Illini Freshman Takes Title at 79 KG
LAS VEGAS - Illinois freshman Jordan Blanton (Richmond, Ill.) won the 79 KG/174 lbs weight class at the FILA Junior National Freestyle Championships Saturday, defeating Chris Spangler of Cyclone Wrestling Club and Iowa State, 2-1, 2-0 in the championship match. The victory qualifies Blanton for the Junior World Team Trials on May 18-23 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
"I started out a little sluggish since it's been a couple weeks since I've really wrestled," Blanton said. "But once it went on, I started getting into a groove and when the finals came I started doing some good things. It was nice to get out and compete again after my performance at NCAAs. I've been itching to get out on the mat."
Blanton defeated Mohammad Nasere of the S.K. Golden Boys in the first round, 1-5, 8-4, 5-1, before earning a 6-0, 8-2 technical fall over Randy Larson of the BWC. He followed that win with a 4-0, 6-0 victory over Ryan DesRoches of MeatHead Wrestling Club and Cal Poly, then defeated Cody Yohn of the Minnesota Storm and University of Minnesota, 3-0, 0-2, 3-0. Blanton then dispatched Spangler in the title bout for his first Fila Junior National championship and a berth to the Junior World Team Trials.
The winner of each weight class at the Junior World Team Trials will become a member of the United States team that will compete at the Junior World Championships in Ankara, Turkey, August 4-9. Blanton recently finished a successful rookie campaign in which he went 27-11 and finished fourth at the Big Ten Championships.
04-13-2009
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