Payton Jacobson of the Northern Michigan University Greco-Roman wrestling team tries to hold back tears on Saturday while celebrating a victory that earned him a spot for the U.S. team at the Paris Olympics this summer. (Photo courtesy NMU/Allie Grant Photography)

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Greco-Roman wrestling junior Payton Jacobson of Northern Michigan University secured a thrilling best-of-three victory in the championship finals on Saturday to earn his spot on the Team USA Olympic roster and his first Olympics berth for this summer’s Paris Games.

He competed at the U.S. Olympics wrestling trials that started Friday at Penn State University and also included men’s freestyle and women’s freestyle wrestling.

Entering the 87-kilogram (191.8-pound) bracket as only the No. 7 seed among nine challenge bracket wrestlers, Jacobson worked his way through three matches in the challenge bracket before beating Spencer Woods in the championship finals for the Olympics spot.

Jacobson, a native of Elkhorn, Wisconsin, opened with a 4-0 decision over Richard Carlson of the Minnesota Storm-New York Athletic Club in the challenge quarterfinals.

He followed it up with a 6-0 blanking of Zac Braunagel of NYAC-Illinois Regional Training Center in the semifinals, then won 1-1 on tiebreaking criteria in the challenge finals over John Stefanowicz of the U.S. Marine Corps.

The put him into the championship final against Spencer Woods of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, who had earned a bye past the entire challenge tourney and directly into the finals, which changed formats to a best-of-three matches.

Jacobson won the opening match 8-2 before falling 5-2 in round two. Then in the decisive third match, the NMU athlete pulled out a 3-1 decision for the victory.

His division in Greco-Roman wrestling is currently scheduled to be held during the last few days of the Paris Games on Aug. 7 and 8, according to the Paris Olympic official website, olympics.com. The entire games are scheduled to run from July 24-Aug. 11.

Four other NMU wrestlers also competed in the Greco-Roman Olympic trials.

Northern junior Max Black at 60 kg (132.3 lbs.) went 3-1 as the No. 4 seed in the challenge bracket to finish third and make the U.S. National Team and Under-23 World Team, though not the Olympic squad.

Black opened with a 4-1 quarterfinals win over Dylan Gregson of the NYAC, then lost 5-2 in the semifinals to Dalton Roberts of the Army WCAP. That put him in the consolation semifinals, where he defeated Phillip Moomey of the Spar Wrestling Club (Illinois)-Titan Mercury Wrestling Club.

He finished off his run with a win in the third-place match over Taylor Lamont of Gopher Wrestling Club-Scarlet Knights Wrestling Club.

Three other NMU graduate students also competed.

Benji Peak, who was the No. 2 seed at 77 kg (169.8 lbs.), reached the challenge semifinals, losing 7-6 to Aliaksandr Kikinou of the NYAC after he downed Tyler Eischens of Tar Heel Wrestling Club 9-0 in the quarters.

David Stepanian, who was the No. 4 seed at 67 kg (147.7 lbs.), lost 4-2 in the quarterfinals to Pat Smith of the Minnesota Storm, while George Sikes IV, who was No. 6 at 97 kg (213.8 lbs.), lost 3-2 in his quarterfinal to Nicholas Boykin of the Scarlet Knights WC.

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