By Gary Abbott
USA Wrestling/Themat.com
[email protected]
Change is inevitable in life and in sports. As time advances, there will always be newcomers breaking into the picture, taking their place in the spotlight. The question is not whether there will be change; the question is when and how the change will happen.
In wrestling, even the most successful athletes sooner or later lose their grip on glory. Sometimes, it is because they get beaten. Other times, they retire and give up their position. The most successful wrestler of all time in dominating his weight class, four-time Olympic medalist Bruce Baumgartner, held his No. 1 position in the nation for 15 years (1982-1996). However, in 1997, Baumgartner stopped wrestling, and long-time runner-up Tom Erikson got his chance to finally compete at the World Championships.
It is the second year of the four-year Olympic cycle, as our nation’s top international wrestlers really begin gearing things up in their quest to compete on 2008 U.S. Olympic team. This is an interesting year. Sometimes there are many changes in the composition of the U.S. teams at this time, as young athletes begin to make their move. Other times, those who had control were able to hold on and continue their run at the top. Will 2006 be a year of change or stability? We will find out at the World Team Trials events.
There is always a bit of change at the beginning of a four-year cycle. Wrestlers often retire at the end of an Olympic Games, deciding to move on to another phase of their lives. After the 2004 Olympics, medalists Jamill Kelly, Cael Sanderson and Rulon Gardner decided to end their careers, and a few of their Olympic teammates did the same. This opened up spots on the U.S. team for different wrestlers.
Few people understand just how difficult it is to become No. 1 in the nation and make a U.S. team. Of the half-million wrestlers in our nation, a U.S. team member is among only a few dozen who can truly claim to be the best. There have been some amazing athletes who have made only one U.S. team, and some who never quite got there. Rob Koll was a tremendous wrestler who competed at one World meet in 1990, but had stars like Dave Schultz and Kenny Monday who kept him from the top position. A few very talented athletes who never made a U.S. team that come to mind include John Fisher, Dan Chaid, Ed Giese, Ethan Bosch and many others.
The one thing that makes the World Team Trials more difficult for change to occur is the format. To make a U.S. team, you must win a two-of-three series. There are no fluke victories in this format. To compete for the United States, you have to prove your dominance more than once.
So, where will change come this year? Or will it? Fans are encouraged to attend the World Team Trials to see this excitement in person.
In men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman, the U.S. World Team Trials will be in Sioux City, Iowa, May 27-28. Tickets are available through a number of outlets, including: Tyson Events Center Box Office, by phone at 712-252-3434 or on the web at www.2006trials.org or www.ticketmaster.com.
The Women’s World Team Trials will be at the Colorado Springs Christian School in Colorado Springs, Colo, June 30. Tickets for the Women’s World Team Trials will be available at the door.
Let’s take a look at where change could happen, if not now, in the future. Let’s take a look at the possibility of change at the men’s trials event in Sioux City. Remember, however, that sometimes change happens when you least expect it”¦
Men’s freestyle
Fans are looking closely at the 121-pound division, where a high school senior, Henry Cejudo of the Sunkist Kids, captured the national crown with an amazing performance in Las Vegas. For change to happen here, Cejudo or another person in the division will have to beat 1998 World champion and 2000 Olympic silver medalist Sammie Henson of the Sunkist Kids, who decided to skip the U.S. Nationals. Henson was a victim of change after the Sydney Games, when Stephen Abas took over the weight class for four years and went on to win an Olympic medal. Abas changed weights, and Henson came back strong, looking for one more chance to win a World or Olympic title while in his mid-30s. Can Cejudo or Matt Azevedo of the Sunkist Kids find a way to get past Henson this year?
