WILLIAMS, BRACKEN, BERUBE NAMED OUTSTANDING WRESTLERS AT SUNKIST KIDS/ASU INTERNATIONAL OPEN, OCT. 24-25Many of the top wrestlers in the United States, along with some talented foreign athletes, competed in men's freestyle, men's Greco-Roman and women's freestyle wrestling at the 14th annual Sunkist Kids/ASU International Open, held at the Wells Fargo Arena at Arizona State Univ., Oct. 24-25
The winners of the Outstanding Wrestler awards were Joe Williams (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) in men's freestyle, Kevin Bracken (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) in men's Greco-Roman and Jackie Berube (Evanston, Ill./Wildcat WC) in women's freestyle.
Williams, a three-time NCAA champion for the Univ. of Iowa, started his Senior-level career by claiming the 167.5 pound class. He defeated Tony Robie (Morgantown, W.Va./New York AC), the No. 4 ranked wrestler in the nation, by a 9-0 margin.
"I feel good just starting to compete, and I felt really good coming into this tournament," said Williams. "Any tournament will help you move forward."
Bracken won the 152-pound title, moving up from his normal 138.75-pound class. He beat Mike Ellsworth (Colorado Springs, Colo./Michigan WC) in the finals, 12-5.
"I was happy with my performance," said Bracken. "I wrestled both freestyle and Greco-Roman here. I just love the spirit of competing, and it felt great to get out there and win."
Berube also moved up in weight, competing at 123.25 pounds rather than her normal 112.25 pounds. Berube, a 1996 World silver medalist, defeated 1998 U.S. World Team member Tina George (S. Euclid, Ohio/UM-Morris) in the finals, 9-7.
"I felt pretty good this weekend, even though I went up a weight class the last minute," said Berube. "There is really good competition here, and Tina gave me a great match."
In freestyle, three wrestlers won Sunkist Kids/ASU International titles for the second straight year: Bill Zadick (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) at 138.75 pounds, Chris Bono (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 152 pounds and Dominic Black (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 213.75 pounds.
Zadick defeated Steve St. John (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) in the finals, 5-0. Bono, the No. 2 ranked wrestler in the nation, defeated veteran John Giura (New York, N.Y./Dave Schultz WC) for the title, 3-0. Black stopped Jason Robison (Edinboro, Pa./New York AC) in the finals, 4-0, for his second straight Sunkist gold.
1996 Olympian Lou Rosselli (Edinboro, Pa./New York AC) defeated 1998 Junior World Champion Stephen Abas (Fresno, Calif./Sunkist Kids) in the 119-pound finals, 3-1.
Other freestyle champions were Jeff Bedard (Atlanta, Ga./Sunkist Kids) at 127.75 pounds, Dan St. John (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 187.25 pounds and Stephen Neal (San Diego, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) at 286 pounds.
In Greco-Roman, two wrestlers were able to capture Sunkist Kids/ASU titles for the second straight year: Shawn Sheldon (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 127.75 pounds and Rulon Gardner (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 286 pounds.
Sheldon, a two-time Olympic team member, won by injury default over Dave Nieradka (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) in the finals. Sheldon was competing up from his normal 119 pounds.
Gardner, who was fifth in the 1997 World Championships, scored a 3-1 decision over Dremeil Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) in the championship match.
Seven of the eight Greco-Roman champions live and train in the Colorado Springs, Colo. area. Joining Bracken, Sheldon and Gardner as Colorado Springs-based champions were Jeff Schering of the Michigan WC at 119 pounds, James Gruenwald of the Sunkist Kids at 127.75 pounds, Dan Niebuhr of the Sunkist Kids at 187.25 pounds and David Surofchek of the Michigan WC at 213.75 pounds.
The other individual Greco-Roman champion was Heath Sims (Huntington Beach, Calif./Dave Schultz WC), the 167.5-pound champion.
The women's tournament featured four U.S. individual champions. Joining Berube on the champions row were Julie Gonzales (Vallejo, Calif./Peninsula WC) at 101.25 pounds, Cassie Inman (Rochelle, Ill./UM-Morris) at 136.5 pounds and Nina Vernon (Rodeo, Calif./UM-Morris) at 149.5 pounds.
Two Canadian wrestlers also claimed titles: Erica Sharp (112.25) and Tanya Yaunish (165.25).
