Valles, Kuhar defend national freestyle titles at ASICS/Vaughan Cadet Nationals in freestyle

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
07/29/2005


A pair of returning champions were able to win for the second year in a row at the ASICS/Vaughan Cadet Nationals at the FargoDome in Fargo, N.D., July 29.    Returning champions who were able to win their second career Junior Nationals freestyle title were Anthony Valles of Connecticut at 98 pounds and Ben Kuhar of Ohio at 275 pounds.    Valles scored a 5-0 decision over Ben Sergent of Ohio in the championship finals, scoring four of the points in the second period.    Kuhar fell behind Ohio teammate Cameron Wade in the second period of their finals match, 4-1, but came back with a reversal and pin at the 3:35 mark.    The Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament was 140 pound champion Luke Ashmore of Texas, who scored an impressive 3-1 win over a rugged opponent, Scott Winston of New Jersey in the finals. Ashmore became the first Cadet champion from Texas.     Five 2005 Greco-Roman champions were able to win the freestyle competition, to capture what is known as a double title in the international styles.     At 84 pounds, Greco-Roman champion Andrew Long of Iowa, won his second title of the week, with a 6-0 win over Ricky Reinoehl of Pennsylvania, 6-0. He is the younger brother of former NCAA finalist Dylan Long.     At 119 pounds, Greco-Roman champion Michael Mangrum of Washington added a national freestyle title with a solid 7-3 win over Jason Chamberlain of Utah.     In an overtime comeback match at 145 pounds, Greco-Roman champion Eren Civan of Maryland edged Josh Stalcup of Oregon, 3-2 at 4:18. Civan trailed 2-0 after regulation, but the match went to overtime because the required three points had not been scored. From the clinch position, Civan threw Stalcup for three points and the sudden death victory.     At 189 pounds, Greco-Roman champion Deron Winn of Missouri overcame an injury to defeat Jerome Ward of Illinois, 4-2. Winn led 4-0 after the first period, and early in the second period was injured after a Ward takedown. Winn held on to win the match, in spite of obvious challenges due to the fall.    Another exciting match that went to a Greco-Roman champion was at 215 pounds, where Tyrell Fortune of Oregon claimed the title over D.J. Bruce of Illinois, 11-5. Bruce led the match 4-2 in the second period, when Fortune opened up the offense, scoring a number of exposures with spectacular technique.    In addition, 2004 Cadet Greco-Roman champion Luke Rebertus of Maryland stopped Kirk Smith of Idaho, 7-4. Rebertus jumped to a fast 6-0 lead over Smith, but was injured as Smith scored his first takedown in the opening period. Reburtus held off an aggressive Smith in the second period in order to claim his second career Cadet National title.    One of the 2005 Greco-Roman champions in the finals fell short in his quest for a second crown, when Andy Thomas of West Virginia stopped Greco-Roman champion Andrew Buck of Washington, 8-3 at 171 pounds.    No athlete was able to win a 2005 USA Wrestling Cadet Triple Crown this year. The Cadet Triple Crown goes to any Cadet wrestler who wins the USA Wrestling national title in folkstyle, Greco-Roman and freestyle during the same year. Four athletes entered the freestyle event with the first two legs of the Triple Crown, but none qualified for the championship finals.    Two Cadet Greco-Roman runners-up were able to make the freestyle finals and win gold medals, David Taylor of Ohio at 91 pounds and Tyler Clark of Illinois at 105 pounds. Taylor beat B.J. Futrell of Illinois by technical fall in the finals 10-0, while Clark stopped Mark Weber of Michigan, 5-1.    2004 Cadet National freestyle runner-up Tyler Graff of Colorado was able to win the gold medal this year, with a 5-1 overtime decision over Nate Moore of Iowa. The regulation ended 2-0 in favor of Graff, but he had not scored the mandatory three points. Graff hit a three-point throw in the overtime period from the clinch position to get the win.    A pair of high school teammates from New Jersey earned titles as Kellen Russell (125) and Mario Mason (135) captured gold medals. Both attend Blair Academy. Russell stopped Craig Wilson of Missouri, 6-0, while Mason controlled Johnny Koepp of Texas, 7-0.    Pat Wright of Michigan won a wide open and competitive 11-9 decision over Chris Hacker of Oklahoma on a last-second two-point counter exposure off a throw made by Hacker. The victory made Hacker a two-time runner-up this week, as he was also second in the Greco-Roman competition on Monday night.    Capturing the 130-pound title was Alex Meade of Delaware, who scored a 5-3 win over Sean Bilodeau of Massachusetts.