Before I close out this year's reporting, I want to be sure to acknowledge the Cadet & Junior coaches.  They all deserve high commendations for the terrific job they did, both at the camp and during the week-long tournament:
          Mike Garcia, Junior Director
          Richard Frakes, Cadet Director
          Jason Blanding
          Bobby Bovaird
          Dennis Charbonneau
          Richard Fergola
          Kevin Klemm
          Harry LaMar
          Tom Peterman
          Scott Rieck
          Beau Vest

Jordan Bedore will be wrestling Kyle Massey of Minnesota in the national championship match at 215 lbs.  Bedore's match can be seen live at 7:00 this evening on the NWCA website.

• What a great story, and terrific lesson, we have in Danny Grater's national championship.  Last year, Danny came to Fargo and promptly went 0-4 (two straight losses in both Greco & freestyle).  Instead of becoming intimidated, or making excuses, he dedicated himself to returning this year and becoming an All-American.  Not only did he set his goals, but he committed himself to doing the work necessary to meet those goals.
• Likewise, with Tanner Gardner.  Last year I was at matside to witness Tanner's injury, which came at a time that he was undefeated through several rounds of the event.  Again, instead of feeling sorry for himself, Tanner was back the next day, in a cast, explaining how he was going to recover and come back stronger than ever.  Both of these boys are champions both on and off the mat, and have my sincere admiration.
• I've tried to describe to many of you what the Fargodome looks like with 23 mats spread over a football field.  As of yesterday, that is no longer applicable.  Because of the size of the tournament (an all-time record), they've now added a 24th mat!
• Thanks to those of you who have sent messages to us, telling Randy & me how much you appreciate the coverage.  Your words are greatly appreciated.

Somers #5
Matt Somers opened the National Tourney drawing a wrester from Nevada, and it was a tough draw. Matt lost by fall at 1.52 in the first.

Bahe
After a low-scoring first period, in which both wrestlers were limited to a single takedown point, Bryce Bahe took control in the second period.  After using a double leg to secure position to earn two points for back exposure, he increased his lead to four by using a trip to counter his opponent's attempted takedown.  Although Bahe gave up two points on a gator roll, he held on for the 5-3 victory.

Prater #57
Illinois supplied the wrestler for Ron Prater to face. Ron faced an uphill battle as the his opponent earned 0-11 tech fall early in the second period.

Bogart #73
Stewart Bogart had to live up to some pretty high expectations. And he did not disappoint as he earned a first period tech fall.

Deel #128
An opponent from Pennsylvania was the first test for Nathan Deel. Nathan found that test pretty tough to manage as he lost by tech, 0-10, with 1.28 in the first.

Ecker #235
Kevin Ecker found the wrestler from New York to tough to handle as he went down to defeat at 1.48 in the second. Final score 2-13.

Schippers
Matt Schippers got a tough first draw, as he faced two-time national champion C P Schlatter of Ohio.  Although Matt was game, he was also unable to stop Schlatter's onslaught.  Falling victim to a wide variety of technical moves, Schippers quickly fell in a 0-10 decision.

Krause #291
Bobby Krause found the opponent from Texas pretty tough too. Bobby loses by technical fall with 1.38 in the first.

McGovern #372
Maryland was the home state of Nick McGovern's foe. This match didn’t last long but it was action packed. Maryland pierced the scoreboard first with a 1-point takedown. Nick scored one of his own a short time later, and added a 2 plus 1, trapped arm gut wrench. The wrestler from Maryland was able to gain the reversal with back exposure but Nick scored a 1-point reversal of his own. The scoreboard showed 5-3 in favor of McGovern but the scoreboard would not be needed to tally points anymore. They were brought to their feet where a brief battle for position ensued, until, Nick hit a very sweet lateral to earn the win by fall, at 1.18 of the first.

Douglas #387
Joe Douglas faced a competitor from New Jersey. I joined the match in progress in the second period, and Joe trailing, 2-3. The Jersey boy was nailed with passivity late in the match. Joe, needing to make something happen, tried a front headlock. He nearly had it but slipped off allowing his opponent to score the last 2-points of the match. Douglas loses by decision, 2-5.

Dyer #403
Justin Dyer has signed the wrestle at the University of Oklahoma and it was that state the provided his first competition. Justin used a takedown to setup his par terre offense. Justin scored on a pair of 2 plus 1 guts before pinning the Okie at 1.56.

Akins #423
I joined this match in progress with Nick Akins trailing a wrestler from Connecticut, 7-10. This second period match was not going to last much longer, as Nick earned the pin at 0.43.

Patton #541
Kyle Patton drew a competitor from New York in his opening match. Kyle gave up a 2-point takedown and a 1-point takedown to trail at the end of the period, 0-3. The second began with both wrestlers working for points but they determined Kyle wasn’t working hard enough, nailing him with passivity at 1.41. Kyle defended the position and gained his feet where he scored a single point takedown. Kyle was in on the leg and earned one but gave up two. Needing something big Kyle was caught on his back with 1 second to go in the match.

Metzler #553
A wrestler from Maryland was Luke Metzler's next foe. Luke was clearly the dominant wrestler as he racked up points, finishing with 13. However, he gave up 2-points without his opponent doing a thing. I’ll wait for Mike to describe the auto two. Luke wins by a 13-2 tech.

Bogart #671
Stewart Bogart opened up like a house on fire, schooling a competitor from California. He scored on a single leg, a nearside cradle, a trapped arm gut, and a turk tilt. His opponent did manage to score a single reversal and a 3-point tilt on Stewart. One got the feeling that Stewart was slightly off his game as the period ended. The second started with Stew scoring on a 1-point takedown and only needed one more for the tech fall. But this is where the fire that Stewart had was about to go out. The Californian earned the takedown and locked up the trapped arm gut. He exposed Bogart repeatedly with this maneuver, picking up the 13-20 lead. At this point, the official also determined something was wrong and stopped the match and put Stew on injury time. Unable to recover, Bogart loss by medical default. It seems that Stewart was feeling ill before the tourney and survived as long as he could. We will give you an update later.

Taplin #857
Ross Taplin faced a wrestler from Iowa in this round of the tourney. A good battle early lead to one wrestler being charged with passivity and this time it was Ross’s turn. The Iowan scored on 3 turns in a row, with Ross going hand-to-hand to earn 1-point for each. With 8 seconds to go they were put back on their feet where Ross was able to score on the 3-point takedown. With the score entering the the second tied at 3, Ross earned a 1-point takedown but soon thereafter gave a 1-point takedown. The Iowan then scored a 1-point tilt and a 2-point tilt to take the 4-7 lead with under 2 seconds to go. Ross was attempting everything, trying to throw, but eventually slipped to his base where the Iowan shut the door.

Conaghan #903
Washington State is the home of Gabe Conaghan’s next foe. Gabe looked impressive as he earned the win with a series of takedown and tilts. A pair of super double leg takedowns earned a tech fall at 1.07.

Dyer #960
The Minnesota Storm provided the next competitor for Justin Dyer and it was almost too much competition. Justin did earn the 3-point win, 11-8, in this very physical battle between two studs.

Butler #1004
Jason Butler squared off against an opponent from California. The early takedown went to California but Jason tied it was a snap-and-spin. Jason scored again on the crossface ankle to pull ahead. But, Jason was charged with fleeing to tie things as the period ended. The second period was all Butler as he scored on three 1-point takedowns. Winner by decision, 5-2.

