Did You See That? Big U.S. Open Moments (Through Semis)

Audrey Jimenez. Photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo / WrestlersAreWarriors.com

by Derek Levendusky
@AWWderek on Twitter

LAS VEGAS - The U.S. Open semis were worth the price of admission. Here’s some head-turning moments.

50 kg: #3 seed high school senior Audrey Jimenez tech fall-pinned veteran Senior wrestler Erin Golston 13-2 in second period. We all know Jimenez is the future, but it was stunning to watch her handle an elite next level talent like Golston.

53 kg #5 seeded Samara Chavez took out #1 seed & 2021 world teamer Amy Fearnside 18-17 in as wild a match as you’ll see. Fearnside had eight 2’s and Chavez had three 4’s and two 2’s. Came right down to the nailbiting end. Huge win for Chavez.

53 kg: 2021 U17 world champion Katie Gomez took down #1 seed returning Final X finalist Felicity Taylor 7-2. Another youth movement win following what Jimenez & Chavez did at 50 kg. Taylor was the returning U.S. Open champ. Big win for Gomez that puts her on a big stage tomorrow in the finals where she’ll face Samara Chavez.

55 kg: At one point, the scoreboard said 12-2 and it looked like #4 seed Areana Villaescusa won the match, but #1 seed Lauren Mason’s corner threw a block and won a challenge to make it 12-4. Officials determined that halfway through what seemed the be the match-ending gut wrench, Mason stopped the motion and held Villaescusa for two points. The Army/WCAP wrestler still seemed to be in the driver’s seat with a big lead, but Mason used the open door to come back, scoring five more points before she terminated the match with a fall, punching her ticket to the U.S. Open finals.

59 kg: Cam Guerin lost to Life U freshman star Sarah Savidge in blood round by fall. After Guerin scored the first 4 points, Savidge went on a 14-2 run to lead it 14-6 before she got the fall—a shocking exit for the 3x national champion.

62 kg: Adaugo Nwachukwu won a rare 16-1 tech fall over #6 Bridgette Duty. She already has everyone’s attention and she didn’t disappoint in this one, attacking and scoring with 2’s and 4’s until the match was terminated at 3:29.

68 kg: Katie Lange threw Forrest Molinari to start the match, shocking watching wrestling fans, but in the end it was all Molinari, who won it 14-4. Still a brave performance for Lange against a world class experienced wrestler like Molinari. Lange is coming, having won both the NCWWC and U23 national titles this year, and has a bright future in the weight class.

72 kg #4 seed Rose Cassioppi owned NAIA & U23 National Champ Kaylynn Albrecht, scoring 6 straight points before getting the fall at 1:37. It was shocking domination over an athlete like Albrecht who has been one of the hottest wrestlers on the scene, winning an NAIA title followed by a U23 title.

72 kg: Joye Levendusky came from behind to pin Nahiela Magee of Army/WCAP at 4:06. Magee controlled the high pace early with her attacks from space using fakes and motion and earning a 2-0 lead, but Levendusky took over in the second, dominating the tie and getting to her offense. She hit a blast double and finished with a gold-old-fashioned folkstyle armbar for the fall. Levendusky made her third finals in a row after making the NAIA finals (falling to Guilford), the U23 finals (falling to Lekas at 76 kg), and now the U.S. Open. Will she finally get a national title when she faces Cassioppi? Stay tuned.

76 kg: Yelena Makoyed vs Kennedy Blades was a show. Blades went up big early, but Makoyed came storming back to make it 7-7, though Blades held the criteria because of a 4-pointer. Blades put up 2 more to make it 9-7 at the break. Early in the second, Blades locked up a nearside cradle. Makoyed defended and scrambled but eventually gave up the fall in a match between two of the best 76 kg wrestlers in the world.

76 kg: Dymond Guilford was in command 8-0 over 6x world champ Adeline Gray, and almost pinned her in the first, as the arena sat stunned. But a shocking turn of events gave Gray the win when Guilford cautioned out in the second with three quick cautions in about 20 seconds. The crowd was really into that match. It’ll be Gray vs. Blades in the finals tomorrow. The whole wrestling world will be watching!

More tomorrow in the U.S. Open finals. Watch on FloWrestling.