Hayden Hidlay (Mifflin County) has been testing the United State’s Senior Freestyle circuit ever since the redshirt freshman capped his first year of competition at N.C. State with an NCAA Finals appearance. It started in April at the 2018 U.S. Open where Hidlay competed at 70 kilograms against Senior level competition. The Lewistown, PA native left Las Vegas with a runner-up finish falling to Jason Chamberlain in the finals. 

With his U.S. Open finish, Hayden qualified for the 2018 World Team Trials in Rochester, MN where he looked to continue his Freestyle success and get another shot at Chamberlain, who waited in the WTT Finals. As the top seed at 70 kilograms Hidlay received a bye in the quarterfinals before taking out former Minnesota star Dylan Ness in the semifinals (6-2). In the Challenge Tournament finals he met Virginia Tech assistant coach and 2016 Olympian Frank Molinaro. His hopes of a re-match with Chamberlain were thwarted when Molinaro earned a (3-1) decision over Hidlay.

The momentum kept rolling for Hidlay in Akron, OH when he entered the Under 23 World Team Trials at 70 kilograms in hopes of making his first ever Freestyle World Team. Hayden showed his maturity against the field as he rolled into the tournament finals with six straight wins, out scoring his opponents (57-6). In the best-of-three finals, to determine a spot on the U23 World Team, Hidlay faced a formidable opponent who also dominated his way to the finals – Northwestern’s Ryan Deakin, who in 2017 was a Junior World Silver medalist for Team USA. 

In the first match Hayden jumped out to a (4-0) lead after scoring twice on single legs. He added four more points in a scramble but, it was challenged by Deakin’s side, and ended up being scored two points for Deakin and one for Hidlay making it (5-2). Hidlay ended the first period with a push-out point and a (6-2) advantage. A minute into the second period Hidlay connected on a beautiful high crotch, cutting the corner, and driving Deakin over for another two points. Deakin added a takedown of his own but it wasn’t enough as Hidlay came out on top of match one with an (8-4) decision.

One win away from a World Team berth Hidlay ran into a roadblock when Deakin came out firing on all cylinders, jumping out to a four point lead after a takedown and turn. Once back on their feet Deakin again added another takedown near the edge and closed out the first period with a push-out and a (7-0) lead. Things didn’t get much better for Hidlay in the second and final period. Fifteen seconds into the period Deakin secured two more when Hidlay slipped,  allowing Deakin to score easily on a go behind. Deakin closed out the match when he scored two more, ending the bout by technical superiority (11-0). 

It came down to a third and final match. After a discouraging second match, Hidlay looked to get back on track against Ryan Deakin. With the match scoreless, Hidlay was put on the shot-clock halfway through, and was unable to score in thirty seconds giving Deakin the lead (1-0). Deakin nearly secured two more points on the edge but was only awarded one for the push-out. Down (2-0) after one period Hayden needed to get on his offense in order to secure the win.

He chipped away with a push-out point after Deakin stepped out in an attempt to avoid Hidlay’s leg attack. Time ticked away in the second period and Hayden’s hopes of making a World Team seemed to be fading away. He fired off attack after attack on Deakin and with ten seconds left Hayden ended up underneath Deakin, who held on to a front headlock. With five seconds left Hiday lowered his level and wrapped both arms around Deakin’s hips and drove through his legs. The two ended up out of bounds with one second left and Hiday securing a two point takedown, the match win, and a spot on the United State’s U23 World Freestyle Team.

Hayden will next compete in the Senior U23 World Championships in Bucharest, Romania on November 12th. He was one of eleven Pennsylvania medalists in Freestyle. Check out the place winners below.

 

U23 Freestyle Medalists

 

57 KG

1st Jack Mueller (Cavalier WC) over Rayvon Foley (Michigan State), 8-6, 10-0
3rd Austin Assad (Michigan RTC) VSU Gabriel Townsell (Stanford), 10-0 5:26
5th Brandon Paetzell (Lehigh Valley WC) VIN Skyler Petry (Minnesota Storm), 0-0 0:00
7th Alex Mackall IA (Cyclone RTC) VIN Dominic La Joie (Finger Lakes WC), 0-0 0:00

 

61 KG

1st Vitali Arujau (Finger Lakes WC) over Roman Bravo-Young (Sunnyside WC), 15-4, 10-0
3rd Chas Tucker (Cornell University) VPO1 Sean Fausz (Wolfpack WC), 9-2
5th Josh Kramer (Sunkist Kids WC) VIN Nick Piccininni (Cowboy RTC/TMWC), 0-0 0:00
7th Jens Lantz (University of Wisconsin) VPO1 Steve Polakowski (Minnesota Storm), 5-2

