New York USA Wrestling

A birthday, an anniversary, and two UWW U20 Worlds Medals...

In what was a week of non-stopping celebrations for two prominent New York State wrestling families in Pontevedra, Spain; there was no more fitting conclusion than to see both Zack Ryder (79kg) & PJ Duke (70kg) standing on the podium on Saturday afternoon!!

Going a combined 8-2 between yesterday and today, the former Minisink Valley HS teammates/future Penn State University colleagues were responsible for delivering the first Under-20 World medals regardless of discipline back to NY since it was another MV Warrior---Sofia Macaluso, doing the deed in 2022 (57kg Women's Silver medalist)!! 

And remarkably, at only 18 years of age apiece; they both remain U20 eligible in 2025 and 2026; meaning that we are just scratching the proverbial surface when it comes to the damage they will do/medals they will stockpile in subsequent voyages! 

Just days removed from his father, Darren's, birthday, the former 5x NYS finalist/4x Champion delivered a rather nice belated gift ever when he capped off his stay in Spain by earning the silver medal among the 79kg field!!

Compiling a 4-1 record under the roof of the Pontevedra Municipal Sports Hall, the future Nittany Lion did not completely erase, but did quiet the ghosts of coming up just short the past two seasons (U17 Bronze medals in both 2022 and 2023) when he advanced to his first age-group finale before dropping a 5-0 decision to Turkmenistan's Alp Arslan Begenjov (2023 U17 World 5th; 4x Asian Age-Group medalist/2x Champion/5th at 2024 Senior Asian Championships)!!!

The collision a considerably closer than the score might indicate, Ryder would most certainly have his opportunity to seize the yellow medal, as trailing 2-0 (1st period passivity clock violation; 2nd period stepout), he'd be in deep on a single-leg and close to finishing in the last 1:40 of regulation before Begenjov was able to land a counter trip for a 2pt exposure to up his cushion to 4-0 with 1:29 on the clock...

Continuing to move forward, Ryder was unrelenting in working/snapping down on the head; but he simply could not muster any points as his savy nemesis wisely grounded himself so to avoid any stepout calls from being made by the officials!

A lost challenge by Ryder's cornermen in the fleeting seconds accounted for the final point for Begenjov!

Saturday's verdict in no way  reminiscent of the lights out and/or refuse to lose mentality that Ryder carried with him for the entirety of Friday; for much of the two-day affair, he'd actually go relatively unchallenged, racking up a 32-0 advantage while collecting a trifecta of technical fall victories (10-0, 11-0, 11-0) in the qualification thru quarterfinal rounds over opponents representing China [Jinju Li], Brazil [Leandro Araujo], and Lithuania [Paulius Lescauskas]

Wasting little time in setting the tone for his weekend of dominance, the Section 9 living legend tallied three takedowns and a pair of 2pt exposures (gut-wrench after the first TD; leg-lace after the 3rd) to knock off the 2023 Asian U20 5th [Li] in a time of 2:28...

His R16 clash pitting American against American [Araujo is from North Dakota], Ryder improved to 2-0 this summer against his soon-to-be Big-10 Conference rival (Nebraska commit); as he widened the gap from the 8-0 decision he posted in July at the U20 Pan-American Championships...

Holding just a 1-0 advantage (activity clock violation) at the break against the 5x State Champion/ 2024 UWW Pan-American U20 Bronze medalist/2023 Super 32 belt winner/2023 Fargo Junior GR National runner-up, Ryder would find his offense and take over in the 2nd period, as he'd threaten a single-leg before whipping Araujo over with a throw-by for the takedown :11 into the period to increase his cushion to 3-0...Once on top in par terre, it would be a gut-wrench clinic, as the future Nittany Lion popped the maneuver repeatedly (4x) to turn a "nailbiter" into a decisive early day at the office (3:39)

Punctuated by a 2pt leg-lace following the fourth of his four total takedowns, Ryder guaranteed that he'd wrestle for a UWW medal for a third consecutive year when he required just 2:32 to overwhelm Lescauskas (3x Lithuanian World Teamer/21st at the 2023 U20 Worlds; 2024 European U20 Bronze Medalist) in the quarterfinals!

At long last receiving a challenge and illustrating the grit needed to overcome adversity, Ryder trailed for the first and only time during yesterday's festivities when a takedown complemented by an activity clock violation against him put him in a 3-2 hole with 1:40 remaining in the 2nd period of his ihis semifinal battle with 2024 European Champion, Said Saidulov (AIN)...

Never panicking, the NLWC trained standout simply answered back with total authority, as he'd blasted through on a double-leg for the takedown go up 4-3 with 1:27 to go in regulation...

In the waning seconds (:06), he'd stuff the last ditch attempt from his foe and then spin behind to add some insurance to close out a 6-3 decision!!!

Not leaving with the colored medal he had in mind; but still making a damn fine showing of himself in his UWW Age-Group Worlds debut was NY-USAW's top-ranked 2025 Big Boarder...

Adding to the joy of his parents---Pete & Annie, commemorating their 23rd wedding anniversary (Sept. 2), the three-time NYSPHSAA Large School State titlist may not have won this weekend; but he LEARNED; and considering the wealth of physical talent he already possesses; big match experience on this grand scale may have been the only piece to the puzzle that prevented from conquering the globe...And now that he has it under his belt; WATCH OUT!!! 

Shaking off a heart shattering loss (5-5 criteria) in the semifinals to the eventual bracket runner-up/now 3x Age-Group World medalist (2021 U17 titlist), Magomed Baitukae (AIN), Duke was emphatic in his bounce back, as he completed a 4-1 vitae by emerging with a 18-7 conquest over Kazakhstan's Aikyn Bolatuly (5th at the 2022 U17 Worlds; 2024 Asian U20 Silver Medalist) to clinch bronze!

