Rochester, Minn. – Two current and three incoming University of Minnesota wrestlers took part in the junior level of the World Team Trials on Friday, with Gable Steveson earning a bid to the best-of-three finals tomorrow afternoon.

Steveson earned technical superiority victories over all three of his opponents along the way to his challenge for the junior world team spot tomorrow. One of those coming against Trent Hillger, a Wisconsin redshirt in 2017-18. Steveson outscored his opponents 35-1 in his 3-0 day, including the 13-0 win over Hillger.

Owen Webster was able to finish in fourth place after finishing the day 2-2 with wins over two Big Ten wrestlers, Max Lyon of Purdue and Cameron Caffey of Michigan State. The action was Webster’s first competition since his injury during the 2017-18 season that cut his first campaign as a Gopher short.

Brayton Lee, a 2018 signed recruit for the Golden Gophers, was able to earn a victory in the quarterfinals, but then dropped his semifinal bout to Brady Berge, who redshirted for Penn State last year, and then again was defeated in the consolation semifinals.

Others competing at the junior level of the World Team Trials were Jakob Bergeland and incoming freshman Patrick McKee, who both posted 0-2 records.

Steveson is set to wrestle in the best-of-three finals tomorrow afternoon in Session IV, which is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m. He will wrestle Gannon Gremmel who qualified to wait for the best-of-three by winning the UWW Junior Nationals Champion. Gremmel just completed his second season at Iowa State where he finished 19-7 for the Cyclones.

Starting tomorrow the senior level wrestlers will begin, with the juniors wrestling at 1:00 p.m. to break up the sessions of the men’s senior freestyle competition.

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Brackets/Results on arena.flowrestling.org

Match-by-Match Results:

57kg – Patrick McKee (0-2, DNP)
Round of 16: Bye
Quarterfinals: Paul Bianchi (Bison WC) tech Patrick McKee, 18-8
Cons Rnd of 8 (2): Aaron Cashman Pinnacle (MN) over Patrick McKee, 8-7

65kg – Jakob Bergeland (0-2, DNP)
Round of 16: Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) over Jakob Bergeland, 9-2
Cons Rnd of 8 (2): Kanen Storr (Michigan) over Jakob Bergeland, 11-5

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70kg – Brayton Lee (1-2, DNP)
Round of 16: Bye
Quarterfinals: Brayton Lee over Will Lewan (Izzy Style), 5-3
Semifinals: Brady Berge (Penn State) over Brayton Lee, 5-1
Cons Semis: Brock Mauller (Eierman Elite) over Brayton Lee, 9-0

86kg – Owen Webster (2-2, 4th Place)
Round of 16: Bye
Quarterfinals: Owen Webster over Max Lyon (Purdue), 9-2
Semifinals: Nino Bonaccorsi (Pittsburgh) tech Owen Webster, 10-0
Cons Semis: Owen Webster tech Cameron Caffey (Michigan State), 12-2
3rd Place: Jelani Embree (Michigan) over Owen Webster, 6-2

125kg – Gable Steveson (3-0, Advances to Best-of-Three Finals vs Gannon Gremmel, IA)
Quarterfinals: Gable Steveson tech Max Darrah (Xtreme Training), 10-0
Semifinals: Gable Steveson tech Trent Hillger (Wisconsin), 13-0
Finals: Gable Steveson tech Anthony Cassioppi (ISI), 12-1

Other Minnesota Wrestlers:

57kg – Aaron Cashman, Pinnacle (3-2, 4th Place)
Aaron Cashman Lost by VSU1 16-6 5:18 Joey Melendez (Izzy Style)
Aaron Cashman Won By VPO1 8-7 Patrick McKee (Minnesota Storm)
Aaron Cashman Won By VPO1 4-2 Sidney Flores (Air Force RTC)
Cons Semis: Aaron Cashman Won By VSU1 12-1 2:55 Rayvon Foley (Michigan State)
3rd: Aaron Cashman Lost 10-0 2:58 Joey Melendez (Izzy Style)

70kg – Peyton Robb, Pinnacle (0-2, DNP)
Peyton Robb Lost 19-14 to AJ Jaffe (Harvard)
Peyton Robb Lost 8-2 to Brock Mauller (Eierman Elite)

70kg – Brady Berge, NLWC (3-0, Advances to Best-of-Three Finals vs Austin O’Connor, IL )
Quarterfinals: Brady Berge Won 12-1 4:33 AJ Jaffe (Harvard)
Semifinals: Brady Berge Won B5-1 Brayton Lee (Red Cobra Westling Academy)
Finals: Brady Berge Won 7-5 David Carr (TMWC)

97kg – Greg Kerkvliet, Pinnacle, sits in the Best-of-Three Finals and will face Zach Elam, MO

Remaining Schedule:

Saturday, May 19
10 a.m. – Session III: Senior men’s freestyle prelims
1 p.m. – Session IV: Senior women’s freestyle and Junior men’s freestyle best-of-three finals
5 p.m. – Session V: Senior men’s freestyle semis and challenge finals

Sunday, May 20
12 p.m. – Senior men’s freestyle best-of-three finals