PERFECT! USA pushes Tagg, Carr, Hidlay, Davison, Parris into Junior World freestyle semifinals

Lucas Davison of the USA (left) is in control on the way to victory at the Junior World Championships. Photo by Daniel Mitchell.


TALLINN, Estonia – Team USA got on a roll, which lasted the entire morning session, winning all 12 of their matches, and putting all five of their second group of wrestlers into the semifinals, with a perfect Tuesday morning performance at the Junior World Championships.


At one point in the quarterfinals, three U.S. wrestlers were on the mat, all three who were facing opponents from World power Iran. The USA swept all three of those USA vs. Iran battles.


Advancing to the semifinals on Tuesday night are Gabriel Tagg (Mayfield Heights, Ohio/EAP) at 61 kg/134 lbs

David Carr (Canton, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC/Cyclone WC) at 74 kg/163 lbs., Trent Hidlay (Lewistown, Pa./Wolfpack WC) at 86 kg/189 lbs., Lucas Davison (Chesterton, Ind./Wildcat WC/Chicago RTC) at 92 kg/202 lbs. and Mason Parris (Lawrenceburg, Ind./Cliff Keen WC) at 125 kg/275 lbs.


WOW.


The closest of the USA vs. Iran quarterfinals was at 61 kg, where Tagg used a late stepout point to edge Mahdi Shirazi, 2-1 on Mat B. Hidlay was in control of a heated battle at 86 kg, beating Sajjad Habibiehsani of Iran, 6-1 on Mat C. Carr showed some grit and strong offense at 74 kg, before breaking away from Mohammad Nokhodilarimiof Iran, 16-7.


The other two quarterfinals wins for the USA were also strong efforts, as Davison won the battle against Viky of India, 7-1 and Parris secured a 10-0 technical fall over Sodbileg of Mongolia.


Of their 12 wins during the morning session, seven were by technical fall.


All five of the USA athletes will have their semifinals during the session which begins at 5:15 p.m. in Tallinn, which is seven hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time. (10:15 a.m. EST).


Here are the U.S. semifinal matchups for tonight:

61 kg/134 lbs.: Gabriel Tagg, vs. Kaiki Yamaguchi (Japan)

74 kg/163 lbs.: David Carr vs. Khadzhimurad Gadzhiyev (Azerbaijan)

86 kg/189 lbs.: Trent Hidlay vs. Alik Sebzukhov (Russia)

92 kg/202 lbs.: Lucas Davison vs. Batmagnai Enkhtusvshin (Mongolia)

125 kg/275 lbs.: Mason Parris vs. Pasa Ekrem Karabulut (Turkey)


These semifinal matches will be followed at 6:00 p.m. Tallinn time with the medal matches from day one, including U.S. finalist Vitaly Arujau at 57 kg. All is live on Trackwrestling


Of this group, only Carr has previous age-group World Championships experience, winning a Cadet World bronze medal in 2016. By making the semifinals, all five of the Americans have guaranteed themselves a medal match on Wednesday night, regardless of tonight’s results.

JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Tallinn, Estonia


U.S. men’s freestyle performances on Tuesday morning


61 kg/134 lbs.: Gabriel Tagg, Mayfield Heights, Ohio (EAP)

WIN Dzmitry Pryhozhy (Belarus), tech. fall 14-3

WIN Tynchtyk Abasbekov (Kyrgyzstan), tech. fall 10-0

WIN Mahdi Shirazi (Iran), 2-1

Semifinals – Vs. Kaiki Yamaguchi (Japan)


74 kg/163 lbs.: David Carr, Canton, Ohio (Titan Mercury WC/Cyclone WC)

WIN Devid Betanov (Russia), 4-0

WIN Mohammad Nokhodilarimi (Iran), 16-7

Vs. Khadzhimurad Gadzhiyev (Azerbaijan)


86 kg/189 lbs.: Trent Hidlay, Lewistown, Pa. (Wolfpack WC)

WIN Teng Zhou (China), tech. fall 10-0

WIN Demid Karachenko (Ukraine), tech. fall 10-0

WIN Sajjad Habibiehsani (Iran), 6-1

Semifinals – Vs. Alik Sebzukhov (Russia)


92 kg/202 lbs.: Lucas Davison, Chesterton, Ind. (Wildcat WC/Chicago RTC)

WIN Julien Choquette (Canada), tech. fall 10-0

WIN Viky (India), 7-1

Semifinals – Vs. Batmagnai Enkhtusvshin (Mongolia)


125 kg/275 lbs.: Mason Parris, Lawrenceburg, Ind. (Cliff Keen WC)

WIN Vasil Khvistani (Georgia), tech fall 10-0

WIN Gan Erdene Sodbileg (Mongolia), tech fall 10-0

Semifinals - Vs. Pasa Ekrem Karabulut (Turkey)