Roommates Hildebrandt, Ragan earn World Team berths with Non-Olympic Weight Trials titles in women's freestyle
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Alli Ragan takes down Mallory Velte in the 60 kg finals series at the Non-Olympic Weight World Team Trials. Photo by Larry Slater.
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Roommates at King University and now roommates at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, Sarah Hildebrandt and Alli Ragan will be teammates at the Non-Olympic Weight World Championships in Budapest, Hungary on December 10-11.
Both came up big with victories in their best-of-three series on Thursday at the U.S. Non-Olympic Weights World Team Trials at the New York Athletic Club.
Hildebrandt (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) will compete at her first Senior World Championships after defeating feature three-time World Team member Whitney Conder (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) at 55 kg/121 lbs. Hildebrandt nailed a headlock to break open each match.
In the first match, Conder led 1-0 after the first period on a shot clock violation. Hildebrandt hit a big four-point headlock in the second period, which Conder rolled through for two points, then secured a tight 4-3 decision.
In bout number two, Hildebrandt led 1-0 at the break. In the second period, she was on the shot clock, but stepped out of bounds to lose a point and tie it at 1-1. However, because she did not have a caution, she was ahead on the criteria. She scored two more points on another headlock and finished with a 3-2 win and a series sweep.
Hildebrandt was seeded fourth, and beat 2012 Olympian and top seed Kelsey Campbell in the semifinals. Conder was seeded second. Based upon her clutch wrestling, Hildebrandt was named Outstanding Wrestler among the women in the combined World Team Trials and Bill Farrell International, which included $500 in prize money.
“Today has been a crazy day. My weight class is stacked. There are six girls who everybody could beat each other. I wasn’t worried about seeding. I had Kelsey Campbell in the semis and won that one. I had a game plan in every single one of my matches. Normally, I have a game plan but don’t stick to it all the way through. This time I was persistent, even if it wasn’t working in the beginning,” said Hildebrandt.
At 60 kg/132 lbs., Ragan (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) made her fourth U.S. World Team with a two-match sweep over Mallory Velte (Sacramento, Calif./Titan Mercury WC) for the title. Ragan was seeded No. 1 and Velte No. 2 in the weight.
In the first period of bout one, Ragan hit a nice four-point hip-toss, then Velte scored a takedown for a 4-2 lead. In the second period, Ragan scored two more takedowns for an 8-2 win.
In the second match, Ragan led 2-1 in the opening period, then scored a takedown with 10 seconds to go in the period to lead 4-1. No points were scored in the second period, and Ragan secured the win.
Ragan was fifth at the 2014 World Championships, and will be seeking her first World medal. She competed at either 58 kg or 59 kg in her previous World appearances.
“I thought I wrestled good. Obviously I have a lot more to do to be a World champion. Wrestling throughout the whole six minutes is crucial. I kind of did that today, but I have to enhance that. I am never satisfied, so definitely I am going back to work,” said Ragan.
The Non-Olympic Weight World Team Trials continue on Friday with men’s freestyle action at 61 kg/134 lbs. and 70 kg/154 lbs.
U.S. NON-OLYMPIC WEIGHT WORLD TEAM TRIALS
At New York, N.Y.
55 kg/121 lbs.
1st - Sarah Hildebrandt, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/OTC) dec. Whitney Conder, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP), two matches to zero
Bout One – Hildebrandt dec. Conder, 4-3
Bout Two – Hildebrant dec. Conder, 3-2
3rd place– Jacarra Winchester (Titan Mercury WC) tech. fall Deanna Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 12-0
60 kg/132 lbs.
1st- Alli Ragan, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Mallory Velte, Sacramento, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC), two matches to zero
Bout One – Ragan dec. Velte, 8-2
Bout Two – Ragan dec. Velte, 4-1
3rd place – Jennifer Page, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Kayla Miracle, Campbellsville, Ky. (Sunkist Kids), 2-2
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Roommates at King University and now roommates at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, Sarah Hildebrandt and Alli Ragan will be teammates at the Non-Olympic Weight World Championships in Budapest, Hungary on December 10-11.
Both came up big with victories in their best-of-three series on Thursday at the U.S. Non-Olympic Weights World Team Trials at the New York Athletic Club.
Hildebrandt (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) will compete at her first Senior World Championships after defeating feature three-time World Team member Whitney Conder (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) at 55 kg/121 lbs. Hildebrandt nailed a headlock to break open each match.
In the first match, Conder led 1-0 after the first period on a shot clock violation. Hildebrandt hit a big four-point headlock in the second period, which Conder rolled through for two points, then secured a tight 4-3 decision.
In bout number two, Hildebrandt led 1-0 at the break. In the second period, she was on the shot clock, but stepped out of bounds to lose a point and tie it at 1-1. However, because she did not have a caution, she was ahead on the criteria. She scored two more points on another headlock and finished with a 3-2 win and a series sweep.
Hildebrandt was seeded fourth, and beat 2012 Olympian and top seed Kelsey Campbell in the semifinals. Conder was seeded second. Based upon her clutch wrestling, Hildebrandt was named Outstanding Wrestler among the women in the combined World Team Trials and Bill Farrell International, which included $500 in prize money.
“Today has been a crazy day. My weight class is stacked. There are six girls who everybody could beat each other. I wasn’t worried about seeding. I had Kelsey Campbell in the semis and won that one. I had a game plan in every single one of my matches. Normally, I have a game plan but don’t stick to it all the way through. This time I was persistent, even if it wasn’t working in the beginning,” said Hildebrandt.
At 60 kg/132 lbs., Ragan (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) made her fourth U.S. World Team with a two-match sweep over Mallory Velte (Sacramento, Calif./Titan Mercury WC) for the title. Ragan was seeded No. 1 and Velte No. 2 in the weight.
In the first period of bout one, Ragan hit a nice four-point hip-toss, then Velte scored a takedown for a 4-2 lead. In the second period, Ragan scored two more takedowns for an 8-2 win.
In the second match, Ragan led 2-1 in the opening period, then scored a takedown with 10 seconds to go in the period to lead 4-1. No points were scored in the second period, and Ragan secured the win.
Ragan was fifth at the 2014 World Championships, and will be seeking her first World medal. She competed at either 58 kg or 59 kg in her previous World appearances.
“I thought I wrestled good. Obviously I have a lot more to do to be a World champion. Wrestling throughout the whole six minutes is crucial. I kind of did that today, but I have to enhance that. I am never satisfied, so definitely I am going back to work,” said Ragan.
The Non-Olympic Weight World Team Trials continue on Friday with men’s freestyle action at 61 kg/134 lbs. and 70 kg/154 lbs.
U.S. NON-OLYMPIC WEIGHT WORLD TEAM TRIALS
At New York, N.Y.
55 kg/121 lbs.
1st - Sarah Hildebrandt, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/OTC) dec. Whitney Conder, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP), two matches to zero
Bout One – Hildebrandt dec. Conder, 4-3
Bout Two – Hildebrant dec. Conder, 3-2
3rd place– Jacarra Winchester (Titan Mercury WC) tech. fall Deanna Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 12-0
60 kg/132 lbs.
1st- Alli Ragan, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Mallory Velte, Sacramento, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC), two matches to zero
Bout One – Ragan dec. Velte, 8-2
Bout Two – Ragan dec. Velte, 4-1
3rd place – Jennifer Page, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Kayla Miracle, Campbellsville, Ky. (Sunkist Kids), 2-2
