The U.S. Pan American Junior men's team poses with the trophy as the Overall Team Champions at this year's event, which combined all three Olympic styles.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua – Two U.S. men’s freestyle wrestlers won gold medals on the final day of the Pan American Junior Championships on Sunday.

Winning gold medals were Destin McCauley (Burnsville, Minn./Apple Valley WC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Toby Erickson (Helena, Montana/Bronco WC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.

Erickson won a double title at the Pan American Junior Championships, after also winning the Greco-Roman gold medal on Friday. Erickson competes for Boise State Univ.

He pinned Acnel Espinoza of Nicaragua in the second period of his semifinal match, then stopped Mike Murray of Canada, 1-0, 2-0 in the finals. 

"Toby Erickson won his second title of the weekend by beating Mike Murray of Canada, 1-0, 2-0. Mike Murray is a current wrestler for the Central Michigan Chippewa's wrestling team," said U.S. coach Chris James.

McCauley is one of the nation’s top high school stars, and won four matches to take the gold, including two by pin. In the finals, he stopped Fernando Carranza of Argentina, 5-2, 6-0.

"Destin McCauley had an outstanding performance for our freestyle team by pinning two opponents and having a dominant finals match to clinch his title," said James.

The U.S. also had a pair of silver medalists in freestyle, Ryan Hope (Carol Stream, Ill./USOEC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Robert Isley (Toledo, Ohio) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Hope was also a silver medalist in the Greco-Roman competition on Friday.

The United States placed second in the freestyle team competition behind Canada, with Ecuador placing third.

The United States won the combined team standings, which included results in Greco-Roman, women’s freestyle and men’s freestyle. The USA was the team champion in Greco-Roman, and placed second in both the women’s freestyle and men’s freestyle competitions.

"Coach Ayers and I are proud of the performance our wrestlers showed throughout both tournaments,” said James. “We brought eight wrestlers to wrestle both styles and we won the Greco-Roman title followed by a second place performance in freestyle. Along with our women’s team, we won the overall Junior Pan American Championship. I would say that is pretty impressive considering the current specialization in styles we push for in wrestling. This was a great experience for all involved and we are grateful for the hospitality of the Nicaraguan Wrestling Association for hosting this tournament."

PAN AMERICAN JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Managua, Nicaragua, July 11

Men's freestyle results

50 kg/110 lbs.
1 EDUARDO PALAS (PERU)
2 JAVIER QUIÑONEZ (EQUADOR)
3 ANDRIS DAVILA (VENEZUELA)
3 JOSE CANO (NICARAGUA)
5 CRISTIAN MAX (GUATEMALA)
5 STEVE MATSON (USA)
7 DANIEL PHILLIPHS (PUERTO RICO)
8 MICHIO CLARK (CANADA)
9 JUAN ROMERO (EL SALVADOR)

55 kg/121 lbs.
1 ANDERSON DÓLEO (DOMINICAN REPUBLIC)
2 STEVEN TAKAHASHI (CANADA)
3 PEDRO MEJIAS (VENEZUELA)
3 FELIPE PACHAS (PERU)
5 CARSON KUHN (USA)
5 WALTER CANASTOI (GUATEMALA)
7 RALPH ORTIZ (MEXICO)
8 ANDRES QUISPE (CHILE)
9 RONNY CEDEÑO (ECUADOR)
10 HENRY LEIVA (EL SALVADOR)

60 kg/132 lbs.
1 MIKE CROOKS (CANADA)
2 FRANCISCO SOLER (PUERTO RICO)
3 HERNAN GUZMAN (COLUMBIA)
3 ABRAHAM LLONTOP (PERU)
5 CRISTOPHER REYES (NICARAGUA)
5 EVENCIO LOPEZ (MEXICO)
7 DMITRY RYABCHINSKY (USA)
8 WISTON RADA (VENEZUELA)
9 EDUARDO LOPEZ (GUATEMALA)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
1 DESTIN MCCAULEY (USA)
2 FERNANDO CARRANZA (ARGENTINA)
3 KYLE ROJE (CANADA)
3 RAIBER RODRIGUEZ (VENEZUELA)
5 DARIONE SEVERINO (DOMINICAN REPUBLIC)
5 SANTIAGO ARAGON (NICARAGUA)
7 LUIS CENTENO (PUERTO RICO)
8 JOSE AMBROSIO (PERU)
9 OSCAR ARCHICA (GUATEMALA)
10 DIEGO REYES (EL SALVADOR)

