Jordan Oliver gets to the leg of Joey McKenna in the finals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)FORT WORTH, Texas -- Jordan Oliver made a statement at Senior Nationals.
The 29-year-old Oliver dominated a deep and talented 65-kilogram field in freestyle over the weekend. He outscored his five opponents 50-0, capped off by a 10-0 technical superiority over Joey McKenna in the finals on Sunday afternoon. It was Oliver's second win over McKenna the past two months. Oliver defeated him 5-3 in the Bill Farrell Memorial semifinals in November.
Oliver wasted little time getting on the scoreboard against McKenna on Sunday. He hit a blast double leg off the whistle and scored a four-point takedown. A short time later, Oliver executed a duckunder for a takedown to go up 6-0. Midway through the period, Oliver fired off an attack and converted it to a takedown on the edge of the mat. He then closed out the match in the final minute of the opening period by scoring his fourth takedown. Oliver was named Outstanding Wrestler of the freestyle competition.
Three wrestlers with college wrestling eligibility earned freestyle titles on Sunday: Spencer Lee (57 kilograms), Logan Massa (74 kilograms) and Zahid Valencia (86 kilograms).
Lee a two-time NCAA champion and three-time age-group world champion, topped former college rival Nathan Tomasello, 8-2, to capture the title at 57 kilograms. The first period was dominated by Lee as he scored two takedowns and a step out to lead 5-0 at the break. Tomasello was able to get back in the match early in the second period after scoring a takedown, which cut the deficit to three. But Lee would pull away with a caution and takedown to win by six.
Massa, a 2017 NCAA All-American and three-time NCAA qualifier, was a surprise champion, coming through as the No. 4 seed. After dominating top-seeded Nazar Kulchytskyy on Saturday, Massa earned a 6-4 victory over Mekhi Lewis, a Junior world champion and NCAA champion, in the finals. Massa trailed 3-1 in the second period before using a four-point throw to grab a 5-3 lead. The two wrestlers would then trade step outs and Massa would win by two. Both Massa and Lewis are taking Olympic redshirt seasons.
Valencia, a two-time NCAA champion and Junior world silver medalist, earned his title with a 7-5 victory over Myles Martin. Valencia gave up an early takedown but came back with a takedown and gut wrench to go up 4-2, which is how the opening period would end. In the second period -- after the two wrestlers traded step outs -- Valencia scored a takedown with just over a minute remaining to extend his lead to 7-3. But Martin came right back with a takedown of his own to make it 7-5. Valencia would then hold off Martin in the final minute and claim the victory.
At 97 kilograms, Hayden Zillmer overcame an eight-point deficit to win 10-10 on criteria over Kollin Moore. Zillmer scored early with a head pinch to go up 2-0. After Zillmer's score, Moore turned it up, scoring 10 unanswered points to go up 10-2. Just when it looked like Moore might close out a technical superiority, Zillmer hit a four-point throw to get back in the match, making the score 10-6 in favor of Moore. With 30 seconds left, Zillmer secured a takedown and then used a gut wrench to grab a lead on criteria. He would then hold off Moore for the victory.
Dom Bradley earned a hard-fought 3-2 victory over No. 1-seeded Tony Nelson in the finals at 125 kilograms. Bradley scored first off the activity clock before getting a step out to go up 2-0. In the second period, Nelson scored a point off the activity clock to inch closer. Bradley came back with a step out to increase his lead to 3-1. A late caution and one would give Nelson another point, but it was too little, too late.
Forrest Molinari won by fall over Victoria Anthony in the finals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Bruntil, Molinari, Bell win titles in women's wrestling
Emma Bruntil (62 kilograms), Forrest Molinari (68 kilograms) and Precious Bell (76 kilograms) won titles in women's wrestling on Sunday.
Bruntil won by forfeit over Maya Nelson. Molinari used a throw to earn a fall in the finals over Victoria Francis in a battle of returning World Team members. Bell shut out Dymond Guilford in the finals, 7-0.
Freestyle finals results:
57 kilograms: Spencer Lee dec. Nathan Tomasello, 8-2
65 kilograms: Jordan Oliver tech. Joey McKenna, 10-0
74 kilograms: Logan Massa dec. Mekhi Lewis, 6-4
86 kilograms: Zahid Valencia dec. Myles Martin, 7-5
97 kilograms: Hayden Zillmer dec. Kollin Moore, 10-10
125 kilograms: Dom Bradley dec. Tony Nelson, 3-2
Women's wrestling finals results:
62 kilograms: Emma Bruntil by injury default over Maya Nelson
68 kilograms: Forrest Molinari pinned Victoria Francis
76 kilograms: Precious Bell dec. Dymond Guilford, 7-0
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