Challenge Tournament semifinals set at World Team Trials; Olympic champions Burroughs, Taylor advance

OMAHA – The semifinals have been set after the first session of the 2024 Senior World Team Trials at the MECA - CHI Health Center Omaha in Omaha, Nebraska.

A pair of past Olympic men’s freestyle champions in the field have advanced to the semifinals, 2012 Olympic champion and six-time World champion Jordan Burroughs at 79 kg and 2020 Olympic champion and three-time World champion David Taylor at 86 kg.

In the 12 weight classes being contested (four in each of the three disciplines), all of the No. 1 seeds in the Challenge Tournament have advanced to the semifinals.

MEN’S FREESTYLE

At 70 kg, two-time World medalist James Green powered to the semifinals with a 10-0 technical fall over Paniro Johnson. He will battle 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials champion Jordan Oliver, who needed a last-second four-point takedown to edge Bryce Andonian, 8-6

In the other half-bracket, No. 1 seed Alec Pantaleo edged Yahya Thomas, 2-0. His semifinal opponent will be PJ Duke, who defeated Jarrett Jacques, 8-3. All of the top four seeds were able to advance

At 61 kg, 2021 World silver medalist Daton Fix advanced to the semifinals with a 10-0 technical fall over Nasir Bailey. He will face Austin DeSanto in the semifinals, who stopped high school star Jax Forrest, 9-6

In the other half-bracket at 61 kg, 2013 U17 World champion Marcus Blaze defeated 2022 World Team member Seth Gross, 7-5. Blaze was seeded No. 5, while Gross was at No. 4. Blaze will battle No. 1 seed and 2018 Final X champion Nahshon Garrett, a 9-0 winner over Liam Cronin

At 79 kg, Burroughs advanced to the semifinals in a hard-fought 4-1 decision over Levi Haines. Burroughs was able to score the most with step outs. Burroughs will face Alex Dieringer, who stopped Evan Wick, 7-1. Burroughs last faced Dieringer in the finals series at the 2021 World Team Trials, which Burroughs won in two straight matches.

In the other 79 kg semifinals, 2023 World Team member and top seed Chance Marsteller will battle U20 and U23 World champion Keegan O’Toole. Marsteller shut down Hunter Garvin, 7-0. O’Toole beat longtime rival David Carr 9-4, jumping to an 8-0 lead with multiple ankle laces.

Taylor had little trouble in his 92 kg quarterfinals, pinning Marcus Coleman in 1:14. His semifinals opponent will be Michael Macchiavello, the No. 5 seed, who edged No. 4 seed Eric Schultz, 6-5.

The other 92 kg semifinals will pit Jonathan Aiello against Trent Hidlay, both who are past age-group World medalists. Aiello stopped young star Aeoden Sinclair, 13-5 while Hidlay scored a 10-0 technical fall over Maximus Hale.

WOMEN’S FREESTYLE

2019 World champion and 2023 World silver medalist Jacarra Winchester moved up in weight to 59 kg, and received the No. 1 seed. She stopped collegian Alexandra Szkotnicki, 10-0. Winchester will battle Bridgette Duty, who won a wild 14-10 battle against Xochitl Mota-Pettis.

In the other 59 kg half-bracket,

No. 6 seed Zoey Nowicki pinned 2022 World Team member and No. 3 seed Abigail Nette in 4:30, after trailing most of the match. Her opponent will be No. 2 seed Michaela Beck, a 10-0 winner over Yele Aycock.

At 65 kg, 2023 World bronze medalist Jennifer Page controlled Sienna Ramirez, 9-1 in her quarterfinals. Her semifinals opponent is No. 5 seed Claire Dicugno, a 7-2 winner over No. 4 seed Savannah Cosme.

In the other 65 kg half-bracket, No. 6 seed Skylar Hattendorf pinned No. 3 seed Ana Luciano in 4:46. Her opponent will be No. 2 seed Aine Drury, who also scored a quarterfinal pin over Alara Boyd.

