World Team Trials Session I: All No. 1 seeds advance to semifinals tonight, but some big names beaten

Jordan Burroughs of the Sunkist Kids on the mats at the World Team Trials. Photo by Austin Bernard.

During the morning session at the Senior World Team Trials in Lincoln, Neb. today, all of the No. 1 seeds in the Challenge Tournament in the 22 weight classes contested have advanced to the semifinals tonight.

That doesn’t mean there weren’t any upsets, since a number of big names in all three styles were beaten during the intense session. Three No. 2 seeds fell and did not advance to the 5:30 p.m. CT semifinals.

Two of these occurred in women’s freestyle. At 53 kg, No. 7 seed Amy Fearnside of Titan Mercury WC scored a 6-1 decision over No. 2 seed Dominique Parrish of the Sunkist Kids. Fearnside will battle No. 3 seed and two-time World bronze medalist Alyssa Lampe of the Sunkist Kids in the semifinals.

At 55 kg, No. 7 seed Samantha Klingel of the Army WCAP shocked No. 2 seed Cheyenne Sisenstein of Team Tornado WC with a fall in 2:23. Klingel, however, will not be in the semifinals. Because 2020 Tokyo Olympian Jacarra Winchester of the Titan Mercury WC had secured a spot in the semifinals by placing fifth in the Olympic Games, there was a wrestle-off for the semifinal berth between Klingel and Amanda Martinez of the Cardinal WC. Martinez won that match with a 10-0 technical fall, and will battle Winchester in the semifinals.

The other No. 7 seed to beat a No. 2 seed came in Greco-Roman, as Zachary Grimes of the NYAC secured an impressive 10-1 technical fall over Olympic Trials runner-up Peyton Walsh of the U.S. Marines. Grimes has now drawn No. 6 seed Fritz Schierl of the Titan Mercury WC in the semifinals. Schierl beat No. 3 seed Austin Morrow of NYAC in the quarterfinals by fall.

A few other highlights from today’s action:

MEN’S FREESTYLE

Two international stars who competed at Nebraska and trained here for many years but have moved on had successful homecomings this morning. 2012 Olympic champion and four-time World champion Jordan Burroughs, the No. 1 seed at 79 kg, and two-time World medalist James Green of the Titan Mercury WC, No. 1 seed at 70 kg, have both advanced. Green left here first, going to Virginia Tech and the Southeast RTC, and Burroughs recently moved back to his hometown area with the Pennsylvania RTC in Philadelphia.

Green will battle Olympic Trials champion Jordan Oliver in his 70 kg semifinals, while Burroughs has former Penn State star Jason Nolf in his semifinal at 79 kg. Oliver won a tremendously anticipated quarterfinal, beating two-time Senior World Team member Zain Retherford of Titan Mercury WC, 2-2 by criteria on a late step out point.

2016 Olympic bronze medalist and two-time World champion J’den Cox of the Titan Mercury WC reached the 92 kg semifinals against Myles Martin of the Titan Mercury WC. Cox won both of his World titles at 92 kg.

GRECO-ROMAN

Advancing into the semifinals were all five Olympians in the field, including 2020 Tokyo Olympians Ildar Hafizov of Army WCAP at 60 kg, Alejandro Sancho of Army WCAP at 67 kg and G’Angelo Hancock of the Sunkist Kids at 97 kg, plus 2012 Olympian Jesse Thielke of Army WCAP at 67 kg and 2012 and 2016 Olympian Ben Provisor at 82 kg. Hafizov, Provisor and Hancock, as No. 1 seeds, had byes this morning, but Sancho and Thielke had to wrestle their way into the semifinals. Thielke and Sancho, who are teammates with the Army, will not battle in the semifinals, as they are placed in opposite brackets.

Multiple age-group World medalist and Arizona State All-American Cohlton Schultz advanced to the 130 kg semifinals as the No. 1 seed, where he will battle Tanner Farmer of the New York AC. Farmer was a star lineman for the University of Nebraska in college, and picked up Greco-Roman wrestling again after his college career. (The Nebraska Huskers are playing a football game against Buffalo Bisons across the street from the Pinnacle Bank Arena). The Olympic Trials champion at this weight class, Adam Coon, is not entered, as he is currently pursuing a career in professional football.

WOMEN’S FREESTYLE

There were a pair of 17-year-old high school juniors who reached the Olympic Trials finals this past year, Kennedy Blades at 68 kg and Kylie Welker at 76 kg. Now starting their senior year in high school, both are semifinalists at 72 kg here, with Blades seeded No. 1 and Welker No. 2. Blades battles Dymond Guilford of Titan Mercury WC in her semifinal, while Welker faces Yelena Makoyed of Cardinal WC in her semifinal. If they both win, they will have a rematch from the 68 kg Last Chance Olympic Trials Qualifier, where Blades won the match.

