Logan Stieber competing at 2010 U.S. Senior Open. Stieber has reached the Junior World freestyle finals at 60 kg. Larry Slater photo

BUCHAREST, Romania – Logan Stieber (Monroeville, Ohio/New York AC) has qualified for the gold-medal match at 60 kg/132 lbs. in men’s freestyle at the Junior World Championships on Saturday.

Stieber will face Toghrul Asgarov of Azerbaijan in the gold-medal finals on Saturday night.

Stieber won four matches in dominant fashion to reach the finals. His closest bout came in the opening round, a three-period win over Sayatbek Okassov of Kazakhstan, 7-1, 0-1, 1-0. He pinned Antranik Ovsepian of Greece in the second round, then defeated Maxim Perpelita of Moldova in two periods in the quarterfinals. Stieber reached the finals with a solid semifinal victory over Stefan Ivanov of Bulgaria) 5-0, 7-1.

“Logan has wrestled really well so far,” said National Freestyle Developmental Coach Bill Zadick. “He has been offensive. He has followed through on his positions, which is key. He has put himself in position to win the gold medal. The Azerbaijani is a scrambler, tall and lanky. Logan needs to continue to do what he does best, and take it to a higher level. I will be excited to see him finish it out.”

Stieber competes for Ohio State. While in high school, Stieber placed at the U.S. Senior Open twice at 55 kg/121 lbs. He moved up the 60 kg/132 lbs. for this international season.

The other three U.S. wrestlers competing on Saturday lost matches, and were eliminated from entering the repechage rounds when their opponents failed to make the finals. Those eliminated were Nick Roberts (Hooversville, Pa./Young Guns) at 50 kg/110 lbs., Taylor Massa (St. Johns, Mich./Massa’s Maniacs) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Tanner Hall (Meridian, Idaho/New York AC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. 

All three were high school students last season. Roberts is the only athlete on the men’s freestyle team with previous Junior World experience, having placed fifth at the 2010 Junior World Championships at his weight class.

FILA Juniors are athletes who are 17-20 years old. Many of the athletes who are successful at the Junior World Championships go on to win World and Olympic medals for their nations.

JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Bucharest, Romania, July 30

U.S. freestyle wrestlers performances so far on Saturday

50 kg/110 lbs. – Nick Roberts, Hooversville, Pa. (Young Guns)
LOSS Alireza Ghorban Hatami (Iran), 1-1, 1:21

60 kg/132 lbs. – Logan Stieber, Monroeville, Ohio (New York AC)
WIN Sayatbek Okassov (Kazakhstan), 7-1, 0-1, 1-0
WIN Antranik Ovsepian (Greece), 7-0, pin 0:55
WIN Maxim Perpelita (Moldova), 7-0, 4-2
WIN Stefan Ivanov (Bulgaria), 5-0, 7-1
Gold finals – Vs. Toghrul Asgarov (Azerbaijan)

74 kg/163 lbs. – Taylor Massa, St. Johns, Mich. (Massa’s Maniacs)
LOSS Ibrahim Yusubov (Azerbaijan), 1-5, 1-4

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Tanner Hall, Meridian, Idaho (New York AC)
LOSS Yudhvir Yudhvir (India), 0-4, 0-3