2009 World Team Trials

Varner advances to World Championships; Paulson and Zadick fall short

BY MATT PFIFFNER

Publisher, The Predicament

No wrestlers with ties to the state of Iowa came out of Saturday's challenge tournaments at the 2009 World Team Trials in Council Bluffs, but three freestyle wrestlers very familiar to fans of the sport in the state were there waiting for opponents Saturday night.

Former Iowa Hawkeye Mike Zadick at 60 kg., former ISU Cyclone Travis Paulson at 74 kg. and current Cyclone Jake Varner at 96 kg. won U.S. National titles earlier this year in Las Vegas, Nev. to automatically qualify for the best-of-three finals series at the World Team Trials. They just had to sit back and wait Saturday morning and afternoon, while the challenge tournaments were contested.

When the dust had settled Saturday afternoon, former Edinboro star Shawn Bunch had advanced to face Zadick, current Minnesota stud Dustin Schlatter made it through to meet Paulson and Andy Hrovat survived wrestling up a weight class from his 2008 Olympic weight, to face Varner.

On the line in each best-of-three series was a chance to represent the United States freestyle team at the 2009 World Championships in Herning, Denmark, Sept. 21-27.

ZADICK DENIED WORLD BID
The first best-of-three freestyle series to get underway for the Iowans was at 60 kgs., with 2008 Olympian Zadick and Bunch.

Zadick drove Bunch down to his back for a 3-0 first period win. In the second period, Bunch returned the favor with a three-point move and tied the match with a 3-1 win. In the third and deciding period, Zadick scored a push out with 44 seconds left but gave up a takedown and push out in the ensuing seconds for a 2-1 deficit. Zadick nearly scored the winning takedown in the closing seconds, but after a review, it was judged the time had run out. Bunch claimed the first match in the best-of-three series, 0-3, 3-1, 2-1.

In the second match of the series, Zadick was taken down to his back in the first period for a 3-0 loss. The former Hawkeye rebounded with a 2-0 win in the second period with a push out and counter takedown. Bunch would score a point in the closing seconds of the third period on a push out and after a video review confirmed the call, Zadick had lost the match and series, 0-3, 2-0, 0-1.

NO LUCK OF THE DRAW FOR PAULSON
The weekend was supposed to be a crowning for the Paulson twins Travis and Trent, Council Bluffs natives. But at 74 kg. Saturday night, Travis Paulson's opponent, Schlatter, would have something to say about that. And so would a little bag with one red and one blue ball.

In the first match of the series, neither wrestler scored in regulation in the first or second period. Schlatter's ball was pulled out of the bag both times and he drove Paulson out of bounds each period for a 1-0, 1-0 victory.

Paulson came out in the second match of the series much more aggressive, but he could not penetrate Schlatter's defense. Once again, both periods ended in 0-0 ties and once again, Schlatter's ball was pulled from the bag on each draw. He would finish off one-point takedowns both periods for another 1-0, 1-0 win over the former Cyclone, to secure the World Team spot at 74 kg.

VARNER HEADED TO DENMARK
The final bout of the finals was at 96 kg. between Varner and Hrovat. In the first period of the first match, the 2008 Olympian used a push out in the 30-second extra period for a 1-0 win. In the second period, Varner used a driving takedown to Hrovat's back for a 3-0 win. In the third and deciding period, Varner scored a push out and it would hold up, for a 0-1, 3-0, 1-0 victory in the first bout of the series.

Hrovat scored the first point of the second match with a push out in the 30-second overtime. Varner rallied to win the second and third periods with push outs, for a 0-1, 1-0, 1-0 victory, to earn his first World Team position.