Apr 15

WRESTLING UPDATE: Mango named Outstanding Wrestler as five repeat at University Greco-Roman Nationals in Akron, Ohio; Seven qualify for Olympic Team Trials

AKRON, OHIO - Spencer Mango (Mo./Gator WC/USOEC) won the 60 kg/132 pound division and was named Outstanding Wrestler at the University Greco-Roman National Championships, held at the Univ. of Akron on Friday. Mango defended his University Nationals title from last year, one of five repeat champions who claimed titles during the finals round. Mango was competing up one weight class from his normal 55 kg/121 lbs. He defeated Donovan DePatto (Quantico, Va./U.S. Marines) in the gold-medal finals, 5-1, 4-0. It was the second straight year that Mango defeated DePatto in the final round at the University Nationals."I am up a weight class,"said Mango."The coaches felt it was best for me to go at 60 kg and go down to 55 kg for the U.S. Nationals. At Northern Michigan, I wrestle guys at 60 kg all the time. This is nothing new. We do this in training."For the second straight year, Mango won a USA Wrestling national title alongside his younger brother, who defended his crown at the FILA Cadet Nationals held side-by-side during the day. Mango finds it harder helping coach his brother than competing."It is hard. For my matches, I am calm and confident. With him, I'm always nervous. I am pacing around during his matches. I want him to do well,"said Mango. The other four returning champions who won for the second straight year are teammates with Mango at the U.S. Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan Univ. Repeating as champions were Kerry Regner (USOEC) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs., Andrew Bisek (Minn. Storm/USOEC) at 74 kg/163 lbs., Jacob Fisher (NYAC/USOEC) at 79 kg/174 lbs and Chas Betts (Minn. Storm/USOEC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. Kerry Regner defeated unattached Chad Vandiver in the finals, 3-0, 6-0. Bisek defeated Kyle Bounds of Oregon, 7-0, 5-0 in the finals. Fisher stopped USOEC teammate Chad Hemerson in the finals, 5-0, 6-0. Betts beat Zak Nielsen of the Minnesota Storm, 3-0, 2-2. Champions in the seven Olympic weight classes qualified for a spot in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling in Las Vegas, Nev., June 13-15. At the University Nationals, there are 10 weight classes, so the three non-Olympic weight classes do not advance to the Olympic Trials. Mango, Bisek and Betts won Olympic weight classes and earned a trip to Las Vegas."This is a good event to win coming into the hard part of our season,"said Bisek."I don't think I have ever wrestled my finals opponent before. One of my teammates wrestled him and did pretty well, even though he lost. I felt pretty confident going in.""It is nice to have this event now,"said Betts."We have been training hard. It is a good time to have this before the U.S. Nationals. You get to try your technique that you have been working on."Also winning Olympic weight divisions to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials were Nikko Triggas (Moraga, Calif./Ohio State) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Bo Beckman (Orem, Utah/USOEC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Peter Gounaridis (Leominster, Mass./USOEC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Erik Nye (Red Bluff, Calif./Northern Xtreme) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Triggas, a two-time Junior Nationals Greco-Roman champion who competes for Ohio State, scored a technical fall over Paul Tellgreen of the Minnesota Storm, 6-0, 6-0. Beckman stopped Calvin Miller of the Road RunnerWC, 4-0, 6-0 in the finals. Gounaridis, who was second at the University Nationals last year, beat his USOEC teammate Michael Rossetti, 3-0, 3-0. Nye, who has placed fifth at the FILA Junior World Championships the last two years, pinned 2008 Armed Forces champion David Arendt Jr of the US Marines in 1:59 in the finals. The University Nationals also serves as a qualifying event for the 2008 University World Team Trials