U.S. Greco wraps up day one of competition at Cadet Worlds

ZAGREB, Croatia – The first five U.S. Greco-Roman representatives finished the first day of competition at the Cadet World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, on Friday.

Representing the U.S. on Friday was Brenden Chaowanapibool at 48 kg, Hunter Lewis at 55 kg, Dominic Damon at 65 kg, Jonathon Fagan at 80 kg and Luke Luffman at 110 kg.

Luffman was the only American to notch a win on Friday.

In the first round, Luffman grabbed a big 11-2 technical fall over Cadet Mediterranean champion and Junior Mediterranean bronze medalist Niklaos Ntounias of Greece. Ntounias scored first on a pair of step outs before Luffman picked up 11 unanswered points to move on.

In the quarterfinals, the Illinois native battled Cadet European silver medalist Marcel Albini of Czech Republic.

Early in the bout, Albini got on top and took a 6-0 lead on a pair of gut wrenches before Luffman scored a reversal. Luffman battled back with a second-period takedown and found himself within three. With short time in the match, the American had a big throw for four but the officials determined there was a leg foul, giving Albini a 7-3 win.

Albini fell in the semifinals, ending Luffman’s tournament.

Chaowanapibool, Lewis, Damon and Fagen all wrapped up their 2018 Cadet World Championships on Friday afternoon after suffering first-round losses.

To open his tournament at 48 kg, Chaowanapibool faced Cadet European champion Dmitri Khachidze of Georgia. Chaowanapibool was aggressive, holding a 5-0 lead before Khachidze grabbed a takedown and a big lift for an eventual 6-5 win.

Lewis held a late 9-6 lead over Azerbaijan’s Murad Abbasov, who took fifth at the 2018 Cadet European Championships. Abbasov picked up a four-point throw, putting Lewis to his back for a 10-9 advantage. U.S. challenged, but it failed, resulting in an 11-9 win for Abbasov.

Because of a first-period caution, Damon trailed on criteria, 4-4, at the break against Serbia’s Aleksandar Ilic, who took fifth in the 2016 Cadet World Championships and won silver at the 2017 Balkan Championships. No points were scored in the second period, and Ilic edged out the American.

World Team Trials runner-up Fagen lost a 10-1 tech fall to Andrei Barbul of Romania in his first match at 80 kg.

The second group of Greco wrestlers will take the mat tomorrow, starting at 10:30 a.m. local time (4:30 a.m. ET) live on trackwrestling.com.

2018 CADET WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

at Zagreb, Croatia, July 2-8

48 kg/106 lbs. – Brenden Chaowanapibool, Auburn, Wash. (Team Aggression)
LOSS Dmitri Khachidze (Georgia), 6-5

55 kg/121 lbs. – Hunter Lewis, Stoughton, Wisc. (Stoughton HS)
LOSS Murad Abbasov (Azerbaijan), 11-9

65 kg/143 lbs. – Dominic Damon, Seatlle, Wash. (Vandit Wrestling Academy)
LOSS Aleksandar Ilic (Serbia), 4-4

80 kg/176 lbs. – Jonathon Fagan, Fruitland, Idaho (Suples WC)
LOSS Andrei Barbul (Romania), 10-1

110 kg/242 lbs. – Luke Luffman, Urbana, Ill. (Illinois RTC/Illini WC)
WIN Nikolaos Ntounias (Greece), 11-2
LOSS Marcel  Albini (Czech Republic), 7-3