The 132-pound division has been all about change since the Athens Games, when Olympian Eric Guerrero stopped wrestling. Last year, a surprise No. 1 emerged as Michael Lightner of the Sunkist Kids won both the U.S. Nationals and World Team Trials. College star Nate Gallick of the Sunkist Kids came out at No. 2 last year, then won a World University gold medal. Mike Zadick of the Hawkeye TC, second at the 2004 Olympic Trials, had a strong international season. However, winning the U.S. Nationals this year was young Zach Roberson of the Sunkist Kids, a NCAA champion a few years ago and a talented freestyler. This division is open for change, with only Lightner having previous experience on the Senior U.S. team.
At 145.5 pounds, veteran Chris Bono of the Sunkist Kids has been to three World Championships, but also spent his time watching on the sidelines. He spent an Olympic cycle trying to beat rival Lincoln McIlravy to no avail, then had the position for a few years until Jamill Kelly came on strong. Now, there is a pack of young stars seeking Bono’s spot, It was another veteran, former World Team member Bill Zadick of the Gator WC, who got into the finals against Bono at U.S. Nationals. Others such as Jared Lawrence, Doug Schwab, Jared Frayer, Eric Larkin and Jesse Jantzen have great skills and passion. Can Bono remain in control of this deep weight division?
The one division that has seen very little change in recent seasons is 163 pounds, where Joe Williams of the Sunkist Kids has been the top dog every year except one since 1999. That missed season was in 2000, when Brandon Slay had his memorable march to Olympic gold. Along the way, Williams has won two World bronze medals. There could be a crack in the armor here this year, as Donny Pritzlaff of the New York AC beat Williams in the U.S. Nationals finals. The best-of three format is important here. Can Pritzlaff beat the talented and experienced Williams two times if they meet again in Sioux City?
After the retirement of Olympic champion Cael Sanderson in 2004, the 185-pound division was immediately grabbed by talented and confident Mo Lawal of the Gator WC, who has been making news in international events in recent months. Lawal seems to be an athlete who is rising and improving. However, at the U.S. Nationals finals, he had to beat veteran Lee Fullhart of the Gator WC, who has paid his dues and has the ability to be a world-class athlete. Will Lawal remain “the man” or will Fullhart finally get his chance? Can anybody else make the finals besides Lawal and Fullhart?
Another constant on U.S. team in recent season has been Daniel Cormier at 211.5 pounds, the No. 1 athlete since 2003. Nobody has truly stepped up as the major threat to him, although by reaching the U.S. Nationals finals, Nik Fekete of the New York AC has shown he will be more of a force going forward. There are others who want to be the person to knock off Cormier, but they will need to wrestle at a higher level to get that opportunity.
In 2005, one of those who paid his dues finally got his shot at 264.5 pounds, when Tolly Thompson of the Sunkist Kids made the U.S. team and won a World bronze. Kerry McCoy retired after 2004, and Thompson broke through with a great season. He will have a strong field of challenger in his quest to retain his top spot. Steven Mocco was second to Thompson last season, and reached the U.S. National finals this year, losing a third-period coin flip and getting taken down from the clinch. Tommy Rowlands has moved up to heavyweight again and took third at the U.S. Nationals. New NCAA champion Cole Konrad did not go to Las Vegas, but has qualified for the field. This weight will be fun to watch in Sioux City. But will there be any change at all?
Men’s Greco-Roman
The 2005 year saw a veteran wrestler get his first chance at a World Championships, when Lindsey Durlacher of the New York AC battled hard and claimed the No. 1 spot at 121 pounds. Great wrestlers including Brandon Paulson and Dennis Hall were in his way, but both left the sport after 2004. This division has a few young stars who will attempt to force another change this year. Spenser Mango, a USOEC wrestler who is on the Gator WC, has mastered the reverse lift lock position, and has been throwing opponents in an exciting way all season. He launched Durlacher a few times in Las Vegas, but Durlacher won the war when it counted. Placing third this year is college star Sam Hazewinkel of the Gator WC, who beat Durlacher at the 2005 U.S. Nationals but lost in the World Team Trials. Hazewinkel will have had another month of Greco training prior to Sioux City, and will seek his first Senior World Team. This division is certainly at play.
