Results of the 1998 HEALTHSOUTH Cadet Freestyle National Championships

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
07/24/1998


Chris Fleeger of Trout Run, Pa. and Jason Moreno of Firebaugh, Calif. claimed their second straight Cadet National wrestling titles of the week with victories in the 1998 HEALTHSOUTH Cadet freestyle competition in Fargo, N.D., July 24. 

Fleeger, 16, claimed his fourth straight Cadet National title with a 7-3 decision over Chris Rodrigues of Marietta, Ga. At 112 pounds. Fleeger, who earned a double title in the 1997 Cadet Nationals, had earlier this week won the Cadet Greco-Roman competition with a 7-6 decision over Josh Lamano of Layton, Utah. In the most exciting match of the evening, Fleeger and Rodrigues scrambled for the victory until the final whistle. Fleeger was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.

Moreno, who earlier in the week won the Cadet Greco-Roman National Championship, scored a 7-5 decision over Martin Mitchell of Tonasket, Wash., at 103 pounds. Moreno, 16, is a member of the 1998 U.S. Cadet World Team. He also placed second in the 1998 FILA Jr. Greco-Roman World Team Trials and finished third in the freestyle World Team Trials.

Returning All-Americans claiming their first Cadet Nationals title included Taylor Graham of Forrest Grove, Ore., at 83.5 pounds, Nate Gallick of Tucson, Ariz., at 88 pounds, Paul Collum of Bolingbrook, Ill. at 121 pounds, Mike Pirozzola of Levittown, Pa., at 143 pounds, Luke Abercrombie of Whitehall, Mich. at 209 pounds and Timothy Daly of Villa Park, Ill. at 242 pounds.

Graham, who placed fifth in the 1998 Cadet Greco-Roman Nationals, scored a 9-4 decision over Kyle Klooster of Grand Haven, Mich. to secure his first-ever-national title. Graham, 15, is a four-time Northwest Regional champion and claimed state titles in both styles this year.

Gallick, who was the runner-up in the 1998 Cadet Greco-Roman Nationals, moved up a step on the podium with a 7-1 decision over Jaffari Vanier of Minneapolis, Minn. Gallick, 15, controlled Vanier from the start, opening up an early lead to determine the outcome.

Collum, who placed sixth in the 1998 Cadet Freestyle World Championships, scored a pin over Aaron Brown of Pottstown, Pa., in 3:09. Collum, 15, who placed fifth in the 1997 Cadet Greco-Roman Nationals, is a two-time state freestyle champion.

Pirozzola, who placed third in the 1997 Cadet Freestyle Nationals, claimed his first title with a convincing 12-2 technical fall over David Bolyard of Lakemore, Ohio. Pirozzola, 16, is coming off a fourth place finish at the 1998 World Youth Games in Moscow, Russia. He, along with Rodrigues arrived from Moscow just days before the Cadet competition. He also placed fourth in the 1997 Cadet Freestyle World Championships.

Abercrombie, who placed fourth in the 1998 Cadet Greco-Roman Nationals, scored a last second 9-7 victory over Winfield Chester of Mishawaka, Ind. Trailing 7-6 with just two seconds left, Abercrombie threw Chester for three points as the buzzer sounded. Abercrombie, 15, was a 1998 Junior State champion in both styles.

Daly, who placed sixth in the 1998 Cadet Greco-Roman Nationals, registered a 5-4 decision over Tim Taylor of Clearfield, Pa., to take home his first title. Daly, 16, placed third in the 1998 Northern Plains Regional and was a 1998 State freestyle champion.

Other first-time champions included Marcus LeVesseur of Minneapolis, Minn., at 132 pounds, Paul Bradley of Tama, Iowa at 154 pounds, Matt Daddino of Franklin Square, N.Y., at 167 pounds and Dan Sable of Middle Island, N.Y. at 182.5 pounds.

LeVesseur, a two-time U.S. Cadet World Team member, registered a pin over Robert Estrada of Fresno, Calif., in 3:34 to earn his first Cadet National title. LeVesseur, 16, is a four-time Northern Plains Regional champion and has claimed a total of six state titles in freestyle and Greco-Roman.

Bradley, 15, scored a 6-4 decision over 1998 Cadet Greco-Roman All-American Mike Kratz of Oconto Falls, Wis., to secure his first national title.

Daddino, 16, scored a 8-2 decision over Matt Winterberg of Richland Center, Wis. Daddino dominated the contest over Winterberg who placed ninth in the 1998 World Youth games in Moscow. Daddino is a 1998 State champion in freestyle.

Sable, 16, scored New York's second straight title of the evening with a 8-5 decision over Mike Carr of Flemington, N.J. Sable opened up quickly gaining eight unanswered points in under one minute. Carr fought back to make it close but Sable held on for the win. Sable was a 1998 State champion in both styles.

Pennsylvania led the list of All-Americans with a total of 11 including one champion. California followed closely with 10 All-Americans and two champions.