McCormick #1081
Sometimes you just have to feel for a competitor. Tyler McCormick was facing a wrestler from Michigan. Both wrestlers were working hard, using the front head pinch to score, but the Wolverine led at the end of the first period by a score of 6-8. The second followed cue and my score, which is clearly unofficial, had Tyler trailing by one. A lengthy table debate took place and resulted in another point being added to the Michigan score. With less than 15 seconds to go, the Wolverine gave up a point for fleeing but Tyler was unable to turn him to lose by one, 11-12. Clearly, I feel for Tyler, who suffered his second loss. I know his training and his habits are what champions are made of … he might have lost on the scoreboard but in my book, Tyler McCormick is 100% winner!

Luedke #1140
A hard working Eric Luedke shut out his opponent from Nebraska. Eric won by a technical fall at 0.42 in the first period.

Ecker #1197
In this match against a foe from Georgia, Kevin Ecker was say goodbye to the Junior Nationals, with a 1-2 record. Having watched parts of all three of his matches I predict he will be back. A never say die attitude will serve Kevin well in the future. Ecker loses by decision, 10-15.

Carrillo #1813
I joined this match in progress where Andrew Carrillo was in a tie, 8-8. At the end of the match, Andrew had lost by decision, 12-13.

Kriegbaum #1859
Pennsylvania was the next foe the Jake Kriegbaum. In the first period, the wrestlers exchanged takedowns to close out the first period tied at 1. In the second Pennsylvania gained a 2-point takedown and 3 plus 1 takedown before he was credited with the fall.

Baldridge #1870
Josh Baldridge faced a wrestler from Indiana and the Hoosiers earned a victory over Josh.

Cornejo #1892
An initial takedown by Joe Cornejo and a 2-pointer for a takedown by his opponent, led to Joe trailing by a 1-2 count. In the second period they traded 1-point takedowns to lose by a 2-3 count.

Grater #1937
I joined the next match of Danny Grater’s in progress and the score 4-0. The opponent from Maryland got a reverse at the end of the period to close the gap to 4-1. In the second, Danny earned a 1-point takedown, another 1-pointer and a 2-point tilt to seal the 8-1 victory.

Monks #1975
Adam Monks earned a 1-point takedown in the first period of this match. And after some great battles, the period ended that way. In the second a shuck led to a score for his Michigan opponent. Adam used a 1-pointer and scored 2 on a Merkel to seal the win.

Bedore #1992
Minnesota provided the next test for Jordan Bedore. The Minnesotan scored first using an outside firemans to take the 3-point lead. A gorgeous double leg by Jordan tied it up but that was short lived. Jordan used scored 2 more on a tilt and a 2-point gut to take the lead 7-3 at the end of the first. Minnesota was charged with a caution for 1 to put Jordan in the par terre advantage. Bedore close the match out gaining the tech fall at 0.09.

Kriegbaum #2048
Jake Kriegbaum used a variety of takedowns and tilts to gain the tech fall at 1.02 of the first period.

Bahe #2058
It was a convincing win for Blayze Bahe in this round of the tourney. Blayze gave up a takedown late, but that did little to change this match. Bahe wins by a 6-1 count.

Cornejo #2069
Joe Cornejo led at the end of the first period, 1-0. The opponent from Ohio tied it with a takedown, Joe pulled ahead with a reversal, before the Ohio lad tied it again. In the par terre position, Cornejo gave up a 1-point gut to take the loss, 2-3.

Erisman #2094
Neil Erisman was methodical in the manner in which he handled this match.  In the first period, he utilized a takedown, gut wrench and ankle lace to take a 5-0 lead.  In the second period he continued to carefully look for openings, without taking unnecessary risks, ultimately gaining an additional takedown and back exposure to win by a final score of 8-0.

Grater #2097
Missouri was the home for the next wrestler Danny Grater was to face. Danny took the lead with a single point takedown a 2-point gut and earned 2 more of a tilt. Grater looked to be in a terrible fix, as the Missourian hooked up a Cobra. Fortunately, time expired. In the second Danny scored off a good scramble to earn the takedown and a 2-point gut. Winner by decision, 8-2.

Monks #2124
Missouri also provided the next opponent for Adam Monks. Adam used two takedowns and a 2-point tilt to take the early advantage. As the second period started, Adam found himself in a tremendous flurry where the Showme earned the takedown. Then on a gut attempt, the bothed earned two before Adam scored a reversal. A Missouri takedown and another Monks reversal gave Adam the decision win, 8-4.

Bedore #2134
This match got off to a slow start for Jordan Bedore, as he pummeled with his opponent for a full minute before yielding the first takedown.  Bedore didn't stay behind for long, though.  His opponent attempted an ankle lace, which Bedore was able to counter and, in the process, catch his opponent on his back.  Using a half-nelson, Bedore held him on his back until he secured the fall at 1:27.

Bahe #2175
This was a tough loss for Blayze Bahe - one of those close matches that could have gone either way.  Bahe gave up the first 3-point takedown, scoring two points on a counter but losing another point as he gave up a reverse.  He claimed a 5-4 lead at the end of the first period with a 3-point takedown.  Bahe wasn't able to score in the second period, though, and the gave up two points when he was tilted while attempting a single leg takedown, then lost a final point on an ankle lace.

Zouzas #2189
I joined this match in progress and Lucas Zouzas held a 4-0 lead over the 2002 Greco champ from this tourney. After some tense moments and some brilliant defense by Luke, he earned the emotional 4-3 win.  Although this still leaves five wrestlers in Zouzas' pool, the matchups guarantee that Luke Zouzas will be a 2002 Freestyle All-American.

Erisman #2198
Going into the 7th round, with both Danny Grater and Neil Erisman holding undefeated records in the two 140 lb pools, we were beginning to hope for an all-Kansas final in this weight class.  While that is still possible, it is unlikely after Erisman suffered his first loss of the tournament.  In a hard fought match,  Erisman gave up three takedowns, plus a 3-point throw, finishing with a 0-6 loss.  Erisman has one more match to wrestle in his pool, but will definitely be an All-American.

Bedore #2222
Once again, Bedore started his match in the hole, giving up a takedown and ankle lace, but then he took control of the match.  Following a takedown of his own, he scored a couple of guts and a crotch lift before giving up a reverse to end the period up by 6-3.  In the second period, he hit a nice running double leg, which he followed up with a 1-point gut wrench.  Protecting his 8-3 lead, he then wrestled conservatively, giving up a couple of takedowns but avoiding giving up any significant points.  With this 9-5 victory, Bedore's pool is down to the top three wrestlers, and Bedore has beaten both of the other two.  Therefore, Jordan Bedore will be wrestling in the Cadet Freestyle National championship match at 215 lbs.  Bedore's match can be seen live at 7:00 this evening on the NWCA website.

The known All-Americans are Jake Kriegbaum, Charles Knox, Jr., Luke Zouzas, Neil Erisman, Danny Grater, Adam Monks and Jordan Bedore.  Bedore has already won his pool, and will compete for the national championship.  Seth Metzler has a record of 4-1, and is on the bubble.

Elliott #60
This is the kind of dominant performance that we like to see early in the tournament.  Tim Elliott had little trouble with his opponent, as he used a combination of double leg takedowns and gut wrenches to secure a solid 12-0 victory

Knox #175
Things were looking bleak for Charles Knox, Jr. at the end of the first period in this match.  Toast's only point came on a reversal, but he gave up eight points through a series of single legs takedowns and trapped-arm guts.  The second period belonged to Toast, though, starting with a 3-point head & arm throw.  From the top position, Toast locked up a back bow and proceeded to roll his opponent across the mat five times, to take a 14-8 lead.  The lead held, as Toast won the match 15-9.

