SWIDERSKI/MENDEZ REMATCH LEADS OFF HISTORIC NIGHT AT RUDIS SUPER MATCH

DETROIT, MI-Two of high school wrestling’s brightest stars met in a long-awaited rematch to kick off the RUDIS Super Match held at the Sound Board theater in the MotorCity Casino Hotel. Jesse Mendez and Casey Swiderski, both four-time state champions, faced off for the first time since Swiderski upset then-top-ranked Mendez in September at FloWrestling’s Who’s Number One and the rematch did not disappoint. Swiderski dominated from the opening whistle and cruised to a 10-4 finish to prove that his win over Mendez last fall was no fluke. 

 

Swiderski, a Dundee, Michigan native and Iowa State signee, opened up the scoring early with a beautiful ankle pick and added another takedown to lead 4-1 after the first period. With the score 4-2 in the third period, the future Cyclone kept on the attack and added two more takedowns along with an escape and riding time to finalize the 10-4 victory. This was the only folkstyle bout of the night, but it provided the perfect springboard into the freestyle portion of the card. Watch the full first bout on RUDIS.com

 

BOUT TWO: CALEB HENSON VS HUNTER GARVIN

The second bout of the night was also one between two high school superstars in Virginia Tech signee Caleb Henson and Stanford signee Hunter Garvin. Henson, a Georgia native, led 5-4 at the intermission after an exciting first period that saw both athletes score takedowns. In the second frame, Henson widened the gap with a takedown and step-out point to go up 8-4 and put Garvin in desperation mode. Garvin was able to counter with a crotch lift for two, but Henson stifled any further attempts and walked away as an 8-6 winner to conclude the high school portion of the card.

 

BOUT THREE: MITCH FINESILVER VS DAVID MCFADDEN 

In the first senior-level bout of the night, contested at 79 kg, a pair of former college stars took the mat in Mitch Finesilver and David McFadden. Finesilver, an NCAA All-American at Duke who now competes for Israel, held a 1-0 lead early but McFadden quickly changed the dynamic of the bout with a double-leg takedown and drove Finesilver to his back for a four-point move to lead 4-1 at the break. The second period saw Finesilver trying to generate offense from the opening whistle, but he was unable to get through McFadden’s defense and even gave up a counter-attack takedown to trail 6-1. Finesilver was able to add a late step-out but fell to McFadden, a 4X All-American at Virginia Tech, by a final score of 6-2.

 

BOUT FOUR: EMILY SHILSON VS ERIN GOLSTON

The first women’s bout of the night saw an established presence in Erin Golston win a tight battle, 2-2 on criteria, over rising star Emily Shilson at 50 kg. The score at intermission was 2-1 in favor of Golston on the strength of the bout’s lone takedown and a step-out for Shilson. Shilson was able to tie the bout with a second step-out, but the U23 World champion was unable to overcome Golston’s criteria advantage and fell 2-2 based on Golston having the bout’s largest score.

 

BOUT FIVE: EVAN HENDERSON VS SETH GROSS

65 kg provided the most exciting and wildest bout of the night, as Seth Gross and Evan Henderson put up a combined 24 points in a match that saw multiple lead changes and drama down to the final whistle. These two wasted no time, trading scores early in a first period that ended in a 6-5 lead for Gross. The second period had more of the same, with both athletes scoring multiple takedowns and exposures to set the stage for some late-match drama. With Henderson trailing and less than 20 seconds remaining, the UNC product stepped over a go-behind attempt from Gross and immediately transitioned into a turn to take the lead. Gross was able to secure a reversal in the final flurry, but could not turn Henderson. After six minutes of great action, Henderson was the victor via a 13-11 decision. 

 

BOUT SIX: AMAR DHESI VS DEREK WHITE

In one of the night’s most lopsided contests, Canadian Olympian and Oregon State All-American Amar Dhesi racked up ten step-outs to claim a 12-7 victory over 2019 NCAA finalist Derek White at 125 kg. Dhesi built a 4-0 lead, all on push-outs, before White took a 5-4 lead by way of a four-point chest wrap and an additional point awarded after a failed Dhesi challenge. Dhesi completely dominated the second period, outscoring White 8-2 as he racked up step-outs and cautions.

 

BOUT SEVEN: KENNEDY BLADES VS VICTORIA FRANCIS

Junior World champion, Olympic alternate, and high school phenom Kennedy Blades put on a show at 72 kg against two-time World Team member Victoria Francis. Blades scored two early takedowns to lead 4-1 at the break. In the second period, she blew things open and used a textbook double leg for four to cap off a 14-1 technical fall. Blades, who hails from Broadview, Illinois, plans to attend Arizona State and compete for the Sunkist Kids RTC.

 

BOUT EIGHT: NATE JACKSON VS KOLLIN MOORE

In the first 97 kg matchup of the night, U.S. Open champion Nate Jackson and U.S. Olympic Trials runner-up Kollin Moore both showed flashes of highlight-reel offense and superb defense as the two battled to a 4-4 final, won by Moore on criteria. Jackson jumped out to a 3-0 lead on the strength of a takedown and Moore not being able to score after being placed on the shot clock. Moore countered with two scores of his own just before the end of the first period as he transitioned from a duck under right into a gut wrench to lead 4-3 at the break. Jackson scored the only point of the second frame on a push-out with less than 30 seconds left, but he was unable to find the winning score and fell to Moore on criteria due to Moore having two two-point moves and Jackson only having one two-pointer.

