Justin Millard places third at the 2009 U.S. Open. Millard won the Northern Plains Greco-Roman Regional today. Larry Slater photo

WATERLOO, Iowa – Three members of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program claimed gold medals in Greco-Roman at the Northern Plains Senior Regionals on Friday.

Called the “Last Chance Qualifier,” it is the final opportunity for Senior level competitors to qualify for the U.S. World Team Trials in Oklahoma City, Okla., June 9-11.

Individual champions for the U.S. Army included James Johnson (Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) at 74 kg/163 lbs., Timothy Bleau (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Justin Millard (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

Johnson stopped Marco Toledo (Foley, Alabama/USOEC), 2-0, 3-0 in the finals. Johnson was second in the 2005 World Team Trials.

Bleau won his finals match by forfeit over Army legend Keith Sieracki (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army). Sieracki, 39, has not competed since the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials when he placed third. As a past U.S. World Team member, Sieracki is automatically qualified for the World Team Trials if he chooses to compete.

Millard pinned Mitch Sander (Clarence, Iowa/Dragon Slayers) in 52 second in the finals bout. Millard was second in the 2007 U.S. Open.

High school star Jesse Thielke (Germantown, Wis./Sunkist Kids) claimed the title at 60 kg/132 lbs. Thielke, who has competed on the last two U.S. Junior World teams, pinned Dimitry Riabchinsky (Brooklyn, N.Y./New York AC), 4-0, 0:56 in the 

Nikola Bogojevic (Superior, Wis./Minnesota Storm) won a competitive division at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Bogojevic scored a forfeit win over his club teammate Jake Kettler (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm). He defeated NJCAA Junior College national champion Tyrell Fortune (Portland, Ore./NWRTC) in the semifinals, 0-1, 1-0, 5-0. Bogojevic was third at the 2010 Junior Nationals, as well as at the 2011 FILA Junior Nationals in Greco-Roman.

Other individual champions were Mike Fuenffinger (Hibbing, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and RaVaughn Perkins (Omaha, Neb./Readyrp Mational) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.

Feunffinger was a 2011 FILA Junior Nationals champion. Perkins won the 2010 Junior Nationals in Greco-Roman.

The event was held alongside the Northern Plains Junior Regionals in Greco-Roman. The Outstanding Wrestler in the Junior division was 125-pound champion Mitch Bengtson of Minnesota.

NORTHERN PLAINS SENIOR REGIONALS
At Waterloo, Iowa, May 13, 2011

Greco-Roman results

55 kg/121 lbs.
1st - Mike Fuenffinger, Hibbing, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) dec. Brandon Escobar, Brentwood, N.Y., 2-0, 7-3
3rd - Tyler Mumbulo, Fayette, Iowa (Elite Takedown Club)

60 kg/132 lbs.
1st - Jesse Thielke, Germantown, Wis. (Sunkist Kids) pin Dimitry Riabchinsky, Brooklyn, NY (New York AC), 4-0,0:56
3rd - Julian Gunnels, Kansas City, Mo. (Victory School of Wrestling) dec. Adam Schlee, , Grand Meadow, Minn., (Team Unit WC), 2-0, 2-1

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
1st - RaVaughn Perkins, Omaha, Neb. (Readyrp Mational) dec. Kerry Regner, Darlington, Pa. (Sunkist Kids), 6-0, 0-1,2 -0
3rd - Brain Graham, Kansas City, Mo. (Missouri Valley Wrestling) dec. Thrasher Porcher, Winter Springs, Fla. (USOEC), 0-1, 2-0, 1-0

74 kg/163 lbs.
1st - James Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Marco Toledo, Foley, Alabama (USOEC), 2-0, 3-0
3rd - Jess Hargrave, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Esai Dominguez, Omaha, Neb. (Maverick Wrestling Club), 5-0, 1-0

84 kg/185 lbs.
1st - Timothy Bleau, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) won by forfeit over Keith Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
3rd - Ryan Hope, Carol Stream, Ill. (USOEC) dec. Scott Loescher, New York, N.Y. (New York AC), 1-0, 2-0

