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Kennedy Blades punches her ticket to the U23 76 KG finals with a 28S 10-0 Tech over Lithuania. Early signs point to her facing off against an Indian in Reetika Reetika. Reetika lost to Skylar Grote at 72 KG via 4-0 Decision at the 2023 Zagreb earlier this year. She also lost to Amit Elor at the 2022 U20 Worlds via 12-1 Tech at 72 KG.

Mesenbrink has certified already, so I believe an Olyshirt is out. Both Haines and Mesenbrink certified between 157.1 and 165.0 for their weigh-in. That means they are both under 165.0 already. If one 'shirts, I believe it will be Haines. McHenry is a more-than-capable insurance policy. He is the immediate option of Howard goes down with an injury (again). Kerk is still a transfer and adds to the 'who has more transfers' talk.

Lange is out at 68 KG. Her Russo lost in the semi-finals to a Turk. Ergo she will not be pulled back in to Repechage.

Moore is out at 59 KG. Rankin lost via a quick 1M20S Tech to the Ukrainian. Ergo she will not be pulled back in to Repechage.

- They filled two (2) holes well and proper. - Technically three (3) holes have been filled via Transfer. - Potentially four (4) holes may be fililed before the end of the year - Possible for five (5) holes to have been filled if injuries hit a certain shoulderless 125lber.

It appears Howk is out at 55 KG as the Russo lost to her Indian opponent. Ergo she will not be pulled back in to Repechage.

Jimenez wins her semi-finals 7-4 over the Azeri. She will face Japan's Umi Ito. Ito hasn't seen the second period in three Techs today and has outscored opponents 33-2. She beat Jimenez via 10-0 Tech at 2020 U20s for Gold.

Oh Matside for that? That would be awesome. I would be all for that one.

Of note... it doesn't look like McGowen has certified for Princeton. That makes me feel as if Heethus will get the nod for them this year. Pretty stoked about that.

I meant Iowa would be the frontrunner for little brother if big brother went there. Potentially, that is.

I would love to see Paddy go up... but who slides in at 157 then? Hepner was a darkhorse to AA at 165 (methinks). Paddy likely has the same peak output, but then they lose points at 157. Gavin Brown? He wrestled anywhere from 149 to 165 last year for the Buckeyes. He is probably their best option. Per their certifications, Andre Gonzalez is already at 149... maybe let him go there and D'Emilio at 157?

The school's website literally says 'The' in front of it. That is the trump card, innit?

It also almost certainly lines up Iowa to be frontrunners for his brother, who is also a stud in his own right, correct? That gives a decent insurance policy for if Kueter never actually wrestles. Have Cody down at 197... by the time Coby gets there Focus will be in his last year and he can redshirt, then take over HWT afterwards?

So no Wilcox down to 157 to challenge and Geog at 197 looks like a real possibility then? I don't mind that.

Leave this one here for you...

Hardy faces a Georgian in Goga Itinashvili for Bronze. The Georgian is 18 at the oldest right now as he competed at U17 last year. Here is what he has done in the last year. 2022 U17 Euros - 4W-1L, 2nd - Lost to an Azeri3-3 2022 U17 Worlds - 4W-1L, 3rd - Lost to an Azeri 9-4 - Lost to same Azeri at both contests 2023 U23 Euros - 2W-1L, 3rd - Lost to a different Azeri 7-6 2023 U20 Euros - 3W-1L, 2nd - Lost to a Ukrainian 16-6 2023 U20 Worlds - 2W-1L, 8th - Lost to a Russo 10-0 2023 U23 Worlds - 2W-1L, 3rd/5th - Lost to another different Azeri 5-1 Guy only loses a lot to Azeri-gents... but only loses once per tournament it seems (joke:haha)...

It weren't no epic come-from-behind, mate. 1-1, 26S to go in the 1st. 4-3 at the break, in favor of the Moldovan. TD with 1M45S to go in the 2nd for Hardy to go up 5-4. Garbage last second TD with 1S remaining to win 7-4.

Man, Women's U23s just go so much faster. It is a numbers and skill thing, both.

Per Track no member of the Focus family is a collegiate wrestler, currently... NAME - WEIGHT Joey Cruz - 133 Drake Ayala - 133 Aidan Harris - 141 Cullan Schriever - 141 Brody Teske - 141 Ryder Block - 149 Kale Petersen - 149 Jesse Ybarra - 149 Jace Rhodes - 149 Charles Matthews - 149 Real Woods - 157 Cade Siebrecht - 157 Koye Grebel - 157 Joel Jesuroga - 157 Leif Schroeder - 165 Bretli Reyna - 165 Mike Caliendo - 165 Caleb Rathjen - 165 Victor Voinovich - 165 Carter Martinson - 174 Sebastian Robles - 174 Patrick Kennedy - 174 Jared Franek - 174 Drake Rhodes - 174 Isaiah Fenton - 174 Cobe Siebrecht - 174 William Carano - 184 Nelson Brands - 184 Brennan Swafford - 184 Carson Martinson - 184 Aiden Riggins - 184 Aidan McCain - 197 Gabe Arnold - 197 Tony Cassioppi - 285 Easton Fleshman - 285 Zach Glazier - 285 Bradley Hill - 285 Kolby Franklin - 285 Gage Marty - 285 Abe Assad - Ben Kueter - Jude Link -

Also, I don't think this means anything for wreslting, buuuut... Army - > AAC.

This is gold. Also... pretty sure Penn State is what would be considered America's team right now, right?

North Carolina... Keep in mind Sonny Santiago at 157 is in Albania right now.

Women today. 50 KG - Audrey Jimenez is in to the semi-finals, so she will at least wrestle for a medal. Two Techs (Spain, India). She faces an Azeri named Elnura Mammadova in the semi-finals. The Azeri lost to Alisha Howk at last year's U23s up at 55 KG. It looks like most of her career has been at 55 KG and she has recently flirted with dropping to 53 KG a couple of times... so 50 KG is light for her. I expect Jimenez to win, still, even if she is quite a bit smaller. 55 KG - Alisha Howk won via come-from-behind Pinfell over Italy in the R16. She lost via 90 second Tech against the 2023 U20 Russo World Champ in the QF. I imagine she gets pulled back in. 59 KG - Nichole Moore beat a Polish lady in the R16 via 9-0 Decision. She then lost to a Canardian in Michaela Rankin via 7-0 Decision in the QF. Rankin is a Ginger so she has no soul... actually not much info on her aside for she is having a stellar year. Not sure if Moore gets pulled back in, though. 68 KG - Katerina Lange lost in her R16 match to a Russo. This same Russo lost to Bruntil via 2-1 Decision at Worlds this year, so she is legit for U23s. She also placed 2nd at U23s in 2021, so there is that, too. Hopefully Lange gets pulled back in... she would have to run the Repechage gauntlet, though, having lost so early. 76 KG - Kennedy Blades hasn't been on the mat for but 2M9S through two quick 10-0 Techs. She faces Lithuania's Kamile Gaucaite in the semi-finals. Gaucaite lost to Makoyed earlier this year via 10-0 Tech, so I like Kennedy's odds to make the finals.

JB still has the trump card (no pun intended) in that there is no data supporting matside weigh-ins being a better route as well as rules will not change unless there is data to support it. I am interested at seeing appropriate responses to that.

That is great.