Cozart, Cole claim third Veterans Nationals titles, with victories at Veterans National Championships in Seattle, June 18-19The top wrestlers in the United States, 35 years old and above, travelled to Seattle, Wash. to compete in the third annual USA Wrestling Veterans National Championships, June 18-19.
Two talented athletes claimed Veterans Nationals titles for the third straight year: Russ Cozart (Brandon, Fla.) and Ron Cole (Auburn, Wash./Charging Rhino). Cozart, who competes in Div. C (46-50 yrs.), claimed the 152-pound title with a pin in 1:58 over Dean Olson (Mantua, Ohio). Cozart also claimed the Most Falls Award, with two falls in a combined 2:12. Cozart has won four career Veterans World titles.
Cole, who also competes in Div. C, claimed the 213.75-pound gold medal with a 3-0 decision over Steve Wolfe (Homer, Alaska/Popeye WC).
The Outstanding Wrestler of the competition was Lew Sondgeroth (Aurora, Colo./Colorado WC) , who claimed the 152-pound title in Division A (35-40 years). Sondgeroth defeated Michael Mann (Ocenaside, Calif./U.S. Marine Corps), 4-1 in the gold-medal match. Mann placed second in the 1988 U.S. Olympic Trials in Greco-Roman wrestling. Sondgeroth scored a pair of 10-0 technical falls in the preliminary rounds.
In a battle of former Veterans World Champions, Shirzad Ahmadi (Coventry, R.I./NYAC) pinned Joe Corso (Phoenix, Ariz./Sunkist Kids), in 1:54. Ahmadi has won two Veterans World titles, while Corso has claimed one title. Corso, a Veterans Nationals champion last year, was a member of the 1976 U.S. Olympic team. Six other wrestlers won Veterans Nationals titles for the second straight year: Scott Naylor (Dallastown, Pa./Advantage), the 138.75-pound champion in Div. B (40-45 years), Steve Contarino (Palmetto, Fla.), the 187.25-pound champion in Div. B, Timothy Rock (Howell, N.J. (Howell WC), the 286-pound champion in Div. B, Robert Hernandez (Tulare, Calif./Tulare Titans), the 152-pound champion in Div. D (51 years and older), Joe Seay (Perry, Okla./Sunkist Kids), the 167.5-pound champion in Div. D and Donald Apodaca (Huntington Beach, Calif./Golden West), the 187.25 pound chamion in Div. D.
1999 VETERANS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
at Seattle, Wash., June 18-19
Division A (35-40 years old)
127.75 lbs./58 kg - 1st - George Dunn, Bellevue, Wash. (Eastside WC)
138.75 lbs./63 kg - 1st - Bob Yilek, Belle Plaine, Iowa
152 lbs./69 kg - 1st - Lew Sondgeroth, Aurora, Colo. (Colorado WC) dec. Michael Mann, Ocenaside, Calif. (U.S. Marine Corps), 4-1; 3rd - Roberto Gonzales, Vallejo, Calif. (Vallejo PAL) won by tech. fall over Alex Raptis, Seattle, Wash. (Eastside WC), 10-0, 1:54
167.5 lbs./76 kg - 1st - Ken Wharry, Medford, Ore. (Club West) dec. Clay Holly, Talala, Ore., 8-3; 3rd - Antoine Fisher, San Leandro, Calif. (Castro Valley) dec. Tracy Regan, Mukiltoe, Wash. (Kamiak), 9-4
187.25 lbs./85 kg - 1st - Mark Brown, Hood River, Ore. (Airtime) dec. Brad Swartz, Auburn, Wash. (Auburn WC), 3-1
213.75 lbs./97 kg - 1st - Rick O'Shea, Eugene, Ore. dec. Mike Mitrowski, Shrewsbury, Mass. (NYAC), 3-1; 3rd - Mike Braun, Omaha, Neb. won by tech. fall over Orville Flowers, Portland, Ore. (USA Cobra), 10-0, 2:27
286 lbs./130 kg - 1st - Daniel Chaid, San Jose, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC)
Division B (41-45 yrs. old)
127.75 lbs./58 kg - 1st - John Smithson, Ventura, Calif. (Buena Vista Club) dec. Sam Segawa, Auburn, Wash., 5-0; 3rd - Ellis Holt, Lawton, Okla.
138.75 lbs./63 kg - 1st - Scott Naylor, Dallastown, Pa. (Advantage)
152 lbs./69 kg - 1st - Steve Morris, Lake Oswego, Ore. (Rick Sanders WC) dec. Donald Moore, Willamsburg, Va. (Peninsula Wrestling Association), 11-3; 3rd - Jeff Powell, Clovis, Calif. (Sunkist West)
167.5 lbs./76 kg - 1st - Kevin Hajnal, Patterson, Calif. (Manteca WC) dec. Brad Vadnais, Mt. Auburn, Calif. (USA Wild), 9-1; 3rd - Kurt Beinlich, Hudson, Wis. (Hudson WC)
187.5 lbs/85 kg - 1st - Steve Contarino, Palmetto, Fla. pin Anthony Wesson, Augusta, W.Va., 1:18
213.75 lbs./97 kg - 1st - Paul Vinson, San Diego, Calif. (Palomar College) pin Don Vondruska, Cleveland, Ohio (Eagle Club), 0:40
286 lbs./130 kg - 1st - Timothy Rock, Howell, N.J. (Howell WC)
Division C (46-50 yrs. old)
127.75 lbs./58 kg - 1st - Tommy Reyna, Midwest City, Okla. (Bomber Freestyle) dec. Dave Renfro, Columbia Falls, Mont., 10-3
138.75 lbs./63 kg - 1st - Shirzad Ahmadi, Coventry, R.I. (NYAC) pin Joe Corso, Phoenix, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids), 1:54
152 lbs./69 kg - 1st - Russ Cozart, Brandon, Fla. pin Dean Olson, Mantua, Ohio, 1:58; 3rd - Jim Lucas, Santa Cruz, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC) dec. Steve Whitehead, Clovis, Calif. (Clovis WC), 2-1
167.5 lbs./76 kg - 1st - Dennis Jossi, Ridgefield, Wash. (Rick Saunders WC) dec. Mark Black, Santa Monica, Calif., 5-4; 3rd - Steve Whedbee, Fairfield, Calif. (Fairfield WC) pin T.C. Lewis, Pleasanton, Calif. (Bay Area), 0:21
213.75 lbs./97 kg - Ron Cole, Auburn, Wash. (Charging Rhinos) dec. Steve Wolfe, Homer, Alaska (Popeye WC), 3-0; 3rd - Rex Febus, Mount Vernon, Wash. (Pittbull WC)
286 lbs./130 kg - Rockey Isley, Lacey, Wash.
Division D (51 years old and above)
152 lbs./69 kg - 1st - Robert Hernandez, Tulare, Calif. (Tulare Titans) pin Laurence Brown, Denver, Colo. (Commerce City Seniors), 3:28
167.5 lbs./76 kg - 1st - Joe Seay, Perry, Okla. (Sunkist Kids)
187.25 lbs./85 kg - 1st - . Donald Apodaca, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Golden West) pin Sonny Boyd, Roanoke, Va., 0:51; 3rd - Bruce Bird, Novelty, Ohio (Eagle WC) won by tech. fall over Murry Gurfein, Marina del Rey, Calif. (Bakersfield), 11-0, 2:00
213.75 lbs./97 kg - 1st - Glenn Clark, Flatrock, Canada (Newfoundland) dec. Jim Shields, Clovis, Calif. (Sunkist Kids), 7-2; 3rd - Roger Oleson, Redwood City, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC) dec. Cy Lucas, Manteca, Calif., 4-3
Outstanding Wrestler - Lew Sondgeroth, Aurora, Colo. (Colorado WC), Div. A, 152 pounds
Most Falls - Russ Cozart, Brandon, Fla., Div. C, 152 pounds
PRELIMINARY BOUTS
Division A (35-40 yrs. old)
152 lbs./69 kg
Roberto Gonzales, Vallejo, Calif. (Vallejo PAL) won by inj. dft. over Ronald Hughes, San Jose, Calif.
Lew Sondgeroth, Aurora, Colo. (Colorado WC) won by tech. fall over Alex Raptis, Seattle, Wash. (Eastside,) 10-0
Mike Mann, Oceanside, Calif. (U.S. Marine Corps) won by inj. dft. over Dave Mills, Grand Rapids, Mich. (Dave Schultz WC)
Lew Sondgeroth, Aurora, Colo. (Colorado WC) won by tech. fall over Roberto Gonzales, Vallejo, Calif. (Vallejo PAL), 10-0
Mike Mann, Oceanside, Calif. (U.S. Marine Corps) won by tech. fall over Phil Rizzo, St. Petersburg, Fla. (World Class WC), 10-0
Alex Raptis, Seattle, Wash. (Eastside) pin Phil Rizzo, St. Petersburg, Fla. (World Class), 3:00
167.5 lbs./76 kg
Clay Holly,Talala, Okla. dec. Bryan Wilkes, Bradenton, Fla., 3-1
Ken Wharry, Medford, Ore. (Club West) won by tech fall over Ted Concepcion, Las Vegas, Nev. (NYAC)
Clay Holly, Talala, Okla. dec. Tracy Regan, Mikilteo, Wash. (Kamiak), 11-3
Ken Wharry, Medford, Ore. (Club West) pin Antoine Fisher, San Leandro, Calif. (Castro Valley)
Antoine Fisher, San Leandro, Calif. (Castro Valley) dec. Bryan Wilkes, Bradenton, Fla., 9-6
Tracy Regan, Mikilteo, Wash. (Kamiak) pin Ted Concepcion, Las Vegas, Nev. (NYAC)
213.75 lbs./97 kg
Rick O'Shea, Eugene, Ore. dec. Mike Braun, Omaha, Neb., 3-1
Rick O'Shea, Eugene, Ore. pin Orville Lee Flowers, Portland, Ore., 1:38
Mike Mitrowske, Shrewsbury, Mass. (NYAC) won by tech. fall over Paul Heinke, Napa, Calif. (Napa Athletic), 11-1
Mike Braum, Omaha, Neb. won by tech. fall over Paul Heinke, Napa, Calif. (Napa Athletic), 11-0
Division B (41-45 yrs.)
127.75 lbs./58 kg
John Smithson, Ventura, Calif. (Buena Vista Club) pin Ellis Holt, Lawton, Okla. (Lawton FS)
152 lbs./69 kg
Steve Morris, Lake Oswego, Ore. (Rick Sanders WC) dec. Jeff Powell, Clovis, Calif. (Sunkist West), 15-9
167.5 lbs./76 kg
Kevin Hejnal, Patterson, Calif. (Manteca WC) dec. Kurt Beinlich, Hudson, Wis. (Hudson WC)
Division C (46-50 yrs.)
152 lbs./69