Miller #377
Sometimes you don't get a chance to see how you match up with your opponent.  This was the case in Mike Miller's match, as he was tripped directly to his back, giving up a fall in 23 seconds.

Johnson
A single passivity call, combined with a close judgment call, were enough to deny Justin Johnson the victory in this match.  The passivity call came in the first period, and Johnson's opponent used the position to his advantage as he scored on two 2-point guts, sandwiched around a 1-point caution against Johnson for clasping his hands around his opponent's head.  Johnson started to make up ground before the end of the first period off of a 3-point head & arm throw.  In the second period, Johnson executed a belly-to-belly throw.  Although he hit with his back facing the mat, he continued to drive, ultimately forcing his opponent on over onto his back.  Unfortunately, two of the officials felt his opponent had stopped his motion long enough to earn a 2-point exposure.  Not realizing that he had given up two points and was still behind, and not able to hear his coaches in a noisy arena, Johnson held his opponent on his back for over one minute, failing to gain the fall.  Despite seeming in control, he lost the match in a close 6-7 decision.

Carrillo #578
Andrew Carrillo showed some versatility in his win, first using two gator rolls to get a five point lead, then switching to a back bow and finally a high gut, which he held for the additional back point, to earn a strong 10-0 victory.

Tibbs #607
It's always important to be the first one to score, but in Calvin Tibbs' case, it wasn't enough.  Tibbs got the first three points in this match, but was successfully countered in every subsequent attack.  In a match with lots of action, Tibbs came up short on the scoreboard, 3-14.

Woodford #704
Jeb Woodford faced an opponent from Ohio who handed Jeb his first loss. The Buckeye used a 3-point takedown, a 2 plus 1 takedown, and a leg lace to close out the first period 0-8. As the second began a 1-point takedown and a 2-point leg lace were all that was necessary for the tech.

Bahe #736
Washington provided the next wrestler for Blayze Bahe. In a spirited opening period, Blayze scored first, on a 1-point takedown. Then it was his competitors turn to score a 2-pointer. Blayze came back to score the next takedown with a 2 plus 1 to pull ahead 4-2. Period two had each wrestler battling for position and at 0.50 Bahe was charged with passivity and then withstood the attempts for a turn. Blayze Bahe the winner by a 4-2 decision.

Baldridge #765
This match was won via the gut wrench, as Josh Baldridge combined a couple of takedowns with several high guts to record a strong 11-0 decision.  By the way, if you haven't already seen it, one of the better pictures I've gotten at this tournament was of Baldridge's throw in Greco Roman.

Lamar #826
Brady Lamar ended his bid with a technical fall loss to a wrestler from Colorado. Brady is a good wrestler who is not getting any luck but bad. He lost an earlier match, 6-5, on a questionable call by the mat chairman. Brady has yet to figure Fargo out. But, when he does, I look for big things out of Brady Lamar.

Farley #843
As you read these reports, it should become obvious to everyone how important the gut wrench is at the elite level of this sport, both in executing and defending.  Seth Farley learned this the hard way, as his opponent was able to combine three guts in the first period, going out of bounds twice to return the action to the middle of the mat where he could score again.  At the end of the first period, Farley trailed 0-8.  At the start of the second period, Farley very nearly began his comeback with a head & arm, but it came up just short and he was countered with a final gut wrench, falling in a 0-10 loss.

Craig
Philip Craig looked like the better wrestler on his feet, but instead of trying to control Philip's attacks, his opponent was able to catch Craig out of position in his attacks, threatening tilts that forced Craig to abandon what would have been solid folkstyle positions.  Craig did score on two of his leg attacks, but that wasn't enough to overcome his opponent's three guts and 2-point counters on two of Craig's double leg attempts.  Craig loses 5-12.

Zouzas #853
Luke Zouzas used a snap and spin to gain the first point in this bout. They both scored 2 on a crotch lift and a single leg to make the score 3-2. Luke scored in the 2nd period on a single which he switched off to a double, a straight single leg, and then on the 1-point ankle lace. Final score, 6-2.

Erisman #932
Oregon provided the next foe for Neil Erisman. A sweet double leg led to 3; trapped arm guts with peril points for a convincing win by tech fall for Neil.

Grater #948
Danny Grater faced an opponent from Oregon in his next bout. Danny used a 1-point takedown followed by a 2-point trapped arm gut to open the scoring. Returning to their feet, Danny effectively fended off the head-and-arm to gain a 3 plus 1 followed by a 2-point high gut to take a commanding 9-0 score as the first period ended. The final point, enough to earn the tech fall came at 1.14 in the second.

Sonderegger #986
Ryan Sonderegger was up next against a wrestler from the Showme State. And he did in fact show Ryan that he was a bit more polished than the Kansan. Ryan is a diamond in the rough and needs a bit more refining. My prediction for Sonderegger … expect good things!

Bedore #1129
I joined this match in progress. Well as much progress, as Jordan Bedore needed to earn the fall at 0.13.

Johnson #1140
Justin Johnson earned the first period fall in a match against a wrestler from Missouri. Justin used a series of crotch lifts before an expertly used the whizzer and chin to gain the fall.

Carillo #1167
A Merkel for 2-points were the opening points needed by Andrew Carillo against a foe from Oregon. A series of nice back bows and the head-and-arm were among the scoring manuvers for Andrew as he earned the decision, 14-5.

Bonner #1231
Joe Bonner tasted defeat by a more accomplished freestyler from Hawaii who earned the first period tech fall.

Kriegbaum #1245
Jake Kriegbaum turned his Oregon opponents’ slip into a first period fall.

Woodford #1254
Jeb Woodford turned a 3 plus 1 lateral drop into a fall at 0.54 in the first period. A convincing win the Woodford.

Bahe #1276
Blaze Bahe is finding the freestyle action a bit more to his liking. He earns the first period fall!

Knox #1302
You can say one thing about Charles Knox Jr., and that is, he makes his matches exciting. Pennsylvania provided the next opponent for Toast, and Toast trailed 1-5 late in the match. With less than 15 seconds to go Knox scored a 2-point tilt and the action went out-of-bounds with 9 seconds remaining. Toast quickly hooked up a back bow and earned 2 for a turn to tie it and remarkable turned him again to gain the last second victory.

Zouzas #1360
The great state of New York provided the next competition for Luke Zouzas. Luke used his snap and spin and ankle lace to take the early 2-0 lead. Then it was a down block and shuck to gain the next point. The New Yorker may have figured if he doesn’t shoot, he won’t give up any points and he didn’t. Zouzas was charged with passivity with 0.26 in the second and fended off any attempts. Luke did exploit his opponent for one last snap and spin to earn the 4-0 win.

Schmale #1411
Chad Schmale faced a wrestler from Montana. The wrestler from the Big Sky Country used a head-and-arm to score a 3 plus 1 and scored two more on the front headlock. Chad did reverse him with back exposure to close the gap 2-6 at the end of the first. As the second opened Chad scored on a double leg, earned 2-points while his opponent did, and scored a final 2-point tilt. Schmale loses a close match, 7-9.

