Ellis Coleman locks up RaVaughn Perkins in their 66 kg Greco-Roman Special Wrestle-off for the Junior World Team. Pat Fox photo

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. – In a dramatic three-match series, Ellis Coleman (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) won a Special Wrestle-off for the spot on the U.S. Junior World Greco-Roman team at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.

He defeated RaVaughn Perkins (Omaha, Neb./RP Nationals), two matches to one, in a best-of-three series to earn a trip to the 2011 Junior World Championships in Bucharest, Romania in late July.

Coleman won the first match, 3-1, 1-0. He scored on a step-out and a gutwrench in the first period, then won the second period with another step-out point. 

Perkins claimed bout two, winning in three periods, 0-1, 1-0, 2-0. It went down to the third period, with Perkins on the top in the par terre. If Coleman had defended, he would have won the bout and the series, however, Perkins scored a two-point turn to win the bout.

The third match was not decided until the final seconds of the third period. Coleman won the first period by technical fall, 7-0. Perkins won the second period, 3-0 after he hit a three-point throw. In the final period, Perkins scored a point and was in the top in the par terre position, needing only to avoid being scored upon to win the bout. Coleman got to his feet and scored a push out for the winning point with just three seconds to go. The period ended 1-1, but Coleman won because he scored the final point.

“I went out to wrestle. I tried as hard as I could. It came out my way,” said Coleman. “This is only the second time we have wrestled each other. I won the first time in a hard-fought match. He had this match won. I had to find a way to win.”

The best-of-three series was held because of a Junior World Team Trials qualification procedure in which a returning Junior World medalist moves directly to the Championship finals series, and can delay the series due to injury.

Coleman won a bronze medal at the 2010 Junior World Championships. He was unable to compete at the FILA Junior Nationals due to injury.

Perkins won the FILA Junior Nationals title with a two-match triumph over Old Dominion’s Justin LaValle.

In addition to his Junior World medal in 2010, Coleman earned a spot on Greco-Roman Team USA with a third place at the 2010 World Team Trials. He was fourth at the 2010 U.S. Senior Open.

Perkins won the 2011 Northern Plains Senior Regionals, which earned him a spot at the 2011 Senior World Team Trials. He won the 2010 Junior Nationals Greco-Roman title as a prep star from Nebraska.

“It was a barnburner. For me it’s exciting to have two young gentleman capable of wrestling at the Worlds. Ellis had to win with just five seconds left. It shows you the heart of a champion Ellis had to find a way to win, but it also shows that RaVaughn is not afraid to wrestle anybody,” said National Greco-Roman Developmental Coach Ike Anderson.

The rest of the U.S. Greco-Roman Junior World Team was determined at the FILA Junior World Team Trials in Indiana in May. The U.S. Junior World Team has been in training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, alongside the Senior U.S. World Team.

JUNIOR WORLD TEAM GRECO-ROMAN SPECIAL WRESTLE-OFF
At Colorado Springs, Colo., July 2

66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Ellis Coleman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) dec. RaVaughn Perkins, Omaha, Neb. (RP Nationals), 2 matches to 1
Bout One – Coleman dec. Perkins, 3-1, 1-0
Bout Two – Perkins dec. Coleman, 0-1, 1-0, 2-0
Bout Three – Coleman dec. Perkins, 7-0, 0-3, 1-1