Fuenffinger beats Roberts as Thursday’s finals session set at Dave Schultz Memorial
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Leslie Fuenffinger of the U.S. Army and Dalton Roberts of NYAC battle in their wide-open 60 kg semifinals showdown. Photo by Robbert Wijtman.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – In a rematch of the 2018 U.S. Open finals, the result was reversed when Leslie Fuenffinger of U.S. Army WCAP defeated 2018 World Team member Dalton Roberts of the New York AC, 9-8 in the 60 kg semifinals.
The bout was a back-and-forth battle, with Fuenffinger rallying at the end to win the match. It was the same exact score as last year’s U.S. Open finals, won by Roberts, 9-8.
Fuenffinger will battle his U.S. Army WCAP teammate, 2017 World Team member Ildar Hafizov in the championship finals tonight.
The first 12 weight classes of the tournament are underway, including seven women’s freestyle weight classes and five Greco-Roman weight classes. Some of the weight classes are in brackets, while a number of the weight classes are roundrobins.
One weight class was completed in the women’s division, 57 kg, which had two entries, Ariana Villaescusa of Army WCAP and Amanda Walker of Wyoming Seminary. Villaescusa won the best-of-three series in two straight matches, pinning Walker in bout one in 2:19 and securing a pin in bout two in 4:41.
Villaescusa competed for the first time since November 2017, when she was injured at the Dave Schultz Memorial, and needed considerable time to recover.
“It was my first time back since my neck surgery last January so I was really nervous how everything was going to go. I felt good, but there are definitely a lot of things I have to work on. I need to take more shots. I felt good coming back with a win in my first tournament,” said Villaescusa.
In the Greco-Roman division, international athletes earned spots in the two of the bracketed finals.
At 67 kg, Mostafa Mohammed of Egypt, who trains with Princeton, will battle veteran Greco-Roman star Jamel Johnson of the U.S. Marine Corps. In the 72 kg finals, Asror Mukhitdinov of Uzbekistan will face another talented U.S. Marine, Raymond Bunker.
In the women’s freestyle division, there are two bracketed finals, with three Canadian athletes involved. At 62 kg, Canada’s Jessica Brouillette will battle unattached Alexandria Liles of Texas, who is a past Cadet and Junior World Team member for Team USA. The other finals involves a pair of Canadian stars, Samantha Stewart and Jade Parsons at 53 kg.
Some of the top athletes in the round robins who are unbeaten after the first session are World champion Jessica MacDonald of Canada (50 kg), World fifth-place finisher Jaccara Winchester of Titan Mercury WC (59 kg) and U.S. U23 World Team member Dominique Parrish of Titan Mercury WC (55 kg).
The round robin at 65 kg in the women’s division is loaded, with big-time matches all morning long.
It included the first bout of the tournament on Mat C, as Amanda Hendey of the Titan Mercury edged 2018 World bronze medalist Mallory Velte of Titan Mercury 2-1. Hendey scored the winning point when Velte was placed on the shot clock late in the second period. Hendey was a 2016 U.S. Open champion.
The second round of the round-robin featured a bout between Velte and 2017 Junior World champion Maya Nelson. Early in the match, Nelson nailed a four-point hip toss and went on to win 8-1. However, a timing mistake allowed the match to begin less than 20 minutes after Velte’s bout against Hendey. This match will be re-wrestled at the end of the finals session tonight.
The 65 kg weight class also includes Lais Nunez of Brazil and Indira Moores of Canada. At this point, only Nelson is unbeaten in this five-athlete roundrobin.
EAP women's athlete Tiare Ikei of Hawaii entered at 53 kg in women's freestyle, and was eliminated from medal contention with a 1-2 record.
The championship finals are set for 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time. The entire tournament is being broadcast live by FloWrestling.
