Challenge Tourney sets up three NLWC meetings in Olympic Trials finals

Photo: Aaron Brooks rallied from a late deficit to beat Zahid Valencia in the finals of the Challenge Tournament of the 2024 Olympic Trials in State College, Pa. Brooks will face fellow Nittany Lion Wrestling Club teammate David Taylor Saturday in the Best-of-3 Championship Series. (Photo by Sam Janicki)

Men’s Freestyle

The following are the highlights of the finals and semifinals of the Challenge Tournament of the 2024 Olympic Trials, which took place Friday at the Penn State Bryce Jordan Center. Saturday’s Best-of-3 Championships Series, which will finalize Team USA for the Paris Olympics, begins at 10 a.m. EDT.

57k/125.5 pounds

Challenge Tournament finalists Spencer Lee (HWC / TMWC) and Thomas Gilman (NLWC / TMWC), who both have ties to the University of Iowa, will meet in Saturday’s Best-of-3 Championship Series. That winner then must qualify the weight class at a Final Qualifier, May 9-12 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Semifinals

Spencer Lee (HWC / TMWC) dec. Zane Richards (IRTC / TMWC), 13-6 — Lee jumped out to an 8-0 lead quickly and cruised to a 13-6 victory over the 2023 Senior World Team member.

Thomas Gilman (NLWC / TMWC) dec. Daton Fix (CWC / TMWC), 6-0 — Gilman scored two first period passivity points before adding two second period takedowns to cruise to a 6-0 victory, setting up a challenge finals matchup with former Hawkeye teammate Spencer Lee.

65k/143.5 pounds

Challenge Tournament finalists Nick Lee (NLWC / TMWC) and Zain Retherford (NLWC / TMWC), both former NCAA champs from Penn State, will meet in Saturday’s Best-of-3 Championship Series. That winner then must qualify the weight class at a Final Qualifier, May 9-12 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Semifinals   

Nick Lee (NLWC / TMWC) dec. Andrew Alirez (NCRTC / TMWC), 11-9 — In a wild, high-scoring affair, Lee and Alirez broke open a 4-4 match in the second frame with back-and-forth scoring efforts before a 4-pointer from Lee proved to be the difference.

Zain Retherford (NLWC / TMWC) dec. Jesse Mendez (OH RTC / TMWC), 3-2 — Despite yielding an early spin around takedown, Retherford answered back with a takedown of his own and added a passivity point in the second period to advance to the challenge tournament finals against former Nittany Lion teammate Nick Lee.

74k/163 pounds

Jason Nolf (NLWC/TMWC) earned the right to compete against 2021 Olympic bronze medalist Kyle Dake in Saturday’s Best-of-3 Championship Series.

Championship

Jason Nolf (NLWC / TMWC) dec. Jordan Burroughs (PRTC / SKTC), 3-0 — Nolf earned a passivity point to lead 1-0 at the break, then blasted through on a double in the opening seconds of the second frame to solidify a slot in Saturday’s best-of-three final against Nittany Lion Wrestling Club teammate Kyle Dake.

Semifinals

Jordan Burroughs (PRTC / SKWC) dec. Mitchell Mesenbrink (NLWC / TMWC), 8-3 — In the chippiest bout of the evening, the former Olympic gold medalist jumped out to a 7-0 lead after the first and held on to an 8-3 decision, but not before words and shoves were exchanged that incited the pro-Nittany Lion crowd.

Jason Nolf (NLWC / TMWC) dec. Jarrett Jacques (TSWC), 9-2 — The former Nittany Lion controlled from start to finish, breaking open a 4-2 match in the second period to cruise to a challenge tournament final.

86k/189 pounds

Aaron Brooks (NLWC/TMWC) earned the right to compete against 2021 Olympic gold medalist David Taylor in Saturday’s Best-of-3 Championship Series.

Championship

Aaron Brooks (NLWC / TMWC) dec. Zahid Valencia (SKWC), 7-6 — Valencia scored a four-point blast double leg and a subsequent point for a failed challenge to jump out in front to a 6-3 lead, but Brooks mounted a furious comeback in the final 45 seconds, adding a takedown, push out and singlet pull caution point to capture a thrilling come-from-behind victory.

Semifinals

Aaron Brooks (NLWC / TMWC) vs. Alex Dieringer (CKWC / TMWC), 8-4 — Dieringer used a fireman’s carry to jump out to a 4-0 lead in the first period, but the second period belonged to Brooks, who scored a four-pointer of his own and an ankle pick takedown to pull away late with eight unanswered points.

Zahid Valencia (SKWC) dec. Chance Marsteller (NJRTC / TMWC), 5-0 — An early takedown and second period point for passivity proved to be the difference for the Sunkist Kid.

97k/213.5 pounds

Isaac Trumble (WRTC/TMWC)  earned the right to compete against 2021 Olympic bronze medalist Kyle Snyder in Saturday’s Best-of-3 Championship Series.

Championship

Isaac Trumble (WRTC / TMWC), won by TF over Kollin Moore (OH RTC / TMWC), 11-1 — Trumble dominated with five two-point scores and a push out point, landing a spot in the best-of-three finals against Kyle Snyder on Saturday.

Semifinals

Kollin Moore (OH RTC / TMWC) dec. J`den Cox (CKWC / TMWC), 2-2 — Despite Cox leading 2-0 midway through the second period, the former Buckeye earned a takedown with just over a minute left and clung on to victory. Cox left his shoes at center mat and exited the Arena floor to a raucous standing ovation.

Isaac Trumble (WRTC / TMWC) dec. Johnathan Aiello (CWC/ TMWC), 6-4 — Aiello scored twice to jump out to an early 4-0 lead, but the Wolfpack two-time NCAA Qualifier mounted a comeback, scoring six unanswered points to punch his ticket to the challenge tournament finals.

125k/265.5 pounds

Hayden Zillmer (GWC) earned the right to compete against 2021 Olympic bronze medalist Mason Harris in Saturday’s Best-of-3 Championship Series.

Championship

Hayden Zillmer (GWC) dec. Nick Gwiazdowski (SPAR / TMWC), 5-1 — The pair traded passivity points, but Zillmer rolled through on a Gwiazdowski crotch lock attempt to secure a match-deciding takedown before adding two more late push out points.

Semifinals

Hayden Zillmer (GWC) dec. Dom Bradley (TSWC / SKWC), 5-0 — Zillmer led 1-0 on a passivity point at the midway point before securing consecutive takedowns within a six-second span to extend his lead and claim a challenge tournament finals berth.

Nick Gwiazdowski (SPAR / TMWC) dec. Greg Kerkvliet (NLWC / TMWC), 5-1 — The pair alternated passivity points in the first four minutes of the bout before Gwiazdowski secured a takedown and push out late for a 5-1 victory.