Herbert dominates Ruth, 8 win Trials titles on Saturday

MADISON, Wis. -- Two anticipated possible rematches from the U.S. Open finals were scratched from happening before the action even began at the World Team Trials in Madison, Wisconsin.

At the finals of the U.S. Open in May, Tony Ramos won a come-from-behind match in the waning seconds against Andrew Hochstrasser in the 57-kilo finals.

In the 70-kilo finals, Nick Marable scored four points on a controversial throw which began off of Dustin Schlatter's shot and finished out of bounds. Those were Marable's only points in the match but were enough to win 4-2.

Both of these slim wins at the U.S. Open resulted in anticipated rematches at this weekend's U.S. World Team Trials. However, when both Hochstrasser and Marable did not weigh in for the Trials, the seeds needed to be readjusted.

At the end of the night four members of the men's freestyle team and four members of the women's freestyle team were decided. All eight will compete in the World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas. The World Championships will be on U.S. soil for the first time since 2003 when New York City hosted the event.

The format for the U.S. World Team Trials featured a challenge tournament in the first session, with the winner squaring off against USA's No. 1-ranked athlete in a best-of-three finals in the second session. The No. 1-ranked athlete was either the winner of the U.S. Open in May, or an athlete who won a World medal in last year's World Championships. Since Nick Marable was the U.S. Open champion and scratched at weigh-ins, the challenge tournament finals became the best-of-three finals at 70 kilos.

In men's freestyle, Tony Ramos made his second straight World team at 57 kilos, beating Joe Colon 6-0 and 3-1. Colon had made an impressive run in the challenge tournament earlier in the day, rallying from 10-1 against Matt McDonough to win 17-12 in the semifinals and then beating two-time NCAA champion and 2013 World placer Angel Escobedo 11-8 in the finals of the challenge tournament.

"I'm training to beat the best guys in the world, " said Ramos. "I'm not training to beat Colon, to beat Escobedo, McDonough, Graff whoever is there in the finals. So I think that's what's going to separate me this year from what I was doing last year just coming off an NCAA tournament and kind of just jumping right into this."

At 70 kilos, James Green looked off at the beginning of his first bout against Nazar Kulchytsky and found himself down 6-0. But Green found his rhythm and came back to win 9-7. In the semifinals, Green dominated Kevin LeValley 13-2. (LeValley had beaten him last month on criteria 5-5.) This set up the best-of-three finals against former Minnesota Golden Gopher standout and World team member Dustin Schlatter. Green looked very sharp against Schlatter, winning 5-0 and 4-2.

Green finished his collegiate wrestling career as a four-time All-American at Nebraska, but failed to win an NCAA title, which has fueled his fire.

"Me taking seventh twice and third twice, it wasn't any improving going to the big tournaments," said Green. "Now I need to wrestle hard no matter what the stage is. Everyone on this level is good."

Marable has petitioned to face the Trials champion (Green) at later date.

Jake Herbert dominated Ed Ruth in the best-of-three finals at 86 kilos (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)

The challenge tournament saw some controversy at 86 kilos where Jon Reader raced out to a 12-4 lead in the first period against 2014 World Team member Ed Ruth. Reader had seemingly exposed Ruth a number of times off of Ruth's shots. However, after a challenge was upheld, the score was changed to 7-6 in favor of Ruth. The rest of the match was equally action-packed and Ruth came out on top of an unusually high scoring match 24-18. A technical fall by Ruth in the challenge tournament finals against Keith Gavin set up a best-of-three finals match against U.S. Open champion Jake Herbert, who defeated Ruth 13-11 in the semifinals of the U.S. Open. Herbert was much more dominant this time around winning the first match 13-3 and the second 10-2.

"I wanted Ruth because he's a gunslinger," said Herbert. "I want to go out there and just hope that I've got more ammo in my guns. I'm bigger. I'm a little stronger than him. Gavin is hard to score on. Ruth can put up points, but if you don't let him to your legs, it's hard to score."

Herbert will now look toward September's World Championships and then next summer's Olympic Games, but he has aspirations that extend beyond what he accomplishes on the mat.

