Hokie ClubLAS VEGAS, Nevada – Sam Fisher finished off a great 2022 US Open run with a 7-2 victory in the finals to capture the Juniors 86-kilogram crown on Saturday evening in Las Vegas. Four other Hokies in Cooper Flynn, Andy Smith, Hunter Catka, and Ty Walz all won their placement bouts to close out the final day of Senior and Junior freestyle competition.
Sam Fisher Post-Finals Interview
Fisher won six matches throughout the weekend en route to his US Open title, posting four tech falls and picking up two gritty wins over the course of the two-day tournament. Fisher faced Wolfpack WC's Brock Del Signore in Saturday night's final to determine who would be sitting in the finals at the Junior World Team Trials. Fisher was tactical and calculated as he racked up seven points against Del Signore's two as he was crowned champion at his weight. Fisher will now sit till the finals of the Junior World Team Trials to be held in Geneva, Ohio which determines the US representative at the Junior World Championships set later this summer.
SAM FISHER, US OPEN JUNIOR 86KG CHAMPION🥇 pic.twitter.com/hgGWgXUm0l
— Virginia Tech Wrestling (@HokiesWrestling) May 1, 2022
Walz and Catka both brought home bronze after going 4-1 and 5-1, respectively in their bracket. Both heavyweights bounced back after losing in the championship semifinals by winning two bouts to claim third and ultimately qualify for the World Team Trials. Joining them as qualifiers was Flynn claimed fifth via injury default in his final bout of the tournament and Smith who avenged his first round match to claim fifth.
Competing for Pennsylvania RTC, Tech alum and wrestling great David McFadden also won a title at the US Open - claiming wins over two national champions and multiple All-Americans.
U20 Division
Cooper Flynn – 57-kilograms
W, VSU Bubba Wright (Wichita WC), 10-0 2:37
W, VSU1 Beau Klingensmith (Iowa), 12-2 1:57
W, VSU Paul Garcia (Wyoming Wrestling RTC), 10-0 0:45
W, VSU Nicholas Babin (New York City RTC), 10-0 0:39
L, VPO1 Troy Spratley (Texas Pride WC), 2-3
L, VPO1 Robert Howard (Nittany Lion WC), 6-8
W, VIN Jore Volk (Pinnacle WC) *Fifth Place
Caleb Henson – 70-kilograms
W, VSU Marc Koch (New Jersey), 10-0 0:43
W, VSU Bryce Dauphin (Wyoming Wrestling RTC), 11-0 2:44
L, VSU1 Mitchell Mesenbrink (Askren Wrestling Academy), 13-2 2:09
W, VSU Brock McMillen (Pittsburgh WC), 10-0 2:18
L, VPO1 Alejandro Herrera-Rondon (Oklahoma RTC), 10-8
Clayton Ulrey – 74-kilograms
L, VSU1 Zeb Gnida (Dubuque Wrestling Club), 4-16 4:05
W, VSU Aboubakare Diaby (Pennsylvania RTC), 10-0 1:28
W, VFO Bryce Hepner (Ohio), 16-5
W, VPO1 Nick Hamilton (MWC Wrestling Academy), 7-2
W, VPO Antrell Taylor (MWC), 5-0
W, VPO1 Collin McCorkle (PA), 10-6
L, VPO1 Nicco Ruiz (CA), 4-10
Sam Fisher – 86-kilograms
W, VSU1 Donovan Giangregorio (Beaver Dam Wrestling RTC), 12-2 5:32
W, VSU Ryan Boucher (Oregon), 11-0 2:09
W, VSU1 Ryder Rogotzke (Pinnacle Wrestling Club), 12-2 4:38
W, VSU Samuel Skillings (Gopher Wrestling Club - RTC), 10-0 3:37
W, VPO1 Tate Picklo (Oklahoma RTC), 8-3
W, VPO1 Brock Del Signore (Wolfpack WC), 7-2 *Finals
TJ Stewart – 86-kilograms
W, VSU1 James Araneo (New York), 13-2 4:31
L, VSU1 Gabe Sollars (Maurer Coughlin Wrestling Club), 14-4 5:34
L, VFO Logan Holdaway (Juab WC)
Hunter Catka – 125-kilograms
W, VSU Bryan Caves (Chippewa WC), 10-0 3:48
W, VPO1 LaRon Parks (Ohio), 7-1
W, VPO John Wiese (Oklahoma RTC), 6-0
L, VPO1 Ryan Boersma (Tiger Style WC), 4-8
W, VSU Hayden Copass (Boilermaker RTC), 10-0 1:51
W, VPO1 Juan Mora (CA), 3-1 *Third Place
Senior Division
Sam Latona – 61-kilograms
L, VPO1 Timothy Levine (New England RTC), 5-7
W, VSU Adrian Guevara (California), 10-0 0:45
W, VPO1 McGwire Midkiff (Bison Wrestling Club), 6-2
W, VPO1 Joshua Jones (George Mason), 8-8 criteria
W, VPO1 Jason Miranda (CA RTC), 8-2
L, VSU Daniel DeShazer (Gopher WC), 0-10 5:05
Andy Smith – 97-kilograms
L, VSU1 Jacob Koser (Navy-Marine Corps Mat Club), 11-1 4:55
W, VSU Basil Minto (Iowa), 10-0 1:51
W, VPO1 Zachary Peterson (SMI Wrestling Club), 11-2
W, VPO1 Levi Hopkins (BCWC), 6-2
L, VSU Max Shaw (Tar Heel WC), 11-0
W, VPO1 Jacob Koser (Navy), 10-8 *Fifth Place
Ty Walz – 125-kilograms
W, VSU Nick Williams (North Valley RTC), 10-0 0:38
W, VPO Jordan Wood (Lehigh Valley Wrestling Club), 5-0
L, VPO1 Dominique Bradley (SKWC), 3-5
W, VPO1 Christian Lance (NWTC), 3-0
W, VPO1 Demetrius Thomas (Pittsburgh WC), 5-0 *Third Place