Mocco, Escobedo, McMann among champions at Northern Plains Regional Olympic Trials
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by Gary Abbott
WATERLOO, Iowa - Fourteen spots at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials were up for grabs at the Northern Plains Regional Olympic Trials in men's and women's freestyle on Saturday.
Champions in each of the seven weight classes in each style earned a spot in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials which will be held at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev., June 13-15.
Among the men's champions were 2008 U.S. Nationals freestyle runner-up Steve Mocco (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs and 2008 NCAA champion Angel Escobedo (Griffith, Ind./Indiana) at 55 kg/121 lbs.
Mocco scored a 7-0, 6-0 technical fall over Univ. of Missouri freshman Dom Bradley (Blue Springs, Mo./Missouri Elite), 7-0, 6-0 in the finals match. Mocco won NCAA titles for Iowa and Oklahoma State, and has been second at the U.S. Freestyle Nationals for the last five years.
Escobedo pinned Michael Martinez (Pagosa Springs, Colo./Cowboy WC) in the second period of their championship match, 0-2, 1:04. Escobedo was a member of the 2007 U.S. Junior World Team in freestyle.
Among the qualifiers from the women's freestyle division were 2004 Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann (Gaffney, S.C./Sunkist Kids) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. McMann scored a 4-1, 7-0 victory over Nicole Darrow (Lanesboro, Mass/Sunkist Kids/USOEC) in the finals.
Four highly-regarded men's freestyle wrestlers who had not yet qualified for the Olympic Trials were able to advance with victories on Saturday, Angel Cejudo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Eric Larkin (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Casey Cunningham (Mount Pleasant, Mich./Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Lee Fullhart (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 84 kg/185 lbs.
Cejudo, a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete, defeated Michigan State star Franklin Gomez (East Lansing, Mich./Michigan WC), 1-1, 1-1 in the finals match. Cejudo, a 2008 Dave Schultz Memorial International champion, did not compete at the U.S. Nationals this year.
Larkin, who placed third at the 2000 and 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, defeated Danny Song (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) in the finals, 3-2, 5-1. Another big win for Larkin was a 0-1, 3-2, 6-0 win over Joe Johnston (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) in the semifinals. Larkin, a past NCAA champion at Arizona State, had placed eighth at the U.S. Nationals, but only the top seven were able to qualify for the Olympic Trials.
Cunningham, who was a 2007 World Team Trials runner-up, defeated Ryan Morningstar (Lisbon, Iowa/Univ of Iowa), 3-0, 1-0 in the finals. Cunningham was top-seeded at the 2008 U.S. Nationals but placed eighth, also missing out on qualifying there.
Fullhart defeated Tom Meester (Rock Rapids, S.D./Sunkist Kids), 2-0, 2-1 in the finals.
Fullhart, a NCAA champion for Iowa, was a 2004 U.S. Nationals champion and placed second behind Cael Sanderson at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Fullhart did not place at the 2008 U.S. National Championships.
The champion at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. was Konrad Dudziak (Bayonne, N.J./New York AC), who defeated Sean Stender (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Sunkist Kids), 2-0, 1-0 in the finals. Dudziak, who is taking an Olympic redshirt from Duke Univ., was eighth in the U.S. Nationals, just missing out on qualifying there.
One of the featured champions in the women's division was 2006 U.S. Nationals champion Sharon Jacobson (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. Jacobson shut out Samantha Schuman (Omaha, Neb./Missouri Valley College), 6-0, 5-0 in the championship bout.
Scoring a pin in the championship finals was Marina Piccolotti (Pacifica, Calif./unattached), who scored a second period fall over Tina Pihl (Colorado Springs, Colo./Living Your Dream), 0-1, 1:45 at 67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Other individual champions who qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials were Emily Martin (Texas/unattached) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Cheryl Wong (Croton, N.Y./New York AC) at 51 kg/112.25 lbs., Amy Borgnini (Terre Haute, Ind./Gator WC) at 59 kg/130 lbs. and Jessica Smith (Austintown, Ohio/unattached) at 72 kg/ 158.75 lbs.
