USA pushes 11 wrestlers into freestyle finals at the Bill Farrell International
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Tyler Graff of Titan Mercury WC battles Alan Waters of Titan Mercury WC in a 61 kg semifinal bout. Photo by Julieta Okot.
NEW YORK, N.Y – There are 11 U.S. freestyle wrestlers who have advanced to the finals of the Bill Farrell Memorial International on Saturday afternoon.
The first all-USA finals was set up at 61 kg. Jon Morrison, the former Oklahoma State star now training at Michigan, won a competitive 6-4 semifinal match against 2018 NCAA champion and past Junior World Team member Seth Gross, 6-4. Morrison closed it out with a score late in the match.
“He is a tough opponent, pretty scrappy. When you get in on his legs, you have to finish solid. I think I could have done a better job of pushing to finish takedowns and get a chance on top instead of settling for a pushout two times. Overall, it was a good match. It is not ideal when it comes down to the end like that, when I have to get a head pinch pretty much at the buzzer. I knew it was close. They reviewed it. I was fortunate to come out on top,” said Morrison.
His opponent will be past National Team member Tyler Graff, who also had a tight semifinal win over Alan Waters of the Titan Mercury WC, 7-3. With time running down, Graff was on the wrong side of a 1-1 tie, but popped a four-point backarch takedown for the margin of victory.
To reach the semifinals, Gross used his conditioning and persistence score late to win a 9-7 semifinal match over 2014 Junior World champion and three-time Junior World medalist Khasankhusein Badrudinov of Russia.
A big semifinal win for the USA came at 74 kg/163 lbs. when former NC State All-American Thomas Gantt of the Titan Mercury WC came from behind to defeat past World silver medalist Franklin Gomez of Puerto Rico, 11-7. That set up another all-USA finals, as Dan Vallimont of the New York AC advanced to the finals with a 5-3 win over Quinton Godley of the Wolfpack WC.
Another all USA finals is set at 97 kg. U23 World bronze medalist Ty Walz of the Titan Mercury WC scored an 11-2 win over Braden Atwood of the Sunkist Kids. His opponent will be Deron Winn of the Titan Mercury WC, who won his semifinal by forfeit. In the quarterfinals, Winn stopped Blaize Cabell in a tight 2-1 battle.
The USA got a surprise finalist at 92 kg, when former Ohio State star Kenny Courts of the Titan Mercury WC, trailing 9-0 in his bout against Arsen-Ali Musalaliev of Russia, hit a cement-mixer and scored a pin in 4:44. He will battle Iliskan Chilayev of Kazakhstan in the finals.
“I gave up a few positions. I have always had that move since I was this high. I felt it. I knew I had the snap. I knew to take the shot when he was tired. I just snapped and rolled. That’s what I did. It did happen. But I have a lot to work on,” said Courts.
Other U.S. wrestlers in the finals, all who will face foreign opponents, include Tim Lambert of the Sunkist Kids (57 kg), Evan Henderson of the Titan Mercury WC (65 kg), Kyle Ruschell of the New York AC (70 kg) and Alex Dieringer of the Titan Mercury WC (79 kg).
The USA could have an additional champion in a round-robin at 86 kg. Joe Rau of the Minnesota Storm is 2-0 in his round robin,and could clinch a title with a win.
The third-place matches will be held at 4:00 p.m. Eastern, shortly followed by the finals. See them live @Flowrestling.
