Junior World Team Trials Conclude for Team Pennsylvania
The 2016 UWW Junior World Team Trials concluded on Sunday in Irving, Texas and Team Pennsylvania’s participants all wrestled well but were unable to secure a spot on the UWW Junior World Team. Photo of Jason Nolf by Bill Rudick for PA Power Wrestling. Four Pennsylvania wrestlers competed on Day 2 of the Tournament with 74 KG featuring three current NCAA Division I wrestlers all hailing from the Keystone State. Between the four participants they totaled eight (8) PIAA State Championships.
Leading the way was NCAA Runner-up Jason Nolf (Penn State / Kittanning) who advanced into the best-of-three Championship Finals at 74 KG. After earning a (10-0) tech-fall over NCAA All-American Joe Smith (Oklahoma State) Jason took on Michigan’s Logan Massa in the semifinals. After falling behind (5-0) in the first period Nolf stormed back scoring six unanswered points to come out on top (6-5). In the challenge tournament finals Jason took on drill partner and Penn State teammate Vincenzo Joseph (Penn State / Central Catholic). On the bottom half of the bracket Joseph had an insane semifinals match with Arizona State freshman Anthony Valencia (California). Last month the two college freshmen clashed in the UWW Junior Freestyle Nationals in Las Vegas where Joseph won by fall to finish in third place. This time around Valencia stormed out to a big lead on Joseph and twice came within one point of earning a tech-fall over the 2x PIAA State Champion. Like Jason Nolf before him Vincenzo Joseph had a stunning second period picking up nine straight points on Valencia to win (14-13).
In the challenge tournament finals Nolf was able to hang on for a (5-2) win over Joseph and advance into the Championship finals. There Jason faced familiar foe and future teammate Mark Hall (Minnesota). Last season in the UWW Junior National Finals at 74 KG Mark Hall, then a high school junior, defeated Nolf (12-10) and would go on to qualify for the Junior World Team a month later. Fast forward a year and Jason Nolf is now a NCAA National Finalist and Mark Hall is a 6x Minnesota High School State Champion who is committed to compete for the Nittany Lions. In the best-of-three World Team Trial Finals Mark Hall made his second straight Junior World Team with a (10-0) tech-fall in match #1 and (10-6) decision over Nolf in match #2.
Vincenzo Joseph would go on to finish in fourth place at 74 KG along with 2x undefeated PIAA State Champion Gavin Teasdale (Jefferson Morgan) who placed fourth at 55 KG. Also competing was Arizona State freshman Josh Shields (Franklin Regional) who went (1-2) at 74 KG.
Pennsylvania will have two Junior World Team members in Freestyle with Spencer Lee (Franklin Regional) at 50 KG and Jordan Wood (Boyertown Area) at 120 KG.
Full results can be found at TrackWrestling.
MFS Sunday 55 KG – Gavin Teasdale (Jefferson Morgan / Iowa) – Fourth Place
Quarterfinal – Gavin Teasdale (Young Guns/OTC) won by tech fall over Peter Del Gallo (Maine Trappers) (TF 16-6)
Semifinal – Austin Assad (Michigan – RTC) won by decision over Gavin Teasdale (Young Guns/OTC) (Dec 6-5)
Cons. Semi – Gavin Teasdale (Young Guns/OTC) won by decision over Brandon Courtney (Olympus Wrestling out of Fight) (Dec 8-2)
3rd Place Match – Nick Piccininni (st.james) won by tech fall over Gavin Teasdale (Young Guns/OTC) (TF 12-2)
MFS Sunday 74 KG – Jason Nolf (Penn State / Kittanning) – Second Place
Champ. Round 1 – Jason Nolf (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) won by tech fall over Dewey Krueger (Wyoming Wrestling RTC) (TF 10-0)
Quarterfinal – Jason Nolf (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) won by tech fall over Joe Smith (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) (TF 10-0)
Semifinal – Jason Nolf (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) won by decision over Logan Massa (Michigan – RTC) (Dec 6-5)
1st Place Match – Jason Nolf (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) won by decision over Vincenzo Joseph (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) (Dec 5-2)
Finals Round 1 – Mark Hall (Davison) won by tech fall over Jason Nolf (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) (TF 10-0)
Finals Round 2 – Mark Hall (Davison) won by decision over Jason Nolf (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) (Dec 10-6)
MFS Sunday 74 KG – Vincenzo Joseph (Penn State / Central Catholic) – Fourth Place
Champ. Round 1 – Vincenzo Joseph (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) won by tech fall over Colston Diblasi (Iowa State University) (TF 10-0)
Quarterfinal – Vincenzo Joseph (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) won by tech fall over Kimball Bastian (Wolverine Wrestling Club) (TF 12-2)
Semifinal – Vincenzo Joseph (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) won by decision over Anthony Valencia (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) (Dec 14-13)
1st Place Match – Jason Nolf (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) won by decision over Vincenzo Joseph (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) (Dec 5-2)
True Third Match – Logan Massa (Michigan – RTC) won by fall over Vincenzo Joseph (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) (Fall 5:50)
MFS Sunday 74 KG – Josh Shields (Arizona State / Franklin Regional) – 1-2
Champ. Round 1 – Kimball Bastian (Wolverine Wrestling Club) won by decision over Josh Shields (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) (Dec 5-4)
Cons. Round 1 – Josh Shields (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) won by tech fall over Colston Diblasi (Iowa State University) (TF 19-8)
Cons. Round 2 – Joseph Gunther (Hawkeye Wrestling Club) won by decision over Josh Shields (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) (Dec 7-6)