UPDATED: 11 remain alive in quest for Kids Triple Crown after winning ASICS Greco-Roman Nationals
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by Brian T.
OREM, UT--11 wrestlers still have the dream of obtaining the Triple Crown after nailing down Greco-Roman titles Tuesday at the ASICS USA Wrestling Kids Nationals hosted by Utah Valley University.
Each year, the Kids Triple Crown is awarded to wrestlers who win USA Wrestling Kids National titles in folkstyle, Greco-Roman and freestyle the same year. The 2009 Kids National Folkstyle Championships were held in Iowa in April. The Kids National Greco-Roman Championships held Tuesday was the second leg of the Triple Crown.
One of those just one step away is Illinois' Michael Johnson who pinned Aaron Rafalko of Kansas in 1:33 to win the 210 pound Schoolboy/girl title. Johnson had four pins on his way to the top of the podium.
Johnson is indeed a great wrestler but has had overcome a great deal of adversity including a severe ankle injury which he suffered working out with his coach just six weeks ago. His father Mike Johnson said, "We didn't know he would be here. He has had to do a lot of physical therapy and is really just at about 60 percent."
This begs the question: how good would he be at full strength? His medium range goals at this point are to be a double winner at Fargo next year as a Cadet.
The younger Johnson has no favorite among the three styles. "I like all the styles. I like them all because mastering each makes you a complete wrestler." Johnson will likely have to navigate the same eight wrestlers to reach his short term goal of the Triple Crown. He does have one regret as he was looking forward to doing some rock climbing in the mountains of Utah but simply can't because of his injury.
Also one leg away from the exclusive Triple Crown is Jared Schaaf of Sauk Prairie, Wisconsin. Schaaf beat Wyoming's Casey Brown 6-1, 6-0 to claim the Schoolboy/girl title at 136 pounds.
Unlike Johnson Schaaf definitely has a preferred style.
"I like Greco the best because I don't have to defend my legs," he said.
After the Kids Nationals Schaaf will set his sights on becoming a multiple time high school state champion. As for now he wants to "take things one match at a time. The last one (Freestyle) is always the hardest," he said.
Other wrestlers seeking the Triple Crown are New Jersey's Joseph McKenna (Schoolboy/girl 91 pounds), Wisconsin's Domonic Flock (Schoolboy/girl 152 pounds), Nevada's Paul Harmon (Schoolboy/girl 160 pounds), Iowa's Jake Scanlan (Schoolboy/girl 265 pounds), Illinois' Louie Hayes (Novice 60 pounds), Minnesota's Lance Benick (Novice 130 pounds), Minnesota's Isaac Florell (Novice 140), Oregon's Travis Wittlake, Jr. (Intermediate 70 pounds), and Indiana's Nathan Walton (Intermediate 80 pounds).
Other noteworthy stories on the first day of competition was Hawaii's Teshya Alo becoming just the third female wrestler to win a Kids National title as she beat Darren Harris of Washington in a hotly contested bout at Novice 75 pounds. The match involved a protest where the last round was wrestled again and Alo prevailed 6-4, 0-4, 6-0.
Alo becomes only the third girl to win a USA Wrestling Kids National title competing against boys. The first to win was Teresa Gordon-Dick of California, who won the Novice Greco-Roman title at 100 pounds in 1997. The only girl to win a Kids National title in folkstyle was Samantha Lang of Oregon. No girl has ever won a Kids National title in freestyle.
Alo was the Western Regional champion this year in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at 75 pounds.
Grant Lamont said it was "business as usual" as he triumphed to win the 112 Schoolboy/girl title. Lamont would like to become a double winner as he goes for a Freestyle title in the second day of competition.
Lamont and his younger brother Taylor, had to deal with personal tragedy this past year as one of their best friends and 2008 Greco-Roman National Champion Caleb Williams died on a scouting trip last year. Taylor fought a shoulder injury but managed a fifth place finish.
