#WrestleTirana Tuesday Session I Live Blog: Zapf, Trumble to the semifinals
by Savannah Asmann, USA Wrestling
U.S. Session One Men's Freestyle Results
57 kg – Cooper Flynn (Seymour, Tenn./Southeast RTC/Titan Mercury WC)
WIN Vasyl Ilnytskyi (Poland), dec. 4-1
LOSS Manvel Khndzrtsyan (Armenia), tech. fall 11-0
65 kg – Brock Hardy (Brigham City, Utah/Nebraska WTC)
WIN Sammy Alvarez (Puerto Rico), dec. 12-7
WIN Artem Kryvenko (Ukraine), tech. fall 11-0
LOSS Ziraddin Bayramov (Azerbaijan), dec. 14-11
70 kg – Doug Zapf (Downingtown, Pa., Pennsylvania RTC)
WIN Benedikt Huber (Austria), tech. fall 12-1
WIN Ion Marcu (Moldova), dec. 7-0
WIN Orozobek Toktomambetov (Kyrgyzstan), dec. 3-3
Semifinals - Inalbek Sheriev (AIN)
79 kg – Dustin Plott (Tuttle, Okla./Cowboy RTC)
LOSS Masaki Sato (Japan), dec. 2-2
97 kg – Isaac Trumble (Springfield, Neb./Wolfpack, WC/Titan Mercury WC)
WIN Ito Hibiki (Japan), dec. 13-4
WIN Oktay Ciftci (Turkey), tech. fall 11-0
Semifinals - Sergey Sargsyan (Armenia)
----
A quick session one day two rundown: Doug Zapf (70 kg) and Isaac Trumble (97 kg) advanced to the semifinals, Brock Hardy (65 kg) and Cooper Flynn (57 kg) await their repechage fate. Dustin Plott's (79 kg) tournament ends after Masaki Sato falls in the quarterfinals.
----
65 kg - Ziraddin Bayramov (Azerbaijan) dec. Brock Hardy (United States), 14-11
This one was high-scoring, fast-paced, but unfortunately came down to the last seconds as a few scrambles were decisive in the bout. Hardy awaits his repechage fate later tonight.
----
70 kg - Doug Zapf (United States) dec. Orozobek Toktomambetov (Kyrgyzstan), 3-3
We have another semifinalist! Zapf earned a point on a passivity call but fell behind 3-1. He never let up on the gas as a late takedown gave Zapf the win. He joins Trumble in the semifinals in his first age-group World Championships.
----
97 kg - Isaac Trumble (United States) tech. fall Oktay Ciftci (Turkey), 11-0
It's been all Isaac Trumble today, and this match was no different. Trumble was awarded a point after Ciftci was put on the clock, then added a takedown before the end of the first period. He got Ciftci to his back with under two remaining, then built on his lead from there. The semifinals are up next for Trumble!
----
65 kg - Brock Hardy (United States) tech. fall Artem Kryvenko (Ukraine), 11-0
It was Hardy's match from start to finish as he captured a commanding win.
----
57 kg - Manvel Khndzrtsyan (Armenia) tech. fall Cooper Flynn (United States), 11-0
Flynn fell behind early and was unable to rally back, dropping the match to the Armenian in the round of 16.
----
79 kg - Masaki Sato (Japan) dec. Dustin Plott (United States), 2-2
Sato got on the board early with a takedown, but refused to take a shot the rest of the match. Plott was unable to score on an evading Sato, losing the match on criteria.
----
Dustin Plott is coming up on Mat C, the first match of the day for the Cowboy. He faces Japan's Masaki Sato.
----
70 kg - Doug Zapf (United States) dec. Ion Marcu (Moldova), 7-0
Zapf is on to the quarters after a commanding win over his opponent from Moldova. The American controlled the entire match from start to finish, as Marcu was called for passivity early on.
----
97 kg - Isaac Trumble (United States) dec. Ito Hibiki (Japan), 13-4
An interesting move that appeared to show Trumble in control granted him the points, but Japan challenged the call and won, giving Hibiki an early lead. The rest of the match showed Trumble in command as he tallied 13 points in the two periods, winning the match 13-4.
----
65 kg - Brock Hardy (United States) dec. Sammy Alvarez (Puerto Rico), 12-7
A fast-paced, high-scoring match that was back and forth between Hardy and Alvarez saw the Cornhusker emerge on top, 12-7. The score was close at the start as Hardy led Alvarez 2-0, but Alvarez fired back with two takedowns and led 4-2. He built on his lead but Hardy scored a big four-point move getting Alvarez to his back, leading 6-4. A lost challenge gave the American another point, and Alvarez aimed to close the gap but Hardy sealed the deal with five points to win 12-7.
----
57 kg - Cooper Flynn (United States) dec. Vasyl Ilnytskyi (Poland), 4-1
Flynn comes out of the gate with a takedown, but is put on the shot clock after a few minutes, giving Ilnytskyi his only point in the six minutes on the mat. A late attempt by Ilnytskyi is anticipated by Flynn who uses it as an opportunity to score another takedown.
----
There are a few matches until Cooper Flynn takes the mat for the first time in Albania. Isaac Trumble will face Japan's Ito Hibiki three matches after Flynn. Both will be on Mat B.
It's a Cornhusker versus Cowboy matchup at 65 kg as Brock Hardy faces Sammy Alvarez (Puerto Rico) in a few matches on Mat C. If the name is familiar, Alvarez wrestles at Oklahoma State.
----
70 kg - Doug Zapf (United States) tech. fall Benedikt Huber (Austria), 12-1
Zapf's tournament got off to a quick start as he earned the win by technical fall in his first match here in Tirana. Zapf worked nicely on a single leg, adding two gut wrenches to jump ahead. He built on his lead and staved off his opponent's attacks to end the match at 2:42.
----
92 kg - Jacob Cardenas (United States) dec. Satoshi Miura (Japan), 6-0
A big four-point move off the whistle gets the crowd roaring and puts Cardenas ahead early. He adds a takedown in the second for the win and guarantees himself a spot in the bronze medal match.
----
61 kg - Mezhlum Mezhlumyan (Armenia) tech. fall Julian Chlebove (United States), 11-0
In the repechage match at 61 kg, Chlebove fell behind 5-0 at the start of the match on a step out, a takedown and turn late in the first period. His opponent built on the lead and ended the match early by 11-0 technical fall, ending Chlebove's tournament.
----
The 30 minute countdown to action on day two begins now. We'll start with repechage, as Julian Chlebove (61 kg) and Jacob Cardenas (92 kg) remain in the hunt for bronze. It'll be Chlebove up first of the two Americans and Cardenas follows as the match in the hole. Both matches will be on Mat A in Tirana, and you can follow along to the Live Blog, Twitter, or watch on FloSports.
