Hasseman, Jantzen among champions at Northeast Regional Olympic Trials in freestyle

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
04/05/2008


BROCKPORT, N.Y. - Seven freestyle wrestlers earned a place in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials with victories in their weight classes at the Northeast Regional Olympic Trials held at Tuttle North Gymnasium at SUNY-Brockport on Saturday.

The Outstanding Wrestler at the tournament was Bryce Hasseman (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), who captured the 84 kg/185 lbs. weight class. 

In a battle of nationally ranked wrestlers in the finals, Hasseman defeated Tony Gansen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), 0-2, 2-0, 1-0. In the 

Hasseman won six matches on the way to his title, including a 2-0, 3-0 win in the quarterfinals over Matt Pell (Charlottesville, Va./Cavalier WC), the eventual bronze medalist.

The champions qualify to compete at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Las Vegas, Nev., June 13-15.

Also capturing a victory was 2005 World University Games Jesse Jantzen (Cambridge, Mass./New York AC), who defeated high school star Quentin Wright (Wingate, Pa./Mat-Town USA) in the finals, 1-0, 1-6, 1-1. Jantzen won the first period, but dropped the second period when Wright launched him for a five-point throw. In the deciding third period, he won the 1-1 tie by scoring the last point in the period.

Jantzen was competing up a weight class from his normal 66 kg/145.5 lbs. He was a NCAA champion for Harvard during his college career.

Claiming the gold medal at 211.5 pounds was Kyle Cerminara (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), who defeated Penn State freshman Jared Platt (Randolph, N.J./New York AC), 3-0, 3-1 in the finals. Cerminara is ranked No. 4 in his weight class in the most recent TheMat.com rankings.

Other individual champions were Bradley Pataky (Clearfield, Pa./New York AC) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Darrell Vasquez (Cambridge, Mass./New York AC) at 60 kg/ 132.25 lbs., Jerrod Sanders (Raleigh, N.C./unattached) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs and Zachery Rey (Hopatcong, N.J./LVAC) at 120 kg/ 264.5 lbs.

Pataky, a redshirt from Penn State, dominated his finals bout, scoring a 6-0, 6-0 technical fall over Dylan Dabolt (Attica, N.Y./Buffalo Wrestling), 6-0, 6-0.

Vasquez, a two-time NCAA All-American at Cal Poly, defeated Tommy Noto of CJA, 5-2, 7-0 in the finals. Vasquez is now an assistant wrestling coach at Harvard.

Sanders needed three periods to defeat Desmond Green (Henrietta, N.Y./Buffalo Wrestling), 0-2, 1-0, 2-0 in the finals.

Rey, who is a freshman at Lehigh Univ., defeated Patrick Walsh (Shamrock WC), 0-1, 4-4, 1-0 to claim his title.

The Northeast Regional Olympic Trials conclude on Sunday, with the Greco-Roman competition beginning at 9:00 a.m.

NORTHEAST OLYMPIC REGIONAL TRIALS
At Brockport, N.Y., April 5

55 kg/121 lbs
1st - Bradley Pataky, Clearfield, Pa. (New York AC) tech fall. Dylan Dabolt, Attica, N.Y. (Buffalo Wrestling), 6-0, 6-0
3rd - John McDonald, Bethlehem, Pa.  (LVAC) dec. Desmond Moore, Easton, Pa. (Penn State WC), 6-0, 5-0

60 kg/ 132.25 lbs
1st - Darrell Vasquez, Cambridge, Mass. (New York AC) dec. Tommy Noto (CJA), 5-2, 7-0
3rd - Matt Fisk, Wyalusing, Pa. (LVAC) won by forfeit over Jasen Borshoff, Rochester, N.Y. (Titan)

66 kg/145.5 lbs
1st - Jerrod Sanders, Raleigh, N.C. (unattached) dec. Desmond Green, Henrietta, N.Y. (Buffalo Wrestling), 0-2, 1-0, 2-0
3rd - Frank Molinaro, Barnegat, N.J. (Penn State) won by forfeit over Edward Gutnik, Providence, R.I. (Providence WC)

74 kg/163 lbs
1st - Jesse Jantzen, Cambridge, Mass. (New York AC) dec. Quentin Wright, Wingate, Pa. (Mat-Town USA), 1-0, 1-6, 1-1
3rd - Sean Bilodeau, Harvard, Mass. (LVAC) pin James Allen (Matrix WC), 0:49

84 kg/185 lbs
1st - Bryce Hasseman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) dec. Tony Gansen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 0-3 2-0, 1-0
3rd - Matt Pell, Charlottesville, Va. (Cavalier WC) dec. James Yonushonis (New York AC), 6-0, 2-0

96 kg/211.5 lbs
1st - Kyle Cerminara, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) dec. Jared Platt, Randolph, N.J. (New York AC), 3-0, 3-1
3rd - Brent Jones, Charlottesville, Va. (Cavalier WC) tech. fall Jesse Hasseman (unattached), 6-0, 6-0

120 kg/264.5 lbs
1st - Zachery Rey, Hopatcong, N.J. (LVAC) dec. Patrick Walsh (Shamrock WC), 0-1, 4-4, 1-0
3rd - Cameron Wade, Twinsburg, Ohio (Penn State WC) won by forfeit over Michael Irving, Colorado Springs, Colo. (unattached)