Johnson #1440
Justin Johnson was in a close but high scoring battle against a lad from Georgia. First it was the Georgian piercing the scoreboard with a pair of 3-point takedowns but Justin came back with a 3 plus 1 toss. Justin scored next on a crotch lift but gave up the takedown the trail at the close of ther period 6-7. The second started like the first and maintained that pace to final whistle. The scoring came faster than I could take notes on but a table debate turned a lead by Justin into a tied match at 13. A last flurry of activity gained the Georgian 3-points and the Kansan 1-point. Johnson loses by the score of 14-16.

Bedore #1537
California was the next opponent for Jordan Bedore. Jordan took this wrestler to school. After a 1-point takedown, a 2-point gut, another 2-point gut, and another 2-point leg lace, it was back to their feet where one last takedown earned Bedore the tech fall.

Elliott #60
Tim Elliott opened the day with a dominant performance in his first match. Tim was winner by tech fall with 0.22 left in the first period. 12-0.

Bingham #70
Aaron Bingham was a winner by tech fall in his first match of the day.

Kriegbaum #91
Although Jake Kriegbaum was an All-American in Greco, he is 0-0 starting today. His first opponent came from Indiana, and his first victim came from Indiana. Jake earned a tech fall early in the second period.

Elsrode #99
I joined this match in progress and with the score tied at 11. Daniel Elsrode pulled out the victory winning 15-12.

Bahe #138
Blaze Bahe was trying to reverse his fortunes in this Freestyle competition. Blaze was able to handle his opponent from Michigan with a 3-1 score.

Baldridge #167
Delaware was the home state of Josh Baldridge's first round opponent. Josh earned 3 and 1 on a toss, a pair of 2-point guts, a 3-point arm spin, and double chicken wing to earn the 10-0 victory.

Zouzas #262
Luke Zouzas wrestled his first match against a competitor from Missouri. Luke is quite proficient at the snap and spin, which he did four different times in this bout with a couple of 2-point guts thrown in for good measure. Luke was a winner by technical fall early in the second period, 10-0.

Erisman #302
Neil Erisman's bout against a wrestler from Florida was a solid victory. Neil scored on the takedown and a single point ankle lace, and then on a gut out-of-bounds. Back to the center, another leg lace and a 2 and 1 trapped arm gut gave Neil the 7-0 lead. A knee pick, a leg lace, and a trapped arm gut, gave Erisman the technical fall at 1.17.

Grater
Danny Grater faced an opponent from Delaware. Danny used a snap and spin, a gut, and a trapped arm gut to jump to the early lead. He finished with a 2-point takedown and a 2-point gut to earn the tech fall.

Craig
Washington State supplied the competition for Phillip Craig’s match in this National Tourney. Phillip started big with a 3-point throw and a 2-point gut to get on the board early. Returing to their feet they both earned 2 points when Craig crotch lifted his opponents’ successful single leg. As the second period began the competitor scored on a pair of single point takedowns to close the score to 8-4. Phillip earned 3 plus 1 on another throw and 2-points for a gut to earn the technical fall.

Roe #497
Ryan Roe faced off against a Texan in the round of the tourney. Ryan scored on a pair of crotch lifts and the Texan scored 1 on a takedown to give Ryan the early lead. But a 3-point takedown a turn for 2 and 1 and another 2 and 1, led to Ryan’s eventual defeat by the score of 4-10.

Bedore #528
Jordan Bedore opened the Freestyle portion of this tourney in dominant fashion. Jordan used a pair of sweet double leg shots the last one to a fall at 0.49.

Metzler
Seth Metzler used a series of front headlocks and gut wrenches to win this match by fall over his opponent from Ohio.

Bingham
Aaron Bingham fell behind a wrester from Idaho, giving up a single point takedown. He quickly reversed the position and used the back bow a few times in succession and finished the scoring with a gut for the tech fall at 1.00.

Baldridge #656
Josh Baldridge made short work of his foe from Texas in his next match. Taking the Texan down, Josh used a 2-point gut, a couple of back bows, and a double leg to the back, before he pinned the Texan at 0.51.

Kriegbaum #687
Jake Kriegbaum used a takedown and a series of tilts to keep his perfect record in tact. Jake wins by tech fall at 0.35.

Nothern #681
Nick Nothern stayed on the winning track scoring a 6-0 victory.

Topeka's Tanner Gardner was our finalist at 105 pounds. To this point Tanner had won every match, and some were close, but in the finals he was positively dominant. Washington State was the home of his competitor. Gardner came out quick with a takedown and a trapped arm gut for the 3-0 lead. On their feet, Tanner would give up his only point as he was charged with fleeing under attack. This brought them to the par terre position where Tanner displayed his skills and flexibility. Twice, the wrestler from Washington attempted gut wrenches and in fact went completely underneath Gardner. But Tanner, with his great hips, was able to defend the position and earn his feet. And back on his feet, Tanner opened up his offense. A head-and-arm earned him 3-points and a gut wrench, 2 more. Then Tanner earned the tech with a sweet lift and throw for a 3 and 1. Tanner wins 12-1.

I have to think back to last years, National Tourney. An undefeated Tanner Gardner suffered a dislocated elbow to end his All-American bid. Later, that same week, Tanner vowed to come back … and he did! He won a Kansas High School State Championship, won a FILA Cadet National Championship, and adds a Junior National Championship and earns All-American status. We can all be proud of Tanner Gardner!

Tanner Gardner was totally dominant in his match, which he won by a 12-1 technical fall in the first period.  Congratulation to both of these fine wrestlers!

In bout #1679 Ian drew a wrestler from Oklahoma. Ian went ahead early with a head-and-arm and a hold in peril for the 4-0 lead. But the Sooner was able to reverse for a 1-pointer. On their feet, Ian again tried the throw but was countered for 1. The action returned to their feet where Ian fell behind on a 2 plus 1 toss for the Oklahoman. The first period ended with the score 4-5. A battle for position led to Ian being nailed with passivity in the second period. Bork earned his feet and as they went out-of-bounds in a heap, a debate at the table ensued. The result was 2-points being awarded to Ian for his opponents leg foul. The match returned to their feet where Ian was charged with fleeing under attack and a point to tie the match being awarded to the Okie. With 20 seconds left in the match, Bork down in the par terre position, he scored 1 on the escape and quickly tossed his opponent to his back. With 3 seconds showing on the clock, Bork earned the press fall, a dramatic comeback for Ian Bork.

A whole new meaning to the word drama was developed in Ian Borks’ next match, bout #1708 . Ian found himself trailing early as a wrestler from Oregon took him down and gutted him out-of-bounds for a 0-3 score. Returning to the center Ian was again gutted for a 2 and 1, and trailed 0-6. Things were looking a bit dismal for Bork until a 3-point throw and a 2 and 1 gut tied it up as the period came to a close. The second period saw Ian being charged with passivity at the 1.31 mark. On the whistle Ian turned and faced his opponent and drove him out-of-bounds and over the scoring table. After bodies were sorted, tables were uprighted, and scoring paddles were gathered a debate ensued amongst the mat officials. The result was 1-point awarded to Bork for the Oregonian fleeing under attack. The action stayed wild as Ian countered an attempt for 1-point and then, remarkably lifted his opponent in a gut and scored 5 plus 1 on a beautiful high arching belly to back suplex. It was an ecstatic 14-6 win for Ian Bork. But it was not enough to place him above the Oregonian in the pool. Ian Bork will be wrestling for 5th place later this evening. As you recall, Ian lost earlier to another wrestler from Oregon by a count of 5-6. That wrestler was teched by the competitor Ian had just beaten. As they had each beaten one another the criteria decides who the winner was. Ian loses in that category; he needed a tech or pin in his last match. Ian loses on criteria but wins the battle of courage on the mat.