BILL FARRELL INTERNATIONAL
At New York, N.Y., March 31
Finals pairings
57 kg - Samat Nadyrbek Uulu (Pittsburgh/Kyrgyzstan) vs. Tim Lambert (Sunkist Kids)
61 kg - Tyler Graff (TMWC) vs. Jon Morrison (Nyac/mwc)
65 kg - Evan Henderson (TMWC) vs. Ilman Mukhtarov (France)
70 kg - Kyle Ruschell (NYAC/bwc) vs. Sayatpek Okasov (Kazakhstan)
74 kg - Thomas Gantt (TMWC) vs. Dan Vallimont (NYAC/PWC)
79 kg - Alex Dieringer (TMWC) vs. Zelimkhan Khadjiev (France)
92 kg – Iliskhan Chilayev (Kazakhstan) vs. Kenneth Courts (TMWC)
97 kg - Ty Walz (TMWC) vs. Deron Winn (TMWC)
125 kg - Oleg Boltin (Kazakstan) vs. Inkar Yermukambet (Kazakhstan)
Note: 86 kg is a round-robin competition. (see results below)
Semifinal results
57 kg
Samat Nadyrbek Uulu (Pittsburgh/Kyrgyzstan) dec. Zane Richards (TMWC), 5-3
Tim Lambert (Sunkist Kids) tech. fall Edward Klimara (TMWC), 10-0. 1:11
61 kg
Tyler Graff (TMWC) dec. Alan Waters (TMWC), 7-3
Jon Morrison (Nyac/mwc) dec. Seth Gross (Sunkist Kids), 6-4
65 kg
Evan Henderson (TMWC) tech. fall Anthony Abidin (Valley RTC), 20-10 5:33
Ilman Mukhtarov (France) dec. John Simmons (Nyac/mwc), 6-4
70 kg
Kyle Ruschell (NYAC/bwc) pin Ashirov Meirzhan (Kazakhstan), 5:59
Sayatpek Okasov (Kazakhstan) tech. fall Dave Habat (NYAC/mwc/Slovenia), 12-2 0:48
74 kg
Thomas Gantt (TMWC) dec. Franklin Gomez (Puerto Rico), 11-7
Dan Vallimont (NYAC/pwc) dec. Quinton Godley (Wolfpack Wrestling Club), 5-3
79 kg
Alex Dieringer (TMWC) tech. fall Daniyar Kaisanov (Kazkhstan), 11-0 3:26
Zelimkan Khadjiev (France) dec. Michael Evans (Buies Creek Regional Training Center), 5-0
86 kg
RR 1 Joe Rau (Minnesota Storm) tech. fall Evan Hansen (Viking WC), 10-0
RR1 Saken Aitzhanov (Kazakhstan) dec. Nick Reenan (Wolfpack WC), 13-6
RR 2 – Rau dec. Pool Greifo (Peru), 5-4, Aitzhanov dec. Hansen, 4-0
RR 3 – Aitzhanov dec. Greifo, 6-0; Reenan tech. fall Hansen, 12-1
RR 4 – Reenan forfeit Greifo, Rau tech. fall Aitzhanov, 12-1
92 kg
Chilayev Iliskhan (Kazakhstan) dec. Kadeem Samuels (NYAC/lvwc), 8-5
Kenneth Courts (TMWC) pin Arsen-ali Musalaliev (Russia), 9-4 4:44
97 kg
Ty Walz (TMWC) dec. Braden Atwood (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club), 11-2
Deron Winn (TMWC) forfeit Serhii Mokhort (Ukraine)
125 kg
Oleg Boltin (Kazakstan) dec. Michael Kosoy (Wolfpack Wrestling Club), 5-2
Inkar Yermukambet (Kazakhstan) dec. Zachery Roseberry (Navy-Marine Corps RTC), 8-2
NEW YORK, N.Y – There are 11 U.S. freestyle wrestlers who have advanced to the finals of the Bill Farrell Memorial International on Saturday afternoon.
The first all-USA finals was set up at 61 kg. Jon Morrison, the former Oklahoma State star now training at Michigan, won a competitive 6-4 semifinal match against 2018 NCAA champion and past Junior World Team member Seth Gross, 6-4. Morrison closed it out with a score late in the match.
“He is a tough opponent, pretty scrappy. When you get in on his legs, you have to finish solid. I think I could have done a better job of pushing to finish takedowns and get a chance on top instead of settling for a pushout two times. Overall, it was a good match. It is not ideal when it comes down to the end like that, when I have to get a head pinch pretty much at the buzzer. I knew it was close. They reviewed it. I was fortunate to come out on top,” said Morrison.
His opponent will be past National Team member Tyler Graff, who also had a tight semifinal win over Alan Waters of the Titan Mercury WC, 7-3. With time running down, Graff was on the wrong side of a 1-1 tie, but popped a four-point backarch takedown for the margin of victory.
To reach the semifinals, Gross used his conditioning and persistence score late to win a 9-7 semifinal match over 2014 Junior World champion and three-time Junior World medalist Khasankhusein Badrudinov of Russia.
A big semifinal win for the USA came at 74 kg/163 lbs. when former NC State All-American Thomas Gantt of the Titan Mercury WC came from behind to defeat past World silver medalist Franklin Gomez of Puerto Rico, 11-7. That set up another all-USA finals, as Dan Vallimont of the New York AC advanced to the finals with a 5-3 win over Quinton Godley of the Wolfpack WC.
Another all USA finals is set at 97 kg. U23 World bronze medalist Ty Walz of the Titan Mercury WC scored an 11-2 win over Braden Atwood of the Sunkist Kids. His opponent will be Deron Winn of the Titan Mercury WC, who won his semifinal by forfeit. In the quarterfinals, Winn stopped Blaize Cabell in a tight 2-1 battle.
The USA got a surprise finalist at 92 kg, when former Ohio State star Kenny Courts of the Titan Mercury WC, trailing 9-0 in his bout against Arsen-Ali Musalaliev of Russia, hit a cement-mixer and scored a pin in 4:44. He will battle Iliskan Chilayev of Kazakhstan in the finals.
