Kerr, Moore alive in wrestlebacks at Junior Freestyle Worlds in China

U.S. wrestlers remain alive in the wrestleback rounds on the first day of the men’s freestyle competition at the Junior World Wrestling Championships at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium on Saturday.

Competing in Saturday evening’s wrestleback rounds will be Jake Kerr (Oskaloosa, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Taylor Moore (Kansas, City, Mo./unattached) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

Both were defeated by opponents from Russia who have advanced to Saturday’s gold-medal match. Only athletes who lose to a gold-medal finalist are eligible to compete in the wrestlebacks (also called repechage).

Kerr, who competes for the Univ. of Iowa, went 1-1 in the morning session. He opened the tournament with a 4-2, 4-2 win over Kurt Botha of South Africa. Kerr hit a three-point chestlock throw in the first period, then a front headlock throw for three points in the second period for the win.

In the quarterfinals, Kerr was defeated by 2006 Military World champion Denis Tsargush of Russia by technical fall, 0-6, 0-6. Tsargush won his semifinal match, pulling Kerr back into the wrestleback round, where he will face of Gocha Lomitadze of Georgia.

Moore, who attends Cornell Univ., was defeated in the opening round by Russia’s Alen Zaseev, 0-3, 0-7. Zaseev will also compete for the gold.

Moore will face Asian Junior champion Komeil Ghasemi of Iran in his opening repechage match.

Eliminated from medal contention are David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio/unattached) at 50 kg/110 lbs. and Angel Escobedo (Griffith, Ind./Hoosier WC) at 60 kg/132 lbs.

Taylor opened with a 5-3, 4-4 win over Nurlan Orozbek of Kyrgyzstan. Taylor broke a 2-2 tie in the first period with a high gut wrench and an additional point for holding him on his back. In the second period, Taylor jumped to a 4-0 lead but Orozbek put him to his back closing the lead to 4-3, and Taylor was unconscious from a headlock hold. When Orozbek tied the match at 4-4, Taylor won the period with the highest point move, a three-pointer early in the period.

Taylor, a high school star in Ohio, was defeated in the next match by Hassan Rahimi of Iran, 0-3, 3-3, 0-3. In the third and deciding period, Rahimi forced Taylor out of bounds two times, then also scored a takedown, for the winning points. Rahimi was defeated in the semifinals, knocking Taylor out of the tournament.

Escobedo, a NCAA All-American from Indiana Univ. lost a frustrating bout to Samet Duegler of Germany, 0-1, 1-1. After losing the first period, Escobedo led 1-0 in the second peiord until Duegler tied it up with a takedown. Duegler won the period by scoring the last point.

When Duegler was beaten in the quarterfinals, Escobedo was eliminated from the tournament.

JUNIOR WORLD FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Beijing, China, August 25

U.S. performances in morning session

50 kg/110 lbs. – David Taylor, St. Paris, Ohio (unattached)
WIN Nurlan Orozbek (Kyrgyzstan), 5-2, 4-4
LOSS Hassan Rahimi (Iran), 0-3, 3-3, 0-3

60 kg/132 lbs. – Angel Escobedo, Griffith, Ind. (Hoosier WC)
LOSS Samet Duegler (Germany), 0-1, 1-1

74 kg/163 lbs. – Jake Kerr, Oskaloosa, Iowa (Hawkeye WC)
WIN Kurt Botha (South Africa), 4-2, 4-2
LOSS Denis Tsargush (Russia), 0-6, 0-6

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Taylor Moore, Kansas, City, Mo. (unattached)
LOSS Alen Zaseev (Russia), 0-

U.S. wrestlers remain alive in the wrestleback rounds on the first day of the men’s freestyle competition at the Junior World Wrestling Championships at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium on Saturday.

Competing in Saturday evening’s wrestleback rounds will be Jake Kerr (Oskaloosa, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Taylor Moore (Kansas, City, Mo./unattached) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

Both were defeated by opponents from Russia who have advanced to Saturday’s gold-medal match. Only athletes who lose to a gold-medal finalist are eligible to compete in the wrestlebacks (also called repechage).

Kerr, who competes for the Univ. of Iowa, went 1-1 in the morning session. He opened the tournament with a 4-2, 4-2 win over Kurt Botha of South Africa. Kerr hit a three-point chestlock throw in the first period, then a front headlock throw for three points in the second period for the win.

In the quarterfinals, Kerr was defeated by 2006 Military World champion Denis Tsargush of Russia by technical fall, 0-6, 0-6. Tsargush won his semifinal match, pulling Kerr back into the wrestleback round, where he will face of Gocha Lomitadze of Georgia.

Moore, who attends Cornell Univ., was defeated in the opening round by Russia’s Alen Zaseev, 0-3, 0-7. Zaseev will also compete for the gold.

Moore will face Asian Junior champion Komeil Ghasemi of Iran in his opening repechage match.

Eliminated from medal contention are David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio/unattached) at 50 kg/110 lbs. and Angel Escobedo (Griffith, Ind./Hoosier WC) at 60 kg/132 lbs.

Taylor opened with a 5-3, 4-4 win over Nurlan Orozbek of Kyrgyzstan. Taylor broke a 2-2 tie in the first period with a high gut wrench and an additional point for holding him on his back. In the second period, Taylor jumped to a 4-0 lead but Orozbek put him to his back closing the lead to 4-3, and Taylor was unconscious from a headlock hold. When Orozbek tied the match at 4-4, Taylor won the period with the highest point move, a three-pointer early in the period.

Taylor, a high school star in Ohio, was defeated in the next match by Hassan Rahimi of Iran, 0-3, 3-3, 0-3. In the third and deciding period, Rahimi forced Taylor out of bounds two times, then also scored a takedown, for the winning points. Rahimi was defeated in the semifinals, knocking Taylor out of the tournament.

Escobedo, a NCAA All-American from Indiana Univ. lost a frustrating bout to Samet Duegler of Germany, 0-1, 1-1. After losing the first period, Escobedo led 1-0 in the second peiord until Duegler tied it up with a takedown. Duegler won the period by scoring the last point.

When Duegler was beaten in the quarterfinals, Escobedo was eliminated from the tournament.

JUNIOR WORLD FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Beijing, China, August 25

U.S. performances in morning session

50 kg/110 lbs. – David Taylor, St. Paris, Ohio (unattached)
WIN Nurlan Orozbek (Kyrgyzstan), 5-2, 4-4
LOSS Hassan Rahimi (Iran), 0-3, 3-3, 0-3

60 kg/132 lbs. – Angel Escobedo, Griffith, Ind. (Hoosier WC)
LOSS Samet Duegler (Germany), 0-1, 1-1

74 kg/163 lbs. – Jake Kerr, Oskaloosa, Iowa (Hawkeye WC)
WIN Kurt Botha (South Africa), 4-2, 4-2
LOSS Denis Tsargush (Russia), 0-6, 0-6

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Taylor Moore, Kansas, City, Mo. (unattached)
LOSS Alen Zaseev (Russia), 0-