in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 23-24. The University World Championships will be held in Greece in July. Nye, who competes for Sierra College in California, is excited about the chance to try out for the University World Team for another chance to compete against top foreign opponents."It would be very exciting to make the University World Team. Maybe the Russian will be there this time, so I can have a chance to beat him."The other individual champion at 70 kg/154.25 lbs was Jon Drendel of USOEC, giving the USOEC program eight individual champions. Two returning champions were defeated and did not qualify for the championship finals, Robby Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Kenny Lester (Oviedo, Fla./Sunkist Kids) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Smith finished third and Lester placed fifth. UNIVERSITY GRECO-ROMAN NATIONALS At Akron, Ohio, April 11 55 kg/121 lbs 1st Place - Nikko Triggas of Ohio State 2nd Place - Paul Tellgreen of Minnesota Storm 3rd Place - Miguel Pena of US Marines 4th Place - Mark Mcknight of The New Age Gladiators 5th Place - Tyler Moore of US Air Force 6th Place - Dustin Mckinney of ALL- NAVY 7th Place - Ryan Hall of USOEC 8th Place - Fred Santaite of Graybird Wrestling Club' 1st - Nikko Triggas (Ohio State) tech fall over Paul Tellgreen (Minnesota Storm), 6-0, 6-0 3rd - Miguel Pena (US Marines) dec. Mark McKnight (The New Age Gladiators), 3-0,4-0 5th - Tyler Moore (US Air Force) pin Dustin McKinney (All-Navy), 8-1,0:34 7th - Ryan Hall (USOEC) dec. Fred Santaite (Graybird Wrestling Club), 2-3, 4-2, 3-1 60 kg/132.25 lbs 1st Place - Spenser Mango of USOEC 2nd Place - Donny DePatto of US Marines 3rd Place - David Armstrong of Cleveland State 4th Place - Andrew Perez of US Air Force 5th Place - Aaron Navarrete of Titan Wrestling Club 6th Place - Dean Maraj of US Air Force 7th Place - Andrew Smith of Clarion WC 8th Place - Norman Richmond of Penninsula 1st - Spenser Mango (USOEC) dec. Donny DePatto (US Marines), 5-1, 4-0 3rd - David Armstrong (Cleveland State) tech. fall Andrew Perez (US Air Force), 6-0, 6-0 5th - Aaron Navarrete (Titan Wrestling Club) won by pin over Dean Maraj (US Air Force) (Pin 6-0,1:47) 7th Place Match 7th Place Match - Andrew Smith (Clarion WC) won by injury default over Norman Richmond (Penninsula) (Inj.) 63 KG / 138.75 lbs 1st Place - Kerry Regner of USOEC 2nd Place - Chad Vandiver of Unattached 3rd Place - Reece Humphrey of Ohio State 4th Place - Gabriel Mooney of MinnKota 5th Place - Anthony Jerome of Bearcats 6th Place - Eric Luke of Y.E.S Greensboro 7th Place - Joe Murphy of Minnesota Storm 8th Place - Frank Sade of Your Moms Wrestling Academy 1st - Kerry Regner (USOEC) dec. Chad Vandiver (Unattached), 3-0, 6-0 3rd - Reece Humphrey (Ohio State) dec. Gabriel Mooney (MinnKota), 3-2, 5-0 5th - Anthony Jerome (Bearcats) dec. Eric Luke (Y.E.S Greensboro), 4-0, 8-0 7th - Joe Murphy (Minnesota Storm) pin Frank Sade (Your Moms Wrestling Academy), 1-1, 7-3, 1:53) 66 kg/145.5 lbs 1st Place - Bo Beckman of USOEC 2nd Place - Calvin Miller of RoadRunnerWC 3rd Place - Ben Sanchez of USOEC 4th Place - Sal Lascari of Clarion WC 5th Place - Lance Gallegos of Northern Colorado 6th Place - Brian Graham of Valley Wrestling 7th Place - Nic Remer of ALL- NAVY 8th Place - Dustin Leutz of Rock Head Wrestling Club 1st - Bo Beckman (USOEC) dec. Calvin Miller (RoadRunnerWC), 4-0, 6-0 3rd - Ben Sanchez (USOEC) dec. Sal Lascari (Clarion WC), 5-0, 6-0 5th - Lance Gallegos (Northern Colorado) pin Brian Graham (Valley Wrestling), 0-6, 7-4, 0:41 7th - Nic Remer (All Navy) pin Dustin Leutz (Rock Head Wrestling Club), 0:27 70 kg/154.25 lbs 1st Place - Jon Drendel of USOEC 2nd Place - Aaron Briggs of USOEC 3rd Place - Aaron Drain of US Air Force 4th Place - Joe Grygelko of Minnesota Storm 5th Place - Carlo Ferrandino of Graybird Wrestling Club 6th Place - Mike Cubillos of Graybird Wrestling Club 7th Place - Tyler Davis of Cowboy Wrestling Club 8th Place - Greg Lewis of Clarion WC 1st - Jon Drendel (USOEC) dec. Aaron Briggs (USOEC), 2-3, 4-1, 