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Three U.S. Army wrestlers win Northern Plains Greco-Roman titles in Waterloo, Iowa

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by Gary Abbott USA Wrestling

Justin Millard places third at the 2009 U.S. Open. Millard won the Northern Plains Greco-Roman Regional today. Larry Slater photo

WATERLOO, Iowa - Three members of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program claimed gold medals in Greco-Roman at the Northern Plains Senior Regionals on Friday.

Called the "Last Chance Qualifier" it is the final opportunity for Senior level competitors to qualify for the U.S. World Team Trials in Oklahoma City, Okla., June 9-11.

Individual champions for the U.S. Army included James Johnson (Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) at 74 kg/163 lbs., Timothy Bleau (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Justin Millard (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

Johnson stopped Marco Toledo (Foley, Alabama/USOEC), 2-0, 3-0 in the finals. Johnson was second in the 2005 World Team Trials.

Bleau won his finals match by forfeit over Army legend Keith Sieracki (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army). Sieracki, 39, has not competed since the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials when he placed third. As a past U.S. World Team member, Sieracki is automatically qualified for the World Team Trials if he chooses to compete.

Millard pinned Mitch Sander (Clarence, Iowa/Dragon Slayers) in 52 second in the finals bout. Millard was second in the 2007 U.S. Open.

High school star Jesse Thielke (Germantown, Wis./Sunkist Kids) claimed the title at 60 kg/132 lbs. Thielke, who has competed on the last two U.S. Junior World teams, pinned Dimitry Riabchinsky (Brooklyn, N.Y./New York AC), 4-0, 0:56 in the

Nikola Bogojevic (Superior, Wis./Minnesota Storm) won a competitive division at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Bogojevic scored a forfeit win over his club teammate Jake Kettler (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm). He defeated NJCAA Junior College national champion Tyrell Fortune (Portland, Ore./NWRTC) in the semifinals, 0-1, 1-0, 5-0. Bogojevic was third at the 2010 Junior Nationals, as well as at the 2011 FILA Junior Nationals in Greco-Roman.

Other individual champions were Mike Fuenffinger (Hibbing, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and RaVaughn Perkins (Omaha, Neb./Readyrp Mational) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.

Feunffinger was a 2011 FILA Junior Nationals champion. Perkins won the 2010 Junior Nationals in Greco-Roman.

The event was held alongside the Northern Plains Junior Regionals in Greco-Roman. The Outstanding Wrestler in the Junior division was 125-pound champion Mitch Bengtson of Minnesota.

NORTHERN PLAINS SENIOR REGIONALS
At Waterloo, Iowa, May 13, 2011

Greco-Roman results

55 kg/121 lbs.
1st - Mike Fuenffinger, Hibbing, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) dec. Brandon Escobar, Brentwood, N.Y., 2-0, 7-3
3rd - Tyler Mumbulo, Fayette, Iowa (Elite Takedown Club)

60 kg/132 lbs.
1st - Jesse Thielke, Germantown, Wis. (Sunkist Kids) pin Dimitry Riabchinsky, Brooklyn, NY (New York AC), 4-0,0:56
3rd - Julian Gunnels, Kansas City, Mo. (Victory School of Wrestling) dec. Adam Schlee, , Grand Meadow, Minn., (Team Unit WC), 2-0, 2-1

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
1st - RaVaughn Perkins, Omaha, Neb. (Readyrp Mational) dec. Kerry Regner, Darlington, Pa. (Sunkist Kids), 6-0, 0-1,2 -0
3rd - Brain Graham, Kansas City, Mo. (Missouri Valley Wrestling) dec. Thrasher Porcher, Winter Springs, Fla. (USOEC), 0-1, 2-0, 1-0

74 kg/163 lbs.
1st - James Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Marco Toledo, Foley, Alabama (USOEC), 2-0, 3-0
3rd - Jess Hargrave, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Esai Dominguez, Omaha, Neb. (Maverick Wrestling Club), 5-0, 1-0

84 kg/185 lbs.
1st - Timothy Bleau, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) won by forfeit over Keith Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
3rd - Ryan Hope, Carol Stream, Ill. (USOEC) dec. Scott Loescher, New York, N.Y. (New York AC), 1-0, 2-0

