Asics/Vaughn Junior National Freestyle Championships Preview

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
07/27/2000


There are 1,031 entries in the 2000 Asics/Vaughan Junior Nationals Freestyle Championships    98 - There are 30 entries. The only returning Junior National freestyle All-American is Sterling Oglesby of Wyoming, who placed seventh last year. Oglesby has been in the Junior Greco-Roman finals the last two years. There is a Cadet Freestyle World Champion in the field, Mary Kelly of Illinois, who won the Women's Cadet World gold last summer. Junior Greco-Roman All-Americans in the field include 2000 champion Willy Holst of Wisconsin plus Roberto Martinez of California, J.W. Bykowski of New Jersey, Brock Zollinger of Idaho and Sammy Vigil of Colorado. Past Cadet Greco-Roman All-Americans Jeff Davis of Oklahoma and Jesse Wallas of Indiana are also in the mix.    105.5 - There are 45 entries. Four 1999 Junior National freestyle All-American return, including 105.5-pound silver medallist Robert Araiza of Arizona. The other three Junior placewinners who return are Nathan Kendjorsky of Ohio (sixth at 105.5), Leif Gilsdorf of Ohio (sixth at 98) and Rich White of New York (eighth at 98). Four Junior National Greco-Roman All-Americans are in the field, led by 2000 champion Eric Stevenson of Oregon, plus Cheney Haight of Utah, Luke Metzler of Kansas and Mike Wilding of Idaho. Cadet Freestyle All-American Stewart Bogart of Kansas is also in the draw.    114.5 - There are 84 entries. This weight features a pair of 119 pound Junior National champions: 98-pound titlist Leo Bugaj of Oklahoma and 105.5 pound champion Nick Simmons of Michigan. The other four returning Junior freestyle placewinners are Austin DeVoe of Kansas (third at 105.5), Justin Pearch of Oregon (fourth at 98), Nick Leon of California (fifth at 98) and Nick Minard of Oregon (eighth at 98). Five Junior Greco-Roman All-Americans are testing the freestyle field, including Shawn Bunch of Kansas, Luke Smith of Wisconsin, Jim Collins of Pennsylvania, Ethan Kyle of Missouri and Travis Lee of Hawaii. Past Cadet National freestyle All-Americans in the weight include Mark Moos of Pennsylvania, Nate Gallick of Arizona, Fred Faver of Washington, Andy Bricker of Florida, Travis Sickle of New York and Todd Meneeley of Nebraska.    123 - There are 104 entries. Returning champion Chris Rodrigues of Georgia, the Outstanding Wrestler at the Junior Freestyle Tournament last year, is back. Chris Fleeger of Pennsylvania, who placed seventh at the U.S. Senior Nationals this year and was a four-time Cadet National champion, is also in the field. Four other Junior National All-Americans in freestyle are entered: Brandon Lauer of Maryland (fifth at 123), John Bedford of Ohio (fifth at 105.5), Daniel Green of Oklahoma (sixth at 114.5) and Rocky Anderson of Pennsylvania (seventh at 105.5). The field is stacked with other talents. Junior Greco-Roman All-Americans in the field include 2000 champion Joe Espinoza of California, plus placewinners Dusty Brewer of Missouri, John Sommer of Washington, Efrem Cabellos of California, Gary Oxford of Missouri, Eli Dominguez of Iowa, Tom Vargas of California, Skyler Woods of Nevada and Clint Woolfley of Idaho. Past Cadet All-Americans include Colter Brown of Wyoming, J.J. Lewis of Oklahoma, Cory Cooperman of New Jersey, Jack Scott of Michigan, Tom Clum of Colorado, Jared Berger of Nebraska and Jimmy Crisman of Oregon.    132 - Four 1999 Junior National All-Americans return: Mark Jayne of Ohio (third at 123), Matt Shankey of Minnesota (fourth at 123), Andy Simmons of Michigan (fourth at 114.5) and Dusty Spaulding of Kansas (seventh at 132). Also among the stars is Harry Lester of Ohio, the Cadet World freestyle champion last year, and the winner of the Outstanding Wrestler Award after winning the 2000 Junior Greco-Roman Tournament. Junior Greco-Roman All-Americans in the tournament include Matt Gentry of Oregon, Brad Metzler of Nebraska and Ben Cherrington of Colorado. Past Cadet freestyle All-Americans in the weight are Joe Crecca of New Jersey, Carson Bernard of Colorado, Paul Collum of Illinois, Mike Simpson of California, Ritchie Cordova of Utah, Juan Mora of California, Beau DeArmon of Oklahoma and Tom Owen of Washington. Others to watch are Tyson Shatto of Wyoming, Matt Stenglein of New York, Justin Gomez of Wyoming, Dante Burney of Illinois and Doug McGraw of Pennsylvania.    