The Pan Am Games

[ILLINIWrestlingBlog]

There's even more Olympic-style wrestling right around the corner. The wrestling portion of the Pan Am Games starts on Wednesday, November 1 at 9:00 am (Eastern), 8:00 am (Central). There is a free streaming service that will supposedly cover all of the matches. It requires a signup. I've already signed up and tested it out: Flo should give them a call. Here's the link. 

I've watched a little of the Opening Ceremonies, some volleyball and some handballish-type thing. Video was clear, uninterrupted, and there were English-speaking commentators. 

Lots of world teamers in the mix, even though this isn't an Olympic qualifier. Of course, I'm most interested in the ILLINI, IRTC and ILLINOIS folk, including Zane, Zac, Kennedy, Kamal and Joe Rau. Still, Kyle Snyder will be adding to his trophy room, and although Nick Lee and Helen Maroulis are scratches, we've now got Nashon Garrett and Xochitl Mota-Pettis to watch. 

 

And since the wrestling starts on National Singlet Day:

[mspart]

Who is showing up?

mspart

[mspart]

Hey ILLINI  - Do you remember Sveda?   He was pretty good and very entertaining to watch.

mspart

[mspart]

Found it.   https://www.themat.com/news/2023/october/26/mota-pettis-golston-garrett-added-to-u-s-roster-for-pan-american-games

Not sending our best to the Games.   I thought for the Pan Am Games, we sent our main team.   I guess we'll see how they do. 

Men’s freestyle roster

57 kg – Zane Richards (Champaign, Illinois/Titan Mercury WC/Illinois RTC)

65 kg – Nahshon Garrett (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania/Titan Mercury WC/Lehigh Valley WC)

74 kg – Tyler Berger (Lincoln, Nebraska/Sunkist Kids WC/Pennsylvania RTC)

86 kg – Mark Hall (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Titan Mercury WC/Pennsylvania RTC)

97 kg – Kyle Snyder (State College, Pennsylvania/Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)

125 kg – Mason Parris (Lawrenceburg, Indiana/Titan Mercury WC/Cliff Keen WC)

Coach – Bill Zadick (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Coach – Joe Russell (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Coach – Jake Varner (Port Matilda, Pennsylvania)

Team Leader – Rich Tavoso (New York City, New York)

Greco-Roman roster

60 kg – Ildar Hafizov (Colorado Springs, Colorado/U.S. Army WCAP)

77 kg – Kamal Bey (Colorado Springs, Colorado/U.S. Army WCAP)

87 kg – Zac Braunagel (O’Fallon, Illinois/Illini WC/Illinois RTC)

97 kg – Josef Rau (Chicago, Illinois/Titan Mercury WC/Wildcat WC)

130 kg – Cohlton Schultz (Parker, Colorado/Sunkist Kids WC)

Coach – Justin Ruiz (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Coach – Herb House (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Coach – Spenser Mango (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Team Leader – Josh Weintraub (New York City, New York)

Women’s freestyle roster

50 kg – Erin Golston (Lake In The Hills, Illinois/New York AC)

53 kg – Samara Chavez (Arlington, Texas/Team Tornado WC)

57 kg – Xochitl Mota-Pettis (Humble, Texas/Rise RTC)

62 kg – Kayla Miracle (Tempe, Arizona/Sunkist Kids WC)

68 kg – Forrest Molinari (Tempe, Arizona/Sunkist Kids WC)

76 kg – Kennedy Blades (Chicago, Illinois/Sunkist Kids WC)

Coach – Terry Steiner (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Coach – Katie Kreibel (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Coach – Nate Engel (Albany, Oregon)

Team Leader – Cody Bickley (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

[AgaveMaria]

What is a "Team Leader"? Walks first in line to trip land mines, or what?

[gimpeltf]

1 hour ago, AgaveMaria said:

What is a "Team Leader"? Walks first in line to trip land mines, or what?

He leads the team. Administrative stuff mainly.

[ILLINIWrestlingBlog]

7 hours ago, mspart said:

Hey ILLINI  - Do you remember Sveda?   He was pretty good and very entertaining to watch.

mspart

If you mean Viktor Sveda, then yes, I remember him quite well. Fantastic wrestler. 

