Andrew Howe advanced to the finals of the U.S. World Team Trials on Friday afternoon. John Sachs photo.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Andrew Howe fell short of winning an NCAA title during an injury-plagued junior season at Wisconsin.

But Howe still has a chance to achieve an even bigger goal this year.

He has a chance to make his first U.S. World Team in freestyle wrestling.

Howe outlasted Nick Marable in three periods to win the U.S. World Team Trials Challenge Tournament at 74 kg/163 lbs. on Friday afternoon at the Cox Convention Center.

Howe advances to face U.S. Open champion Jordan Burroughs in the best-of-3 final-round series. Burroughs beat Howe during the 2010-11 college season in the Midlands finals.

“I’m 100 percent now, I feel great,” said Howe, a 2010 NCAA champion. “I’m excited about the finals. I’ve been waiting for the rematch with Burroughs and I’m glad it’s here.”

The finals are set for 6:30 p.m. Friday. Champions from the World Team Trials advance to September's World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey.

Burroughs went on to win his second NCAA title and won the Hodge Trophy as the nation’s top collegiate wrestler. Howe was injured shortly after his loss to Burroughs before coming back to placed third in the NCAA tournament.

Howe missed the U.S. Open while continuing to recover from his injury. Howe then returned to win the University Nationals in late April. Howe won the U.S. Open in 2010 before losing to Travis Paulson in the finals of the U.S. World Team Trials.

Oregon State wrestler Chad Hanke, the No. 8 seed, was a surprise finalist at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. He beat No. 1 seed Jack Jensen en route to winning the Challenge Tournament. He will face 2009 World Team member Jake Varner in the final-round series.

Hanke beat 2011 NCAA champion Dustin Kilgore of Kent State in the Challenge Tournament finals. Hanke beat Kilgore 1-0, 0-4, 3-2.

“Don’t tell my coaches, but my goal was pretty much to just come in here and place,” Hanke said. “As the ball started rolling, I realized I could hang with these guys. After the win over Jensen, I knew I had a chance to make the finals.”

2009 World Team member Shawn Bunch is in the finals after winning the Challenge Tournament at 60 kg/132 lbs. He will face Ohio Regional Training Center teammate Reece Humphrey in the finals. Humphrey beat Bunch in the U.S. Open finals.

Olympian Spenser Mango headlined the list of Greco-Roman wrestlers from the Challenge Tournament who made the finals. Mango will face Paul Tellgren in the final-round series at 55 kg/121 lbs.

It will be an all-U.S. Army finals in two Greco weight classes. Glenn Garrsion will face two-time World bronze medalist Harry Lester at 66 kg/145.5 lbs and World champion Dremiel Byers will face Tim Taylor at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.

Ashley Hudson turned in an impressive first session to reach the women’s freestyle finals at 55 kg/121 lbs.

Hudson knocked off past World Team members Leigh Jaynes and Kelsey Campbell in her first two matches at 55 kg/121 lbs. Campbell placed fifth at the 2010 World Championships at 59 kg/130 lbs. Hudson then outlasted past National Team member Sharon Jacobson in the finals.

Hudson, who just graduated from Oklahoma City University, advances to face past Junior World medalist Helen Maroulis in Friday night’s finals.

World champion Iris Smith rolled into the finals at 72 kg/158.5. She will face past Olympic and World Team member Ali Bernard in the finals. Bernard beat Smith in April’s U.S. Open finals.

FRIDAY NIGHT’S FINALS MATCHUPS

FREESTYLE

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

74 kg/163 lbs.
Jordan Burroughs (Lincoln, Neb./Sunkist Kids) vs. Andrew Howe (Cedar Lake, Ind./New York AC)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Jake Varner (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) vs. Chad Hanke (Dayton, Ore./NWRTC)

WOMEN’S FREESTYLE

55 kg/121 lbs.
Helen Maroulis (Rockville, Md./New York AC) vs. Ashley Hudson (Wildwood, Mo./Gator WC)

72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Ali Bernard (New Ulm, Minn./Gator WC) vs. Iris Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army)

GRECO-ROMAN

55 kg/121 lbs.
Spenser Mango (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) vs. Paul Tellgren (Anoka, Minn./Minnesota Storm)

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

84 kg/185 lbs.
Jordan Holm (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) vs. Cheney Haight (Boise, Idaho/New York AC)

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