The Northern Plains Olympic Regional Trials was the only Regional Trials event in women's freestyle. The field for the women's freestyle competition at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials has now been set.
There is one more "Last Chance" qualifying event in men's freestyle and Greco-Roman, the Rocky Mountain Olympic Regional Trials, set for Pueblo, Colo., May 15-17.
NORTHERN PLAINS REGIONAL OLYMPIC TRIALS
At Waterloo, Iowa, May 10
Men's freestyle medal matches
55 kg/121 lbs
1st - Angel Escobedo, Griffith, Ind. (Indiana) pin Michael Martinez, Pagosa Springs, Colo. (Cowboy WC), 0-2, 1:04
3rd - Cruse Aarhos, Hiawatha, Iowa (Panther) dec. Matt Rein, Omaha, Neb. (MWC), 5-5,1-1,6-0
60 kg /132 lbs.
1st - Angel Cejudo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Franklin Gomez, East Lansing, Mich. (Michigan WC), 1-1, 1-1
3rd - Jayson Ness, Bloomington, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) tech. fall Sid Bice, Sioux Falls, S.D. (SMI), 0-4, 7-0, 6-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
1st - Eric Larkin, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Danny Song, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC), 3-2, 5-1
3rd - Joe Johnston, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC) dec. Todd Meneely, Omaha, Neb. (MWC), 2-2, 8-1
74 kg/163 lbs.
1st - Casey Cunningham, Mount Pleasant, Mich. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Ryan Morningstar, Lisbon, Iowa (Univ of Iowa), 3-0, 1-0
3rd - Jake Kerr, Oskaloosa, Iowa (Univ. of Iowa) dec. James Allen, Allentown, Pa. (Matrix), 4-2, 1-0
84 kg/185 lbs.
1st - Lee Fullhart, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) dec. Tom Meester, Rock Rapids, S.D. (Sunkist Kids), 2-0, 2-1
3rd - Dave Bertolino, Ames, Iowa (Cyclone) dec. B.J. Padden, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 6-0, 1-5, 3-2
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
1st - Konrad Dudziak, Bayonne, N.J. (New York AC) dec. Sean Stender, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Sunkist Kids), 2-0, 1-0
3rd - Kyle Cerminara, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) dec. Nate Patrick, Downers Grove, Ill. (Sunkist Kids), 2-1, 4-0
120 kg /264.5 lbs
1st - Steve Mocco, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) tech. fall Dom Bradley, Blue Springs, Mo. (Missouri Elite), 7-0, 6-0
3rd - Mike Faust, Iowa City, Iowa (Gator WC) dec. Max Lossen, Winona, Minn. (Cross Current), 3-0, 1-0
Women's freestyle medal matches
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
1st - Emily Martin, Frisco, Texas (unattached) dec. Rachel Bernardes, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force), 1-1, 2-0
3rd - Amantha Hordagoda, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) received a bye
51 kg/112.25 lbs
1st - Cheryl Wong, Croton, N.Y. (New York AC) dec. Shannon Reeves, Williamsburg, Ky. (University of the Cumberlands), 1-0, 1-0
55 kg/121 lbs.
1st - Sharon Jacobson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) dec. Samantha Schuman, Omaha, Neb. (Missouri Valley College), 6-0, 5-0
59 kg /130 lbs.
1st - Amy Borgnini, Terre Haute, Ind. (Gator WC), uncontested
63 kg / 138.75 lbs.
1st - Sara McMann, Gaffney, S.C. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Nicole Darrow, Lanesboro, Mass. (Sunkist/USOEC), 4-1, 7-0
67 kg/ 147.5 lbs.
1st - Marina Piccolotti, Pacifica, Calif. (unattached) pin Tina Pihl, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Living Your Dream), 0-1, 1:45
3rd - Breisja Macera, Kissimmee, Fla. (Univ. of the Cumberlands) received a bye
72 kg/ 158.75 lbs.
