The Veterans Division of the 2002 U.S. National Championships close in Las Vegas, Nev.

The best Veterans wrestlers in the nation (and a few international athletes) came together for the 2002 U.S. Veterans Nationals in Las Vegas, Nev., April 25-26. In Div. A, champions who were able to return as champions from last year were Michael DeHart of Ohio at 58 kg/127.75 lbs., J.T. Petty of Next Level at 69 kg/152 lbs. and Dan Chaid of the Dave Schultz WC at 286 pounds. DeHart shut down Clint Brooks of Tennessee in the finals, 7-0. Petty scored a 6-3 victory over Frank Johnson in the gold-medal finals. Chaid, a Veterans World champion last year, had two pins and a technical fall. In the finals, he pinned Roger Neff of North Idaho in 1:07. In a loaded finals at 85 kg/187.25 lbs., former Puerto Rican Olympian Jose Betancourt defeated 2001 Veterans Nationals champion Anthony Porcelli of Team Porcelli, 5-2 in the finals match. Other Division A Champions were Jaimie Kasser of the Ohio WC at 63 kg/138.75 lbs., Kevin Pine of the Sheldon WC at 75 kg/167.5 lbs. and Mark Mireles of the LAPD Centurian at 97 kg/213.75 lbs. There were no repeat champions in Division B. The most dominant finals match was turned in by Bruce Moe of Napa Valley, with a 10-0 technical fall over Bob Steinle of Minnesota at 76 kg/167.5 lbs. Other Division B champions were John Smithson of Buena Ventura at 58 kg/127.75 lbs., Robert Wimberley of Maurauder at 63 kg/138.75 lbs., David Harrison of Navy at 69 kg/152 lbs., Joe Solorto of the Aztec WC at 85 kg/187.25 lbs., Jeff Henry of California at 97 kg/213.75 lbs. and Michael Van Hoyen of Tartar Go West at 130 kg/286 lbs. Division C featured a pair of returning champions, Peter Zurfleigh of Ice Breakers at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and Russ Cozart of the Brandon WC at 69 kg/152 lbs. Zurfleigh claimed a 1-1 referee's decision over Paul Herder of Montrose WC in the finals. Cozart, who has won a gold medal at all six U.S.Veterans Nationals and also owns six Veterans World titles, had a 10-0 technical fall over Craig Johnson of Excel in the finals. Other Div. C champions were Clifford Ray of Arizona at 58 kg/127.75 pounds, Steve Morris of the Rick Sanders WC at 76 kg/167.5 lbs., Antonio Peraza of the North Shore WC at 85 kg/187.25 lbs., William Roth of Pennsylvania at 97 kg/213.75 lbs. and Jeff Henry of California at 130 kg/286 lbs. In Division D, two athlete reclaimed gold medals after also winning last year, Tommy Reyna of the Edmond FS club at 58 kg/127.75 lbs. and Shirzad Ahmadi of the New York AC at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. Reyna scored a 11-0 technical fall over Robert Soto of Sunnyvale in the finals. Ahmadi also knotched a technical fall, stpping Ron Engel of California, 11-0. Other individual champions were Cornea Cornel of Romania at 69 kg/152 lbs., Sergio Jemenez of Calexico WC at 76 kg/167.5 lbs., Ron Cole of Eergogen Labs at 97 kg/213.75 lbs. and Bruce Quinn of the Fall Guys at 130 kg/286 lbs. In Div. E, two of last year's champions were able to reclaim the title: Charles Hotcaveg of the Bold Eagles at 69 kg/152 lbs. and James Tanniehill of RJ Turner WC at 85 kg/187.25 lbs. Hotcaveg scored a 6-2 win over past Veterans World Champion Mansour Hornarvar of Laguna Hills in the finals. Tanniehill posted a 9-0 win over Don Apodaca of Golden West in the gold-medal match. Other Veterans champions in Div. E were Sonny Boyd of Virginia at 76 kg/167.5 lbs., Joseph Reasbeck of Wisconsin at 97 kg/213.75 lbs. and Roger Oelson of the Dave Schultz WC at 130 kg/286 lbs. Below are the medal results from the 2002 U.S. Veterans Nationals. For results for every single match of the event, visit the link to the complete results. Division A 58 kg 1st - Michael DeHart, Bradford, Ohio, dec. Clint Brooks, Newport, Tenn., 7-0 3rd - Arthur McEntire, Kapolei, Hawaii (Waikele Wildcats) 63 kg 1st -Jamey Kasser, Lewis Center, Ohio (Ohio WC) dec. Rob Porter, Prineville, Ore., 3-2 3rd -Joe LaFramboise, Auburn, Mich. dec. Brian Skelton, Bradenton, Fla. (Manatee), 6-5 69 kg 1st - J.T. Petty, Atwater, Calif. (Next