2-1 3rd - Aaron Drain (US Air Force) dec. Joe Grygelko (Minnesota Storm), 2-1, 2-1 5th - Carlo Ferrandino (Graybird Wrestling Club) dec. Mike Cubillos (Graybird Wrestling Club), 6-0, 2-0 7th - Tyler Davis (Cowboy Wrestling Club) dec. Greg Lewis (Clarion WC), 8-2, 3-1 74 kg/163 lbs 1st Place - Andrew Bisek of Minnesota Storm 2nd Place - Kyle Bounds of Oregon 3rd Place - Jacob Curby of USOEC 4th Place - Chris Bullins of Y.E.S Greensboro 5th Place - Peter Hicks of US Air Force 6th Place - Auton Gottfredson of USOEC 7th Place - Bulla Tuzon of River City Wrestling 8th Place - Tony Bradberry of Firebird Freestyle 1st - Andrew Bisek (Minnesota Storm) dec. Kyle Bounds (Oregon), 7-0, 5-0 3rd - Jacob Curby (USOEC) dec. Chris Bullins (Y.E.S Greensboro), 3-2, 7-0 5th - Peter Hicks (US Air Force) dec. Auton Gottfredson (USOEC), 1-1, 2-1 7th - Bulla Tuzon (River City Wrestling) tech fall Tony Bradberry (Firebird Freestyle), 6-0, 6-0 79 kg / 174 lbs. 1st Place - Jake Fisher of USOEC 2nd Place - Chad Hemerson of USOEC 3rd Place - Talan Knox of USOEC 4th Place - Rob Schoner of Aww Schmidt WC 5th Place - Kaleb Young of Minnesota Storm 6th Place - John Sinchok of Campbellsville Univ 7th Place - Todd Noel of Titan Wrestling Club 8th Place - Dan Kennedy of Graybird Wrestling Club 1st - Jake Fisher (USOEC) dec. Chad Hemerson (USOEC), 5-0, 6-0 3rd - Talan Knox (USOEC) pin Rob Schoner (Aww Schmidt WC), 7-0, 0:29 5th - Kaleb Young (Minnesota Storm) tech. fall John Sinchok (Campbellsville Univ), 8-0, 6-0 7th - Todd Noel (Titan Wrestling Club) pin Dan Kennedy (Graybird Wrestling Club), 6-0, 0:57 84 kg/185 lbs 1st Place - Chas Betts of Minnesota Storm 2nd Place - Zak Nielsen of Minnesota Storm 3rd Place - Cheney Haight of USOEC 4th Place - Alex Piasecki of SWAT 5th Place - Brent Eidenschenk of Minnesota Storm 6th Place - Jacob Ison of Bobcat Wrestling Club 7th Place - Ian Murphy of Titan Wrestling Club 8th Place - Walter Hoffman of US Air Force 1st - Chas Betts (Minnesota Storm) dec. Zak Nielsen (Minnesota Storm), 3-0, 2-2 3rd - Cheney Haight (USOEC) dec. Alex Piasecki (SWAT), 3-1, 6-0 5th - Brent Eidenschenk (Minnesota Storm) inj. dft. Jacob Ison (Bobcat Wrestling Club) 7th - Ian Murphy (Titan Wrestling Club) dec. Walter Hoffman (US Air Force), 4-0, 1-5, 2-1 96 kg/211.5 lbs 1st Place - Peter Gounaridis of USOEC 2nd Place - Michael Rossetti of USOEC 3rd Place - Robby Smith of NYAC 4th Place - Jon Schmidt of Aww Schmidt WC 5th Place - Andrew Moore of La Crosse Wrestling 6th Place - Levi Wofford of Sunkist Kids 7th Place - Moises Hernandez of US Marines 8th Place - Nader Maghribi of US Air Force 1st - Peter Gounaridis (USOEC) dec. Michael Rossetti (USOEC), 3-0, 3-0 3rd - Robby Smith (NYAC) pin Jon Schmidt (Aww Schmidt WC), 1:12 5th - Andrew Moore (La Crosse Wrestling) dec. Levi Wofford (Sunkist Kids), 4-3, 5-0 7th - Moises Hernandez (US Marines) dec. Nader Maghribi (US Air Force), 4-1, 6-0 120 kg/264.5 lbs 1st Place - Erik Nye of Northern Xtreme 2nd Place - David Arendt Jr of US Marines 3rd Place - Peter Kowalczuk of USOEC 4th Place - Charlie Alexander of Oregon 5th Place - Kenny Lester of Sunkist Kids 6th Place - Jarod Trice of Chippewa Wrestling Club 7th Place - Brendan Herlihy of Penn State 8th Place - Ivan Muller of Citadel Old Timers 1st - Erik Nye (Northern Xtreme) pin David Arendt Jr (US Marines), 1:59 3rd - Peter Kowalczuk (USOEC) dec. Charlie Alexander (Oregon), 6-0, 4-0 5th - Kenny Lester (Sunkist Kids) won by forfeit over Jarod Trice (Chippewa Wrestling Club) 7th - Brendan Herlihy (Penn State) dec. Ivan Muller (Citadel Old Timers), 1-1, 3-0 True Second Place Matches (for placement at University World Team Trials) 55 kg/121 lbs. Paul Telllgeen (Minnesota Storm) dec. Miguel Pena (U.S. Marines), 3-1, 5-0 60 kg/132 lbs. Donny DePatto (U.S. Marines) dec. David Armstrong (Cleveland State), 5-0, 1-1 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Ben Sanchez (USOEC) dec. Calvin Miller (Road Runner WC), 4-0, 3-0 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Mike Rossetti (USOEC) dec. Robby Smith (New York AC), 1-1, 1-1