AWL I preview at 86 kg: Nick Heflin (Team Dake) vs. Sammy Brooks (Team Taylor)
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
The 86 kg battle at AWL I brings together two talented athletes who are finding their way on the national freestyle scene. Former Ohio State star Nick Heflin is a bit older and perhaps more successful on the Senior level, while former Iowa star Sammy Brooks brings a strong record of age-group freestyle success with him to this match.
Heflin was a three-time All-American for Ohio State, and reached the NCAA finals for the Buckeyes in 2014 up at 197 pounds. He has faced his share of competition against larger opponents, having competed some at the new 92 kg class. But when Heflin qualified for the Freestyle National Team by taking third at the 2017 U.S. World Team Trials, he had worked his way down to 86 kg. This could be his most effective weight class.
Heflin is especially effective with a powerful chest lock, which he has proven to score with against many of the best wrestlers in the USA as well as foreign opponents. In the finals of the Challenge Tournament at the 2017 World Team Trials, Heflin jumped to an 8-4 lead over David Taylor at the break, including a big four-point move. Taylor came back with nine points in the second period to defeat Heflin, 13-9, but anyone who saw that match understands how dangerous Heflin can be when he is wrestling well.
With a four-year gap between these wrestlers, there has not been a lot of opportunity for them to compete in the past. While Heflin has been on the Senior circuit for a number of years, Brooks is really just getting started in his quest to reach the top at the highest level.
Brooks was a fan favorite during his career with the Hawkeyes and will have a home-field advantage wrestling in Cedar Rapids, which is not far from the Iowa campus. As a two-time All-American in college, Brooks had higher goals during his college years and will be motivated to excel at the next level. He has been a talented freestyler going back to his prep days in Illinois, and will look to establish himself nationally at 86 kg this international season.
Brooks has competed in three age-group World Championship events. It started with the 2011 Cadet Worlds in Szombathely, Hungary, where he won a bronze medal at 85 kg. His next World competition was at the 2013 Junior Worlds in Sofia, Bulgaria, where he was eighth at 84 kg. Most recently, he competed in the first U23 World Championships in Poland in 2017, where he did not reach the medal rounds at 86 kg.
What this means is that as Brooks has climbed the age-group ladder in freestyle wrestling, he has been able to win the qualifying events in the USA and compete well at the international level. This will give him confidence as he jumps all in on the next phase of his career.
Brooks recently won his first Senior international medal with a silver at the Ziolkowski Memorial in Poland. He lost in the finals to veteran Zbigniew Baranowski of Poland, 2-2. Baranowski was 10th at the 2016 Olympic Games and ninth in the last two Senior World Championships, a solid Senior competitor. With more Senior international matches, Brooks is expected to continue to improve and develop.
There should be a contrast of styles in this bout, as Brooks has shown that he can be aggressive with his takedown offense, and Heflin has proven to be successful with his counter offense, with the ability to score big points when needed.
For those who look back to their college roots, this will be Iowa vs. Ohio State, a battle which has been very intense in recent years. Heflin has left Columbus, pursuing his coaching and training opportunities first at Princeton and then at Oklahoma (where former Ohio State assistant coach Lou Rosselli runs the program). That Big Ten rivalry is still alive, and will be quite apparent with an expected pro-Iowa crowd in the stands.
Tickets for AWL I: THE BEGINNING can be purchased at www.americanwrestling.org
The event will be broadcast live by TrackWrestling
TEAM DAKE – 86 kg
Nick Heflin, Norman, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC/Oklahoma RTC)
College: Ohio State
High School: Massillon, Ohio (Massillon Perry)
Born: Feb. 12, 1990
• Third in 2017 U.S. World Team Trials
• Third in 2017 U.S. Open
• 2017 Dave Schultz Memorial International champion
• Fifth in 2018 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix (Russia)
• Three-time NCAA All-American for Ohio State (2012-14)
• 2014 Big Ten champion
• Ohio state champion and two-time finalist
TEAM TAYLOR – 86 kg
Sammy Brooks, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC/Hawkeye WC)
College: Iowa
High School: Oak Park, Ill. (Oak Park-River Forest)
Born: March 21, 1994
• 2017 U23 World Team member
• Second in 2018 Ziolkowski Memorial (Poland)
• 2017 U23 World Team Trials champion
• Second in 2016 University Nationals
• Eighth in 2013 Junior World Championships
• Third in 2014 UWW Junior World Team Trials
• Third in 2011 Cadet World Championships
• Two-time NCAA All-American for Iowa
• Two-time Illinois state champion and three-time finalist
Heflin was a three-time All-American for Ohio State, and reached the NCAA finals for the Buckeyes in 2014 up at 197 pounds. He has faced his share of competition against larger opponents, having competed some at the new 92 kg class. But when Heflin qualified for the Freestyle National Team by taking third at the 2017 U.S. World Team Trials, he had worked his way down to 86 kg. This could be his most effective weight class.
