Four U.S. Olympians win, as USA beats Japan in Greco-Roman and ties Russia in freestyle
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WEST ORANGE, N.J. - For the four 2008 U.S. Olympians who were making their return to the mats since representing the United States in Beijing, China this summer, it was a good night. All four Olympians won their bouts against competitive international wrestlers.
The USA dominated Japan in Greco-Roman, 22-5 and tied Russia in freestyle, 13-13 before a large crowd at West Orange High School.
The meet started in Greco-Roman, with 2008 Olympian Spenser Mango (St. Louis, Mo./Gator WC) scoring an impressive technical fall victory over Kiyoharu Hirao of Japan, 5-0, 7-0. Mango won the first period with a five-point throw from the par terre position, immediately ending the period. In the second period, he had a step-out and two three point throws to end the period.
"This is the first one back since losing in Beijing," said Mango. "It is nice to get back into it. We have been working a lot, sharpening our technique in Northern Michigan. Coach Ivan (Ivanov) says it is one thing to hit it in practice and another to do it in a match. I must be drilling OK because I got it in the match today."
The U.S. Greco-Roman team won the first six matches in their dual meet, controlling the action all night long. The opponents features five young Japanese athletes and two competitors from Israel with extensive international experience.
"It was a very good start for us," said National Greco-Roman Coach Steve Fraser. "The guys look like they are in shape. They have been training well for the last few weeks. Japan has a decent team. There are no slouches there. The Israelis are tough too."
The U.S. won three matches in men's freestyle against a talented young Russian team, all by members of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team.
After the U.S. dropped the first two bouts in freestyle, 2008 Olympian Doug Schwab (Iowa City, Iowa/Gator WC) turned things around with a victory of Darsam Dzhaparov of Russia, 1-0, 2-0. Schwab scored his points on effective counters.
"I would rather score on my attack rather than countering his. He had me in position where he could score. I wrestled out of it and ended up scoring on him a few times," said Schwab. "I have a lot of work to do. This is one step back on the road to progress. I want to be part of the group that puts the U.S. back on top in freestyle. Russia is on top now. It is nice to beat one of them today. We want to beat them all."
"This is a good event. It is the start of our season. I am getting ready for another World Championships run. I want to win many more tournaments overseas this year. I don't care where I have to go. That is my goal. I plan to win on all levels, all across the world," said Schwab.
At 84 kg/185 lbs., 2008 Olympian Andy Hrovat (Ann Arbor, Mich./New York AC) needed three period to defeat a game Taymuraz Friev of Russia, 2-6, 3-1, 3-1. The key move in the final period was an aggressive double leg takedown, where Hrovat took Friev to his back for three points.
"It was a pretty good match. I came out slowly. It was a good test for me. This isn't the time of year that we focus on conditioning and peaking. It is great to know I have the heart to push through," said Hrovat. "He wasn't expecting me to shoot. I set the double up perfectly. I faked a few singles. I saw the opening and I blasted it. I baited him. Once he stopped moving his feet, boom, I blasted him."
In the final freestyle bout of the evening at 120 kg/264.5 lbs., 2008 Olympian Steve Mocco (Iowa City, Iowa/New York AC) shut down Valeriy Bedoev of Russia, 1-0, 5-0. Mocco's victory tied the match at 13-13, but Russia claimed the win with four wins to three by the United States.
It was the second year in a row that Mocco returned to his native New Jersey to compete in a dual meet in West Orange. Mocco was a four-time Prep School national champion in high school, competing for St. Benedicts Prep and Blair Academy.
"It is always fun to come home and wrestle," said Mocco. "I wrestled a lot this month. I have also been battling some injuries. But I went out and performed. That is what you have to do at this level. I hope the fans liked it."
For new National Freestyle Coach Zeke Jones, the dual meet gave the U.S. program an opportunity for good competition, and a way to evaluate the task ahead.
