Patterson, Carroll win titles at U.S. Beach World Team Trials

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Claiming titles at the 2009 U.S. Beach World Team Trials, held at Ontario Beach Park, were Nate Patterson (Ontario, N.Y./Team Cook) and Mike Carroll (Lake Winola, Pa./Team Avalanche).

Patterson won the title for the second straight year in the under 187.5 pound division. In a rematch of last year's finals. Patterson edged two-time Beach World bronze medalist Jeff Funicello (Gilbert, Ariz./American Pankration-Sunkist) in the finals, 2-1. With the score tied 1-1 in the final, Patterson emerged with a takedown on the edge for the win.

Patterson has also won the U.S. Beach Nationals two straight years. He defeated Funicello by an identical 2-1 score in Saturday's national finals. Patterson is a recent graduate from Binghamton University.

"I wrestled well," said Patterson. "I am a little heavier than I was last year. Wrestling against Jeff isn't quite as difficult as it was last year. I am done competing. I graduated college this year. Beach wrestling is a lot of fun. It is a relaxed atmosphere."

Carroll won the over 187-pound title on Sunday, stopping Dennis Cannon (Virginia Beach, Va./Kellam Mat Rats) by a 2-0 decision in the finals. Carroll was second in last year's Beach World Team Trials, and won his first U.S. Beach national title on Saturday. Carroll weighed in at 305 pounds, while Cannon entered the competition at 260 pounds.

"I had a good weekend," said Carroll. "This is my second year doing the Beach Nationals. I put this on my schedule for this year. I came up to referee and ended up doing both. This is a great event, and it keeps improving."

Carroll was caught off guard in his opening match at the U.S. Nationals on Saturday, when his opponent almost scored on him right away, but went the rest of the weekend without giving up a single point in his seven matches.

The U.S. Beach World Team Trials determines the athletes who are eligible to compete in the Beach World Championships in Obzor, Bulgaria, August 28-30.

Also held on Sunday was the National High School Beach Duals, an event featuring club programs on the Junior level. Team Titan Worldwide 1 captured the championship belt, winning all four of its bouts and defeating the Empire Wrestling Club in the championship finals, 7-2. Coaching Team Titan Worldwide I was beach wrestling veteran Neil Cook.

U.S. BEACH WORLD TEAM TRIALS
At Rochester, N.Y., July 19

Senior Men - Over 187.5 pounds
1st Place - Mike Carroll of Team Avalanche
2nd Place - Dennis Cannon of Kellam Mat Rats
3rd Place - Brett Giehl of West Side Wrestling Club
4th Place - Matthew Mahon of Ithaca College
5th Place - Mikhail Solomonik of Penfield
6th Place - Jason McGuckin of West Side Wrestling Club

1st - Mike Carroll (Team Avalanche) dec. Dennis Cannon (Kellam Mat Rats), 2-0
3rd - Brett Giehl (West Side Wrestling Club) dec. Matthew Mahon (Ithaca College), 2-0
5th - Mikhail Solomonik (Penfield) dec. Jason McGuckin (West Side Wrestling Club), 2-0

Senior Men - Under 187.5 pounds
1st Place - Nate Patterson of Team Cook
2nd Place - Jeff Funicello of American Pankration/Sunkist
3rd Place - Ben Johnstone of RIT
4th Place - Gordon Leach of Irondequoit
5th Place - Rocco Rosso of Cheeburger-Cheeburger

1st - Nate Patterson (Team Cook) dec. Jeff Funicello (American Pankration/Sunkist), 2-1
3rd - Ben Johnstone (RIT) dec. Gordon Leach (Irondequoit), 2-0

Senior Women - Over 132 pounds
1st Place - Pat Fox of Team Titan

NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL BEACH DUALS
At Rochester, N.Y., July 19

Championship Round
1st - Team Titan Worldwide I dec. Empire WC, 7-2
3rd - South Seneca dec. Spartan WC, 5-4
5th - Team Titan Worldwide II dec. Gnarly Graphics, 5-4
7th - Cheeburger-Cheeburger dec. Warsaw, 5-4

Championship Match
Team Titan Worldwide 7, Empire WC 2
103 lbs. Mitch Moran (WWI) Fft.
120 lbs. Brian Andrews (Emp) dec. Josh Sohn (WWI) 2-0
130 lbs. Zach Koenig (WWI) dec. Menden Laurel (Emp) 2-1
140 lbs. Sean Murphy (WWI) pin Jim Wiler (Emp)
150 lbs. Seth Gillgian (WWI) dec Cory Lauth (Emp) 2-1
170 lbs. Mike Clark (WWI) dec. Dave Lyons (Emp) 2-0
190 lbs. Jesse Kozub (Emp) dec. Zerik Miller (WWI) 2-0
215 lbs. Brandon Contraras (WWI) dec. Carl Cropo (Emp) 2-0
285 lbs. Jimmy Hussar (WWI) dec. James Marlt (Emp) 2-1

POOL COMPETIION

Pool A
Round One
Empire WC defeats Cheeburger-Cheeburger 5-4
Spartan WC defeats Team Titan Worldwide II 6-3

Round Two
Spartan WC defeated Cheeburger-Cheeburger 6-3
Team Titan Worldwide II defeated Empire WC 5-4

Round Three
Team Worldwide II defeats Cheeburger-Cheeburger 5-4
Empire WC defeated Spartan 5-4

Pool A Final Standing
1st - Empire WC
2nd - Spartan WC
3rd - Team Titan Worldwide II
4th - Cheeburger-Cheeburger

Pool B
Round One
Gnarly Graphics defeated Warsaw 5-4
Team Titan Worldwide I defeated South Seneca 7-2

Round Two
Team Worldwide I defeated Gnarly Graphics 6-3
South Seneca defeated Warsaw 5-4

Round Three
Team Worldwide I defeats Warsaw 6-3
South Seneca defeats Gnarly Graphics 5-4

Pool B Final Standing
1st - Team Titan Worldwide I
2nd - South Seneca
3rd - Gnarly Graphics
4th - Warsaw