Ryan Mango earns OW honor after winning FILA Junior Nationals Greco-Roman title in Las Vegas
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by Craig Sesker
LAS VEGAS - You can forgive Ryan Mango for looking a little bit rusty on Wednesday.
After all, he hasn't competed in a Greco-Roman wrestling match since winning the Junior Nationals last July in Fargo, N.D.
But the explosive Mango still looked strong in pulling out a FILA Junior Nationals Greco-Roman finals win over Paul Tellgren of the Minnesota Storm on Wednesday afternoon at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Mango earned a gritty 7-0, 1-3, 4-3 victory over Tellgren in the finals at 55 kg/121 lbs. Mango was named the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler.
"It's been a while since I've been in a Greco match," Mango said, flashing a smile. "Usually after one or two matches I'm good to go. He's a tough kid and he did a good job coming back in the second period. I just had to keep my focus out there."
This event serves as a qualifier for the FILA Junior World Team Trials on May 22-23 in Colorado Springs, Colo. The champions from the FILA Junior Nationals - in the seven Olympic weight classes, plus 50 kg/110.25 lbs. - earn No. 1 seeds for the Junior World Team Trials.
The champions at the Junior World Team Trials earn berths in the Junior World Championships on Aug. 4-9 in Ankara, Turkey.
Three wrestlers repeated as champions at the FILA Junior Nationals. They included Jimmy Chase (60 kg/132 lbs.), Ben Provisor (74 kg/163 lbs.) and Peter Kowalczuk (120 kg/264.5 lbs.). All three competed in the Junior World Championships last year. Kowalczuk won a bronze medal at the 2008 World University Championships.
Past Junior World Team member Eric Grajales also won a title Wednesday. He won at 63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Mango fell just short of making the 2008 U.S. Junior World Team, placing second behind Tyler Cox at 50 kg/110.25 pounds at the Junior World Team Trials.
"This is a real big confidence-booster for me going into the Trials," Mango said. "I was close to being on the team last year and that is definitely a pretty big motivator for me going into this year."
Mango, younger brother of 2008 Olympian Spenser Mango, came out strong in the first period. He used a body lock to launch Tellgren en route to the lopsided first-period win.
Mango led 1-0 in the second period before Tellgren scored on a pushout to tie the match. Tellgren added a two-point turn.
Mango charged out aggressively in the final period, lifting and turning Tellgren to build a 4-0 edge. Tellgren, who trains full-time in Greco-Roman at the U.S. Olympic Education Center in Marquette, Mich., hit a late throw to cut the final margin to 4-3.
Mango, from St. Louis, has committed to wrestle collegiately at Stanford. He capped his high-school career earlier this year by winning his third Missouri state title.
"I'm pretty excited about going to Stanford," Mango said. "I was originally going to go to Northern Michigan, but I changed my mind. You can't beat the education you can get at a place like Stanford."
Spenser Mango, who wrestles for the USOEC program at Northern Michigan, was in his brother's corner coaching him during the event.
Spenser is scheduled to compete in the Senior competition on Friday. Ryan Mango also is entered in the Senior competition.
FILA JUNIOR NATIONALS GRECO-ROMAN - FINALS RESULTS
50 kg/110.25 lbs.
Max Nowry (USOEC) dec. Brandon Escobar (unattached), 6-0, 4-0
55 kg/121 lbs.
Ryan Mango (New York AC) dec. Paul Tellgren (Minnesota Storm), 7-0, 1-3, 4-3
60 kg/132 lbs.
Jimmy Chase (Pinnacle School of Wrestling) dec. David Klingsheim (Delta Wrestling Club, 1-0, 1-0
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Eric Grajales (BWC) dec. Kyle Dake (Shamrock), 6-1, 5-5
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Donald Vinson Jr. (Shamrock Wrestling Club) dec. George Bancroft IV (Bison Wrestling Club), 0-5, 6-0, 3-1
70 kg/154.25 lbs.
Aaron Briggs (USOEC) dec. Matthew Cartusciello (New York AC), 7-0, 2-0
74 kg/163 lbs.
Ben Provisor (Dennis Hall/World Gold Wrestling) dec. Alec Ortiz (Cobra Wrestling), 1-0, 5-0
79 kg/174 lbs.
Mark Stenberg (Elite School of Wrestling) dec. Kevin Justin (Air Force), 1-0, 2-1
84 kg/185 lbs.
Robert Barbour (Sunkist Kids) dec. Clete Hanson (Viper), 2-0, 1-0
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Tyrell Fortune (Peninsula Wrestling Club) dec. Patrick Mahan (Minnesota Storm), 1-0, 2-0
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Peter Kowalczuk (Sunkist Kids) pinned Julian Capucetti (East L.A.), 3-0, 0:35
After all, he hasn't competed in a Greco-Roman wrestling match since winning the Junior Nationals last July in Fargo, N.D.