DAVE SCHULTZ MEMORIAL INTERNATIONAL
At Colorado Springs, Colo., January 24
Women’s wrestling final result
57 kg - Ariana Villaescusa (Army WCAP dec. Amanda Walker (Wyoming Seminary), two matches to none
Bout 1 - Villaescusa pin Walker, 2:19
Bout 2 – Villaescusa pin Walker, 4:41
Greco-Roman gold-medal finals pairings
60 kg - Leslie Fuenffinger (WCAP) vs. Ildar Hafizov (WCAP)
67 kg - Mostafa Mohammed (Egypt/Princeton) vs. Jamel Johnson (Marines)
72 kg - Raymond Bunker (Marines) vs. Asror Mukhitdinov (Uzbekistan)
Women's Freestyle gold-medal finals pairings
53 kg - Samantha Stewart (Canada) tech. vs. Jade Parsons (Canada)
62 kg - Jessica Brouillette (Canada) vs. Alexandria Liles (Unattached-TX)
Greco-Roman semifinal results
60 kg
Leslie Fuenffinger (WCAP) dec. Dalton Roberts (NYAC), 9-8
Ildar Hafizov (WCAP) tech. fall Mason Hartshorn Antioch, CA (NMU/OTS), 11-0 1:35
67 kg
Mostafa Mohammed (Egypt/Princeton) dec. Jesse Thielke (NYAC), 7-5
Jamel Johnson (Marines) tech. fall Benjamin Peak (Sunkist Kids), 9-0, 3:32
72 kg
Raymond Bunker (Marines) dec. Lenny Merkin (NJRTC), 7-0
Asror Mukhitdinov (Uzbekistan) tech. fall Anthonie Linares (NYAC), 11-3 5:01
Women’s freestyle semifinal results
53 kg
Samantha Stewart (Canada) tech. fall Katherine Shai (Unattached-CO), 10-0 2:38
Jade Parsons (Canada) tech. fall Cody Pfau (TMWC), 14-4 4:02
62 kg
Jessica Brouillette (Canada) tech. fall Abnelis Yambo Miranda (Puerto Rico/Brewton-Parker), 12-2 3:09
Alexandria Liles (Unattached-TX) dec. Brianna Csontos (TMWC), 4-2
Greco-Roman round robin final pairings
55 kg
Randon Miranda (NYAC) vs. Dalton Duffield (NYAC)
Jabari Moody (NYAC) vs. Sean Sesnan (Williams Baptist)
Jerome Carter (NYAC), bye
63 kg
Luis Herrnandez (NYAC) inj. dft. Colton Rasche (Marines)
Travis Rice (NYAC/Illini WC) vs. Sammy Jones (NYAC)
Women’s freestyle round robin final pairings
50 kg
Natasha Kramble (Canada) vs. Jessica MacDonald (Canada)
Jessica Rodriguez (Univ of the Cumberlands) vs. Emily Shilson (TMWC)
55 kg
Alisha Howk (Sunkist Kids) vs. Dominique Parrish (Sunkist Kids)
Vayle Baker (Wyoming Seminary), bye
59 kg
Arian Carpio (Sunkist Kids) vs. Jen Piassi (U.S. Army)
Jacarra Winchester (TMWC) vs. Lauren Louive (NYAC)
65 kg
Amanda Hendey (TMWC) vs. Maya Nelson (TMWC)
Lais Nunez (Brazil) vs. Mallory Velte (TMWC)
Maya Nelson (TMWC) vs. Mallory Velte (TMWC), re-wrestled bout
Indira Moores (Canada), bye
Greco-Roman round robin results (session one)
55 kg
Moody dec. Duffield, 10-8
Miranda tech. fall Carter, 8-0, 0:35
Sesnan dec. Duffield, 8-6
Carter pin Moody, 2:14
Carter dec. Sesnan, 13-8
Miranda pin Moody, 0:29
Miranda tech. fall Sesnan, 10-0, 0:45
Duffield tech. fall Carter, 8-0, 0:22
63 kg
Jones tech. fall Hernandez, 9-0, 2:06
Rice dec. Rasche, 9-5
Rice dec. Hernandez, 6-0
Jones inj. dft. Rasche
Women’s freestyle round robin results (session one)
50 kg
MacDonald tech. fall Shilson, 8-0, 1:18
Kramble pin Rodriguez, 1:37
MacDonald pin Rodriguez, 6-0
Kramble dec. Shilson, 8-6
