Six wrestlers repeat as champions at Veterans Greco-Roman Nationals

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestler)
04/12/2006


Six wrestlers won Greco-Roman national titles for the second straight year at the Veterans National Greco-Roman Championships in Las Vegas, Nev., April 12.

The Veterans Nationals is for athletes who are 35 years old and above. There are five age divisions in Veterans wrestling.

Those repeating as Veterans National Greco-Roman champions from last year included:
-	Mark Lavasseur of the Minnesota Storm in Div. C at 127.75 pounds
-	Ronald Hughes, unattached, in Div. B at 152 pounds
-	Steve Hart of Ralston Valley Mustangs, in Div. D at 138.75 pounds
-	Gerald Ponce of Golden State WC in Div. E at 286.5 pounds.
-	Boris Parkhomovsky of Washington DC WC in Div. E at 152 pounds
-	Donald Apodaca of H.B. Grappling, in Div. E at 187.25 pounds

Hughes, a past Veterans World champion in Greco-Roman, won two matches in his roundrobin, including a 5-0, 4-1 win over runner-up Melton East of Driller Wrestling.

Hart also won both roundrobin matches in his division. He beat runner-up Jim Lucas of the Spartan WC, 3-3, 2-1 in a key match.

Ponce won two straight matches over Bruce Quinn of the Fallguys WC, pinning him in 44 seconds and in 1:27. 

Parkhomovsky won a best of three series against Monsour Honarvar of No Mercy. Parkhomovsky won the first match, but Honarvar came back to win the second match. In the deciding third match, Parkhomovsky beat Honarvar, 3-0, 1-1.

Apodaca won three matches to claim his title, including a victory over runner-up Igor Gorodetsky of the Washington DC Wrestling Club by pin in 1:13.

Lavasseur won his weight class uncontested.

Each year, USA Wrestling recognizes Veterans Triple Crown winners, athletes who win national titles in all three styles the same year. This year, after two of the three events, there are four wrestlers who remain eligible for the Triple Crown this year.

These wrestlers won their second Veterans Nationals title this year, to go along with a Veterans Folkstyle Nationals title, which they won in Cedar Falls, Iowa, April 2-3.

Those still alive for the Veterans Triple Crown include Lavasseur, Hart, Anthony Porcelli of Team Porcelli (Div. B at 187.5 lbs.) and J.D. Hawkins of Team Jesus (Div. D, 152 pounds). Each has a chance to win the Triple Crown in the Veterans Freestyle Nationals, set for Thursday.

Marco Sanchez of the Sunkist Kids, a former NCAA All-American at Arizona State and an Olympian for Puerto Rico, won the Div. A title at 152 pounds. He won two matches without allowing a point, outscoring his opponents 25-0.

Other champions in Div. A included Dave Nowick of Grapplers Edge (138.75), Kevin Pine of Elma WC (167.5), Milko Mehia of the New York AC (187.25) and Ronald Ayers, unattached (214.5).

James Demos of X-All Army, a former member of the Greco-Roman national team when he competed for the U.S. Army, won the 286.5 pound weight in Div. B, beating Robert Redman of the Skyline WC by pin in both matches

Other champions in Div. B included Darryl Johnson of Minnesota Storm (167.5) and Richard Wilson of the Sunkist Kids (214). 

Other champions in Div. C were Robert Wijtman of Yreka Wrestling Team (152), Bruce Moe, unattached (167.5), Tony Macedo of Spartan WC (187.25), James Schrader of Toro WC (214) and Doug Reese of Tornado WC (286.5).

Other champions in Div. D were Kevin Ida, unattached (127.75), Sarkis Dermenjian of Golden Boys (187.25) and Brad Rehor of the Fort Worth Eagles (286.5).

Others champions in Div. E were Alexsandr Kushnirov of the Washington CD Wrestling Club (138.5) and Charles Hotcaveg, unattached (167.5).

Click here for Veterans Greco-Roman results