The autumn USA Greco-Roman tour of Sweden is on its last legs and the only we know for sure right now is that the endgame will likely include a whole bunch of medalists.
Day 1 of the 2018 Malar Cupen began this morning in Västerås, Sweden with over 40 American athletes in attendance. That’s because one delegation, led by Northern Michigan head coach Rob Hermann and which includes a group mainly consisting of NMU wrestlers, linked up with an age-group tour headed by Wisconsin’s Jared Lewis, father of 2018 Cadet World Team member Hunter Lewis (65 kg). The result is nearly four dozen American Greco-Roman athletes between Schoolboy and Senior all overseas at the same tournament, bringing back fond memories of that record-breaking week in Europe this past spring (full results from the Schoolboy division will be included in tomorrow’s Day 2 recap).
Speaking of the younger Lewis, he is 3-1 thus far at the 2018 Malar Cupen with all three victories coming by way of tech. His lone blemish, a 3-2 decision loss to Alexander Riefling (GER), does not spit Lewis into a repechage; due to the Nordic system format, all Lewis has to do is win out and he’s assured of a medal.
Fellow 2018 Cadet World Teamer Dominic Damon (67 kg, WA) is competing in the Senior division of the tournament and is 2-0 with a tech and a pin. Earlier this week, Damon was victorious in the USA/Team Skåne Brottning dual meet, as well.
There are other 3-1 records to account for after Day 1, starting with Logan Hatch (65 kg, WI). This is Hatch’s third trip to Sweden and the high schooler is back at full capacity following a season lost to injury. On Saturday, Hatch grinded out a criteria win over Sweden’s Samuel Trellid, knocked out a tech and a fall to win his next two matches, and then fell to Noel Fredlund (SWE) 9-2.
It’s a similar story for Oregonian Noah Wachsmuth (65 kg), who is also 3-1. Wachsmuth dropped his second bout of the day to Kasperi Kauhanen (FIN), but look at the box scores: in his three wins, Wachsmuth outscored the opposition 27-0 with three tech’s.
Cole Stephenson (60 kg, CO) lost his first match to Victor Borgström (SWE) via fall; in the proceeding three bouts, Stephenson got on a tear to drum up back-to-back-to-back superiors.
Sean Sesnan (60 kg) will look to to bring a second-straight overseas medal back to the Williams Baptist wrestling room. Sesnan is 2-0 heading into Sunday. If you count the Bill Farrell Memorial this past March, this could be a hat trick for Sesnan — he was silver in New York, silver at Klippan, and is in position this weekend for hardware again. These are the only three international events Sesnan has ever competed in.
Corey Fitzgerald (82 kg) and young Tyler Curd (130 kg) have also survived Day 1 of the 2018 Malar Cupen unscathed. For Fitzgerald, one of Marquette’s hardest workers, a podium spot at this event could hopefully lead to a gain in momentum as the season begins to progress.
Two-time Cadet World Team coach Lucas Steldt, who is coaching on this tour yet again, had this to say once wrestling wrapped for the day in Västerås.
“I am very impressed with Logan Hatch and Dominic Damon,” said Steldt. “They are out there moving guys around and scoring points in real Greco fashion. The NMU and OTC (Olympic Training Center) guys are leaving it on the mat. This year’s crew has been clean cut with no issues. The officials, on the other hand, are not enforcing ‘negative wrestling’. This call must be made. Also, passivities must not be tangled in with ‘negative wrestling’. Currently, they are. The passivity call is washing out the negative wrestling call. This is not helping Greco! In Greco, there can be NO place to hide or seek refuge.”
Day 2 of the Malar Cupen begins tomorrow morning at 10:00am (4:00 EST).
2018 Mälarcupen
November 3rd-4th — Västerås, Sweden
TEAM USA RESULTS
*Schoolboy results will be released following Day 2.
