Days two and three are in the books at the AAU Wrestling 2021 Scholastic Duals, which took place at the award-winning Orange County Convention Center West Concourse in Orlando, Florida. Thus far, we have seen the District All-Star teams, Developmental teams, and Girls teams take the mats. Friday, June 25-27, the Community 1 and Community 2 Divisions will take their turn on the mats.
Here were five things that stuck out from days two and three of the action.
+ The MAWA Warriors kept rolling. Over the three days, MAWA won all 12 team duals and only lost three individual matches in total (exhibition matches excluded). Also, one of those individual losses was a forfeit. With that, a MAWA grappler lost only twice in more than 160 combined individual bouts.
Additionally, 12 of the 14 MAWA starters were undefeated over the three days. That number rises to 13 out of 14 starters if you remove the lone forfeit loss that MAWA suffered. The dominant team effort allowed MAWA to claim its third consecutive Disney Dual Gold All-Star Division title.
+ The Buzakis brothers were simply outstanding. Nic, the elder of the two siblings, was 12-0 with 11 pins and a win by medical forfeit late in the third period of a match with Conner Heckman (Nauman Blue). Nic was leading 22-10 at the time of the injury default. In doing so, Nic registered 11 takedowns in that match, and all Heckman's points were awarded because Nic let him up. Lastly, he registered the most falls in the shortest amount of time at the Duals, earning his 11 pins in just 11 minutes and two seconds.
Vince, the younger Buzakis, who finished his eighth-grade season earlier this year, was 12-0 overall with 11 pins and a major decision victory. In total, the Buzakis brothers were a combined 24-0 with 22 falls. Vice recorded his 11 pins in only 17 minutes and 47 seconds.
+ Team Nauman proved that MAWA isn't the only Pennsylvania-based team that is scrapped well down in Disney. Team Nauman Wrestling Club, which had three teams (Black, Purple, and Blue) competing across the various men's divisions this week racked up the wins. Nauman Black finished 10-0, and Nauman Purple ended 9-1. Team Nauman Blue ended 9-2. So, in total, the trio of Nauman teams are a combined 26-3 over the last three days.
+ On the women's side, Faith Cole (STL Green) and Virginia Foard (Hammer Chicks) both proved why they are ranked within the top five nationally at their respective weights. Cole ended the tournament a perfect 13-0 with seven pins, three technical falls, two decisions, and a forfeit victory.
Foard went 12-1 at The Duals in similarly dominant fashion, with her lone loss coming to Cole. In her 12 wins, Foard secured eight pins, one technical fall, one major decision, and one regular decision.
+ The 2021 Disney Duals represent a historic feat. Not only did the women's participant pool double in size from 2019, having 20 total teams, but also SOWA shocked some teams en route to winning it all.
Iowa jumped out, defeating their first two opponents, but then had their fortunes reversed. South Orange County Wrestling Academy dug deep and avenged their previous loss to the then-11-0 Iowa Slaughter Mouse Team. This accomplishment was only surpassed, as SOWA toppled then-12-0 St. Louis. St. Louis Green being the only remaining undefeated team at the time. This effort gave SOWA a hard-fought and well-earned "National AAU Title."
+ A special shoutout to the MAWA Warriors big men. Nicholas Feldman (220) and Sean Kinney (285) were as dominant as it gets. Both were 12-0 overall. Additionally, Feldman had a bonus-point rate of 100%, while Kinney's bonus-point rate was a very respectable 86%. Together, this duo achieved a combined bonus point rate of nearly 92%.
For other impressive team and individual statistical achievements, refer to Trackwrestling.com.
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