Varner, Burroughs earn spots on U.S. Olympic Team

IOWA CITY - Jake Varner was in middle school when Olympic hopes entered the picture.

That vision became a little clearer Saturday.

Varner swept Tommy Rowlands in the best-of-three 211.5-pound freestyle finals of the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team Trials at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, securing his spot in the 2012 Olympic Games this summer in London. Varner beat Rowlands, 0-1, 2-0, 1-0 and 2-0, 1-0, in front of 13,750 fans.

Work still remains for the 26-year-old bronze medalist at the 2011 World Championships.

"This is just a stepping soon and you have to achieve this first," said Varner, a two-time NCAA champion for Iowa State University. "But, it's not going to stop here. It's not about being an Olympian, it's about going out and achieving your goals and being an Olympic champion."

The vision of Olympic gold came into focus when Varner was in middle school. Wrestling emerged as his main sport and strengthened his desire to be an Olympian.

“I got into high school I knew that was the ultimate goal," Varner said. "The main was I wanted to be an Olympic champion and everything I did all along was for college but the Olympics as well.”

Varner took an early advantage with some timely scoring. After dropping the opening period of their first match, Varner scored a takedown in the final seconds of the second period for a 1-0 win. He won the third period and the opening bout with a takedown in the final 10 seconds.

“I didn't want to go to the clinch again,” Varner said. “I felt like I better score.

“I knew I had the chance to score. I just took the opportunity.”

Varner controlled the second match. He scored two points for exposing Rowlands back, fighting off a takedown attempt in the first. A takedown in the final minute of the second period was the difference, securing his title. Varner said he wrestled well enough, and Rowlands, who wrestled 264.5 before cutting down before last year's World Team Trials, provided a tough test.

“Tommy's tough as nails,” Varner said. “It's fun wrestling guys like that, wrestling tough guys. Those matches are fun.”

Varner accomplished the feat in front of a familiar crowd. He returned to Iowa where he wrestled his college career. It didn't matter where the Olympic road began as long as it led to London.

"You know, I don't really care where it happens as long as I was able to do something like this," Varner said. "But, it was cool to come back here and wrestle in front of these fans, but it doesn't really matter where it happens to me."

Varner also had a familiar figure by his side. His former ISU coach Cael Sanderson, who he followed to the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club to train after college, stood in his corner. The two have grown closer, according to Varner.

“I'm lucky to have a guy like that be my coach and my mentor,” Varner said. “He's my idol. He's awesome.”

The two competed together in the 2011 World Championships. He placed higher than his idol. It is what gave him a bye from the challenge tournament, won by Rowlands, and it also gave him the confidence to make the Olympics.

“Obviously I wanted to win. I felt I could have won,” Varner said. “It was good to get that, and establish myself a little bit.”

Jordan Burroughs also earned a pass out of the challenge tournament with his 2011 World Championship performance.

The reigning 163-pound World Champion faced Andrew Howe, who took an Olympic red-shirt after his junior season of eligibility at the University of Wisconsin, in the best-of-3 finals. Howe swept his way through the challenge tournament without giving up a point.

The pair entertained the crowd with a lot of action and scrambles, including a moment when they simultaneously had each others' legs in the air.

Burroughs opened with a three-point moves right away in the opening period, winning it 4-2. Howe answered with a 2-1 victory with two takedowns. Burroughs scored a point, pushing Howe out of bounds for a 1-0 in the third.

"I wrestled OK," Burroughs said. "My fitness level was decent. He's a tough guy, but I wrestled six minutes and ground it out. Every time I step on the mat I might not have the best technique, but I know I'll have the result."

After the match, Howe rolled to his back and didn't immediate  get up. Howe eventually defaulted and did not take the mat foe a second match, conceding the spot. Burroughs preferred to earn it with another victory.

"It sucks," Burroughs said. "I wanted to go out there and wrestle a second match. I'm a natural competitor so it's not always fun to win this way."

Burroughs has already conquered world competition, winning gold in September at the World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey. The Olympics is a different level, a bigger stage.

“The Olympic Games are the pinnacle of success for any athlete,” Burroughs said. “I just want to go out there and hopefully win some gold.”

In one of the more dominating performances of the first day, Spenser Mango captured his his second straight Greco-Roman U.S. Olympic Team berth without surrendering a single point in Saturday's competition. Mango dropped Max Nowry by fall and then 1-0, 3-0, in the 121-pound final. He outscored his first two opponents by a combined score of 16-0.

Mango was eighth at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

"The first time; I'll admit, I surprised myself," Mango said. "I knew I could do it, but I hadn't done it yet. This time it was all business."

Dremiel Byers, who was seventh at the 2008 Olympics, made the Greco-Roman team again at 264.5. Justin Lester also earned a spot on the U.S. Team, winning the 145.5 division

Coleman Scott came away with a challenge tournament title, beating Ohio State NCAA champion Logan Stieber, 3-0, 1-0 and 2-0, 0-1, 2-0 in the 132-pound final. Scott's challenge is not finished. U.S. National Team members Reece Humphrey and Shawn Bunch sat out for upcoming qualifying tournaments in China and possibly Finland to earn a spot for the U.S. in the Olympics at the weight. A mini tournament is expected later to decide who makes the team.

"I've got one more step," Scott said. "This is my first step now I've got one more. This is my first step to being Olympic Champion. If I have to re-qualify for the last one, or whatever it may be, I'm down to go qualify. I'd like to put the fate in my hands that way I can say it's my fault. You can't put it on anybody else. That's why I like wrestling; you've got no one else to blame it on."

Scott had finished third the last two years and said he feels more confident in his ability.

"I made a jump," Scott said. "This is the year to do it."

The University of Iowa and Hawkeye Wrestling Club were represented but didn't reach Saturday night's finals. Former Iowa All-American and current Hawkeye assistant coach Mike Zadick advanced to the 132 semifinals of the challenge tournament, beating Kellen Russell in two periods. Zadick then won the opening period against Stieber, but suffered a hamstring injury in the bout that he lost. Zadick then injury defaulted.

Lisbon native Ryan Morningstar wrestled with an injured knee, but didn't record a win in two matches at 163.

"It's not too good," Morningstar said about his performance. "I wasn't ready to go from the beginning, but I'm not really 100 percent."

More Hawkeye hopefuls will compete tomorrow in freestyle, including Brent Metcalf (145.5), Steve Mocco (264,5), Phil Keddy (185) and Iowa junior Matt McDonough (121).

Action begins Sunday at 9 a.m. with challenge tournaments in 121, 145.5, 185 and 264.5 men's freestyle, 105.5 and 138.75 in women's freestyle, and 132, 163 and 211.5 in Greco-Roman.