Several young U.S. men and women stars to enter Flatz Open in Austria, Feb. 9
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by JD Rader, USA Wrestling
Kennedy Blades, shown in the 2018 Cadet Nationals finals, is among the Wyoming Seminary wrestlers who will compete at the Flatz Open this weekend. Photo by Jim Thrall.
Some of the nation’s top young wrestlers will be competing this weekend at the Flatz Open in Wolfurt, Austria.
The tournament will take place Saturday, Feb. 9 and will offer a Cadet division and Junior division in Men’s Freestyle and a Cadet division and Junior/Senior division in Women’s Freestyle.
The Elite Accelerator Program, a program for athletes who are either in high school or recently graduated and who train fulltime at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., will be sending five male athletes and one woman athlete to the event.
Headlining the EAP roster will be Cadet World champion and Junior World silver medalist Aaron Brooks (Hagerstown, Md./TMWC/EAP) for the men and Cadet World bronze medalist Tiare Ikei (Honolulu, Hawaii/EAP) for the women.
Brooks chose to go into the EAP upon graduating high school after becoming a three-time Fargo champion. The Hagerstown, Md. native now boasts two World medals including a gold at last year’s Junior World Championships. Most recently Brooks made his senior level debut, winning the Schultz Memorial Invitational at 79 kg. Brooks has committed to wrestle at Penn State upon completing his time with EAP.
In addition to being a 2018 Cadet World bronze medalist, Ikei is a 2018 Cadet Pan American champion, 2018 Cadet Women’s Freestyle national champion, and 2018 Hawaii state champion.
Also competing for the EAP will be Julian Tagg (Maple Heights, Ohio/EAP), Job Greenwood (Livermore, Colo./EAP), Gabriel Tagg (Maple Heights, Ohio/EAP), and DJ Shannon (East St. Louis, Mo./EAP). Gabriel Tagg has signed with the University of North Carolina, Greenwood with the University of Wyoming and Shannon with the University of Illinois.
Julian Tagg was able to make the 2017 Cadet World Team, placing seventh at the Cadet World Championships.
Wyoming Seminary in Kingston, Pa. will be bringing a team of 11 girls to compete, which will feature six Cadets and five Juniors/Seniors in the tournament.
In the Cadet age division will be Ava Bayless (Greenville, Pa./Wyo. Sem.), Abbygale Duke (Patterson, N.Y./Wyo. Sem.), Sophia Smith (Bismarck, N.D./Wyo. Sem.), Korina Blades (Broadview, Ill./Wyo. Sem.), Tiffani Baublitz (Stewartstown, Pa./Wyo. Sem.), and Kennedy Blades (Broadview, Ill./Wyo. Sem.).
Korina Blades was a 2018 Schoolboy/Girl U15 Pan American champion at 54 kg as well as a 2018 Schoolboy/Girl Women’s Nationals champion at 119 lbs.
Korina’s older sister, Kennedy Blades, is a 2018 Cadet Freestyle Nationals champion, 2018 Pan American Cadet champion, and placed second in the 2018 UWW Cadet World Team Trials. She has won many other major age-group national events, including the 2017 Schoolgirl freestyle national title and the 2014 Novice Folkstyle National title.
Baublitz was a Flatz Open champion in 2018 at 69 kg in the Cadet division.
Competing in the Junior/Senior age division will be Caitlyn Walker (Hatboro, Pa./Wyo. Sem.), Vayle-Rae Baker (Benton, Pa./Wyo. Sem.), Amanda Walker (Hatboro, Pa./Wyo. Sem.), Julia Dailey (Clarks Summit, Pa./Wyo. Sem.), and Shania Murray (Watchung, N.J./Wyo. Sem.).
Just like the Blades sisters, the Walker sisters will be bringing a long list of accolades to Austria with them. Caitlyn is a 2017 Cadet Pan American champion and 2016 Cadet Pan American runner-up. She is a two-time world team member, placing seventh in the 2016 Cadet World Championships and fifth in the 2017 Cadet World Championships. Amanda is a five-time Fargo All-American and two-time UWW Women’s National Championships All-American.
Baker is a two-time U.S. World Team member, making Cadet teams in 2015 and 2017. She also won a Cadet Pan American title in 2015 and Junior Pan American bronze in 2018. Baker placed second at the Flatz Open last year.
Baker is not the only Wyoming Seminary athlete to place at the Flatz Open last year, Murray placed second at 59 kg while Dailey placed seventh at 57 kg.
Also competing in the Flatz this year, although not representing either the EAP or Wyoming Seminary, will be Travis Tavoso (Ridgewood, N.J.) in men’s Junior 70 kg and Mia Macaluso (Minisink, N.Y./Venom WC) in the women’s Cadet 61 kg
Wrestling begins at 9:30 a.m. local time (3:30 am U.S. Eastern Time).
