Andrew Bisek advanced to the finals at the Pan American Championships on Friday. Jackie Branca photo.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – American Greco-Roman wrestlers Andrew Bisek and Chas Betts have locked up berths in the finals of the Pan American Championships.

The close friends and training partners turned in strong first sessions as the three-day Pan American Championships kicked off on Friday at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.

Bisek, a 2011 U.S. World Team member, downed Venezuela’s Luillys Jose Perez 1-0, 1-0 in the semifinals at 74 kg/163 lbs. He advances to face Cuba’s Alexi Bel Caballero in the finals. Caballero placed fourth in the 2011 World Cup.

“I wrestled smart, but I stayed very aggressive and it paid off,” Bisek said. “It was huge getting two passivity calls in that match.”

Betts, a past World Team member, swept Colombia’s Christian Mosquera 2-1, 1-0 in the semifinals at 84 kg/185 lbs. He will face past World silver and bronze medalist Pablo Shorey Hernandez of Cuba in the finals.

“I had wrestled the Colombia guy before and I knew I could beat him,” Betts said. “I was a little disappointed with the final score. I feel like I could’ve beaten him worse. I hear Momir (Petkovic, U.S. Assistant National Coach) yelling to score more points. I have to convince myself to listen to that and not just try to close the match out 1-0. You have to keep scoring because crazy stuff can happen in the last few seconds.”

The finals are set for 6:30 p.m. Friday.

American Jermaine Hodge went 3-1 in the round-robin competition at 55 kg/121 lbs. Hodge fell to past Junior World silver medalist Javier Dumenigo Gonzalez 2-0, 1-0 in his first bout.

Hodge has clinched a medal. Gonzalez will face Colombia’s Andres Taborda in Friday night’s session. Gonzalez is 3-0 and Taborda 2-1. Hodge beat Taborda.

American’s Joe Betterman (60 kg/132 lbs.), Ben Sanchez (66 kg/145.5 lbs.), Justin Ruiz (96 kg/211.5 lbs.) and Pete Kowalczuk (120 kg/264.5 lbs.) will wrestle for bronze medals.

Cuba’s Yasmany Lugo Cabrera pulled out a 3-0, 1-2, 1-0 win over Ruiz in the semifinals at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Cabrera is a past Junior World champion. Ruiz, a past World bronze medalist, is a four-time champion of this event.

Betterman dropped a 3-0, 4-0 decision to Cuba’s Ismael Borrero in the semifinals. Sanchez fell 2-0, 1-0 to past World bronze medalist Pedro Isaac Mulens in the semifinals.

Kowalczuk fell to Ramon Garcia of the Dominican Republic in the quarterfinals. Garcia rallied for a 0-2, 1-0, 2-0 win and then reached the finals to pull Kowalczuk back in for the bronze match.

Four-time World champion and 2008 Olympic gold medalist Mijain Lopez of Cuba rolled into the finals at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Lopez has won this event seven times.

The strong Cuban team went undefeated in Friday’s first session.

The women’s freestyle competition is scheduled for Saturday with the freestyle competition set for Sunday.

FINALS MATCHUPS

55 kg/121 lbs.
Javier Dumenigo Gonzalez (Cuba), 3-0 record in first session
Jermain Hodge (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army), 3-1 record
Andres Taborda (Colombia), 2-1 record
Gonzalez faces Taborda in Friday night’s final round-robin session

60 kg/132 lbs.
Ismael Borrero (Cuba) vs. Andres Muntano (Ecuador)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Pedro Isaac Mulens (Cuba) vs. Ivan Duque (Colombia)

74 kg/163 lbs.
Andrew Bisek (Colorado Springs, Colo./Minnesota Storm) vs. Alexei Bel Caballero (Cuba)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Chas Betts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Minnesota Storm) vs. Pablo Shorey Hernandez (Cuba)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Erwin Caraballo (Venezuela) vs. Yasmany Lugo Cabrera (Cuba)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Ramon Garcia (Dominican Republic) vs. Mijain Lopez (Cuba)

U.S. results

55 kg/121 lbs. – Jermaine Hodge, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
LOSS Javier Dumenigo Gonzalez (Cuba), 0-2, 0-1
WIN Ali Soto Macias (Mexico), 1-0, 6-0
WIN Andres Taborda (Colombia), 1-0, 2-0
WIN Mayea Jefferson (Ecuador), 1-0, 6-0

60 kg/132 lbs. – Joe Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
WIN Arley Machado (Brazil), 2-0, 1-0
LOSS Ismael Borrero (Cuba), 0-3, 0-4

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Ben Sanchez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
WIN Luis Centeno (Puerto Rico), 2-0, 1-0
LOSS Pedro Isaac Mulens (Cuba), 0-2, 0-1

74 kg/163 lbs. – Andrew Bisek, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm)
WIN Alvis Almendra (Panama), 4-0, 1-0
WIN Luillys Jose Perez (Venezuela), 1-0, 1-0

84 kg/185 lbs. – Chas Betts, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm)
WIN Eric Feunekes (Canada), 3-0, 6-0
WIN Christian Mosquera (Colombia), 2-1, 1-0

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Justin Ruiz, Orem, Utah (New York AC)
WIN Leonardo Nascimento (Brazil), 5-1, 7-0
LOSS Yasmany Lugo Cabrera (Cuba), 0-3, 2-1, 0-1

120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Pete Kowalczuk, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
LOSS Ramon Garcia (Dominican Republic), 2-1, 0-1, 0-2