BONO WINS THIRD STRAIGHT FREESTYLE TITLE, AND ESPOSITO CLAIMS DOUBLE TITLE AT 1998 UNIVERSITY NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AT NORTHWESTERN UNIV. IN EVANSTON, ILL., APRIL 10-11Chris Bono (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) won a gold medal for the third straight year at the University National Freestyle Wrestling Championships, at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., April 10-11.
Bono claimed the 152-pound title, stopping Kirk White (Boise, Idaho/Boise State) in the finals, 9-0. Bono has been named Outstanding Wrestler at the University Nationals in freestyle for three straight years (1996-98).
Anthony Esposito (Roselle, Ill./Armed Forces-Marines) won a double title, claiming both the freestyle and Greco-Roman competitions at the 1998 University Nationals. In the freestyle finals, Esposito edged Zachary Thompson (Ames, Iowa/Cyclone WC) 2-1, in overtime.
In addition to the freestyle title, Esposito has won three career University National Greco-Roman titles. He lives in nearby Roselle, after leaving the Marine Corps over a year ago.
Two athletes claimed their second career University National freestyle titles, Danny Felix (Phoenix, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) at 127.75 pounds and Airron Richardson (Toledo, Ohio/Cliff Keen WC) at 286 pounds. Both were also University National champions in 1996. Felix attends Arizona State, and Richardson attends the Univ. of Michigan
Felix defeated Dane Valdez (Norman, Okla./Team Excel) in the finals, 6-0. Richardson edged J.R. Plienis (Edgemere, Md./Husker WC), 4-0 in overtime to win his title.
Claiming a gold medal at 119 pounds was Stephen Abas (Fresno, Calif./Sunkist Kids), with an 8-0 decision over Jason Silverstein (W. Lafayette, Ind./Purdue WC). Abas attends Fresno State Univ.
Winning the title at 187.25 pounds was John Kading (Evanston, Ill./Wildcat WC), who beat Brian Picklo (Norman, Okla./Sunkist Kids), 5-3. Kading, a 1996 NCAA champion for the Univ. of Oklahoma, is an assistant coach at host Northwestern Univ.
Other champions were Donald Anderson (Colorado Springs, Colo./Armed Forces-Army) at 110 pounds, Jeremy Ensrud (Eugene, Ore./Club Oregon) at 167.75 pounds and Kole Clauson (Madison, Wis./Wisconsin WC) at 167.5 pounds.
This major event featured the top 18-24 year-old male wrestlers in the nation, competing in the Olympic styles. Many of the athletes on the University age level have also been successful on the Senior level, and are considered top Olympic prospects.
The Sunkist Kids won the team title, followed by the Cyclone Wrestling Club.
1998 UNIVERSITY FREESTYLE NATIONALS at Evanston, Ill., April 10-11
50 kg/110 lbs. -
1st -Donald Anderson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces-Army), won by tech. fall over Daron Harvey, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces-Army), 10-0, 2:17
3rd - Dwight Hayles, Garner, N.C. (Strong and Courageous), pin Christopher Stone, Rensselaer, Ind., 0:40
54 kg/119 lbs. -
1st - Stephen Abas, Fresno, Calif. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Jason Silverstein, W. Lafayette, Ind. (Purdue WC), 8-0
3rd - Jody Strittmatter, Ebensburg, Pa. (Pitt-Johnstown) dec. Timothy Mazzocchi, Quantico, Va. (Armed Forces-Marines), 8-6
5th - Matt Azevedo, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids) won by inj. dft. over Justin Weber, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces-Army)
7th - Moses Delfin, Bakersfield, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC) dec. Jesse West, Ames, Iowa (Cyclone WC), 3-0
58 kg/127.75 lbs. -
1st - Danny Felix, Phoenix, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Dane Valdez, Norman, Okla, (Team Excel), 6-0
