Semifinals set at Senior Nationals in all Greco-Roman weights and first three women’s weights
by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
FORT WORTH, Texas – Semifinals have been set at the 2023 Senior Nationals in all six Greco-Roman weight classes, as well as the first three women’s freestyle weight classes (50 kg, 53 kg, 57 kg) at the Fort Worth Convention Center.
The top five finishers in each weight classes earn a berth to the U.S. Olympic Team Trials at Penn State, April 19-20.
In addition, USA Wrestling is using the 2023 Senior Nationals as its qualifying event for the U.S. Greco-Roman team that will compete in the 2024 Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier in Acapulco, Mexico, February 28-March 1.
In Greco-Roman, all six of the No. 1 seeds reached the semifinals, including Olympians Alejandro Sancho at 67 kg and Aliksandr Kikinou at 77 kg, as well as 2018 World silver medalist Adam Coon at 130 kg. Sancho was a U.S. Olympian in 2020, while Kikinou, now a U.S. citizen, competed in the Olympics for Belarus in 2012.
Other top seeds reaching the semifinals are Randon Miranda (60 kg), 2023 World Team member Zachary Braunagel (87 kg) and three-time U.S. World Team member Joe Rau (97 kg).
Another Olympian in the semifinals is new U.S. citizen Mahmoud Sebie at 87 kg. Sebie was a 2016 Olympian for Egypt. Seeded No. 10, Sebie defeated No. 7 seed and two-time U.S. Olympian Ben Provisor in the second round, 5-4, then scored an 11-0 tech fall over Fritz Schierl in the quarterfinals. He will face No. 3 seed Richard Carlson in the semifinals.
The lowest seed to reach the semifinals was No. 7 David Stepanian at 67 kg, who defeated No. 2 seed and past World Team member Patrick Smith in the quarterfinals, 5-4. Stepanian will battle No. 6 seed Peyton Omania, a past World Team member, who beat No. 3 seed Justus Scott in the quarterfinals.
The women’s freestyle tournament began with three weight classes, 50 kg, 53 kg and 55 kg. All three of the No. 1 seeds also advanced to semifinals, Erin Golston at 50 kg, Katie Gomez at 53 kg and Alex Hedrick at 57 kg.
2016 Olympian Haley Augello, who made a comeback this year and was seeded No. 4, advanced to the semifinals, where she will battle Gomez.
Only one unseeded wrestler reached the semifinals, Kaelani Shufeldt of California at 50 kg. Schufeldt, who is a sophomore at Lock Haven, knocked off No. 2 seed and two-time World medalist Alyssa Lampe in the second round, 12-8, then beat No. 7 seed Kendra Ryan in the quarterfinals with a pin in 5:51. Shufeldt will battle No. 6 seed Samara Chavez in the semifinals
No. 7 seed Vayle Baker reached the 53 kg semifinals, where she will wrestle No. 3 seed Areana Villaescusa. Baker stopped No. 2 seed Lauren Mason in the quarterfinals by technical fall.
The semifinals round will begin at 4:00 p.m. Central time, live on FloWrestling.
The semifinals winners will advance to Saturday’s finals, except in three Greco-Roman weight classes (60 kg, 77 kg and 130 kg). Sitting out until the finals are 2023 World Team members and 2023 Pan American Games medalists Ildar Hafizov (60 kg), Kamal Bey (77 kg) and Cohlton Schultz (130 kg). In these weights, the winner of the match between semifinals winners will advance to Saturday for a finals against those who sat out. This is part of the process for the Pan American Olympic Qualifier team selection.
