The field at the 2011 Greco-Roman National Championships will be loaded with experienced combatants. In addition to all seven of last year’s World Team members in competition, there will be five other wrestlers who have represented the U.S. vying for a U.S. Open title

Looking to earn a fourth World-level medal will be 2002 World Champion and 2009 World Silver Medalist Dremiel Byers. A stalwart at the weight class, Byers previously won a bronze medal in 2007 and has been the only heavyweight to represent the U.S. on the World & Olympic team since 2005.
 
Also looking to enter the fray is 2006 World Champion Joe Warren at 60 kg/132 pounds. Warren has struggled since returning to wrestling, but has the experience to contend. Another World medalist returning to competition is Justin Lester at 66 kg/145.5 pounds. Going by his given name rather than his nickname of Harry, Lester has joined the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program and with a new dedication to his weight class, Lester will be an extreme threat. 

Past World Team members Joe Betterman (60 kg/132 lbs.), Chas Betts (84kg/185 pounds) and R.C. Johnson (96kg/211 pounds) will also be looking to return to the World Championships, but must first get through a rough U.S. Open field. The depth of the Greco-Roman ranks has been ever improving. Younger wrestlers are starting to compete with the world’s best.

55 kg/121 pounds

Olympian and two-time World Team member Spenser Mango aims to continue his stronghold on the weight class. Mango is now part of the Army’s WCAP program and will be looking to repeat as champion at the U.S. Open. He has won three national championships overall. He’ll be pushed by long-time rival and now teammate Jermaine Hodge of the U.S. Army. Hodge won the national championship in 2009. The Army’s WCAP program also picked up another strong competitor in Nate Engel, who is currently ranked third at the weight.
 
Several youngsters will be vying for championships, including USOEC Northern Michigan product Paul Tellgren, the Sunkist Open champion in 2010. NCAA All-American Ryan Mango from Stanford has placed as high as No. 3 at the World Team Trials in Greco-Roman. High school star Jesse Thielke, a two-time Junior World Team member, could be in the mix. He beat Hodge at Sunkist before falling to Tellgren in the finals.

Other Northern Michigan athletes making great strides are Max Nowry, who was fifth in the 2010 Junior World Championships, as well as Dmitry Ryabchinskiy, who won the NYAC International. Ohio State’s Nikko Triggas redshirted this past college season and has always been a strong competitor at the weight. 

60 kg/132 pounds

With Jeremiah Davis winning the last two spots for the U.S. World Team, it might seem he’s a heavy favorite. But the U.S. Open often throws rankings out the door, as Davis finished third last year. 2007 U.S. World Team member Joe Betterman is healthy for a full season and has performed exceptionally well in overseas competition.

But don’t expect a two-horse race. With Warren back in the fray, as well as the U.S. Army’s Marco Lara competing well, it should be very interesting. Last year’s finals pitted Nathan Piasecki against Chad Vandiver, with Piasecki winning his first U.S. Open title, so nothing’s certain heading into the competition in Cleveland. Betterman topped Vandiver in the finals at the Dave Schultz Memorial International and was named the event’s Outstanding Wrestler in the process.
 
With three World Teamers in the mix and a deep weight overall, keep a close eye on the early round matches. Several younger wrestlers are looking to break through and capture a national championship. Jimmy Chase, a resident athlete at the Olympic Training Center has made a pair of U.S. Junior World teams, while former Binghamton University teammate Anthony Jerome and WCAP’s Mark Bradley are also worth considering. The Marines are represented by veteran Donovan DePatto, who finished fourth at last year’s championships. 

66 kg/145.5 pounds

The returning U.S. Open champion is Glenn Garrison of the Army, but the World Teamer at the weight was his teammate, Faruk Sahin. Both have battled for the past several years, with the outcome always being extremely close. Sahin has been on the last two World Teams, while Garrison seeks his first World Team berth.

The Army has gotten even stronger with Lester now at the weight after taking a year away from competition. He has looked very good in his winter international competitions. Lester made his last World Team in 2009 up a weight class at 74 kg. He won both of his World medals at 66 kg.

University of Minnesota alum C.P. Schlatter also brings an exciting style to the weight, along with up-and-coming Ellis Coleman. Coleman finished fourth at U.S. Nationals last season and won a Junior World bronze medal. Schlatter, who takes time away from his nursing career to train with Dan Chandler and the Minnesota Storm, won the New York AC International this fall.