There will be two Junior Greco Roman All-Americans from Kansas.  Tanner Gardner will be wrestling in the championship match at 105 lbs.  Gardner's match can be seen live at 6:45 this evening on the NWCA website.  Ian Bork will be wrestling in the 5th place match this afternoon.  Congratulations to these All-Americans!

DeShazer #1776
Tristen DeShazer used his patented and perfected headlock to take the early lead, 3-0, in this bout. And, he used it again, this time holding his opponent in danger for the additional point. However, he was reversed with back exposure for a 7-2 advantage as the period ended. The second period began as the first did with a headlock for 3 and the 10-2 lead. Tristen gave up a late 1-point takedown and as time ran out gave up an inconsequential 2-point gut. DeShazer advances with the 10-5 win!

Metzler #875
This match did not last long for Luke Metzler. He used a 1-point takedown followed by a series of trapped arm guts with holds in peril to rack up the 10- point margin needed for a technical fall in 56 seconds.

Kriegbaum  #1785
Jake Kriegbaum used what had become a common scenario for his next win. Kriegbaum used a 1-point takedown and turned his opponent with a gut wrench to take the early 3-0 lead. Then Jake trapped the arm and turned and held him two more times to gain the tech fall with just 1:04 gone in the match.

Ron #918
Ron Prater faced an opponent from Nebraska in his third match of the tourney. After an early battle, the Cornhusker scored with a 1-point takedown. In the position of advantage the Husker displayed what would become a pattern as he gutted Prater out-of-bounds. Taking your opponent out-of-bounds in par terre means you come back to the center in the same position. Prater then gave up another gut to fall behind 0-5. Back of their feet, Ron closed the gap with a 3-point head-and-arm throw. On their feet the Husker scored 3 on the takedown and gutted Prater while going out-of-bounds. Now behind 3-10 the Husker scored a 1-point gut and a 3-point takedown to close out the Kansan.

Grater #1804
The anticipation in this match was a bit on the high side as the Kansas staff had figured that Danny Grater could still reach the finals in spite of his earlier loss. But first, Grater needed to win this match. And win it, he did, an in stunning fashion. His opponent from West Virginia barely knew what hit him as he was made a poster child by two spectacular 5-point throws. And, a mere 2-point gut, in between. Parents and coaches were elated through their tears as Danny Grater held up his part of the bargain. What’s to come … who knows?

Taplin #1003
Ross Taplin used a bear hug to take his competition to his back and then secured the fall with 2.20 remaining in the first. Taplin marches on!

Rhoades #1027
Thomas Rhoades faced an opponent from California and battled him tough for the first minute of their match. Called for passivity at 1.48 the Californian scored a 1-point gut but Thomas reversed him to tie it at 1-1. Again it was a classic battle which the Californian gaining control of usind a 1-point takedown followed by a 2-point gut. Back to their feet where the same scenario played out. Rhoades is defeated by a 1-7 score.

Bedore #1899
Next up for Jordan Bedore was a wrestler from Indiana. Jordan looked to be in great form with an early 1-point takedown followed a 2-point gut to take the lead 3-0. What came next stunned the Kansas faithful, not the least of which, was Jordan Bedore. While working for another takedown the Hoosier threw a head-and-arm and, it was tight. With 11 seconds to go in the period, the press fall was awarded and Bedore lost his first match. Jordan was disappointed but handle the loss like a man.

Metzler #1197
Next up for Luke Metzler was an opponent from North Carolina. After a good early battle, the Tarheel scored the first point of the match with a takedown. Regaining his feet it was a familiar scenario for the Kansan. Scoring with a lateral throw, Luke instantly scored again with the trapped arm gut. The gut took the action of the mat and after the restart; Luke won by technical fall with a series of guts.

McCormick #1205
Tyler McCormick battled hard for position early in this bout. As is the customary practice, the official chooses one to charge with passivity, and this time it was Tyler. Slightly agitated by the call, McCormick quickly reversed the position with a back exposure and scored a 2-point gut as the period ended with Tyler leading, 4-0. It was déjà vu as Tyler was charged with passivity after 1 minute of the second. However this time, he could not reverse the position and held off his opponents’ attempts at a turn. On their feet, Tyler scored a 1-point takedown followed by a trapped arm gut with exposure followed by another to gain the tech fall at 1.02.

Taplin #1279
Its’ taking me longer to type this, than Ross Taplin's next match lasted. Ross worked for the bear hug against his opponent from Wyoming. Taplin, winner by fall, at 2.46 left in the first period. If you are counting, that’s 14 seconds!

Cadet Medal Matches

DeShazer
Tristen faced an opponent from Minnesota in this match for 5th. DeShazer scored first with an underhook and chin for the 3 plus 1. Next it was a 1-pointer for the Gopher and a 3-pointer to even the score at four, at the end of the first period. The second showed Tristen opening up offensively, returning to the head-and-arm for 3-points and doing it again to take the lead, 10-4. After an injury time for DeShazer, he scored with a 2-pointer. Late in the match, Tristen did not respond quick enough to the referrees call to the center, and lost one point. But it was a 12-5 victory for Tristen DeShazer, All-American!

Kriegbaum
Alaska was the challenge for Jake in his battle for 5th place. The first period was the Greco dance that I described earlier with the only point being scored by a Kriegbaum takedown. The action in the second took the wrestlers toward the edge of the mat, where Jake scored a 3-point throw and an additional 1 for peril. Back in the center Jake scored on a trapped arm gut for a 2 and another gut for 2. Back on their feet, Kriegbaum scored his last point when he was awarded a point for his opponent fleeing under attack. Jake Kriegbaum, the winner by technical fall, and Cadet All-American!

Bedore
Jordan Bedore faced his next challenge, a wrestler from Delaware. After a brief battle for position Jordan scored on a lateral drop and then held the challenger there, gaining the pin at 0.35. Jordan Bedore places 3rd in the Nation in Greco! Jordan Bedore, All-American!

Ian Bork also had his first loss, although he outwrestled his opponent for all but the first minute of the match.  Unfortunately, in that first minute his opponent gained six points off of two 3-point head & arm throws.  Bork countered back with five single point moves over the course of the match, chasing his opponent all over the mat, but came up just a little short in his 5-6 loss.

In a bright spot, Tanner Gardner kept his perfect record with a victory over a 2-time defending Junior Nationals champion.  Gardner kept the match from going into overtime when he scored on a head pinch with only four seconds remaining, winning by a margin of 4-1.

Grater's match can be seen live on the NWCA website.

Tindle #92
David Tindle competed in his first match of this National Tourney facing an opponent from Virginia. Tindle had the lead in this match after a quick flurry of action by a score of 4-3. But his opponent tied the match with a takedown and went ahead with a 2-point gut wrench. The first period ended with the Virginian scoring on a 1-pointer to take a 4-7 lead. The second opened with Virginia scoring another one pointer. David fought off the attempst to turn him and regained his feet. The Kansan scored with a gorgeous 3-point throw and took the lead with a 2-point gut. The Virginian tied it up with a reversal. Back to their feet, Tindle attempted a throw but slipped. Then with 3 seconds to go, his opponent secured the 9-10 win with a 1-point gut. A tough loss!

