In a battle of a World silver medalist and an Olympian, it was 2000 Olympian Charles Burton (Bloomington, Ind./New York AC) who defeated local hero and 2001 World silver medalist Brandon Eggum (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) in an action-packed freestyle session at the World Team Trials in Saint Paul, Minn., June 21. Burton controlled Eggum, 9-1, in the Challenge Tournament semifinals at 84 kg/185 lbs., earning the right to face Lee Fullhart (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) in the Challenge Tournament finals on Saturday night. Fullhart edged Markus Mollica (Huntington Beach, Calif./Dave Schultz WC), 4-3 in his Challenge Tournament semifinal. Burton placed fifth in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, but is coming off a disappointing 2001 season. Eggum emerged as an international star last year, a replacement on the U.S. World Team, who claimed a silver medal, the best U.S. performance of the season. Eggum, a star for the Univ. of Minnesota, disappointed the home-town crowd with his loss. Only the champions of the Challenge Tournament in each weight class will advance to Sunday's championship series against the 2002 U.S. Nationals champion. Competition was held in men's and women's freestyle wrestling during the evening session. The winner of the Burton vs. Fullhart match on Saturday will earn the right to face 2002 U.S. Nationals champion Cael Sanderson (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) in the championship series on Sunday. Sanderson became a national sports hero this winter by becoming the first undefeated four-time NCAA wrestling champion, competing for Iowa State. In the women's division, 2001 World silver medalist Toccara Montgomery proved that she can handle a move to a higher weight class by advancing to the Challenge Tournament finals at 72 kg/158.5 pounds. Montgomery made the decision to move up from her normal 67 kg/147.5 pound division this week. She scored a 10-0 technical fall over Randi Miller (Arlington, Texas/Dave Schultz WC) in 1:58 in the semifinals. She will battle Satrinina Vernon (Rodeo, Calif./Missouri Valley) in the Challenge Tournament finals, after Vernon avenged an April loss to Kaci Lyle, (Eureka, Calif./Pacific), with a 4-1 win. A pair of No. 1 seeds in the Challenge Tournament were upset, as the level of competition was extraordinary. In the men's division, top seed Eric Akin, Lincoln, Neb. (Dave Schultz WC) was eliminated from World Team contention, with a 3-2 overtime loss to Jason Kutz (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) in the Challenge Tournament semifinals at 60 kg/132 lbs. Akin was a member of the 1999 U.S. World Team, and placed second at the 2002 U.S. Nationals. Kutz will face Jesus Wilson (Fayette, Iowa/Minnesota Storm), a naturalized U.S. citizen from Cuba, who won advanced through the semifinals with a 8-0 win over C.C. Fisher (Colorado Springs, Colo./Team Excel). In the women's division, No. 1 seed Julie Gonzalez (Vallejo, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) was defeated 7-0 in the semifinals by Clarissa Chun (Kapolei, Hawaii/Missouri Valley) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs.. Gonzales was second at the 2002 U.S. Nationals, while Chun was a member of the 2000 U.S. Women's World Team. Chun will battle high school sensation Mary Kelly (Mahomet, Ill./Dave Schultz WC) in the Challenge Tournament finals, after Kelly upset Miriam Jenkins (Quantico, Va./U.S. Marines) in a wild 7-6 overtime bout. 2001 World Team member Stephen Abas (Fresno, Calif./Sunkist Kids) advanced to the Challenge Tournament finals at 55 kg/121 lbs. with a 10-0 technical fall win Tim Dernlan (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) in the semifinals. Abas will battle 2002 U.S. Nationals runner-up Jody Strittmatter (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) who claimed a hard-fought 5-2 win over talented Mike Mena (Bloomington, Ind/New York AC). Abas, the top U.S. wrestler at his weight last year, did not enter this year's U.S. Nationals, placing him in the Challenge Tournament field this year. In the other men's freestyle weight classes, Challenge Tournament top seeds that advanced were Chris Bono (Gilbert, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Casey Cunningham (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg/163 lbs., Chad Lamer (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Tolly Thompson, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Among the highly anticipated Challenge Tournament finals will be at 74 kg/163 lbs., where Cunningham will face 1998 Junior World Champion Donny Pritzlaff (Madison, Wis./Dave Schultz WC) in the finals. Also, the Challenge Tournament final between Lamer and the exciting Daniel Cormier (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) at 96 kg/211.5 pounds should also be tremendous. Cormier pinned Dean Morrison (Ithaca, N.Y./New York AC) in 1:38 in the semifinals. In the women's division, top seeds in the Challenge Tournament that advanced to the finals on Saturday included Danielle Hobeika (Cambridge, Mass./Dave Schultz WC) at 51 kg/112 lbs., Tina George-Wilson (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 55 kg/121 lbs.), Erin Tomeo (Volant, Pa./Sunkist Kids) at 59 kg/130 lbs. and Kristie Marano (Albany, N.Y./ATWA) at 63 kg/138.5 lbs. Marano, a 2000 World Champion and five-time World medalist, is now competing down one weight division from where she won her World title. She pinned Tina Arnds (Scottsdale, Ariz./Missouri Valley) in her semifinal match and will face Tori Adams (Amarillo, Texas/Missouri Valley) in the Challenge Tournament finals. Challenge Tournament finals pairings on Saturday Men's Freestyle 55 kg/121 lbs. - Stephen Abas, Fresno, Calif. (Sunkist Kids) vs. Jody Strittmatter, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC) 60 kg/132 lbs. - Jason Kutz, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) vs. Jesus Wilson, Fayette, Iowa (Minnesota Storm) 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Chris Bono, Gilbert, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) vs. Doug Schwab, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC) 74 kg/163 lbs. - Casey Cunningham, Mt. Pleasant, Mich. (Sunkist Kids) vs. Donny Pritzlaff, Madison, Wis. (Dave Schultz WC) 84 kg/185 lbs. - Lee Fullhart, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC) vs. Charles Burton, Bloomington, Ind. (New York AC) 96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Chad Lamer, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC) vs.Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC) 120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Tolly Thompson, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids) vs. Tommy Rowlands, Columbus, Ohio (Dave Schultz WC) Women's Freestyle 48 kg/105.5 lbs - Clarissa Chun, Kapolei, Hawaii (Missouri Valley) vs. Mary Kelly, Mahomet, Ill. (Dave Schultz WC) 51 kg/112 lbs. - Danielle Hobeika, Cambridge, Mass. (Dave Schultz WC) vs. Katie Kunimoto, Kaneohe, Hawaii (Pacific) 55 kg/121 lbs. - Tina George-Wilson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) vs. Marcie Van Dusen, Twin Peaks, Calif. (MFWC) 59 kg/130 lbs. - Erin Tomeo, Volant, Pa. (Sunkist Kids) vs. Brandy Rosenbrock, Warren, Mich. (Shamrock) 63 kg/138.5 lbs. - Kristie Marano, Albany, N.Y. (ATWA) vs. Tori Adams, Amarillo, Texas (Missouri Valley) 67 kg/147.5 lbs - Cindy Herceg, Los Angeles, Calif. (Spartak) vs. Mollie Keith, Aurelia, Iowa (Missouri Valley) 72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Toccara Montgomery, Cleveland, Ohio (Sunkist Kids) vs. Satrinina Vernon, Rodeo, Calif. (Missouri Valley)