Level) dec. Frank Johnson, Forest Grove, Ore., 6-3 3rd -Jeff Mustari, Naples, Fla. dec. Mel East, Bakersfield, Calif. (Drillers), 10-11 76 kg 1st - Kevin Pine, Elma, Wash. (SheldonWC) dec. Bob Freund, Longview, Wash., 7-3 3rd -Mike French, Flagstaff, Ariz. (Char Bar WC) dec. Clay Holly, Talala, Okla. (Oologah FS), 3-1 85 kg 1st - Jose Betancourt, Carolina, Puerto Rico (Dave Schultz WC) dec. Anthony Porcelli, Des Moines, Iowa (Team Porcelli), 5-2 3rd - Jeff Anderson, Elbuin, Ill. (Waubansee) won by tech. fall over Curtis Nelson, Tehachapi, Calif. (Elite), 10-0 97 kg 1st - Mark Mireles, Burbank, Calif. (LAPD Centurian) dec. Wayne Purtell, Bay City, Mich. (Grapplers), 8-5 3rd -Jake Sabo, Glens Falls, N.Y. (ATWA) dec. Bill Finkle, Wayne, N.J. (Drillmasters), 7-0 130 kg 1st - Dan Chaid, San Jose, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC) pin Roger Neff, Couer d;Alene, Idaho (North Idaho), 1:07 3rd - Michael Carolan, Napa, Calif. dec. Mark Kocer, Apple Valley, Minn. (Thunderbirds), 5-0 Division B 58 kg 1st - John Smithson, Ventura, Calif. (Buena Ventura) dec. Mark LeVasseur, Buffalo Lake, Minn. (Rolling Thunder), 8-4 3rd - George Dunn, Bellevue, Wash. (Team Washington) 63 kg 1st - Robert Wimberley (Marauder) dec. Brad Gustafson (Dave Schultz WC), 3-0 3rd - Tom Olson, Auburn, Mich. (WWAC) pin Jon Silver (Southeast Mustangs), 1:13 69 kg 1st -David Harrison, Alexandria, Va. (Navy) dec. Roberto Gonzalez, Vallejo, Calif. (Vallejo PAL), 6-2 3rd - Greg Robbins, Lehi, Utah (Dave Schultz WC) dec. Wayne Petterson, Beloit, Kan. (Beloit WC), 5-2 76 kg 1st - Bruce Moe, Hillsboro, N.D. (Napa Valley) won by tech. fall over Bob Steinle, Montevideo, Minn., 10-0 3rd - Oscar Ordonez, Farmland, Ind. (Winchester) dec. Mike Loftus, South Port, England (Jack Leg Farm), 5-0 85 kg 1st - Joe Solorto, Tucson, Ariz. (Aztec WC) dec. Mike Mitrowski, Shrewsbury, Mass. (New York AC), 5-0, ot 97 kg 1st - Jeff Henry, Calif. 130 kg 1st - Michael Van Hoyen, Long Beach, Calif. (Tartar Go West) dec. Bob White, Esc., Calif. (OG-All Fall), 9-2 Division C 58 kg Champion - Clifford Ray, Mesa, Ariz. 63 kg 1st - Peter Zurfleigh, Camp Hil, Pa. (Ice Breakers) won by ref. dec. over Paul Herder, Montrose, Colo. (Montrose), 1-1, ot 69 kg 1st - Russ Cozart, Brandon, Fla. (Brandon WC) won by tech. fall over Craig Johnson, Broomfield, Colo. (Excel), 10-0 76 kg 1st - Steve Morris, St. Paul, Ore. (Rich Sanders WC) dec. Sarkis Dermenjian, Van Nuys, Calif., 6-0 3rd - Kevin Hejnal, Patterson, Calif. (Monteca WC) dec. Steve Daniels, Vancouver, Wash. (Rick Sanders WC), 8-0 85 kg 1st - Antonio Peraza, Shoreham, N.Y. (North Shore WC) dec. Mark Black, Santa Monica, Calif. (Santa Monica Bay), 5-2 3rd - Steve Conatarino, Palmetto, Fla. dec. Lamar Hudson, Port St. John, Fla. (Titusville PAL), 10-0 97 kg Champion - William Roth, Quakertown, Pa. 130 kg Champion - Jeff Henry, Los Angeles, Calif. Division D 58 kg 1st - Tommy Reyna, Oklahoma City, Okla. (Edmond FS) tech. fall Robert Soto, Redwood City, Calif. (Sunnyvale), 11-0, 1:18 63 kg 1st - Shirzad Ahmadi, Coventry, Conn. (New York AC) tech. fall Ron Engel, St. Helena, Calif., 11-0, 3:47 3rd - Gerald Silva, Mechanicsburg, Pa. (Icebreakers) tech. fall Lauren Rabnick, Faidlawn, Ohio (Cleveland WC), 10-0, 2:15 69 kg 1st -Cornea Cornel, Targouiste, Romania dec. Jim Lucas, Santa Cruz, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC), 3-1 3rd - John Bennett, Kensington, Conn. (New York AC) dec. Brett Hatten, Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Rhino WC), 1:26 76 kg 1st - Sergio Jemenez, Calexico, Calif. (Calexico WC) won by tech. fall over Joe Aiken, Bremerton, Wash. (Kitsap Ironman), 10-0 3rd - Charles Fallon, Orange, Calif. (Scottish American Athletic Assoc.) 85 kg Lamar Hudson, Port St. John, Fla. (Titusville PAL) vs. Dayle Mazzarella, Vista, Calif. (USA Oceanside) 97 kg 1st - Ron Cole, Auburn, Wash. (Eergogen Labs) won by tech. fall over Paul Stull, Lemoyne, Pa. (Ice Breakers), 11-0 3rd - Berl Middlebrooks, Atwater, Calif. (Atwater Wrestling) 130 kg 1st - Bruce Quinn, San Diego, Calif. (Fall Guys) Div. E 69 kg 1st - Charles