 

BOUT NINE: KYLE SNYDER VS J’DEN COX | MATCH ONE

In the first installment of the card’s headliner matchup, a best-of-three series between 2016 Olympic champion and two-time World champion Kyle Snyder and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist and two-time World champion J’den Cox, the crowd was not disappointed. Cox was the lone athlete to score in the first period, with his two points coming by way of Snyder not scoring while on the shot clock and a push-out. In one of the most exciting exchanges of the night, Snyder ran Cox out of bounds for a push-out and Cox threw Snyder completely off the raised platform. Officials determined that Cox did not make an attempt to stay on the mat, so a second point was awarded to Snyder for a caution on Cox. The pair traded push-outs before Cox took a 5-3 lead on a counter off of Snyder’s shot. Snyder answered in resounding fashion, working to a bodylock and lifting Cox for what was initially scored as a four-point move. Cox’s corner successfully challenged the call, arguing that there was no exposure, and the score settled at 5-5 with Snyder leading on criteria. Cox put together a few late flurries, but Snyder fended them off to take the first match in this long-awaited series.

 

BOUT TEN: ALEX DIERINGER VS ISAIAH MARTINEZ

In another hard-fought battle between seasoned veterans, Alex Dieringer bested Isaiah Martinez 4-1 at 79 kg in a bout featuring two of the most decorated wrestlers in NCAA history. Martinez scored his lone point of the bout after Dieringer was unable to score when he was put on the shot clock to lead 1-0 at the break. Dieringer got on the board in the second period with a takedown, a point for a lost challenge by Martinez, and a push-out to arrive at the final score of 4-1.

 

BOUT ELEVEN: KAYLA MIRACLE VS EMMA BRUNTIL

World silver medalist and 2020 Olympian Kayla Miracle rolled to an 8-2 win over Emma Bruntil at 62 kg. Miracle came out firing and built a 6-0 lead in the first period on the strength of three takedowns. She kept things rolling in the second period with a fourth takedown to go up 8-0, but Bruntil quickly answered with her lone takedown of the bout. Miracle displayed some lockdown defense down the stretch and walked away as the 8-2 winner.

 

BOUT TWELVE: MARK HALL VS MYLES MARTIN

At 86 kg, two-time Junior World champion Mark Hall defeated Myles Martin 2-1 on the strength of two shot clock points. Martin led 1-0 at the break on a shot clock point of his own, but he was put on the clock in the second period and failed to score, which made the score 1-1 with criteria in Hall’s favor. There were some late flurries that saw both athletes with opportunities to score, but neither was able to convert and Martin was put on the shot clock a second time in the final minute. When Martin was unable to score on the shot clock, Hall was awarded a second point and held on for the 2-1 win.

 

BOUT THIRTEEN: ALEC PANTALEO VS JORDAN OLIVER

Alec Pantaleo and Jordan Oliver squared off at 70 kg in a low-scoring affair. Pantaleo, a Michigan native competing close to his hometown of Canton, scored a takedown in both periods to secure his second victory over Oliver in as many meetings by way of a 4-1 decision. Oliver’s only score of the bout came when Pantaleo was put on the shot clock and was unable to score.

 

BOUT FOURTEEN: ZAIN RETHERFORD VS JAMES GREEN

In one of the night’s most anticipated matchups, two-time World Team member Zain Retherford faced off with two-time World medalist James Green at 70 kg. Green pitched a 4-0 shutout, scoring a takedown in the first period and a pair of push-outs in the second. This was the first time that the two had wrestled since the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, where Retherford won handily.

 

BOUT FIFTEEN: SARAH HILDEBRANDT VS RONNA GROSS

In the penultimate bout of the evening, 2020 Olympic bronze medalist and two-time World silver medalist Sarah Hildebrandt made quick work of Ronna Gross via a 10-0 technical fall in less than a minute. Hildebrandt transitioned directly from a leg attack to her patented leg lace and turned Gross four times for the 10-0 win.

 

BOUT SIXTEEN: KYLE SNYDER VS J’DEN COX | MATCH TWO

BOX SCORE

Match 1: 145 lbs. HS Folkstyle –Casey Swiderski dec. Jesse Mendez, 10-4

Match 2: 153 lbs. HS Freestyle – Caleb Henson dec. Hunter Garvin, 8-6

Match 3: 79 kg – David McFadden dec. Mitch Finesilver, 6-2

Match 4: 50 kg – Erin Golston dec. Emily Shilson, 2-2

Match 5: 65 kg – Evan Henderson dec. Seth Gross, 13-11

Match 6: 125 kg – Amar Dhesi dec. Derek White, 12-7

Match 7: 72 kg – Kennedy Blades tech. fall Victoria Francis, 11-1

Match 8: 97 kg – Kollin Moore dec. Nate Jackson, 4-4

Match 9: 97 kg – Kyle Snyder dec. J’den Cox, 5-5 (match one in best-of-three series, Snyder leads 1-0)

Match 10: 79 kg – Alex Dieringer dec. Isaiah Martinez, 4-1

Match 11: 62 kg – Kayla Miracle dec. Emma Bruntil, 8-2

Match 12: 86 kg – Mark Hall dec. Myles Martin, 2-1

Match 13: 70 kg – Alec Pantaleo dec. Jordan Oliver, 4-1

Match 14: 70 kg – James Green dec. Zain Retherford, 4-0

Match 15: 53 kg – Sarah Hildebrandt tech. fall Ronna Gross, 10-0

Match 16: 97 kg – Kyle Snyder dec. J’den Cox, 7-1 (match two in best-of-three series, Snyder wins 2-0)

 

For more Super Match content, follow @rudisplus and  @the_rudis for the most recent updates.

For more general Super Match Information: https://linktr.ee/rudisplus

Subscribe to watch Super Match on RUDIS+ here.

Shop Super Match Men’s Singlets here

Shop Super Match Women’s Singlets here