2019 Flatz Open
at Wolfurt, Austria, Feb. 9
U.S. Junior Men’s Freestyle entries
57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Julian Tagg (Maple Heights, Ohio/EAP)
61 kg/134 lbs. - Job Greenwood (Livermore, Colo./EAP)
61 kg/134 lbs. - Gabriel Tagg (Maple Heights, Ohio/EAP)
70 kg/154 lbs. - Travis Tavoso (Ridgewood, N.J.)
79 kg/174 lbs. - DJ Shannon (East St. Louis, Mo./EAP)
86 kg/189.5 lbs. - Aaron Brooks (Hagerstown, Md./TMWC/EAP)
U.S. Cadet Women’s Entries
46 kg/101 lbs. - Ava Bayless (Greenville, Pa./Wyo. Sem.)
46 kg/101 lbs. - Abbygale Duke (Patterson, N.Y./Wyo. Sem.)
57 kg/125.5 lbs - Sophia Smith (Bismarck, N.D./Wyo. Sem.)
57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Korina Blades (Broadview, Ill./Wyo. Sem.)
61 kg/134 lbs. - Mia Macaluso (Minisink, N.Y./Venom WC)
65 kg/143 lbs. - Tiffani Baublitz (Stewartstown, Pa./Wyo. Sem.)
69 kg/152 lbs. - Kennedy Blades (Broadview, Ill./Wyo. Sem.)
U.S. Junior/Senior Women’s Entries
50 kg/110 lbs. - Caitlyn Walker (Hatboro, Pa./Wyo. Sem.)
53 kg/116.5 lbs. - Tiare Ikei (Honolulu, Hawaii/EAP)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Vayle-Rae Baker (Benton, Pa./Wyo. Sem.)
57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Amanda Walker (Hatboro, Pa./Wyo. Sem.)
57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Julia Dailey (Clarks Summit, Pa./Wyo. Sem.)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Shania Murray (Watchung, N.J./Wyo. Sem.)
Coaches
National Freestyle Developmental Coach Kevin Jackson (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Wyoming Seminary head women’s coach Erin Vandiver (Kingston, Pa.)
Wyoming Seminary assistant women’s coach Adeline Gray (Kingston, Pa.)
Chad Vandiver (Kingston, Pa.)
Schedule (six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone)
Saturday, Feb. 9
9:30 a.m. to completion - all divisions and weight classes
Some of the nation’s top young wrestlers will be competing this weekend at the Flatz Open in Wolfurt, Austria.
The tournament will take place Saturday, Feb. 9 and will offer a Cadet division and Junior division in Men’s Freestyle and a Cadet division and Junior/Senior division in Women’s Freestyle.
The Elite Accelerator Program, a program for athletes who are either in high school or recently graduated and who train fulltime at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., will be sending five male athletes and one woman athlete to the event.
Headlining the EAP roster will be Cadet World champion and Junior World silver medalist Aaron Brooks (Hagerstown, Md./TMWC/EAP) for the men and Cadet World bronze medalist Tiare Ikei (Honolulu, Hawaii/EAP) for the women.
Brooks chose to go into the EAP upon graduating high school after becoming a three-time Fargo champion. The Hagerstown, Md. native now boasts two World medals including a gold at last year’s Junior World Championships. Most recently Brooks made his senior level debut, winning the Schultz Memorial Invitational at 79 kg. Brooks has committed to wrestle at Penn State upon completing his time with EAP.
In addition to being a 2018 Cadet World bronze medalist, Ikei is a 2018 Cadet Pan American champion, 2018 Cadet Women’s Freestyle national champion, and 2018 Hawaii state champion.
Also competing for the EAP will be Julian Tagg (Maple Heights, Ohio/EAP), Job Greenwood (Livermore, Colo./EAP), Gabriel Tagg (Maple Heights, Ohio/EAP), and DJ Shannon (East St. Louis, Mo./EAP). Gabriel Tagg has signed with the University of North Carolina, Greenwood with the University of Wyoming and Shannon with the University of Illinois.
Julian Tagg was able to make the 2017 Cadet World Team, placing seventh at the Cadet World Championships.
Wyoming Seminary in Kingston, Pa. will be bringing a team of 11 girls to compete, which will feature six Cadets and five Juniors/Seniors in the tournament.
In the Cadet age division will be Ava Bayless (Greenville, Pa./Wyo. Sem.), Abbygale Duke (Patterson, N.Y./Wyo. Sem.), Sophia Smith (Bismarck, N.D./Wyo. Sem.), Korina Blades (Broadview, Ill./Wyo. Sem.), Tiffani Baublitz (Stewartstown, Pa./Wyo. Sem.), and Kennedy Blades (Broadview, Ill./Wyo. Sem.).
