Finals Set For 2002 Freestyle University Nationals and FILA Cadet Freestyle Nationals

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
05/04/2002


Evanston, Ill.- Intriguing matchups grazed underneath the rafters at Welsh-Ryan Arena at the 2002 University Freestyle Nationals and FILA Cadet Freestyle Nationals on Saturday evening. All four returning champions will compete in the finals tomorrow morning as well.    At the University 50 kg weight class, Sal Gonzalez (Fresno State) finally wrestled a match after waiting over 24 hours since the tournament began to step on the mat. He was not rusty at all, though, defeating Greg White (Mountaineer WC), 12-2. He will face Tim Morris (Down East Stormers), the University Greco-Roman champion at 50 kg. Morris scored late exposure points to down Skyler Wright (Unatt.) 14-12.    Chris Fleeger (Dave Schultz WC) dominated Shawn Bunch (Dave Schultz WC) in their 60 kg semifinal match. Fleeger stood in the center of the mat nearly the entire match, neutralizing Bunch's arsenal of offensive weapons. A verbal sparring match between the two followed Fleeger's 7-2 win, but both wrestlers were simply warned by officials.    In his return trip to the finals Fleeger will face Urijah Faber (Dave Schultz WC), who downed Cory Cooperman (Lehigh WC) in the semifinals.    At 74 kg, Andy Hrovat (Cliff Keen WC) will also return to the finals after his 10-0 technical fall victory over Nate Yetzer (Dave Schultz WC). Hrovat, who wrestled at 184 pounds last college season, will meet up with Scott Owen (Northern Illinois) in the finals. Owen, who wrestled 157 last year in college, defeated Derek Zinck (Lehigh WC), 9-3.    Andy Bowlby (Orange Crush), who doubled as a Freestyle and Greco-Roman champion last year, is looking to repeat that feat. He defeated Kevin Hoy (Falcon WC) in their 120 kg semifinal match. Bowlby, who wrestles at Oregon State, will meet up with PAC-10 foe Kellan Fluckiger (Sunkist Kids WC) in the finals.    At 55 kg, Nick Simmons (Michigan WC) moves into his first University final after a 9-5 win over Terrance Clendenin (Lehigh WC). He will face Kyle Ott (Unatt.) in the finals. The two are very familiar with each other, as Simmons defeated Ott by major decision and technical fall during the 2001-2002 college season.    At 66 kg, hometown favorite John Giacche (Wildcat WC) won a close match against Mark DiSalvo (VMI) 4-2. DiSalvo scored a late takedown on Giacche, but was unable to turn him for exposure points in an attempt to tie the match or take the lead.    Giacche will meet up with Jeremy Spates (Missouri) in the finals after Spates dominated Maxwell Shingara (U.S. Army), 12-5.    Damion Hahn (Minnesota Storm) had no problem reaching the 84 kg finals after pinning Tony Gansen (Central Michigan) in only 44 seconds. Hahn will face Chris Pendleton (Gator WC), who struggled in an 8-6 decision over Jason Potter (Unatt.).    Pendleton gave up three fleeing the mat calls in his match, but dominated from the par terre position in the victory.    Jon Trenge (Lehigh WC) was finally scored upon in his 96 kg semifinal match against Anton Talamantes (Unatt.), but it wasn't enough as Trenge moved on with a 7-2 win. He will face David Sandberg (Pittsburgh WC), who escaped with a 3-2 win over Chris Skretkowicz (New York Athletic Club).    In FILA Cadet competition, Mike Bizzle (Oklahoma) and Nick Gallick (Arizona) will meet in a rematch of the 46 kg Greco-Roman finals.    The marquee matchup for Cadets may be at 63 kg, though, as 2001 Advocare Cadet National Champion Eric Tannenbaum (Illinois) will face 2000 FILA Cadet champion Alex Tsirtsis (Indiana). Both are considered two of the top young wrestlers in the nation.    Travis Lang (North Dakota), a Greco-Roman champion, will try to become a double-champion at 54 kg. He will have to get through Angel Escobedo (Indiana), though.    Another Greco-Roman champion, Nick Hayes (Iowa), will be looking to win his second individual title of the weekend against David Craig (Florida) at 69 kg.    