1st - Jessica Smith, Austintown, Ohio (unattached) dec. Nena Garcia, Williamsburg, Ky. (Univ. of the Cumberlands), 5-0, 4-1
3rd - Megan Agajanian, Moorpark, Calif. (University of the Cumberlands) received a bye
Champions in each of the seven weight classes in each style earned a spot in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials which will be held at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev., June 13-15.
Among the men's champions were 2008 U.S. Nationals freestyle runner-up Steve Mocco (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs and 2008 NCAA champion Angel Escobedo (Griffith, Ind./Indiana) at 55 kg/121 lbs.
Mocco scored a 7-0, 6-0 technical fall over Univ. of Missouri freshman Dom Bradley (Blue Springs, Mo./Missouri Elite), 7-0, 6-0 in the finals match. Mocco won NCAA titles for Iowa and Oklahoma State, and has been second at the U.S. Freestyle Nationals for the last five years.
Escobedo pinned Michael Martinez (Pagosa Springs, Colo./Cowboy WC) in the second period of their championship match, 0-2, 1:04. Escobedo was a member of the 2007 U.S. Junior World Team in freestyle.
Among the qualifiers from the women's freestyle division were 2004 Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann (Gaffney, S.C./Sunkist Kids) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. McMann scored a 4-1, 7-0 victory over Nicole Darrow (Lanesboro, Mass/Sunkist Kids/USOEC) in the finals.
Four highly-regarded men's freestyle wrestlers who had not yet qualified for the Olympic Trials were able to advance with victories on Saturday, Angel Cejudo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Eric Larkin (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Casey Cunningham (Mount Pleasant, Mich./Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Lee Fullhart (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 84 kg/185 lbs.
Cejudo, a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete, defeated Michigan State star Franklin Gomez (East Lansing, Mich./Michigan WC), 1-1, 1-1 in the finals match. Cejudo, a 2008 Dave Schultz Memorial International champion, did not compete at the U.S. Nationals this year.
Larkin, who placed third at the 2000 and 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, defeated Danny Song (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) in the finals, 3-2, 5-1. Another big win for Larkin was a 0-1, 3-2, 6-0 win over Joe Johnston (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) in the semifinals. Larkin, a past NCAA champion at Arizona State, had placed eighth at the U.S. Nationals, but only the top seven were able to qualify for the Olympic Trials.
Cunningham, who was a 2007 World Team Trials runner-up, defeated Ryan Morningstar (Lisbon, Iowa/Univ of Iowa), 3-0, 1-0 in the finals. Cunningham was top-seeded at the 2008 U.S. Nationals but placed eighth, also missing out on qualifying there.
Fullhart defeated Tom Meester (Rock Rapids, S.D./Sunkist Kids), 2-0, 2-1 in the finals.
Fullhart, a NCAA champion for Iowa, was a 2004 U.S. Nationals champion and placed second behind Cael Sanderson at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Fullhart did not place at the 2008 U.S. National Championships.
The champion at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. was Konrad Dudziak (Bayonne, N.J./New York AC), who defeated Sean Stender (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Sunkist Kids), 2-0, 1-0 in the finals. Dudziak, who is taking an Olympic redshirt from Duke Univ., was eighth in the U.S. Nationals, just missing out on qualifying there.
One of the featured champions in the women's division was 2006 U.S. Nationals champion Sharon Jacobson (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. Jacobson shut out Samantha Schuman (Omaha, Neb./Missouri Valley College), 6-0, 5-0 in the championship bout.
Scoring a pin in the championship finals was Marina Piccolotti (Pacifica, Calif./unattached), who scored a second period fall over Tina Pihl (Colorado Springs, Colo./Living Your Dream), 0-1, 1:45 at 67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Other individual champions who qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials were Emily Martin (Texas/unattached) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Cheryl Wong (Croton, N.Y./New York AC) at 51 kg/112.25 lbs., Amy Borgnini (Terre Haute, Ind./Gator WC) at 59 kg/130 lbs. and Jessica Smith (Austintown, Ohio/unattached) at 72 kg/ 158.75 lbs.
The Northern Plains Olympic Regional Trials was the only Regional Trials event in women's freestyle. The field for the women's freestyle competition at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials has now been set.
