Beterman repeats as FILA Junior Greco-Roman national champion

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John Fuller (USA Wrestling)
04/30/2004


Lincoln, Neb. - Joseph Betterman (Chicago, Ill./USOEC/New York AC) captured his second consecutive gold medal at the FILA Junio Greco-Roman National Championships on Friday.    Betterman won the title at 55 kg/121 lbs. after defeating Stanfod star Tanner Gardner (Berryton, Kan./Dave Schultz WC) 14-3. The win helped lead the U.S. Olympic Education Center (USOEC) to the team title.    Also capturing a title for the USOEC was Jake Fisher (Platte City, Mo./USOEC) at 74 kg/163 lbs. Fisher defeated USOEC teammate Cheney Haight (Orem, Utah/USOEC) 5-2 in the gold-medal match.    2004 NCAA All-American J.D. Bergman (Oak Harbor, Ohio/Ohio International WC) was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler following his dominating performance at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Bergman pinned all three of his opponents, including Jake Marquardt (Altoona, Iowa/USOEC) in the finals, in the tournament. Begman also won the award for the most falls in the least amount of time.    Univ. of Minnesota freshmen Mack Reiter (Jesup, Iowa/Minnesota Storm) and Roger Kish (Lapeer, Mich./Minnesota Storm) won titles at 60 kg/132 lbs. and 84 kg/185 lbs., respectively.    Reiter plowed through a deep field, including a first-round win in which he trailed 10-2 at the time, to win the title. In the finals, he dominated Jeremiah Davis (El Cajon, Calif./USOEC) 15-6 after using a trap-arm gutto erase a 6-1 deficit late in the match.    Kish defeated former high school teammate Jesse Reader (Davison, Mich./Eastern Elite) by technical superiority, 11-0.    High school star Brent Metcalf (Davison, Mich.), one of the top recruits in the nation for next year, defeated Jacob Curby (LaGrange, Ill./USOEC) 5-0 in the finals at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. to capture his first FILA Junior national title.    Also at Metcalf's weight, C.P. Schlatter (St. Paris, Ohio/Minnesota Storm) had to forfeit before his semifinal match due to a hamstring injury suffered near the end of his quarterfinal match.    Also winning titles were Mat Gardner (Springfield, Ore./SW Oregon) at 50 kg/110 lbs. and James Hollis (Turlock, Calif./Army) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.    Gardner defeated Daniel Jackson (Janesville, Wis./Minnesota Storm) 10-0 and Hollis defeated Chase Wetenkamp (Manitowoc, Wis./Manitowoc WC) 3-1 in the finals.    Champions in each weight class will qualify for a partially subsidized international tour for both freestyle and Greco-Roman. The qualifier is determined by placement in each style and each weight class.    In years past, champions have qualified for the FILA Junior World Championships. However, this year there will be no FILA Junior World Championships.    Freestyle competition will begin at 9:00 a.m. (Central Time) on Saturday morning.