USA Wrestling Trials Seeds & Picks for 97kg
The USA Wrestling Olympic Trials are in less than 24 hours, and I have analyzed the seeds and am giving my picks for the 97kg weight class. Like the 74kg weight class, there are two wrestlers who have a unique advantage and don’t have to wrestle as many matches throughout the day.
The Story
Kyle Snyder aka Captain America gets to sit out until the challenge bracket champion is crowned. Snyder is already an Olympic Gold medalist at this weight so he earned this advantage. The other guy who has the leg up over the challenger tournament guys is J’den Cox. He beat Kyle Dake in a three-match series to qualify in 2016.
He got bronze in the 2016 games at 86kg, and this time around is looking to challenge Snyder.
Kollin Moore is the one seed of the main bracket, and the former Ohio State Buckeye is no stranger to freestyle wrestling. He won a silver medal in the 2019 U23 tournament and a bronze in the 2017 World Junior Championships.
Dark Horses
I know he is the lowest seeded wrestler at eight, but Braxton Amos is an up and coming superstar. He has qualified for multiple world teams in both freestyle and Greco-Roman.
AJ Ferrari from Oklahoma State just won the 2021 NCAA wrestling championships as a true freshman. By winning that he qualifies for the trials and is now the sixth seed. The kid is strong and might be an upset threat.
Best Match to Watch
For some reason I think Amos is going to be a handful for Moore in the round of eight. That match first thing in the morning could set the tone for the rest of the day, and I am excited to see what Amos does at this intense of a tournament.
Prediction
Like the 74kg weight class there is ZERO DOUBT in my mind the two guys with the advantage will square off in the finals. Kyle Snyder recently jumped ship to the NLWC for a better training environment and I think it pays off here. Snyder is one of the guys I looked up to when I was wrestling in high school and anyone that has the nickname Captain America has to go to the Olympics. Synder over Cox
Kyle Snyder (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) – sitting to best-of-three finals
J’den Cox (USOPTC/TMWC) – sitting to challenge tournament semifinals
1. Kollin Moore (Ohio RTC/TMWC)
2. Hayden Zillmer (Gopher WC RTC)
3. Mike Macchiavello (Wolfpack RTC/TMWC)
4. Kyven Gadson (Sunkist Kids)
5. Ty Walz (SERTC/TMWC)
6. AJ Ferrari (Cowboy RTC/TMWC)
7. Ben Honis (Pennsylvania RTC/TMWC)
8. Braxton Amos (Wisconsin RTC)
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