Luedke #118
Eric Luedke faced a wrestler from Oklahoma in his first round match. Early on, this appeared to be closely contested with both battling and countering the other. At 2.02 Eric was charged with passivity and then gave up the trapped arm gut to give the Okie the 0-2 lead. Back to their feet, Eric scored a 2-point takedown and a 1-point gut to close out the period. Oklahoma tied the match with a takedown but could not turn Luedke. Eric scored a 2-point takedown followed by a 2-point gut wrench, then powered the Okie to his back for the fall at 0.14.

Medill #253
160 pounder, Troy Medill, opened his journey with a dominating performance is his match against a spud from Idaho. First, Medill scored the 1-point takedown then cinched up the high gut for a 2 and 1, followed by another 2 before the spud stopped the scoring. But the respite was brief as Troy Medill scored a 3 plus 1 throw for the tech fall at 1.19 in the first period.

Butler #293
Jason Butler kicked off his run, with a fall against his foe from Wisconsin. Butler used a lateral drop and a trapped arm gut to take the early 5-0 lead. Back on their feet, Jason used a double overhook to toss the Badger to his back. But the Badger reversed Jason for a 2-pointer, only to be reversed by Jason for 1. The period ended with Butler ahead 9-2. The match ended shortly after it restarted with Jason winning by fall, at 2.44.

Akins #312
This was a tale of two periods; unfortunately for Nick Akins, his success in the first could not overcome his difficulties in the second. Akins scored first with a 3-point headlock, although he gave up a reversal. In the second period, he was cautioned for fleeing the mat when he stepped out-of-bounds, losing one point and going down in the par terre position. While fighting off a high gut attack, he grabbed his opponent’s head with both hands, earning his second caution and losing two points. His opponent’s next attempt at a high gut was successful, costing Akins two points and leaving him behind 3-6. He began to work back towards the lead with a reversal, but was unable to capitalize on the position, and gave up a takedown when they returned to their feet. Once again, his opponent worked towards a high gut, and Akins instinctively reached up on his opponent’s head with both hands. It only happened for a second, but it was enough for his third caution and subsequent disqualification.

Gardner #354
This match didn’t get off to a good start for Tanner Gardner, as he gave up the first takedown. He was able to successfully counter the first attempt at a gut and lift, but succumbed on the second try at a gut, falling behind 0-3. Once back on his feet, he was aggressive in attaching his opponent, and gained a 3-point takedown, plus an extra point for back exposure. He added to his lead with a 2-point gut wrench, but was reversed and gutted, which tied the match at 6-6. A slipped attempt at a gut by Gardner put him down, but he was able to counter his opponent’s attempt at a gut by stepping across his body, catching him on his back for a 2+1 point advantage before the end of the period. In the second period, Gardner attempted a headlock, which his opponent countered with a headlock of his own. Gardner re-countered by stepping over his opponent, catching him on his back for a fall :48 in the second period.

Banta #394
Matt Banta used a 3-point throw and a leg foul to take the early, 4-0, lead in his match against an opponent from Minnesota. A 3-point takedown was scored by the Gopher followed by a 1-point reversal for Matt. The Gopher was awarded 2-points on a leg foul but Matt again reversed it to close the period ahead 6-5. The lead was erased after a takedown was credited to the wrestler from Minnesota. After quite a battle, Banta secured the victory, using a front headlock for the pin at 0.37.

Somers #435
A Buckeye was the challenge for Matt Somers at 119 pounds. The Buckeye scored first with a 1-point takedown. Next, both wrestlers tallied 2, with Matt coming out on top. He quickly took advantage of this position, scoring 2 and 1 on the gut. On their feet, he scored a 5-point throw followed by a 2-point gut. After the Buckeye scored a 1-point takedown, Somers closed out the match with a 2-point reversal.

Metzler #459
After a series of attacks & hand fighting, Luke Metzler was called for passivity first, but his opponent couldn’t turn him. Back on their feet, they again worked on each other for position until his opponent was called for passivity. Metzler proved to be more than capable on top, as he put together a series of high & low gut combinations. He was scoring faster than the table could keep up with. At the start of a conference by the officials, the score read 7-0, but after a lengthy discussion, they determined that they hadn’t credited one lift and turn. Luke wins by technical fall.

McCormick #477
This match was joined at the end of the first period with the score, 8-4. Tyler McCormick closed out his opponent with a series of trapped arm guts, holding him in peril for the 14-4 win.

Parks #525
The opponent in this match came all the way from Alaska. It’s too bad he has to go home with a loss, but that’s what happened. Ryan Parks made fairly short work of this bout, securing the press fall at 0.56 of the first period.

Luedke #570
An opponent from Maryland was the next in line for Colby’s Eric Luedke. Eric started the scoring using a 2-point takedown, a 2-point gut, and a leg foul to open up a 5-0 lead. Next, Eric scored with a trapped arm gut, which he held in danger for a 2 and 1. The Marylander scored on a 2-point reversal and was awarded an additional 2 when Luedke fouled his during a lift. In the par terre, Eric gave up 2 on a turn but reversed the position for 2 to end the period 10-6. Luedke continued scoring with a takedown for 2, a high gut for a 2 and 1, and a head-and-arm for 3 and the subsequent fall.

Taplin #641
Ross Taplin fell behind early giving up the 1-point takedown to his opponent from Nebraska. But with 1.30 to go, Taplin bear hugged the Cornhusker, took him to his back, and secured the fall.

Butler #718
Jason Butler got a chance to compete on the showcase mat. Mat #1 (of the 23 mats in use), is on an elevated platform on the 50-yard line. Of all 23 mats, this is the one that gets watched the most. Things didn’t start out Butler’s way, as he gave up a 3-point arm spin, followed by a 1-point gut wrench that took them out of bounds. Once back on the mat, he surrendered another 2-point gut, followed by a caution for fleeing the mat. Back in the center, he gave up another 2-point gut, dropping behind 0-9 before things really got bad. His opponent’s final move was on his feet, as he executed a highly artistic full back souplex for 5 points. As Butler came of the mat, a sheepish smile on his face, he said the throw didn’t hurt at all, but he could have done without the gasps of appreciation from the crowd!

McGovern #720
Next up for Nick McGovern was an opponent from Louisiana. And, next down was an opponent from Louisiana! McGovern wins by fall at 1.45 in the first.

Stevens #780
The only time Justin Stevens had trouble scoring in this match was while he was on his feet. Once he put his opponent down on a passivity call, he seemed to be able to score at will. A 2-point high gut was followed by two consecutive gator rolls from a front headlock. Near the out of bounds line, Stevens then executed a gator roll towards the other side. As his opponent worked up to his knees to try and fight off the front headlock, Stevens scored his final 2 points from a head pinch, winning 10-0.

Bork #789
Like Jason Butler shortly before him, Ian Bork got the chance to wrestle on Mat 1. Unlike Butler, he kept things pretty simple, catching his opponent in a headlock and pinning him in 40 seconds.

Venegas #808
Although I didn’t keep detailed records on this match, it was a key win for Adam Venegas as he defeated the Vegas Juniors champion Aturo Basulto (Califormia) by a dominant score of 6-1.

DeShazer #969
Tristen DeShazer opened Day 2 of the Cadet Greco Championships for Team Kansas. Tristen took the early lead in this bout with a 3-point head-and-arm.  The score tightened as a 1-point takedown and a 1-point turn were scored by his opponent but that would be the last point given. DeShazer scored a 1-point reversal, 3 and 1 on a lateral drop and a 2-point gut to open a commanding lead of 10-2 to end the period. The match ended shortly after its’ restart with Tristen winning 3-points on another throw.