55 kg
Howk dec. Baker, 10-6
Parrish tech. fall Baker, 10-0, 2:11
59 kg
Louive tech. fall Pitassi, 10-0, 1:23
Winchester pin Carpio, 2:23
Winchester tech. fall Pitassi, 10-0, 0:40
Carpio dec. Louive, 8-4
65 kg
Hendey dec. Velte, 2-1
Nunes pin Moores, 1:45
Hendey dec. Moores, 9-2
Nelson tech. fall Moores, 12-0, 2:14
Nunes pin Hendey, 1:05
Nelson dec. Nunes, 6-2
Velte inj. dft. Moores
Bronze medal matches now set
Greco-Roman
60 kg bronze bout - Dalton Roberts (NYAC) vs. Ty Pelot (XFactor)
67 kg bronze bout - Jesse Thielke (NYAC) vs. Austin Morrow (NYAC)
72 kg bronze bout - Lenny Merkin (NJRTC) vs. Anthonie Linares (NYAC)
Women’s freestyle
53 kg bronze bout - Cody Pfau (TMWC) vs. Amy Fearnside (TMWC)
62 kg bronze bout – Bridgette Duty (U of the Cumberlands) vs. Kellyanne Jimenez (U of the Cumberlands)
Elite Accelerator Program (EAP) athletes results
Women’s freestyle EAP athlete
53 kg/116.5 lbs. – Tiare Ikei, Honolulu, Hawaii (EAP)
LOSS Samantha Stewart (Canada), tech. fall 12-0
WIN Lomas (Aires WC), tech fall 10-0
LOSS Cody Pfau (TMWC), 5-2
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – In a rematch of the 2018 U.S. Open finals, the result was reversed when Leslie Fuenffinger of U.S. Army WCAP defeated 2018 World Team member Dalton Roberts of the New York AC, 9-8 in the 60 kg semifinals.
The bout was a back-and-forth battle, with Fuenffinger rallying at the end to win the match. It was the same exact score as last year’s U.S. Open finals, won by Roberts, 9-8.
Fuenffinger will battle his U.S. Army WCAP teammate, 2017 World Team member Ildar Hafizov in the championship finals tonight.
The first 12 weight classes of the tournament are underway, including seven women’s freestyle weight classes and five Greco-Roman weight classes. Some of the weight classes are in brackets, while a number of the weight classes are roundrobins.
One weight class was completed in the women’s division, 57 kg, which had two entries, Ariana Villaescusa of Army WCAP and Amanda Walker of Wyoming Seminary. Villaescusa won the best-of-three series in two straight matches, pinning Walker in bout one in 2:19 and securing a pin in bout two in 4:41.
Villaescusa competed for the first time since November 2017, when she was injured at the Dave Schultz Memorial, and needed considerable time to recover.
“It was my first time back since my neck surgery last January so I was really nervous how everything was going to go. I felt good, but there are definitely a lot of things I have to work on. I need to take more shots. I felt good coming back with a win in my first tournament,” said Villaescusa.
In the Greco-Roman division, international athletes earned spots in the two of the bracketed finals.
At 67 kg, Mostafa Mohammed of Egypt, who trains with Princeton, will battle veteran Greco-Roman star Jamel Johnson of the U.S. Marine Corps. In the 72 kg finals, Asror Mukhitdinov of Uzbekistan will face another talented U.S. Marine, Raymond Bunker.