Northern Michigan products Tanner Andrews and Ben Sanchez bring experience to the weight, despite still competing in the developmental program at the U.S. Olympic Education Center. Sanchez was third in last year’s event, topping Coleman for third. Bo Beckman is also a threat, picking off several ranked wrestlers in the last year. Matt Holt has considerable experience and isn’t an easy draw. Zach Lamano of Utah placed fifth last year, but hasn’t wrestled much this season. Matt Holt should also be a factor.

74 kg/163 pounds

An offensive-minded rivalry has been developing at 74 kg between reigning U.S. National Champion Jake Fisher and Steve Forrest of the Marines. Fisher won last year’s U.S. Open, beating Jess Hargrave in the finals, while Forrest finished a disappointing seventh. Forrest upset his way into the World Team Trials finals and has made significant progress since then. Fisher recently topped Forrest in the Schultz International final in three periods.
 
Andrew Bisek finished third last season and has been solid at the weight since graduating from Northern Michigan. He won a medal at the respected Hungarian Grand Prix this year. Dropping back down to the weight this year is rising star Ben Provisor, a Wisconsin native. Provisor was seventh at the event last year up at 84 kg. A member of three Junior World Teams, he is already a threat at this level. Provisor finished third at the Schultz, beating Bisek in the bronze-medal match. 

Aaron Briggs was fourth last season. The Army brings experienced wrestlers into the tournament with last year’s runner-up Hargrave, James Johnson, Tim Bleau and Aaron Sieracki, who moves down after many years at 84 kg. Hargrave has been a consistent challenger in recent seasons. Johnson beat Bleau last year for fifth place. Sieracki has been ranked as high as No. 2 at 84 kg in the past.

Former Junior National champion Kendrick Sanders is an explosive wrestler who is now focusing on Greco-Roman at Northern Michigan after starting his collegiate career at Purdue. Jonathan Drendel has shown promise.

84 kg/185 pounds
Cheney Haight is the returning U.S. Open champion, but past World Team members Chas Betts and Jake Clark will also contend for the national title. Clark has been out of action since the 2010 World Championships, where he was a quarterfinalist. It was Clark’s second World Team berth. Betts looks to make another World Team after competing in Denmark in 2009. Haight and Betts have been back and forth the last two years in their head-to-head battle. Haight was second in the 2008 Olympic Trials.

Wisconsin All-American Travis Rutt could be in the mix. He finished fourth last year behind veteran Aaron Sieracki. Chad Hemmerson and Talan Knox are also previous U.S. Nationals placewinners and add depth to the weight. Armed Forces champion Peter Hicks has shown improvement in recent seasons.

Despite not competing at the U.S. Open last year, Jordan Holm has emerged as a threat at the weight, finishing a strong third at the Sunkist International in October. Young talents Mark Stenberg and Cameron Duckworth are also chomping at the bit to make their first major impact on the Greco-Roman scene. 

96 kg/211 pounds
Justin Ruiz is looking to capture his seventh national championship. He’s won every U.S. Open at this weight since 2004. He was a 2005 World bronze medalist and placed a solid fifth in the World last year. Despite a subpar showing at the Dave Schultz Memorial International, Ruiz is a strong favorite. 

R.C. Johnson, the 2009 World Team member, came on strong at the World Team Trials after spending most of the 2010 season out with an injury. “Dr. Greco,” who has gotten back to form on recent international tours, is also a threat.

Making a run at the title this year will be resident athlete Robbie Smith. A champion at the Sunkist Open at heavyweight, Smith finished a strong third at the Schultz, placing ahead of Ruiz and Justin Millard of the U.S. Army. Smith is healthy and has a recent win over Johnson.
Millard, who has been second at the U.S. Open in the past, and his Army teammate John Lorenz have been consistent challengers at this weight. Past U.S. World Team Trials runner-up Pete Gounaridis has shown the ability to win at this level. K.C. Walsh, Zac Nielsen, Joe Sheffield and Junior World Team member Robert Barbour will provide added depth to the weight. 

120 kg/265 pounds
Byers has been the man at this weight since 2005, taking over after the retirement of long-time rival Rulon Gardner. His three World medals put him in an elite class of Greco-Roman stars. Last year, Byers didn’t compete at the U.S. Open and Brandon Rupp captured his first championship. 

Byers will be pushed by Rupp and Army teammate Tim Taylor, whom Byers beat for the World Team spot. Rupp and Taylor have gone back and forth in recent years and lend loads of experience in a weight that is always a strong performer internationally for Team USA. 