"I think we certainly have a lot of wrestling to learn," said Jones. "There is no question the Americans effort was good. Our first goal is to be the fastest improving team in the world. If we set those as our goals, we will be that. If we really focus on learning and getting better in competition, we will improve faster. The guys worked hard. We have a lot to do to take the next steps as a nation.
Among the winners for the U.S. in the Greco-Roman dual meet was 2007 U.S. World Team member Joe Betterman (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), who defeated Kosuke Hori of Japan, 4-0, 8-0 at 60 kg/132 lbs. Betterman had a number of impressive lifts and throws in both periods of his match.
"I needed to get a good match in," said Betterman. "We didn't have the Sunkist Open to start the season this year. This is good for me to have this dual meet before wrestling in a tournament. I have been working a lot on my par terre offense. If they change the rules, I have to go back to lifting and throwing people."
Other U.S. winners in Greco-Roman were Jacob Curby (LaGrange, Ill./Gator WC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Cheney Haight (Orem, Utah/New York AC) at 74 kg/163 lbs., Jake Plamann, Appleton, Wis. (New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and R.C. Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Local fans came out to see another New Jersey native in the freestyle bout, Kurt Backes (Columbia, Mo./Sunkist Kids) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Backes was defeated by 2008 University World champion Evgeny Kolomiets of Russia, 2-3, 4-2, 2-0. Backes is a native of Neshanic Station, N.J. and won prep national titles for Blair Academy.
Many of the athletes in this dual meet are also expected to compete in the annual American Airlines New York Athletic Club International Championships, scheduled for November 22-23 in New York City.
RUSSIA 13, UNITED STATES 13
Men's freestyle wrestling
At West Orange, N.J.., Thursday, November 20, 6:30 p.m.
55 kg/121 lbs. - Makhmud Magomedov (Russia) dec. Nick Simmons, Corvallis, Ore. (Sunkist Kids), 6-0, 6-1
60 kg/132 lbs. - Artur Akhmedov (Russia) dec. Coleman Scott, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC), 3-4, 1-0, 8-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs. -Doug Schwab, Iowa City, Iowa (Gator WC) dec. Darsam Dzhaparov (Russia), 1-0, 2-0
74 kg/163 lbs. - Magomed Zubairov (Russia) dec, Keith Gavin, Pittsburgh, Pa. (New York AC), 1-1, 1-0
84 kg/185 lbs. - Andy Hrovat, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC) dec. Taymuraz Friev (Russia), 2-6, 3-1, 3-1
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Evgeny Kolomiets (Russia) dec. Kurt Backes, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids). 2-3, 4-2, 2-0
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Steve Mocco, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC) dec. Valeriy Bedoev (Russia), 1-0, 5-0
* - Russia wins tiebreaker, with four victories to three
USA 22, JAPAN 5
Greco-Roman wrestling
At West Orange, N.J., Thursday, November 20, 6:30 p.m.
55 kg/121 lbs. - Spenser Mango, St. Louis, Mo. (Gator WC) tech. fall Kiyoharu Hirao (Japan), 5-0, 7-0
60 kg/132 lbs. - Joe Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) dec. Kosuke Hori (Japan), 4-0, 8-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Jacob Curby, LaGrange, Ill. (Gator WC) dec. Hiroyuki Shimizu (Japan), 4-0, 7-0
74 kg/163 lbs. - Cheney Haight, Orem, Utah (New York AC) dec. Kosuke Sumi (Japan), 2-1, 9-0
84 kg/185 lbs. - Jake Plamann, Appleton, Wis. (New York AC) inj. dft over Mitsuhiro Ota (Japan), 6-0, 0:00
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - R.C. Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Bronislav Sharovtsky (Israel), 3-0, 1-1
120 kg/264.5 lbs. -Vladimir Guralski (Israel) dec. Pete Kowalczuk, Oak Park, Ill. (Sunkist Kids), 7-0, 1-3, 3-1
Exhibition matches
55 kg/121 lbs. women's freestyle - Yuri Kai (Japan) dec. Helen Maroulis (Rockville, Md./New York AC), 0-3, 3-2, 3-2
66 kg/145.5 lbs. Greco-Roman - Yuri Veschev (Israel) dec. Eugen Komisarov (USA), 10-3, 7-0
The USA dominated Japan in Greco-Roman, 22-5 and tied Russia in freestyle, 13-13 before a large crowd at West Orange High School.