The ASICS TIGER Junior Nationals continue on Saturday, July 25, with final pool rounds scheduled from 9:00-12:00 a.m. Medal matches, featuring third, fifth and seventh place matches, are scheduled from 2:00-3:30 p.m. Finals are scheduled from 6:00-8:00 p.m.

1998 HEALTHSOUTH Cadet Freestyle National Championships

Fargo, N.D., July 24

Final Results

83.5 lbs.

1st - Taylor Graham, Forrest Grove, Ore. dec. Kyle Klooster, Grand Haven, Mich., 9-4

3rd - Justin Pearch, Oregon City, Ore. dec. Quincy Osborn, Grand Rapids, Minn., 3-2

5th - Leo Bugaj, Hot Springs, Ark. pin Kevin Egolf, Glastonbury, Conn., 0:23

7th - James Holt, Tulare, Calif. won by tech. fall over Joey Neigum, Bismarck, N.D., 12-2

88 lbs.

1st - Nate Gallick, Tucson, Ariz. dec. Jaffari Vanier, Minneapolis, Minn., 7-1

3rd - Eric Stevenson, Newberg, Ore. pin Sean Bolen, Lake Oswego, Ore., 1:47

5th - Nathan Kendjorsky, Yorkville, Ohio dec. Sammy Vigil, Thornton, Colo., 4-2

7th - Kollin Leopold, Lakefield, Minn. dec. Jeremiah Guilford, Highland, Calif., 9-6

94.5 lbs.

1st - Joe Streu, San Jose, Calif. dec. John Foster, Massillon, Ohio, 10-7

3rd - Ethan Kyle, St. Charles, Mo. dec. Matt Wright, Newport News, Va., 8-3

5th - Fred Farmer, Vancouver, Wash. dec. Lucas Smith, Chippewa Falls, Wis., 7-6, ot

7th - Tyshawn Scarlett, Freeport, N.Y. dec. Jon Gard, Indianapolis, Ind., 14-11, ot

103.5 lbs.

1st - Jason Moreno, Firebaugh, Calif. dec. Martin Mitchell, Tonasket, Wash., 7-5

3rd - Jeff Breese, Claysville, Pa. won by tech. fall over Ricky Garcia, Cerritos, Calif., 14-2

5th - Mark Rusak, Reading, Pa. pin Troy Forte, Pittsford, N.Y., 3:48

7th - William Reick, Durham, Calif. won by tech. fall over Josh Wooton, Urbana, Ohio, 14-2

112 lbs.

1st - Chris Fleeger, Trout Run, Pa. dec. Chris Rodrigues, Marietta, Ga., 7-3

3rd - Michael Simpson, Anaheim, Calif. won by tech. fall over Ron Tarquinio, McDonald, Pa., 10-0

5th - Harry Lester, Akron, Ohio dec. Tom Clum, Arvada, Colo., 12-7

7th - Ben Cherrington, Granby, Colo. won by inj. def. over Nathan Schy, Newport News, Va.

121 lbs.

1st - Paul Collum, Bolingbrook, Ill. pin Aaron Brown, Pottstown, Pa., 3:09

3rd - Joe Crecca, Cranford, N.J. dec. Jamell Tidwell, Bloomington, Minn., 5-4

5th - Richie Cordova, Heber City, Utah dec. Joe Johnston, Prairie Village, Kan., 7-0

7th - Lambros Fotos, East Moline, Ill. dec. Frank Gill, Santa Ana, Calif., 6-1

132 lbs.

1st - Marcus LeVesseur, Minneapolis, Minn. pin Robert Estrada, Fresno, Calif., 3:34

3rd - Greg Jones, Slickville, Pa. dec. Chris Nedens, Hardin, Mont., 7-4

5th - Chris Stith, Virginia Beach, Va. dec. Ty Eustice, Blue Earth, Minn., 3-2

7th - William Campbell, Indianapolis, Ind. dec. Miguel Gutierrez, Bakersfield, Calif., 12-4

143 lbs.

1st - Mike Pirozzola, Levittown, Pa. won by tech. fall over David Bolyard, Lakemore, Ohio, 12-2

3rd - Jason Woodall, Dupont, Pa. dec. Troy Letters, Glenshaw, Pa., 11-5

5th - Joshua Sheridan, Fort Myers, Fla. dec. Ernesto Vera, Va., 7-3

7th - Zemoir Pittman, Flint, Mich. dec. Trevor Hill, Lincoln, Neb., 8-3

154 lbs.

1st - Paul Bradley, Tama, Iowa dec. Mike Kratz, Oconto Falls, Wis., 6-4

3rd - Bryan Cowdin, Worthington, Minn. dec. Ryan Hagen, Sidney, Mont., 6-3

5th - Jake Rosholt, Sandpoint, Idaho won by tech. fall over Justin Salas, Green River, Wyo., 11-0

7th - Nick Ciarcia, Berlin, Conn. dec. Joe McGann, Frank