3rd -Shane Valdez, Norman, Okla. (Team Excel) dec. John Strittmatter, Ebensburg, Pa. (Pitt-Johnstown), 5-0
5th - Matt Holman, Stillwater, Okla. (Cowboy WC) won by inj. dft. over Rob Loper, Pittsburgh, Pa. (Pittsburgh WC)
7th - Bart Golyer, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minn. Storm) dec. Eric Keller, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Cat WC), 3-2
63 kg/138.75 lbs. -
1st - Jeremy Ensrud, Eugene, Ore. (Club Oregon) dec. Nicky Flach, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Cat WC), 7-3
3rd - Sonny Marchette, Susanville, Calif, (Cougar WC) dec. Jared Frayer, Norman, Okla. (Team Excel), 7-6
5th - Jose DeAnda , Lincoln, Neb. (Husker WC) won by ref. dec. over Mike Mendoza, Bakersfield, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC), 2-0, ot, 8:00
7th - Scott Owen, DeKalb, Ill., won by inj. dft. over Damion Logan, Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen WC)
69 kg/152 lbs. -
1st - Chris Bono, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) dec. Kirk White, Boise, Idaho (Boise State), 9-0
3rd - Brian Burrows, Stillwater, Okla. (Cowboy WC) dec. T,J. Williams , Chicago, Ill. (Quicksilver), 7-3
5th - Cole Sanderson, Heber City, Utah (Cyclone WC) dec. Rudolph James, Havre, Mont. (Montana Bear WC), 4-3
7th - Jason Ramstatter, Bakersfield, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC) won by tech. fall over Shawn Smith, Stillwater, Okla. (Cowboy WC), 16-6, 3:58
76 kg/167.5 lbs. -
1st - Kole Clauson, Madison, Wis (Wisconsin WC) dec. Joe Heskett, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio(Cyclone WC), 5-3
3rd - Tom Ciezki, Evanston, Ill. (Wildcat WC) pin Sam Kline, Morgantown, W.Va. (West Virginia U), 0:23
5th - Steve Blackford, Des Moines, Iowa (Sunkist Kids), dec. Josh Koscheck, Edinboro, Pa. (Edinboro WC), 5-3, ot, 7:20
7th - Manuel Garcia, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico (Sparta WC) dec. Ty Wilcox, Stillwater, Okla. (Cowboy WC), 7-4
85 kg./187.25 lbs. -
1st - John Kading, Evanston, Ill. (Wildcat WC) dec Brian Picklo, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids), 5-3
3rd - Brandon Slay, Amarillo, Texas (Dave Schultz WC) pin Bart Horton, Ames, Iowa (Cyclone WC), 4:16
5th - Chael Sonnen, Springfield, Ore. (Club Oregon) won by inj. dft. over Aaron Simpson, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
7th - Jason Moore, Columbia, Mo. (Tiger WC) pin Viktor Sveda, Peninsula, Ohio, 3:53
97 kg/213.75 lbs. -
1st - Anthony Esposito, Roselle, Ill. (Armed Forces/Marines) won by ref. dec. over Zachary Thompson, Ames, Iowa (Cyclone WC), 2-1, ot, 8:00
3rd - Aaron Stark, Madison, Wis. (New World Order) dec. Rusty Cook, Boise, Idaho (Boise State), 8-2
5th - Mike Quaglio, Westbury, N.Y. won by inj. dft. over Tony Weiland, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Cat WC)
7th - Donny Rider, Fresno, Calif. (Sunkist Kids) pin Mark Knauer, Ames, Iowa (Cyclone WC), 2:37
130 kg/286 lbs. -
1st - Airron Richardson, Toledo, Ohio (Cliff Keen) dec. J.R. Plienis, Edgemere, Md. (Husker WC), 4-0, ot, 5:00
3rd - Billy Blunt, Modesto, Calif. (NC State Univ.) won by tech. fall over Ryan Kehler, Klingerstown, Pa (West Virginia U), 11-0, 2:57
5th - Trent Hynek, Ames, Iowa (Cyclone WC) pin Chad Hedges, Ft. Wayne, Ind. (Purdue WC), 2:56
7th - Jake Vercelli, Minooka, Ind. (Purdue WC) dec. Mark Janus, State College, Pa. (Penn St. WC), 4-0, 5:53
Outstanding Wrestler - Chris Bono, Sunkist Kids, 152 pounds
Most Falls - Tom Ciezki, Wildcat WC, 5 falls in 7:20
Team Standings - 1. Sunkist Kids, 60 pts., 2. Cyclone, 43 pts.; 3. Armed Forces, 41 pts.; 4. Team Excel, 24 pts.