Leary named Outstanding Wrestler at 1998 Southeast Junior Freestyle Region

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
04/25/1998


After a stunning comeback in the finals at 154 pounds, Chris Leary of Parker, Colo. was named the Outstanding Wrestler at the Southeast Junior Freestyle Regional Championships at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., April 25. 

Leary trailed most of the match, but scored a number of points in the closing minute to score a 10-9 win over Dean Schuler of Delta, Ohio, in the finals.

The tournament featured many of the top high school athletes in the Southeast, as well many talented individuals from across the nation.

Winning a title for the host state of Florida was Chris Campbell of Orlando, who pinned David Walker of Seminole, Fla. in 26 seconds at 220 pounds. It was a rematch of the Greco-Roman finals on Thursday, won by Walker by pin. Campbell also won the Most Falls award for the freestyle event, with five falls in 6:41.

Claiming double titles, by winning both the freestyle and Greco-Roman competitions, were Terrence Thompson of Rock Hill, S.C. at 105.5 pounds, Chris Rodrigues of Marietta, Ga. at 114.5 pounds, Ryan Lewis of Vernal, Utah at 123 pounds and Clark Forward of Archbold, Ohio at 143 pounds and Jake Clark of S. St. Paul, Minn. at 165 pounds.

SOUTHEAST JUNIOR FREESTYLE REGIONALS

at Disney's Wide World of Sports, Lake Buena Vista, Fla., April 24-25

98 pounds

1st - Tyrone Hodge, Hillsborough, N.C. pin Robert Ariaza, Chandler, Ariz., 1:04

3rd - Carson Bernard, Loveland, Colo., pin Mike Vaught, Olathe, Kan., 2:26

5th - David Mason, Brandon, Fla., won by tech. fall over Maurice Abenchuchan, St. Augustine, Fla., 11-0, 2:18

105.5 pounds

1st - Terrence Thompson, Rock Hill, S.C, dec. Scott Cuthbertson, Scottsboro, Ala., 13-9

3rd - Eddie Blue, Miami, Fla.

4th - Israel Gonzales,Pocatello, Idaho

5th - Daniel Pickett, Wasilla, Alaska

114.5 pound

1st - Chris Rodrigues, Marietta, Ga., dec. Josh Lamano, Layton, Utah, 8-4

3rd - Jared Haberman, Rocky Ford, Colo., won by tech. fall over Kyle Bernholz, Mt. Sinai, N.Y., 12-0, 2:23

5th - Michael Robertson, Cary, N.C., dec. Gary Dack, Lakewood, Colo., 10-2

123 pounds

1st - Ryan Lewis, Vernal, Utah pin Mike Akers, Poquoson, Va., 0:53

3rd - Cameron Plocus, Home, Pa. dec. Zachary Roberson, Overland Park, Kan., 10-2

5th - Bryson Vasquez, Loveland, Colo., dec. Joey Guiler, Suwanee, Ga., 9-6

132 pounds

1st - Chuck Sheldon, Simla, Colo., dec. Gabe Vigil, West Valley, Utah, 11-10

3rd - Frank Saenz, Phoenix, Ariz., dec. Josh Ballard, Carlsbad, N.M., 8-5

5th - Joe Johnston, Prairie Village, Kan., dec. Bryant Cates, Durham, N.C., 8-5

143 pounds

1st - Clark Forward, Archbold, Ohio, won by tech. fall over Dennis Landin, Cary, N.C., 11-1, 2:29

3rd - Aaron Paterson, Longmont, Colo. dec. Tony Aguirre, Loveland, Colo., 7-2

5th - Mark Fee, Coral Springs, Fla., dec. Billy Smith, New Alexandria, Pa., 14-6

154 pounds

1st - James O'Leary, Parker, Colo. dec. Dean Schuler, Delta, Ohio, 10-9

3rd - Russell Brunson, Sandy, Utah. dec. Jimmy Lewis, Vernal, Utah, 13-7

5th - George Carter, Greensburg, Pa., pin Oreafo Brown, Miami, Fla., 2:03

165 pounds

1st - Jake Clark, S. St. Paul, Minn., won by tech. fall over Kevin Stanley, Wake Forest, N.C., 10-0, 1:59

3rd - Steve Smith, Cary, N.C. dec. Jacob Inge, Poquoson, Va., 8-7

5th - James Wade, Wasilla, Alaska, dec. Marshall Meier, Salt Lake City, Utah, 11-2

178 pounds

1st - Scott Owen, Carlsbad, N.M. won by tech. fall over Josh Lambrecht, Brandon, Fla., 10-0, 3:25

3rd - Austin Palmer, Durham, N.C. dec. Aaron Pastor, Stilwell, Kan., 8-4

5th - Aron Brown, Cottage Grove, Minn., won by tech. fall over Ralph Everett, Miami, Fla., 13-3, 3:40

191.5 pounds

1st - Ryan Courtney, Fairmont, W.Va., dec. Jared Hyman, Norcross, Ga., 10-5

3rd - Joel Lindon-Mizelle, Fla., pin Matt Von Hoecke, Overland Park, Kan., 4:22

5th - Gary Braswell, Lakeland, Fla. won by forfeit

220 pounds

1st - Chris Campbell, Orlando, Fla. pin David Walker, Seminole, Fla., 0:26

3rd - Derek Shirley, Lilburn, Ga. dec. Jason Wiltse, Melbourne, Fla., 11-4

5th - Donald Spellman, Plant City, Fla., pin Fahmi Ahmad, Miami, Fla., 1:36

275 pounds

1st - Jerramy Johnson, Indianapolis, Ind., dec. T.J. Brablec, Winter Haven, Fla., 13-8

3rd - Frank McCrea, Woodbine, Ga. pin Jimmy Fairfax, Miami, Fla., 0:44

5th -Peter Hennis, Mims, Fla. pin Forrest Johnson, Miami, Fla., 0:59

Outstanding Wrestler - Chris O'Leary (CO), 154 pounds

Most Falls - Chris Campbell (FL), five falls in 6:41