North Carolina State University Athletics
Gantt Wins Gold, Reenan Bronze at Bill Farrell International
4/2/2018 8:48:00 AM | Wrestling
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Former NC State All-American Tommy Gantt (74 kg) won all three of his bouts and claimed top honors at the 2018 Bill Farrell Memorial International Tournament this past weekend, while redshirt-sophomore Nick Reenan (86 kg) placed third at his first senior-level tournament.
Â
Gantt automatically qualifies for the upcoming World Team Trials in May with the first place finish.
Â
Gantt started with a bye into the quarterfinals. In his first match, Gantt defeated Nestor Taffur, Boston University's all-time wins leader, with a pair of second period takedowns, 6-3.
Â
In the semifinals, Gantt made one of the best comebacks of the tournament and defeated Franklin Gomez, 11-7. Gomez was up 6-0 after the first period and then 7-0 early into the second. Gantt went of the offensive, recording three takedowns and a pair of gut wrenches all in the final 1:46 of the bout. Gomez is a former national champion at Michigan State (133 pounds in 2009) and has wrestled for Puerto Rico in each of the last two Summer Olympics.
In the finals, Gantt recorded an 11-0 tech fall over Dan Vallimont. After a pushout, Gantt added a pair of takedowns in the first and led 5-0 at the break. He then got in on a takedown to start the second and a pair of back bows ended the bout 1:15 into the final period. Vallimont wrestled at Penn State, and finished second in 2010 and third in 2008, and was a member of the 2014 U.S. World Cup Freestyle Team.
Reenan's bracket was a round robin. His best win was a 12-1 tech fall victory over Evan Hansen.
Â
Â
Gantt automatically qualifies for the upcoming World Team Trials in May with the first place finish.
Â
Gantt started with a bye into the quarterfinals. In his first match, Gantt defeated Nestor Taffur, Boston University's all-time wins leader, with a pair of second period takedowns, 6-3.
Â
In the semifinals, Gantt made one of the best comebacks of the tournament and defeated Franklin Gomez, 11-7. Gomez was up 6-0 after the first period and then 7-0 early into the second. Gantt went of the offensive, recording three takedowns and a pair of gut wrenches all in the final 1:46 of the bout. Gomez is a former national champion at Michigan State (133 pounds in 2009) and has wrestled for Puerto Rico in each of the last two Summer Olympics.
Down 7-0 with under two minutes to go, Tommy Gantt finds another gear and scores 11 answered to beat world silver medalist Franklin Gomez.
— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) March 31, 2018
Great semifinals victory for Tommy Gantt @TGantt70kg over World Medalist, Franklin Gomez of Puerto Rico.
— Wolfpack WC (@WolfpackWC) March 31, 2018
Followed up with 11-0 tech. fall over former @USAWrestling National Team member, Dan Vallimont for the #BillFarrell18 championship at 74kg pic.twitter.com/bbZ0REAqv2
Nick Reenan finishes with a bronze medal in his first senior level tournament #BillFarrell18 pic.twitter.com/zSEdxszZ09
— Wolfpack WC (@WolfpackWC) March 31, 2018
Players Mentioned
/ Wrestling
#PackMentality Pop-Ins Podcast: Ep. 147 - VT Preview & Will Denny
Tuesday, January 27
#PackMentality Pop-Ins Podcast: Ep. 146 - Midseason Report for Start of ACC Duals
Wednesday, January 07
#PackMentality Pop-Ins Podcast: Ep. 145 - Transfer Patrick Brophy
Monday, January 05
#PackMentality Pop-Ins Podcast: Ep. 144 - Season Shifts into Second Semester Action
Tuesday, December 16