Spencer Lee and Jordan Wood Make Freestyle Junior World Team
Two Pennsylvania wrestlers qualified for the 2016 United States Freestyle Junior World Team on Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas. Both Spencer Lee (Franklin Regional / Iowa) and Jordan Wood (Boyertown Area / Lehigh) each wrestled their way to a spot on the Junior World Team on the first day of competition. Photos of Lee and Wood by Bill Rudick for PA Power Wrestling.
2015 Junior World Champion Spencer Lee will be returning to the World Championship at 50 KG where last year he dominated the World’s best wrestlers en route to a World Championship. Lee, who recently joined Titan Mercury WC, only had to get through one wrestler to claim the spot at 50 KG/110 lbs. In the best-of-three finals “The Kid” had no trouble with Colorado’s Mosha Schwartz defeating him by tech-fall (10-0) in two straight matches.
Spencer will be in the hunt for his second straight, and third overall, World Championship Title in his young career. The Franklin Regional junior, who recently committed to compete for the Iowa Hawkeys in college, will travel to Macon, France in late August 2016 in a special event for Spencer. For a long time Spencer has been looking forward to this Tournament as his mother, Cathy Lee, is a native of France.
Boyertown Area senior Jordan Wood made a triumphant return to the mat after suffering a season ending shoulder injury back in March 2016. The 2015 PIAA State Champion competed at 120 KG/264 lbs. and had to get through the challenge tournament first before competing in the best-of-three finals with USAW Junior National Champion Rylee Streifel (Minnesota Storm). Jordan had to get past two fellow Pennsylvania Wrestlers along the way defeating Joey Goodhart (Drexel / Hempfield) in the semifinals (9-2) and then in the challenge tournament finals he downed Jake Gunning (Buffalo / Liberty) in a close (5-4) bout. The win over Gunning placed Wood in the finals against Streifel, a Minnesota Gopher freshman, who earned an automatic bid into the best-of-three finals after he won the Junior Nationals in Las Vegas last month. In the first match Wood picked up a (5-0) win and secured his spot on the World Team with a tech-fall (11-0) in match number two.
Like Spencer Lee, Jordan is no stranger to International competition as the high school senior and Lehigh recruit was a 2014 Cadet World Silver Medalist.
On Sunday several additional Pennsylvania wrestlers will be competing for a spot on the Junior World Team. Below is a look at PA’s results from Saturday and a list of Sunday competitors. Visit TrackWrestling for full information.
MFS 50 KG – Spencer Lee (Franklin Regional) – Champion
Championship Finals Round 1 – Spencer Lee (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) won by tech fall over Mosha Schwartz (SOT) (TF 10-0)
Championship Finals Round 2 – Spencer Lee (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) won by tech fall over Mosha Schwartz (SOT) (TF 10-0)
MFS 120 KG – Jake Gunning (Buffalo / Liberty) – Fourth Place
Challenge Quarterfinal – Jake Gunning (BUFFALO RTC) won by decision over Christian Lance (Tiger Wrestling Club) (Dec 3-0)
Challenge Semifinal – Jake Gunning (BUFFALO RTC) won by decision over Patrick Grayson (NWTC) (Dec 5-1)
Challenge 1st Place Match – Jordan Wood (Lehigh Valley Athletic Club) won by decision over Jake Gunning (BUFFALO RTC) (Dec 5-4)
True Third Match – Joseph Goodhart (Drexel) won by forfeit over Jake Gunning (BUFFALO RTC) (FF)
MFS Saturday 120 KG – Joseph Goodhart (Drexel / Hempfield) – Third Place
Challenge Quarterfinal – Joseph Goodhart (Drexel) won by fall over Gannon Gremmel (Dubuque SWWC) (Fall 4:17)
Challenge Semifinal – Jordan Wood (Lehigh Valley Athletic Club) won by decision over Joseph Goodhart (Drexel) (Dec 9-2)
Challenge Cons. Semi – Joseph Goodhart (Drexel) won by decision over Christian Lance (Tiger Wrestling Club) (Dec 7-1)
Challenge 3rd Place Match – Joseph Goodhart (Drexel) won by decision over Youssif Hemida (Terrapin Wrestling Club) (Dec 4-3)
True Third Match – Joseph Goodhart (Drexel) won by forfeit over Jake Gunning (BUFFALO RTC) (FF)
MFS 120 KG – Jordan Wood (Boyertown Area / Lehigh) – Champion
Challenge Quarterfinal – Jordan Wood (Lehigh Valley Athletic Club) won by decision over Youssif Hemida (Terrapin Wrestling Club) (Dec 5-0)
Challenge Semifinal – Jordan Wood (Lehigh Valley Athletic Club) won by decision over Joseph Goodhart (Drexel) (Dec 9-2)
Challenge 1st Place Match – Jordan Wood (Lehigh Valley Athletic Club) won by decision over Jake Gunning (BUFFALO RTC) (Dec 5-4)
Championship Finals Round 1 – Jordan Wood (Lehigh Valley Athletic Club) won by decision over Rylee Streifel (Minnesota Storm) (Dec 5-0)
Championship Finals Round 2 – Jordan Wood (Lehigh Valley Athletic Club) won by tech fall over Rylee Streifel (Minnesota Storm) (TF 11-0)
Pennsylvania Day Two Participants:
UWW Jr Sunday 55 KG – Gavin Teasdale (Jefferson Morgan / Iowa)
UWW Jr Sunday 74 KG – Jason Nolf (Penn State / Kittanning)
UWW Jr Sunday 74 KG – Vincenzo Joseph (Penn State / Central Catholic)
UWW Jr Sunday 74 KG – Josh Shields (Arizona State / Franklin Regional)