NMU Greco-Roman wrestlers win matches at U23 Worlds
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LAS VEGAS -- Five current and former wrestlers from the Greco-Roman program at Northern Michigan University won a total of six matches before bowing out at the Under-23 World Championships held at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on Monday and Tuesday.
Current NMU National Training Site wrestler Kenneth Crosby, competing at 55 kilograms (121.3 pounds), opened with a hard-fought victory over Farid Sadikhli of Azerbaijan, tying 3-3 in score but winning on criteria.
He then lost 10-0 in a technical fall to Barsbek Asankozhoev of Kyrgyzstan in the quarterfinals, and was unable to advance on repechage after Asankozhoev lost in his semifinal.
Northern's Max Black at 60 kg (132.3 lbs.) also opened with a win in qualifying, defeating Dahua Xiong of China 5-1. Then he lost to Kubanych Arinov of Kyrgyzstan, 8-0, and didn't get repechage relief after Arinov lost in his next match.
And the Wildcats' Landon Drury at 63 kg (138.9 lbs.) also won his first match, defeating Chetan Chetan of India 7-3, before losing in a tech fall to Servet Angi of Turkey 12-3 in the quarters. He also didn't go the repechage route after Angi lost in the semis.
Two former NMU wrestlers also won at least once.
Mikey Altomer at 87 kg (191.8 lbs.) won a pair of matches, taking out Saimaiti Wajiti of China 8-1 and blanking Daichi Oka of Japan 9-0 before being eliminated in the quarterfinals by Martin Ljosaak of Norway.
Otto Black at 67 kg (147.7 lbs.) won 3-1 over Imed Khudzhadze of Ukraine before falling 6-3 to Yurik Hoveyan of Armenia, and with Hoveyan's loss in the next round, Black also missed out on repechage.
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Northern Michigan University wrestler Kenneth Crosby, right, spars with Farid Sadikhli of Azerbaijan during the Under-23 World Championships in Greco-Roman wrestling held in Las Vegas on Tuesday. (Photo courtesy NMU)