The meet started in Greco-Roman, with 2008 Olympian Spenser Mango (St. Louis, Mo./Gator WC) scoring an impressive technical fall victory over Kiyoharu Hirao of Japan, 5-0, 7-0. Mango won the first period with a five-point throw from the par terre position, immediately ending the period. In the second period, he had a step-out and two three point throws to end the period.
"This is the first one back since losing in Beijing," said Mango. "It is nice to get back into it. We have been working a lot, sharpening our technique in Northern Michigan. Coach Ivan (Ivanov) says it is one thing to hit it in practice and another to do it in a match. I must be drilling OK because I got it in the match today."
The U.S. Greco-Roman team won the first six matches in their dual meet, controlling the action all night long. The opponents features five young Japanese athletes and two competitors from Israel with extensive international experience.
"It was a very good start for us," said National Greco-Roman Coach Steve Fraser. "The guys look like they are in shape. They have been training well for the last few weeks. Japan has a decent team. There are no slouches there. The Israelis are tough too."
The U.S. won three matches in men's freestyle against a talented young Russian team, all by members of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team.
After the U.S. dropped the first two bouts in freestyle, 2008 Olympian Doug Schwab (Iowa City, Iowa/Gator WC) turned things around with a victory of Darsam Dzhaparov of Russia, 1-0, 2-0. Schwab scored his points on effective counters.
"I would rather score on my attack rather than countering his. He had me in position where he could score. I wrestled out of it and ended up scoring on him a few times," said Schwab. "I have a lot of work to do. This is one step back on the road to progress. I want to be part of the group that puts the U.S. back on top in freestyle. Russia is on top now. It is nice to beat one of them today. We want to beat them all."
"This is a good event. It is the start of our season. I am getting ready for another World Championships run. I want to win many more tournaments overseas this year. I don't care where I have to go. That is my goal. I plan to win on all levels, all across the world," said Schwab.
At 84 kg/185 lbs., 2008 Olympian Andy Hrovat (Ann Arbor, Mich./New York AC) needed three period to defeat a game Taymuraz Friev of Russia, 2-6, 3-1, 3-1. The key move in the final period was an aggressive double leg takedown, where Hrovat took Friev to his back for three points.
"It was a pretty good match. I came out slowly. It was a good test for me. This isn't the time of year that we focus on conditioning and peaking. It is great to know I have the heart to push through," said Hrovat. "He wasn't expecting me to shoot. I set the double up perfectly. I faked a few singles. I saw the opening and I blasted it. I baited him. Once he stopped moving his feet, boom, I blasted him."
In the final freestyle bout of the evening at 120 kg/264.5 lbs., 2008 Olympian Steve Mocco (Iowa City, Iowa/New York AC) shut down Valeriy Bedoev of Russia, 1-0, 5-0. Mocco's victory tied the match at 13-13, but Russia claimed the win with four wins to three by the United States.
It was the second year in a row that Mocco returned to his native New Jersey to compete in a dual meet in West Orange. Mocco was a four-time Prep School national champion in high school, competing for St. Benedicts Prep and Blair Academy.
"It is always fun to come home and wrestle," said Mocco. "I wrestled a lot this month. I have also been battling some injuries. But I went out and performed. That is what you have to do at this level. I hope the fans liked it."
For new National Freestyle Coach Zeke Jones, the dual meet gave the U.S. program an opportunity for good competition, and a way to evaluate the task ahead.
"I think we certainly have a lot of wrestling to learn," said Jones. "There is no question the Americans effort was good. Our first goal is to be the fastest improving team in the world. If we set those as our goals, we will be that. If we really focus on learning and getting better in competition, we will improve faster. The guys worked hard. We have a lot to do to take the next steps as a nation.
