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  • Photo: Photo/Jeff Beshey

    Photo: Photo/Jeff Beshey

    10 takeaways from World Team Trials

    These kids are all right.

    More than all right.

    Daton Fix, Zahid Valencia and Nick Reenan are all still in college, but that didn't stop the talented young trio from earning titles at the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament on Sunday in Rochester, Minn.

    They were among 10 wrestlers who moved within one step of making the 2018 U.S. world team in men's freestyle wrestling.

    Champions from Rochester advance to next month's Final X, which will determine who represents the U.S. at the World Championships this fall in Budapest, Hungary. The Americans are the reigning world team champions.

    The Final X will be split into three locations: June 9 in Lincoln, Neb., June 16 in State College, Pa. and June 23 in Bethlehem, Pa.

    Here are 10 takeaways from the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament in men's freestyle:

    10. Nahshon hitting his stride

    Nahshon Garrett turned in one of the most dominant showings in the best-of-3 finals in Rochester.

    He outscored Nico Megaludis by a combined 21-0 score in a matchup of past NCAA champions at 61 kilograms. Garrett is a gifted wrestler with a big arsenal on his feet that translates well to freestyle.

    Don't expect any 2-1 or 3-2 matches when Garrett faces veteran Joe Colon in the Final X in Bethlehem. Colon rallied for a wild 20-13 win over Garrett in the U.S. Open finals this year.

    Their Final X matches should be some of the most entertaining of any that determine a world team spot.

    Nick Reenan defeated Richard Perry to advance to Final X (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)

    9. In the Nick of time

    Nick Reenan still has three years of eligibility left for North Carolina State, but that didn't prevent him from winning the tournament at 86 kilograms.

    Reenan swept veteran Richard Perry to land a spot in the Final X against David Taylor, who has had an outstanding last two years in freestyle.

    Reenan is just 21 years old, and he will face a tall task in trying to knock off Taylor on his home mat in State College, but he's a guy who definitely has a bright future ahead.

    Reenan has made U.S. Cadet and Junior world teams in Greco-Roman wrestling. He's very good at all three styles and will be a force when he returns to the collegiate mats next winter.

    8. Don't count out Zillmer

    Hayden Zillmer is tough, hard-nosed and will make his opponents work. He is now thriving in freestyle after initially looking like a top prospect in Greco-Roman wrestling.

    Zillmer continued his rapid progression by downing Deron Winn in two straight bouts to prevail at 92 kilograms in Rochester.

    The Minnesota native, backed by a vocal home state crowd, stormed back and rallied for a 9-7 win in the second match.

    Zillmer now advances to face J'den Cox, an Olympic and world medalist, in the Final X in Bethlehem. Cox has been solid after moving up to the new weight class of 92 kilograms this year, but Zillmer will provide a stern test for him.

    Jason Chamberlain won the World Team Trials after winning the U.S. Open (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)

    7. Chamberlain looks to play spoiler role

    James Green has become a fixture on the U.S. world team, earning silver and bronze medals.

    Green will be favored to make another team when he competes in the Final X in his backyard in Lincoln, but he will face a tough and savvy foe in Jason Chamberlain.

    Chamberlain won a gritty, three-match battle with Olympic fifth-place finisher Frank Molinaro to land a berth in the Final X. Chamberlain is a strong freestyler who will be ready to battle Green. This could be the year for Green at 70 kilograms with Italy's Frank Chamizo bumping up to 74 kilograms this year.

    6. Can Gadson close gap on Snyder?

    Kyven Gadson is an excellent freestyle wrestler who has transitioned well to the Senior level.

    Gadson bounced back from the U.S. Open with a strong performance to land a Final X berth against Kyle Snyder in Lincoln.

    Gadson is the last wrestler to beat Snyder on a big stage after his dramatic NCAA finals pin in 2015. But since that match, Snyder has won an Olympic gold medal, two world titles and three NCAA titles.