SENIOR NATIONALS
At Fort Worth, Texas, December 15
Greco-Roman semifinal pairings
60 kg
Randon Miranda (Greco-Roman National Team) vs. Max Black (NMU-National Training Center)
Sammy Jones (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) vs. Hayden Tuma (New York Athletic Club)
67 kg
Alejandro Sancho (Army (WCAP) vs. Robert Perez III (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club)
Peyton Omania (Michigan) vs. David Stepanian (New York Athletic Club)
77 kg:
Aliaksandr Kikiniou (California) vs. Benjamin Peak (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club)
Payton Jacobson (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) vs. RaVaughn Perkins (New York Athletic Club)
87 kg
Zachary Braunagel (Illinois Regional Training Center/Illini WC) vs. Spencer Woods (Army (WCAP)
Richard Carlson (Minnesota Storm) vs. Mahmoud Sebie (Florida)
97 kg
Josef Rau (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) vs. Nicholas Boykin (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club)
Alan Vera (New York Athletic Club) vs. Christian DuLaney (Minnesota Storm)
130 kg
Adam Coon (Cliff Keen Wrestling Club) vs. Aden Attao (Beaver Dam Wrestling Regional Training Center)
Donny Longendyke (Minnesota Storm) vs. Courtney Freeman (Marines)
Greco-Roman quarterfinals results
60 kg
Randon Miranda (Greco-Roman National Team) tech fall over Taylor LaMont (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) 9-1
Max Black (NMU-National Training Center) dec. Brady Koontz (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) 11-6
Sammy Jones (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) dec. Dylan Gregerson (New York Athletic Club) 3-3
Hayden Tuma (New York Athletic Club) tech fall Dylan Koontz (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) 8-0
67 kg
Alejandro Sancho (Army (WCAP)) tech fall Hunter Lewis (North Carolina) 8-0
Robert Perez III (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) dec. Xavier Johnson (Army (WCAP) 9-3
Peyton Omania (Michigan) dec. Justus Scott (Army WCAP) 4-3
David Stepanian (New York Athletic Club) dec. Patrick Smith (New York Athletic Club) 5-4
77 kg
Aliaksandr Kikiniou (California) tech fall Danny Braunagel (Illinois Regional Training Center/Illini WC)10-0
Benjamin Peak (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) tech fall Britton Holmes (Army (WCAP)) 12-3
Payton Jacobson (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) dec. Tyler Eischens (Tar Heel Wrestling Club) 7-1
RaVaughn Perkins (New York Athletic Club) dec. Aydin Rix McElhinney (Northern Colorado Wrestling Club) 9-2
87 kg
Zachary Braunagel (Illinois Regional Training Center/Illini WC) dec. Andrew Berreyesa (New York Athletic Club) 3-2
Spencer Woods (Army (WCAP)) dec. John Stefanowicz (Navy Wrestling Club) 5-1
Richard Carlson (Minnesota Storm) inj. dft. Ryan Epps (Army WCAP) 5:22
Mahmoud Sebie (Florida) tech fall Fritz Schierl (Minnesota Storm) 11-0
97 kg
Josef Rau (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) pin MacAron Kukowski (Minnesota Storm) 1:57
Nicholas Boykin (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) dec. David Tate Orndorff (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) 1-1
Alan Vera (New York Athletic Club) tech fall Michael Altomer (Curby 3 Style Wrestling Club) 11-1
Christian DuLaney (Minnesota Storm) tech fall Orry Elor (New York Athletic Club) 9-0
130 kg
Adam Coon (Cliff Keen Wrestling Club) tech fall Michael Rogers (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) 9-1
Aden Attao (Beaver Dam Wrestling Regional Training Center) pin Kaleb Reeves (Big Game Wrestling Club) 1:20
Donny Longendyke (Minnesota Storm) dec. West Cathcart (New York Athletic Club) 3-2
Courtney Freeman (Marines) tech fall Donovan King (Olivet Wrestling Club) 10-0
Women’s freestyle semifinal pairings
50 kg
Erin Golston (New York Athletic Club) vs. Sage Mortimer (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club)
Samara Chavez (Team Tornado Wrestling Club) vs. Kaelani Shufeldt (California)
53 kg
Katie Gomez (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) vs. Haley Augello (Izzy Style Wrestling)
Areana Villaescusa (Army (WCAP) vs. Vayle Baker (West Point Wrestling Club)
57 kg
Alexandra Hedrick (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) vs. Cristelle Rodriguez (Tiger Wrestling Club)
Shelby Moore (Bearcat Wrestling Club) vs. Amanda Martinez (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club)
Women’s freestyle quarterfinal results
50 kg
Erin Golston (New York Athletic Club) dec. Mia Palumbo (Illinois) 2-1
Sage Mortimer (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) tech fall Jaslynn Gallegos (Cardinal Wrestling Club) 17-4
Samara Chavez (Team Tornado Wrestling Club) pin Emily Shilson (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) 5:57
Kaelani Shufeldt (California) won by fall over Kendra Ryan (Cardinal Wrestling Club) Fall 5:51
53 kg
Katie Gomez (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) dec. Clare Booe (Wyoming Seminary Wrestling Club) 10-8
Haley Augello (Izzy Style Wrestling) dec. Sydney Petzinger (Cardinal Wrestling Club) 6-2
Areana Villaescusa (Army (WCAP) dec. Elena Ivaldi (California) 9-2
Vayle Baker (West Point Wrestling Club) tech fall Lauren Mason (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) 13-1
57 kg
Alexandra Hedrick (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) tech fall Montana DeLawder (Team Tornado Wrestling Club) 11-1
Cristelle Rodriguez (Tiger Wrestling Club) dec. Cameron Guerin (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) 10-5
Shelby Moore (Bearcat Wrestling Club) dec. Carolina Moreno (Arizona) 5-5
Amanda Martinez (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) tech fall Ashley Whetzal (The Valley Wrestling Club) 10-0