Lester, Clark star at University National Greco-Roman Championships

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
05/06/2004


Harry Lester (Marquette, Mich./USOEC) captured the gold medal at 145.5 pounds and won the Outstanding Wrestler award  at the University National Greco-Roman Championships at Northwestern Univ. in Evanston, Ill., May 6.    Lester was the defending champion at his weight class. He defeated Mervin Ford (Marquette, Mich./USOEC), by technical fall, 11-0 in just 24 seconds in the gold-medal match.    The University age group features wrestlers ages 18-24, whose high school class has graduated.    Many of the athletes competing in this event are also stars on the Senior level, and many have qualified to compete at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wrestling in Indianapolis, Ind., May 21-23.    Also winning a gold medal for the second straight year was Jacob Clark (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Marines), the champion at 185 pounds. In a battle of Senior level stars, Clark won the overtime clinch to defeat Kenneth Cook (Fremont, Calif./Sunkist Kids), 3-1. Cook was a University Nationals champion last year at 163 pounds.    The U.S. Olympic Education Center at the Univ. of Northern Michigan  won the team title handily, scoring 116 points and securing five individual champions.    Other athletes in the USOEC program that emerged as champions were  Joseph Betterman (Marquette, Mich./New York AC) at 121 pounds,  Jeremiah Davis (Marquette, Mich./USOEC), Kevin Lozano, Marquette, Mich. (USOEC/Gator) at 163 pounds and R.C. Johnson, Marquette, Mich. (USOEC) at 211.5 pounds.    Betterman scored an 11-0 technical fall  over Zac Enoch (Portland, Ore./Rick Sanders) in the finals.    Davis defeatedTim Norman  (Corvallis, Ore./Orange Crush), 7-3 in the gold-medal round.    Lazano stopped teammate Bobby Fisher (Marquette, Mich./USOEC), 5-0 for the title.    Johnson stopped another USOEC athlete, Justin Millard (Marquette, Mich./USOEC), 6-1 to capture his title.    Also winning individual titles were Terry Alloson (Trusville, Ala./AWC) at 110 pounds and Tim Taylor (Quantico, Va./U.S. Marines) at 264.5 pounds.    Taylor edged Adam Wheeler (Lancaster, Calif./USOEC/Gator), 3-2 in the finals. Alloson won his title uncontested.    Champions qualify to participate at the UniversityWorld Championships in Lodz, Poland this summer.