Complete results AND brackets for the Greco-Roman tournament can be found at the link below:
ASICS Kids National Greco-Roman Championships brackets
2009 ASICS KIDS GRECO-ROMAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Intermediate (ages 9-10)
50 - Brandon Kaylor of Washington
55 - Ty Smith of Nevada
60 - Kyle Cramer of Washington
65 - Jason Renteria of Illinois
70 - Travis Wittlake of Oregon
75 - Paul Steffensen of Alaska
80 - Nathan Walton of Indiana
87 - Joey Mazzara of Nevada
95 - Jared Torres of California
103 - Max Darrah of Missouri
112 - Edward Hercel of Arizona
120+ - Freddie Sly of Oregon
Novice (ages 11-12)
60 - Louie Hayes of Illinois
65 - Matthew Lee of Utah
70 - Austin O`Connor of Illinois
75 - Teshya Alo of Hawaii
80 - Brock Benitz of Wisconsin
85 - Adam Blees of North Dakota
90 - Conner Noonan of Oregon
95 - Kamal Bey of Illinois
100 - Mason Manville of Virginia
105 - Dakota Wall of Idaho
112 - Dru Worker of Illinois
120 - Joe Marcano of Florida
130 - Handsome Smith of Oregon
140 - Isaac Florell of Minnesota
140+ - Lance Benick of Minnesota
140++ - Ikaika Neal of Oregon
Schoolboy/girl champions (ages 13-14)
70 - Ethan Koan of Missouri
77 - Grant Boggs of Montana
84 - Riley Connolly of Idaho
91 - Joseph McKenna of New Jersey
98 - Bo Nickal of New Mexico
105 - Hayden Tuma of Idaho
112 - Grant LaMont of Utah
120 - Ryan Christensen of Washington
128 - Antonio Perez of California
136 - Jared Schaaf of Wisconsin
144 - Austin Wilson of Idaho
152 - Dominic Flock of Wisconsin
160 - Paul Harmon of Nevada
175 - Quace Wright of Alaska
190 - Nate Lopez of California
210 - Michael Johnson Jr. of Illinois
265 - Jake Scanlan of Iowa
Each year, the Kids Triple Crown is awarded to wrestlers who win USA Wrestling Kids National titles in folkstyle, Greco-Roman and freestyle the same year. The 2009 Kids National Folkstyle Championships were held in Iowa in April. The Kids National Greco-Roman Championships held Tuesday was the second leg of the Triple Crown.
One of those just one step away is Illinois' Michael Johnson who pinned Aaron Rafalko of Kansas in 1:33 to win the 210 pound Schoolboy/girl title. Johnson had four pins on his way to the top of the podium.
Johnson is indeed a great wrestler but has had overcome a great deal of adversity including a severe ankle injury which he suffered working out with his coach just six weeks ago. His father Mike Johnson said, "We didn't know he would be here. He has had to do a lot of physical therapy and is really just at about 60 percent."
This begs the question: how good would he be at full strength? His medium range goals at this point are to be a double winner at Fargo next year as a Cadet.
The younger Johnson has no favorite among the three styles. "I like all the styles. I like them all because mastering each makes you a complete wrestler." Johnson will likely have to navigate the same eight wrestlers to reach his short term goal of the Triple Crown. He does have one regret as he was looking forward to doing some rock climbing in the mountains of Utah but simply can't because of his injury.
Also one leg away from the exclusive Triple Crown is Jared Schaaf of Sauk Prairie, Wisconsin. Schaaf beat Wyoming's Casey Brown 6-1, 6-0 to claim the Schoolboy/girl title at 136 pounds.
Unlike Johnson Schaaf definitely has a preferred style.
"I like Greco the best because I don't have to defend my legs," he said.
After the Kids Nationals Schaaf will set his sights on becoming a multiple time high school state champion. As for now he wants to "take things one match at a time. The last one (Freestyle) is always the hardest," he said.
