Takedown Report

Amateur Wrestling Reports

David Taylor named 2018 John Smith Award winner, as USA Wrestling’s Freestyle Wrestler of the Year

By Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling | March 28, 2019,
David Taylor (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) has been named the winner of the 2018 John Smith Award as the Freestyle Wrestler of the Year by USA Wrestling. It is the first time that Taylor has received this prestigious award. Taylor received the award at the Kickoff Party, organized by Jordan and Lauren Burroughs, in Pittsburgh, Pa. on March 20. Taylor won a gold medal at 86 kg in freestyle at the 2018 World Wrestling Championships in Budapest, Hungary. It was his first Senior World Championships appearance for the United States. Seeded second based upon his successful season, Taylor was randomly drawn into an opening bout against Olympic and World champion Hassan Yazdani Charati of Iran. In a memorable match where he trailed 6-2 at the break, Taylor powered back in the second period for an 11-6 win.

Taylor won three more times on his first day just to reach the finals. After a dominant 10-0 technical fall over 2015 European Junior champion Hajy Rajabau of Belarus, he shut down a difficult opponent for him, Cuba’s Yurieski Torreblanca of Cuba, 8-0 in the quarterfinals. The semifinal against 2017 European champion Dauren Kurugliev of Russia became a classic. Taylor fell behind 5-1 at the break, but also, when Kurugliev kicked out of a Taylor leg attack, the kick struck Taylor’s head and actually knocked him out. In the second period, Taylor rallied with two takedowns to tie it at 5-5, gaining the tiebreaking criteria. In the final seconds, Taylor converted another takedown to shut the door for a rough 7-5 win. His gold-medal bout was against Fatih Erdin of Turkey, the talented No. 1 seed, who Taylor dominated on the way to a 12-2 technical fall. He finished the 2018 season undefeated, including competition at the international and domestic levels. Taylor qualified for his first U.S. Senior World Team by winning Final X at State College in June, defeating Nick Reenan in the best-of-three finals series in two straight matches. Taylor was also the 2108 U.S. Open champion in Las Vegas, Nev. in April, defeating Richard Perry in the championship finals. It was Taylor’s fourth career U.S. Open title. Rest of the story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2019/March/28/Taylor-named-USA-Wrestling-Freestyle-Wrestler-of-the-Year?mc_cid=4103084d40&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

April 3, 2019 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Owings to be inducted into National Wrestling Hall of Fame

TDR Editor’s Note ; He made big news in one of the most famous college matches ever so the only surprise here is that he was not inducted earlier.
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Woodburn assistant Larry Owings boasts more than 25 years of coaching experience, famous win over Dan Gable for 1970 NCAA championship
Woodburn assistant wrestling coach Larry Owings will join eight others being inducted May 4 into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame by the Oregon chapter. A native of Canby, Owings is the assistant coach for the Woodburn High School wrestling program. Over his 25-year career, he has coached at his alma mater and both Oregon City and Molalla high schools. Owings, one of five brothers to win an Oregon state wrestling title, started his career as a coach in Seattle. After winning “the match of the century” over previously unbeaten Dan Gable for the 1970 NCAA championship, Owings coached at a Seattle high school, as well as Clackamas Community College after his return to Oregon. In addition to being named the Outstanding Wrestler in the NCAA meet, he won both the 1969 U.S. Wrestling Federation national senior championships and was named Outstanding Wrestler in both the freestyle and Greco-Roman divisions. Owings will be joined in the Hall of Fame induction ceremony by Norm Berney, Salem; Danny Anson, Salem; Dean Dixon, Eugene; Rick Herrin, Salem; Trent Kroll, Hood River; Dan Williamson, Portland; and Chris Lucas, Eagle Point. Rest of the story and details at https://pamplinmedia.com/wbi/155-sports/422920-327331-owings-to-be-inducted-into-national-wrestling-hall-of-fame?fbclid=IwAR20jP5iX4omkA9hl7_5GznACS35cIuXt_hXzblWzcOHqGQX2UhbOmyqBws&mc_cid=804bb737cf&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

April 3, 2019 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Rutgers wrestling success emboldens all of U., athletic department’s future

Saturday evening in Pittsburgh, one of the most notable events in Rutgers Athletics history took place as wrestlers Nick Suriano and Anthony Ashnault both stood atop their respective weight classes as the best in the NCAA. The wins are the first in wrestling for the school but have a much larger impact on the program than just two trophies in a case.  Over the last 12 years, head coach Scott Goodale has built the Rutgers Wrestling program quite literally from the bottom up. He often recalls in interviews his first home dual meet at Rutgers back in 2008, a 42-0 win over Wagner at the College Avenue Gymnasium, attended by less than 100 people. He describes how the scene was so dismal, he had to leave to grab a portable clock from his car after the one in the gym broke down. 

Now, in a training room that hangs a banner proclaiming “Rutgers Wants NCAA Champions,” they have two. Suriano, a junior from Paramus who transferred from wrestling giant and Big Ten rival Penn State, and Ashnault, a graduate student from South Plainfield who is Rutgers’ all-time leader in wins. The two are quintessentially Jersey. Suriano is often seen in flashy clothes, or on Instagram dancing to club music. Ashnault stays taunting opposing coaches and living and dying by his “Shnaulty be mobbin'” attitude. Together they are now cemented in history as Rutgers athletic legends.  The wins are the first individual national championships won by a Rutgers athlete since a fencing gold for Alexis Jemal back in 2003. The school discontinued their fencing program in 2007. The wrestling program was almost cut before Goodale was hired. His persistence to bring the energy to New Jersey wrestling is so well known that it kept the program alive. It is what fills the seats of the Rutgers Athletic Center to capacity, it is what brought home two national champions and it is what has set up the wrestling program and athletics as a whole, allowing it to change the culture around the Scarlet Knights. Winning is no longer a pipe dream. Rest of the story http://www.dailytargum.com/article/2019/03/rutgers-wrestling-success-emboldens-all-of-u-athletic-departments-future?mc_cid=804bb737cf&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

April 3, 2019 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Lions defeat Otterbein in first home dual in more than five years

TDR Editor’s Note ; Glad to see a rebirth or start of a college team. Hosting home meets and publicizing them is an important part of building a tradition and the backing of fans.
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CINCINNATI, Ohio –  The Mount St. Joseph Lions led by first year Head Coach Charles Mason are in the midst of what has been dubbed a “Rebirth” of the once defunct MSJ Wrestling program. That “Rebirth” came full circle last night as the Lions took to the mats in the Harrington Center for the first time in more than five years. They did so be welcoming the Cardinals of Otterbein and a near capacity crowd to Delhi. The match opened with a pair of forfeits at 125 lbs and 133 lbs, setting up the first official match of the night at 141. For the Lions that meant the lone sophomore in the lineup, captain Nate McClanahan (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) trying to secure the early lead for the Lions. After a slow first period in which no points were scored, the match began to heat up in second. McClanahan scored first as he opened period number two on the bottom and managed a quick escape. DiSabato from Otterbein came back and took a 4-3 lead which he held until late in the third, when McClanahan secured a two-point takedown to clinch the victory.  Rest of the Story at http://www.msjsports.com/sports/wrest/2018-19/releases/20190213g5535r?mc_cid=a2a4187d4b&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

April 3, 2019 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment