Four Gophers to Represent United States at Junior World Championships
May 29, 2008
Minnesota Golden Gopher
wrestlers Zach Sanders, Jake Deitchler, Ben Berhow and Brent
Eidenschink will help represent the United States at the 2008 Junior
National Championships in Istanbul, Turkey July 29-August 3. Sanders
(Wabasha, Minn.) qualified by winning the 55 kg./121 lbs. freestyle
division at last weekend’s FILA Junior World Team Trials in Colorado
Springs, Col., and incoming Gopher recruit Deitchler (Ramsey, Minn.)
did the same in the 66 kg./145 lbs. Greco-Roman division.
Rising sophomore Berhow finished second at the Trials in the 120
kg/264.5 lbs. freestyle division and will serve as an alternate on the
team, while rising junior Eidenschink was the runner up at 96 kg/211.5
lbs. in Greco-Roman and will also serve as an alternate. Both wrestlers
will represent their country June 20-22 at the Junior Pan American
Championships in Cuenca, Ecuador.
Sanders defeated David Taylor in two of three championship round
matches to qualify for his first-ever U.S. Junior World Team, while
Deitchler (who will also compete for a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team in
mid-June) defeated Esai Dominguez in the final two matches of their
best-of-three battle.
The 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials will take place June 13-15 in Las
Vegas, Nev., and Deitchler will be competing for a spot on the
Greco-Roman team at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Sanders, who was redshirted last
season, finished second at FILA Junior Nationals last month.