HOUSE, ESPOSITO DEFEND GRECO-ROMAN NATIONAL TITLES AT 1998 UNIVERSITY NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AT NORTHWESTERN UNIV. IN EVANSTON, ILL., APRIL 9Herb House (Colorado Springs, Colo./Armed Forces-Army) and Anthony Esposito (Roselle, Ill./Armed Forces-Marines) defended their University national Greco-Roman titles, at the 1998 University National Championships at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., April 9.
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.
House was named Outstanding Wrestler, after claiming his fourth career University National Greco-Roman title. He defeated Cory Posey (Westfield, N.J./New York AC), 5-0 in the 152-pound finals.
Esposito won a battle of returning champions, when he stopped Brent Boeshans (Beulah, N.D./Minn. Storm) in the finals at 213.75 pounds, 3-2. Esposito was the 187.25 pound champion last year, while Boeshans was the 213.75-pound champion. It was EspositoÕs third career University Nationals title.
Joe Warren (Grand Rapids, Mich./Cliff Keen WC) won the 127.75 pound title, with an injury default over two-time University Nationals champion Cody Sanderson (Heber City, Utah/Cyclone).
Curt Onstad (Quantico, Va./Armed Forces-Marines), a runner-up a year ago, claimed his first University Nationals title with an 11-0 technical fall over Brandon McNab (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) at 138.75 pounds.
Aaron Sieracki (Colorado Springs, Colo./Armed Forces-Air Force), also a runner-up last year, won the University Nationals title at 167.5 pounds, edging Mike Uker (Colorado Springs, Colo./Hawkeye), 3-1..
The only fall in the finals came at 286 pounds, where Corey Farkas (Colorado Springs, Colo.-Air Force) pinned Billy Blunt (Modesto, Calif./NC State Univ.) in 1:45
Other champions were Michael Santos (Colorado Springs, Colo./Armed Forces-Army) at 110 pounds, Josh Fox (Colorado Springs, Colo.) at 119 pounds and Brad Vering (Lincoln, Neb./Husker WC) at 187.25 pounds.
The Armed Forces won the team title with 161 points, followed by the Minnesota Storm with 64 points.
This event was held alongside the 1998 Cadet World Team Trials for men. The top 14-16 year old wrestlers in the nation will compete in freestyle and Greco-Roman.
The Men's University Nationals and the Men's Cadet World Team Trials will be held side-by-side throughout the weekend. For the first time, a womenÕs freestyle division will be hosted at the University National Championships.
The men's freestyle competition begins on Friday, April 10, with session times of 9:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., and completes on Saturday, April 11, with session times of 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. The womenÕs freestyle competition will be held on Saturday, April 11, with session times of 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
1998 UNIVERSITY GRECO-ROMAN NATIONALS at Evanston, Ill., April 9
50 kg/110 lbs. -
1st - Michael Santos, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces/Army) dec. Kristian Stewart, Farmville, N.C. (Strong and Courageous), 11-4
3rd - Shaun Nieves, Quantico, Va. (Armed Forces/Marines) pin John Lanning, Morris, Ill. (North Central College), 3:29
5th - Rod Gaddy, Birmingham, Ala. (Calvary) pin Dwight Hayes, Garner, N.C. (Strong and Courageous), 4:00
54 kg/119 lbs. -
1st - Josh Fox, Colorado Springs, Colo. dec. Mark Yanagihara, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 3-2
3rd - Chris Williams, Ann Arbor, Mich. (Michigan WC) dec. Lindsay Durlacher, Arlington Heights, Ill. (U of Illinois), 9-8
5th - Anthony Wilkes, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces/Army) dec. Daryl Burke, New Baltimore, Mich. (Cliff Keen WC), 12-3
7th - Anthony Gibbons, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces/Army) won by inj. dft. over Cole Bagwell, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces/Army)
58 kg/127.75 lbs. -
1st - Joe Warren, Grand Rapids, Mich. (Cliff Keen WC) won by inj. dft. over Cody Sanderson, Heber City, Utah (Cyclone WC)