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
1st - Justin Millard, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) pin Mitch Sander, Clarence, Iowa (Dragon Slayers), 0:52
3rd - Ryan Fank, Independence, Iowa (Wartburg Wrestling Club) dec. Charles Lewis, Lynwood, Ill., 3-2, 3-1

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
1st - Nikola Bogojevic, Superior, Wis. (Minnesota Storm) won by forfeit over Jake Kettler, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
3rd - Tyrell Fortune, Portland, Ore. (NWRTC) dec. Donny Longendyke, White Bear Lake, Minn. (White Bear), 3-0, 6-0

NORTHERN PLAINS JUNIOR REGIONALS
At Waterloo, Iowa, May 13, 2011

Greco-Roman results

98 lbs
1st Place - Sam Phillips of Iowa

105 lbs
1st - Jarred Oftedahl (Minnesota) over Alec Vogel (Iowa) Fall 7-0,0:53

112 lbs
1st - Andrew Crone (Wisconsin) over Erik Olson (Minnesota) Dec 7-0,4-2
3rd - Darius Wright (Wisconsin) over Collin Hays (Minnesota) Fall 1:07

119 lbs
1st - Dylan Peters (Iowa) over Phillip Opelt (Wisconsin) Dec 2-1,8-0
3rd - Wesley Azariah (Minnesota) over Trent Butcher (Minnesota) Dec 4-3,7-1

125 lbs
1st - Mitch Bengtson (Minnesota) over Cory Clark (Iowa) Dec 1-0,2-1
3rd - Sam Brancale (Minnesota) over Jacoby Bergeron (Minnesota) Dec 6-0,5-0

130 lbs
1st - Zane Richards (Illinois) over Colin DeClark (Wisconsin) TF 7-0,7-0
3rd - Hunter Neighbors (Missouri) over Jimmy Carpenter (Missouri) Fall 3-3,0-1,1:48

135 lbs
1st - Ben Morgan (Minnesota) over Walker Marshall (Iowa) TF 7-0,6-0
3rd - Mitch Friedman (Wisconsin) over Deven Donais (Minnesota) TF 6-0,6-0

140 lbs
1st - Hayden Zillmer (Minnesota) over Brandon Rice (Illinois) Dec 1-0,1-0
3rd - Colton Gladwell (Illinois) over Gunnar Wolfensperger (Iowa) Dec 1-0,2-0

145 lbs
1st - John Bozarth (Illinois) over Logan Thomsen (Iowa) TF 6-0,6-0
3rd - Luke Swalla (Iowa) over Jared DeGeeter (Iowa) Dec 3-1,6-0

152 lbs
1st - Trey Hable (Minnesota) over George Gonzalez (Illinois) Fall 8-2,0:28
3rd - Jordon Rothers (Minnesota) over Toby Mosley (Wisconsin) Dec 5-0,2-0

160 lbs
1st - Dylan Reel (Wahington) over Justin Koethe (Iowa) Dec 2-0,1-0
3rd - Zeb Wahle (Iowa) over Alex Meyer (Iowa) Dec 0-6,4-0,1-0

171 lbs
1st - Carson Powell (Iowa) over Ben Schwery (Iowa) Fall 5-0,0:43
3rd - Jacob Morrissey (Wisconsin) over Aaron Rothwell (Wisconsin) TF 6-0,7-0

189 lbs
1st - Shane Hughes (Wisconsin) over Willie Miklus (Iowa) TF 6-0,6-0
3rd - Mickey Pelfrey (Iowa) over Jon Volp (Minnesota) Dec 6-0,5-1

215 lbs
1st - Michael Sojka (Illinois) over Josh Marchok (Illinois) Dec 1-0,2-0
3rd - Jonathon Dossett (Illinois) over Dakota Drake-Warner (Minnesota) Dec 0-2,3-0,4-2

285 lbs
1st - Parker Betts (Minnesota) over Joe Scanlan (Iowa) Dec 7-3,6-0
3rd - Brett Haas (Iowa) over Creighton Fox (Iowa) Dec 3-0,4-2,0-0

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