Iowa is the only state with three representatives in the finals as Matt Fields and Phil Swanson will join Hayes. Fields and Swanson will face each other in the 100 kg final.    Freestyle finals will begin on Sunday morning at 9:00 am (Central Time). Stay logged in to TheMat.com for complete coverage.      Placing Matches - University Freestyle  50 kg  1st - Tim Morris (Down East Stormers) vs. Sal Gonzalez (Fresno State)  3rd - Greg White (Mountaineer WC)  vs. Skyler Wright (Unatt.)  5th - Don Geibel (Gannon) vs. Jon Lanning (Unatt.)    55 kg  1st - Nick Simmons (Michigan WC) vs. Kyle Ott (Unatt.)  3rd - Mike Silengo (Unatt.) vs. Terrance Clendenin (Lehigh WC)  5th - Austin Devoe (Dave Schultz WC) vs. Jesse Sundell (Cyclone WC)  7th - Andrew Strand (Minnesota Storm) vs. Jeff Sato (Dave Schultz WC)    60 kg  1st - Chris Fleeger (OSWC) vs. Urijah Faber (Dave Schultz WC)  3rd - Shawn Bunch (Dave Schultz WC) vs. Paul Collum (Northeast Elite WC)  5th - A.J. Grant (Cliff Keen WC) vs. Cory Cooperman (Lehigh WC)  7th - Jesse Leng (Unatt.) vs. Matt Sanchez (Dave Schultz WC)    66 kg  1st - John Giacche (Wildcat WC) vs. Jeremy Spates (Missouri)  3rd - Jason Mester (Central Michigan) vs. J.P. Reese (Missouri)  5th - Mark DiSalvo (VMI) vs. Maxwell Shingara (U.S. Army)  7th - Derek Phillips (Central Michigan) vs. Ty Morgan (Central Michigan)    74 kg  1st - Andy Hrovat (Cliff Keen WC) vs. Scott Owen (Northern Illinois)  3rd - Tyron Woodley (Missouri) vs. David Bolyard (Central Michigan)  5th - Derek Zinck (Lehigh WC) vs. Nathan Yetzer (Dave Schultz WC)  7th - Justin Giovinco (Pittsburgh WC) vs. Luke Larwin (Oregon)    84 kg  1st - Damion Hahn (Minnesota Storm) vs. Chris Pendleton (Gator WC)  3rd - Clint Wattenberg (Cornell) vs. Ryan Halsey (Dave Schultz WC)  5th - Jason Potter (Unatt.) vs. Tony Gansen (Central Michigan)  7th - Brady Reinke (Advance) vs. Eddie Gifford (Sunkist Kids WC)    96 kg  1st - Jon Trenge (Lehigh WC) vs. David Sandberg (Pittsburgh WC)  3rd - Zach Thompson (Cyclone WC) vs. Chris Skretkowicz (New York Athletic Club)  5th - Anton Talamantes (Unatt.) vs. Paul Velekei (Dave Schultz WC)  7th - Rusty Blackman (Gator WC) vs. Ryan Fulsaas (Hawkeye WC)    120 kg  1st - Andy Bowlby (Orange Crush) vs. Kellan Fluckiger (Sunkist Kids WC)  3rd - Kevin Herron (Missouri) vs. Kevin Hoy (Falcon WC)  5th - Joe Sahl (Lehigh WC) vs. Jim Pennise (Mohawk Valley WC)  7th - Cain Velasquez (Northeast Elite WC) vs. Gregory Wagner (Unatt.)      Placing Matches - Fila Cadet Freestyle  42 kg  1st - Aaron Hart (Urbana, Ohio) vs. Franklin Gomez (Puerto Nuevo, Puerto Rico)  3rd - Matt Rosen (Gloucester, Virg.) vs. Henry Cejudo (Phoenix, Ariz.)  5th - James Kohlberg (Rolling Meadows, Ill.) vs. Mike Wilson (Marion, Ohio)    46 kg  1st - Mike Bizzle (Tulsa, Okla.) vs. Nick Gallick (Tucson, Ariz.)  3rd - Davey Mason (Perry, Okla.) vs. T.J. Sebolt (Centerville, Ia.)  5th - Nick Fanthorpe (Naperville, Ill.) vs. Windsor Johnson (Marietta, Ga.)    50 kg  1st - Cesar Grajales (Brandon, Fl.) vs. Tanner Gardner (Berryton, Kan.)  3rd - Kyle Turnbull (Morgantown, WV) vs. Adam Gottschalk (Duqbuque, Ia.)  5th - Paul Donahoe (Goodrich, Mich.) vs. Joey Slaton (Cedar Rapids, Ia.)    54 kg  1st - Travis Lang (Bismark, ND) vs. Angel Escobedo (Griffith, Ind.)  3rd - Anthony Burke (Poquoson, Virg.) vs. Dustin Schlatter (Ohio)  5th - Eric Hoffman (Davenport, Ia.) vs. Jose Escobedo (Griffith, Ind.)    58 kg  1st - Angel Cejudo (Phoenix, Ariz.) vs. Joe Gomez (Carol Stream, Ill.)  3rd - J. Jaggers (Northfield, Ohio) vs. Cameron Doggett (Ohio)  5th - Ryan Froese (Howard City, Mich.) vs. Tim Ebenhoeh (Michigan)    63 kg  1st - Eric Tannenbaum (Naperville, Ill.) vs. Alex Tsirtsis (Griffith, Ind.)  3rd - Isaiah Britton (Williamsport, Penn.) vs. Brent Metcalf (Davison, Mich.)  5th - Donald Ooton (Lafayette, Virg.) vs. Anthony Constantino (Kirtland, Ohio)    69 kg  1st - David Craig (Brandon, Fl.) vs. Nick Hayes (Council Bluffs, Ia.)  3rd - Trevor Stewart (Detroit, Mich.) vs. Michael Galante (Ocean City, NJ)  5th - Jim Griffin (Oak Forest, Ill.) vs. David Erwin (Ohio)    76 kg  1st - Ajay Foreman (Great Bridge, Virg.) vs. Jeremy Pederson (B