Gross beats Gilman by criteria, Heaton, Wick, Welker get big wins at Wisconsin RTC Underground 2
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Thomas Gilman and Seth Gross in a scramble situation during the Main Event at Wisconsin RTC Underground 2. Photo by Stacy Schiesl.
In a battle of top lightweight stars, past NCAA champion Seth Gross scored a 4-4 criteria win over 2017 World silver medalist Thomas Gilman in the Main Event at Wisconsin RTC Underground 2 on Wednesday night. The card featured 12 freestyle matches, eight for men and four for women.
Gilman was the aggressor on his feet the entire match, but was not able to complete a takedown on Gross. Gilman led 1-0 at the break when one of his single leg attacks led to a step out. In the second period, Gross scored a counter takedown to lead 2-0. A counter tilt by Gross, with a Gilman reversal made it 4-2. Gilman scored two more points on single legs that went out of bounds, each a caution and one point penalty, to tie it at 4-4. Gross won because he scored a pair of two-point moves.
“I didn’t get my offense going, didn’t shoot much. That’s not me. He is the No. 1 guy at 57 kg. I am coming for that Olympic spot. I am getting better from here,” said Gross in his post-match interview.
Gross and Gilman are already qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in April, and competed at 132 pounds for this match.
It was the second win for Gross on a Wisconsin RTC Underground event, as he defeated Bryce Meredith in Underground 1 in November. Gross, a South Dakota State NCAA champion, completed his college career at Wisconsin, and is training there with the RTC.
Another Wisconsin RTC wrestler, Cadet World champion Ronna Heaton, won an entertaining women’s bout at 132 pounds, 10-7. Her opponent, Koral Sugiyama, a past Senior National Team member who was a college star at the Cumberlands, opened the bout with a four-point headlock. Heaton tied it at 5-5 at the break. A pair of second-period takedowns by Heaton helped hold off Sugiyama for the 10-7 final.
The Wisconsin RTC set up a donation opportunity on the Rokfin broadcast, where fans were giving “tips” that would go to the Outstanding Wrestlers. Over $600 was raised from viewers, and was split evenly between Gross and Heaton, who won the OW award, which included a Twitter poll.
Another big time match came at 173 pounds on the men’s side, when U23 Nationals champion Evan Wick of the Wisconsin RTC opened up his offense for a 16-5 technical fall over Kennedy Monday, an NCAA qualifier for North Carolina. Monday jumped to a 5-0 lead on two takedowns and a stepout, but Wick reeled off 16 straight points. Monday was up 5-4 at the break, but Wick dominated the second period with takedowns and turns.
In a battle of two of the top high school wrestlers in the nation, Wisconsin native Kylie Welker secured a 10-0 first period technical fall over Amor Tuttle of Minnesota at 145 pounds. Welker, ranked No. 1 in the nation, scored two takedowns and three turns. Tuttle has a No. 6 national high school ranking.
Erin Golston, a three-time Junior World medalist and three-time Senior National Team member, was in control in her 7-1 win over Emmanuel College All-American Maria Vidales at 114 pounds.
What made this card even more interesting is that there is a wide variety of active college wrestlers from eight different programs included on the card.
The Bianchi brothers who compete in college for Little Rock, Joey and Paul, returned to their native Wisconsin to secure wins. At 150, younger brother Joey scored a 12-4 win over Wisconsin RTC’s Joe Zargo, while older brother Paul was a 10-6 winner over Wisconsin wrestler Kyle Burwick at 135 pounds.
Chris Weiler, a Wisconsin wrestler who is a graduate transfer from Lehigh, locked up a cradle to secure a pin in 1:35 over Wartburg’s Kobe Woods at 205 pounds.
A pair of MAC champions from Central Michigan won their bouts. Dresden Simon scored four ankle lace turns in a row to close out a 12-1 technical fall over Wisconsin wrestler Aiden Medora, 12-1 at 150 pounds. Drew Hildebrandt dominated on his feet with five takedowns for a 10-4 win over Wisconsin starter Eric Barnett, 10-4.
In a battle of college women who are natives of Wisconsin, Katelyn Gunderson of Lakeland overcame a slow start to secure a 15-4 technical fall over North Central College’s Mateah Roehl. It started with Roehl leading 4-0, but Gunderson ran 15 straight points, including a pair of four-point moves and some turns from par terre.