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
1st - Justin Millard, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) pin Mitch Sander, Clarence, Iowa (Dragon Slayers), 0:52
3rd - Ryan Fank, Independence, Iowa (Wartburg Wrestling Club) dec. Charles Lewis, Lynwood, Ill., 3-2, 3-1

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
1st - Nikola Bogojevic, Superior, Wis. (Minnesota Storm) won by forfeit over Jake Kettler, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
3rd - Tyrell Fortune, Portland, Ore. (NWRTC) dec. Donny Longendyke, White Bear Lake, Minn. (White Bear), 3-0, 6-0

NORTHERN PLAINS JUNIOR REGIONALS
At Waterloo, Iowa, May 13, 2011

Greco-Roman results

98 lbs 
1st Place - Sam Phillips of Iowa

105 lbs 
1st  - Jarred Oftedahl (Minnesota) over Alec Vogel (Iowa) Fall 7-0,0:53

112 lbs 
1st  - Andrew Crone (Wisconsin) over Erik Olson (Minnesota) Dec 7-0,4-2
3rd - Darius Wright (Wisconsin) over Collin Hays (Minnesota) Fall 1:07

119 lbs 
1st - Dylan Peters (Iowa) over Phillip Opelt (Wisconsin) Dec 2-1,8-0
3rd - Wesley Azariah (Minnesota) over Trent Butcher (Minnesota) Dec 4-3,7-1

125 lbs 
1st - Mitch Bengtson (Minnesota) over Cory Clark (Iowa) Dec 1-0,2-1
3rd - Sam Brancale (Minnesota) over Jacoby Bergeron (Minnesota) Dec 6-0,5-0

130 lbs 
1st - Zane Richards (Illinois) over Colin DeClark (Wisconsin) TF 7-0,7-0
3rd - Hunter Neighbors (Missouri) over Jimmy Carpenter (Missouri) Fall 3-3,0-1,1:48

135 lbs 
1st - Ben Morgan (Minnesota) over Walker Marshall (Iowa) TF 7-0,6-0
3rd - Mitch Friedman (Wisconsin) over Deven Donais (Minnesota) TF 6-0,6-0

140 lbs 
1st - Hayden Zillmer (Minnesota) over Brandon Rice (Illinois) Dec 1-0,1-0
3rd - Colton Gladwell (Illinois) over Gunnar Wolfensperger (Iowa) Dec 1-0,2-0

145 lbs 
1st - John Bozarth (Illinois) over Logan Thomsen (Iowa) TF 6-0,6-0
3rd - Luke Swalla (Iowa) over Jared DeGeeter (Iowa) Dec 3-1,6-0

152 lbs 
1st - Trey Hable (Minnesota) over George Gonzalez (Illinois) Fall 8-2,0:28
3rd - Jordon Rothers (Minnesota) over Toby Mosley (Wisconsin) Dec 5-0,2-0

160 lbs 
1st - Dylan Reel (Wahington) over Justin Koethe (Iowa) Dec 2-0,1-0
3rd - Zeb Wahle (Iowa) over Alex Meyer (Iowa) Dec 0-6,4-0,1-0

171 lbs 
1st - Carson Powell (Iowa) over Ben Schwery (Iowa) Fall 5-0,0:43
3rd - Jacob Morrissey (Wisconsin) over Aaron Rothwell (Wisconsin) TF 6-0,7-0

189 lbs 
1st - Shane Hughes (Wisconsin) over Willie Miklus (Iowa) TF 6-0,6-0
3rd - Mickey Pelfrey (Iowa) over Jon Volp (Minnesota) Dec 6-0,5-1

215 lbs 
1st - Michael Sojka (Illinois) over Josh Marchok (Illinois) Dec 1-0,2-0
3rd - Jonathon Dossett (Illinois) over Dakota Drake-Warner (Minnesota) Dec 0-2,3-0,4-2

285 lbs 
1st - Parker Betts (Minnesota) over Joe Scanlan (Iowa) Dec 7-3,6-0
3rd - Brett Haas (Iowa) over Creighton Fox (Iowa) Dec 3-0,4-2,0-0