Six returning champions won all their matches in the opening session of the ASICS/Vaughan Junior Nat

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
07/24/2003


The returning champions in the field are Patrick Feeley of Rhode Island at 105 pounds, Paul Donahoe of Michigan at 112 pounds, Robbie Preston of New Jersey at 125 pounds, Ryan Lang of Ohio at 135 pounds, Eric Tannenbaum of Illinois at 145 pounds and Craig Henning of Wisconsin at 145 pounds.    Feeley had a difficult opening match, edging Bryan Moreno of California, 7-6.     Lang also had a tough opening bout, defeating Phil Basting of North Dakota, 9-7. His second match was less stressful, a 43 second pin over Lyle Benally of Colorado.    The others had an easy first go. Donahoe scored a 10-0 technical fall over Justin Staylor of Virginia. Preston had two bouts, a 10-0 technical fall over Derrell Finch of Colorado and a pin over Mike Anderson of Pennsylvania in 2:37. Tannenbaum had two 10-0 technical falls, beating David Tindle of Kansas and Spencer Hirt of Alaska. Henning also had a pair of strong victories, beating Caleb Galemore of Kansas by technical fall, 11-0 and pinning Aaron Wiernimont of Iowa in 27 seconds.    Many of these returning champions are graduated seniors and were among the nation's top college recruits. Preston has been accepted to Harvard, Lang will compete at Northwestern Univ. and Tannenbaum will compete at the Univ. of Michigan next year.    Twelve of the 2003 Junior National Greco-Roman champions are entered in the freestyle tournament, attempting to win a coveted double title. Two of these Greco-Roman champions lost their first match in the freestyle tournament.    J.D. Bergman of Ohio, who was the Greco-Roman champion at 189 pounds, lost his first match of the tournament to Jared Massey of Minnesota, 6-4 in overtime. Bergman was second in the Junior Nationals yesterday in freestyle.    Joe Weygand of Pennsylvania moved up a weight division to 105 pounds, after capturing the Greco-Roman crown at 98 pounds and it could cost him. He dropped his first match at the new weight class, a 13-2 technical fall loss to Adam Kimbrell of Georgia    The other Junior National Greco-Roman champions who opened the tournament with victories in the first session are Brandon Zoeteway of California at 105 pounds, Mike Rodriguez of Washington at 112 pounds, Mark McKnight of Pennsylvania at 119 pounds, Dustin Schlatter of Ohio at 135 pounds, Brent Metcalf of Michigan at 140 pounds, Scott Loescher of Oregon at 145 pounds, C.P. Schlatter of Ohio at 152 pounds, Rocky Cozart of Florida at 160 pounds, Luke Hogle of Oregon at 171 pounds and Dustin Fox of Ohio at 275 pounds.    Dustin Schlatter's first match was not easy, a 5-0 victory over respected Joey Eckloff of Pennsylvania. He came back to win his second match handily, a 10-0 technical fall over Joe Belmonte of California.    2002 Cadet National freestyle champions in the Junior draw this year, all who are undefeated after the first session, include Alex Herrera of California at 140 pounds, Mitch Smith of West Virginia at 140 pounds, Nathan Matousek of Minnesota at 152 pounds, Mike Poeta of Illinois at 152 pounds, Brandon Mason of Iowa at 160 pounds, Patrick Bond of Virginia at 189 pounds and Kyle Massey of Minnesota at 275 pounds.