The opening main card event was a wild 12-10 win by Graham Calhoun, a Wisconsin wrestler, over Tanner Mendoza, who wrestles for Little Rock at 182 pounds. Calhoun led 11-4 in the first period, but Mendoza powered back with six straight points to close it to 11-10. Calhoun closed it out with a counter takedown.
It was announced that the Wisconsin RTC will host Underground 3 in January. A number of the winners had a call-out for an opponent in the next event. Wick called out David McFadden, the U23 National champion at the next weight up (79 kg), Welker called out Macey Kilty, who beat her in the UWW Junior finals, 8-2. Gross wouldn’t say who he wanted to wrestle in Underground 3, but said he would take on anybody who wanted to wrestle him.
A three-match youth undercard was added to the event this time. Winners were Hunter Wagner of the Penn WC (118), Gavin Davis of Penn WC (145), and Brady Harper of Penn WC (80).
WRTC UNDERGROUND 2
December 16
Men 182 lbs – Graham Calhoun dec Tanner Mendoza, 12-10
Men 150 lbs. –Dresden Simon tech. fall Aiden Medora, 12-1
Women 131 lbs. – Katelynn Gunderson tech. fall Mateah Roehl, 15-4
Men 150 lbs. –Joey Bianchi dec. Joe Zargo, 12-4
Men 205 lbs. – Chris Weiler pin Kobe Woods, 1:35
Men 135 lbs.– Paul Bianchi dec. Kyle Burwick, 10-6
Men 130 lbs. –Drew Hildebrandt dec. Eric Barnett, 10-4
Women 145 lbs. – Kylie Welker tech. fall Amor Tuttle, 10-0
Women 132 lbs. – Ronna Heaton dec. Koral Sugiyama, 10-7
Men 173 lbs.– Evan Wick tech. fall Kennedy Monday, 16-5
Women 114 lbs. – Erin Golston dec. Maria Vidales, 7-1
Men 132 lbs.– Seth Gross vs. Thomas Gilman
Undercard of youth matches at 6:30 p.m. CT
118 - Hunter Wagner (Penn WC) dec. Amryn Nutter (Team Nazar WC), 10-4
145 - Gavin Davis (Penn WC) vs Maddox Goebel (Sarbacher Wrestling Academy), 10-6
80 - Brady Harper (Penn WC) tech fall. Lincoln Swick (50 Elite), 10-0
In a battle of top lightweight stars, past NCAA champion Seth Gross scored a 4-4 criteria win over 2017 World silver medalist Thomas Gilman in the Main Event at Wisconsin RTC Underground 2 on Wednesday night. The card featured 12 freestyle matches, eight for men and four for women.
Gilman was the aggressor on his feet the entire match, but was not able to complete a takedown on Gross. Gilman led 1-0 at the break when one of his single leg attacks led to a step out. In the second period, Gross scored a counter takedown to lead 2-0. A counter tilt by Gross, with a Gilman reversal made it 4-2. Gilman scored two more points on single legs that went out of bounds, each a caution and one point penalty, to tie it at 4-4. Gross won because he scored a pair of two-point moves.
“I didn’t get my offense going, didn’t shoot much. That’s not me. He is the No. 1 guy at 57 kg. I am coming for that Olympic spot. I am getting better from here,” said Gross in his post-match interview.
Gross and Gilman are already qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in April, and competed at 132 pounds for this match.
It was the second win for Gross on a Wisconsin RTC Underground event, as he defeated Bryce Meredith in Underground 1 in November. Gross, a South Dakota State NCAA champion, completed his college career at Wisconsin, and is training there with the RTC.
Another Wisconsin RTC wrestler, Cadet World champion Ronna Heaton, won an entertaining women’s bout at 132 pounds, 10-7. Her opponent, Koral Sugiyama, a past Senior National Team member who was a college star at the Cumberlands, opened the bout with a four-point headlock. Heaton tied it at 5-5 at the break. A pair of second-period takedowns by Heaton helped hold off Sugiyama for the 10-7 final.
The Wisconsin RTC set up a donation opportunity on the Rokfin broadcast, where fans were giving “tips” that would go to the Outstanding Wrestlers. Over $600 was raised from viewers, and was split evenly between Gross and Heaton, who won the OW award, which included a Twitter poll.