Winning the team titles were the Sunkist Kids in men's freestyle, the U.S. Army in men's Greco-Roman and the Univ. of Minnesota-Morris in the women's freestyle competition.
New international wrestling rules and pairings procedures, recently announced by the international wrestling federation, were used in the tournament.
1998 SUNKIST KIDS/ASU INTERNATIONAL OPEN at Tempe, Ariz., October 24-25
Men's Freestyle
54 kg/119 lbs. - 1st - Lou Rosselli, Edinboro, Pa. (New York AC) dec. Stephen Abas, Fresno, Calif. (Sunkist Kids), 3-1; 3rd - Sheldon Thomas, Bellefont, Pa. (Dave Schultz WC) dec. Matt Azevedo, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids), 9-3; 5th - Mike Mena, Iowa City, Iowa, (Hawkeye WC); 6th - Burke Tyree, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Team Excel)
58 kg/127.75 lbs. - 1st - Jeff Bedard, Atlanta, Ga. (Sunkist Kids) won by tech. fall over Jesus Wilson (Sunkist Kids), 12-2, 5:40; 3rd - Eric Larkin, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids) pin Duane Martin, Quantico, Va. (U.S. Marines), 1:21; 5th - Danny Felix, Peoria, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids); 6th--Don Reyes, Charlottesville, Va. (Dave Schultz WC)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - 1st - Bill Zadick, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC) dec. Steve St. John, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 5-0; 3rd - Nasir Lai, Burnaby, Canada (Burnaby Mountain WC) dec. Mark Ironside, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC), 5-2; 5th - Dwight Hinson, Ames, Iowa, Cyclone WC; 6th--David Esposito, Elizabeth, N.J. (New York AC)
69 kg/152 lbs. - 1st - Chris Bono, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) dec. John Giura, New York, N.Y. (Dave Schultz WC), 3-0; 3rd - Shannyn Gillespie, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Wildcat WC) dec. Kenny Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Wildcat WC), 3-0; 5th - Wade Elliott, Calgary, Canada; 6th--Jason Ramstetter, Bakersfield, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC)
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - 1st - Joe Williams, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC) dec. Tony Robie, Morgantown, W.Va. (New York AC), 9-0; 3rd - Brandon Slay, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Dave Schultz WC) dec. Daryl Weber, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC), 3-1; 5th - Nick Ugoalah, Burnaby, Canada (Burnaby Mountain WC); 6th - Hardell Moore, Stillwater, Okla. (OSU Wrestling Club)
85kg/187.25 lbs. - 1st - Dan St. John, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Ray Brinzer, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Dave Schultz WC), 8-3; 3rd -Justin Abdou, Burnaby, Canada (Burnaby Mountain WC) dec. Charles Burton, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids), 3-0; 5th - Bart Horton, Ames, Iowa (Team Excel); 6th - Steve Williams, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (Seahorse)
97 kg/213.75 lbs. - 1st - Dominic Black, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Jason Robison, Edinboro, Pa. (New York AC), 4-0; 3rd - Chad Lamer, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC) won by tech. fall over John Kading, Evanston, Ill. (Wildcat WC), 11-0, 1:00; 5th - Hossin Oshani (Iran); 6th - Pat Lynch, Ocean City, N.J. (Dave Schultz WC)
130 kg/286 lbs. - 1st - Stephen Neal, San Diego, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC) dec. Airron Richardson, Cleveland, Ohio (Team Excel), 6-1; 3rd - Angelo Borzio, E. Stroudsburg, Pa. (New York AC) won by forfeit; 5th - Brad Strubel (unattached); 6th--Trent Hynek, Ames, Iowa (unattached)
Freestyle Team Scores: Sunkist Kids 81, Dave Schultz Wrestling Club 64, Hawkeye Wrestling Club 48, New York Athletic Club 48, Wildcat Wrestling Club 22, Burnaby Mountain Wrestling Club 22
Men's Greco Roman
54 kg/119 lbs. - 1st - Jeff Schering, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Michigan WC) dec. Jeff Cervone, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force), 4-2; 3rd - Justin Weber, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) won by tech. fall over Masahiko Yanagihara, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 10-0, 1:26; 5th - Michael Santos, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army); 6th - Robert Telles, Quantico, Va. (U.S. Marine Corps)
58 kg/127.75 lbs. - 1st - Shawn Sheldon, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New