The semifinal pairings have been determined for the men's freestyle and men's Greco-Roman divisions at the New York Athletic Club Holiday Championships, which began on Saturday, November 19 at the New York Athletic Club in New York City.

All four U.S. Greco-Roman World Team members who entered the competition have qualified for the semifinals.

Winning each of their bouts on Saturday were 2005 World Team members competing in the Greco-Roman division are Lindsey Durlacher (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Joe Warren (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Harry Lester (Akron, Ohio, Gator WC/USOEC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.

The fourth World Team member, 2002 World Champion Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) had a bye on Saturday, and has qualified for the semifinals at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.

2004 U.S. Olympian Oscar Wood (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) overcame a very challenging match to qualify for the semifinals at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Wood fell behind early, then needed a last-second lateral drop throw in the third period to defeat Mervin Ford (Gator/USOEC), 0-6, 1-1, 5-3. Ford threw Wood for two three-point throws in the first period, and Wood came back to take the next two periods. Throughout the match, Wood was hampered by severe cramps in his leg which required frequent injury time.

Two-time U.S. World Team member Keith Sieracki (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) also qualified for the semifinals at 84 kg/185 lbs., where he will face
Dmitry Kruheik of the NYAC.

The men's freestyle competition featured some high quality action in the preliminaries and the quarterfinal rounds.

All three returing champions from last year qualified for the semifinals: Zach Roberson (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg/132 lbs. and Tommy Rowlands (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Rowlands won the New York AC Holiday Championships last year at 96 kg.

2004 U.S. Olympic Trials runner-up Jared Lawrence won two matches to qualify for the semifinals, where he will face. Jamarr Billman of the NYAC in the semifinals.

Competition will be held in the semifinals in both divisions at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday.

Women wrestlers weighed in on Saturday, and will compete on Sunday, Nov. 20.

Among the athletes in the field are 2004 Olympian Patricia Miranda (New Haven, Conn./Sunkist Kids) at 51 kg/112.25 pounds, two-time World champion Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs., along with 2005 U.S. World Team members Stephanie Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Jenny Wong (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. 112.25 pounds and Katie Downing (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs.

Men's Freestyle Semifinal pairings

55 Kg
Ekhkhtur Badamsakian (Advanced Training) vs. Mark McKnight (NYAC)
Henry Cejudo (Sunkist Kids) vs. Besik Kudukhov (Russia)

60 kg
Travis Lee (NYAC) vs. Angel Cejudo (Sunkist Kids) 
Sahit Prizveni (NYAC) vs. Zach Roberson (Sunkist)

66 kg
Lawrence (Minn. Storm) vs. Jamarr Billman (NYAC) 
Kazuhiko Ikematsu (unattached) vs. Cliff Moore (Hawkeye)

74 kg
Aliev Dzhamaludin (Russia) vs. Donny Pritzlaff (NYAC)
David Bolyard (NYAC) vs. Ramico Blackmon (NYAC) 

84 kg
Tyler Nixt (Hawkeye) va. Bryce Hasseman (NYAC)
Andy Hrovat (NYAC) vs. Tony Gansen (OTC)

96 kg
Nick Preston (Sunkist Kids) vs. Nik Fekete (NYAC)
Sean Stender (Panther) vs. Damion Hahn (Minn. Storm)

120 kg
Marat Basiev (Russia) vs. Pat Cummins (NYAC)
Tommy Rowlands (Sunkist) vs. Kellan Fluckiger (Sunkist)

Men's Greco-Roman Semifinals

55 kg
Promis Marenga (Canada) vs. Joseph Betterman (NYAC) 
Lindsey Durlacher (NYAC) vs. Spencer Mango (Gator)

60 kg
Kerry Regnier (USOEC) vs. Joe Warren (NYAC)
Marco Lara (NYAC) vs. Willie Madison (Gator)

66 kg
Harry Lester (Gator/USOEC) vs. Oscar Wood (Army)
James Johnson (Army) vs. Mark Rial (Gator)

74 kg
Cheney Haight (NYAC) vs. Chad Betts (Minn. Storm)
Jacob Volkman (Minn. Storm) vs. Sasa Petkovic (New York AC) 

84 kg
Jeremy Pederson (USMC) vs. Noumonvi Melonin (Rosny) 
Dmitry Kruheik (NYAC) vs. Keith Sieracki (Army)

96 kg
Adam Wheeler (Gator) vs. Jeffrey Courtney (USOEC)
Philip Johnston (Army) vs. Jefferson Bronk (USMC)

120 kg
Marat Basiev (Russia) vs. Russ Davie (NYAC)
Dremiel Byers (Army) vs. Justin Wren (USOEC)