BAKU, Azerbaijan - Joe Heskett and Joe Williams had their title hopes halted by a pair of powerful Russians, and Doug Schwab was stopped by a talented Cuban.

But the American trio each still has an opportunity to take home some hardware at the World Championships.

First-time World Team member Heskett stands one win away from a World bronze medal in freestyle at 74 kg/163 lbs. Williams will need two more wins at 84 kg/185 lbs. to capture his third career World bronze medal. And Schwab also is two wins away from a bronze medal at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. in his first trip to the Worlds.

Even with each wrestler falling, the U.S. still has an opportunity to put up some big team points Thursday night and make a run at a team trophy here. Russia is running away from everybody in the team race after winning both weight classes yesterday, placing two more guys in the finals Thursday afternoon and having another wrestler with a chance to win a bronze medal. The last two weight classes will be decided on Friday. The U.S. went 0-2 in the first two weight classes Wednesday.

"We knew after the first two weight classes that we still had five weight classes left ," USA Wrestling National Coach Kevin Jackson said. "We see what Greco did and they lost a couple guys on the way to a World team title. Our expectations and our thoughts are still positive as far as what we can accomplish at the World Championships. We're about winning medals and qualifying weight classes for the Olympic Games. We're encouraged with the way these guys have wrestled, but we still have a lot of work to do."

Both Joes looked strong during the Thursday morning session at Heydar Aliyev Sport and Exhibition Complex. 

Heskett rattled off four straight wins before dropping a hard-fought, three-period semifinal decision to past World champion Makhach Murtazaliev of Russia. Heskett (Columbus, Ohio/Gator WC) led late in the decisive period before Mutazaliev shot in on a leg attack and then drove Heskett out of bounds for an additional point after the American had popped to his feet.

Williams (Belvidere, Ill./Sunkist Kids) was swept 4-0, 4-0 by talented young, 21-year-old Russian Georgy Ketoev in the quarterfinals. Russia will look to add another gold medal at 84 kilos after Sajid Sajidov won the World title in 2006. Ketoev was a Junior World champion in 2005.

Schwab (Iowa City, Iowa/Gator WC) won his first two bouts before falling to past World bronze medalist Geandy Garzon of Cuba in the quarterfinals. The slick, athletic Garzon, who beat Schwab in July's Pan American Games, scored a 2-0, 4-1 decision.

Two past Iowa Hawkeye standouts in Williams and Schwab, and a past Iowa State standout in Heskett, each have a chance to collect some hardware in Thursday's late session in Baku.

The men's freestyle competition concludes Friday with the final two Americans set to compete. Taking the mat will be Daniel Cormier (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) and Tommy Rowlands (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids). Cormier competes at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Rowlands at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Cormier is making his fourth straight World Championships appearance. Rowlands is competing in his first World Championships.

The women's freestyle competition kicks off with the wrestling at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. Stephanie Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) is scheduled to compete Friday for the U.S. Murata is a past World silver medalist.