GUELPH, Ontario — Competing in its first event of the 2013 schedule, the Cliff Keen Wrestling Club crowned a pair of champions and three placewinners at the Guelph Open on Sunday (Jan. 20) at the University of Guelph’s W.F. Mitchell Athletics Centre. Jimmy Kennedy and Kellen Russell won at 60kg/132 pounds and 66kg/145.5 pounds, while Kyle Massey took second place in round-robin competition at 120kg/264 pounds. The trio combined for a 9-1 record.
“I was pleased with how they competed,” said CKWC coach Andy Hrovat. “They warmed up well, and they approached each match with good focus. We will be able to use the results from this past weekend to get ready for the upcoming schedule. We leave for a training camp Wednesday before the Dave Schultz and then the overseas tours.”
Kennedy repeated as the Guelph 60kg champion, giving up no point en route to a perfect 3-0 record. After earning his fourth win in four freestyle meetings against James Mancini in the semifinals, he defeated Guelph’s Cody Airdrie, 1-0, 7-0, in the championship match. Kennedy won the first period on an early pushout and used three takedowns, including a pair of three-pointers, to cruise in the second.
The gold medal is Kennedy’s second in a row, adding to his NYAC Holiday Open title last November. He has won each of his last nine matches.
Russell captured the first gold medal of his freestyle career, winning the 66kg crown with a 4-0 record, including a technical fall and a pin in the opening two rounds. Russell beat Ryan Weicker of the Brock Wrestling Club, 2-0, 5-2, in the final, using a takedown and a pushout to claim the first period and a takedown, pushout and three-point double leg to win the second.
“After NYAC, Andy and I sat and talked about the things that I needed to work on,” said Russell, “and I was really able to apply those things to my matches today. I faced a pretty good guy in my finals match, and I was able to execute everything we’ve been working on. It definitely felt good for my confidence to win some of those matches pretty dominantly and go out and get the win.”
Massey posted a 3-1 record in his second ever senior-level freestyle tournament at 120kg, earning second place in the final round-robin standings. He earned back-to-back decisions against Ilya Manukhov and Patrick Okpalugo before falling to eventual champion Korey Jarvis. He rallied to defeat Okpalugo, 3-5, 6-0, 2-1, after giving up a late three-point takedown in the first period. Massey scored big in the second off an early takedown and subsequent exposure and hold and used a takedown and pushout to take the third.
The CKWC trio will head to Colorado Springs, Colo., on Wednesday (Jan. 23) to participate in a week-long USA Wrestling national team training camp before competing in the annual Dave Schultz Memorial International on Friday, Feb. 1, at the Olympic Training Center.
CKWC RESULTS
Jimmy Kennedy, 60kg/132 pounds
First Round – Bye
Quarterfinals – pinned Dylan Galloway (Laurentian), 1:30
Semifinals – dec. James Mancini (Concordia), 3-0, 3-0
Final – dec. Cody Airdrie (Guelph), 1-0, 7-0
Finished as the 60kg champion with a 3-0 record
Kellen Russell, 66kg/145.5 pounds
First Round – tech. fall Tyler Buchan (Dino’s WC), 6-0, 7-0
Quarterfinals – pinned Brad Trimble (Brock WC)
Semifinals – dec. Drew Belander (Bears WC), 3-0, 4-0
Final – dec. Ryan Weicker (Brock WC), 2-0, 5-2
Finished as the 66kg champion with a 4-0 record
Kyle Massey, 120kg/264 pounds
First Match – dec. Ilya Manukhov (Team Impact), 2-0, 2-1
Second Match – dec. Patrick Okpalugo (Montreal), 3-5, 6-0, 2-1
Third Match – dec. by Korey Jarvis (Guelph), 5-0, 4-2
Fourth Match – win by forfeit
Finished in second place with a 3-1 record
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Jimmy Kennedy’s 60kg Championship Final:
Kellen Russell’s 66kg Championship Final:
