2017 Junior and Senior World Team Trials

2017 World Team Trials Preview: 65kg

2017 World Team Trials Preview: 65kg

Jordan Oliver sits in the world team trials finals at 65kg, and awaits the winner of Zain Retherford and Frank Molinaro

Jun 2, 2017 by Wrestling Nomad
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One of the most intriguing weights for World Team Trials is 65kg, where Jordan Oliver earned himself a bye to the best-of-three finals. 

Oliver has been in the public eye a long time now. At or near the top of the rankings since his freshman year in high school, Oliver went on to win a Fargo junior title and then a junior world bronze medal.

Trials Previews: 57kg | 61kg70kg | 74kg | 86kg

No wrestler in the history of Oklahoma State has a higher bonus rate than JO, and his ability to blow matches open carried over into freestyle. But Brent Metcalf, a Hawkeye, always stood in the way of Oliver making a senior world team.

Going into the Open, two Nittany Lions stood in his way. He toppled them both, and now Zain Retherford will have to battle Frank Molinaro just for the right to get a best-of-three series against the Easton legend Oliver.

Make sure to tune in on Saturday, June 10th for all the WTT action. Brackets will be on FloArena, and we go live at 10am central time. On to the full preview.

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The Qualifiers

Jordan Oliver, Sunkist Kids
Frank Molinaro, Titan Mercury
Zain Retherford, Nittany Lion WC
BJ Futrell, Titan Mercury
Evan Henderson, Titan Mercury
Kellen Russell, NYAC/Cliff Keen WC
Nick Dardanes, Titan Mercury
Marion Mason, Lehigh Valley WC
Den Heil, Cowboy WC
 
Commentary: The top two seeds from Vegas should be the same in Lincoln, with Molinaro as the one and Retherford as the two. Molinaro is trying to prove his run last year was not a fluke, when he went from the nine seed at Olympic Trials to within inches of winning a bronze medal. The same formula that got him to Rio, which is turning high crotches and double legs into fours, has not worked for him against Oliver.
 
The adjustments for Retherford are obvious: avoid hands to the face and hold center better. If Zain can avoid being put on the clock, and not give up caution-and-twos, he has a much better shot of knocking off both Molinaro and Oliver. His ability to finish leg attacks is close enough to theirs that can win a takedown battle, but he has to keep the match like that.

 
There is of course the matter of who wins the challenge tournament finals between Zain and Molinaro. With Jimmy Kennedy moving up to 70kg, those two become the overwhelming favorites to make the finals, just as they appeared to be after Vegas.
 
In doing a straw poll around the office, Zain came out as a slight favorite. The summer in between a college wrestler's junior and senior year is when they can make a huge jump in freestyle to prepare themselves for their post-collegiate career. Retherford has been roughly at this weight since winning a 2012 cadet world title at 63kg.
 
Looking at some potential first round matches, a possible 3/6 matchup will be BJ Futrell against Nick Dardanes. Futrell looked solid in November in winning the Bill Farrell, and then went on to get a silver in Cuba, losing to Pan Am champ Franklin Maren Castillo in the Cerro Pelado finals. Futrell teched Dardanes 10-0 at the Paris Grand Prix.
 
Evan Henderson had a 6-5 win over Kellen Russell in the semis of the Dave Schultz, giving him the four seed. But Russell will have a chance to get his revenge as the five seed, with the winner getting Molinaro in the semis. Henderson is training full time with the Wolfpack WC and Tar Heel WC, and should be able to wrestle overseas more now that he is done coaching with Campbell.



Marion Mason, the winner of the last chance qualifier, should be looking at the seven seed and a first round match with Zain Retherford. Two-time NCAA champ Dean Heil will face 2012 NCAA champ Frank Molinaro in his first match. Heil was teched by Robbie Mathers this past weekend in the quarterfinals of University Nationals.

Projected 65kg Seeds

Jordan Oliver - bye to the finals

  1. Frank Molinaro
  2. Zain Retherford
  3. BJ Futrell
  4. Evan Henderson
  5. Kellen Russell
  6. Nick Dardanes
  7. Mario Mason
  8. Dean Heil

Prediction:
 Now comes the hard part, deciding how the national team will shake out. I think Molinaro has a slightly easier road to the finals and is a better freestyler than Zain. Ultimately, it seems like that match will come down to criteria, with one mistake changing the match. Whether that's not bellying out to prevent a four on a a takedown, or taking a caution and two instead of a takedown.

Futrell struggled with Jimmy Kenendy in Paris, so he may have some trouble with a guy like Retherford in the semis. However, he did make a University world team back in 2014, and was on the Clubs Cup title team this year, so he does have a bit of experience on the world level.

In the finals, I'm thinking Oliver takes two-of-three from Molinaro, losing the middle match but pulling away in the final bout. Molinaro over Retherford 4-3 in the challenge tourney finals to determine the last spot on the national team.

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Nomad's Picks

  1. Jordan Oliver, Sunkist Kids
  2. Frank Molinaro, Titan Mercury
  3. Zain Retherford, Nittany Lion WC