TEMPE, Ariz. – The last of the four Sanderson brothers is looking to make a big splash of his own in freestyle wrestling.

Cyler Sanderson, younger brother of Olympic gold medalist Cael Sanderson, looked impressive in advancing to the finals of the Sunkist Kids International Open on Sunday at the Wells Fargo Arena.

Sanderson downed former Penn State teammate and 2010 NCAA runner-up Dan Vallimont in the semifinals on Sunday afternoon. Sanderson advances to face Andrew Howe, the wrestler who beat Vallimont in the NCAA finals, in the Sunkist finals. The finals are set for 3 p.m. Sunday.

“I’ve always liked freestyle a lot more than folkstyle,” Cyler Sanderson said. “Growing up, we wrestled a lot more freestyle tournaments. I’m still making the transition from wrestling folkstyle in college wrestling to going back to freestyle. I make some mistakes sometimes and forget about the pushout rule and stuff like that. It’s going good so far. Freestyle fits my style of wrestling a lot better, and it’s a lot more fun for me.”

Sanderson downed Vallimont 1-1, 3-2 in the semifinals.

“It was hard having to wrestle him because he’s one of my really good friends,” Sanderson said. “He’s really, really tough. We wrestle each other every day in the room and in matches. He beats me half the time and I beat him half the time. I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes back to take third. He’s real good.”

Sanderson was watching at matside, with his father and long-time coach Steve Sanderson, when Howe rallied past Moza Fay in the semifinals. Howe still has two years of college left at Wisconsin.

Howe won the U.S. Open earlier this year before placing second in the U.S. World Team Trials.

“Howe’s a goer, so I know I need to go out and wrestle hard,” Sanderson said. “I need to go out there and hit my shots. It’s going to be a good match. I’m excited for it.”

Sanderson is training with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club at Penn State University. Among his coaches is his brother, Cael, the head coach at Penn State.

“Cael comes in and helps quite a bit with the club,” Cyler said. “It’s a great situation to have him helping out.”

Cyler Sanderson earned All-American honors for both Iowa State and Penn State during his college career.

“I obviously didn’t do as well as I wanted to in college,” he said. “I think freestyle is a lot better style for me. I am looking forward to hopefully making my mark in freestyle.”

Sanderson is part of a strong Nittany Lion Wrestling Club that includes 2010 World Team member Les Sigman and 2009 World Team member Jake Varner.

“We have 10 real tough guys in our club,” Sanderson said. “It’s a great place to train. It’s just a great situation for everybody.”

Sanderson said it is an added bonus having his father, a successful high school coach in Utah, in Tempe with him this weekend.

“It’s awesome,” Sanderson said. “I love my dad and he helps me so much. It’s really a comfort to have him in the corner and by your side all the time.”

FINALS MATCHUPS

Freestyle

55 kg/121 lbs.
Yasuhiro Morita (Japan) vs.  Ryak Finch (Cyclone Wrestling Club)

60 kg/132 lbs.
Matt Valenti (Lehigh Valley AC) vs. Derek Moore (U.S. Army)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Kohei Fujimoto (Japan) vs. Takafumi Kojima (Japan)

74 kg/163 lbs.
Cyler Sanderson (Nittany Lion WC) vs. Andrew Howe (New York AC)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Jeff Adamson (Canada) vs. James Yonushonis (New York AC)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Brandon Halsey (Sunkist Kids) vs. Brent Jones (Cavalier WC)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Blake Gillis (Lehigh Valley AC) vs. Tommy Rowlands (Sunkist Kids) 

Sunkist Kids International Open
October 23-24, 2010 - Tempe, Ariz.
Archived Video Feeds
Sunday, October 24
Freestyle Session I Feed 1
Freestyle Session I Feed 2
Freestyle Top Bracket Semifinals
Freestyle Bottom Bracket Semifinals