Cadet/JR
55 kg
Carter Stephenson (CO)
WIN Mark Loitto (SWE) 15-7, TF
WIN Hugo Hautamäki (FIN) 14-4, TF
LOSS Allan Behnam (SWE) 9-0, TF
60 kg
Cole Stephenson (CO)
LOSS Victor Borgström (SWE) via fall
WIN Fabian Frisk (SWE) 8-0, TF
WIN Onni Rintamäki (FIN) 8-0, TF
WIN Oskar Pettersson (SWE) 8-0, TF
65 kg
Logan Hatch (WI)
WIN Samuel Trellid (SWE) 2-2 (criteria)
WIN Puttichart Phaitoonwong (SWE) via fall
WIN Matheuz Bergqvist (SWE) 11-0, TF
LOSS Noel Fredlund (SWE) 9-2
Hunter Lewis (WI)
WIN Yasin Haijzadeh (SWE) 13-6, TF
WIN Jim Valikainen (FIN) 8-0, TF
LOSS Alexander Riefling (GER) 3-1
WIN Hermund Ophaug (SWE) 13-2, TF
Noah Wachsmuth (OR)
WIN Kristoffer Pettersen (SWE) 8-0, TF
LOSS Kasperi Kauhanen (FIN) 7-2
WIN Max Scharfenort (SWE) 8-0, TF
WIN Rahman Kusnetsov (SWE) 11-0, TF
SR
60 kg
Jacob Cochran (NMU/OTS)
WIN Imranullah Safi (SWE) via all
LOSS Sean Sesnan (WBC) 201-12, TF
Jon Massey (NMU/OTS)
WIN Artor Hagerup (SWE) 8-4
LOSS Colin Eckert (GER) 8-0, TF
Sean Sesnan (WBC)
WIN Muhammed Anvari (SWE) 9-0, TF
WIN Jacob Cochran (NMU/OTS) 20-12, TF
David Stepanian (NMU/OTS)
LOSS Henri Halonen (FIN) 9-1, TF
WIN Imranullah Safi (SWE) 10-1, TF
67 kg
Dominic Damon (WA)
WIN Walter Wale (SWE) 8-0, TF
WIN Abedin Khalili (SWE) via fall
Eric Spence (NMU/OTS)
WIN Elias Klingståhl (SWE) via fall
LOSS Anton Mansson (SWE) 10-6
72 kg
Britton Holmes (NMU/OTS)
LOSS Gustav Dahl (SWE) 7-7 (criteria)
LOSS Rasmus Astrom (SWE) 3-2
Timmy Thompson (NMU/OTS)
LOSS Siarhei Baradziulia (BLR) 9-0, TF
LOSS Didrik Silverin (SWE)_10-0, TF
77 kg
Ryan Cummings (NMU/OTS)
LOSS Oliver Krüger (DEN) 14-5, TF
WIN Jack Nordström (SWE) via fall
Tommy Dantzler (Front Range Twisters)
LOSS Roni Purolainen (FIN) 10-2, TF
WIN Mikita Mihun (BLR) via forfeit
Zachary Grimes (NMU/OTS)
WIN Jack Nordström (SWE) 8-0, TF
LOSS Sakke Purolainen (FIN) 8-0, TF
Zach Tolver (NMU/OTS)
LOSS Joel Hult (SWE) 9-0, TF
LOSS Roni Purolainen (FIN) 9-0, TF
82 kg
Finley Allen (NMU/OTS)
WIN DM Hallet (NMU/OTS) 8-0, TF
LOSS David Zaypaev (NOR) 12-0, TF
Corey Fitzgerald (NMU/OTS)
WIN Rickard Modig (SWE) 8-0, TF
WIN Jafar Shiri (SWE) 8-0, TF
DM Hallet (NMU/OTS)
LOSS Finley Allen (NMU/OTS) 8-0, TF
LOSS Mehdi Zeidvand (SWE) 8-0, TF
87 kg
Keaton Fanning (NMU/OTS)
LOSS Naib Ilaldayev (SWE) via fall
LOSS Kiryl Maskevich (BLR) 5-1
97 kg
Nick Boykin (Sunkist)
WIN Oscar Svensson (SWE) 10-1, TF
LOSS Billy Raaf (SWE) 5-0
130 kg
Tyler Curd (NMU/OTS)
WIN Nikola Miltatovic (NOR) 9-1, TF
WIN Trace Schirmers (NMU/OTS) via fall
Trace Schirmer (NMU/OTS)
LOSS Nikola Milatovic (NOR) 8-0, TF
LOSS Ilya Yudchytis (BLR) 8-0, TF
LOSS Tyler Curd (NMU/OTS) via fall
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