COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The Cliff Keen Wrestling Club’s Kellen Russell and Kyle Massey competed at the annual Dave Schultz Memorial International on Friday (Feb. 1), falling just short of placing at 66kg/145.5 pounds and 120kg/264 pounds, respectively, at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. It was the third senior-level freestyle appearance for both CKWC wrestlers.
Russell posted a 3-2 record, advancing to the quarterfinals at 66kg, where he fell to familiar college foe Boris Novachkov, 3-1, 0-2, 4-1. The bulk of Novachkov’s points came off of Russell’s attacks — a counter takedown and separate exposure points in the first period and two exposure points in the third. Russell took the second period on a late pushout and takedown.
Russell split his subsequent wrestleback matches. He cruised to a 5-0, 2-0 win over Jason Tsirtsis, winning the first period on a three-point double leg and gut wrench and taking the second on an early takedown and late pushout. Russell was eliminated after a 2-0, 7-1 loss to Mongolia’s G Mandakhnaran.
With a 2-2 record at 120kg, Massey fell just one match shy of reaching the third-place contest. He earned back-to-back wins over Japan’s Nobuyoshi Arakida and Kazakhstan’s Bakhtiyar Sultanbeck in the wrestleback, cruising to a 4-0, 4-0 decision in the latter with four takedowns in the second period.
He was eliminated after dropping a 5-0, 3-0 decision to Ryan Tomei in the consolation semifinals.
CKWC RESULTS
Kellen Russell, 66kg
First Round – dec. Fernando Mendoza (Panama), 6-0, 3-0
Second Round – dec. Ganbayar Sanjaa (DCAC), 6-3, 0-1, 8-2
Quarterfinals – dec. by Boris Novachkov (Bulgaria), 3-1, 0-2, 4-1
Consolations – dec. Jason Tsirtsis (Region WC), 5-0, 2-0
Consolations – dec. G Mandakhnaran (Mongolia), 2-0, 7-1
Eliminated with a 3-2 record
Kyle Massey, 120kg
First Round – Bye
Quarterfinals – Sunny Dhinsa (Canada), 1-0, 2-0
Consolations – dec. Nobuyoshi Arakida (Japan), 2-0, 2-1
Consolations – dec. Bakhtiyar Sultanbeck (Kazakhstan), 4-0, 4-0
Consolations – dec. by Ryan Tomei (unattached), 5-0, 3-0
Eliminated with a 2-2 record