[mspart]

Yeah, he was really pretty good, he was tough, and he was fun to watch.   Every now and then I think of him  and really wished he was able to climb that ladder a bit higher.   He got higher than most ever do, so that is something.   Pretty unique character. '

I thought he was an Illini, but I see he wrestled for Indiana.   Sorry for getting that mixed up.  

mspart

Edited October 31, 2023 by mspart

[bnwtwg]

I'm pretty certain Svedka is still the all-time wins leader at Indiana

[ILLINIWrestlingBlog]

Mason Paris on the mat now. :10 takedown. He's wrestling the Dominican Republic. Already 8-0 with another takedown and gut wrenches. Four point double-leg makes it a 12-0 tech fall. 

 

Couple other observations:

First, they have two mats and only one camera, which points only at one mat. That's bad. Maybe Flo doesn't need these guys? 

Second, the announcer is a damn Scot. I hate Scots. Red noses. Slurred speech. Dark hearts. Most importantly, this Scot is hardly mentioning what's taking place on the other mat. Did Puerto Rico's Darian Cruz win? Don't know. 

Third, they always show the rules in graphic form. They called it a "pin" when the shoulders were held to the mat for one second. They also called it a "drop." What? Anybody heard of that before? 

[ILLINIWrestlingBlog]

The Cuban heavyweight just got pinned from a suplex. Larf. 

Edited November 1, 2023 by ILLINIWrestlingBlog
Saw replay.

[ILLINIWrestlingBlog]

Berger up now against Venezuela. Quick ankle grab from Berger. 2-0 USA. Berger with a passivity point. 3-0 USA. Venezuela with a takedown cutting it to 3-2. Venezuela in on another single, but Berger chest wraps him over for two. 5-2 final. 

 

My favorite memory of Tyler Berger: Him getting pissed off that he didn't beat IMAR. Delusional, bruh. 

[ILLINIWrestlingBlog]

Anthony Valencia for Mexico down early to Brazil. 0-2. Quickly 4-0 for Brazil. Valencia using his Sidakov to pull Brazil twice for two takedowns. 4-4 at the break. Four point double leg for Valencia, then another Sidakov for 2. 10-4. Brazil with a pushout, 10-5 Mexico. Pin after a pancake. Viva Mexico! 

[ILLINIWrestlingBlog]

Kyle Snyder up now versus Canada. 

[ILLINIWrestlingBlog]

Snyder with a pushout, then a go-behind. 3-0 USA. Another pushout. Canadian bad shot = 2 more for USA. Then, a gut wrench. 9-0 USA. A caution and one added for the 10-0 tech. 

[ILLINIWrestlingBlog]

Zane Richards is the 8-2 winner in the semifinals. I didn't get to see his first match. He had the toughest opponent so far in Darian Cruz. Two step-outs, a passivity point, a beautiful single leg before Cruz got on the board with a takedown. Zane finished up with another takedown. 

[ILLINIWrestlingBlog]

Mason Paris on now. Quick takedown and two guts to lead 6-0 against Jamaica. A double and a "Heavyweight Leglace" and it's all over in :58. 

[ILLINIWrestlingBlog]

Berger versus Valencia (Mexico). In first :10 Berger is warned for hands to the face. He points at Valencia apparently blaming him for putting his face on his hand. Berger with takedown and two back points. 4-0, but a challenge. Challenge won. I would've scored it 4-2, but it is now 2-2. Berger with a takedown and three guts. 10-2 USA. Break. 

Berger takedown, Valencia reversal 12-3. Match should've stopped there at 12-2. Berger with a double for 4. 16-3, challenge requested. (He either got the takedown or a stepout. Match should be over in either case. Challenge lost. 17-3 USA. 

[ILLINIWrestlingBlog]

Don't forget what day it is! 

Use hashtag #NationalSingletDay or #SingletChallenge on social media with photos/videos of you wearing a Singlet in a unique or hilarious (though safe) setting. You could win a prize package valued at $9.

[ILLINIWrestlingBlog]

Snyderman with the tech, moves into the finals. 

[D3 for LU]

Well... since you mentioned the cat forgetting its national singlet day (because he's a cat), these cats didn't forget!

Former wrestlers?  I dunno about that.

But they seem to like cats.

D3

Edited November 1, 2023 by D3 for LU

[nhs67]

UWW Arena

https://arena.uww.org/weight-category/1ee77e46-d788-63c2-9ca9-77de8a91698b

[mspart]

So Day 1 is pretty good.   4 weights - 4 finalists.   Nice.

mspart

[ILLINIWrestlingBlog]

Snyder versus Torres (Cuba) final about to start. 

[MPhillips]

14-4. Snyder