 

65 KG

1st Mitchell McKee (Minnesota Storm) over Dominick Demas (Oklahoma RTC), 9-6, default
3rd Colton McCrystal (Nebraska) VFA Brock Zacherl (Clarion RTC), 10-6 5:29
5th Kaid Brock (Cowboy RTC/TMWC) VIN Kevin Jack (Wolfpack WC)
7th Luke Pletcher (Ohio State) VPO1 Kaden Gfeller (Cowboy RTC/TMWC), 15-9

 

70 KG

1st Hayden Hidlay (Wolfpack WC) over Ryan Deakin (Northwestern), 8-4, 0-11, 3-2
3rd Tyler Berger (Nebraska) VPO1 Paul Fox (Stanford), 8-4
5th Pat Lugo (Iowa University) VSU1 Alfred Bannister (Terrapin WC), 13-3 5:39
7th Matthew Kolodzik (NJRTC) VSU Ryan Blees (SERTC-VT), 10-0 0:41

 

74 KG

1st Alex Smythe (Bulls WC) over Evan Wick (University of Wisconsin), 1-7, 7-3, 6-5 
3rd Kaleb Young (University of Iowa) VPO1 Kennedy Monday (Tar Heel WC), 11-4
5th Carson Brolsma (Minnesota Storm) VPO1 Josh Shields (Sunkist Kids WC), 6-4
7th Austin Kraisser (Campbell) VIN Larry Early (Virginia Beach RTC)

 

79 KG

1st David McFadden (SERTC-VT) over Daniel Lewis (Missouri Wrestling RTC), 8-6, 15-5
3rd Kimball Bastian (Utah Valley RTC) VPO1 Joe Smith (Cowboy RTC/TMWC), 8-3
5th Connor Flynn (Missouri Wrestling RTC) VFA Cole Walter (Lehigh Valley WC), 4-2 1:02
7th Teshan Campbell (Ohio State) VPO1 Gregg Harvey Jr. (Pittsburgh), 6-2

 

86 KG

1st Myles Martin (Ohio State) over Chandler Rogers (Cowboy RTC/TMWC), 13-9, 6-0
3rd Taylor Venz (Nebraska) VPO1 Maxwell Dean (Cornell University), 15-12
5th Cash Wilcke (University of Iowa) VPO1 Alec Schenk (Blue Blood WC), 4-2
7th Austin Flores (Stanford) VIN Garrett Lineberger (Unattached), 0-0 0:00

 

92 KG

1st Michael Macchiavello (Wolfpack WC) over Hunter Ritter (University of Wisconsin), 5-3, 15-5
3rd Eric Schultz (Nebraska) VPO Christian Brunnerc(Boilermaker RTC), 9-0
5th Jakob Woodley (Oklahoma RTC) VSU Landon Pelham (Chippewa WC), 10-0 2:04
7th Greg Bulsak (Clarion RTC) VSU1 Anthony Perrine (Bulldog Elite WC), 14-4 4:06

 

97 KG

1st Kollin Moore (Ohio State) over Kyle Conel (Golden Pride WC), 12-2, 13-3
3rd Ben Honis (Cornell University) VSU1 Malik McDonald (Wolfpack WC), 13-1 5:57
5th Kyle Gentile (LVWC) VSU John Borst (SERTC-VT), 10-0 6:00
7th Kevin Snyder (Ohio State) VPO1 Andre Lee (IRTC), 5-2

 

125 KG

1st Youssif Hemida (Terrapin WC) over Matt Stencel (Chippewa WC), 14-7, 11-0
3rd David Jensen (Nebraska) VPO1 David tate Orndorff (Utah Valley RTC), 10-9
5th Garrett Ryan (NYCRTC) VIN Michael Hughes (Blue and Gold RTC)
7th Matthew Voss (Patriot Elite WC) NC Christian Colucci (NJRTC)

 

U23 Greco-Roman Medalists

 

55 KG

1st Dalton Duffield (Unattached) VPO Jabari Moody (NYAC), 2-0
3rd Sean Sesnan (Williams Baptist College) VSU1 Jemone Carter (Marines), 9-1 4:56
5th Corey Muniz (River Valley WC) VSU Colt Olinde (Blue Raider WC), 11-0 1:56
7th Samuel Braswell (Cougar WC) VPO1 Poncie Yim (Backyard WC), 13-8

