for immediate release: April 9, 1998The national team from Russia defeated a team of U.S. all-stars, 20-14, in a World Dual meet of freestyle wrestling in Lakewood, N.J., April 9. Russia won five of the nine bouts in the dual meet.
T.J. Jaworsky (Chapel Hill, N.C./Sunkist Kids) claimed the first win for the United States, defeating Andrei Yakovlev, 8-2 at 138.75 pounds. Jaworsky was a three-time NCAA champion for North Carolina.
Pat Santoro (Bethlehem, Pa./NYAC) scored an impressive 10-0 technical fall over Tamouraz Ouroussov at 152 pounds. Santoro, who is currently unranked in the U.S., was an alternate on the 1996 Olympic freestyle team. Santoro was a two-time NCAA champion at Pittsburgh.
1997 Junior Nationals champion Damion Hahn of Lakewood, N.J. defeated Alexei Kasiev at 167.5 pounds, 6-4. Hahn is the top ranked Junior in the U.S. at 178 pounds.
Kerry McCoy (State College, Pa./ NYAC) claimed a 1-1 overtime referees decision over three-time World Cup champion Andrei Shumilin at 286 pounds. McCoy, ranked fourth in the U.S., is a two-time NCAA champion for Penn State Univ.
Russia won key matches including a 4-2 decision by Leonid Chuchonov over 1996 Olympian Lou Rosselli (Edinboro, Pa.,NYAC) at 119 pounds and a pin by Adam Saitiev over Tony Robie (Edinboro, Pa./NYAC) at 167.5 pounds.
Shamil Umakhanov scored a 10-0 technical fall over Sanshiro Abe of State College, Pa. at 127.75 pounds. Abe, who competed for Japan in the Olympics, is an assistant coach at Penn State Univ. Abe was a 1995 NCAA champion for Penn State Univ.
Among the other Russian winners were Alexei Kroupniakov who scored a 3-0 decision over Dean Morrison (Morgantown, W. Va./NYAC) at 187.25 pounds and 1997 World Champion Kouramagomed Kouramagomedov scoring a 6-0 win over Rex Holman (Blacklick, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) at 213.75 pounds.
RUSSIA 20, UNITED STATES 14
at Lakewood, N.J., April 9
54 kg/119 lbs. - Leonid Chuchonov, Russia dec. Lou Rosselli, Edinboro, Pa., 4-2
58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Shamil Umakhanov, Russia won by tech. fall over Sanshiro Abe, State College, Pa., 10-0
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - T.J. Jaworsky, Chapel Hill, N.C. dec. Andrei Yakovlev, Russia, 8-2
69 kg/152 lbs. - Pat Santoro, Bethlehem, Pa. won by tech. fall over Tamouraz Ouroussov, Russia, 10-0
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Damion Hahn, N.J. dec. Alexei Kasiev, Russia, 6-4
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Adam Saitiev, Russia pin Tony Robie, Edinboro, Pa., 1:48
85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Alexei Kroupniakov, Russia dec. Dean Morrison, Morgantown, W. Va., 3-0
97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Kouramagomed Kouramagomedov, Russia dec. Rex Holman, 6-0
130 kg/286 lbs. - Kerry McCoy, State College, Pa. won by ref. dec. over Andrei Shumilin, Russia, 1-1, ot, 8:00