Advancing to the semifinals was the No. 1 seed at 55 kg, 2023 Senior Nationals champion Amanda Martinez, who scored a 10-0 technical fall over Mateah Roehl in the quarterfinals. Her opponent will be another past national champion, No. 5 seed Vayle Baker, who edged No. 4 seed Alisha Howk, 3-0.

No. 2 seed Areana Villaescusa and No. 3 seed Felicity Taylor advanced to the other semifinal at 55 kg. Villaescusca pinned Karissa Turnwall in 3:44, while Taylor finished strong to edge Elena Ivaldi, 6-4

There was only one quarterfinal at 72 kg, as Gretchen Donally edged her Colorado Mesa teammate Celina Cooke, 4-2. The top three seeds received byes. Donnaly will battle No. 1 seed Yelena Makoyed, while the other semifinals will include 2021 World Team member Kylie Welker against Skylar Grote.

GRECO-ROMAN

2020 U.S. Olympian and top seed Ildar Hafizov reached the semifinals at 63 kg, stopping Riley Lomenick, 7-5. His opponent will be No. 4 seed Phillip Moomey, a 9-0 technical fall winner over Corbin Nirschl.

The other 63 kg half-bracket also held seed, with No. 2 Max Black to face No. 3 seed Dylan Gregerson. Black scored a 9-0 technical fall over Aidan Nutter, while Gregerson stopped Rhett Peak, 5-0.

2023 World Team member Brady Koontz, the top seed at 55 kg, advanced to the semifinals, where he will face Peter DelGallo. Both scored technical falls in the quarterfinals, with Koontz beating Fabian Gutierrez and DelGallo beating Ezekiel Witt.

The other 55 kg semifinalists are No. 2 seed Billy Sullivan and No. 3 seed Kenneth Crosby. Sullivan won a 9-1 technical fall over Kody Tanimoto, while Crosby stopped Zachary Silvis, 5-1.

At 72 kg , 2022 World Team member and top seed Benji Peak scored a 10-0 technical fall over Clay Radenz in the quarterfinals. His semifinals opponent is Peyton Robb, an 8-0 technical fall winner over Gunnar Hamre. Robb competes at the Univ. of Nebraska, and has a vocal cheering section.

The other 72 kg features a native of Omaha, 2018 World Team member RaVaughn Perkins, who scored a 9-0 technical fall over Jaxon Bearden. His semifinals opponent is Hunter Lewis, who beat Eddie Smith, 11-2.

At 82 kg, top seed 44-year old Aliaksandr Kikiniou won a tough 3-2 quarterfinals bout over young Arvin Khosravy. Kikiniou, a 2012 Olympian and six-time Senior World Team member for Belarus, will face Army star Ryan Epps, who scored an 11-1 technical fall over Tyler Cunningham.

2021 World Team member Jesse Porter also advanced to the 82 kg semifinals, where he will face Tyler Eischens. Both won by technical fall in the quarterfinals. Porter stopped Riley Briggs, 11-0, while Eischens dispatched Beka

Beka Melelashvili, 13-3

There are three 2023 Senior World medalists who earned the right to advance directly to Sunday’s best-of-three championship series and will not compete today: 2023 World champion Vito Arujau at 61 kg in men’s freestyle, 2023 World silver medalist Macey Kilty at 65 kg in women’s freestyle and 2023 World bronze medalist Zahid Valencia at 92 kg in men’s freestyle. They await Saturday night’s Challenge Tournament champion in their weight class.

Patrick Downey, a 2019 World Team member and the No. 7 seed, was defeated by No. 10 seed Maximus Hale by technical fall, 16-6, in a round of 16 match at 92 kg.

The World Team Trials will determine the U.S. athletes that will compete in the Senior World Championships in Tirana, Albania, October 28-31.

The event is being broadcast live on FloWrestling https://flosports.link/3XCeNF6. The Challenge Tournament semifinals will begin at 5:00 p.m. CT. The best of three Championship Series pairings will be determined in this session.