After the top three, there are several athletes who are looking to break through to the upper echelon. Pete Kowalczuk has won a University World medal. Central Michigan All-American Jarod Trice and younger heavyweights Steve Andrus and Joe Rizqallah have done well in Greco-Roman. Veterans Frank Workman and Deon Hicks will battle for All-American status, and Akil Patterson has also been in the mix.

2010 U.S. OPEN WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS

Men’s Greco-Roman

55 kg/121 lbs.
1st - Spenser Mango, St. Louis, Mo. (New York AC) dec. Jermaine Hodge, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 0-1, 1-0, 2-0
3rd - Ryan Mango, St. Louis, Mo. (New York AC) dec. Max Nowry, Wheeling, Ill. (New York AC), 3-1,6-0
5th - Paul Tellgren, Anoka, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) dec. Nikko Triggas, Moraga, Calif. (Ohio Regional Training Center), 1-0, 1-0
7th - Kevin Hunter, Orem, Utah (Unattached) dec. David Armstrong, Cleveland, Ohio (Cleveland WC), 1-0, 8-1

60 kg/132 lbs.
1st - Nathan Piasecki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) inj. dft. Chad Vandiver, Colorado Springs, Colo (Sunkist Kids)
3rd - Jeremiah Davis, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Donavan Depatto, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marines), 0-3,1-0,2-0
5th - Marco Lara, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Anthony Jerome, Dryden, N.Y. (Shamrock), 3-0,1-0
7th - Mark Bradley, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Jimmy Chase, Carol Stream, Ill. (New York AC), 1-0,6-0

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
1st - Glenn Garrison, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Faruk Sahin, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 0-2,3-0,1-0
3rd - Ben Sanchez, Leominster, Mass. (USOEC) dec. Ellis Coleman, Oak Park, Ill. (New York AC), 2-0,1-0
5th - Zachary Lamano, Layton, Utah (Fronhofer Wrestling Club) dec. Matt Holt, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Unattached), 2-0, 1-0
7th - Tanner Andrews, North Aurora, Ill. (USOEC) dec. Joel Ahern, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marines), 1-2,2-0,1-0

74 kg/163 lbs.
1st - Jake Fisher, Boise, Idaho (New York AC) dec. Jess Hargrave, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 1-0, 1-0
3rd - Andrew Bisek, Chaska, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) dec. Aaron Briggs, Tucson, Ariz. (New York AC), 3-0, 1-0
5th - James Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Timothy Bleau, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 1-0,2-0
7th - Steven Forrest, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps) dec. Jake Bohn, Kentwood, Mich. (USOEC), 5-0, 2-0

84 kg/185 lbs.
1st - Cheney Haight, Boise, Idaho (NYAC) dec. Chas Betts, St. Michael, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 1-0,0-1,2-0
3rd - Aaron Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Travis Rutt, Belle Plaine, Minn. (Badger WC), 1-0,3-0
5th - Chad Hemerson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) dec. Talan Knox, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 0-1, 1-0, 1-0
7th - Ben Provisor, Stevens Point, Wis. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Nate Patrick, Chicago, Ill. (Sunkist Kids), 5-0, 7-0

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
1st - Justin Ruiz, Meridian, Idaho (New York AC) dec. John Lorenz, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 2-0,1-0
3rd - Jake Clark, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force) dec. Justin Millard, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 1-0, 3-0
5th - Kenyon Walsh, Boise, Idaho (Suples Wrestling Club) pin Philip Hard, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marines), 0:29
7th - Pete Gounaridis, Leominster, Mass. (Sunkist Kids) pin Chris Skretkowicz, Lexington, Va (Club Keydet), 0:31

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
1st - Brandon Rupp, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) dec. Joe Rizqallah, Allegan, MI (Maverick WC), 4-0, 6-2
3rd - Timothy Taylor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Rob Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 1-0, 3-0
5th - Frank Workman, Vermilion, Ohio (unattached) inj. dft. Akil Patterson, Frederick, Md. (New York AC)
7th - Nader Maghribi, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force) dec. Shaun Durfey, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marines), 2-0, 1-0

Outstanding Wrestler – Cheney Haight (New York AC), 84 kg/185 lbs.

Div. I Teams – 1. Army, 80 pts.; 2. New York AC 74 pts.

Div. II Teams – Sunkist Kids, 15 pts.; 2. Air Force, 2