Winchester is not the only 2020 Olympian in the tournament today. Kayla Miracle of the Sunkist Kids, who competed in Tokyo at 62 kg, came in as No. 1 seed at 62 kg. Because Miracle did not reach a medal match at the Olympics, she has no advantage at this event (while Winchester was able to be placed in the semifinals directly). Miracle will battle Gracie Figueroa of Titan Mercury WC in the semifinals.

Click here for World Team Trials semifinals pairings

Quarterfinal results

Men’s freestyle

61 kg
Tyler Graff (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) dec. Josh Kramer (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club), 12-5
Daton Fix (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) tech. fall Seth Gross (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club), 11-0 4:41
Nathan Tomasello (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) dec. Nick Suriano (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club), 3-0
Joe Colon (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) dec. Nahshon Garrett (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club), 13-12

65 kg
Luke Pletcher (TMWC /PWC) dec. Dean Heil (Titan Mercury WC), 7-4
Evan Henderson (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) dec. Henry Pohlmeyer (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club), 12-2 4:58

70 kg
James Green (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) pin Harold 'brock' Mauller (Tiger Style Wrestling Club), 4:07
Jordan Oliver (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) dec. Zain Retherford (TMWC / Nittany Lion Wrestling Club), 2-2
70 bottom half
Ryan Deakin (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) dec. Tyler Berger(TMWC / California RTC), 10-6
Alec Pantaleo (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) dec. Brayton Lee (Gopher Wrestling Club - RTC), 9-0

79 kg
Jordan Burroughs (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) dec. Chance Marsteller (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club), 4-1
Jason Nolf (TMWC / Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) tech. fall Evan Wick (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club), 10-0 4:03
Isaiah Martinez (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) dec. Taylor Lujan (TMWC / Panther Wrestling Club RTC), 10-7
Alex Dieringer (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) dec. David Mcfadden VA (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club), 3-1

92 kg
J'den Cox (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) tech. fall Drew Foster (Panther Wrestling Club RTC), 11-0 4:07
Myles Martin (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) dec. Kyven Gadson IA (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club), 4-0
Kollin Moore (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) dec. Trent Hidlay (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club), 5-4
Nathan Jackson (New York Athletic Club) tech. fall Isaac Trumble (TMWC / Wolfpack Wrestling Club), 10-0 0:21

125 kg
Nick Gwiazdowski (TMWC / Spartan Combat RTC) tech. fall Demertius Thomas MO (Pittsburgh Wrestling Club), 10-0 4:18
Jordan Wood (Pennsylvania) dec. Ty Walz (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club), 1-1
Hayden Zillmer (Gopher Wrestling Club - RTC) dec. Dominique Bradley (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club), 5-3
Mason Parris (Cliff Keen Wrestling Club) pin Austin Schafer (New York Athletic Club), 10-2 2:15

Women’s freestyle

53 kg
Ronna Heaton (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) pin Emily Shilson (TMWC / Twin Cities RTC), 8-2 5:05
Areana Villaescusa (Army (WCAP)) dec. Alexandra Hedrick (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club), 6-4
Alyssa Lampe (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) dec. Alisha Howk WI (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club), 8-4
Amy Fearnside (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) dec. Dominique Parrish CA (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club), 6-1

55 kg
Jenna Burkert (Army (WCAP) dec. Lauren Mason (Brunson UVRTC), 7-2
Marissa Gallegos (Colorado Mesa Wrestling Club) dec. Melanie Mendoza (Team Tornado Wrestling Club), 4-2
Amanda Martinez (Cardinal Wrestling Club) tech. fall Ngao shoua Whitethorn (Twin Cities Regional Training Center), 12-2 4:04
Samantha Klingel (Army (WCAP) pin Cheyenne Sisenstein (Team Tornado Wrestling Club), 4-2 2:23

59 kg
Maya Nelson (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) pin Claire Dicugno WA (Takedown Express Wrestling Club), 13-0 1:49
Xochitl Mota-pettis (Rise RTC) tech. fall Brenda Reyna WA (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club), 10-0 0:57
Megan Black (Army (WCAP)) pin Cameron Guerin (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club), 13-6 5:59
Michaela Beck (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) tech. fall Esther Han UT (Utah), 12-2 3:36