WORLD TEAM TRIALS

At Omaha, Neb., September 14, 2024

Semifinal pairings

Men’s Freestyle

61 kg

Nahshon Garrett (LVWC/ TMWC) vs. Marcus Blaze (Perrysburg WC)

Austin DeSanto (HWC/ TMWC) vs. Daton Fix (Cowboy RTC/ TMWC)

70 kg

Alec Pantaleo (CKWC/ TMWC) vs. PJ Duke (KD Training Center)

Jordan Oliver (NYAC) vs. James Green (Nebraska WTC)

79 kg

Chance Marsteller (NJRTC/ TMWC) vs. Keegan O'Toole (Tiger Style WC/ TMWC)

Alex Dieringer (CKWC/ TMWC) vs. Jordan Burroughs (Pennsylvania RTC)

92 kg

David Taylor (Cowboy RTC/ TMWC) vs. Michael Macchiavello (LVWC/ TMWC)

Jonathan Aiello (Penn RTC/ TMWC) vs. Trent Hidlay (Wolfpack WC/ TMWC)

Women’s Freestyle

55 kg

Amanda Martinez (Cardinal WC/TMWC) vs. Vayle Baker (NYAC/West Point WC)

Felicity Taylor (TMWC) vs. Areana Villaescusa (Army WCAP)

59 kg

Jacarra Winchester (USOPTC/ TMWC) vs. Bridgette Duty (Army WCAP)

Zoe Nowicki (Bulldog WC) vs. Michaela Beck (USOPTC/ TMWC)

65 kg

Jennifer Page (TMWC) vs. Claire Dicugno (Team Tornado WC)

Skylar Hattendorf (NYAC) vs. Aine Drury (NYAC/King)

72 kg

Yelena Makoyed (CWC/TMWC) vs. Gretchen Donally (Colorado Mesa WC)

Skylar Grote (USOPTC/TMWC) vs. Kylie Welker (IWWC/TMWC)

Greco-Roman

55 kg

Brady Koontz (Dubuque RTC/TMWC) vs. Peter DelGallo (South Side WC)

Kenneth Crosby (NMU National Training Center) vs. Billy Sullivan (Army WCAP)

63 kg

Ildar Hafizov (Army (WCAP) vs. Phillip Moomey (MWC Wrestling Academy)

Dylan Gregerson (NYAC) vs. Max Black (NYAC/NMU)

72 kg

Benjamin Peak (Combat W.C. School of Wrestling) vs. Peyton Robb (NWTC)

Hunter Lewis (North Carolina) vs. Ravaughn Perkins (NYAC)

82 kg

Aliaksandr Kikiniou (NYAC) vs. Ryan Epps (Army WCAP)

Tyler Eischens (NYAC/Tar Heel WC) vs. Jesse Porter (NYAC)

Quarterfinal results

Men’s freestyle

61 kg

Nahshon Garrett (LVWC/ TMWC) dec. Liam Cronin (Nebraska WTC), 9-0

Marcus Blaze (Perrysburg WC) dec. Seth Gross (Wisconsin RTC), 7-5

Austin DeSanto (HWC/ TMWC) dec. Jax Forrest (Young Guns), 9-6

Daton Fix (Cowboy RTC/ TMWC) tech fall Nasir Bailey (Arkansas RTC), 10-0 4:06

70 kg

Alec Pantaleo (CKWC/ TMWC) dec. Yahya Thomas (NJRTC/ TMWC), 2-0

PJ Duke (KD Training Center) dec.Jarrett Jacques (Tiger Style WC), 8-3

Jordan Oliver (NYAC) dec. Bryce Andonian (SERTC/ TMWC), 8-6

James Green (Nebraska WTC) tech fall Paniro Johnson (Cyclone RTC), 10-0 3:23

79 kg

Chance Marsteller (NJRTC/ TMWC) dec. Hunter Garvin (California RTC), 7-0

Keegan O'Toole (Tiger Style WC/ TMWC) dec. David Carr (Cyclone RTC/ TMWC), 9-4

Alex Dieringer (CKWC/ TMWC) dec. Evan Wick (SoCal RTC/ TMWC), 7-1

Jordan Burroughs (Pennsylvania RTC) dec. Levi Haines (Nittany Lion WC), 4-1

92 kg

David Taylor (Cowboy RTC/ TMWC) pin Marcus Coleman (Cyclone RTC), 1:14

Michael Macchiavello (LVWC/ TMWC) dec. Eric Schultz (Nebraska WTC), 6-5

Jonathan Aiello (Penn RTC/ TMWC) dec. Aeoden Sinclair (Tiger Style WC), 13-5

Trent Hidlay (Wolfpack WC/ TMWC) tech fall Maximus Hale (Pennsylvania RTC), 10-0 2:37

