Upsets headline Challenge Tournament action for men and women’s freestyle at World Team Trials; Hunt

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
06/20/2003


The first day of the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament in men and women's freestyle was headlined by intense action, and some exciting upsets.    This event, featuring the best amateur wrestlers in the United States will be held at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Ind. through Sunday, June 22.    In the men 's division, both Challenge Tournament semifinals at 55 kg/121 lbs. were won by the lower ranked wrestler.    Jeremy Hunter (Champaign, Ill./New York AC), who was seeded No. 4 in the Challenge Tournament, defeated top-seeded Eric Akin (Lincoln, Neb./Dave Schultz WC), 4-3. In the other match, No. 3 Mike Mena (Bloomington, Ind./New York AC) scored a 1-1 overtime referee's decision victory over No. 2 Teague Moore (Norman, Okla./Gator WC). The difference in the criterion that gave Mena the win was a caution call against Moore.    Hunter and Mena will meet in the Challenge Tournament finals on Saturday. The winner of that match will battle 2003 U.S. Nationals champion Stephen Abas (Fresno, Calif./Sunkist Kids) in the best-of-three Championship Series on Sunday.    In the women's division, one of the best matches occurred at 55 kg/121 lbs., when No. 3 Marcie Van Dusen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) defeated No. 2 Stephanie Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), 4-3 in overtime. Van Dusen scored a clean takedown in overtime for the win. Murata was a 2001 World silver medalist and a seven-time U.S. Nationals champion.     Marcie Van Dusen will face 2002 World silver medalist Tina George (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) in the Challenge Tournament finals on Saturday. Waiting for the winner is 2003 U.S. Nationals champion Tela O'Donnell (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) for Sunday's Championship Series.    The session featured some spectacular wrestling, as the Challenge Tournament finals were set in 14 weight divisions (seven for men, seven for women).    Among the star men wrestlers to qualify for the Challenge Tournament finals was 2000 Olympic silver medalist Lincoln McIlravy (Colorado Springs, Colo./McIlravy WC), who defeated Reggie Wright (Bloomington, Ind./Gator WC), 6-1 in the semifinals.     McIlravy will face Jamill Kelly (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) in the Challenge Tournament finals, who upset top-seeded Bill Zadick (Coralville, Iowa/Hawkeye WC), 4-3 in their semifinals showdown.    Among the star women athletes to advance to the Challenge Tournament finals was six-time World medalist Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 63 kg/138.75 pounds. Marano pinned Brandy Rosenbrock (St. Claire Shores, Mich./Michigan WC) in 4:50 in her semifinal match. The finals opponent is Sally Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC), who needed to go to overtime to edge Lauren Lamb (Farmington, N.Y./Michigan WC), 7-6. Roberts was the 2003  U.S. Nationals champion at 59 kg/130 lbs., but moved up a division for this competition.    Each of the winners of Saturday's Challenge Tournament finals will advance to Sunday's Championship Series, to face the 2003 U.S. Nationals champion at their weight class. The winner of the best-of-three series on Sunday qualifies for the U.S. teams for the 2003 World Championships and the 2003 Pan American Games.    MEN'S FREESTYLE CHALLENGE TOURNAMENT FINALISTS    55 kg/121 lbs.  Jeremy Hunter (Champaign, Ill./New York AC) vs. Mike Mena (Bloomington, Ind./New York AC)      60 kg/132 lbs.  Jason Kutz (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) vs. Mike Zadick (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC)    66 kg/145.5 lbs.  Lincoln McIlravy (Colorado Springs, Colo./McIlravy WC) vs. Jamill Kelly (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC)    74 kg/163 lbs.  Joe Heskett (Grover Beach, Calif./Gator WC) vs. Kirk White (Tacoma, Wash./Dave Schultz WC)    84 kg/185 lbs.  Lee Fullhart (Chattanooga, Tenn./Gator WC) vs. Brandon Eggum (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm)       96 kg/211.5 lbs.  Tim Hartung (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) vs. Dominic Black (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army)    120 kg/264.5 lbs.  Tolly Thompson (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) vs. Brian Keck (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC)    WOMEN'S FREESTYLE CHALLENGE TOURNAMENT FINALISTS    48 kg (105.5 lbs.)   Clarissa Chun (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) vs. Mary Kelly (Mahomet, Ill./Dave Schultz WC)    51 kg (112 lbs.)  Jenny Wong (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) vs. Danielle Hobeika (Princeton, N.J./Dave Schultz WC)    55 kg (121 lbs.)   Tina George (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) vs. Marcie Van Dusen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids)    59 kg (130 lbs.)  Grace Magnussen (Walnut Creek, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) vs. Lindsay Owens (Ripon, Calif./Menlo)    63 kg (138.5 lbs.)   Kristie Marano (Albany, N.Y./ATWA) vs. Sally Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC)      67 kg (147.5 lbs.)  Kaci Lyle (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) vs. Stephany Lee (Honolulu, Hawaii/Rainbow Wahine WC)    72 kg (158.5 lbs.)   Samantha Lang (Tualatin, Ore./Sunkist Kids) vs. Iris Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army)