HENSON, MCCOY AMONG STAR CHAMPIONS AT NEW YORK AC CHRISTMAS TOURNAMENT, DEC. 19 IN NEW YORK CITYA strong field of top freestyle wrestlers competed at the annual New York AC Christmas Tournament, held in Manhattan, New York, Sunday, Dec. 19.
Among the winners were 1998 World Champion Sammie Henson (Norman, Okla./Sunkist Kids) and 1998 World fourth-place finisher Kerry McCoy (State College, Pa./New York AC).
Henson won the 127.75 pound class, defeating Yero Washington (Fresno, Calif./Sunkist Kids), 4-1. Henson avenged two losses to Washington early this fall. Henson is competing up one weight class from his usual 119 pounds, where he won a World title in 1998 in Tehran, Iran.
McCoy claimed the 286-pound class, pinning J.R. Plienis of Edgemere, Md. in 5:28 in the deciding bout. McCoy grew up in nearby Middle Island, N.Y., where he attended Longwood High School.
Stephen Abas (Fresno, Calif./Sunkist Kids) won his fourth international tournament of the new season at 119 pounds. He defeated Tim Dernlan of W. Liberty, Ohio by a 10-0 technical fall in the finals bout. Abas also stopped 1996 Olympian Lou Rosselli (Edinboro, Pa./New York AC) in the third round, 3-0.
This fall, Abas also won the Sunkist Kids International Open in Phoenix, Ariz., the Winter Classic in Colorado Springs, Colo. and the Clansmen Invitational in Vancouver, Canada.
Pat Santoro (Bethlehem, Pa./New York AC) had a dominant performance at 152 pounds, pinning 1989 World team member John Giura (New York, N.Y./Dave Schultz WC) in the finals in 3:25. Santoro was second in the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Two members of the Hawkeye WC from Iowa City, Iowa claimed gold medals: Bill Zadick at 138.75 pounds and Chad Lamer at 213.75 pounds. Zadick, who is ranked No. 2 in the nation at his weight, defeated Hawkeye teammate Mark Ironside in the finals, 9-2. Lamer stopped two-time NCAA champion Tim Hartung (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) in the finals, 8-3.
Charles Burton (Bloomington, Ind./New York AC) captured the 187.25-pound title, stopping Lee Fullhart (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) in the finals, 8-3. Burton is ranked No. 2 on the national team.
Brian Dolph (Ridley Park, Pa./Dave Schultz WC) claimed the 167.5-pound title, with a 10-0 technical fall over Daryl Weber (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC).
With the Olympic Trials only a few months away, the quality of the competition was outstanding. Many of these athletes are expected to qualify for the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Dallas, Texas, June 22-24.
NEW YORK AC CHRISTMAS TOURNAMENT at New York, N.Y., Dec. 19
119 - 1st - Steven Abas, Fresno, Calif. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Tim Dernlan, W. Liberty, Ohio, 10-0; 3rd - Lou Rosselli, Edinboro, Pa. (New York AC)
127.75 -1st - Sammie Henson, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Yero Washington, Fresno, Calif. (Sunkist Kids), 4-1; 3rd - Mike Mena, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC)
138.75 - 1st - Bill Zadick, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC) dec. Mark Ironside, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC), 9-2; 3rd - Florian Ghinea, Montclair, N.J. won by tech. fall over Shawn Enright, Oxford, Ohio (New York AC), 10-0
152 - 1st - Pat Santoro, Bethlehem, Pa. (New York AC) pin John Giura, New York, N.Y. (Dave Schultz WC), 3:25; 3rd - Kenny Johnson, Evanston, Ill. (Wildcat WC) won by inj. dft. over Gerry Abas, Fresno, Calif. (Sunkist Kids)
167.5 - 1st - Brian Dolph, Ridley Park, Pa. (Dave Schultz WC) won by tech. fall over Daryl Weber, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC), 10-0; 3rd - Frank Trigg, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Chad Kraft, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 3-2
187.25 - 1st - Charles Burton, Bloomington, Ind. (New York AC) dec. Lee Fullhart, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC), 9-1; 3rd - Damion Hahn, Lakewood, N.J.
213.75 - 1st - Chad Lamer, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC) dec. Tim Hartung, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 8-3; 3rd - double default between J.J. McGrew, Stillwater, Okla. (Sunkist Kids) and Melvin Douglas, Mesa, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
286 - 1st - Kerry McCoy, State College, Pa. (New York AC) pin J.R. Plienis, Edgemere, Md., 5:28; 3rd - Angelo Borzio, E. Stroudsburg, Pa. (New York AC)