Vega actually has a ton of Freestyle credentials from HS. He is a 2x Fargo national champ and 4x All-American. As a Sophomore he was USAW triple crown winner. His Junior year in HS he was the UWW junior nationals open champion & placed runner up at the UWW jr world team trials. He's just a very small 125 and needs to add muscle because I don't think he'd gonna add height
Thanks. The Taylor match would have been close if Pat had been in competition tournament shape...same with Nickal (Pat hadn't wrestled a live match since the ASU dual in early January). Downey got a pig tail and Taylor got a first round bye. Downey wrestled three tough All Americans (coming back from an early 6-0 deficit vs Renda to win 10-6...took a lot from the tank). Downey's 18 minutes vs Taylor's 1 minute of wrestling before their match was a factor in those cheap push outs. p.s. In the Dean match, Downey controlled the center, the pace and the action...had Dean on the run. Good luck to the Cyclones this year.
Exactly...with the tournament spread out over two days, there's no excuse for guys being put in such unfair situations. Nickal hadn't wrestled one match, Downey had just went through Asper then Dean; Taylor had wrestled 1 minute to Downey's 18 minutes. These are not excuses, but facts; and anyone who thinks, especially at this level, that these factors aren't significant, really doesn't appreciate the toll it takes.
I can say I am genuinely happy for Downey and his results at the US Open. He is a true talent and I hope he is able to keep training and accomplish his goals. Congrats to him.
Thank you. To come off of a three month layoff from live competition and to scrap with one All American after another within a couple hours is no easy task. All things considered, he did very well.