    Gadson has the ability to make a run at a world medal on the Senior level, but he will face an extremely tough challenge against Snyder. Gadson is one of the few people who owns a big win against him, but that was three-plus years ago.

    5. Imar ready for shot at Burroughs

    Isaiah Martinez is ready to battle Jordan Burroughs. And why not?

    Burroughs is an established star with an Olympic gold medal and four world titles on his legendary resume. Martinez is an up-and-coming star in the U.S. with a huge upside in freestyle wrestling.

    The explosive Martinez turned in a dominating performance to land a shot at Burroughs in the Final X on Burroughs' home mat in Lincoln. Martinez has nothing to lose, so why not let it fly? If he does, there could be plenty of fireworks in a battle of talented competitors at the Devaney Center on June 9.

    4. Coon still going strong

    Adam Coon's quest to make his first Senior world team continues to gain momentum.

    Coon swept two-time NCAA champion Tony Nelson to land a spot in the Final X against 2017 world bronze medalist Nick Gwiazdowski. They will meet in Bethlehem.

    Coon also is trying to make the Greco-Roman world team at heavyweight this year. Coon is a powerful, driven and versatile performer who can't be counted out in his bid to earn a trip to Budapest.

    Coon has medaled at the Cadet and Junior levels, and he could be on the brink of reaching the medal podium at the Senior level. He's a massive wrestler at 6-foot-5 who also wrestles at a high pace for a big man. Good luck trying to wear him down.

    Gwiazdowski is more athletic and has a better offense than Coon, making for an intriguing matchup.

    Logan Stieber topped Jaydin Eierman in the finals (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)

    3. Logan back on track

    It hasn't exactly been smooth sailing for Logan Stieber after he bumped up a weight class to 65 kilograms this season.

    But Stieber, a 2016 world champion at 61 kilograms, is closing in on making his third straight world team.

    Stieber bounced back from a U.S. Open loss to Jaydin Eierman to sweep Eierman in the challenge tournament finals in Minnesota.

    Stieber owns a win over three-time world champion Haji Aliyev of Azerbaijan this season.

    Stieber now advances to face Joey McKenna in the Final X finals in State College. Both train in the same room at Ohio State, where McKenna has one season left in his All-American career. McKenna and Stieber are Junior world silver medalists.

    2. Zahid is for real

    Zahid Valencia just finished his sophomore season by winning an NCAA title for Arizona State. But he didn't stop there.

    The 20-year-old Valencia earned a stunning sweep over three-time NCAA champion Alex Dieringer in a battle of past world silver medalists in the 79-kilogram finals. Valencia looked very sharp in controlling both matches against an excellent wrestler in Dieringer. Valencia prevailed 7-0 and 5-1 in the finals.

    Valencia is a rising star who just simply keeps improving. He may need to take his game up another level to knock off Kyle Dake, who looks like a world title contender, when they meet in the Final X in State College.

    Those Dake-Valencia matches should be enjoyable to watch. Dake edged Dieringer 5-5 on criteria in the U.S. Open finals.

    Daton Fix defeated Tony Ramos to earn a spot in Final X (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)

    1. You can't spell Final X without Fix

    It wasn't supposed to happen this early for Daton Fix. He just turned 20 and still hasn't wrestled his first official collegiate match.

    But the ultra-confident Fix looked every bit like a savvy Senior-level wrestler when he swept two-time world team member Tony Ramos in two straight matches in the 57-kilogram finals in Minnesota. Ramos edged Fix to win the U.S. Open last month.

    Fix is no stranger to freestyle success. He won Cadet and Junior world medals before capturing a Junior world championship last year.

    Fix is very slick and skilled on his feet and isn't afraid of anybody. 2017 world silver medalist Thomas Gilman will have his hands full when he meets Fix in the Final X finals in Lincoln. Fix is definitely capable of making his first Senior world team this year.

    Craig Sesker has written about wrestling for more than three decades. He's covered three Olympic Games and is a two-time national wrestling writer of the year.

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