All five returning national champions stroll through Day 1 of Cadet Greco-Roman competition
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John Fuller (USA Wrestling)
07/21/2002
Fargo, N.D. - The five returning Cadet Greco-Roman champions all stayed undefeated with easy wins in day 1 of the ASICS/Vaughan Cadet Greco-Roman Championships, which is playing host to 999 competitors this year. Two returning champions, Bret Land (California) and Nick Gallick (Arizona), are on a collision course to meet near the end of pool competition. Both wrestlers compete in pool A of the 98 lb. division. Land moved through the first day's action with a first-period pin in his first match and a 13-2 technical superiority victory in his second match. Gallick recorded technical superiority wins of 13-2 and 10-0 on the day to stay undefeated. Also in the 98-pound A pool is 2001 Cadet Freestyle champion and Cadet Greco-Roman runner-up Mike Bizzle (Oklahoma), who stayed alive with 4-2 and 12-1 wins. Bizzle wrestled Land in the finals of both styles last year, splitting the matchups. 125-pound Dustin Schlatter (Ohio) was one of two champions who did not surrender a point in day 1. Schlatter, the 112 lb. champion last year, won by technical superiority in both of his matches by 11-0 and 12-0 scores. Chris Hogue (Pennsylvania) was also unscored upon as he competed at 171 lbs. Hogue won with 11-0 and 10-0 technical superiorities. Cyler Sanderson, the younger brother of Cael Sanderson, also stayed undefeated after day 1, winning his matches by 4-1 and 11-1 scores at 119 lbs. In one of the most uplifting stories of the tournament, blind wrestler Dan Light (Ohio) finished day 1 with a 1-1 record. Light lost his first match 4-2, but scored a takedown and exposure points late in his second match to squeak out an 8-7 victory and move into day 2 competition. Cadet Greco-Roman action will get back underway on Sunday morning at 9 am (Central Time). For complete coverage of the ASICS/Vaughan Junior and Cadet National Championships, continue to logon to TheMat.com.