World Team Trials preview at 60 kg/132 lbs. in men’s freestyle wrestling
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
One of the most wide-open weight classes in American international wrestling is the 60 kg/132 lbs division. For many years, Eric Guerrero of the Gator WC ruled the roost here, making all of the U.S. teams between 2001-2004. Guerrero fell short of a medal at the 2004 Athens Games, and has not competed since. His departure opened up new opportunities to everybody in the division, and the athletes have responded.
The surprise winner at the U.S. Nationals was Michael Lightner of the Sunkist Kids, who was seeded No. 8 going into Las Vegas. Everybody knew that Lightner had talent, but injuries and inconsistency was a problem in past season. He put together the tournament of his life at the nationals, beating three straight higher seeds and earning the Outstanding Wrestler award. Lightner showed the ability to come from behind in the new “three period” format of wrestling, never giving up even if he lost one of the periods.
Lightner defeated 2004 Olympic silver medalist Stephen Abas of the Sunkist Kids in the quarterfinals. Abas had moved up from 55 kg earlier in the year, and had beaten 2004 Olympic champion Yandro Quintana of Cuba in a tournament in Cuba. Lightner’s win proved to be no fluke, as he beat No. 4 Celso DeAnda of the New York AC and No. 3 Nate Gallick of the Sunkist Kids in the next two rounds to take the title. Now all that keeps Lightner from his first World Team berth is a best-of-three series in Ames at the World Team Trials.
Abas dropped out of the U.S. Nationals after the Lightner loss and did not place in Las Vegas. He gets an automatic berth in the World Team Trials based upon his previous Olympic and World Teams. There is no indication that Abas might drop down to 55 kg, so everybody at this division expects him to be at 60 kg for the Challenge Tournament. Abas has the skill, experience and confidence to win at this weight class, and he may be more motivated than ever after the Lightner loss.
The 2004 Olympic Team Trials runner-up was Mike Zadick of the Hawkeye WC. With Guerrero off the mats, it was Zadick who competed at the World Cup this year and also attended other international tours. He was sick and unable to wrestle at the U.S. Nationals. Because he did not meet qualification standards, he had to win the “Last Chance” qualifier, the Northern Plains Regional, a task he handled with no problem. Zadick should get a high seed for the Challenge Tournament in Ames, and will be expected to do very well there. If Zadick can make the Championship Series against Lighter, many believe he would be favored to earn the World Team berth.
Placing second at the U.S. Nationals is the exciting Nate Gallick of the Sunkist Kids, who was a NCAA runner-up for Iowa State this year. Gallick is a legitimate freestyle wrestling star, winning the Sunkist Kids International this year, with a victory over top Canadian Sayeed Azerbaijani. Gallick has a great international future, but based on recent success, he has a legitimate chance to be the athlete to challenge Lightner again for the top honor.
Zach Robertson of the Sunkist Kids, who was a NCAA champion for Iowa State in 2004, has emerged as another young talent. Roberson’s only loss in Las Vegas was to DeAnda in the quarterfinals, then he strung four straight wins for the bronze medal. He avenged the loss to DeAnda with a 1-0, 1-0 bout in the third-place final. DeAnda is a veteran freestyler who has finetuned his skills at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Many believe that he is wrestling better now than ever before, and that if he is on his game, he can win this entire weight class on any given day.
Veteran Danny Felix of the Sunkist Kids placed fifth at the U.S. Nationals. He was able to avenge a quarterfinal loss to Josh Moore of the Sunkist Kids in the fifth-place matc h, with a 3-0, 1-0 victory. Felix has placed as high as second at past U.S. Nationals, so he is capable of beating top opponents at this level. Moore has emerged this year as a strong freestyle athlete, who is rapidly improving as he gets more experience. Moore has the ability to score big points on throws, and is never out of any match.
Claiming the final qualification spot by placing seventh at the U.S. Nationals was Johnny Thompson of the Gator WC, who was a college star at Oklahoma State. Thompson didn’t do very much freestyle during his college years, where he was a scrappy champion who often wrestled his best in the most important matches. His ability to place at the U.S. Nationals shows that he could be a big factor if he continues training and entering the major events in the future.
