Keith Gavin Wins World Team Trials at 84 KG in Freestyle

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Former Lackawanna Trail High School and University of Pittsburgh wrestler Keith Gavin followed up his first U.S. Open Championship by winning the World Team Trials in Freestyle at 84kg/185 lbs.

Just as Gavin did in the U.S. Open finals, the former NCAA Division I National Champion downed former NCAA runner-up Clayton Foster in a best of three series. In the finals Gavin won two straight matches (6-4, 3-2) to earn his first ever spot on the U.S. World Team. Gavin will next compete at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary in September 2013.

On Saturday night, Gavin found himself in a 4-0 hole early in his first finals match against Clayton Foster after giving up a takedown and a two-point turn. But Gavin methodically worked his way into the match and eventually won 6-4. In the second match Gavin built a 3-0 lead before Foster scored a takedown to cut the deficit to one in the second period. Foster was close to scoring the go-ahead takedown late in the match, but Gavin held on for the win. (Summary from InterMat’s Andrew Hipps article here).

@keithgavin84 Wins World Team Trials at 84 KG in Freestyle http://t.co/qogs7l7Llw

— PA Power Wrestling (@PAPowerWrestle) June 23, 2013

Gavin is no stranger to the National Freestyle scene as he was a third place finisher at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials and a 2011 World Team Trials runner-up. His victory at the U.S. Open gave Gavin an automatic spot in the U.S. World Team Trials Finals.

Competing for District 2′s Lackawanna Trail in high school Gavin had a (130-21) career record that included a third place finish his senior year and a seventh place finish his junior season. Gavin went on to compete for Pittsburgh and head coach Rande Stottlemyer where he was a 2x NCAA All-American. In 2008 Keith Gavin reached the height of his wrestling career when he became just the second Panther to capture a NCAA Division I National Championship as a senior.

Olympic Bronze medalist Coleman Scott was forced to default from the tournament just 0:41 seconds into his first match of the Challenge Tournament against Brandon Wright.

2x NCAA National Champion Jordan Oliver (Easton Area) was unable to duplicate his upset over Brent Metcalf at the U.S. Open last month. Oliver and Metcalf met in the Challenge Tournament finals with Metcalf coming out on top (6-3) at 66 kg.

The other PA native place winner was Steve Mytych (Northampton Area) who finished in fourth place at 55 kg.

Below are how Pennsylvania wrestlers faired at the World Team Trials.

 

Women’s Freestyle – 55 kg

Quarterfinal: Katherine Fulp-Allen (NYAC) over Samantha Klingel (King College) (TF 8-0)
Cons. Round 1: Brieana Delgado (OKCU/Gator RTC) over Samantha Klingel (King College) (Pin 3:48)

 

Men’s Freestyle – 60 kg

Quarterfinal: Brandon Wright (Viking Wrestling Club) over Coleman Scott (TMWC) (Inj. 0:41)
Cons. Round 1: Alan Waters (Missouri WF) over Coleman Scott (TMWC) (Inj. 0:00)

 

Men’s Freestyle – 55 kg

Champ. Round 1: Steve Mytych (Lehigh Valley AC) over Zach Sanders (Minnesota Storm) (Dec 5-4)
Quarterfinal: Steve Mytych (Lehigh Valley AC) over Frank Perrelli (NYAC) (Dec 7-6)
Semifinal: Angel Escobedo (NYAC) over Steve Mytych (Lehigh Valley AC) (Dec 5-3)
Cons. Semi: Steve Mytych (Lehigh Valley AC) over Brandon Precin (NYAC) (Pin 0:59)
3rd Place Match: Kyle Hutter (Virginia Beach RTC) over Steve Mytych (Lehigh Valley AC) (Dec 7-2)

 

Men’s Freestyle – 55 kg

Quarterfinal: Angel Escobedo (NYAC) over Mark McKnight (Nittany Lion WC) (TF 8-0)
Cons. Round 3: Mark McKnight (Nittany Lion WC) over Daniel Mitcheff (West Point Wrestling Club) (Dec 4-3)
Cons. Semi: Kyle Hutter (Virginia Beach RTC) over Mark McKnight (Nittany Lion WC) (TF 7-0)

 

Men’s Freestyle – 66 kg

Quarterfinal: Jordan Oliver (TMWC) over Jason Chamberlain (TMWC) (TF 7-0)
Semifinal: Jordan Oliver (TMWC) over Chase Pami (Sunkist Kids) (TF 8-0)
1st Place Match: Brent Metcalf (NYAC) over Jordan Oliver (TMWC) (Dec 6-3)

 

Men’s Freestyle – 66 kg

Champ. Round 1: Drew Headlee (Lehigh Valley AC) over James Green (NWTC) (Pin 4:36)
Quarterfinal: Brent Metcalf (NYAC) over Drew Headlee (Lehigh Valley AC) (TF 10-3)
Cons. Round 2: Kevin LeValley (Minnesota Storm) over Drew Headlee (Lehigh Valley AC) (TF 7-0)

 

Men’s Freestyle – 84 kg

Finals – Round 1: Keith Gavin (TMWC) over Clayton Foster (GRIT Athletics/Cowboy WC) (Dec 6-4)
Finals – Round 2: Keith Gavin (TMWC) over Clayton Foster (GRIT Athletics/Cowboy WC) (Dec 3-2)[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]