh Saunders vs. #2 Jordan Decatur
138 - #1 JoJo Aragona vs. #4 Gabe Tagg
138 - #3 Jaden Abas vs. #2 Keegan O'Toole
152 - #1 Andrew Alirez vs. #2 Jace Luchau
160 - #1 Brevin Balmaceda vs. #2 Alex Facundo
170 - #1 Julian Ramirez vs. #2 Carson Kharchla
182 - #1 Abe Assad vs. #3 Devin Winston
152 Girls - Macey Kilty vs. Kennedy Blades
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