Minnesota Repeats as Greco-Roman team champions while Oklahoma wins freestyle National Duals title
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John Fuller (TheMat.com)
07/08/2002
Greeley, Colo. - The Cadet National Duals in Greeley, Colo. this weekend offered a little more spice than last year, when Minnesota won both the freestyle and Greco-Roman titles. This year, Minnesota repeated as Greco-Roman champions, but Oklahoma steamrolled through the competition on their way to the freestyle crown. Minnesota scored over 50 points four times in their nine dual meets in Greco-Roman competition. The closes dual was a 16-point victory over Kansas Gold, but it was their 45-24 win over Oregon that gave Minnesota the crown. In the championship dual, Minnesota raced out to a 14-2 lead and never looked back in winning 11 of 17 matches. Oregon, traditionally a strong Greco-Roman state, cut the lead to 28-17 after Brett Arand recorded a technical fall at 145 pounds, but Minnesota put the dual away with technical falls by Nate Matousek and Chas Betts and a pin by Kevin Landry. Mike Thorn, Jayson Ness, Ryan Adams, Matousek, Betts, Landry, Sean Malone and Nick Rydberg all completed Greco-Roman action undefeated for Minnesota. In other placing matches, Oklahoma defeated Utah 39-30 for third place, Pennsylvania topped Kansas Gold 36-29 for fifth place and Florida crushed Illinois 61-3 for seventh place. Just as Minnesota was dominant in Greco-Roman, so was Oklahoma in freestyle. Oklahoma dominated Illinois in a 47-22 win, coming out on top in 12 of 17 matches, including the first five as they opened an 18-2 lead. It was smooth sailing from there as Illinois won three of their matches by two points or less. Nick Fallico and Marty Engwall recorded technical fall victories for Illinois at 145 and 152 pounds, respectively, but they were unable to help their team gain any momentum in the dual. For Oklahoma, Justin Blumer, James Elam, Sam Schmitz, Jimmy Matlock, Newley McSpadden and Jerred Stapleton all finished freestyle competition undefeated. The team victory gives Oklahoma claims to freestyle National Dual titles at both the Junior and Cadet levels, showing the impact youth programs have had on the state. In freestyle placing matches, Pennsylvania defeated Oregon 37-32 for third place, Missouri defeated Michigan 38-32 for fifth place and New Jersey pounded Iowa 43-18 for seventh place. These Cadets will next compete at the ASICS/Vaughan Cadet National Championships in Fargo, N.D. The event will take place July 20-27.