Harry Lester advances to finals in return to mat at Dave Schultz Memorial International

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The much-anticipated rematch between Jake Deitchler and Harry Lester will have to wait.

Deitchler, a 2008 Olympian, dropped a hard-fought, three-period battle to 2008 Olympic Trials runner-up Cheney Haight on Friday in the 74 kg/163 lbs. semifinals of the Dave Schultz Memorial International Open.

Haight advanced to the finals opposite Lester, a two-time World bronze medalist who was upset by Deitchler in the semifinals of the Olympic Trials at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.

Lester also has bumped up to 74 kilos and beat U.S. Olympic Education Center teammate Jake Fisher 1-1, 2-1 in the semis. Lester retired after the Olympics last June, but started training again late last fall and made his return to the mat on Friday.

“These guys are big in this weight class,” Lester said. “I have to get used to it. I like this weight class. It is competitive up and down. It will push me to get better, hopefully sooner than later.”

Lester relied on strong defense to beat Fisher, his training partner at the 2007 World Championships.

“Jake is one of my best friends up there,” Lester said. “After this, we will hang out. He’ll probably ask me what he did wrong and I will tell him. That is how we get better.”

Haight said he will forfeit to Lester in the finals because of an injury. That will give Lester his third title in the Dave Schultz Memorial.

“I am done – my back has been hurt,” Haight said. “I wanted to wrestle the semifinal match to score points for the New York Athletic Club. I would be wrestling my teammate in the finals. I am wrestling in another tournament next week and the week after that, so we decided not to wrestle tonight.”

Haight pulled out one of the most exciting matches of the first session at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Haight dropped the first period to Deitchler after it ended 1-1, but rebounded to win the next two periods by scores of 4-0 and 5-1. Haight was able to turn Deitchler to his back in each of the final two periods.

“He got me in the first period,” Haight said. “I couldn’t score on top. I got warmed up in the second period. I was able to turn him and that was a turning point in the match. I felt like I was in shape for this tournament.”

It will be a rematch of the 2008 Olympic Trials at 55 kg/121 lbs. as Olympian Spenser Mango will look for another victory over rival Sam Hazewinkel in the finals. Hazewinkel won a World University title in 2008.

Hazewinkel pulled out a gritty three-period win over two-time Junior World champion Aleksandar Kostadinov of Bulgaria in Friday morning’s semifinals.

The three-day event continues through Sunday.

FINAL ROUND PAIRINGS

GRECO-ROMAN

55 kg/121 lbs.

Spenser Mango (New York AC) vs. Sam Hazewinkel (Sunkist Kids)

60 kg/132 lbs.

Top round-robin records: Joe Betterman (New York AC) 2-0, Jeremiah Davis (U.S. Army) 3-0

Two rounds remaining in second session, including Betterman-Davis match

66 kg/145.5 lbs.

Kerry Regner (Sunkist Kids) vs. Jacob Curby (New York AC)

74 kg/163 lbs.

Cheney Haight (New York AC) vs. Harry Lester (New York AC)