Orem, UT — After two days of hard wrestling, three grapplers stood tall as Kids Triple Crown winners for the 2012 wrestling season.

Nevada’s Lance Keneley (Intermediate 120 plus pounds), Colorado’s Theorius Robison (Novice 80 pounds), and Minnesota’s Peyton Robb (Novice 90 pounds) secured the Triple Crown in dominating fashion as they all won titles in freestyle at the USA Wrestling Kids National Championships at Utah Valley University on Wednesday night.

Kenneley won two bouts in a three-match round robin. He won his first match by pin and then an injury default.

“It feels good,” Keneley said. “I want to thank my Mom and Dad for taking to me to the practices. This (being a Triple Crown winner) was one of my goals.”

Keneley said he likes Greco-Roman best of the three styles because “he can use his “upper body to throw” and “the Japanese Whizzer is his favorite move.”  

Keneley wants to play football and wrestle in college, following in his father Matt’s footsteps. His wrestling hero is Brock Lesnar. Beyond that he wants wrestle for the Olympics and looks forward to watching them this summer.

Robison defeated Arizona’s Denen Fernandez 3-2, 6-0 to nail down his Triple Crown.

Robison’s favorite style is Folkstyle. 

“I like Folkstyle because I can take a lot shots and I can work my stuff on top,” Robison said. His wrestling hero is Jordan Burroughs and Robison wants to wrestle in college at Iowa.

Robb won by 6-0, 6-0 technical fall over Oregon’s Brayden Ebbs to capture his Triple Crown. Robb moved up a weight since Cedar Falls but still dominated his competition.

Robb’s wrestling hero is his coach Brandon Paulson. His favorite style is Freestyle.

“I like to shoot and I like the scoring system (of Freestyle),” Robb said. “I want to go to the Olympics and have my own wrestling club someday.”

Two other wrestlers had dreams of becoming Triple Crown winners but the aspirations of Patrick Samson and Owen Webster fell short. 

Samson (California, Novice 60 pounds) lost by pin in the semi-finals to Minnesota’s Maxwell Crowe but he bounced back to win his true second match versus Idaho’s Darrick Stacey.

Webster (Minnesota Schoolboy/girl 128 pounds) was pinned by Florida’s Nicholas Vestal in the second period. What was painful for Webster was that he won the first round in dominating fashion 4-0.

There were plenty of double champions this year.  In the Intermediate Division there were Oakley Ridge (Utah, 60 pounds), Robby Vaughan (Washington 65 pounds), Alex Facundo (Michigan, 75 pounds), Manuel Rojas (Michigan, 80 pounds), Ridge Troupe (Montana, 87 pounds), Justin Darter (California, 112 pounds), and Austin Kelso (Iowa, 120 pounds plus plus).

In the Novice Division double champions were Patrick Samson (California, 60 pounds), Ridge Lovett (Idaho, 70 pounds), Colton Yapoujian (Colorado, 75 pounds), Cole Mathews (Pennsylvania, 85 pounds), Jace Anderson (Utah, 100 pounds), Zac Musselman (Utah, 112 pounds), Travis Wittlake (Oregon, 120 pounds), Santos Cantu (Oregon, 140 pounds), Daniel Bradbury (Alaska, 140 pounds plus).

Schoolboy/girl double winners were Dylan Koontz (Wisconsin, 70 pounds), Austin Gomez (Illinois, 91 pounds), Daton Fix (Oklahoma, 98 pounds), Taylor LaMont (Utah, 105 pounds), Isaiah Palomino (California, 112 pounds), Jaden Enriquez (California, 120 pounds), Owen Webster (Minnesota, 128 pounds), Ashton Seely (Utah, 136 pounds), Wyatt Koelling (Utah, 144 pounds), Andrew Berreyesa (Nevada, 152 pounds), Gary Jantzer (Oregon, 160 pounds), Brian Barnes (Oregon, 175 pounds), Jacob Cavins (Indiana, 190 pounds), Tyler Burris (Oregon 210 pounds), Abundiz Ortiz (Oregon, 265 pounds).

The Freestyle portion of the Kids Nationals had 609 entrants, slightly up from the 585 contestants that wrestled Tuesday in Greco-Roman. Nevada had 70 wrestlers in Freestyle, the most of any state. Idaho was next with 55 wrestlers while host Utah put 53 grapplers in the event.

Tournament Director Cole Kelley was well pleased with the event, which returned to the Utah Valley University UCCU Event Center this year.

“This is a great venue and it was great event,” said Kelley. “The USA Wrestling people did another great job as did the support staff of the university. Utah is fast becoming a hub for great youth wrestling and events like this.”

2012 USA WRESTLING KIDS NATIONAL FREESTYLE CHAMPIONS

Intermediate Freestyle National Champions
50 - Mark Marum of Washington
55 - James Brown of Arizona
60 - Oakley Ridge of Utah
65 - Robby Vaughn of Washington
70 - Luke Stephens of Michigan
75 - Alex Facundo of Michigan
80 - Manuel Rojas of Michigan
87 - Ridge Troupe of Montana
95 - Jefferson Guthrie of Nevada
103- Jesus O`Brien of Wyoming
112 - Justin Darter, Jr. of California
120+ - Lance Keneley of Nevada
120++ - Austin Kelso of Iowa

Novice Freestyle National Champions
60 - Maxwell Crowe of Minnesota
65 - Isaiah H. Gonzalez of Washington
70 - Ridge Lovett of Idaho
75 - Colton Yapoujian of Colorado
80 - Theorius Robison of Colorado
85 - Cole Matthews of Pennsylvania
90 - Peyton Robb of Minnesota
95 - Joshua Stillings of Pennsylvania
100 - Jace Anderson of Utah
105 - Joseph Barnes of California
112 - Zac Musselman of Utah
120 - Travis Wittlake of Oregon
130 - Tyler Dow of Wisconsin
140 - Santos Cantu of Oregon
140+ - Daniel Bradbury of Alaska

Schoolboy Freestyle National Champions
70 - Dylan Koontz of Wisconsin
77 - Jaxon Cole of Utah
84 - Alexander Crowe of Minnesota
91 - Austin Gomez of Illinois
98 - Daton Fix of Oklahoma
105 - Taylor LaMont of Utah
112 - Isaiah Palomino of California
120 - Jaden Enriquez of California
128 - Nicholas Vestal of Florida
136- Ashton J. Seely of Utah
144 - Wyatt Koelling of Utah
152 - Andrew Berreyesa of Nevada
160 - Gary Jantzer of Oregon
175 - Brian Barnes of Oregon
190 - Jacob Cavins of Indiana
210 - Tyler Burris of Oregon
265 - Abundio Ortiz of Oregon

Bantam Festival Freestyle Champions
40 - Jacob Cook of Wyoming
45 - Kaistin Vasquez of Hawaii
50 - Chapman McKown of Oklahoma
55 - Avery Allen of Montana
60 - Anton Chacon of Oregon
65 - Tainui Kellner of Wyoming
70 - Gunner Giulio of Idaho
75 - Andrew Jensen of Utah
75++ - Kenneth Blackwell of Michigan

http://www.trackwrestling.com/opentournaments/VerifyPassword.jsp?tournamentId=89076