Walizer in Quarterfinals of Fargo Greco-Roman Championships
By Joe Walker
FARGO, ND-Central Mountain Senior wrestler and future Lock Haven University Bald Eagle Griffin Walizer went 4-0 in the first day of the Junior Greco-Roman National Championships at the Fargodome. Walizer is now set to wrestle on Saturday in the championship quarterfinals and needs one win to earn his All-American Status.
Walizer is the 12th seed at 150 pounds after wrestling at 144 pounds in the Freestyle championships. He started the day with a fall over Caden Everson of North Dakota in the round of 256. Everson was leading 4-1 when Walizer hit him with a headlock for a four point move and a 5-4 lead before recording the fall in 1:12 of first period.
In the round of 128 Walizer took down Zymihr Dabbs and rolled him four times exposing his shoulders for two points each time and earning a 10-0 tech fall 38 seconds into the first period. Walizer recorded his third win with a forfeit win over Grant Schneider of Texas in the round of 32, Schneider elected not to return to the mat after Walizer was leading 9-0.
Walizer’s final win of the day was a very impressive 6-2 decision over Rafael Garcia Morales of Puerto Rico in the round of 16. Morales recently won a Bronze medal in the Junior Pan Am U-20 Greco-Roman Championships..
In the championship quarterfinals on Saturday, Walizer will face #4 seeded Paul Kelly of California. Kelly was the runner-up in the Fargo Junior Freestyle Championships at 150 pounds and is a two time state place winner. Kelley placed third in California as a junior and then was a state runner-up this past season.
Kelly lost to two-time state champion Danny Zepeda in their California state finals bout, Zepeda won the 144 pound Freestyle championship in Fargo and defeated State Colleges’ Pierson Manville in the semifinals. California only has one classification in high school wrestling.
For those that do not know in Greco-Roman wrestling you can not shoot for takedowns below the wrestlers waist or use your legs to trip your opponent. It is all upper body style wrestling and a lot different from high school folkstyle wrestling.
