HILL, ABAS, THOMPSON QUALIFY FOR THE GOLD-MEDAL FINALS AT JUNIOR WORLD FREESTYLE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS IN PRIMM, NEV. 
 Three U.S. wrestlers qualified for the gold medal finals at the 1998 Junior World Freestyle Championships at the Star of the Desert Arena in Primm, Nev. 
 T. J. Hill of Farmington, Mo. (Dave Schultz WC) at 108 pounds, Stephen Abas of Fresno, Calif. (Sunkist Kids) at 123.25 pounds and Zachary Thompson of Cleveland, Ohio (Cyclone WC) at 198.25 pounds. 
 "It is unbelievable, having three finalists," said U.S. coach Jesse Reyes. "These guys set their goals high and they worked hard. They came together as a team in training camp. They are showing mental toughness, Our shape is paying off. We are winning on conditioning." 
 This major international competition features athletes from 17-20 years old, representing  33 nations. Saturday was the second day of the four-day event. Many of the competitors in this event are expected to be medal hopefuls for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. 
 In the semifinals, Hill defeated 1997 Junior  World bronze medalist Samir Akmedov  of Azerbaijan, 4-0. Leading 1-0, Hill hit a three-point hip toss with 48 seconds left for the margin of victory. He will face Ali Reza Darvishi of Iran in the gold-medal match. 
 "T.J. Hill is so strong," said Reyes. "He decided to beat up the guy, and he just went and did it. He made up his mind to win, and he got it done. He is unbelievably strong." 
 Hill, who graduated from high school this year, placed eighth in the 1997 Junior World Championships. He is one of the most successful age-group wrestlers in U.S. history, with 10 career age-group titles. He will attend Hofstra University in the fall. 
 Abas scored an exciting 3-1 overtime win over Vasil Fedorishi of Ukraine at 6:33. With the score tied at 1-1 in overtime, Abas scored a one-point takedown and a one-point ankle lace turn for the victory. He will face Mais Ibadov of Uzbekistan in the gold medal finals. 
 "Stephen Abas had his second tough match," said Reyes. "To come through in overtime with a takedown and to turn the opponent is amazing. He has been focused. His has had the mindset to win the gold." 
 Abas placed fifth in the 1997 Junior World Championships. As a freshman at Fresno State Univ. this year, he placed fourth in the NCAA Championships. Abas is nationally ranked on Senior level, placing fifth in the Freestyle World Team Trials. He was a 1998 University Nationals champion. 
 Thompson was also forced into overtime in the semifinals, beating 1997 Junior World silver medalist Ruicai Li of China, 4-0, at 7:35. Thompson led 1-0 at the end of the regulation period, and won the bout with three points in overtime. Thompson will face Georgi Gogehelidz of Russia in the gold medal finals. 
 "Zach Thompson is so hard to score on. But the reason he won is that we gave him a game plan and he stayed with it. That's why he dominated his opponent," said Reyes. 
 Thompson is a starter on the Iowa State team, and placed eighth at the 1997 U.S. Senior Nationals. 
 Reggie Wright of Maywood, Ill. (Cougar WC) is still alive in the wrestle-backs at 143.25 pounds, but did not have a match on Saturday. Wright was a junior college star at Lassen College, and will wrestle for Oklahoma State next year. 
 The second group of five U.S. wrestlers started competition on Saturday. Three U.S. wrestlers qualified for Sunday's semifinals: Don Pritzlaff of Lyndhurst, N.J. (Team Wisconsin), Mark Munoz of Vallejo, Calif. (Cowboy WC) at 182.75 pounds and J.R. Plienis of Edgemere, Md. (Husker WC) at 253.5 pounds.  
 Pritzlaff won two matches in impressive fashion. He stopped Toru Metoki of Japan, 5-0 in the first bout, then defeated Karol Chilinski of Poland, 3-1, in overtime at 5:26. Pritzlaff used superior conditioning and desire to defeat the talented Chilinski. 
  Munoz opened with a hard-fought 2-2 overtime referee's decision over Taras Danko of Ukraine. Trailing 2-1, with just 35 seconds left in the overtime period, Munoz scored a takedown for the 2-2 tie. He was awarded the decision based on fewer passivity calls. In the quarterfinals, he defeated Ismail Askhabov of Azerbaijan, 6-4. 
 In his first match, Plienis trailed 5-0 against Justin Beauparlant of Canada, but late in the bout hit a three-point throw and a pair of two-point gutwrenches for a come-from-behind 7-0 victory. He was dominant in his second match, a 15-5 technical fall over Nishant of India, which included a spectacular five-point throw. 
