Kendrick Sanders lifts Jon Drendel for the winning throw in Greco-Roman at 2012 USA Wrestling National Team All-Star Dual. Larry Slater photo

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - USA Wrestling presented a six-match card of Olympic caliber wrestling for fans attended the NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championships.

The USA Wrestling National Team All-Star Dual included four men’s freestyle bout, plus a Greco-Roman match and a women’s freestyle match, all showcasing top Olympic Team hopefuls. It was held in the Peabody Opera House, a historic location adjacent to Scottrade Center.

The event opened in Greco-Roman, and exciting young talent Kendrick Sanders (Homestead, Fla./New York AC) defeated Jonathan Drendel (North Aurora, Ill./USOEC), in three periods, 1-1, 1-3, 5-0 at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. The key to the victory was a five-point lift and throw from par terre in the deciding third period that ended the match instantly.

In a battle of top college women wrestlers who attend school in Missouri, Randi Beltz (St. Clair, Mo./Missouri Valley College) defeated Shauna Isbell (Flagstaff, Ariz./Lindenwood University), 0-1, 1-0, 6-1 at 59 kg/130 lbs.. Beltz scored two exposure turns using a cradle in the third period for the margin of victory.

Chase Pami (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) scored takedowns in each period to defeat Joe Johnston (Columbia, Mo./Missouri WF), 4-0, 4-0 at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Pami was an NCAA runner-up for Cal Poly, while Johnston was an All-American for Iowa. Johnston is a coach with host Missouri.

The local fans were excited when former Missouri All-American Nick Marable (Columbia, Mo./Sunkist Kids) stopped Tyler Caldwell (Wichita, Kan./Sunkist Kids), 0-2, 1-0, 1-0 at 74 kg/163 lbs. in men’s freestyle. Marable scored the winning takedown in the closing second of the bout. Caldwell was an All-American for Oklahoma.

At 96 kg/211.5 lbs. in men’s freestyle, Wynn Michalak (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) dominated from his feet to beat Brent Jones (Colorado Springs, Colo./OTC), 3-0, 6-0. Michalak was an NCAA runner-up at Central Michigan, while Jones was a star at Virginia.

The final bout featured a pair of college wrestlers taking an Olympic redshirt year, competing at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Central Michigan’s Jarod Trice (Highland Park, Mich./Gator WC) won a first-period clinch and a second period takedown to edge Oregon State’s Chad Hanke (Dayton, Ore./Northwest RTC), 1-0, 1-0.

These athletes are in preparation for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on the campus of the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, April 21-22.

USA WRESTLING NATIONAL TEAM ALL-STAR DUAL
At St. Louis, Mo., March 15

Match results

66 kg/145.5 lbs. Greco-Roman
Kendrick Sanders, Homestead, Fla. (New York AC) dec. Jonathan Drendel, North Aurora, Ill. (USOEC), 1-1, 1-3, 5-0

59 kg/130 lbs. women’s freestyle
Randi Beltz, St. Clair, Mo. (Missouri Valley College) dec. Shauna Isbell, Flagstaff, Ariz. (Lindenwood University), 0-1, 1-0, 6-1

66 kg/145.5 lbs. men’s freestyle
Chase Pami, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Joe Johnston, Columbia, Mo. (Missouri WF), 4-0, 4-0

74 kg/163 lbs. men’s freestyle
Nick Marable, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Tyler Caldwell, Wichita, Kan. (Sunkist Kids), 0-2, 1-0, 1-0

96 kg/211.5 lbs. freestyle
Wynn Michalak, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) dec. Brent Jones, Colorado Springs, Colo. (OTC), 3-0, 6-0

120 kg/264.5 lbs. freestyle
Jarod Trice, Highland Park, Mich. (Gator WC) dec. Chad Hanke, Dayton, Ore. (Northwest RTC), 1-0, 1-0