 

60 KG

1st Randon Miranda (NYAC) VPO1 Dalton Roberts (NYAC), 2-1
3rd Liam Cronin (Indiana University) VPO1 Scott Arneson (Southern Exposure), 9-3
5th Hunter Starner (Peninsula Wrestling Association) VSU1 Jacob Snoddy (Marines), 10-1 5:20
7th Timothy Decatur-Luker (Backyard WC) VPO1 Rahsun Lawrence (Backyard WC), 6-1

 

63 KG

1st Travis Rice (NMU-OTS) VPO Xavier Johnson (Marines), 2-0
3rd Ty Pelot (X-Factor Elite) VFA Erik Spence (NMU-OTS), 2-0 0:25
5th Nick Anthony (University of Florida) VSU Raphael Rodriguez (Golden Pride WC), 8-0 1:36
7th Brandon Woody (Cougar WC) VSU Justus Griffith (Florida Jets), 8-0 1:02

 

67 KG

1st Nolan Baker (Northern Illinois RTC) VPO1 Dominick Demas (Oklahoma RTC), 2-1
3rd Britton Holmes (NMU-OTS) VSU1 Wesley Dawkins (Nebraska Golden Eagles WC), 14-6 4:00
5th Dylan Thurston (IRTC) VIN Lenny Petersen (Air Force RTC)
7th Ny’trell Dean (River Valley Wrestling Club) VFA Sammy Peticos (Unattached), 10-4 2:49

 

72 KG

1st Logan Kass (Minnesota Storm) VPO Alex Mossing (Air Force RTC), 2-0
3rd Brett Bye (Legends of Gold) VSU McCoy Tekautz (Minnesota Storm), 9-0 0:45
5th Trace Thome (University of Florida) VFA Dre-son Scruggs (Utah Valley RTC), 14-14 4:31
7th Andrew Null (MWC Wrestling Academy) VSU1 Will Kaldes (Pittsburgh), 12-1 1:53

 

77 KG

1st Jesse Porter (NYAC) VPO Fritz Schierl (Ohio State), 2-0
3rd Eddie Smith (Beast Mode) VPO1 Ryan Epps (Minnesota), 5-3
5th Zach Krapf (Gunston WC) VSU1 Emanuel Diaz (Florida Jets), 12-3 1:47
7th Russell Miller (River Valley WC) VFA Ismael Cornejo Jr. (Knights WC), 5-0 2:30

 

82 KG

1st Carter Nielsen (NMU-OTS) VPO Andrew Berreyesa (Finger Lakes WC), 2-0
3rd Chandler Rogers (Cowboy RTC/TMWC) VFA Spencer Woods (NMU-OTS), 4-0 0:27
5th Thomas Brackett (Wave WC) VSU Jose Acosta (Northern Illinois Elite WC), 8-0 1:00
7th Caleb Spears (Strong & Courageous) VPO1 Tim Abee (Strong & Courageous), 5-3

 

87 KG

1st George Sikes (NMU-OTS) VPO Jimmy Stillerman (Lancaster Alliance Wrestling), 2-0
3rd Kaleb Gaede (Olympian Wrestling Elite) VPO1 Trenton Schultz (University of Northern Colorado), 11-9
5th Justin Villegas (Ouachita WC) VSU Daniel Myers (N/A), 8-0 0:28
7th Corey Willett (JWC) VSU1 Timothy Eubanks (Williams Baptist College), 10-1 3:56

 

97 KG

1st G’angelo Hancock (Sunkist Kids WC) VPO Roy Nash (NMU-OTS), 2-0
3rd Blake Smith (Colorado) VSU Devon Amburgy (Williams Baptist College), 8-0 0:30
5th Ross Sealby (Northern Illinois RTC) VSU1 Joseph Munro (Marines), 12-4 3:39
7th Hunter Hart (Montana) VSU Dylan Buschow (Unattached), 8-0 0:50

 

130 KG

1st Cohlton Schultz (NYAC) VPO David Tate Orndorff (Utah Valley RTC), 2-0
3rd Trent Osnes (Marines) VSU1 Matthew Voss (Patriot Elite WC), 11-2 0:51
5th Nicholas Boykin (Sunkist Kids WC) VFA Adolfo Sotolongo (River Valley WC), 4-0 0:39
7th Cameron Barnes (River Valley WC) VFA Ethan Bunce (Knights WC), 5-1 3:00