143 - There are 127 entries. Six returning Junior All-Americans are in the hunt: Marcus Levesseur of Minnesota (2nd at 143), Jesse Jantzen of New York (3rd at 143), Israel Martinez of Illinois (3rd at 132), David Bolyard of Ohio (fifth at 143), Mike Pirozolla of Pennsylvania (eighth at 143) and Eric Keith of Indiana (seventh at 132). The weight is chock full of past Junior Greco-Roman champions, including Robb Maxwell of Utah, Bryson Vasquez of Colorado, Dustin Tillman of California, Nate Yetzer of Ohio, Josh Yetzer of Ohio and Josh Lamano of Utah. Past Cadet freestyle All-Americans include Joe Johnston of Kansas, Zach Esposito of New Jersey, Lambro Fotos of Illinois, Ryan Harry of Maryland, Mark Harwood of Minnesota, Josh Pulisifer of Oklahoma, Miguel Guitierrez of California and Erik Norgaard of New Jersey. Others with success include Casey Roddis of Illinois, Lester Bowling of Colorado, Travis and Trent Paulson of Iowa, Ty Eustice of Minnesota and Chris Needens of Montana.    154 - There are 128 entries. Nate Baker of Minnesota, third in this weight class last year, and Troy Letters of Pennsylvania, who was fourth, are the only returning Junior freestyle All-Americans. Baker beat Letters 8-7 in the bronze-medal match last year. Junior Greco-Roman All-Americans in the mix include 2000 champion Kenny Cook of California, plus Jason Woodall of Pennsylvania, James Kish of Michigan, Chris Henry of Illinois and Zach Ferguson of Wyoming. Past Cadet freestyle All-Americans include Trevor Hill of Nebraska, Dave Miller of New Jersey, Matt Markowski of Florida, Johnny Hendricks of Oklahoma, Derek Zinck of Pennsylvania, Rocky Mantella of Pennsylvania, Nathan McMillian of Illinois and Steve Whiteby of New Jersey.    165 - There are 105 entries. The returning Junior freestyle All-Americans include Wes Roberts of Oklahoma, a runner-up at 165 pounds, James Woodall of Pennsylvania, who was seventh at 165 pounds and Zachariah Doll of Pennsylvania, who was seventh at 154 pounds . Returning Junior Greco-Roman All-Americans who have entered include two-time Greco-Roman champion Josh McLay of Minnesota, plus Luke Larwin of Oregon, Darin Harris of Utah, Chris Lopez of California, Dan Pitsch of Washington and Mitch Hancock of Michigan. Cadet freestyle All-Americans to watch are Paul Bradley of Iowa, Mike Kratz of Wisconsin and Cole Allison of Colorado. Cadet Greco-Roman placewinners include Chad Steldt of Wisconsin, John Carlisle of Utah, Heath Johnson of Iowa and Joey Forrester of Florida.    178 - There are 92 entries. The two returning Junior All-Americans are Travis Pascoe of Idaho, who was third at 165 pounds and Juan Pena of Puerto Rico, who was fifth last year at 165 pounds. Junior Greco-Roman All-Americans in the field include Drew Hageman of Oregon, George Kirgan of Illinois, Ryan Halsey of California, Lee Kraemer of Wisconsin, Rudy Medini of New Jersey and Gabe Harry of Wyoming. Cadet Freestyle All-Americans in the race include Pete Friendl of Illinois, Matt Hermann of Minnesota, Chris Smolk of Ohio, Tommy Evans of Oklahoma, Justin Dyer of Kansas and Jeff Clemens of Ohio. Past Cadet Greco-Roman placewinners include Ryan Bader of Minnesota, Nick Zajac of Minnesota and Jake Rosholt of Idaho.    191.5 - There are 69 entries. Three past Junior freestyle All-Americans are featured here: Quint Swanberg of Arizona, who was second at 191.5 pounds last year, Matt Madden of Oklahoma, who was seventh at 191.5 pounds and Chris Skretkowicz of New Jersey, who was seventh at 178 pounds. Junior Greco-Roman All-Americans to watch include 2000 champion Paul Velekei of Pennsylvania, plus Ryan Kirst of Ohio, Nathan Moore of Indiana, K.C. Walsh of Washington, Antonio Harris of Delaware, 1999 champion Justin Millard of Pennsylvania and Alex Lammers of Ohio. Cadet Freestyle All-Americans in the field include Matt Daddino of New York, A