62 kg
Kayla Miracle (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) pin Sierra Brown ton (Twin Cities Regional Training Center), 2-0 0:20
Gracie Figueroa CA (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) dec. Ana Luciano (Osceola High School Wrestling), 4-0
Jennifer Page (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) pin Desiree Zavala (Washington), 11-0 2:02
Mallory Velte (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) tech. fall Zoe Nowicki (Bulldog Wrestling Club), 10-0 2:13

65 kg
Forrest Molinari (Sunkist Kids) dec. Alara Boyd (McKendree Bearcat WC), 8-2
Skylar Grote (New York Athletic Club) dec. Ashlynn Ortega CO (Colorado), 5-2
Solin Piearcy (Menlo WC) dec. Julia Salata(New York Athletic Club), 10-8
Emma Bruntil (Titan Mercury WC) tech. fall Marisol Nugent (Sunkist Kids), 10-0 2:54

72 kg
Kennedy Blades (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) tech. fall Aury Naylor (Georgia), 10-0 0:49
Dymond Guilford (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) dec. Alyvia Fiske (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club), 8-4
Yelena Makoyed (Cardinal Wrestling Club) tech. fall Nahiela Magee (Army (WCAP)), 10-0 1:42
Kylie Welker (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) pin Marlynne Deede (Twin Cities Regional Training Center), 0:37

Greco-Roman

50 kg
Dalton Duffield (Army (WCAP) tech. Jacob Cochran (Florida), 14-5 4:15
Billy Sullivan (Legends of Gold Las Vegas) tech fall Gabriel Gray (Texas Panhandle Wrestling Club), 10-0 0:34

60 kg
King Sandoval DC (Bandits Wrestling Club) pin Dylan Koontz (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club), 3-2 2:10
Randon Miranda (Rise RTC) tech. fall Aidan Nutter (NMU-National Training Center), 9-0 1:50

63 kg
We Rachal (Illinois RTC /Illini WC) dec. Corbin Nirschl (MWC Wrestling Academy), 5-1
Dylan Gregerson (Brunson UVRTC) tech. fall Mason Lewis PA (Pennsylvania), 8-0 2:08

67 kg
Alejandro Sancho (Army (WCAP) dec. Morgan Flaharty (New York Athletic Club), 8-2
Alston Nutter (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) tech. fall Calvin Germinaro (Minnesota Storm), 12-1 2:03
Peyton Omania (New York Athletic Club) tech. fall Hayden Tuma (Suples Wrestling Club), 9-0 2:39
Jesse Thielke (Army (WCAP)) tech. fall Jessy Williams (Spartan Combat RTC), 9-0 2:00

72 kg
Patrick Smith (Minnesota Storm) pin Griffin Parriott (Minnesota), 9-0 4:25
Michael Hooker (Army (WCAP) tech fall Payton Jacobson (Wisconsin), 9-0 1:50
Jamel Johnson NC (Marines) tech. fall Justus Scott (Legends of Gold Las Vegas), 8-0 0:37
Benjamin Peak WI (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) tech. fall Brandon Mueller CO (505 Wrestling Club), 9-0 0:49

77 kg
Jesse Porter (New York Athletic Club) tech. fall Quentin Perez (Navy-Marine Corps Mat Club), 11-0 2:21
Alec Ortiz (Minnesota Storm) dec. Britton Holmes (Army (WCAP)), 9-4
Fritz Schierl (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) pin Austin Morrow (New York Athletic Club), 4-4 1:18
Zachary Grimes (New York Athletic Club) tech. fall Peyton Walsh NC (Marines), 10-1 4:37

82 kg
Richard Carlson (Minnesota Storm) pin Tyler Cunningham (MWC Wrestling Academy), 5-1 4:58
Tommy Brackett (Gator Wrestling Club) tech. fall John Hagey (505 Wrestling Club), 8-0 0:52

87 kg
Ryan Epps MN (Minnesota Storm) dec. Tyler Hannah WI (Combat W.C. School of Wrestling), 9-4

97 kg
Khymba Johnson(New York Athletic Club) dec. James Souza (Army WCAP), 3-1
Nicholas Boykin TN (Sunkist Kids) tech. fall Chad Porter (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club), 8-0 4:39
Lucas Sheridan (Army WCAP) tech. fall Macaron Kukowski (Minnesota Storm), 13-2 3:00

130 kg
Cohlton Schultz (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) dec. Brandon Metz (Bison Wrestling Club), 6-1
Tanner Farmer (New York Athletic Club) disq Malcolm Allen (Legends of Gold), 8-0
Donny Longendyke (Minnesota) tech. fall Lee Herrington (Nebraska Golden Eagles Wrestling Club), 9-0 2:25
Jacob Mitchell (Army (WCAP) tech. fall Keaton Fanning (NMU-National Training Center), 8-0 1:08