"I've got a lot of things I want to do after I win an Olympic gold medal, and I want that to be one of the smallest, least accomplished things I ever want to do," said Herbert. "I want to get back to helping our sport. I want to grow it."

Tervel Dlagnev needed three matches to top Zack Rey at 125 kilos (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)

The 125-kilo best-of-three series was the only men's freestyle weight class of the night to actually go to three matches. Standing World bronze medalist Tervel Dlagnev competed in the U.S. Open last month even though he could have skipped the event and still automatically placed in best of three series for the World Team Trials. He faced the same opponent, Zack Rey, who he defeated 3-1 last month. The first match at the Trials was a bit tighter, with Dlagnev winning 2-1. The second saw Rey make some adjustments and come out on top 4-3. In the third match Dlagnev seemed determined and active, taking shots throughout and scoring in the second period on a low double leg takedown. Dlagnev will seek his third World Medal in September.

"Today I obviously didn't do some of my best wrestling, but I feel like I'm in a good place," said Dlagnev. "The Lord is bringing me out of it."

In the second session for the women's freestyle competition, perhaps the wildest finals was at 58 kilos where Erin Clodgo came out on top after three matches against Amanda Hendey to make her first U.S. World team.

Hendey struck first, winning the first match by fall midway through the second period in match Clodgo was dominating. Clodgo came out on top of a much more tactical bout in the second match, winning 2-1. The final match was all Clodgo as she methodically dominated Hendey and won 10-0 with the final points coming late in the second period.

Clodgo is thrilled to be wrestling in the U.S. in her first Worlds.

Said Clodgo: "This was the World team that I would love to make, that I wanted to make, wrestling for the U.S. and being in the U.S., having my family getting to come out and support me, it's an awesome feeling, especially for my first one. It feels great."

At 53 kilos, Whitney Conder looked impressive against Michaela Hutchison, winning 8-0 and 13-0.

"I'm just going out there to win a medal," said Conder. "I want to wrestle. I want to be out there on that mat. I want to win a medal this year more than anything. I'm going to be training my butt off as hard as I possibly can to prepare for this World medal and also for next year."

Alli Ragan swept Kelsey Campbell 3-1 and by fall in the second match at 58 kilos.

At 75 kilos, standing World champion Adeline Gray dominated Jackie Cataline by fall and technical fall. By doing so, she made the U.S. team for the sixth time and will seek her third World medal in September.

Men's freestyle finals results

57 kilos:
Tony Ramos def. Joe Colon, 2 matches to 0
Ramos dec. Colon, 6-0
Ramos dec. Colon, 3-1

70 kilos:
James Green def. Dustin Schlatter, 2 matches to 0
Green dec. Schlatter, 5-0
Green dec. Schlatter, 4-2

86 kilos:
Jake Herbert def. Ed Ruth, 2 matches to 0
Herbert tech. fall Ruth, 13-3
Herbert dec. Ruth, 10-2

125 kilos:
Tervel Dlagnev def. Zack Rey, 2 matches to 1
Dlagnev dec. Rey, 2-1
Rey dec. Dlagnev, 4-3
Dlagnev dec. Rey, 3-0

Women's freestyle finals results

53 kilos:
Whitney Conder def. Michaela Hutchison, 2 matches to 0
Conder dec. Hutchison, 8-0
Conder tech. fall Hutchison, 13-0

58 kilos:
Alli Ragan def. Kelsey Campbell, 2 matches to 0
Ragan dec. Campbell, 3-1
Ragan pinned Campbell, 2:38

63 kilos:
Erin Clodgo def. Amanda Hendey, 2 matches to 1
Hendey pinned Clodgo, 5:01
Clodgo dec. Hendey, 2-1
Clodgo won by tech. fall over Hendey, 10-0

75 kilos:
Adeline Gray def. Jackie Cataline, 2 matches to 0
Gray pinned Cataline, 2:18
Gray tech. fall Cataline, 10-0

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Herbert dominates Ruth, 8 win Trials titles on Saturday

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