Oklahoma State University Athletics
Trio of Cowboys Finish Day 1 of World Freestyle Championships Undefeated
September 13, 2003 | Cowboy Wrestling
The San Jose, Calif., native came from behind to pull out the victory. At the 1:08 mark, Liuzzi was called for passivity, but escaped and added a three-point throw.
Guerrero, who wrestles at 132 pounds, came storming back in the second to tie the score with takedown and a two-point turn. With 37 seconds remaining in the match, the Oklahoma State product scored his final takedown to secure the victory.
Jamill Kelly, Team USA's 145.5 pounder, won his first match of the tournament by dropping India's Ramesh Kumar, 6-1. After Kumar was called for passivity, Kelly scored on a two-point turn, but Kumar quickly cut the lead to 2-1 after scoring on a reverse.
The Atwater, Calif., native extended his lead to 5-1 after using a three-point trip and throw combination. He then added a final takedown before sealing the victory. Kelly will wrestle Cuba's Serguei Rondon in the third round. Rondon defeated Kelly twice in the Pan American Games, both in overtime.
After receiving a bye in the second round, Daniel Cormier (211.5 lbs) will wrestle Ricard Pauliukonis of Lithuania.
121-pounder Stephen Abas and Cael Sanderson (185 lbs) each recorded a pair of victories to propel them to the quarterfinals. Abas won his first match against Russia's Mavlet Batirov, 4-2, in overtime, and dropped Namiq Abdullaev Yadulla, 3-1, in overtime.
The Santa Ana, Calif., native scored a pair of takedowns against Yadulla in overtime to secure the victory and advance to the quarterfinals.
Sanderson blanked Tero Perkkio of Finland, 4-0, in his first-round match, and dominated Iran's Majid Khodaei, 8-2, to advance to the quarterfinals.
In his second match, Sanderson took a 4-1 lead into the second period. Khodaei cut the lead in half after scoring on a takedown, but that would be the closest he would get, as the U.S. Nationals Champion reeled off four consecutive points to secure the victory and advance.
Team USA's 264.5-pounder, Kerry McCoy, who received a bye in the first round, used four two-point turns en route to an 11-1 technical fall. At the 19 second mark, McCoy used a takedown and three two-point turns to take a 7-0 lead.
Van then cut the lead to 7-1 after reversing McCoy. The eight-time Team USA extended his lead to 8-1 after Van was called for fleeing the mat. McCoy then scored the match's final three points to secure the technical fall.
Joe Williams (163 pounds) was the lone Team USA member who saw defeat during the first day. Williams blanked Ivan Diaconu, 6-0, his first match, but fell to Hadi Habibi of Iran, 3-1, in overtime his second match. Williams will square off with Jhonny Cedeño of Venezuela during third-round action.
Team USA enters the second day of the World Championships with a 10-1 record. Third-round action will begin Saturday at 9 a.m. (EST) in Madison Square Garden.