There is one more "Last Chance" qualifying event in men's freestyle and Greco-Roman, the Rocky Mountain Olympic Regional Trials, set for Pueblo, Colo., May 15-17.
NORTHERN PLAINS REGIONAL OLYMPIC TRIALS
At Waterloo, Iowa, May 10
Men's freestyle medal matches
55 kg/121 lbs
1st - Angel Escobedo, Griffith, Ind. (Indiana) pin Michael Martinez, Pagosa Springs, Colo. (Cowboy WC), 0-2, 1:04
3rd - Cruse Aarhos, Hiawatha, Iowa (Panther) dec. Matt Rein, Omaha, Neb. (MWC), 5-5,1-1,6-0
60 kg /132 lbs.
1st - Angel Cejudo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Franklin Gomez, East Lansing, Mich. (Michigan WC), 1-1, 1-1
3rd - Jayson Ness, Bloomington, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) tech. fall Sid Bice, Sioux Falls, S.D. (SMI), 0-4, 7-0, 6-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
1st - Eric Larkin, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Danny Song, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC), 3-2, 5-1
3rd - Joe Johnston, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC) dec. Todd Meneely, Omaha, Neb. (MWC), 2-2, 8-1
74 kg/163 lbs.
1st - Casey Cunningham, Mount Pleasant, Mich. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Ryan Morningstar, Lisbon, Iowa (Univ of Iowa), 3-0, 1-0
3rd - Jake Kerr, Oskaloosa, Iowa (Univ. of Iowa) dec. James Allen, Allentown, Pa. (Matrix), 4-2, 1-0
84 kg/185 lbs.
1st - Lee Fullhart, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) dec. Tom Meester, Rock Rapids, S.D. (Sunkist Kids), 2-0, 2-1
3rd - Dave Bertolino, Ames, Iowa (Cyclone) dec. B.J. Padden, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 6-0, 1-5, 3-2
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
1st - Konrad Dudziak, Bayonne, N.J. (New York AC) dec. Sean Stender, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Sunkist Kids), 2-0, 1-0
3rd - Kyle Cerminara, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) dec. Nate Patrick, Downers Grove, Ill. (Sunkist Kids), 2-1, 4-0
120 kg /264.5 lbs
1st - Steve Mocco, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) tech. fall Dom Bradley, Blue Springs, Mo. (Missouri Elite), 7-0, 6-0
3rd - Mike Faust, Iowa City, Iowa (Gator WC) dec. Max Lossen, Winona, Minn. (Cross Current), 3-0, 1-0
Women's freestyle medal matches
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
1st - Emily Martin, Frisco, Texas (unattached) dec. Rachel Bernardes, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force), 1-1, 2-0
3rd - Amantha Hordagoda, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) received a bye
51 kg/112.25 lbs
1st - Cheryl Wong, Croton, N.Y. (New York AC) dec. Shannon Reeves, Williamsburg, Ky. (University of the Cumberlands), 1-0, 1-0
55 kg/121 lbs.
1st - Sharon Jacobson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) dec. Samantha Schuman, Omaha, Neb. (Missouri Valley College), 6-0, 5-0
59 kg /130 lbs.
1st - Amy Borgnini, Terre Haute, Ind. (Gator WC), uncontested
63 kg / 138.75 lbs.
1st - Sara McMann, Gaffney, S.C. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Nicole Darrow, Lanesboro, Mass. (Sunkist/USOEC), 4-1, 7-0
67 kg/ 147.5 lbs.
1st - Marina Piccolotti, Pacifica, Calif. (unattached) pin Tina Pihl, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Living Your Dream), 0-1, 1:45
3rd - Breisja Macera, Kissimmee, Fla. (Univ. of the Cumberlands) received a bye
72 kg/ 158.75 lbs.
1st - Jessica Smith, Austintown, Ohio (unattached) dec. Nena Garcia, Williamsburg, Ky. (Univ. of the Cumberlands), 5-0, 4-1
3rd - Megan Agajanian, Moorpark, Calif. (University of the Cumberlands) received a bye
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