Also qualifying for the World Team Trials by winning the Rocky Mountain Regionals was Ben Vombaur of the Wasatch WC, a former college star at Boise State. Another possible entry is Scott Schatzman of the Dave Schultz WC, who won a medal at an international event and is eligible to compete.
The NCAA Div. I finalists get an invitation to this competition, and both are very talented at this weight class. NCAA champion Travis Lee of Cornell has always been very talented in the international styles, going back to high school. Lee has the ability to compete at the Senior level in both freestyle and Greco-Roman, and now that he is done with college, may choose one or the other. He did not compete in Las Vegas.
The NCAA runner-up, Shawn Bunch of Edinboro, took an Olympic redshirt year in 2004, and beat many top Senior-level athletes during that season. Bunch lost to Thompson in the round of 16 at the U.S. Nationals and was not able to wrestleback. He has great freestyle skills, and could do some damage at the Challenge Tournament in Ames.
A salty veteran who is qualified to enter, even though he has not wrestled this year, is Eric Akin of the Dave Schultz WC. Akin has been a U.S. Nationals runner-up at 60 kg, so it would not be surprising to see him enter this tournament and do well. Akin never seems to get wrestling out of his system, and has the experience and toughness to beat the younger athletes.
It will be interesting to see who takes over from long-time star Eric Guerrero at this division this year. Lightner earned the right to be the top athlete going into the World Team Trials in Ames. However, with stars such as Abas, Zadick, Gallick, Roberson, DeAnda and Felix in the mix, the battle during the Challenge Tournament could be the most exciting in the entire freestyle division. Whoever emerges will believe that he can beat Lightner, which makes the finals series even more compelling.
2005 U.S. NATIONALS RESULTS AT 60 KG/132 LBS.
1st- Michael Lightner, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Nate Gallick, Tucson, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids), 0-1, 3-0, 1-0
3rd “Zach Roberson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) dec. Celso DeAnda, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 1-0, 1-0
5th “Danny Felix, Charlottesville, Va. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Josh Moore, Kent, Ohio (Sunkist Kids), 3-0, 1-0
7th “Johnny Thompson, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC) pin Craig Leong, Honolulu, Hawaii (Team Hawaii), 0:21
QUALIFIERS FOR 2005 WORLD TEAM TRIALS AT 60 KG/132 LBS.
U.S. Nationals Champion “Michael Lightner, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids)
U.S. Nationals, second place “Nate Gallick, Tucson, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
U.S. Nationals, third place “Zach Roberson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
U.S. Nationals, fourth place “Tony Celso DeAnda, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
U.S. Nationals, fifth place “Danny Felix, Charlottesville, Va. (Sunkist Kids)
U.S. Nationals, sixth place “Josh Moore, Kent, Ohio (Sunkist Kids)
U.S. Nationals, seventh place “Johnny Thompson, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
Rocky Mountain Regional Champion “Ben Vom Baur, Heber, Utah (Wasatch WC)
Northern Plains Regional Champion “Mike Zadick, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC)
Olympic Team member “Eric Guerrero, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
Past World Team member “Eric Akin, Lincoln, Neb. (Dave Schultz WC)
’04 Sunkist Kids International champion “Nate Gallick, Tucson, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
’04 NYAC Christmas Open champion “Zach Roberson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
’05 Dave Schultz Memorial champion “None, foreign champion
International Tour medalist (within 2 yrs) “
*’04 Boutiatyr Grand Prix bronze medalist – Eric Guerrero, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
*’04 Henri Deglane Challenge bronze medalist “Scott Schatzman, New York, N.Y. (Dave Schultz WC)
’05 NCAA Champion “Travis Lee, Honolulu, Hawaii (Cornell)
’05 NCAA runner-up – Shawn Bunch, Leavenworth, Kan. (Edinboro)
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