Sorensen one win from finals
in first trip to Fargo

BY MATT PFIFFNER
Eighth-grader Brandon Sorensen has looked anything but a rookie at the Cadet Freestyle National Tournament this week in Fargo.

Sorensen, only the fourth six-time AAU Iowa State Champion in history, is one win from reaching the finals at 119 pounds in the biggest wrestling tournament in the world.

The Cedar Falls native is a perfect 7-0 and will face Alex Moordian of Michigan Friday morning with a trip to the finals on Friday afternoon on the line.

"I wrestled him at National Duals. It was a close match that I ended up winning," Sorensen said.

Asked what his impressions are of the tournament in Fargo, Sorensen simply said, "It's a big tournament with a lot of good people."

Sorensen hasn't been spectacular in his seven wins, but has been very steady. He has yet to lose a period in his seven decision wins. The freshman-to-be wrapped up his perfect Thursday with a solid 2-0, 6-2 win over another undefeated wrestler, Kevin Norstrem of Florida.

"I'm just trying to keep it close and come out on top," Sorensen said of his strategy. "I didn't rally know what to expect coming in. I knew there would be big brackets and a lot of good people. I just wanted to come in a wrestle and have fun."

Sorensen has wrestled in a lot of big tournaments coming up through the ranks and it has shown the past two days in Fargo.

"It's about the same as any big tournament. I don't get nervous. I just try to go out there and have fun," he said.

Many of the Iowa Cadets have been having fun the past two days. Nine of them have locked up All-American honors already, with two more hoping to earn that distinction Friday morning, for a possible total of 11 medalists for team Iowa.

Other undefeated wrestlers for Iowa are Phillip Laux at 91, Eric DeVos at 112, Justin Koethe at 145 and 215-pounder Joe Scanlan.

Colby Knight at 98, Gabriel Moreno at 140, Bruce McWilliams at 189 and heavyweight Caleb White each have a loss, but have clinched All-American honors.

Chad Ryan at 135 has a pair of losses, but will wrestle Friday morning with a trip to the seventh-place match on the line. Travis Mallo at 171 is 5-1 and receives a bye first thing Friday morning. If things go in his favor, he will clinch All-American honors without wrestling a match, but may have to win one more bout to earn that honor.

The day didn't go quite as well for the Junior team, as 22 of the 41 entrants were knocked out. Of the 19 wrestlers left in the tournament, only five - Jack Hathaway at 105, Brandon Jones at 119, Jake Ballweg at 135, Derek St. John at 160 and heavyweight Austin Blythe - are undefeated. The other 14 have a loss and can't afford another one in the first few rounds Friday morning if they want to finish on the award stand.