Illinois Matmen
STATE COLLEGE, PA • The path to Paris runs through the Bryce Jordan Center on the campus of Penn State University this weekend and, in what may be the most challenging Trials across all weights for the US, whoever comes out as the US representative will undoubtedly be a true medal contender come the Olympic Games this August.
For the ladies of Illinois, there are some great stories that may be told this weekend, starting with Kennedy Blades at 76kg (Sunkist Kids WC and Izzy Style Wrestling). Blades, who many have penned as the heir apparent to Adeline Gray when Gray chooses to walk away, may do one better by winning the Challenge Tournament and then defeating Gray in the best-of-three series and take over the weight by force, not default. But, Blades will have to wrestle through the Challenge Tournament and win that before getting to Paris. There will be some solid wrestlers in the field, but if Blades is on, she is simply the best there and should face Gray for the right to represent the US in this year’s Olympic Games.