“I gave up a few positions. I have always had that move since I was this high. I felt it. I knew I had the snap. I knew to take the shot when he was tired. I just snapped and rolled. That’s what I did. It did happen. But I have a lot to work on,” said Courts.
Other U.S. wrestlers in the finals, all who will face foreign opponents, include Tim Lambert of the Sunkist Kids (57 kg), Evan Henderson of the Titan Mercury WC (65 kg), Kyle Ruschell of the New York AC (70 kg) and Alex Dieringer of the Titan Mercury WC (79 kg).
The USA could have an additional champion in a round-robin at 86 kg. Joe Rau of the Minnesota Storm is 2-0 in his round robin,and could clinch a title with a win.
The third-place matches will be held at 4:00 p.m. Eastern, shortly followed by the finals. See them live @Flowrestling.
BILL FARRELL INTERNATIONAL
At New York, N.Y., March 31
Finals pairings
57 kg - Samat Nadyrbek Uulu (Pittsburgh/Kyrgyzstan) vs. Tim Lambert (Sunkist Kids)
61 kg - Tyler Graff (TMWC) vs. Jon Morrison (Nyac/mwc)
65 kg - Evan Henderson (TMWC) vs. Ilman Mukhtarov (France)
70 kg - Kyle Ruschell (NYAC/bwc) vs. Sayatpek Okasov (Kazakhstan)
74 kg - Thomas Gantt (TMWC) vs. Dan Vallimont (NYAC/PWC)
79 kg - Alex Dieringer (TMWC) vs. Zelimkhan Khadjiev (France)
92 kg – Iliskhan Chilayev (Kazakhstan) vs. Kenneth Courts (TMWC)
97 kg - Ty Walz (TMWC) vs. Deron Winn (TMWC)
125 kg - Oleg Boltin (Kazakstan) vs. Inkar Yermukambet (Kazakhstan)
Note: 86 kg is a round-robin competition. (see results below)
Semifinal results
57 kg
Samat Nadyrbek Uulu (Pittsburgh/Kyrgyzstan) dec. Zane Richards (TMWC), 5-3
Tim Lambert (Sunkist Kids) tech. fall Edward Klimara (TMWC), 10-0. 1:11
61 kg
Tyler Graff (TMWC) dec. Alan Waters (TMWC), 7-3
Jon Morrison (Nyac/mwc) dec. Seth Gross (Sunkist Kids), 6-4
65 kg
Evan Henderson (TMWC) tech. fall Anthony Abidin (Valley RTC), 20-10 5:33
Ilman Mukhtarov (France) dec. John Simmons (Nyac/mwc), 6-4
70 kg
Kyle Ruschell (NYAC/bwc) pin Ashirov Meirzhan (Kazakhstan), 5:59
Sayatpek Okasov (Kazakhstan) tech. fall Dave Habat (NYAC/mwc/Slovenia), 12-2 0:48
74 kg
Thomas Gantt (TMWC) dec. Franklin Gomez (Puerto Rico), 11-7
Dan Vallimont (NYAC/pwc) dec. Quinton Godley (Wolfpack Wrestling Club), 5-3
79 kg
Alex Dieringer (TMWC) tech. fall Daniyar Kaisanov (Kazkhstan), 11-0 3:26
Zelimkan Khadjiev (France) dec. Michael Evans (Buies Creek Regional Training Center), 5-0
86 kg
RR 1 Joe Rau (Minnesota Storm) tech. fall Evan Hansen (Viking WC), 10-0
RR1 Saken Aitzhanov (Kazakhstan) dec. Nick Reenan (Wolfpack WC), 13-6
RR 2 – Rau dec. Pool Greifo (Peru), 5-4, Aitzhanov dec. Hansen, 4-0
RR 3 – Aitzhanov dec. Greifo, 6-0; Reenan tech. fall Hansen, 12-1
RR 4 – Reenan forfeit Greifo, Rau tech. fall Aitzhanov, 12-1
92 kg
Chilayev Iliskhan (Kazakhstan) dec. Kadeem Samuels (NYAC/lvwc), 8-5
Kenneth Courts (TMWC) pin Arsen-ali Musalaliev (Russia), 9-4 4:44
97 kg
Ty Walz (TMWC) dec. Braden Atwood (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club), 11-2
Deron Winn (TMWC) forfeit Serhii Mokhort (Ukraine)
125 kg
Oleg Boltin (Kazakstan) dec. Michael Kosoy (Wolfpack Wrestling Club), 5-2
Inkar Yermukambet (Kazakhstan) dec. Zachery Roseberry (Navy-Marine Corps RTC), 8-2
