Iris Smith of the U.S. Army scores a takedown during Saturday's first session at 72 kg at the U.S. Open in Arlington, Texas. Adam Fenn photo

ARLINGTON, Texas – The gold-medal finals have been set for the second day of the U.S. Open for Greco-Roman and Women’s Freestyle at the Arlington Convention Center on Saturday.

There are three Greco-Roman weight classes and two women’s Olympic weight classes in the competition today.

A pair of World champions have qualified for the finals, 2002 World champion Dremiel Byers of the U.S. Army at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. in Greco-Roman and 2005 World champion Iris Smith of the U.S. Army at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.

Byers earned his spot in the finals by defeating Toby Erickson of the New York AC/USOEC, 6-0, 3-0 in the semifinals. Byers will battle Brandon Rupp of the Sunkist Kids in the finals, after Rupp stopped Pete Kowaczuk of the Sunkist Kids, 1-0, 2-0.

Smith won her semifinal match over Britteny Roberts of the Gator WC/OCU by a 1-0, 6-0 margin. She will face two-time U.S. World Team member Stephany Lee of the Sunkist Kids, who defeated two-time World champion Kristie Davis of the Gator WC/OCU, 2-0, 4-3. Davis also competed at 63 kg on Friday, placing eighth.

In women’s freestyle, two-time U.S. World Team member Helen Maroulis of the New York AC earned a finals position with a second period pin over 2010 Junior World bronze medalist Amy Whitbeck of the New York AC, 3-0, 1:14. She will face 2007 U.S. World Team member Leigh Jaynes of the New York AC, who defeated two-time U.S. World Team member Kelsey Campbell of the Sunkist Kids in the semifinals, 7-3, 1-0.

In Greco-Roman, 2009 U.S. World Team member R.C. Johnson of the Sunkist Kids qualified for the finals at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. with a two-period victory over Marcus Finau of the New York AC/USOEC, 1-0, 1-0. He will face Pete Gounaridis of the Sunkist Kids, a semifinal winner over Moises Hernandez of the U.S. Marines, 1-1, 2-0.

Also in Greco-Roman, 2009 U.S. World Team member Chas Betts of the Minnesota Storm earned a spot in the finals, with a victory over Mark Stenberg of the USOC, 1-0, 5-0. He will face unseeded Zac Nielsen of the Minnesota Storm in the finals, who upset 2011 U.S. Open champion Jordan Holm of the Minnesota Storm in his semifinal bout, 0-1, 1-0, 1-0.

The gold-medal and bronze-medal finals will be held at 5:00 p.m. Central time. TheMat.com will have a live stream.

The top seven placewinners in each weight class earn a spot in the field at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City, Iowa, April 21-22.

The champion at 55 kg/121 lbs. in women’s freestyle moves directly to the best-of-three finals series at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. This weight class has already been qualified for the Olympics.

At 72 kg/158.5 lbs. in women’s freestyle, Ali Bernard of the Gator WC has already qualified for the finals of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, based upon her bronze-medal performance at the 2011 World Championships. Bernard chose not to compete at the U.S. Open this weekend.

In Greco-Roman, only Byers can move directly into the best-of-three finals series. Under the Greco-Roman procedures, an athlete must win the U.S. Open and place in the top five at the World Championships in the last four years in order to move into the finals series.

U.S. OPEN FOR GRECO-ROMAN AND WOMEN’S FREESTYLE
At Arlington, Texas, Dec. 17

Greco-Roman finals pairings

84 kg/185 lbs. - Chas Betts, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm) vs. Zac Nielsen, Zimmerman, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)

96 kg/211.5 lbs. - R.C. Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) vs. Pete Gounaridis, Leominster, Mass. (Sunkist Kids) 

120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) vs. Brandon Rupp, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)

Women’s finals pairings

55 kg/121 lbs. - Helen Maroulis, Rockville, Md, (New York AC) vs. Leigh Jaynes, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)

72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Iris Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) vs. Stephany Lee, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)