Graham graduate David Taylor advances to NCAA mat finals

Graham High School graduate and four-time state champion David Taylor is a win away from being an NCAA champion after grabbing two victories during Friday’s second day of the NCAA Wrestling Championships in Philadelphia.

The unbeaten redshirt freshman beat Steve Fittery of American 7-1 in the evening semifinals and will meet fourth-seeded Bubba Jenkins of Arizona State for the 157-pound title tonight. Taylor was seeded third going in.

Taylor beat Derek St. John of Iowa 6-3 in his morning quarterfinal.

Another former Falcon, Zac Thomusseit, lost both of his Friday matches and failed to place.

Thomusseit had lost his morning championship quarterfinal match 8-2 to Clayton Foster of Oklahoma State to fall out of the championship bracket, then fell 2-0 to Sonny Yohn of Minnesota in his match to secure at least an eighth place.

Also, Zac’s younger brother, freshman Max Thomusseit (184), lost in the fourth round of consolations by a 6-5 score to Matt Ryan of West Virginia and was also eliminated.

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