Hrovat loses to Varver, falls short of World Team
5/30 - One day is in the books here in Council Bluffs, Iowa and
the state of Michigan has yet to land a grappler on the World
Team.
Former University of Michigan All-American and coach Andy
Hrovat was the closest athlete with Michigan-ties to make
the team, as he won the Challenge Tournament at 96kg to
earn a spot in the best-of-three finals.
In the finals Hrovat, who was wrestling his first tournament up
at 96kg after competing at 84kg the past few years, fell in
two consecutive three period matches to former Iowa State
NCAA Champ Jake Varner.
Another former Wolverine All-American landed a spot as an
alternate on the world as Novi native Ryan Churella fell in the
74kg Challenge Tournament finals to Dustin Schlatter.
Schlatter went on to win the best-of-three finals and make the
World Team.
Churella will be an alternate at 74kg finishing 3rd, and former
Davison state champ Jon Reader ended up 4th at 74kg. Reader fell to Churella in the Challenge Tournament semi-finals, then came back with wins over Moza Fay and 2009 NCAA Runner-Up Andrew Howe of Wisconsin to finish 3rd.
2009 Men's Freestyle World Team Trials Placers
(spots that have been earned)
60kg
1st - Shawn Bunch (Gator WC)
2nd - Mike Zadick (Gator WC)
3rd - Coleman Scott (Gator WC)
74kg
1st - Dustin Schlatter (MN Storm)
2nd - Travis Paulson (Sunkist Kids)
3rd - Ryan Churella (NYAC)
4th - Jon Reader (Sunkist Kids)
96kg
1st - Jake Varner (Sunkist Kids)
2nd - Andy Hrovat (NYAC)
3rd - JD Bergman (NYAC)
Click here for full brackets from the Trials.
Copyright 2007-09 Michigan Grappler LLC
May not be reproduced without expressed written consent