Another veteran taking his spot at the top lasst year was Joe Warren of the New York AC at 132 pounds, who toiled for years behind Jim Gruenwald, Dennis Hall and others in a deep weight class. Warren took ninth at the World meet, and has been a strong contender in international events. This weight class may be the one with the least chance of change. Placing second to Warren in Las Vegas was a young talent in Jeremiah Davis, who is still learning the game. Joe Betterman, previously at 121 pounds, was third, but is not yet settled at this division. The athlete who was second to Warren at last year World Team Trials, James Johnson, was sixth in Las Vegas, Warren holds the position of overwhelming favorite going in.
The 145.5-pound class features returning World Team member Harry Lester, a talented USOEC athlete from the Gator WC, who did not enter the U.S. Nationals this year. Lester continues to show improvement internationally, but has to reclaim his spot in the USA to get another shot at a World medal. The U.S. Nationals finals was a battle of experienced veterans, with 2001 World Team member Marcel Cooper of the U.S. Army taking the title over another crafty wrestler, Mike Ellsworth. Last year’s No. 2 is Glenn Garrison, who was third in Las Vegas. 2004 Olympian Oscar Wood remains in the mix, and Mark Rial has shown great progress. This weight has the possibility for change.
At 163 pounds, T.C. Dantzler of the Gator WC has truly reinvigorated his career with the rule changes that include the reverse lift position. When the rules were adjusted late last spring, Dantzler stopped considering retirement and embraced the situation. He won the World Team Trials and came back this year to win his first U.S. Nationals title. His longtime opponent Keith Sieracki of the U.S. Army, also a past World Team member, made the finals in Vegas for another battle with Dantzler. The division has some young talents and some experienced veterans, but are any of them ready to take out Dantzler or Sieracki?
There has been a constant at 185 pounds in Greco-Roman since 2002, talented and experienced Brad Vering of the New York AC. Vering has placed fifth in the world two times, competed in the Olympics and has had an iron grip on the division within the United States. In most of the major events in the recent years, it has been Jacob Clark of the U.S. Marines who has reached the finals and tested Vering, always falling a bit short. This year, Clark finally found a way to get past Vering, winning a close finals battle in Las Vegas and earning Outstanding Wrestler honors. There are some other athletes in this division, most notably Aaron Sieracki, but the battle could again boil down to a Vering vs. Clark finals. Can Clark win a best-of-three series against Vering? We may find out.
Justin Ruiz of the New York AC has become a talented international star, winning a bronze medal at the 2005 World Championships, the top U.S. Greco-Roman effort in Budapest last year. He labored for a few seasons behind two-time Olympian Garrett Lowney before taking his place as the top athlete at 211.5 pounds. This weight class has become a regular contest between Ruiz and Adam Wheeler of the USOEC and the Gator WC, with Ruiz winning the last two U.S. Nationals and the 2005 World Team Trials over Wheeler. At the Schultz Memorial this year, Wheeler scored a win over Ruiz. Unless athletes such as Phil Johnston or young Gerard Habibian or Robbie Smith make a major move, it could be another Ruiz vs. Wheeler finals showdown. Change will be difficult here, but possible.
Another athlete who has good control of his weight class is 2002 World Champion Dremiel Byers of the U.S. Army at 264.5 pounds. Byers paid his dues behind stars such as Rulon Gardner and Matt Ghaffari, and has proven his World-class abilities. Since Gardner left the scene, it has been Byers weight to lose. His top challenger has been Russ Davie of the New York AC, who seems to get into many finals events against Byers, but hasn’t won the big one yet. He has an overseas win over Byers, but at the U.S. Nationals and the World Team Trials, Byers experience and skills has been the difference. This is not a division where change is expected, but always possible.
Will there be much change this year? Join us in Sioux City, and let’s enjoy the action”¦
Gary Abbott is the Director of Communications and Special Projects for USA Wrestling and is a founder of the National Wrestling Media Association and is a 2005 recipient of the NWCA Meritorious Service Award.
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