(Cover Photo: Sam Janicki – SJanicki Photo)
Junior phenom Spencer Lee will return to the Junior World Championships this fall after the nation’s #1 ranked wrestler in the class of 2017 won both of his matches on Saturday. This will be Lee’s third World Team in as many years, winning a Cadet World title at 50 kilograms in 2014, and a Junior World title last summer at the same weight. The World Championships will be held later this summer in Macon, France. A Hawkeye recruit, Lee will also be a favorite to repeat on the World level.
The bracket was smaller than one would have expected with a shot at a World team spot on the line, but Colorado native Mosha Schwartz was the only other entrant, which gave him the automatic bye to the finals to face Lee. The finals, which are wrestled in a best-of-three format to determine the wrestler that will represent the U.S. at the World Championships, were over in short order as Lee won both meetings by match ending technical superiority, 10-0.
Lee gave his thoughts on wrestling in his third World Championships to USA Wrestling’s Garry Abbott in the below video interview. Lee stated that he is looking forward to being a leader on Team USA and hopes to contribute to an eventual team title. Lee also said that his mother was born and raised in France, so he is very familiar with the country.
Iowa wasn’t the only college with a recruit putting in a noteworthy performance this weekend. Future Iowa State Cyclone Austin Gomez finished runner-up at 55 kg, losing in two straight matches to Daton Fix in the finals.
After finishing third at last month’s U.S. Open tournament, Gomez earned the No. 2 seed in the challenge tournament. That earned him a bye to the weight’s quarterfinals, where he ran into Oklahoma prep wrestler Rhett Golowenski. Gomez downed him 10-0 which set up a rematch of the third place match from Vegas vs Oklahoma State wrestler Nick Piccininni. Gomez was once again able to come out on top, defeating his older opponent 12-9. In the tournament’s challenge finals it was another familiar face for Gomez, as he defeated Michigan wrestler Austin Assad, 10-0.
The only other wrestler with an Iowa tie to place this weekend was another Hawkeye recruit Gavin Teasdale, who took fourth in the 55 kg challenge bracket.
Saturday Finals – 50 KG
1st Place – Spencer Lee of Titan Mercury Wrestling Club
2nd Place – Mosha Schwartz of SOT
Round 1
Round 1 – Spencer Lee (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) won by tech fall over Mosha Schwartz (SOT) (TF 10-0)
Round 2
Round 2 – Spencer Lee (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) won by tech fall over Mosha Schwartz (SOT) (TF 10-0)
Sunday Finals – 55 KG
1st Place – Daton Fix of Team BIG
2nd Place – Austin Gomez of gomez wrestling academy
Round 1
Round 1 – Daton Fix (Team BIG) won by tech fall over Austin Gomez (gomez wrestling academy) (TF 10-0)
Round 2
Round 2 – Daton Fix (Team BIG) won by tech fall over Austin Gomez (gomez wrestling academy) (TF 10-0)
Sunday Finals – 60 KG
1st Place – Seth Gross of Jackrabbit Wrestling Club
2nd Place – Mitchell Mckee of Minnesota Storm
Round 1
Round 1 – Seth Gross (Jackrabbit Wrestling Club) won by decision over Mitchell Mckee (Minnesota Storm) (Dec 8-5)
Round 2
Round 2 – Mitchell Mckee (Minnesota Storm) won by decision over Seth Gross (Jackrabbit Wrestling Club) (Dec 10-6)
Round 3
Round 3 – Seth Gross (Jackrabbit Wrestling Club) won by decision over Mitchell Mckee (Minnesota Storm) (Dec 16-12)
Saturday Finals – 66 KG
1st Place – Alec Pantaleo of Michigan – RTC
2nd Place – Matthew Kolodzik of Princeton Amateur Wrestling So
Round 1
Round 1 – Alec Pantaleo (Michigan – RTC) won by decision over Matthew Kolodzik (Princeton Amateur Wrestling So) (Dec 10-2)
Round 2
Round 2 – Alec Pantaleo (Michigan – RTC) won by decision over Matthew Kolodzik (Princeton Amateur Wrestling So) (Dec 6-0)
Sunday Finals – 74 KG
1st Place – Mark Hall of Davison
2nd Place – Jason Nolf of Nittany Lion Wrestling Club
Round 1
Round 1 – Mark Hall (Davison) won by tech fall over Jason Nolf (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) (TF 10-0)
Round 2
Round 2 – Mark Hall (Davison) won by decision over Jason Nolf (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) (Dec 10-6)
Sunday Finals – 84 KG
1st Place – Zahid Valencia of Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club
2nd Place – Bo Nickal of Nittany Lion Wrestling Club
Round 1
Round 1 – Zahid Valencia (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) won by decision over Bo Nickal (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) (Dec 8-2)
Round 2
Round 2 – Zahid Valencia (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) won by decision over Bo Nickal (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) (Dec 2-1)
Saturday Finals – 96 KG
1st Place – Kollin Moore of OH RTC-TItan Mercury
2nd Place – Jacob Seely of Northern Colorado RTC
Round 1
Round 1 – Kollin Moore (OH RTC-TItan Mercury) won by tech fall over Jacob Seely (Northern Colorado RTC) (TF 11-1)
Round 2
Round 2 – Kollin Moore (OH RTC-TItan Mercury) won by decision over Jacob Seely (Northern Colorado RTC) (Dec 9-7)
Saturday Finals – 120 KG
1st Place – Jordan Wood of Lehigh Valley Athletic Club
2nd Place – Rylee Streifel of Minnesota Storm
Round 1
Round 1 – Jordan Wood (Lehigh Valley Athletic Club) won by decision over Rylee Streifel (Minnesota Storm) (Dec 5-0)
Round 2
Round 2 – Jordan Wood (Lehigh Valley Athletic Club) won by tech fall over Rylee Streifel (Minnesota Storm) (TF 11-0)