2017 U.S. Open Wrestling ChampionshipsApr 25, 2017 by Wrestling Nomad
2017 U.S. Open Preview 97kg: Expect Pandemonium
2017 U.S. Open Preview 97kg: Expect Pandemonium
The favorites for 97kg at the 2017 U.S. Open include Dustin Kilgore, JT Felix and Kyven Gadson
It's freestyle season! The U.S. Open is LIVE on Flo this weekend, with every weight starting at 9am sharp on Friday, April 28th. Pacific time of course since it is in Vegas.
The previews have come to the upper weights, heading up to 97kg today. Our reigning Olympic champion Kyle Snyder will not be competing, giving us a chance to showcase some of the other talent in this field.
Remember, FloZone returns on Friday for the entire day of action. Complete entries can be found on FloArena. On to the full preview.
U.S. Open Previews: 57kg | 61kg | 65kg | 70kg | 74kg | 86kg | 125kg
Jeffery Felix, Titan Mercury/Cliff Keen WC
Kyven Gadson, Sunkist Kids
Micah Burak, Titan Mercury
Ty Walz, Titan Mercury
Blaize Cabell, Valley RTC
Kallen Kleinschmidt, NYAC
One of three weights with an athlete sitting out until the World Team Trials finals, 97kg is similar to 86kg in that there is now room for new athletes to take control of the ladder.
Olympic gold medalist Kyle Snyder looms large for the field in June, but there are several interesting new names to watch. Neither Jake Varner nor JD Bergman are registered, meaning two of the biggest names in the light heavyweight field from the last quad have likely hung it up.
With Snyder out, that leaves 2012 and 2015 Pan Am champ Dustin Kilgore as the obvious top seed heading into Vegas. He won both domestic tournaments (Bill Farrell and Dave Schultz) this season, was third at last year's Olympic Team Trials and fourth at the 2015 WTT. Kilgore had two great matches with JT Felix this season, once in the Farrell finals and again the Schultz semis (below).
Behind Kilgore is Kyven Gadson, who famously beat Snyder twice during the 2014-15 season, including his unforgettable pin in the NCAA finals. This was frequently pointed to as an indicator that he may be able to beat Snyder on the senior level, but it has taken Gadson some time to develop his style and put himself in a position to be top three and make the national team. Notably, Gadson may be our 97kg rep at next weekend's Pan Am championships.
Although Felix has come the closest of any American to beating Kilgore this season, he sits as the potential fifth seed based on last month's senior rankings. His silver at the Cerro Pelado and gold at the Guelp Open demonstrates his ability to compete beyond American borders, though he did not have any marquee wins in either event.
Ahead of Felix are both Burak brothers. Felix finished ahead of Micah at the Farrell and behind him at the Schultz, but they did not meet either time. Micah also split with Gadson at the Schultz, losing the third place match. Nathan's only results this season are a fifth place finish in Ukraine and a silver in Paris, but he did not wrestle any Americans in either event.
My current choice to win has not yet registered, which is why we run bracket reaction videos the night before the tournament. Felix has impressed me the most of anyone this season, and Kilgore has historically underperformed at the Open, to the point he has had to use Northern Plains to qualify in the past. I also believe Gadson has made steady incremental gains in freestyle and is a top four guy no matter what.
Ty Walz is without a doubt the most fun entry. Like Blaize Cabell, who I also believe will place, he was an undersized heavyweight in college making the drop for his senior level career. Walz placed third, fifth and fourth at University Nationals the past three years and is entering a wide open bracket.
No Snyder, Varner or Bergman is enough to guess that there will be upsets. Nathan Burak's lack of domestic competition reinforces that, as well as Micah's splitting with Gadson at the Schultz and loss to Cabell at the Farrell. When in doubt, pick the best wrestler (and hope for Burak on Burak crime!), and roll with it.
The previews have come to the upper weights, heading up to 97kg today. Our reigning Olympic champion Kyle Snyder will not be competing, giving us a chance to showcase some of the other talent in this field.
Remember, FloZone returns on Friday for the entire day of action. Complete entries can be found on FloArena. On to the full preview.
U.S. Open Previews: 57kg | 61kg | 65kg | 70kg | 74kg | 86kg | 125kg
The Contenders
Dustin Kilgore, Sunkist KidsJeffery Felix, Titan Mercury/Cliff Keen WC
Kyven Gadson, Sunkist Kids
Dark Horses
Nathan Burak, Hawkeye WCMicah Burak, Titan Mercury
Ty Walz, Titan Mercury
Blaize Cabell, Valley RTC
Kallen Kleinschmidt, NYAC
One of three weights with an athlete sitting out until the World Team Trials finals, 97kg is similar to 86kg in that there is now room for new athletes to take control of the ladder.
Olympic gold medalist Kyle Snyder looms large for the field in June, but there are several interesting new names to watch. Neither Jake Varner nor JD Bergman are registered, meaning two of the biggest names in the light heavyweight field from the last quad have likely hung it up.
With Snyder out, that leaves 2012 and 2015 Pan Am champ Dustin Kilgore as the obvious top seed heading into Vegas. He won both domestic tournaments (Bill Farrell and Dave Schultz) this season, was third at last year's Olympic Team Trials and fourth at the 2015 WTT. Kilgore had two great matches with JT Felix this season, once in the Farrell finals and again the Schultz semis (below).
Behind Kilgore is Kyven Gadson, who famously beat Snyder twice during the 2014-15 season, including his unforgettable pin in the NCAA finals. This was frequently pointed to as an indicator that he may be able to beat Snyder on the senior level, but it has taken Gadson some time to develop his style and put himself in a position to be top three and make the national team. Notably, Gadson may be our 97kg rep at next weekend's Pan Am championships.
Although Felix has come the closest of any American to beating Kilgore this season, he sits as the potential fifth seed based on last month's senior rankings. His silver at the Cerro Pelado and gold at the Guelp Open demonstrates his ability to compete beyond American borders, though he did not have any marquee wins in either event.
Ahead of Felix are both Burak brothers. Felix finished ahead of Micah at the Farrell and behind him at the Schultz, but they did not meet either time. Micah also split with Gadson at the Schultz, losing the third place match. Nathan's only results this season are a fifth place finish in Ukraine and a silver in Paris, but he did not wrestle any Americans in either event.
My current choice to win has not yet registered, which is why we run bracket reaction videos the night before the tournament. Felix has impressed me the most of anyone this season, and Kilgore has historically underperformed at the Open, to the point he has had to use Northern Plains to qualify in the past. I also believe Gadson has made steady incremental gains in freestyle and is a top four guy no matter what.
Ty Walz is without a doubt the most fun entry. Like Blaize Cabell, who I also believe will place, he was an undersized heavyweight in college making the drop for his senior level career. Walz placed third, fifth and fourth at University Nationals the past three years and is entering a wide open bracket.
No Snyder, Varner or Bergman is enough to guess that there will be upsets. Nathan Burak's lack of domestic competition reinforces that, as well as Micah's splitting with Gadson at the Schultz and loss to Cabell at the Farrell. When in doubt, pick the best wrestler (and hope for Burak on Burak crime!), and roll with it.
Nomad's Picks
- JT Felix
- Kyven Gadson
- Dustin Kilgore
- Ty Walz
- Micah Burak
- Nathan Burak
- Blaize Cabell