74 kg/163 lbs.
1 PEDRO CEBALLO (VENEZUELA)
2 JACOB JAGAS (CANADA)
3 EDISON PALADINES (ECUADOR)
3 BRAIAH SAA (COLOMBIA)
5 CARLOS HERNANDEZ (MEXICO)
5 ERICK ORELLANA (GUATEMALA)
7 VINICIOS MONTEIRO (BRAZIL)
8 HERIBERTO SANDI (CRC)
9 CALEB SMITH (USA)
10 JOSE GONZALEZ (NICARAGUA)

84 kg/185 lbs. 
1 POOL ANBROSIO (PERU)
2 RYAN HOPE (USA)
3 ANTOH SHCHIPINO (CANADA)
3 JOAH ESPINOZA (ECUADOR)
5 WILFREDO COTTO (PUERTO RICO)
5 DOMINGO ESTRADA (NICARAGUA)
7 ERICK LIERA (MEXICO)
8 ENDER GARCIA (VENEZUELA)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
1 CHAHMIT PHULKA (CANADA)
2 ROBERT ISLEY (USA)
3 DIEGO CASTAÑEDA (COLOMBIA)
3 ERICK MUÑOZ (DOMINICAN REPUBLIC)
5 DIEGO CARDENAS (PERU)
5 FELIX TRUJILLO (NICARAGUA)
7 SAUL ALDAMA (VENEZUELA)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
1 TOBY ERICKSON (USA)
2 MIKE MURRAY (CANADA)
3 ACNEL ESPINOZA (NICARAGUA)
3 JOSUE OBANDO (DOMINICAN REPUBLIC)
5 CARLOS ALAS (EL SALVADOR)
6 ROBERT MONASTERIO (VENEZUELA)

U.S. Men’s freestyle results

50 kg/110 lbs. – Steve Matson, Prospect, Conn. (Tugman), dnp
LOSS Eduardo Palas (Peru) 0-3, Pin 1:32
LOSS Jose Cano (Nicaragua) 0-6, 0-6

55 kg/121 lbs. – Carson Kuhn, Sandy, Utah (Vandit), dnp
WIN Jefferson Diaz (Columbia) 7-0, 6-0
LOSS Steven Takahashi (Canada) 0-6, 7-0, 2-3
WIN Ronny Cedeneo (Ecuador) 4-3, 7-0
LOSS Pedro Mejias (Venezuala) 3-1, 2-6, 0-6

60 kg/132 lbs. – Dmitry Ryabchinsky, Brooklyn, N.Y. (Brooklyn WC/NYAC), dnp
LOSS Evencio Lopez (Mexico) 0-3, 1-3

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Destin McCauley, Burnsville, Minn. (Apple Valley WC), 1st
WIN Raiber Rodriguez (Venezuala) Pin :54
WIN Luis Centeno (Puerto Rico) 3-2, 6-0
WIN Darione Severino (Dominican Republic) Pin :54
WIN Fernando Carranza (Argentina) 5-2, 6-0

74 kg/163 lbs. – Caleb Smith, Patoka, Ind. (MO West), dnp
LOSS Carlos Hernandez (Mexico) 0-3, 0-6

84 kg/185 lbs. – Ryan Hope, Carol Stream, Ill. (USOEC), 2nd
WIN Domingo Estrada (Nicaragua) Pin 1:16
WIN Joah Espinoza (Ecuador) 3-1, 7-5
LOSS Pool Anbrosio (Peru) 0-6, 0-6

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Robert Isley, Toledo, Ohio, 2nd
WIN Diego Cardenas (Peru) 4-0, 3-0
WIN Diego Castaneda (Columbia) 1-1, 2-1
LOSS Chahmit Phulka (Canada) 0-1, 1-0, 1-3

120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Toby Erickson, Helena, Montana (Bronco WC), 1st
WIN Acnel Espinoza (Nicaragua) 6-0, Pin 1:02
WIN Mike Murray (Canada) 1-0, 2-0

Freestyle standings – 1. Canada, 66 pts., 2. USA, 56 pts., 3. Ecuador 49 pts.; 4. Peru, 45 pts..; 5. Nicaragua, 41 pts.; 6. Dominican Republic, 32 pts.; 7. Ecuador, 27 pts.; 8. Colombia, 24 pts.; 9. Puerto Rico, 23 pts.; 10. Guatemala, 22 pts.; 11. Mexico, 20 pts.; 12. El Salvador, 10 ots.; 13. Argentina, 9 pts.; 14. Brazil, 4 pts.; 15. Chile, 3 pts.; 15. CRC, 3 pts.

Overall Pan American Junior Team Champions  – The United States