Returning Champions Ware, Reiter and Hendricks Remain Undefeated After Day 1 at ASICS/Vaughan Junior
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John Fuller (TheMat.com)
07/25/2002
FARGO, N.D. - Three defending champions, led by Teyon Ware (Oklahoma), remained undefeated after day 1 competition at the ASICS/Vaughan Junior National Freestyle Championships on Thursday evening. Ware, the only wrestler looking for his third Junior National title, recorded two first-period pins at 135 lbs. to move into day 2 competition unscathed. Mack Reiter (Iowa) won his only match of the session by a score of 11-0. Johnny Hendricks (Oklahoma) dominated his opponents in three technical superiority victories. Three 2001 Junior freestyle champions eligible to compete in 2002 elected not to compete in this year's tournament. Gabe Mooney (Minnesota), a Junior Greco-Roman All-American, Mark Moos (Ohio) and Hetag Pliev (Ohio) all sat out the world's biggest wrestling tournament. In perhaps the most shocking upset of the tournament, 145-lb. C.P. Schlatter (Ohio) lose two of three matches to be knocked out of the tournament on the first day. Schlatter, considered to be a top college prospect, won his first match before losing 6-5 to Lambros Fotos (Illinois) and 9-3 to Matt Storniolo (Pennsylvania). Also still undefeated are Junior National Greco-Roman champions Vincent Cina (Maryland), Tanner Gardner (Kansas), Ben Kjar (Utah), Sam Hazewinkel (Florida), Angel Cejudo (Arizona), Chase Metcalf (Michigan), Todd Meneely (Nebraska), Travis and Trent Paulson (Iowa), Joe Henning (Wisconsin), J.D. Bergman (Ohio) and Cole Konrad (Wisconsin). The 2002 Junior Freestyle National Championships set a new record for participants with 1,254 wrestlers. The Junior-level event also set an overall record of 2,168 participants, blasting the previous record of 1,838 athletes set in the 1997 Junior Nationals. The Junior age-group will be in action again on Friday morning. Wrestling begins at 9 am (Central Time). For complete coverage of the ASICS/Vaughan Junior National Championships, stay logged on to TheMat.com.