Other wrestlers seeking the Triple Crown are New Jersey's Joseph McKenna (Schoolboy/girl 91 pounds), Wisconsin's Domonic Flock (Schoolboy/girl 152 pounds), Nevada's Paul Harmon (Schoolboy/girl 160 pounds), Iowa's Jake Scanlan (Schoolboy/girl 265 pounds), Illinois' Louie Hayes (Novice 60 pounds), Minnesota's Lance Benick (Novice 130 pounds), Minnesota's Isaac Florell (Novice 140), Oregon's Travis Wittlake, Jr. (Intermediate 70 pounds), and Indiana's Nathan Walton (Intermediate 80 pounds).
Other noteworthy stories on the first day of competition was Hawaii's Teshya Alo becoming just the third female wrestler to win a Kids National title as she beat Darren Harris of Washington in a hotly contested bout at Novice 75 pounds. The match involved a protest where the last round was wrestled again and Alo prevailed 6-4, 0-4, 6-0.
Alo becomes only the third girl to win a USA Wrestling Kids National title competing against boys. The first to win was Teresa Gordon-Dick of California, who won the Novice Greco-Roman title at 100 pounds in 1997. The only girl to win a Kids National title in folkstyle was Samantha Lang of Oregon. No girl has ever won a Kids National title in freestyle.
Alo was the Western Regional champion this year in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at 75 pounds.
Grant Lamont said it was "business as usual" as he triumphed to win the 112 Schoolboy/girl title. Lamont would like to become a double winner as he goes for a Freestyle title in the second day of competition.
Lamont and his younger brother Taylor, had to deal with personal tragedy this past year as one of their best friends and 2008 Greco-Roman National Champion Caleb Williams died on a scouting trip last year. Taylor fought a shoulder injury but managed a fifth place finish.
Complete results AND brackets for the Greco-Roman tournament can be found at the link below:
ASICS Kids National Greco-Roman Championships brackets
2009 ASICS KIDS GRECO-ROMAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Intermediate (ages 9-10)
50 - Brandon Kaylor of Washington
55 - Ty Smith of Nevada
60 - Kyle Cramer of Washington
65 - Jason Renteria of Illinois
70 - Travis Wittlake of Oregon
75 - Paul Steffensen of Alaska
80 - Nathan Walton of Indiana
87 - Joey Mazzara of Nevada
95 - Jared Torres of California
103 - Max Darrah of Missouri
112 - Edward Hercel of Arizona
120+ - Freddie Sly of Oregon
Novice (ages 11-12)
60 - Louie Hayes of Illinois
65 - Matthew Lee of Utah
70 - Austin O`Connor of Illinois
75 - Teshya Alo of Hawaii
80 - Brock Benitz of Wisconsin
85 - Adam Blees of North Dakota
90 - Conner Noonan of Oregon
95 - Kamal Bey of Illinois
100 - Mason Manville of Virginia
105 - Dakota Wall of Idaho
112 - Dru Worker of Illinois
120 - Joe Marcano of Florida
130 - Handsome Smith of Oregon
140 - Isaac Florell of Minnesota
140+ - Lance Benick of Minnesota
140++ - Ikaika Neal of Oregon
Schoolboy/girl champions (ages 13-14)
70 - Ethan Koan of Missouri
77 - Grant Boggs of Montana
84 - Riley Connolly of Idaho
91 - Joseph McKenna of New Jersey
98 - Bo Nickal of New Mexico
105 - Hayden Tuma of Idaho
112 - Grant LaMont of Utah
120 - Ryan Christensen of Washington
128 - Antonio Perez of California
136 - Jared Schaaf of Wisconsin
144 - Austin Wilson of Idaho
152 - Dominic Flock of Wisconsin
160 - Paul Harmon of Nevada
175 - Quace Wright of Alaska
190 - Nate Lopez of California
210 - Michael Johnson Jr. of Illinois
265 - Jake Scanlan of Iowa
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