But the explosive Mango still looked strong in pulling out a FILA Junior Nationals Greco-Roman finals win over Paul Tellgren of the Minnesota Storm on Wednesday afternoon at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Mango earned a gritty 7-0, 1-3, 4-3 victory over Tellgren in the finals at 55 kg/121 lbs. Mango was named the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler.
"It's been a while since I've been in a Greco match," Mango said, flashing a smile. "Usually after one or two matches I'm good to go. He's a tough kid and he did a good job coming back in the second period. I just had to keep my focus out there."
This event serves as a qualifier for the FILA Junior World Team Trials on May 22-23 in Colorado Springs, Colo. The champions from the FILA Junior Nationals - in the seven Olympic weight classes, plus 50 kg/110.25 lbs. - earn No. 1 seeds for the Junior World Team Trials.
The champions at the Junior World Team Trials earn berths in the Junior World Championships on Aug. 4-9 in Ankara, Turkey.
Three wrestlers repeated as champions at the FILA Junior Nationals. They included Jimmy Chase (60 kg/132 lbs.), Ben Provisor (74 kg/163 lbs.) and Peter Kowalczuk (120 kg/264.5 lbs.). All three competed in the Junior World Championships last year. Kowalczuk won a bronze medal at the 2008 World University Championships.
Past Junior World Team member Eric Grajales also won a title Wednesday. He won at 63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Mango fell just short of making the 2008 U.S. Junior World Team, placing second behind Tyler Cox at 50 kg/110.25 pounds at the Junior World Team Trials.
"This is a real big confidence-booster for me going into the Trials," Mango said. "I was close to being on the team last year and that is definitely a pretty big motivator for me going into this year."
Mango, younger brother of 2008 Olympian Spenser Mango, came out strong in the first period. He used a body lock to launch Tellgren en route to the lopsided first-period win.
Mango led 1-0 in the second period before Tellgren scored on a pushout to tie the match. Tellgren added a two-point turn.
Mango charged out aggressively in the final period, lifting and turning Tellgren to build a 4-0 edge. Tellgren, who trains full-time in Greco-Roman at the U.S. Olympic Education Center in Marquette, Mich., hit a late throw to cut the final margin to 4-3.
Mango, from St. Louis, has committed to wrestle collegiately at Stanford. He capped his high-school career earlier this year by winning his third Missouri state title.
"I'm pretty excited about going to Stanford," Mango said. "I was originally going to go to Northern Michigan, but I changed my mind. You can't beat the education you can get at a place like Stanford."
Spenser Mango, who wrestles for the USOEC program at Northern Michigan, was in his brother's corner coaching him during the event.
Spenser is scheduled to compete in the Senior competition on Friday. Ryan Mango also is entered in the Senior competition.
FILA JUNIOR NATIONALS GRECO-ROMAN - FINALS RESULTS
50 kg/110.25 lbs.
Max Nowry (USOEC) dec. Brandon Escobar (unattached), 6-0, 4-0
55 kg/121 lbs.
Ryan Mango (New York AC) dec. Paul Tellgren (Minnesota Storm), 7-0, 1-3, 4-3
60 kg/132 lbs.
Jimmy Chase (Pinnacle School of Wrestling) dec. David Klingsheim (Delta Wrestling Club, 1-0, 1-0
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Eric Grajales (BWC) dec. Kyle Dake (Shamrock), 6-1, 5-5
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Donald Vinson Jr. (Shamrock Wrestling Club) dec. George Bancroft IV (Bison Wrestling Club), 0-5, 6-0, 3-1
70 kg/154.25 lbs.
Aaron Briggs (USOEC) dec. Matthew Cartusciello (New York AC), 7-0, 2-0
74 kg/163 lbs.
Ben Provisor (Dennis Hall/World Gold Wrestling) dec. Alec Ortiz (Cobra Wrestling), 1-0, 5-0
79 kg/174 lbs.
Mark Stenberg (Elite School of Wrestling) dec. Kevin Justin (Air Force), 1-0, 2-1
84 kg/185 lbs.
Robert Barbour (Sunkist Kids) dec. Clete Hanson (Viper), 2-0, 1-0
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Tyrell Fortune (Peninsula Wrestling Club) dec. Patrick Mahan (Minnesota Storm), 1-0, 2-0
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Peter Kowalczuk (Sunkist Kids) pinned Julian Capucetti (East L.A.), 3-0, 0:35
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