Offense hardly being at a premium during the 1st period, the combatants combined to amass 20 points, with Duke relishing a 13-7 edge at the break...

Surrendering a 4pt throw less than :15 into the stanza to immediately find himself in some danger; Duke never lost faith in his arsenal as he'd go on a 13-0 run behind repeated low-level finishes/ankle picks, with a 2pt leg-lace and a 2pt gut-wrench mixed in along the way to surge ahead...Bolatuly responded with a reversal and a TD of his to round out the 3:00 of endless action...

An induced stepout with 2:20 remaining in the contest increasing the lead to 14-7, Duke would tack on a 2pt takedown (limp armed out of a seat belt) and then sucked the Kazakhstani back for a 2pt exposure to polish off the "w" at the 4:27 mark!   

The decisive win over Bolatuly in his final appearance in Spain being the next in what was a pattern of "bully behavior" from the rising high school senior, prior to the aforementioned blemish in the semis, Duke had wreaked havoc on the 70kg bracket, amassing a margin of 32-1  at the onset [qualification thru quarters] of Friday!!

His introductory taste of the World stage lasting a mere 46 seconds; the "diaper dandy" displayed his national level judo skills when he hit a foot sweep less than half-a-minute into the 1st period for the TD and then tacked on four straight trapped-arm gut-wrenches to assert his dominance [10-0] over Poland's Zelimkhan Mutsukhaev (24th at 2023 U20 Worlds; 14th at 2024 U20 European Championships), for the first of three consecutive technical falls...

Ensuing success came in the form of 10-0 and 12-1 dubs at the expense of parties such as Kyrgyzstan's Aden Sakybaev and Ankh Erdene Altangerel, of Mongolia! 

The only two points of the initial 3:00 coming via a pair of induced stepouts in the first 40 seconds and the last 20 ticks; Duke would pull away in his R16 bout open with Sakybaev (4x Age-Group World Team member/5th at the 2023 U20 Championships; 3x Asian Age-Group medalist/2023 U23 runner-up) in the 2nd, as he'd convert a 2pt takedown (counter spin behind; lifted and dropped his opponent to the mat) :12 into the stanza; and then later exploded for a 4-point toss + a 2pt trapped-arm gut as the clock dipped below 2:00 remaining in regulation pitch yet another shutout!

The quarterfinal besting of Altangerel (15th at the 2023 U17 Worlds; 5th at 2024 Asian U20 Championships) being a highlight reel of the many ways in which Duke can torment the opposition, the KD Trained pupil utilized everything from go-behinds, to picture-perfect low-singles/ankle picks to tally four takedowns to go along with a pair of induced stepouts and a 2pt gut for the terminator in the already cited 12-1 drubbing!!

A matter of inches being the difference between 3rd and possible gold, Duke is to be applauded for the manner in which he gave every once of blood, sweat, and tears in his body during his single imperfection [semis loss to Baitukaev]...

Doing everything within his power to claw out of deficits of 3-0 (end of the 1st period) and 5-2 (midway through the 2nd), Duke trailed only 5-4 with 66 ticks on the clock...

In the final 10 seconds, he'd lift and toss the Russian from his bread-and-butter seat belt position for what would have been a bout-stealing 4-pointer; unfortunately, the mat officials ruled that Baitukaev had stepped out prior to the throw; thus resulting in only the 1pt score!!

The Independent Athlete (Russia) hung got his arm raised by virtue of having two 2pt scoring moves as opposed to Duke's one 2pter and three 1-pointers!

While Duke is never one to make excuses or detract from an opponent; we happily will the bidding on his behalf in suggesting that the copious amount of blood/recovery time allotted to a noticeably gassed Baitukaev was undeniably a factor!

Looking well on their way towards hoisting Junior MFS Team hardware for the first time since 2017 (runners-up to Iran in 2022 & 2023; Runners-up to Russia in 2018 & 2019), the Stars + Stripes vaulted themselves to a command 25pt lead (90-65) over Iran behind a 4-1 body of work during Saturday's medal matches...

Joining Ryder in the finals, but enjoying a better result was U.S. 57kg entry/2023 U20 bridesmaid, Luke Lilledahl, who picked up his second career age-group World title (2022 U17) and fourth overall medal during a span ranging from 2021-2024!

Bo Bassett (2021 U17 Champ) & 2024 NCAA DI National Qualifier for the Oregon State Beavers, Justin Rademacher (97kg) added to the haul by equaling Duke's bronze!

To boot, the next wave/final group of 5 that kicked off their tournaments this morning were every bit as locked and loaded, as LaDarion Lockett (2023 U17 Champ), Josh Barr (86kg), and Ben Kueter (125kg; 2022 U20 World titlist) punched their tickets to Sunday's main event; while Marcus Blaze (61kg;  2023 U17 Champ) & Connor Mirasola (92kg) will try their hand at securing bronze!!

A machine that is only going to grow stronger; much like Duke and Ryder; the majority of this 10-man juggernaut have at least one more year of Under-20 classification at their disposal...

Blaze, Bassett, Duke, Lockett, and Ryder are good for the next two editions; while Lilledahl, Mirasola, and Rademacher each have a 2025 option!

As a reminder of why it has been impossible to overthrow the PSU dynasty (3x defending champs; 12 of the last 14 top trophies)---Lilledahl, Duke, Ryder, Barr, and Mirasola either presently attend or are slated to matriculate in State College at a later date!!....Blaze is rumored to be a silent lean!!!