Elliott #992
After his Utah opponent slipped on an attempted throw, Tim Elliott scored on a 2-point gut, a 1-point takedown, followed by another 2-point gut to take the early lead. A beautiful arm drag lead to 3 more points followed by a reversal for Utah. Elliott scored again on a high dive but gave up a takedown to make the score at the end of the period, 9-2. The second opened with Tim 1-point on the takedown followed by a 2-point gut to secure the tech fall at 1.19.

Sonderegger #1168
In this bout, Ryan Sonderegger was schooled, by an opponent from Oregon. An arm spin, followed by a 2-point gut, followed by another 2-point gut with a hold in peril put Ryan behind 0-7. Ryan fought off additional turns and won his feet but was quickly taken down again and was turned to lose by technical fall.

Fitzgerald #1194
There is not much to report in a match that only lasts 13 seconds! Conor Fitzgerald stunned his opponent from Wisconsin with a lateral drop and pin.

Bedore #1251
In a good matchup, Jordan Bedore faced an opponent from Oklahoma. The early action saw both wrestlers taking the cautious approach waiting for the other to make an attempt. It was Bedore attempting the takedown but the Okie countered for a 3 and 1 move. The period ended with Jordan behind 0-4. Shortly into the second, it became obvious that the Okie felt his lead was safe and was nailed with a passivity call. This was a chance for Jordan that he would not let pass as he scored 2-points on a gut wrench. Back on their feet they again battled until with 30 seconds left, Bedore executed his high dive for a 3 and 1 move. Final score … in a squeaker … 6-4.

Kriegbaum #1308
Jake Kriegbaum continued on the winning path with a first period technical fall of his opponent from California. Jake used a series of takedowns and high guts to dominate this match.

Grater #1393
Danny Grater was behind the 8-ball early, giving up a quick 6-points to his opponent from Minnesota. His opponent opened with a throw to the back and a hold in peril for the 4-point lead. He followed this up with a 2-point gut while going out of bounds. Grater was behind 0-6 and was still working from bottom, where he gave up another 2-point gut. It seemed like a tough road-to-hoe for the Clay Center lad as they were put back on their feet. A remarkable 3-point throw followed by a 2-point gut closed the gap at the end of the period to a manageable 5-8. The action in the second round was hard to keep up with, but here is my best recollection. Danny attempted a throw but slipped where his opponent scored a 1-point gut while going out-of-bounds. The action continued with Danny giving up another 2-point gut wrench. With the score now 5-11 and back on their feet Danny scored with a 3-point throw. But his opponent reversed him to his back and secured the fall with 13 seconds left. It was Dannys’ first loss … but a hard fought one.

Fitzgerald
Conor Fitzgerald had a good Greco match with an opponent from California. Conor gave up a late 3-point throw as the first period ended. Fitz opened the second scoring a 3-pointer of his own, plus 1-point for holding his opponent on his back for a 5 count. On their feet, Conor gave up a 1-point takedown and a 2/1 gut to go behind 4-7. As the match was winding down, Conor attempted a throw with 20 seconds left and was unable to recover. Its’ Fitzgeralds’ first loss in the tourney.

Bedore #1494
Next up for Jordan Bedore was an opponent from New Jersey. Sometimes a Greco match resembles a cautiously orchestrated dance and such was the case as neither could gain an advantage on their feet. At 0.55 of the first period the first passivity was called against the Jersey boy. Bedore used this advantage to gain one, as he turned a gut wrench into a 2-point lead as this period ended. The next passivity went against Jordan but his opponent was unable to turn him. The next passivity came at 0.22 against the New Jersey youngster where Bedore gained the victory scoring another 2-point gut.

Knox #1551
I joined this match in progress with Toast trailing his opponent 0-3. Knox scored a 1-point takedown followed shortly by another 1-pointer to close the gap at the end of the first period. His opponent opened the next period by scoring a 1-point takedown followed a 2-point gut followed by another 2-point gut. Back on their feet Knox scored on a 1-point takedown but it was too little too late as Toast suffered the 4-8 loss.

Kriegbaum, Grater, and Bedore move on!
Jake rolled on with an 11-1 first period tech. Danny squeaked out a 7-6 win over an opponent from Maryland. Jordan won his next match by fall.

Carillo #1669
Andrew Carillo faced off against his opponent from Missouri. Trading single point takedowns the first period closed with a tied score. Andrew was fighting hard and after a long battle gave up the takedown late. The Showme followed with a pair of guts with one held for exposure to hand Andrew a 1-6 loss.

Kriegbaum #1689
Jake Kriegbaum battled an opponent from Washington State in this round of competition. After a spirited first round, Jake trailed by one, giving up a late takedown. The next opened with another battled where another takedown was scored by the wrestler from Washington. With less than 30 seconds to go in the match and behind by 2, Jake tried to roll a front headlock but was effectively countered. Kriegbaum suffers his first defeat 0-5.

Grater #1707
It looked like deja vue all over again as Danny Grater found himself trailing at the end of the first by a count of 0-6. With 1.15 in the second, his opponent from California was called for passivity. Danny scored on a beautiful lift and turn followed by another one out-of-bounds to take an 8-6 lead. From the par terre position Danny scored a 2-point gut with a hold followed by another 2-point gut to secure the 13-6 win! Whew!!!!

Bedore #1757
This win for Jordan Bedore was much like an earlier report. Bedore seems to have an unstoppable gut wrench when he gets in the par terre position. And, he seems equally adept at defending the same position! Bedore wins against a New Yorker, 6-1 to remain undefeated in the tourney.

DeShazer #18
Tristen DeShazer was the first Kansas wrestler to compete at the 2002 Cadet Greco Roman Championships, and he gave the team a good start. After scoring the first takedown to take a 1-0 lead, he improved to 3-0 with a gut wrench. After returning to their feet, DeShazer scored the final point of the period with a takedown from a duck-under. In the second period, DeShazer hit a headlock to score three points, but lost a point on a reverse. He did not give up any points on bottom, however, and won the match by a final score of 8-1. Juby

Bingham #34
Aaron Bingham opened his National Tourney bid with a victory. Bingham used the head-and-arm, a 1 point takedown, followed by another head-and-arm to gain a 7 point lead, to dominate the first period. It seemed this lead wouldn’t be enough however as he was scored on with two 3 point arm spins. With 29 seconds left in the match and the score now 7-6, Bingham scored with another head-and-arm, followed by a sweet 2 point trapped arm gut for the 12-6 victory. Hinderliter

Tibbs #65
An aggressive Calvin Tibbs tried for a quick throw in his match, but was caught with a headlock counter. After spending nearly a minute trying to fight off of his back, Tibbs was pinned. Juby

Nothern #88
Nick Nothern was able to avoid being rolled, as he countered his opponent’s arm spin, but he wasn’t able to avoid the one-point takedown. His opponent’s gut wrench took them both out of bounds, which gave him the opportunity to score again on a second gut. Nothern was able to avoid any additional points while on bottom, but was hit with a caution for avoiding wrestling while on bottom, which cost him a point and set the stage for his opponent to go back to a third but. At the end of this, as Nothern finally returned to his feet, he trailed by a score of 0-8. Nothern was more successful in countering his opponent’s next attempt at an arm spin, as he was able to not only stop the arm spin, but was also able to score a takedown from the counter. This ended up being Nothern’s only points, however. Deciding to try to give his opponent a taste of his own medicine, Nothern attempted an arm spin of his own, but was countered for a takedown and subsequent gut wrench, which cost him a technical fall of 1-11. Juby

