Lauridsen, McDanel win titles at Younes Hospitality Open

Four members of USA Wrestling’s Elite Accelerator Program (EAP) competed at the Younes Hospitality Open this weekend, with two winning titles.

EAP athletes are young athletes with Olympic potential, who train at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center (USOPTC) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This includes wrestlers who are still in high school, or are high school graduates who choose to train in the international styles prior to going to college.

The athletes competed in the Younes Hospitality Open, a college-level folkstyle tournament held at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds in Kearney, Nebraska, on Saturday. EAP champions were Kael Lauridsen (Bennington, Neb./EAP) at 125 pounds and Camden McDanel (Circleville, Ohio/EAP) at 197 pounds, both in the Elite division. Folkstyle is the style men compete in on the college level.

Lauridsen went 3-0 on the day, claiming his first round match by 22-4 technical fall. Lauridsen edged out Chadron State’s Quade Smith in the semifinals, before defeating host Nebraska-Kearney’s Zachary Ourada by 11-2 major decision in the finals.

McDanel opened his tournament with a first round major decision win, then went on to pick up one technical fall win and three decisions. In the finals, McDanel defeated Southwest Minnesota State’s Caden Steffen by 7-3 decision. This is the second college-level folkstyle tournament win of the season for McDanel after winning his bracket at the Colorado Mines Rookie Open earlier this month.

In the Amateur division, Anwar Alli (Ashley, Ohio/EAP) placed second in his bracket at 157 pounds, and Ramon Salazar (San Tan Valley, Ariz./EAP) was fourth at 141 pounds.

YOUNES HOSPITALITY OPEN

At Kearney, Neb., Nov. 18

Men’s Folkstyle Champions

Elite

125 – Kael Lauridsen (EAP)

133 – 1st Place - Quentrevion Campbell of Chadron State

141 – Blake Cushing (Nebraska)

149 – Cody Thompson (Colorado Mines)

157 – Ethan Stiles (Nebraska)

165 – Aaden Valdez (Adams State)

174 – Otgonbayar Batsuuri (Northwest Kansas Tech)

184 – Wyatt Lidberg (Mary)

197 – Camden McDanel (EAP)

285 – Crew Howard (Nebraska-Kearney)

Amateur

125 – Bridger Ricks (Western Wyoming)

133 – Cody Phelps (Western Wyoming)

141 – Trason Oehme (Air Force)

149 – Layton Schneider (Unattatched)

157 – Joseph Jeter (Unattached)

165 – Andrew Harmon (Air Force Prep)

174 – Logan Berger (Chadron State)

184 – Blake Jouret (Pratt CC)

197 – Brian Burburija (Air Force Prep)

285 – Oscar Williams (Unattached)

EAP men’s folkstyle results

Elite 125 – Kael Lauridsen, Bennington, Neb., Gold Medal

WIN Hector Serratos (Nebraska-Kearney), tech. fall 22-4

WIN Quade Smith (Chadron State), dec. 11-4

WIN Zachary Ourada (Nebraska-Kearney) , maj. dec. 11-2

Elite 197 – Camden McDanel, Circleville, Ohio, Gold Medal

WIN Deandre Rucker (Colorado School Of Mines), maj. dec. 11-2

WIN Brahn Howard (Texas Wesleyan), dec. 5-2

WIN Luke MacDonald (Iowa Western CC), tech. fall 17-1

WIN Tereus Henry (Fort Hays State), dec. 5-3

WIN Caden Steffen (Southwest Minnesota State) , dec. 7-3

Amateur 141 – Roman Salazar, San Tan Valley, Ariz., 4th place

WIN Shiwoko Shiwoko (Waldorf (Iowa)), tech. fall 17-1

WIN Jevin Foust (Newman), dec. 9-7

WIN over Elijah Olguin (Adams State), dec. 5-2

LOSS Trason Oehme (Air Force), dec. 9-7

WIN Ely Olberding (Southeast CC) (NC)

WIN Joseph Misitano (New Mexico Highlands), dec. 7-6

WIN Justin Rodriguez (Pratt CC), pin 2:04

LOSS River Wardle (Western Wyoming), pin 2:08

Amateur 157 – Anwar Alli, Ashley, Ohio, Silver Medal

WIN  Ethan Coy (Western Wyoming), pin 6:38

WIN Richard Palomar (CSU Pueblo), dec. 9-2

WIN Sammy Mobly (Colorado Mesa), dec. 2-1

WIN Lane Ewing (Mary), dec. 5-2

WIN Clayton Robinson (Chadron State), dec. 6-1

LOSS Joseph Jeter (Unattached), maj. dec. 12-3