Spencer Lee, Stephen Buchanan, Austin DeSanto & Patrick Kennedy Compete for World Team and National Team Spots in Newark, NJ.
Spencer Lee beats Luke Lilledahl in two straight to make his second US Men’s Freestyle World Team at 57kg!
“I’m happy. I think I wrestled pretty good today, and I was as happy with how I wrestled,” Lee said following Final X. “I think I also was smart. Obviously a tough opponent. Either one of us would be good representatives for the U.S.”
Spencer defeated Lilledahl 7-1 in the first match. Spencer led at the break 1-0, with the first score being a push out. Then in the second period, Lilledahl’s lone point came from a push out after a flurry on the edge. Spencer then scored six unanswered points—Spencer got his first takedown just moments after Lilledahl tied the bout at 1-1 with a re-attach, to go ahead 3-1 with 1:37 remaining. Spencer uses a strong underhook and rolled Lilledahl threw for a two point exposure and then immediately turned him with a tight gut wrench to take match one in their best-of-three series.
Match two started with a controversial 4 point move for Lilledahl where Spencer was attacking a go-behind but got rolled through—Spencer ultimately comes back on top and gets a one point push out. Spencer then scored seven unanswered points (1pt step out, 1pt step out, 2pt takedown, 2pt gut wrench, 1pt step out) to win 8-4 and secure his place on the US Men’s Freestyle World Team at 57kg for the second time!
Spencer added “I have unfinished business with the World Championship, and I think that I have a lot more to show, and I hope I proved that to you guys that I can wrestle six minutes hard, and I’m not afraid to go out there and put it on the line.”
Spencer is set to compete at the Senior Men’s Freestyle World Championships on Saturday, Oct. 31 and Sunday, Nov. 1 in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Stephen Buchanan takes a match from 10 time World and Olympic medalist Kyle Snyder in their best-of-three series at FINAL X.
Buchanan won match two but came up a bit short in matches one and three. Buchanan wrestled very well all evening, but had his standout performance in bout two where he won 5-5 on criteria with a late takedown and one point caution for fleeing the mat!
Match one Snyder defeated Buchanan 5-2 and in match three Snyder won 9-3.
Austin DeSanto wins his true third match to secure his spot on the US Wrestling national team! DeSanto receives a forfeit over Ohio State’s Ben Davino. Austin will now have access to national team training camps and competition opportunities previously unavailable.
Patrick Kennedy falls to Evan Wick in the true third match 4-8. PK was leading 2-0 heading into the break but then gave up a takedown and a leg lace to fall behind 2-4 early in the second period. Patrick got his 3rd and 4th pushouts but then gave up two tough takedowns after long scrambles with Wick.
Competing at FINAL X in his first year following his NCAA career is a great learning experience and will be a jumping off point for his international career.
Our success this weekend could not have happened without the support from our Inner Circle Members!
We greatly appreciate you and your support and are so excited for the future of Hawkeye Wrestling — GO HAWKS!
Chad Beatty
Executive Director
HAWKEYE WRESTLING CLUB
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