Schultz knocks off two Greco giants to advance to Senior Trials finals series

RALEIGH, N.C. – High school senior Cohlton Schultz put together an impressive session at the Senior Greco-Roman World Team Trials, advancing to the best-of-three finals at 130 kg on Friday evening in Raleigh, N.C.

Taking on multiple-time National Team member Toby Erickson of Army WCAP, Schultz used a takedown and turn in the first period to spur him onto a 6-0 shutout victory. The win sent Schultz to the challenge bracket finals.

There, he faced 2019 U.S. Open champion Jacob Mitchell, who took a 2-1 lead into the break.

Halfway through the second period, Schultz was put down in par terre, but as Mitchell looked for a turn, Schultz capitalized, finding his way on top and getting the pin at the 5:23 mark.

Tomorrow, Schultz will go head-to-head with four-time World Team member and 2016 Olympian Robby Smith in the best-of-three finals. Both have a training history together at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

With the other nine finals series, we’ll see multiple rematches from the 2019 U.S. Open, which was held just a few weeks ago in Las Vegas.

• 2017 Senior World Teamer Ildar Hafizov vs. 2018 U23 and two-time Junior World Teamer Randon Miranda
  • Last time they met: In the 2019 U.S. Open semifinals, Hafizov won 9-1.
• 2019 U.S. Open runner-up Sam Jones vs. Xavier Johnson
  • Last time they met: In the 2019 U.S. Open semifinals, Jones won by injury default early in the second period.
  • Before that: In 2018 World Team Trials quarterfinals, Johnson won 15-14.
• 2016 U.S. Open champion and 2019 U.S. Open runner-up Hayden Tuma vs. Jamel Johnson
  • Last time they met: In the 2019 U.S. Open semifinals, Tuma won 8-0.
• 2019 U.S. Open runner-up Michael Hooker vs. 2017 U23 World Team member Alex Mossing
  • Last time they met: In the 2019 U.S. Open quarterfinals, Hooker won 11-0.
• 2017 World Team member Pat Smith vs. 2017 World Team member Mason Manville
  • Last time they met: In the 2019 U.S. Open semifinals, Smith won 5-2.
• 2018 U.S. Open champion Dan Miller vs. 2019 U.S. Open runner-up Lucas Sheridan
  • Last time they met: In the 2019 U.S. Open semifinals, Sheridan won 9-0.

Another rematch comes at 82 kg, where two-time World Team member Cheney Haight takes on John Stefanowicz. The last time they met was at the 2018 World Team Trials, where Haight won 9-0.

At 55 kg, 2018 U23 World Team member Dalton Duffield will battle 2018 Junior World Team member.

Winners of tomorrow’s best-of-three finals will earn a bid to Final X in June, which is the final step in the World Team selection process.

Finals will begin at 1:30 p.m. ET live on FloWrestling.org.

2019 GRECO-ROMAN WORLD TEAM TRIALS CHALLENGE TOURNAMENT

at Reynolds Coliseum (Raleigh, N.C.), May 17-18

Best-of-three finals matchups
55 kg: Dalton Duffield (Aries WC) vs. Brady Koontz (Ohio RTC)
60 kg: Ildar Hafizov (Army WCAP) vs. Randon Miranda (NYAC)
63 kg: Sam Jones (NYAC) vs. Xavier Johnson (Marines)
67 kg: Hayden Tuma (Army WCAP) vs. Jamel Johnson (Marines)
72 kg: Alex Mossing (Air Force RTC) vs. Michael Hooker (Army WCAP)
77 kg: Pat Smith (Minnesota Storm) vs. Mason Manville (Nittany Lion WC)
82 kg: Cheney Haight (NYAC) vs. John Stefanowicz (Marines)
87 kg: Patrick Martinez (NYAC) vs. Ben Provisor (NYAC/Nittany Lion WC)
97 kg: Lucas Sheridan (Army WCAP) vs. Daniel Miller (Marines)
130 kg: Robby Smith (NYAC/Chicago RTC) vs. Cohlton Schultz (Sunkist Kids)

Challenge tournament finals results
87 kg: Ben Provisor (NYAC/Nittany Lion WC) dec. Barrett Stanghill (Minnesota Storm), 5-0
130 kg: Cohlton Schultz (Sunkist Kids) df. Jacob Mitchell (Army WCAP), fall 5:23

Challenge tournament semifinals results
55 kg
Dalton Duffield (Aries WC) TF Britain Longmire (unattached), 19-10
Brady Koontz (Ohio RTC) TF Ibrahim Budunka (Inland Northwest RTC), 9-0

60 kg
Ildar Hafizov (Army WCAP) TF Taylor LaMont (Sunkist Kids), 10-0
Randon Miranda (NYAC) dec. Dalton Roberts (NYAC), 8-2

63 kg
Sam Jones (NYAC) dec. Lillashawn Coleman (Army WCAP), 5-1
Xavier Johnson (Marines) dec. Travis Rice (IRTC), 3-2

67 kg
Hayden Tuma (Army WCAP) TF Jarod Verkleeren (Nittany Lion WC), 8-0
Jamel Johnson (Marines) dec. Austin Morrow (NYAC), 3-1

72 kg
Alex Mossing (Air Force RTC) dec. Nick Tarpley (NYAC), 13-11
Michael Hooker (Army WCAP) dec. Alex Sancho (Army WCAP), 5-4

77 kg
Pat Smith (Minnesota Storm) TF Peyton Walsh (Marines), 8-0
Mason Manville (Nittany Lion WC) dec. Corey Hope (NYAC), 5-3

82 kg
Cheney Haight (NYAC) dec. Andrew Berreyesa (Finger Lakes WC), 6-1
John Stefanowicz (Marines) TF Geordan Speiller (Florida Jets), 8-0

87 kg
Ben Provisor (NYAC/Nittany Lion WC) TF Vaughn Monreal-Berner (Marines), 8-0
Barrett Stanghill (Minnesota Storm) dec. Kevin Radford (Sunkist Kids), 5-1

97 kg
Lucas Sheridan (Army WCAP) TF Khymba Johnson (NYAC), 9-0
Daniel Miller (Marines) TF Eric Twohey (Minnesota Storm), 8-0

130 kg
Jacob Mitchell (Army WCAP) TF Haydn Maley (California RTC), 9-0
Cohlton Schultz (Sunkist Kids) dec. Toby Erickson (Army WCAP), 6-0