Michigan stars Donahoe, Kish excel at FILA Cadet Freestyle National Championships

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
04/01/2001


A pair of Michigan wrestlers, Paul Donahoe of Goodrich and Roger Kish of Lapeer, were among the top stars at the 2001 FILA Cadet Freestyle National Championships, held at Northwestern Univ. in Evanston, Ill., April 1. This event features the best 15-17 year old wrestlers in the nation.    Donahoe was the only athlete to win a double title, claming both the freestyle and Greco-Roman tournaments. He won the freestyle title at 92.5 pounds, scoring a 15-5 technical fall over Franklin Gomez of Puerto Rico in the finals. Donahoe also won the Greco-Roman title on Thursday, beating Sean Conner of Idaho Falls, Idaho, 7-5 in the finals.    Kish was named Outstanding Wrestler in the freestyle tournament, after capturing the 167.5-pound title. Kish scored a 10-0 technical fall over Gabe Conaghan of Orland Park, Kan., in the gold-medal match. Kish won five matches in the meet, including two technical falls and a pin.    Three returning FILA Cadet freestyle champions who were attempting to repeat were defeated in the finals.    Brandon Hardy of Portsmouth, Va., beat 2000 FILA Cadet champion Mack Reiter of Jesup, Iowa, 5-0 at 110 pounds.    Mike Martin of Chesapeake, Va. edged 2000 FILA Cadet champion Alex Tsirtsis of Griffith, Ind., 3-0,  in overtime in the 127.75 pound finals.    At 220.25 pounds, Pat Barrentine of West Carrolton, Ohio stopped 2000 FILA Cadet champion Aaron Keough of Batavia, Ohio in the finals.    A pair of 2000 Cadet National freestyle champions (ages 15-16) were able to claim FILA Cadet freestyle titles this year: Nate Galloway of Boalsburg, Pa. at 152 pounds and Hetag Pliev of Cincinnati, Ohio at 187.25 pounds.    Galloway defeated Jacob Schlottke of Apple Valley, Minn., 5-1 in the finals. Pliev edged FILA Cadet Greco-Roman champion Patrick Brownson of Rochelle, Ill., 3-2 in the finals.    Other individual champions were Dustin Schlatter of Westerville, Ohio at 101.5 pounds, Mike Poeta of Highwood, Ill.  at 119 pounds and Brian Stith of Virginia Beach, Va.  at 138.75 pounds.    The Most Falls award went to Joey Gorczynski of Nowata, Okla., who had four falls in a combined 9:30 at 167.5 pounds.