Women’s Freestyle

55 kg

Amanda Martinez (Cardinal WC/TMWC) tech fall Mateah Roehl (NYAC/Askren WC), 10-0 3:24

Vayle Baker (NYAC/West Point WC) dec. Alisha Howk (NYAC), 3-0

Felicity Taylor (TMWC) dec. Elena Ivaldi (CA), 6-4

Areana Villaescusa (Army WCAP) pin Karissa Turnwall (ETC), 3:44

59 kg

Jacarra Winchester (USOPTC/ TMWC) tech fall Alexandra Szkotnicki (Bearcat Wrestling Club), 10-0 1:00

Bridgette Duty (Army WCAP) dec. Xochitl Mota-pettis (Rise RTC), 14-10

Zoe Nowicki (Bulldog WC) pin Abigail Nette (WCAP), 4:30

Michaela Beck (USOPTC/ TMWC) tech fall Yele Aycock (Cardinal Wrestling Club), 10-0 1:15

65 kg

Jennifer Page (TMWC) dec. Sienna Ramirez (Army WCAP), 9-1

Claire Dicugno (Team Tornado WC) dec. Savannah Cosme (Sunkist Kids), 7-2

Skylar Hattendorf (NYAC) pin Ana Luciano (NYAC), 4:46

Aine Drury (NYAC/King) pin Alara Boyd (Cardinal WC), 1:50

72 kg

Yelena Makoyed (CWC/TMWC), bye

Gretchen Donally (Colorado Mesa WC) dec. Celina Cooke (Colorado Mesa WC), 4-2

Skylar Grote (USOPTC/TMWC), bye

Kylie Welker (IWWC/TMWC), bye

Greco-Roman

55 kg

Brady Koontz (Dubuque RTC/TMWC) tech fall Fabian Gutierrez (West Point WC), 9-0 2:05

Peter DelGallo (South Side WC) tech fall Ezekiel Witt (Bison WC), 10-0 2:16

Kenneth Crosby (NMU National Training Center) dec. Zachary Silvis (Minn Storm/NYAC), 5-1

Billy Sullivan (Army WCAP) tech fall Kody Tanimoto (Bison WC), 9-1 2:45

63 kg

Ildar Hafizov (Army (WCAP) dec. Riley Lomenick (Illinois), 7-5

Phillip Moomey (MWC Wrestling Academy) tech Corbin Nirschl (NYAC), 9-0 1:48

Dylan Gregerson (NYAC) dec. Rhett Peak (Checkmate WC), 5-0

Max Black (NYAC/NMU) tech fall Aidan Nutter (NYAC), 9-0 3:35

72 kg

Benjamin Peak (Combat W.C. School of Wrestling) tech fall Clay Radenz (Bison WC), 10-0 1:18

Peyton Robb (NWTC) tech fall Gunnar Hamre (NMU), 8-0 0:53

Hunter Lewis (North Carolina) tech fall Eddie Smith (Dubuque RTC), 11-2 4:18

Ravaughn Perkins (NYAC) tech fall Jaxon Bearden (NMU-NTC), 9-0 2:18

82 kg

Aliaksandr Kikiniou (NYAC) dec. Arvin Khosravy (West Point WC), 3-2

Ryan Epps (Army WCAP) tech fall Tyler Cunningham (NYAC), 11-1 4:26

Tyler Eischens (NYAC/Tar Heel WC) tech fall Beka Melelashvili (NYAC), 13-3 5:58

Jesse Porter (NYAC) tech fall Riley Briggs (NMU-NTC), 11-0 4:48