InterMat: Inside info from the N.W.C.A
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Cyclone ties run deep in challenge tournament finals
By Jason Bryant
jbryant@intermatwrestle.com
Ames, Iowa – Bobby Douglas might want to send a memo to USA Wrestling to host the World Team Trials in Ames every year.
Former Cyclones Eric Akin, current Cyclone Nick Gallick and the niece of a former Cyclone NCAA champion all won their challenge tournament finals and will compete in Sunday’s best-of-three tournament finals.
Akin, 34, will take on another 34-year old, defending U.S. National Champion Sammie Henson.
Akin bested current Michigan State wrestler Nick Simmons in two periods advance in front of the Hilton Coliseum crowd he knows all too well.
“The Iowa fans making it entertaining,” Akin said. “I ran through that tunnel 130 times in college.”
Akin credited his strength and experience to get him past the lanky Simmons. It will be a matchup of two of the grittiest veterans at 60kg.
“He (Henson) might be the toughest man in the world below 5-foot-4,” Akin said. “I was swinging a hammer three days ago and laying sheetrock in a basement.”
Gallick, an NCAA runner-up in March and current Iowa State competitor, beat former Iowa Hawkeye Mike Zadick 1-0, 0-2, 2-1.
“He’ beaten me up before, so it’s nice to get the win right here at home,” Gallick said.
Gallick will take on surprise U.S. National champion Michael Lightner in Sunday’s final at 60kg.
“I wrestled him in Las Vegas and lost in the finals,” Gallick said. “It was a real close match. Hopefully I can wrestle hard and come out on top.”
And for a win over a former Hawkeye and seasoned veteran like Zadick?
“It’s important to me, because this is what I do,” Gallick said. “My goal is to make the world team.”
In women’s freestyle at 51kg, Mary Kelly made her first senior-level final, edging Malinda Ripley 1-0, 1-0 in a match where both periods went to overtime and Kelly scoring the period-winning points from the leg clinch.
“My favorite thing to do in practice is situations,” Kelly said. “That’s why I tend to do well there.”
Kelly and Ripley had only wrestled twice prior, once in the Junior Women’s freestyle finals in Fargo back in July of 2002 and most recently in March at the Trophe Milone International in Naples, Italy.
“It’s been close in every match we’ve ever wrestled,” Kelly said.
Kelly’s tied to Ames as her uncle, Bill Kelly, won the NCAA championship at 126 pounds in 1987 for Iowa State. Oh, she was also born here.
She’s noticeably excited.
“This is the very first time I’ve ever made the finals and I’ve been on the national team for a couple years,” Kelly said. “It’s a huge relief.”
She’ll wrestle Stephanie Murata in Sunday’s final.
But there were more than just Cyclones doing the winning on Saturday night.
In Greco-Roman, Lindsey Durlacher returned to the World Team Finals with a dominating victory over Anthony Brooker at 55kg.
“The new rules definitely help me out a whole lot since I’m so short,” Durlacher said. “Guys before were able to come underneath me and get me off the mat.”
The big topic with the Greco wrestlers had been the new rules and how the wrestlers, fans and officials would adapt.
“I think it’s been quite enjoyable for the fans and the wrestlers,” Durlacher said. “(It also) breathes the life back into me, gets me back in the game a little bit.”
Durlacher faces Oklahoma wrestler Sam Hazewinkel in Sunday’s final.
At heavyweight, the pupil beat the teacher as Russ Davie used a five-point throw to a fall to pin his college coach, Brian Keck, in the first period.
“It was mixed emotions,” Davie said. “He brought me to where I am.”
Davie is looking forward to his match with former World Champion Dremiel Byers.
“I’ve spent every waking moment thinking about it (the match),” Davie said.
Back over in men’s freestyle, Jared Frayer took a third period lead over Jared Lawrence before the two got in a scramble, Frayer came out on top, but Lawrence snuck out, scooped Frayer’s head and scored the fall in the third period to advance to take on Iowa State assistant wrestling coach Chris Bono at 66kg.
Other challenge tournament finals notes
Men’s Freestyle
Kirk White beat Donny Pritzlaff 1-1, 2-1 to advance to face 2004 Olympian Joe Williams at 74kg. Virginia Tech assistant wrestling coach Lee Fullhart beat former training partner Chris Pendleton 1-1, 1-0 to make the final at 84kg. Last year’s Olympic Trials runner-up worked out with Pendleton last season when Fullhart was making a run at the 2004 Olympic team.
“He works hard and was a good workout partner,” Fullhart said.
Fullhart will get another crack at Mo Lawal, the U.S. National Champion in Sunday’s final.
Nick Preston upended Tommy Rowlands at 96kg 1-0, 1-0 to face 2004 Olympian Daniel Cormier.
In the final championship bout on the raised mats saw Cole Konrad push Steve Mocco to the edge – literally – in Mocco’s 1-0, 0-1, 1-0 victory at 120kg.
Mocco was driving for a takedown, but Konrad circled in as Mocco was trying to secure control of a scrambling Konrad. While Mocco stepped out of bounds first, he was in the process of completing a takedown and after a video review, was awarded the winning point, which the mat official had originally given to Konrad.
Men’s Greco-Roman
James Johnson advanced to face Joe Warren at 60kg after Johnson beat Willie Madison 3-2, 2-1. … Glenn Garrison continued his solid tournament, beating Marcel Cooper 1-1, 1-1 to advance to the finals at 66kg. Garrison will face young Harry Lester, a member of the U.S. Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan. …
T.C. Dantzler won a spirited and highly-charged match over veteran Keith Sieracki. Dantzler won the match after Sieracki got his third caution.
The two exchanged words and had to be restrained, but regardless of post-match antics between the two, Dantzler will face Darryl Christian at 74kg.
Jake Clark will get another chance at Brad Vering as Clark dominated Justin Millard with a fall at 1:40 in the first period. Clark and Vering have distanced themselves from there rest of the field at 84kg.
Adam Wheeler moved on with a victory over J.D. Bergman and will face Justin Ruiz in the finals at 96kg.
Women’s Freestyle
Former World bronze medalist Jenny Wong made a successful drop down to 48kg, besting Clarissa Chun 1-0, 4-4, 3-0. She’ll advance to face Sara Fulp-Allen in Sunday’s final. “I had surgery and came back small,” Wong said of her drop down a weight class.
At 55kg, Minnesota high schooler Chelynne Pringle got an 0-1, 2-0, 2-0 victory over Tina Phil to advance to face Marcie Van Dusen. The winner of the three-bout series will get a wrestle-off with Tina George at a date to be determined for the World Team spot.
Alaska native and 2004 Olympian Tela O’Donnell pinned Suekoilya Kelly at 1:46 of the second period and has performed well since moving up to 59kg from 55kg.
She’ll face her training partner, teammate and roommate, Sally Roberts on Sunday. …
Sara McMann continued to impress in her return, getting a dominating 7-0, 6-0 victory over Rachel Billerback at 63kg. McMann advances to face Alaina Berube. …
Katie Downing downed Ashley Sword in the challenge finals at 67kg. The two had not wrestled during Saturday’s early session and were the only two entries in the weight. Downing won both periods 4-0 and will wrestle multiple World medalist Kristie Marano.
Ali Bernard, a Minnesota native that attends Canada’s University of Regina, pinned Heather Martin to reach the finals at 72kg. Iris Smith awaits in the final.
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