Joe Betterman of the Sunkist Kids won his second straight New York Athletic Club Greco-Roman International title at 60 kg. Larry Slater photo

MASPETH, Queens, N.Y. – The U.S. swept all seven gold medals at the 2010 New York Athletic Club Greco-Roman International, held at Martin Luther High School on Sunday.

Winning his second straight New York AC International Open at 60 kg/132 lbs. was 2007 U.S. World Team member Joe Betterman (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) dec. Marco Lara (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army), 2-0, 1-4, 1-0. He was the only repeat champion from last year.

The champion at 74 kg/163 lbs. was 2010 U.S. World Team member Jake Fisher (Boise, Idaho/New York AC) who defeated his former teammate at Northern Michigan, Andrew Bisek (Colorado Springs, Colo./Minnesota Storm), 2-0, 1-0.

For the second straight international event this year, Cheney Haight (Boise, Idaho/New York AC) defeated 2009 U.S. World Team member Chas Betts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Minnesota Storm), 0-1, 2-0, 2-0. It was a rematch of the Sunkist Kids International finals in October, won by Haight, 1-0, 0-1, 1-0. Haight was named Outstanding Wrestler.

Betts, the defending champion at this event, defeated 2008 Olympic champion Andrea Minguzzi of Italy in the semifinals.

Capturing the title at 66 kg/ 145.5 lbs. was C.P. Schlatter (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) who scored a third-period over Mikhail Smirnov (Brooklyn, N.Y./Brooklyn WC). Schlatter, the former Univ. of Minnesota star, claimed his first major Senior-level Greco-Roman title since returning to the mat to pursue Greco-Roman. After losing the first period, Schlatter picked up the pace and wore down his opponent.

2010 U.S. Open champion Brandon Rupp (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) defeated Akil Patterson (Frederick, Md./New York AC), 2-1, 1-0 at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. It was Rupp’s first tournament victory since joining the U.S. Army program./

The champion at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. was Robbie Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) who defeated Pete Gounaridis (Leominster, Mass./Sunkist Kids), 2-0, 1-0. It was Smith’s second straight gold at a domestic international event. Smith won the Sunkist Kids International Open in October competing up at 120 kg.

Capturing the 55 kg/121 lbs. title was Dmitry Ryabchinskiy (Brooklyn, N.Y./New York AC), who defeated Paul Tellgren, Anoka, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 1-0, 3-0. Ryabchinskiy has dropped down to 55 kg after competing at 60 kg/132 lbs.

“Chas Betts beat the Italian Olympic champion, which was great for him,” said National Greco-Roman Coach Steve Fraser. “Joe Betterman competed very well. C.P. Schlatter looked really good. For being back in Greco for just a few weeks, he made great improvement and had a nice performance today.”

Fraser believes this event will help the U.S. athletes to perform better down the road.

“Overall, it was a good day for our Greco-Roman program. People got a lot of matches. Most of these guys will leave for Finland or Belarus within a week for another tour. This was a good tuneup event to get ready for the international season,” said Fraser.

NEW YORK AC GRECO-ROMAN INTERNATIONAL
At New York, N.Y., Nov. 7

55 kg/121 lbs.
1st - Dmitry Ryabchinskiy, Brooklyn, N.Y. (New York AC) dec. Paul Tellgren, Anoka, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 1-0, 3-0
3rd - Tyler Erdman, Herndon, Pa. (Modern Day Gladiators) pin Brandon Escobar, Brentwood, N.Y. (Team Esco), 9-2, 1:08

60 kg/ 132 lbs.
1st - Joe Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Marco Lara, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 2-0, 1-4, 1-0
3rd - Donavan Depatto, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marines) dec. Jermaine Hodge, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 1-0, 1-0

66 kg/ 145.5 lbs,
1st – C.P. Schlatter, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) pin Mikhail Smirnov, Brooklyn, N.Y. (Brooklyn WC), 0-1, 5-0, 1:33
3rd - Glenn Garrison, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Bo Beckman, Pleasant Grove, Utah (New York AC), 1-0, 1-0

74 kg/163 lbs.
1st - Jake Fisher, Boise, Idaho (New York AC) dec. Andrew Bisek, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm), 2-0, 1-0
3rd - Aaron Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) won by inj. dft. over Kendrick Sanders, Homestead, Fla. (New York AC)

84 kg/185 lbs.
1st - Cheney Haight, Boise, Idaho (New York AC) dec. Chas Betts, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm), 0-1, 2-0, 2-0
3rd - Jordan Holm, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) dec. Ben Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 0-1, 2-0, 2-0

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
1st - Robbie Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) dec. Pete Gounaridis, Leominster, Mass. (Sunkist Kids), 2-0, 1-0
3rd - Justin Millard, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Zac Nielsen, Zimmerman, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 1-0, 1-0

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
1st - Brandon Rupp, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Akil Patterson, Frederick, Md. (New York AC), 2-1, 1-0
3rd - Greg Conn, New Paultz, N.Y. (unattached) dec. Robert Rivera, Brooklyn, N.Y. (New York AC), 0-1, 3-0, 2-0