U.S. Marine Corps captures five titles at Northeast Regional Olympic Trials in Greco-Roman

BROCKPORT, N.Y. - The U.S Marine Corps wrestling team won five of the seven titles at the Northeast Regional Olympic Trials in Greco-Roman at the Tuttle North Gymnasium at SUNY-Brockport.

The champions qualify to compete at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Las Vegas, Nev., June 13-15.

One of the U.S. Marine champions was Jeremy Pederson (Sneads Ferry, N.C./U.S. Marines), the champion at 84 kg/185 lbs., who was named Outstanding Wrestler.

Pederson defeated high school star Quentin Wright (Wingate, Pa./Mat-Town USA), 3-0, 3-0 in the championship finals. Wright won his second silver medal of the weekend, after placing second in Saturday's freestyle event.

Pederson won three matches on the way to the title, including a 4-0, 1-1, 2-1 win in the semifinals over Jeff Funicello (Gilbert, Ariz./Sunkist Kids).

The other winners from the U.S. Marine Corps team who were champions and qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials were:
- Miguel Pena (Camp Lejeune, N.C./U.S. Marines) at 55 kg/121 lbs
- Noah Blankenship (Bucyrus, Ohio/U.S. Marines) at 60 kg/ 132.25 lbs.
- Steven Forrest (Camp Lejeune, N.C./U.S. Marines) at 74 kg/163 lbs
- Moises Hernandez (Top Sail, N.C./U.S. Marines) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs

Forrest dominated his finals match, scoring a 7-0, 7-0 win in the championship match over Matt Kaylor of the GreenCats. Pena stopped Dustin McKinney of the All-Navy team, 1-1, 4-0. Blankenship needed three periods to stop David Armstrong, unattached, by a 1-1, 1-3. 5-1 margin.

Hernandez won his title match by injury default over U.S. Marines teammate David Arendt.

Winning the title at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. was C.C. Fisher (Colorado Springs, Colo./unattached), who stopped Nic Remer (All- Navy) in the finals, 2-1, 2-2. Fisher has competed at a national level in freestyle wrestling in past seasons, only just a short time ago switching over to compete in Greco-Roman.

The champion at 96 kg/ 211.5 lbs. was John Lorenz (LaCrosse, Wis./Unattached) who defeated John Wechter (E. Lansing, Mich./Sunkist Kids) in the finals. 1-4, 1-1, 1-1.

NORTHEAST OLYMPIC REGIONAL TRIALS
At Brockport, N.Y., April 6

Greco-Roman results

55 kg/121 lbs
1st - Miguel Pena, Camp Lejeune, N.C. (U.S. Marines) won by decision over Dustin McKinney (All- Navy), 1-1, 4-0
3rd - Wesley Brettner (New Age Gladiators)

60 kg/ 132.25 lbs.
1st - Noah Blankenship, Bucyrus, Ohio (U.S. Marines) dec. David Armstrong (Unattached), 1-1, 1-3, 5-1
3rd - Casey Stouffer (Mauler Wrestling) dec. Darren Mima (Dark Corner), 2-8, 6-0, 6-1

66 kg/145.5 lbs
1st - CC Fisher, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Unattached) dec. Nic Remer (All- Navy), 2-1, 2-2
3rd - Salvatore Veccia (U.S. Marines) won by decision over Ale Delapena (All- Navy), 1-1, 5-0

74 kg/163 lbs
1st - Steven Forrest, Camp Lejeune, N.C. (Marines) tech fall over Matt Kaylor (GreenCats), 7-0, 7-0
3rd - Pete Hicks, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force) dec. David Pelsang (Bulldog Wrestling), 5-1, 6-0

84 kg/185 lbs
1st - Jeremy Pederson, Sneads Ferry, N.C. (U.S. Marines) dec. Quentin Wright, Wingate, Pa. (Mat-Town USA), 3-0, 3-0
3rd - Jeff Funicello, Gilbert, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Jim Gibson, Clarion, Pa. (Clarion WC), 4-1, 3-3, 1-1

96 kg/ 211.5 lbs.
1st - John Lorenz, LaCrosse, Wis. (Unattached) dec. John Wechter, E. Lansing, Mich. (Sunkist Kids), 1-4, 1-1, 1-1
3rd - Charles Fish (U.S. Marines) dec. Christopher Biggs (U.S. Marines), 3-0, 0-5, 2-1

120 kg/264.5 lbs
1st - Moises Hernandez, Top Sail, N.C. (U.S. Marines) inj. dft. over David Arendt, Quantico, Va. (U.S. Marines)
3rd - Joseph Sheffield, Greensboro, N.C. (Y.E.S.) dec. Akil Patterson, Frederick, Md. (Unattached), 4-0,4-0