U.S. World Team Trials Preview: Men's Freestyle

InterMat will be providing coverage throughout the 2011 U.S. World Team Trials, which take place Friday and Saturday at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. A women's freestyle preview was released on Monday, followed by a Greco-Roman preview on Tuesday. This preview looks at the men's freestyle competition.

All eyes are fixed on U.S. freestyle coach Zeke Jones and Team USA after last year's disappointing World Championship performance where the team failed to win a medal. But there are plenty of reasons for optimism. The U.S. has had some positive results in international events over the past year, like beating Russia at the Beat the Streets Gala and putting five wrestlers in the Pan American Championship finals. There are also indications that Olympic gold medalists Henry Cejudo and Cael Sanderson may be returning to the sport, which would be a huge boost to the freestyle program. With five of the seven U.S. Open freestyle champions being first-time winners this year, there are new names emerging that have many fans excited about the future.

Ultimately, though, as the coaching staff and athletes understand, the success of the U.S. freestyle team will be measured through performance at this year's World Championships and next year's Olympic Games.

Below is a weight-by-weight preview of the freestyle competition at this year's U.S. World Team Trials.

55 kg: Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo, who came out of retirement this year, is the heavy favorite to win this weight class. Cejudo competed at the Beat the Streets Gala on May 5, which was his first match since winning an Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. He looked very sharp in his return, beating Russia's Rasul Mashezov in two straight periods. Cejudo did not have to make 55 kilos for that event, so this will be his first time down to his competition weight in almost three years. Sam Hazewinkel captured the U.S. Open title to earn an automatic berth in the best-of-three finals. He will have a large contingent of fans in Oklahoma, the state where did he did his collegiate wrestling and currently trains. Hazewinkel has performed well overseas this season, winning medals at the Medved International, Cerro Pelado International, and Pan American Championships. Troy Nickerson, a former collegiate standout at Cornell, was runner-up to Hazewinkel at the U.S. Open. Nickerson has had a tremendous amount of age-group success in freestyle, but is now beginning to make his mark on the senior level. Obe Blanc made his first U.S. World Team last year and wrestled well at the World Championships, but finished a disappointing fourth at this year's U.S. Open. Nick Simmons is a veteran that cannot be counted out. This weight class is filled with young and talented up-and-comers like Danny Mitcheff, Angel Escobedo, and Frank Perrelli, Daniel Dennis, and Brandon Precin, and Zach Sanders.

Prediction: Cejudo over Hazewinkel

Reece Humphrey (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)

60 kg: Reece Humphrey broke through and won his first U.S. Open title in April, which included victories over past U.S. World Team members Mike Zadick and Shawn Bunch. By winning the U.S. Open, Humphrey put himself in the driver's seat to make his first U.S. World Team. He will await the winner of the Challenge Tournament. Humphrey is a past University World silver and bronze medalist. Bunch, a U.S. World Team member in 2010, fell to his Ohio RTC training partner and teammate, Humphrey, in the finals of the U.S. Open. Bunch performed better in international events than Humphrey. He won the Medved International this season and has proven that he can compete with the world's top wrestlers at 60 kilos. Zadick was a World silver medalist in 2006, but has not been able to get back to that level in recent years. He went 0-1 at the World Championships last year and placed fourth at this year's U.S. Open. Zadick and Bunch have developed a rivalry over the years ... and could very well meet again at the Trials. Coleman Scott, a past NCAA champion at Oklahoma State, has been knocking on the door in this weight class and is one to watch. He finished a strong third at the U.S. Open, beating Zadick and losing only to Bunch. He has the tools to win at this level ... He just needs to put it all together. Drew Headlee, Matt Valenti, Nick Fanthorpe, Tyler Graff, Logan Stieber, and Derek Moore should figure into the mix.

Prediction: Bunch over Humphrey

66 kg: Teyon Ware surprised many by knocking off returning U.S. World Team member Brent Metcalf in the semifinals at this year's U.S. Open. Ware, who trains with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club, then defeated U.S wrestling great Cary Kolat in the finals to win his first U.S. Open title. Ware's U.S. Open title put him in the best-of-three finals where he will await the winner of the Challenge Tournament, but he admitted after the U.S. Open that Metcalf is still the No. 1 wrestler in the weight class. Metcalf has placed in the top five at several international events this season. He also notched a win over a very solid Russian, Magomedmurad Gadzhiev, at the Beat the Streets Gala. Kolat is the oldest competitor in this weight class at 38 years old, but do not let his age fool you. He is still among the nation's best, as he showed at the U.S. Open with his runner-up finish. Josh Churella was on the U.S. National Team this past year after finishing third at last year's Trials. He lost to Kolat in the semifinals of this year's U.S. Open before defaulting to sixth place. U.S. Open placewinners Chase Pami, Kyle Ruschell, and Phillip Simpson cannot be overlooked.

