NEW YORK, N.Y. — The Cliff Keen Wrestling Club’s Jimmy Kennedy captured the gold medal at 60kg/132-pound to headline the club’s performance at the annual NYAC Holiday International Open on Saturday (Nov. 10) at the New York Athletic Club.
The performance capped a stretch of recent success for Kennedy, who won the University World Trials in August to make his first world team before claiming his first international medal with a bronze-medal effort at the Ramzan Kadyrov Cup in Grozny, Russia, in October.
Kennedy defeated past U.S. world-team member Reece Humphrey, 3-1, 1-0, in the championship match. The CKWC wrestler successfully defended a deep Humphrey single-leg attack midway through the first period, using a hip toss to score three points in the scramble before Humphrey came out on top for a one-point reversal. After an active but scoreless second period, Kennedy won the ball grab and finished quickly in the clinch position, taking Humphrey down to complete the two-period decision.
Kennedy posted a perfect 5-0 record and did not allow a point through his opening four matches, including back-to-back technical falls in the opening two matches. He defeated Danny Mitcheff, 2-0, 5-0, in the quarterfinal round, using a three-point double leg to secure the second period, and cruised past Devin Cater, 4-0, 2-0, in the semifinals behind another three-point takedown in the first and a pushout and subsequent double-leg takedown in the second.
Kellen Russell and Kyle Massey also represented the CKWC at 66kg/145.5 pounds and 120kg/264.5 pounds, respectively. Russell posted a 3-2 record, advancing to the quarterfinal round and coming just a match shy of placing in his senior-level debut at 66kg. Among his wins, he defeated Dave Jauregui, 1-0, 1-0, in the consolation bracket, using a late pushout to take the first period and finishing in the clinch position to win the second.
He lost a wild match to Drew Headlee, 6-7, 1-4, 2-1, in the consolation semifinals. He gave up a pair of three-point takedowns to drop the first period despite leading after consecutive gut wrenches. He won the second on a late three-point takedown but lost the deciding third period after giving up a two-point exposure late while in on Headlee’s leg.
Massey made his return to the mat in the 120kg division, wrestling in his first competitive tournament in four years. He dropped a 2-0, 5-0 decision to Ryan Tomei in the consolation bracket. Tomei used Massy’s momentum to score a quick pushout in the first period and score the remainder of the his points on takedowns in the first and second.
The CKWC wrestlers will remain in New York for the U.S. team training camp and will return to competition in the New Year.
CKWC RESULTS
Jimmy Kennedy, 60kg/132 pounds
First Round – tech. fall Promise Mwenga (Canada Black Bears), 6-0, 7-0
Second Round – tech. fall Knubaydov Firdaus (Brooklyn WC), 8-0, 6-0
Quarterfinals – dec. Danny Mitcheff (Gator WC), 2-0, 5-0
Semifinals – dec. Devin Carter (NRV Mat Club), 4-0, 2-0
Final – dec. Reece Humphrey (NYAC), 3-1, 1-0
Finished as the 60kg champion with a 5-0 record
Kellen Russell 66kg/145.5 pounds
First Round – dec. Yoanse Meijias (Florida Jets), 1-0, 1-0
Second Round – dec. Michael Mitchell (unattached), 2-1, 6-0
Quarterfinals – dec. by Levon Chabrikdze (Brooklyn WC), 7-1, 1-1
Consolations – dec. Dave Jauregui (Mountaineer WC), 1-0, 1-0
Consolations – dec. by Drew Headlee (Lehigh Valley AC), 6-7, 1-4, 2-1
Eliminated with a 3-2 record
Kyle Massey, 120kg/264.5 pounds
First Round – Bye
Quarterfinals – pinned by Magomedgad Nurasulov (Russia), 1:42
Consolations – dec. by Ryan Tomei (UNCRTC), 2-0, 5-0
Eliminated with a 0-2 record