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Northern Michigan University Olympic Training Site wrestlers making their mark at international events

These Greco-Roman wrestlers and one of their coaches at the Northern Michigan University Olympic Training Site have qualified for World Championship events in eastern Europe this fall. At center top is NMU-OTS assistant coach and former Olympian Andy Bisek. From left are NMU-OTS Greco-Roman qualifers Dalton Duffield, Randon Miranda, Alston Nutter, Dalton Roberts, George Sikes, Carter Nielsen, Jesse Porter and Logan Kass. Not pictured is Travis Rice, who is a recent NMU graduate who was wrestling for the NMU-OTS. (Photo courtesy Michael Kaurala of the NMU-OTS)

MARQUETTE — Nine Greco-Roman wrestlers from the Northern Michigan University Olympic Training Site have qualified to compete for the U.S. in three World Championship events to be held in eastern Europe this fall.

The three events are the Junior World Championships in Trnava, Slovakia, that started Monday and runs through Sunday, the Senior World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, from Oct. 26-27 and the Under-23 World Championships in Bucharest, Romania from Nov. 12-18.

To earn a spot on the American teams, athletes needed to qualify to enter their respective World Team trials, finish in the top two and then win a best-of-three match series.

“We train and compete all year to make World Teams,” NMU-OTS Greco-Roman head coach Rob Hermann. “It is all about giving athletes a chance to win a medal. I’m so proud of these guys and the work they have put in to represent our country.”

Freshman Alston Nutter of Fennimore, Wisconsin, is attending the Junior World Championships this week. Nutter, who competes at 63 kilograms (138.9 pounds), earned his trip to Slovakia in June at the Junior World Team Trials by defeating Dylan Gregerson of Utah Valley University 8-0 and 10-2 in the championship series.

Dalton Roberts of Fowlerville will attend the Senior World Championships. The NMU senior is a four-time age-group World Team member and earned a spot on his first Senior World Team in June at the Greco-Roman World Team trials. Roberts defeated 2017 World Team member Ildar Hafizov two matches to one in the 63 kg finals. After dropping the first match 2-4, he came back to win match two 10-2 and match three 4-2.

Six current NMU-OTS wrestlers will be at the U23 World Championships. They are Randon Miranda of Palmdale, California; Dalton Duffield of Moore, Oklahoma; Logan Kass of New Prague, Minnesota, Jesse Porter of Albany, New York, Carter Nielsen of Foley, Minnesota, and George Sikes of Fort Pierce, Florida.

Duffield, a newcomer to the NMU-OTS team, earned his spot on the team at 55 kg (121.3 lbs.). Duffield defeated Jabari Moody of the NYAC two matches to none, 7-7 and 12-4.

Miranda faced teammate Roberts in the 60 kg (132.3 lb.) finals. After dropping the first match 5-7, he would come back to win the next two matches 4-2, 6-3. This will be Miranda’s first trip to the U23 World Championships after competing in the 2016 and 2017 Junior World Championships.

Kass advanced to the finals with a decisive 8-0 semifinal win over McCoy Tekautz of the Minnesota Storm at the 51-second mark. In the finals, he won by medical forfeit over Alex Mossing of the Air Force Academy.

Porter met Fritz Schierl of Ohio State in the 77 kg (169.8 lb.) finals. The first match ended 6-6 in favor of Porter. He won the second match with a 10-0 technical fall to clinch the series.

Nielsen faced Andrew Berreyesa of Cornell in the 82 kg (180.8 lb.) finals, 1-1 and 12-2 respectively, while Sikes earned 2-0 and 5-1 victories over Jimmy Stillerman of Lancaster Allience at 87 kg (191.8 lbs.).

Also earning a spot on the team was Travis Rice of Washington, Illinois. Rice is a recent graduate of NMU but was wrestling for the team. He defeated Xavier Johnson in two matches at 63 kg, winning 6-6 and 18-7 technical fall.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.

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