Prediction: Metcalf over Ware

Jordan Burroughs (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)

74 kg: Jordan Burroughs finished his collegiate career at Nebraska in March, winning his second NCAA title, and then claimed his first U.S. Open title less than a month later. The 22-year-old Burroughs is an explosive athlete who many believe has the talent to eventually win World-level medals. If Burroughs continues progressing like has over the past few months, those World-level medals could come sooner than later. Burroughs' toughest competition may come from past U.S. World Team members Trent Paulson and Dustin Schlatter, two wrestlers he did not see at the U.S. Open. Paulson did not compete at the U.S. Open, while Schlatter suffered an injury in the U.S. Open quarterfinals and defaulted to sixth place. Paulson, a U.S. World Team member in 2009, won the New York AC International this year. Schlatter was on the U.S. World Team in 2009 and missed 2010 while recovering from a torn ACL and MCL. Paulson and Schlatter are both very strong and tough to score on. Nick Marable has been wrestling well of late. He reached the finals of the U.S. Open, losing to Burroughs in three periods, and then won a gold medal at the Pan American Championships. Kirk White is a veteran who has shown that he can be in the mix by his third-place finish at the U.S. Open. Andrew Howe, an NCAA champion for Wisconsin, is one of the top contenders at this weight class. He won the U.S. Open last year. Howe did not compete at this year's U.S. Open, but did capture a University Nationals title, beating another NCAA champion, Kyle Dake. Indications are that Dake will be wrestling at the Trials as well. Others who could make noise in this weight class include Ryan Morningstar, Mike Poeta, Lloyd Rogers, and Moza Fay.

Prediction: Burroughs over Paulson

84 kg: Indications are that Olympic gold medalist Cael Sanderson will be wrestling at the Trials. He has not officially entered as of Wednesday morning, but a source familiar with the situation confirmed on Monday that Sanderson plans on wrestling ... but "it's just for fun." Fun for Sanderson maybe, but not for the other competitors in this weight class. Sanderson wrestled at the Northeast Regionals in late March, which he said he did "just for fun," and destroyed the competition. He has not competed at the Trials in seven years, but would still be an overwhelming favorite to win a weight class that includes a World silver medalist in Jake Herbert. The 26-year-old Herbert gets an automatic berth in the best-of-three finals after winning the U.S. Open where he will await the winner of the Challenge Tournament ... likely Sanderson. Herbert's international results have been mixed since he won his World silver medal. Keith Gavin, who was runner-up at the U.S. Open has always battled Herbert tough. Gavin was runner-up at the Dave Schultz Memorial and placed third in the Cerro Pelado in Cuba. Andy Hrovat, Bryce Hasseman, Max Askren, Brandon Sinnott, Raymond Jordan, and Chris Pendleton will battle for spots on the U.S. National Team.

Prediction: Sanderson over Herbert

Jake Varner (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)

96 kg: This is expected to be a two-horse race between Jake Varner and J.D. Bergman. Varner won the Trials in 2009, while Bergman came out on top at the Trials a year ago. The two have developed a rivalry that will likely continue at this week's Trials. Bergman has the upperhand in the rivalry of late, winning meetings at last year's Trials and at the New York AC International. But Varner, who placed fifth in the Ivan Yarygin, is in the top spot right now after winning the U.S. Open. Bergman, who missed the U.S. Open due to injury, will have to battle through the Challenge Tournament to get an opportunity wrestle Varner. Dan Erekson had a strong showing at the U.S. Open, reaching the finals before losing to Varner. Jack Jensen, David Zabriskie, Tyler Lehmann, Brent Jones, Wynn Michalak add depth to the weight class.

Prediction: Bergman over Varner

120 kg: This is arguably the deepest of the seven freestyle weight classes. It includes four past U.S. World Team members, including 2009 World bronze medalist Tervel Dlagnev, who came out on top at the U.S. Open. Dlagnev, who won the Buryatia Republic President's Cup in Russia, will await the winner of the Challenge Tournament. Steve Mocco, Tommy Rowlands, and Les Sigman are the other past U.S. World Team members who will be in contention to win the Trials. Mocco, who represented the U.S. at the 2008 Olympic games, was runner-up to Dlagnev at the U.S. Open. Rowlands, a fifth-place finisher at the 2007 World Championships, has wrestled well in international events this season, winning the Sunkist Kids International, Hargobind International, and Cerro Pelado. Sigman is the returning U.S. World Team member at this weight class. He suffered an injury in the semifinals of the U.S. Open against Mocco, which forced him to injury to default to sixth place. Collegiate star Dom Bradley, a past Junior World champion, was on the U.S. National Team this past year and has proven that he can be in the mix. Potential spoilers in this weight class include Jarod Trice, Aaron Anspach, and Tyrell Fortune.

Prediction: Dlagnev over Rowlands

Sign In

U.S. World Team Trials Preview: Men's Freestyle

User Feedback

Recommended Comments

Create an account or sign in to comment

Create an account

Sign in

Categories

Rankings

Browse

Activity

Support