Peak makes team, 11 wrestlers take first bout of best-of-three series at World Team Trials in Omaha

OMAHA, Neb. – The first round of the best-of-three Championships Series of the World Team Trials was held at the MECA – MCI Health Center Omaha on Sunday morning, and 11 athletes took a 1-0 lead against their finals opponent.

In Greco-Roman, Benji Peak made his second Senior World Team, after winning the 72 kg Greco-Roman Championships Series by forfeit over RaVaughn Perkins, who did not weigh in. Peak previously competed at the 2022 Senior World Championships.

The athletes return at 2:00 p.m. CT for the second match of their series, with a third match (if necessary) to follow in that session. The action is broadcast live on FloWrestling https://flosports.link/3XCeNF6.

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

Men’s Freestyle

Burroughs, a 2012 Olympic champion and six-time World champion Jordan Burroughs took a 1-0 lead in his series against 2023 World Team member Chance Marsteller, with a 3-0 win at 79 kg. Burroughs scored a first-period takedown and added a second period shot clock point for the win.

Burroughs and Marsteller wrestled in the 2022 and 2023 Final X, with Burroughs making the World Team in 2022 and Marsteller earning the spot in 2023

2020 Olympic champion and three-time World champion David Taylor took a one-match lead in his 92 kg series against 2023 World bronze medalist Zahid Valencia with a 3-3 criteria win. Both athletes got step out points in the first period. Valencia scored the first period to lead 3-1, but a Taylor takedown later in the second period made it 3-3, with Taylor winning by scoring the final point.

2023 World champion Vito Arujau edged high school star Marcus Blaze, 2-1 in their opener at 61 kg. Arujau broke a 1-1 tie with a step out with 45 seconds left for the win. Blaze, who is 17 years old, was a 2023 U17 World champion.

Two-time Senior World medalist James Green quickly dispatched Alec Pantaleo in a 10-0 first-period technical fall at 70 kg. Green hit a four-point whip over, then added three ankle laces for a quick technical fall.

Women’s Freestyle

2019 World champion Jacarra Winchester was dominant in her 11-0 technical fall over past U.S. Open champion Michaela Beck at 59 kg. Leading 1-0, Winchester scored a takedown and added three gut wrenches to lead 9-0. A takedown closed out the win.

2023 World silver medalist Macey Kilty also scored a technical fall in her opening match at 65 kg, beating

Aine Drury, a 2024 NCWWC Nationals runner-up for King University, 10-0. Kilty opened with three takedowns and added two turns to finish the bout.

2021 World Team member Kylie Welker had a strong opening win at 72 kg, pinning No. 1 seed Yelena Makoyed by pin in 5:03. Welker led 1-0 at the break on a shot clock point, then added a takedown to lead 3-0. Welker nailed a four-point counter headlock to put Makoyed on her back then finished the fall.

There will be a new World Team member at 55 kg, as neither finalist has been to a Senior World Championships. In bout one, No. 2 seed Areana Villaescusa edged No. 1 seed Amanda Martinez , 4-3. The match was tied at 2-2 in the second period, when Villaescusa scored a counter tilt, with Martinez getting a reversal to finish it at 4-3.

Greco-Roman

With Peak having his arm raised and advancing to the World Championships, there were three Greco-Roman series started this morning.

2020 U.S. Olympian Ildar Hafizov was powerful in his opening 9-0 technical fall over Max Black. After getting on top after a passivity call on Black, Hafizov hit three straight scores, a two point high gut, a four-point lift and a two-point high gut to make it 9-0.  

At 82 kg, top seed 44-year old Aliaksandr Kikiniou took the lead in his series against 2021 World Team member Jesse Porter. With the bout tied 1-1. Kikiniou hit a four-point body pinch to lead 5-1. A Porter body lock takedown made it 5-3 late, but Porter challenged. The jury called a leg foul on Porter, taking away the takedown and making the score 5-1.  Kikiniou was a 2012 Olympian and six-time Senior World Team member for Belarus before becoming a U.S. citizen, and seeks his first World Team for the USA.

2023 World Team member Brady Koontz jumped to a 1-0 lead in his series against No. 3 seed Kenneth Crosby with a 9-0 technical fall. Koontz led 3-0 at the break with a passivity point and a gut wrench. After two more step out points, Koontz got a spin behind takedown and a turn to close out the win.

2024 Senior World Team Trials

Sept. 15, Omaha, Neb.

Best-of-three championship series results

Greco-Roman

55 kg – Brady Koontz (Dubuque RTC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Kenneth Crosby (NMU-National Training Center)

Bout 1 – Koontz tech fall Crosby, 9-0

Koontz leads series 1 match to 0

63 kg – Ildar Hafizov (Army WCAP) vs. Max Black (NMU-National Training Center/New York AC)

Bout 1 – Hafizov tech fall Black, 9-0

Hafizov leads series 1 match to 0

72 kg – Benjamin Peak (Combat W.C. School of Wrestling) forfeit over RaVaughn Perkins (New York AC)

Perkins did not weigh in – Peak wins series and makes World Team

82 kg – Aliaksandr Kikiniou (New York AC) vs. Jesse Porter (New York AC)

Bout 1 – Kikiniou dec. Porter, 5-1

Kikinou leads series 1 match to 0

Women’s freestyle

55 kg – Amanda Martinez (Cardinal WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Areana Villaescusa (Army WCAP)

Bout 1 – Villaescusa dec. Martinez, 4-3

Villaescusa leads series 1 match to 0

59 kg – Jacarra Winchester (USOPTC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Michaela Beck (USOPTC/Titan Mercury WC)

Bout 1 – Winchester tech fall Beck, 11-0

Winchester leads series 1 match to 0

65 kg – Macey Kilty (Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Aine Drury (Team Tornado WC/New York AC)

Bout 1 -

Leads series 1 match to 0

72 kg – Kylie Welker (Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Yelena Makoyed (Cardinal WC/Titan Mercury WC)

Bout 1 – Welker pin Makoyed, 5:03

Welker leads series 1 match to 0

Men’s freestyle

61 kg – Vito Arujao (Spartan Combat RTC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Marcus Blaze (Perrysburg WC)

Bout 1 – Arujau dec. Blaze, 2-1

Arujau eads series 1 match to 0

70 kg . James Green (Nebraska WTC) vs. Alec Pantaleo (Cliff Keen WC/Titan Mercury WC)

Bout 1 – Green tech fall Pantaleo, 10-0

Green leads series 1 match to 0

79 kg –Jordan Burroughs (Pennsylvania RTC) vs. Chance Marsteller (New Jersey RTC/Titan Mercury WC)

Bout 1 – Burroughs dec. Marsteller, 3-0

Burroughs leads series 1 match to 0

92 kg – David Taylor (Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC) dec. Zahid Valencia (Atreus WC), 3-3

Bout 1 – Taylor dec. Valencia, 3-3

Taylor leads series 1 match to 0