Brewer stuns Ramos, Nine other wrestlers victorious at Who’s #1

Jordan Decatur (Ohio) knocks off No. 1 Gavin Teasdale (Pennsylvania) Photo: Derik Hamilton

Flowrestling hosted another edition of the wildly popular Who’s #1 dual on Sunday night at Grace Hall in Bethlehem, Pa., featuring nine high school bouts and a highly anticipated freestyle matchup between Tony Ramos and Cody Brewer.


The main event was as good as promised with 2014 NCAA champion Brewer overpowering 2013 NCAA champion and two-time U.S. World Team member Ramos at 61 kg/134.5 lbs. to headline the night.


In his first-ever meeting with Ramos, Brewer racked up four takedowns in 1:43 to go up 8-0, just needing one more takedown to seal the deal. Moments later, Brewer scored on a feet-to-back four-point move to take out the Team USA star with a 12-0 technical fall.


“I think it was the stare down that got me,” Brewer said. “I came to score points. I promised that and I delivered. You can’t stand around out here with good guys. I kept my offense going and listened to my coaches.”


Brewer said he plans to be back in action at the U.S. Non-Olympic Weights World Team Trials in December, competing at 61 kg.


The high school portion of the event saw 18 talented wrestlers from all over the country battle it out in folkstyle.


Of the 18 competitors, four are fresh off appearances at the 2016 Junior and Cadet World Championships.


2016 Junior World bronze medalist Daton Fix of Oklahoma held on to the No. 1 ranking at 132 pounds in an exciting match against No. 2 Austin Gomez, a two-time Illinois state champion. Fix led by one going into the final period and came up with a takedown and three nearfall points at the buzzer for an 8-2 victory.


At 152 pounds, Cadet World bronze medalist David Carr of Ohio controlled the match against No. 2 Cameron Coy of Pennsylvania. Coy threatened with a late third-period takedown attempt, but Carr was able to hold on for a 4-2 win.


“This is a great event. I love it here. I’ve been here before to watch and really wanted to wrestle in it,” Carr said. “I’ve gotten better with a lot more attacks and have been a better wrestler.”


A late first-period takedown from Cadet World team member Roman Bravo-Young of Arizona gave him a lead that 2016 Fargo champion Nick Raimo of New Jersey wasn’t able to overcome. No. 2 Bravo-Young went on to defeat No. 4 Raimo, 3-2, at 138 pounds.


Hometown favorite Mikey Labriola pumped up the crowd in the final high school match of the night, defeating Cadet World bronze medalist and No. 2 Travis Wittlake of Oregon with a takedown in the final four seconds for a 3-1 win.


“[The crowd] got me going. I felt good,” Labriola said. “I was looking for legs to pass and didn’t know where it was at one point, but I got the ankle and the two.”


The night began with a pair of upsets at 120 and 145 pounds.


Fans saw fireworks at 120 pounds where No. 2 Jordan Decatur of Ohio knocked off No. 1 Gavin Teasdale of Pennsylvania. Despite a crazy comeback from Teasdale to tie it up 6-6 in the second period, Decatur held on for an eventual 8-7 win, fighting off two inside trips in the final period.


2014 Cadet World champion and fourth-ranked Jarod Verkleeren of Pennsylvania took on three-time Oklahoma state champion and No. 2 Kaden Gfeller at 145 pounds. Gfeller went for a huge lateral drop while trailing by one point in the third, but Verkleeren took advantage and found the points for an 8-3 win.


Nick Lee, a state champion from Indiana, protected his No. 1 ranking in an explosive match against No. 3 Sammy Sasso of Pennsylvania at 138 pounds. The Penn State commit rattled off four takedowns and allowed only three escapes in seven minutes for a decisive 8-3 win.


No. 2 Shane Griffith of New Jersey took top-ranked Brady Berge of Minnesota to overtime at 160 pounds with the score knotted at 5-5 after regulation. A takedown from Berge in the five-minute sudden victory period gave him a 7-5 lead and the win.


At 182 pounds, points were flying from No. 1 Michael Beard of Pennsylvania and No. 2 Jelani Embree of Michigan. Embree began a comeback run in the third period but it was not enough and the 2016 Cadet World Team trials finalist Beard walked away with a 12-6 win.


“I stayed on offense the whole time and maintained control. It shows that I work really hard and I deserve to be No. 1,” said Beard.


2016 WHO’S #1 PRESENTED BY FLOWRESTLING

Oct. 2 at Grace Hall in Bethlehem, Pa.


Main Event

61 kg/134.5 lbs. – Cody Brewer TF Tony Ramos, 12-0


High School Matchups

120 lbs. – #2 Jordan Decatur (Ohio) dec. #1 Gavin Teasdale (Pennsylvania), 8-7

145 lbs. – #4 Jarod Verkleeren (Pennsylvania) dec. #2 Kaden Gfeller (Oklahoma), 8-3

138 lbs. – #1 Nick Lee (Indiana) dec. #3 Sammy Sasso (Pennsylvania), 8-3

126 lbs. – #2 Roman Bravo-Young (Arizona) dec. #4 Nick Raimo (New Jersey), 3-2

182 lbs. – #1 Michael Beard (Pennsylvania) dec. #2 Jelani Embree (Michigan), 12-6

160 lbs. – #1 Brady Berge (Minnesota) dec. #2 Shane Griffith (New Jersey), 7-5 OT

152 lbs. – #1 David Carr (Ohio) dec. #2 Cameron Coy (Pennsylvania), 4-2

132 lbs. – #1 Daton Fix (Oklahoma) dec. #2 Austin Gomez (Illinois), 8-2

170 lbs. – #1 Mikey Labriola (Pennsylvania) dec. #2 Travis Wittlake Jr. (Oregon), 3-1