 Plienis placed fifth at the 1997 Junior World Championships. He qualified for the 1998 NCAA Tournament, competing for the Univ. of Nebraska. Plienis has won freestyle and Greco-Roman national titles on the Junior and Espoir levels. 
 Todd Beckerman of Crofton, Md. (Husker WC), who attends the Univ. of Nebraska, is still alive in the consolation rounds at 132.25 pounds. He lost his first match in a see-saw battle with Shokender Tomar of India, 9-8. Beckerman rebounded with two close wins, beating Brett Cash of Australia, 8-6 and stopping Dawid Kret of Poland, 4-3, in overtime at 5:29. 
 High school student Chris Fleeger of Trout Run, Pa. (Pin Patrol), a four-time Cadet National champion was eliminated at 114.5 pounds. Fleeger lost his first match to Nobiuki Konuso of Japan, 8-5, as Konuso scored five points in the final 45 seconds. He was pinned  by Egor Okhlopkov  of Russia in 1:12 in his next match. 
 The U.S. team is led by head coach Jesse Reyes of W. Lafayette, Ind., and assistant coach John Leone of Penfield, N.Y. and USA Wrestling Freestyle Developmental Coach Mike Duroe of Colorado Springs, Colo. 
 JUNIOR WORLD FREESTYLE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS at Primm, Nev., USA, August 8, 1998 
 U.S. Group One second day results 
  49 kg/108 lbs. - T.J. Hill, Farmington, Mo. - dec. Samir Akmedov (Azerbaijan), 4-0 
 56 kg/123.25 lbs.  - Stephen Abas, Fresno, Calif. - dec. Vasil Fedorishi (Ukraine), 3-1, ot, 6:33 
 90 kg/198.25 lbs. -  Zachary Thompson, Cleveland, Ohio - dec. Ruicai Li (China), 4-0, ot, 7:35 
 U.S. Group Two first day results 
 52 kg/114.5 lbs. - Chris Fleeger, Trout Run, Pa. - lost dec. to Nobiuki Konuso (Japan), 8-5; lost by pin to Egor Okhlopkov (Russia), 1:12 
 60 kg/132.25 lbs. - Todd Beckerman, Crofton, Md. - lost dec. to Shokender Tomar (India), 9-8; dec. Brett Cash (Australia), 8-6; dec. Dawid Kret (Poland) 4-3, ot,  5:29 
 70 kg/154.25 lbs. - Don Pritzlaff, Lyndhurst, N.J. - dec. Toru Metoki (Japan), 5-0; dec. Karol Chilinski (Poland), 3-1, ot, 5:26 
 83 kg/182.75 lbs. -  Mark Munoz, Vallejo, Calif.  -won by ref. dec. over Taras Danko (Ukraine), 2-2, ot, 8:00; dec. Ismail Askhabov (Azerbaijan), 6-4 
 115 kg/253.5 lbs. - J.R. Plienis, Edgemere, Md. - dec Justin Beauparlant (Canada), 7-5; won by tech. fall over Nishant (India), 15-5, 3:35 
 GOLD MEDAL FINALISTS DETERMINED IN FIVE WEIGHT CLASSESAT JUNIOR WORLD FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS   The semifinals were contested in the first group of five weight classes at the weight divisions at the 1998 Junior World Freestyle Wrestling Championships in Primm, Nev. The pairings for Sunday's gold medal finals have been determined in those weight classes. 
 1997 Junior World champion Majid Khodaie of Iran is among the gold-medal finalists. The United States and Russia have the most finalists in the first five weight classes, with three athletes going for the gold. Iran has two finalists. 
 Junior World Freestyle Championships gold medal finalists 
 49 kg/108 lbs. - T.J. Hill, Farmington, Mo. (United States) vs. Ali Reza Darvishi (Iran) 
 56 kg/123.25 lbs.  - Stephen Abas, Fresno, Calif. (United States) vs. Mais Ibadov (Uzbekistan) 
 65 kg/143.25 lbs. - Zaur Bataev (Russia) vs. David Lezhava (Georgia) 
 76 kg/167.5 lbs. -  Majid Khodaie (Iran) vs. Shamil Aliev (Russia) 
 90 kg/198.25 lbs. - Zachary Thompson, Cleveland, Ohio (United States) vs. Georgi Gogehelidz (Russia) 
 SEMI FINALISTS DETERMINED IN SECOND SET OF FIVE WEIGHT CLASSES AT JUNIOR WORLD FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS 
 The quarterfinals were contested in the second group of five weight classes at the weight divisions at the 19