2018 NCAA runner-up Hayden Hidlay was the lone Pennsylvania finalist in Las Vegas at the Men’s Senior Freestyle U.S. Open (Photo of Hidlay by Tony Rotundo). The Mifflin County graduate and N.C. State All-American showed he is a contender at 70 kilograms with a second place finish. In the finals Hayden dropped a 4-1 match to Jason Chamberlain (Boise State) who himself had a massive win in the semifinals over Olympian Frank Molinaro. En route to the finals Hayden defeated Chase Pami, a 2-time All-American and 2017 U.S. Open third place medalist, in the quarterfinals 5-0. In the semifinals Hayden took out Michigan’s All-American Alec Pantaleo 7-5. 

NCAA Champion Nico Megaludis (Franklin Regional/Penn State) made a move up to 61 kilograms where he took third in a deep weight class. Nico fought off 2017 NCAA Champion Corey Clark (Iowa) in a 12-9 Round of 16 match before falling to eventual Champion Joe Colon 5-2. Megaludis bounced back in a big way winning four straight to take third. Also at 61 kilograms AJ Schopp (Tyrone Area/Edinboro) went 2-2 and former Pittsburgh wrestler and current Virginia assistant coach Shelton Mack (Meadville Area) went 3-2. Nate Giorgio (Schuylkill Valley/Coast Guard) went 1-2 as did Micky Phillippi (Derry Area/Pittsburgh).

At 57 kilograms NCAA Champion Darian Cruz (Bethlehem Catholic/Lehigh) went 1-2 while Austin Miller (Hempfield/Bucknell) went 0-2. Evan Henderson (Kiski Prep/North Carolina) took sixth at 65 kilograms as the lone Pennsylvania representative. At 70 kilograms Luke Gardner (Pottsville Area/Penn State) went 1-2 and Mike Depalma (Jeannette/Kent State) went 2-2. Former Iowa Hawkeye and Enola, PA native Mike Evans made his return to the mat at 74 kilograms where he finished in fourth place. At 92 kilograms Kenny Courts (Central Dauphin/Ohio State) went 2-2 while Jonathan Gingrich (Bald Eagle Area/Penn State) went 2-2 at 125 kilograms.

Competing in the Senior Women’s Freestyle U.S. Open Francesca Giorgio (Wilson/Simon Fraser) took sixth at 62 kilograms and Mariah Harris (Greater Johnstown/Campbellsville) took third at 76 kilograms. In the Senior Men’s Greco-Roman division of the 2018 U.S. Open Pennsylvania’s John Stefanowicz (Kennard Dale/Marines) took sixth at 82 kilograms.

 

57 KG

1st Anthony Ramos (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) VPO1 Daton Fix (TMWC), 2-2
3rd Zach Sanders (Minnesota Storm) VPO1 Frank Perrelli (TMWC), 4-3
5th David Terao (DCAC) VSU Brent Fleetwood (Bison Wrestling Club), 10-0 3:15
7th Edward Klimara (TMWC) VSU Skyler Petry (Minnesota Storm), 10-0 0:19

 

61 KG

1st Joe Colon (TMWC) VPO1 Nahshon Garrett (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club), 20-13
3rd Nico Megaludis (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) VSU Tyler Graff (TMWC), 10-0 5:34
5th Brandon Wright (NYAC/IndWC) VIN Seth Gross (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club)
7th Darrius Little (NYAC/LVWC) VPO1 Jens Lantz (University of Wisconsin), 5-4

 

65 KG

1st Joseph McKenna (OSC) VPO1 Jaydin Eierman (Missouri Wrestling RTC), 7-3
3rd Logan Stieber (TMWC) VSU1 Nicholas Dardanes (TMWC), 13-2 4:07
5th Jayson Ness (Minnesota Storm) VSU Evan Henderson (TMWC), 10-0 1:44
7th John Simmons (NYAC/MWC) VSU Robbie Mathers (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club), 10-0 1:02

 

70 KG

1st Jason Chamberlain (TMWC) VPO1 Hayden Hidlay (Wolfpack Wrestling Club), 4-1
3rd Alec Pantaleo (Michigan Regional Training Center) VPO1 Dylan Ness (Minnesota Storm), 8-2
5th Ryan Deakin (Northwestern) VIN Frank Molinaro (TMWC)
7th Griffin Parriott (Boilermaker RTC) VPO1 Josh Reyes (Orange Crush Wrestling Club), 2-1

 

74 KG

1st Isaiah Martinez (TMWC) VSU Dan Vallimont (NYAC/Penn RTC), 10-0 1:20
3rd Jake Sueflohn (Boilermaker RTC) VPO Quinton Godley (Wolfpack Wrestling Club), 11-0
5th Evan Wick (TMWC/ University of Wisconsin) VSU Carson Brolsma (Minnesota Storm), 10-0 1:59
7th Taleb Rahmani (Pittsburgh Wrestling Club) VSU1 Nicholas Bonomo (Warhawk Wrestling Club), 13-2 3:23

 

79 KG

1st Kyle Dake (TMWC) VPO1 Alex Dieringer (TMWC), 5-5
3rd Joshua Asper (Navy-Marine Corps RTC) VPO1 Michael Evans (Buies Creek RTC), 6-1
5th Nathan Jackson (NJRTC) VSU Ben Harvey (Army West Point), 10-0 4:30
7th Stacey Davis (Wolfpack Wrestling Club) VSU Michael Thelen (Western Colorado Wrestling Club), 11-0 1:18

 

86 KG

1st David Taylor (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) VPO Richard Perry (NYAC/Penn RTC), 8-0
3rd Nick Reenan (Wolfpack Wrestling Club) VSU Timothy Dudley (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club), 10-0 1:45
5th Austin Coburn (Predator) VIN Ryan McWatters (Unattached), 0-0 0:00
7th Pat Downey (TMWC) VSU Brandon Supernaw (Western Colorado Wrestling Club), 10-0 0:26

 

92 KG

1st Jaden Cox (TMWC) VPO Hayden Zillmer (Minnesota Storm), 2-0
3rd Enock Francois (NYAC/FLWC) VFA Deron Winn (TMWC), 6-0 1:32
5th Nikko Reyes (Valley RTC) VIN Timmy McCall (TMWC)
7th Cody Walters (Bulldog Elite Wrestling Club) VSU Jeremiah Imonode (Army West Point), 10-0 2:05

 

97 KG

1st Austin Schafer (NYAC/FLWC) VPO1 Ty Walz (TMWC), 14-7
3rd Kyven Gadson (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) VPO1 Nathan Burak (TMWC), 3-2
5th Ben Honis (Cornell University) VPO1 Ross Larson (Viking Wrestling Club), 13-11
7th Braden Atwood (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) VIN Blaize Cabell (Valley RTC)

 

125 KG

1st Adam Coon (NYAC/MWC) VPO1 Jacob Varner (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club), 3-1
3rd Dominique Bradley (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) VPO1 Gable Steveson (Minnesota Storm), 2-2
5th Anthony Nelson (Minnesota Storm) VPO1 Tanner Hall (Arizona State University), 6-4
7th Michael Kosoy (TMWC) VSU Shawn Streck (Boilermaker RTC), 10-0 0:59