Dake (and more) at Wrestling World Team Trials

Kyle Dake has advanced through the challenge stage and will face Jordan Burroughs for a spot on the US team for the 2013 World Championship at 74kg. Burroughs is the 2-time defending champ (2012 Olympic, 2011 World).

His path:

QF: 8-1 TF over Trent Paulson
SF: 7-4 over David Taylor (AGAIN!)
F: 4-2 OT over Andrew Howe

Wins over Paulson and Howe avenge prior freestyle losses and the win over Taylor is just delicious. Taylor was the top seed in the Challenge. Dake, inexplicably, was #5.

The finals is best 2 of 3 and is at 6:30 tonight. No idea if it is on TV or streaming anywhere, though FloWrestling.com is your best bet.

Tomorrow there will be more Cornell alumni at the WTT. Frank Perelli is the top seed at 55kg and Cam Simaz is #7 at 84kg.

Dake loses in the finals 7-0, 9-6 OT.

I hope FloWrestling posts the match. I really want to see the second one.

The result isn't a surprise, really, but I was really hoping he could pull it off. Three years until Rio and Dake is just going to get better.

CornellBigRed.com article with nice pix of Dake and Burroughs.

Perrelli lost both of his matches.
Simaz finished in 4th in the Challenge bracket.

Rising frosh Mark Grey (younger brother of 2x AA Mike Grey '11) won the 60kg Junior World Team Trials and will compete in the World Juniors in Bulgaria in August.

Rising frosh Dylan Palacio, who had qualified directly to the finals by winning a preliminary meet, lost in the finals at 74kg. Fellow rising frosh Brian Realbuto lost in the challenge finals to the same wrestler (who will be at Oklahoma State).

Rising frosh Gabe Dean lost finished in 4th place in the challenge bracket at 84kg with a 3-2 record.

We are going to have a very good team again.