Cary Kolat fires in on a shot against Josh Churella in the semifinals on Saturday in Cleveland. John Sachs photo.

CLEVELAND – Cary Kolat turns 38 years old next month.

But that’s not stopping the two-time World medalist and past Olympian from making another comeback.

The unseeded Kolat, idle since 2008, has returned with a flourish after downing No. 2 seed Josh Churella Saturday afternoon to advance to the U.S. Open finals.

Kolat advances to face past two-time NCAA champion Teyon Ware in the freestyle finals at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Ware is 10 years younger than Kolat, but came away impressed when Kolat battled Churella in the semis. Kolat outlasted Churella in three periods in the semis.

“Kolat’s still pretty good,” Ware said, flashing a smile. “He’s a tough wrestler.”

The eighth-seeded Ware has turned in a pretty impressive tournament of his own. He knocked off 2010 World Team member Brent Metcalf in the quarterfinals before outlasting Kyle Ruschell in the semis.

“I know I can beat these guys, it’s just a matter of being consistent out there,” Ware said. “I’m in a great training situation out at Penn State with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club. I’ve got great coaches and great training partners. Metcalf is a great wrestler. He’s the No. 1 guy, but I just had to keep battling out there to beat him. I train in a very intense environment and that prepared me for this.”

The finals are set for 7 p.m. Saturday in Cleveland in men’s and women’s freestyle, and Greco-Roman wrestling.

Metcalf was one of three No. 1 freestyle seeds – along with Obe Blanc (55 kg/121 lbs.) and Dustin Schlatter (74 kg/163 lbs.) – who suffered losses in the quarterfinals.

Blanc fell to Frank Perrelli 1-0, 1-0. Metcalf dropped a 2-2, 4-2 decision to Ware. Schlatter lost to Kirk White 1-0, 1-0.

Blanc made the 2010 World Team and Schlatter made the 2009 World Team.

Top seed Les Sigman, a 2010 World Team member, suffered an ankle injury in the freestyle semifinals and had to default to 2008 Olympian Steve Mocco at heavyweight. Mocco will battle 2009 World bronze medalist Tervel Dlagnev in the finals.

2011 Hodge Trophy winner Jordan Burroughs of Nebraska, the No. 4 seed, earned a hard-fought 4-2, 3-2 victory over past National Team member Kirk White in the semis at 74 kg/163 lbs.

Burroughs will face past Missouri All-American Nick Marable in the finals.

“Every match, I’m learning,” Burroughs said. “I haven’t wrestled freestyle in three years, so I feel like I’m getting better every match. I know I still have a long way to go. I just need to keep attacking and pushing the pace. I know it’s a different style of wrestling, but I still want to put a lot of points on the board.”

Past World University silver medalist Reece Humphrey knocked off past World silver medalist and Olympian Mike Zadick in the semis at 60 kg/132 lbs. Humphrey will meet 2009 World Team member Shawn Bunch in the finals. They train together at the Ohio Regional Training Center in Columbus.

The top seven finishers in each weight class advance to June’s U.S. World Team Trials in Oklahoma City.

World champion Dremiel Byers (120 kg/264.5 lbs.) tops the list of Greco-Roman finalists. Two-time World bronze medalist Harry Lester, from nearby Akron, stormed into the finals at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.

Byers will meet U.S. Army teammate and close friend Tim Taylor in the finals. Lester will battle Army teammate Glenn Garrison.

World bronze medalist Justin Ruiz (96 kg/211.5 lbs.) and Olympian Spenser Mango (55 kg/121 lbs.) also reached the finals in Greco-Roman.

Two-time World champion Kristie Davis earned a spot in the women’s freestyle finals at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. World champions Clarissa Chun (48 kg/105.5 lbs.) and Iris Smith (72 kg/158.5 lbs.) also reached the finals.

Davis will meet 2010 World silver medalist Elena Pirozhkova in the finals. Smith will battle Olympian Ali Bernard for the title.

FREESTYLE FINALS

55 kg/121 lbs.
Troy Nickerson (New York AC) vs. Sam Hazewinkel (Sunkist Kids)

60 kg/132 lbs.
Shawn Bunch (Gator WC) vs. Reece Humphrey (New York AC)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Teyon Ware (Nittany Lion WC) vs. Cary Kolat (NCRTC)

74 kg/163 lbs.
Jordan Burroughs (Sunkist Kids) vs. Nick Marable (Sunkist Kids)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Jake Herbert (New York AC) vs. Keith Gavin (Lehigh Valley AC)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Jake Varner (Nittany Lion WC) vs. Dan Erekson (Bronco WC)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Steve Mocco (Lehigh Valley AC) vs. Tervel Dlagnev (Sunkist Kids)

GRECO-ROMAN FINALS

55 kg/121 lbs.
Spenser Mango (U.S. Army) vs. Paul Tellgren (Minnesota Storm) 

60 kg/132 lbs.
Joe Betterman (U.S. Army) vs. Jeremiah Davis (U.S. Army)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Harry Lester (U.S. Army) vs. Glenn Garrison (U.S. Army)

74 kg/163 lbs.
Jake Fisher (New York AC) vs. Ben Provisor (Sunkist Kids)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Cheney Haight (New York AC) vs. Jordan Holm (Minnesota Storm)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Robbie Smith (New York AC) vs. Justin Ruiz (New York AC)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Dremiel Byers (U.S. Army) vs. Tim Taylor (U.S. Army)

WOMEN’S FREESTYLE FINALS

48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Clarissa Chun (Sunkist Kids) vs. Nicole Woody (OCU/Gator WC)

51 kg/112.25 lbs.
Whitney Conder (Gator WC) vs. Jessica Medina (Sunkist Kids)

55 kg/121 lbs.
Helen Maroulis (New York AC) vs. Kelsey Campbell (Sunkist Kids)

59 kg/130 lbs.
Deanna Rix (Sunkist Kids) vs. Amanda Hendey (San Diego Hot Beaches)

63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Kristie Davis (OCU/Gator WC) vs. Elena Pirozhkova (Gator WC)

67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Erin Clodgo (Sunkist Kids) vs. Adeline Gray (New York AC)

72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Ali Bernard (Gator WC) vs. Iris Smith (U.S. Army)