Junior Freestyle photos

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. - Illinois cleaned house this past week with a double national title at the United States Marine Corps Junior National Duals held at Oklahoma City University.

Illinois turned some heads with their underdog win in Greco-Roman on Friday afternoon, and then entered the freestyle competition with a No. 3 seed.  They destroyed everyone in their pool with the closest match being a 43 point difference. 

In the Championship Pool, Illinois again destroyed Minnesota 49-13 and California 48-15. However, Illinois' toughest dual of the tournament came down to a battle of the heavyweights against New Jersey.  

Jared Platt of New Jersey won the match at 285 pounds by a 4-4, 5-1, 4-0 decision over Illinois' Pete Kowalczuck, but New Jersey needed to pin or technical fall to win the dual which ended with a 29-28 win for Illinois.

In the Championship finals, Illinois took a quick lead with two technical falls at 98 pounds and 105 pounds by Max Nowry and B.J. Futrell and never trailed to Missouri. 

At 112 pounds, both teams' wrestlers earned National runner-up status at last year's ASICS Junior National Championships. Illinois' Jon Morrison placed second in the Junior 98-pound division, and Missouri's Donte Butler placed second at Junior 105 pounds. Butler won the nail-biting dual over Morrison with a 1-4, 2-2, 3-1 decision.  

At 145 pounds, nationally No. 1 ranked Albert White defeated Dylan Joiner of Missouri in a flurry filled three- period decision, 3-1, 0-1, 1-0.

Although, Illinois lost the last two matches of the Championship dual, they established enough of a lead to coast through to a 37-25 win. Illinois won nine of the 15 matches against Missouri.

Three members of the Illinois team, Max Nowry (98), B.J. Futrell (105) and Lee Munster (135), made the All-Tournament team with undefeated records.

In the remaining All-American finals, New Jersey defeated Iowa 33-29 to earn a third-place finish. Oklahoma defeated California 39-27 for a fifth place victory, and Minnesota defeated Kansas 34-26 for a seventh-place win.

Complete results can be found at:
Junior National Freestyle Duals


UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS JUNIOR NATIONAL FREESTYLE DUALS

1st Place - Team Illinois
2nd Place - Team Missouri
3rd Place - Team New Jersey
4th Place - Team Iowa
5th Place - Team Oklahoma
6th Place - Team California 1
7th Place - Team Minnesota
8th Place - Team Kansas

1st Place Match
Team Illinois defeated Team Missouri 37-25.
3rd Place Match
Team New Jersey defeated Team Iowa 33-29.
5th Place Match
Team Oklahoma defeated Team California 1 39-27.
7th Place Match
Team Minnesota defeated Team Kansas 34-26.

2007 Junior Freestyle Duals All-Tournament Team
(undefeated athletes with at least six matches)

98: Max Nowry  10-0 for Illinois       
105: Ladd Rupp 10-0 for Oklahoma             
105: BJ Futrell  8-0 for Illinois                  
112: Donte Butler  9-0 for Missouri              
119: Zach Sanders  7-0 for Minnesota             
125: Nate Moore   10-0 for Iowa 
125: Andy Pokorny 6-0 for Nebraska            
130: Mark Bullwig  8-0 for Iowa            
135: Lee Munster  6-0 for Illinois         
135: Andrew Alton  9-0 for Pennsylvania            
140: Jamal Parks  9-0 for Oklahoma             
140: Max Shanaman  6-0 for New Jersey          
152: Mario Mason  10-0 for New Jersey            
160:  Andrew Howe 10-0 for Indiana            
171: Corey Peltier  6-0 for New Jersey             
215: Deron Winn  7-0 for Missouri              
285: Jared Platt  7-0 for New Jersey 
285: Tucker Lane 7-0 for Colorado