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Pat Smith Earns World Team Spot as Competition Wraps in Lincoln
9/12/2021 8:26:00 PM | Wrestling
LINCOLN, Neb. - A full weekend of wrestling wrapped up Sunday evening at the Senior World Team Trials in Pinnacle Bank Arena, as former Gopher Pat Smith highlighted the weekend by earning his third career World Team spot in the 72-kilogram Greco-Roman weight division.
Smith, who represented Minnesota Storm RTC as the top seed in his bracket, pinned Griffin Parriott in the quarterfinals and defeated Michael Hooker 4-0 in the semifinals en route to the Best-of-3 finals against Benji Peak (New York Athletic Club). In the finals, Smith continued his winning ways, sweeping the series with 3-3 and 6-4 victories to make his third World Team.
Another former Gopher, Alec Ortiz, competed in Greco-Roman at 77-kilograms as well, but fell out of the tournament in the consolation semifinals.
On the men's freestyle side, Hayden Zillmer proved to be Gopher Wrestling Club's best performer of the weekend in his debut tournament at 125-kilograms. Slotted as the No. 6 seed to open the tournament, Zillmer knocked off third-seed Dom Bradley 5-3, before dropping a tough 8-4 contest to Mason Parris in the semifinals. Zillmer would rebound on the backside of the bracket on Sunday though, rolling through Ty Walz in the consolation semifinals, then defeating Bradley for the second time in as many days to claim the tournament's bronze medal.
Gopher Wrestling Club's three other competitors, Brayton Lee, Daniel DeShazer, and Elroy Perkin, all fell out of the tournament in the consolations on Saturday.
Freestyle Results:
125kg - 3rd Place: Hayden Zillmer (3-1)
70kg - DNP: Brayton Lee (1-2)
70kg - DNP: Elroy Perkin (0-2)
61kg - DNP: Daniel DeShazer (2-2)
Greco Roman Results:
72kg - First Place: Pat Smith (4-0)
77kg - DNP: Alec Ortiz (1-2)