Metcalf wins US Open

DAVISON NATIVE DOMINATES HIS WAY TO 65KG TITLE IN VEGAS

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There was a strong Michigan presence at the US Open last weekend in Las Vegas, including former 4x State Champ Brent Metcalf of Davison who won the 65kg title.  

Metcalf, who went on to college greatness at the University of Iowa, has won the US Open before and is the returning World Team Member from last year, so his win was not a huge surprise, however, the pure dominance was very unique for the Senior Freestyle level where many of the matches are determined by a point or two.

Metcalf scored four straight tech-falls en route to the title, without surrendering a point on the tournament.  Among his wins were a 10-0 trouncing of former World Team member Reece Humphrey in the semifinals and a 9-0 shutout of former University of Michigan 2x NCAA Champ Kellen Russell in the finals.  The Metcalf-Russell final was a battle of former AGON II participants who both were featured at the pro-wrestling even in Flint last December.

Russell, who won the US Open last year but fell to Metcalf in the World Trials Finals, put together a strong run to make the finals. Russell knocked off former University World Team Member Jason Chamberlain 8-4 in the quarterfinals and then scored a huge 4-2 win over former Oklahoma State NCAA Champ Jordan Oliver in the semifinals.

Former CMU All-American and Caro HS State Champ had the best US Open performance of his veteran career, finishing Runner-Up at 97kg.  Michalak entered the tournament as the #5 seed, but posted an impressive 14-7 win over Jack Jensen in the quarterfinals before scoring a fall over returning World Team member JD Bergman in the semifinals.  He then fell 4-0 in the finals to 2012 Olympic Gold Medallist Jake Varner.

Davison native Jon Reader continued to show he is one of the best US wrestlers at 86kg, finishing 4th.  Reader lost 5-0 to eventual champ Keith Gavin in the semifinals and then lost a 12-11 slugfest to 3x NCAA Champ Ed Ruth in the consolation finals.

University of Michigan Redshirt Freshman Taylor Massa was one of the youngest entries in the US Open field and still finished 5th at 74kg.  Massa lost to #4 seed Quinton Godley in the quarterfinals and then fell to NCAA Runner-Up Tyler Caldwell of Oklahoma State in the Consolation Semifinals.

Rounding out the Michigan All-Americans was CMU grad Connor Beebe who finished 6th 61kg and former Allegan 3x State Champ Cam Simaz who finished 7th at 96kg.

Click here to view full brackets.

US OPEN PLACERS WITH MICHIGAN TIES

*in parentheses is the MI College and or High School the wrestler attended

MENS FREESTLYE
61kg - Connor Beebe, 6th (Central Michigan)
65kg - Brent Metcalf, 1st (Davison HS)
65kg - Kellen Russell, 2nd (Univ of Michigan)
74kg - Taylor Massa, 5th (Univ of Michigan/St Johns HS)
86kg - Jon Reader, 4th (Davison HS)
97kg - Wynn Michalak, 2nd (Central Michigan/Caro HS)
97kg - Cam Simaz, 7th (Allegan HS)
125kg - Jarod Trice, 5th (Central Michigan/Highland Park HS)

GRECO-ROMAN
98kg - John Wechter, 2nd (Michigan State/Saginaw Nouvel HS)

WOMEN FREESTYLE
75kg - Julia Salata, 3rd (Canton HS)

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