LAS VEGAS, NEV. - Robbie Smith of the New York AC was the only athlete to repeat as champion from last year at the FILA Junior National Greco-Roman Championships, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

FILA Junior athletes are 17-20 years old. Champions at the FILA Junior Nationals earn the top seed at the FILA Junior World Team Trials in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 25-26, advancing directly into the Championship Series.

Smith swept through the 96 kg/211.5 pound class, defeating Peter Gounaridis of NMU/USOEC by pin in the second period of their finals match, 2-2, 1:22. Smith trains full-time at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Smith was ninth at the 2006 FILA Junior World Championships.

Smith was one of two 2006 FILA Junior World Team members win the FILA Junior Nationals this year. Also winning a FILA Nationals title this year was Erik Nye of Northern Extreme at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. 

In the finals, Nye pinned Jack Danilkowicz of the Charlottesville Wrestling Club in the second period, 1-1,0:27. 

Last year, Nye won the FILA Junior World Team Trials last year in both styles. He competed in both Greco-Roman and freestyle at the 2006 FILA Junior Worlds in Guatemala City, Guatemala, where placed fifth in the freestyle division.

The Outstanding Wrestler in the FILA Juniors in Greco-Roman was  John Dibala of NMU USOEC, who scored won by tech fall over Jacob Deitchler of the Minnesota Storm, 7-0, 6-0 in the finals at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. 

Nikko Triggas of CYC, a 2006 Junior Nationals champion, won the 55 kg/121 lbs. title, defeating Brian Owen of Central Valley, 4-3, 6-0.  

Another 2006 Junior Nationals Greco-Roman champion, Eli Hutchison of the Bronco Club, won the 63 kg/138.75 lbs. title with a 2-1, 2-3, 3-1 decision over unattached Bo Beckman in the finals.

Two wrestlers from the Orange Crush club, based at Oregon State Univ., were individual champions, Tim Patrick at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Brice Arand at 84 kg/185 lbs. Patrick defeated David Cox of Golden Eagle WC in the finals, 3-2, 1-1. Arand needed three periods to defeat Michael Kelly of the New York AC in the finals, 0-4, 8-5, 6-0.

Michael Mangrum of the Vision Quest WC, who was third in last year's Junior Nationals in Greco-Roman, won a very competitive three-period match over Jake Swenson of NMU/USOEC, 5-3, 1-3, 5-3. A three-point bodylock early in the third period gave Mangrum the edge in the deciding period.

Other individual champions included Justin Forrest of MO West Championship WC at 50 kg/110 lbs., Vincent Salminen of MinnKota WC at 70 jg/154 lbs. and Brandon Sitch of the Minnesota Storm at 79 kg/174 lbs.