Four returning champions unbeaten after day one of Cadet Freestyle Nationals
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by Gary Abbott
FARGO, N.D. - All four of the returning champions at the Accelerade Cadet National Freestyle Championships were able to finish the first day of competition unbeaten at the FargoDome on Wednesday.
The 2007 Cadet National champions who remain eligible to repeat include Hayden Zillmer of Minnesota (91), Carson Kuhn of Utah (105), Hunter Stieber of Ohio (112) and Chris Phillips of Ohio (171).
Stieber had six wins during the day. In Stieber's sixth match, he defeated Nico Megaludis of Pennsylvania, 0-5, 1-0, 1-0. It was Megaludis' second loss which knocked him out of the tournament. Megaludis was fourth last year at the Cadet Nationals. Another top 112-pounder, Gus Sako of Ohio, was also eliminated with two losses. Sako was third last year at the Cadet Nationals.
Zillmer won four matches, Kuhn won five matches and Phillips won four matches during the action on Wednesday.
One of the top stars who took a loss on Wednesday was 2008 Cadet National Greco-Roman champion Jesse Thielke of Wisconsin, who lost in the fifth round to Zachary Horan of Pennsylvania by pin in 1:16. Thielke remained alive in the double elimination tournament with a win in round six over Matt Brystol of Illinois, 6-0, 7-0. Thielke was second at the Cadet Nationals last year in freestyle.
The other returning Cadet freestyle runner-up in the field was unbeaten in his quest to claim the title, Andrew Campolattano of New Jersey at 189 pounds. He won all five of his matches, three by fall and two by technical fall.
Winning a Cadet Triple Crown, winning USA Wrestling titles in folkstyle, freestyle and Greco-Roman the same year, is a difficult task. There have only been three Cadet Triple Crown winners ever. Previous winners were Hayden Zillmer of Pennsylvania in 2007, Zach Sanders of Minnesota in 2004 and Taylor Moore of Missouri in 2003.
Four wrestlers entered the Cadet Freestyle Nationals with a chance at winning a Triple Crown this year. Only two are currently unbeaten: Dylan Ness at 130 pounds and Taylor Massa of Michigan at 140 pounds.
Thielke is also attempting to win the Triple Crown, but remains alive with the one loss. The other Triple Crown candidate, Drew Lexvold of Minnesota, won his first four matches at 125 pounds, all by pin, He then lost the next two bouts and was eliminated from the tournament. In round five, he lost to Louis Trujillo of New Mexico, 0-1, 0-2. In the sixth round, he was beaten by Stephen Robertson of Illinois, 4-0, 2-0.
Last year's Triple Crown winner Zillmer won a Cadet Nationals Greco-Roman title earlier this week at 91 pounds. He is not eligible for the Triple Crown this year, as he did not win a gold at the Folkstyle Nationals.
The two FILA Cadet champions in the field remain unbeaten after day one, Mark Grey of New Jersey at 98 pounds and Simon Kitzis of Massachusetts at 125 pounds. Grey won five matches, three by fall and two by technical fall. Kitzis had six wins for the day.
New Jersey stars Grey and Campolattano were Cadet National Greco-Roman champions on Monday. They are among the eight Greco-Roman champions who are still unbeaten after the first day.
The other Greco-Roman champions without a loss in freestyle today were Nick Roberts of Pennsylvania (84), Cody Brewer of Missouri (105), Chase Nelson of Kansas (145), Mark Havers of Pennsylvania (152), Jahwon Akui of Illinois (160) and Evan Craig of Pennsylvania (285).
Three Cadet Nationals Greco-Roman champions lost two matches and were eliminated: Aaron Runzo of Virginia (119), Levi Clemons of Florida (171) and Michael Sojka of Illinois (215).
The 2007 Cadet National champions who remain eligible to repeat include Hayden Zillmer of Minnesota (91), Carson Kuhn of Utah (105), Hunter Stieber of Ohio (112) and Chris Phillips of Ohio (171).
Stieber had six wins during the day. In Stieber's sixth match, he defeated Nico Megaludis of Pennsylvania, 0-5, 1-0, 1-0. It was Megaludis' second loss which knocked him out of the tournament. Megaludis was fourth last year at the Cadet Nationals. Another top 112-pounder, Gus Sako of Ohio, was also eliminated with two losses. Sako was third last year at the Cadet Nationals.
Zillmer won four matches, Kuhn won five matches and Phillips won four matches during the action on Wednesday.
One of the top stars who took a loss on Wednesday was 2008 Cadet National Greco-Roman champion Jesse Thielke of Wisconsin, who lost in the fifth round to Zachary Horan of Pennsylvania by pin in 1:16. Thielke remained alive in the double elimination tournament with a win in round six over Matt Brystol of Illinois, 6-0, 7-0. Thielke was second at the Cadet Nationals last year in freestyle.
The other returning Cadet freestyle runner-up in the field was unbeaten in his quest to claim the title, Andrew Campolattano of New Jersey at 189 pounds. He won all five of his matches, three by fall and two by technical fall.
Winning a Cadet Triple Crown, winning USA Wrestling titles in folkstyle, freestyle and Greco-Roman the same year, is a difficult task. There have only been three Cadet Triple Crown winners ever. Previous winners were Hayden Zillmer of Pennsylvania in 2007, Zach Sanders of Minnesota in 2004 and Taylor Moore of Missouri in 2003.
Four wrestlers entered the Cadet Freestyle Nationals with a chance at winning a Triple Crown this year. Only two are currently unbeaten: Dylan Ness at 130 pounds and Taylor Massa of Michigan at 140 pounds.
Thielke is also attempting to win the Triple Crown, but remains alive with the one loss. The other Triple Crown candidate, Drew Lexvold of Minnesota, won his first four matches at 125 pounds, all by pin, He then lost the next two bouts and was eliminated from the tournament. In round five, he lost to Louis Trujillo of New Mexico, 0-1, 0-2. In the sixth round, he was beaten by Stephen Robertson of Illinois, 4-0, 2-0.
Last year's Triple Crown winner Zillmer won a Cadet Nationals Greco-Roman title earlier this week at 91 pounds. He is not eligible for the Triple Crown this year, as he did not win a gold at the Folkstyle Nationals.
The two FILA Cadet champions in the field remain unbeaten after day one, Mark Grey of New Jersey at 98 pounds and Simon Kitzis of Massachusetts at 125 pounds. Grey won five matches, three by fall and two by technical fall. Kitzis had six wins for the day.
New Jersey stars Grey and Campolattano were Cadet National Greco-Roman champions on Monday. They are among the eight Greco-Roman champions who are still unbeaten after the first day.
The other Greco-Roman champions without a loss in freestyle today were Nick Roberts of Pennsylvania (84), Cody Brewer of Missouri (105), Chase Nelson of Kansas (145), Mark Havers of Pennsylvania (152), Jahwon Akui of Illinois (160) and Evan Craig of Pennsylvania (285).
Three Cadet Nationals Greco-Roman champions lost two matches and were eliminated: Aaron Runzo of Virginia (119), Levi Clemons of Florida (171) and Michael Sojka of Illinois (215).
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