Another big time match came at 173 pounds on the men’s side, when U23 Nationals champion Evan Wick of the Wisconsin RTC opened up his offense for a 16-5 technical fall over Kennedy Monday, an NCAA qualifier for North Carolina. Monday jumped to a 5-0 lead on two takedowns and a stepout, but Wick reeled off 16 straight points. Monday was up 5-4 at the break, but Wick dominated the second period with takedowns and turns.
In a battle of two of the top high school wrestlers in the nation, Wisconsin native Kylie Welker secured a 10-0 first period technical fall over Amor Tuttle of Minnesota at 145 pounds. Welker, ranked No. 1 in the nation, scored two takedowns and three turns. Tuttle has a No. 6 national high school ranking.
Erin Golston, a three-time Junior World medalist and three-time Senior National Team member, was in control in her 7-1 win over Emmanuel College All-American Maria Vidales at 114 pounds.
What made this card even more interesting is that there is a wide variety of active college wrestlers from eight different programs included on the card.
The Bianchi brothers who compete in college for Little Rock, Joey and Paul, returned to their native Wisconsin to secure wins. At 150, younger brother Joey scored a 12-4 win over Wisconsin RTC’s Joe Zargo, while older brother Paul was a 10-6 winner over Wisconsin wrestler Kyle Burwick at 135 pounds.
Chris Weiler, a Wisconsin wrestler who is a graduate transfer from Lehigh, locked up a cradle to secure a pin in 1:35 over Wartburg’s Kobe Woods at 205 pounds.
A pair of MAC champions from Central Michigan won their bouts. Dresden Simon scored four ankle lace turns in a row to close out a 12-1 technical fall over Wisconsin wrestler Aiden Medora, 12-1 at 150 pounds. Drew Hildebrandt dominated on his feet with five takedowns for a 10-4 win over Wisconsin starter Eric Barnett, 10-4.
In a battle of college women who are natives of Wisconsin, Katelyn Gunderson of Lakeland overcame a slow start to secure a 15-4 technical fall over North Central College’s Mateah Roehl. It started with Roehl leading 4-0, but Gunderson ran 15 straight points, including a pair of four-point moves and some turns from par terre.
The opening main card event was a wild 12-10 win by Graham Calhoun, a Wisconsin wrestler, over Tanner Mendoza, who wrestles for Little Rock at 182 pounds. Calhoun led 11-4 in the first period, but Mendoza powered back with six straight points to close it to 11-10. Calhoun closed it out with a counter takedown.
It was announced that the Wisconsin RTC will host Underground 3 in January. A number of the winners had a call-out for an opponent in the next event. Wick called out David McFadden, the U23 National champion at the next weight up (79 kg), Welker called out Macey Kilty, who beat her in the UWW Junior finals, 8-2. Gross wouldn’t say who he wanted to wrestle in Underground 3, but said he would take on anybody who wanted to wrestle him.
A three-match youth undercard was added to the event this time. Winners were Hunter Wagner of the Penn WC (118), Gavin Davis of Penn WC (145), and Brady Harper of Penn WC (80).
WRTC UNDERGROUND 2
December 16
Men 182 lbs – Graham Calhoun dec Tanner Mendoza, 12-10
Men 150 lbs. –Dresden Simon tech. fall Aiden Medora, 12-1
Women 131 lbs. – Katelynn Gunderson tech. fall Mateah Roehl, 15-4
Men 150 lbs. –Joey Bianchi dec. Joe Zargo, 12-4
Men 205 lbs. – Chris Weiler pin Kobe Woods, 1:35
Men 135 lbs.– Paul Bianchi dec. Kyle Burwick, 10-6
Men 130 lbs. –Drew Hildebrandt dec. Eric Barnett, 10-4
Women 145 lbs. – Kylie Welker tech. fall Amor Tuttle, 10-0
Women 132 lbs. – Ronna Heaton dec. Koral Sugiyama, 10-7
Men 173 lbs.– Evan Wick tech. fall Kennedy Monday, 16-5
Women 114 lbs. – Erin Golston dec. Maria Vidales, 7-1
Men 132 lbs.– Seth Gross vs. Thomas Gilman
Undercard of youth matches at 6:30 p.m. CT
118 - Hunter Wagner (Penn WC) dec. Amryn Nutter (Team Nazar WC), 10-4
145 - Gavin Davis (Penn WC) vs Maddox Goebel (Sarbacher Wrestling Academy), 10-6
80 - Brady Harper (Penn WC) tech fall. Lincoln Swick (50 Elite), 10-0
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