Finals set for first day of U.S. Olympic Trials

IOWA CITY - It's all on the line tonight for 18 wrestlers at the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team Trials at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The finals have been set for four Greco-Roman weights, three men's freestyle and two in women's freestyle. The finals will consist of a Best-of-3 series with all but one winner earning a spot on the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team that will compete in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Six of the nine top seeds advanced out of today's challenge tournament to the finals.

University of Wisconsin's Andrew Howe took an Olympic red-shirt year and finds himself two wins away from making the most of his opportunity, but he has one of the toughest tests in defending World Champion Jordan Burroughs in the 163-pound freestyle finals. Howe swept his way through the challenge tournament, beating Penn State NCAA champion David Taylor, 1-0, 5-0, and then posting two 1-0, 1-0, wins over Tyler Caldwell and former Iowa State standout Trent Paulson.

With his gold medal at the 2011 World Championships, Burroughs received a bye out of the challenge tournament.

Iowa State NCAA champion Jake Varner was a 2011 medalist at the World Championships and also awaited the challenge tournament winner. He will face Tommy Rowlands at 211.5 in freestyle. Rowlands advanced to the finals with a 3-1, 4-0 win over Chris Pendleton to win the challenge tournament.

Rowlands cut down to 264.5 before the 2011 World Team Trials. He has a simple approach.

"Win," Rowlands said. "I don't want to be two-time Olympic alternate. There's one reason I came back and it's staring me in the face again."

The 132-pound freestyle finals is more convoluted. The winner doesn't earn a automatic spot on the team. The U.S. is not qualified for the Olympic Games at the weight, and two U.S. World Team members and top U.S. competitors - Reece Humphrey and Shawn Bunch - are sitting out of the Trials to compete at upcoming qualifiers. A mini-tournament with them and the winner of the Coleman Scott and Logan Stieber finals tonight will likely occur to determine an Olympic representative, if the U.S. qualifies.

Stieber advanced to the finals with a three-period victory over Mike Zadick and a two-period win over James Kennedy. Scott dropped Martin Berberyan and Matt Valenti, finishing him with a  7-0 technical fall to reach the finals. Remaining offensive will be key for Scott.

"I need to stick to my game plan: attack, attack," Scott said. "I'm in good enough shape. I just need to keep working. It will come."

In Greco-Roman, former University of Northern Iowa wrestler Jordan Holm has one more obstacle to overcome to make the U.S. Olympic Team. Holm swept second-seed Zac Nielsen, 2-0, 2-0, to reach the finals against top-seed and fellow Minnesota Storm team member Chas Betts in the 185-pound final. Holm also posted a three-period win over Cheney Haight.

Michigan State heavyweight Steve Andrus went from worst to first, entering the Greco-Roman tournament as the lowest seeded wrestler before winning the challenge tournament. Now he will face Olympic veteran Dremiel Byers in the 264.5 finals. Andrus knocked off top-seeded Pete Kowalczuk, No. 4 Nikola Bogojevic and third-seed Tim Taylor.

Top-seeded Spenser Mango hasn't surrendered a point reaching the Greco-Roman finals at 121 pounds against Max Nowry. At 145.5 in Greco-Roman, C.P. Schlatter will face Justin Lester.

Women's freestyle held two challenge tournaments Saturday. Kelsey Campbell held her top-seed by winning the 121-pound class. She will face Helen Maroulis in the finals. Maroulis sat out the challenge tournament. She placed fifth in the 2011 World Championships.

Ali Bernard had to sit and wait for her opponent in the 158.5 finals. She will face Stephany Lee, who notched two pins before sweeping top-seed Iris Smith, 4-2, 2-0, to win the challenge tournament.

Lee is two wins away from achieving the ultimate goal.

"It feels good," Lee said. "I haven't been in this position before, so it feels good. This is my third cycle and I'm just ready to break out."