In the women’s freestyle division, there are two bracketed finals, with three Canadian athletes involved. At 62 kg, Canada’s Jessica Brouillette will battle unattached Alexandria Liles of Texas, who is a past Cadet and Junior World Team member for Team USA. The other finals involves a pair of Canadian stars, Samantha Stewart and Jade Parsons at 53 kg.
Some of the top athletes in the round robins who are unbeaten after the first session are World champion Jessica MacDonald of Canada (50 kg), World fifth-place finisher Jaccara Winchester of Titan Mercury WC (59 kg) and U.S. U23 World Team member Dominique Parrish of Titan Mercury WC (55 kg).
The round robin at 65 kg in the women’s division is loaded, with big-time matches all morning long.
It included the first bout of the tournament on Mat C, as Amanda Hendey of the Titan Mercury edged 2018 World bronze medalist Mallory Velte of Titan Mercury 2-1. Hendey scored the winning point when Velte was placed on the shot clock late in the second period. Hendey was a 2016 U.S. Open champion.
The second round of the round-robin featured a bout between Velte and 2017 Junior World champion Maya Nelson. Early in the match, Nelson nailed a four-point hip toss and went on to win 8-1. However, a timing mistake allowed the match to begin less than 20 minutes after Velte’s bout against Hendey. This match will be re-wrestled at the end of the finals session tonight.
The 65 kg weight class also includes Lais Nunez of Brazil and Indira Moores of Canada. At this point, only Nelson is unbeaten in this five-athlete roundrobin.
EAP women's athlete Tiare Ikei of Hawaii entered at 53 kg in women's freestyle, and was eliminated from medal contention with a 1-2 record.
The championship finals are set for 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time. The entire tournament is being broadcast live by FloWrestling.
DAVE SCHULTZ MEMORIAL INTERNATIONAL
At Colorado Springs, Colo., January 24
Women’s wrestling final result
57 kg - Ariana Villaescusa (Army WCAP dec. Amanda Walker (Wyoming Seminary), two matches to none
Bout 1 - Villaescusa pin Walker, 2:19
Bout 2 – Villaescusa pin Walker, 4:41
Greco-Roman gold-medal finals pairings
60 kg - Leslie Fuenffinger (WCAP) vs. Ildar Hafizov (WCAP)
67 kg - Mostafa Mohammed (Egypt/Princeton) vs. Jamel Johnson (Marines)
72 kg - Raymond Bunker (Marines) vs. Asror Mukhitdinov (Uzbekistan)
Women's Freestyle gold-medal finals pairings
53 kg - Samantha Stewart (Canada) tech. vs. Jade Parsons (Canada)
62 kg - Jessica Brouillette (Canada) vs. Alexandria Liles (Unattached-TX)
Greco-Roman semifinal results
60 kg
Leslie Fuenffinger (WCAP) dec. Dalton Roberts (NYAC), 9-8
Ildar Hafizov (WCAP) tech. fall Mason Hartshorn Antioch, CA (NMU/OTS), 11-0 1:35
67 kg
Mostafa Mohammed (Egypt/Princeton) dec. Jesse Thielke (NYAC), 7-5
Jamel Johnson (Marines) tech. fall Benjamin Peak (Sunkist Kids), 9-0, 3:32
72 kg
Raymond Bunker (Marines) dec. Lenny Merkin (NJRTC), 7-0