Korina Blades was a 2018 Schoolboy/Girl U15 Pan American champion at 54 kg as well as a 2018 Schoolboy/Girl Women’s Nationals champion at 119 lbs.
Korina’s older sister, Kennedy Blades, is a 2018 Cadet Freestyle Nationals champion, 2018 Pan American Cadet champion, and placed second in the 2018 UWW Cadet World Team Trials. She has won many other major age-group national events, including the 2017 Schoolgirl freestyle national title and the 2014 Novice Folkstyle National title.
Baublitz was a Flatz Open champion in 2018 at 69 kg in the Cadet division.
Competing in the Junior/Senior age division will be Caitlyn Walker (Hatboro, Pa./Wyo. Sem.), Vayle-Rae Baker (Benton, Pa./Wyo. Sem.), Amanda Walker (Hatboro, Pa./Wyo. Sem.), Julia Dailey (Clarks Summit, Pa./Wyo. Sem.), and Shania Murray (Watchung, N.J./Wyo. Sem.).
Just like the Blades sisters, the Walker sisters will be bringing a long list of accolades to Austria with them. Caitlyn is a 2017 Cadet Pan American champion and 2016 Cadet Pan American runner-up. She is a two-time world team member, placing seventh in the 2016 Cadet World Championships and fifth in the 2017 Cadet World Championships. Amanda is a five-time Fargo All-American and two-time UWW Women’s National Championships All-American.
Baker is a two-time U.S. World Team member, making Cadet teams in 2015 and 2017. She also won a Cadet Pan American title in 2015 and Junior Pan American bronze in 2018. Baker placed second at the Flatz Open last year.
Baker is not the only Wyoming Seminary athlete to place at the Flatz Open last year, Murray placed second at 59 kg while Dailey placed seventh at 57 kg.
Also competing in the Flatz this year, although not representing either the EAP or Wyoming Seminary, will be Travis Tavoso (Ridgewood, N.J.) in men’s Junior 70 kg and Mia Macaluso (Minisink, N.Y./Venom WC) in the women’s Cadet 61 kg
Wrestling begins at 9:30 a.m. local time (3:30 am U.S. Eastern Time).
2019 Flatz Open
at Wolfurt, Austria, Feb. 9
U.S. Junior Men’s Freestyle entries
57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Julian Tagg (Maple Heights, Ohio/EAP)
61 kg/134 lbs. - Job Greenwood (Livermore, Colo./EAP)
61 kg/134 lbs. - Gabriel Tagg (Maple Heights, Ohio/EAP)
70 kg/154 lbs. - Travis Tavoso (Ridgewood, N.J.)
79 kg/174 lbs. - DJ Shannon (East St. Louis, Mo./EAP)
86 kg/189.5 lbs. - Aaron Brooks (Hagerstown, Md./TMWC/EAP)
U.S. Cadet Women’s Entries
46 kg/101 lbs. - Ava Bayless (Greenville, Pa./Wyo. Sem.)
46 kg/101 lbs. - Abbygale Duke (Patterson, N.Y./Wyo. Sem.)
57 kg/125.5 lbs - Sophia Smith (Bismarck, N.D./Wyo. Sem.)
57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Korina Blades (Broadview, Ill./Wyo. Sem.)
61 kg/134 lbs. - Mia Macaluso (Minisink, N.Y./Venom WC)
65 kg/143 lbs. - Tiffani Baublitz (Stewartstown, Pa./Wyo. Sem.)
69 kg/152 lbs. - Kennedy Blades (Broadview, Ill./Wyo. Sem.)
U.S. Junior/Senior Women’s Entries
50 kg/110 lbs. - Caitlyn Walker (Hatboro, Pa./Wyo. Sem.)
53 kg/116.5 lbs. - Tiare Ikei (Honolulu, Hawaii/EAP)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Vayle-Rae Baker (Benton, Pa./Wyo. Sem.)
57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Amanda Walker (Hatboro, Pa./Wyo. Sem.)
57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Julia Dailey (Clarks Summit, Pa./Wyo. Sem.)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Shania Murray (Watchung, N.J./Wyo. Sem.)
Coaches
National Freestyle Developmental Coach Kevin Jackson (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Wyoming Seminary head women’s coach Erin Vandiver (Kingston, Pa.)
Wyoming Seminary assistant women’s coach Adeline Gray (Kingston, Pa.)
Chad Vandiver (Kingston, Pa.)
Schedule (six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone)
Saturday, Feb. 9
9:30 a.m. to completion - all divisions and weight classes
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