Among the winners for the U.S. in the Greco-Roman dual meet was 2007 U.S. World Team member Joe Betterman (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), who defeated Kosuke Hori of Japan, 4-0, 8-0 at 60 kg/132 lbs. Betterman had a number of impressive lifts and throws in both periods of his match.
"I needed to get a good match in," said Betterman. "We didn't have the Sunkist Open to start the season this year. This is good for me to have this dual meet before wrestling in a tournament. I have been working a lot on my par terre offense. If they change the rules, I have to go back to lifting and throwing people."
Other U.S. winners in Greco-Roman were Jacob Curby (LaGrange, Ill./Gator WC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Cheney Haight (Orem, Utah/New York AC) at 74 kg/163 lbs., Jake Plamann, Appleton, Wis. (New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and R.C. Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Local fans came out to see another New Jersey native in the freestyle bout, Kurt Backes (Columbia, Mo./Sunkist Kids) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Backes was defeated by 2008 University World champion Evgeny Kolomiets of Russia, 2-3, 4-2, 2-0. Backes is a native of Neshanic Station, N.J. and won prep national titles for Blair Academy.
Many of the athletes in this dual meet are also expected to compete in the annual American Airlines New York Athletic Club International Championships, scheduled for November 22-23 in New York City.
RUSSIA 13, UNITED STATES 13
Men's freestyle wrestling
At West Orange, N.J.., Thursday, November 20, 6:30 p.m.
55 kg/121 lbs. - Makhmud Magomedov (Russia) dec. Nick Simmons, Corvallis, Ore. (Sunkist Kids), 6-0, 6-1
60 kg/132 lbs. - Artur Akhmedov (Russia) dec. Coleman Scott, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC), 3-4, 1-0, 8-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs. -Doug Schwab, Iowa City, Iowa (Gator WC) dec. Darsam Dzhaparov (Russia), 1-0, 2-0
74 kg/163 lbs. - Magomed Zubairov (Russia) dec, Keith Gavin, Pittsburgh, Pa. (New York AC), 1-1, 1-0
84 kg/185 lbs. - Andy Hrovat, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC) dec. Taymuraz Friev (Russia), 2-6, 3-1, 3-1
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Evgeny Kolomiets (Russia) dec. Kurt Backes, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids). 2-3, 4-2, 2-0
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Steve Mocco, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC) dec. Valeriy Bedoev (Russia), 1-0, 5-0
* - Russia wins tiebreaker, with four victories to three
USA 22, JAPAN 5
Greco-Roman wrestling
At West Orange, N.J., Thursday, November 20, 6:30 p.m.
55 kg/121 lbs. - Spenser Mango, St. Louis, Mo. (Gator WC) tech. fall Kiyoharu Hirao (Japan), 5-0, 7-0
60 kg/132 lbs. - Joe Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) dec. Kosuke Hori (Japan), 4-0, 8-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Jacob Curby, LaGrange, Ill. (Gator WC) dec. Hiroyuki Shimizu (Japan), 4-0, 7-0
74 kg/163 lbs. - Cheney Haight, Orem, Utah (New York AC) dec. Kosuke Sumi (Japan), 2-1, 9-0
84 kg/185 lbs. - Jake Plamann, Appleton, Wis. (New York AC) inj. dft over Mitsuhiro Ota (Japan), 6-0, 0:00
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - R.C. Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Bronislav Sharovtsky (Israel), 3-0, 1-1
120 kg/264.5 lbs. -Vladimir Guralski (Israel) dec. Pete Kowalczuk, Oak Park, Ill. (Sunkist Kids), 7-0, 1-3, 3-1
Exhibition matches
55 kg/121 lbs. women's freestyle - Yuri Kai (Japan) dec. Helen Maroulis (Rockville, Md./New York AC), 0-3, 3-2, 3-2
66 kg/145.5 lbs. Greco-Roman - Yuri Veschev (Israel) dec. Eugen Komisarov (USA), 10-3, 7-0
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