Asror Mukhitdinov (Uzbekistan) tech. fall Anthonie Linares (NYAC), 11-3 5:01
Women’s freestyle semifinal results
53 kg
Samantha Stewart (Canada) tech. fall Katherine Shai (Unattached-CO), 10-0 2:38
Jade Parsons (Canada) tech. fall Cody Pfau (TMWC), 14-4 4:02
62 kg
Jessica Brouillette (Canada) tech. fall Abnelis Yambo Miranda (Puerto Rico/Brewton-Parker), 12-2 3:09
Alexandria Liles (Unattached-TX) dec. Brianna Csontos (TMWC), 4-2
Greco-Roman round robin final pairings
55 kg
Randon Miranda (NYAC) vs. Dalton Duffield (NYAC)
Jabari Moody (NYAC) vs. Sean Sesnan (Williams Baptist)
Jerome Carter (NYAC), bye
63 kg
Luis Herrnandez (NYAC) inj. dft. Colton Rasche (Marines)
Travis Rice (NYAC/Illini WC) vs. Sammy Jones (NYAC)
Women’s freestyle round robin final pairings
50 kg
Natasha Kramble (Canada) vs. Jessica MacDonald (Canada)
Jessica Rodriguez (Univ of the Cumberlands) vs. Emily Shilson (TMWC)
55 kg
Alisha Howk (Sunkist Kids) vs. Dominique Parrish (Sunkist Kids)
Vayle Baker (Wyoming Seminary), bye
59 kg
Arian Carpio (Sunkist Kids) vs. Jen Piassi (U.S. Army)
Jacarra Winchester (TMWC) vs. Lauren Louive (NYAC)
65 kg
Amanda Hendey (TMWC) vs. Maya Nelson (TMWC)
Lais Nunez (Brazil) vs. Mallory Velte (TMWC)
Maya Nelson (TMWC) vs. Mallory Velte (TMWC), re-wrestled bout
Indira Moores (Canada), bye
Greco-Roman round robin results (session one)
55 kg
Moody dec. Duffield, 10-8
Miranda tech. fall Carter, 8-0, 0:35
Sesnan dec. Duffield, 8-6
Carter pin Moody, 2:14
Carter dec. Sesnan, 13-8
Miranda pin Moody, 0:29
Miranda tech. fall Sesnan, 10-0, 0:45
Duffield tech. fall Carter, 8-0, 0:22
63 kg
Jones tech. fall Hernandez, 9-0, 2:06
Rice dec. Rasche, 9-5
Rice dec. Hernandez, 6-0
Jones inj. dft. Rasche
Women’s freestyle round robin results (session one)
50 kg
MacDonald tech. fall Shilson, 8-0, 1:18
Kramble pin Rodriguez, 1:37
MacDonald pin Rodriguez, 6-0
Kramble dec. Shilson, 8-6
55 kg
Howk dec. Baker, 10-6
Parrish tech. fall Baker, 10-0, 2:11
59 kg
Louive tech. fall Pitassi, 10-0, 1:23
Winchester pin Carpio, 2:23
Winchester tech. fall Pitassi, 10-0, 0:40
Carpio dec. Louive, 8-4
65 kg
Hendey dec. Velte, 2-1
Nunes pin Moores, 1:45
Hendey dec. Moores, 9-2
Nelson tech. fall Moores, 12-0, 2:14
Nunes pin Hendey, 1:05
Nelson dec. Nunes, 6-2
Velte inj. dft. Moores
Bronze medal matches now set
Greco-Roman
60 kg bronze bout - Dalton Roberts (NYAC) vs. Ty Pelot (XFactor)
67 kg bronze bout - Jesse Thielke (NYAC) vs. Austin Morrow (NYAC)
72 kg bronze bout - Lenny Merkin (NJRTC) vs. Anthonie Linares (NYAC)
Women’s freestyle
53 kg bronze bout - Cody Pfau (TMWC) vs. Amy Fearnside (TMWC)
62 kg bronze bout – Bridgette Duty (U of the Cumberlands) vs. Kellyanne Jimenez (U of the Cumberlands)
Elite Accelerator Program (EAP) athletes results
Women’s freestyle EAP athlete
53 kg/116.5 lbs. – Tiare Ikei, Honolulu, Hawaii (EAP)
LOSS Samantha Stewart (Canada), tech. fall 12-0
WIN Lomas (Aires WC), tech fall 10-0
LOSS Cody Pfau (TMWC), 5-2
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