3rd - James Shillow, Quantico, Va. (Armed Forces/Marines) won by tech. fall over Bart Golyer, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minn. Storm), 13-0, 2:14
5th - Charlie Carbaugh, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces/Air Force) dec. William Gustafson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces/Army), 4-2
7th - Jacob Hey, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces/Air Force) pin Darnell Lollis, Harvey, Ill. (Twisters), 3:21
63 kg/138.75 lbs. -
1st - Curt Onstad, Quantico, Va. (Armed Forces/Marines) dec. Brandon McNab, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Dave Schultz WC), 11-0, 3:33
3rd - Matthew Shirk, Quantico, Va. (Armed Forces/Marines) won by tech. fall over T.J. Friedrichs, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minn. Storm), 12-1, 3:27
5th - Jason Reitmeier, Sioux Falls, S.D. (Minn. Storm) pin Lance Weber, Des Plaines, Ill., 2:54
7th - Mark Castle, Eugene, Ore. (Club Oregon) dec. Robert Root, Quantico, Va. (Armed Forces/Marines), 15-7
69 kg/152 lbs. -
1st - Herb House, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces/Army) dec. Cory Posey, Westfield, N.J. (New York AC), 5-0
3rd - Brad Pike, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minn. Storm) dec. Bryan Medlin, Quantico, Va. (Armed Forces/Marines), 7-2
5th - Brian Van Hoven, Quantico, Va. (Armed Forces/Marines) dec. Glenn Garrison, Havre, Mont. (Montana Bear Claw), 4-0
7th - Josh Krebs, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) won by tech. fall over Jason Butler, Glenwood, Ill. (U of Illinois), 11-0, 2:41
76 kg/167.5 lbs. -
1st - Aaron Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force) dec. Mike Uker, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Hawkeye WC), 3-1
3rd - Tom Ciezki, Evanston, Ill. (Wildcat WC) pin Patrick Owens, Quantico, Va. (Armed Forces/Marines), 3:02
5th - Tim Kinsella, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minn. Storm) dec William Halsey, Bakersfield, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC), 9-1
7th - Mark Bertschinger, Rochester, Minn. (Bison WC) won by tech. fall over Keith Barkers, Quantico, Va. (Armed Forces/Marines), 16-5, 4:46
85 kg./187.25 lbs. -
1st - Brad Vering, Lincoln, Neb. (Husker WC) dec. Chael Sonnen, Springfield, Ore. (Peninsula WC), 6-3
3rd - Alex Strobl, Quantico, Va. (Armed Forces/Marines) dec. James Short, Boiling Springs, N.C. (Strong and Courageous), 6-0
5th - Charles McTorry, Lincoln, Neb. (Husker WC) won by inj. dft. over Delany Berger, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minn. Storm)
7th - James Lee, Batavia, Ill. (U of Illinois) dec. Jeremy Wilson, Portland, Ore. (Parkway), 4-3
97 kg/213.75 lbs. -
1st - Anthony Esposito, Roselle, Ill. (Armed Forces/Marines), dec. Brent Boeshans, Beulah, N.D. (Minn. Storm), 3-2
3rd - Neal Nutter, Cleveland, Ohio (Viking WC) dec. Christopher Moen, Grand Rapids, Minn. (Bison WC), 6-0
5th - Luke Wren,Waverly, Minn. (Minn. Storm) dec. Brandon Vera, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces/Air Force), 8-6
7th - Chris Renzullo, Corvallis, Ore. (Orange Crush) won by inj. dft. over Chad Love, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces/Army)
130 kg/286 lbs. -
1st - Corey Farkas, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces/Air Force) pin Billy Blunt, Modesto, Calif. (NC State Univ.), 1:45
3rd - Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces/Army) dec. J.R. Plienis, Edgemere, Md. (Husker WC), 3-1
5th - John Pena, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minn. Storm) won by tech. fall over Arleigh Hix, Corvallis, Ore. (Orange Crush), 13-3, 4:17
7th - John Devine, Columbia, Mo. (Missouri Tiger) won by inj. dft. over Jamie Garvey, Fargo, N.D. (Grizzlies)
Outstanding Wrestler - Herb House, Armed Forces-Army, 69 kg
Most Falls -Neal Nutter, Cleveland, Ohio, Viking WC
Team Standings - 1. Armed Forces, 161 pts.; Minnesota Storm, 64 pts.