Heflin is especially effective with a powerful chest lock, which he has proven to score with against many of the best wrestlers in the USA as well as foreign opponents. In the finals of the Challenge Tournament at the 2017 World Team Trials, Heflin jumped to an 8-4 lead over David Taylor at the break, including a big four-point move. Taylor came back with nine points in the second period to defeat Heflin, 13-9, but anyone who saw that match understands how dangerous Heflin can be when he is wrestling well.
With a four-year gap between these wrestlers, there has not been a lot of opportunity for them to compete in the past. While Heflin has been on the Senior circuit for a number of years, Brooks is really just getting started in his quest to reach the top at the highest level.
Brooks was a fan favorite during his career with the Hawkeyes and will have a home-field advantage wrestling in Cedar Rapids, which is not far from the Iowa campus. As a two-time All-American in college, Brooks had higher goals during his college years and will be motivated to excel at the next level. He has been a talented freestyler going back to his prep days in Illinois, and will look to establish himself nationally at 86 kg this international season.
Brooks has competed in three age-group World Championship events. It started with the 2011 Cadet Worlds in Szombathely, Hungary, where he won a bronze medal at 85 kg. His next World competition was at the 2013 Junior Worlds in Sofia, Bulgaria, where he was eighth at 84 kg. Most recently, he competed in the first U23 World Championships in Poland in 2017, where he did not reach the medal rounds at 86 kg.
What this means is that as Brooks has climbed the age-group ladder in freestyle wrestling, he has been able to win the qualifying events in the USA and compete well at the international level. This will give him confidence as he jumps all in on the next phase of his career.
Brooks recently won his first Senior international medal with a silver at the Ziolkowski Memorial in Poland. He lost in the finals to veteran Zbigniew Baranowski of Poland, 2-2. Baranowski was 10th at the 2016 Olympic Games and ninth in the last two Senior World Championships, a solid Senior competitor. With more Senior international matches, Brooks is expected to continue to improve and develop.
There should be a contrast of styles in this bout, as Brooks has shown that he can be aggressive with his takedown offense, and Heflin has proven to be successful with his counter offense, with the ability to score big points when needed.
For those who look back to their college roots, this will be Iowa vs. Ohio State, a battle which has been very intense in recent years. Heflin has left Columbus, pursuing his coaching and training opportunities first at Princeton and then at Oklahoma (where former Ohio State assistant coach Lou Rosselli runs the program). That Big Ten rivalry is still alive, and will be quite apparent with an expected pro-Iowa crowd in the stands.
Tickets for AWL I: THE BEGINNING can be purchased at www.americanwrestling.org
The event will be broadcast live by TrackWrestling
TEAM DAKE – 86 kg
Nick Heflin, Norman, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC/Oklahoma RTC)
College: Ohio State
High School: Massillon, Ohio (Massillon Perry)
Born: Feb. 12, 1990
• Third in 2017 U.S. World Team Trials
• Third in 2017 U.S. Open
• 2017 Dave Schultz Memorial International champion
• Fifth in 2018 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix (Russia)
• Three-time NCAA All-American for Ohio State (2012-14)
• 2014 Big Ten champion
• Ohio state champion and two-time finalist
TEAM TAYLOR – 86 kg
Sammy Brooks, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC/Hawkeye WC)
College: Iowa
High School: Oak Park, Ill. (Oak Park-River Forest)
Born: March 21, 1994
• 2017 U23 World Team member
• Second in 2018 Ziolkowski Memorial (Poland)
• 2017 U23 World Team Trials champion
• Second in 2016 University Nationals
• Eighth in 2013 Junior World Championships
• Third in 2014 UWW Junior World Team Trials
• Third in 2011 Cadet World Championships
• Two-time NCAA All-American for Iowa
• Two-time Illinois state champion and three-time finalist