Kriegbaum #96
Abeline's Jake Kriegbaum made quick work of his opening round match with a first period technical fall. Jake opened the match scoring on an arm drag for a 1 point lead. But he quickly followed that up with a 2 point trapped arm gut wrench followed by another. This time Jake held his opponent for a five count to take the 6-0 lead. Unable to score further they were put back on their feet where an attempted throw by his opponent has ruled a slip, and no points. However the Kansan again scored a 2 point gut. Back to their feet where this time Jake countered an attempted throw to score 2 of his own. Final score 10-0. Hinderliter

Knox #112
Proficient use of the “snake” won this match for Charles “Toast” Knox. The first time he used the move to score the first three point takedown, he gave up a one point reversal. The second time he used it, he stayed in control but wasn’t able to score additional points. Although the snake gave him his lead, it was a standard head & arm headlock throw that gave him the fall at 1:48. Juby

Orozco #135
Absolute Domination … are the words that come to mind to describe Simon Orozco’s first match of the tourney. Simon used a 1 point takedown, followed by a 2 point trapped gut, followed by another 2 pointer to take the early lead. Orozco then used a move most commonly associated with folkstyle wrestling to close out the match. First, Simon pulled up the arm he had trapped, to an arm bar, and the pulled up the other. With the double chicken wing secured, he bulled his opponent over for the first period fall. Hinderliter

Baldridge #146
There wasn’t a lot of scoring moves in Josh Baldridge’s match, but there were enough to secure him the victory. Baldridge scored a takedown early in the match, but had to wait until late in the second period to score again, as he caught his opponent attempting an arm spin, and tossed him to his back for three points, winning by a score of 4-0. Juby

Miller #265
Neither wrestler was able to score in the first 50 seconds of Mike Miller’s match, which led to a passivity call against Miller. His opponent wasn’t able to capitalize on the position thought, and they continued wrestling from their feet in a 0-0 tie, when Miller slipped on an arm throw. Although this didn’t cost him any points, it put his opponent in position to score a gut going out of bounds, then add a second gut when they returned to the par terre position, putting Miller down 0-4 at the end of the period. Another slip in the second period again put Miller down, whereupon his opponent added to his lead with a two point tight-arm gut. No further points were scored, as Miller lost 0-6. Juby

Nathan Miller #285
Nathan Miller was competing against an opponent from New York in this 145 pound match. The New Yorker opened the scoring on Miller gaining a one point takedown but found Miller a tough one to turn. It was back to their feet where once again, a single point was scored. Again, Miller fought off any attempts at the turn to gain the neutral position. This time, a 3 point throw by the New Yorker was awarded. Nathan opened the second period with more aggression but was again taken down and gave up a 2 point gut wrench to fall behind 8-0. Nathan scored on a 1 point takedown but in doing so, accidentally was cut on the head by his opponents teeth. After a pause in the action to clean things up, the match continued but ended with Nathan suffering the 8-1 loss. Hinderliter

Sonderegger #315
Ryan Sonderegger’s match was had an interesting conclusion. Sonderegger gave up the first takedown, and the only points in the first period, but took the lead in the second period by taking advantage of a passivity call to score on a two point high gut. Although Sonderegger had a 2-1 lead at the end of regulation, the match went into overtime (there is a minimum of three points required to win a match). The overtime was begun in the clinch position, with Sonderegger getting the first lock because he was in the lead. In the clinch, you cannot break your lock unless during a successful scoring move. If no one scores after one minute, the second person the lock up is awarded a point, and the other wrestler is put into the bottom par terre position. Therefore, if no one scored or broke their lock for one minute, Sonderegger would lose a point and be put down on the mat. For the first 52 seconds, nobody scored. Then, with seven seconds remaining , his opponent made a questionable decision to break his grip to attempt a head lock throw. The throw was unsuccessful, and Sonderegger was awarded a point, winning the match by a score of 3-1. Juby

Fitzgerald #347
It was the center stage for Conor Fitzgerald’s opening match. The 160 pounder found himself on Mat 1, the elevated mat where the finals are wrestled, and seemed to like it there. While I am not exactly sure how Fitz scored (as there was another match going on) I do know that the first period ended with the score 7-2 in favor of Conor. He quickly scored the fall with 1.48 left. Hinderliter

Bedore #439
Goodland’s 215 pounder Jordan Bedore made quick work of his Arizona opponent. After a brief “feeling out” time, Jordan scored first with the head and arm and held his opponent in peril to gain the early 4-0 lead. Next came a 2 point gut wrench followed by a quick roll up for the fall. The coaching staff seems quietly optimistic about this young mans potential. His first match did nothing to detour that! Hinderliter

Elliott #536
This 105 pounder was as dominating as Jordan Bedore in his second round match. Tim Elliott opened an early lead scoring with a pair of single point takedowns. With Tim in the dominant position he scored with a pair of gut wrenches and quickly closed the bout gaining the fall in 0.55. Elliott marches on. Hinderliter

Baldridge #635
WOW!!! … Josh Baldridge the 119 pounder clearly was the dominant wrestler in this match. Josh scored on a 1 point takedown to open the match and once again on his feet, scored with a head-and-arm for the fall. Baldridge is 2-0 this first day of the Nationals. Hinderliter

Cornejo #681
WOW Again!! … Joseph Cornejo regained his form with a victory in this bout against a Montana opponent. First, came a lateral drop for a 3 pointer and a hold in peril for the additional point. Then came a lift and turn for another 3 pointer. The end of the period shows Joseph ahead 7-0. The second started with a brief battle to gain position and to improve it. But it was quickly over as Cornejo scored the fall with a beautiful throw. Hinderliter

Grater #744
Clay Center's 140 pounder continued on his path with a victory in this bout. Danny Grater scored first with a single point takedown follow by a 1 point gut followed by a 2 point trapped arm gut. His New York opponent earned an escape to close the gap, 4-1. The gap was then eliminated by a 3 point throw being awarded at the end of the first period. The second started a bit cautious with Grater scoring on a 1 point takedown. Danny tried to turn the New Yorker by taking him to the trapped arm side but found that side effectively blocked. But as is the case in wrestling, it is hard to block both sides! Danny quickly turned his opponent away from the arm and gained the exposure and back arched to press the opponents shoulders to the mat for the fall. Danny closes the day winning both of his matches! Hinderliter

Sonderegger #809
I joined this match in progress with the Ryan Sonderegger leading 1-0 at the end of the first! It looked as if this match has destined for the clinch, when Ryan planted his foot behind his opponent and threw him over it. After a debate by the officials on whether it should be ruled a 3 point throw or a leg foul, Ryan was awarded the throw. He stayed aggressive as match continued and ended with the 4-0 victory! Hinderliter

Bedore #927
Jordan Bedore continued his winning ways gaining a technical fall over his opponent from California. Jordan was served with a brief reminder that he must keep his “eyes on the prize” as the Californian took a 3 point lead. Bedore went ahead with a 3 pointer of his own with an additional point for holding the opponent in danger followed by a 2 point trapped arm gut. Back on their feet Jordan scored a text book high dive to put the Californian again in peril followed by another 2 point gut to close the match. Bedore rolls! Hinderliter