Rau, Speiller put on show as six Greco-Roman champions crowned at U.S. Nationals/Trials Qualifier
Share:
by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Joe Rau of the Minnesota Storm hits a sweet five-point throw against Caylor Williams of the U.S. Army WCAP in the 98 kg finals in Las Vegas. Photo by John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com
VIDEO: U.S. Senior Nationals & Olympic Trials Qualifier Champion Interviews
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Hitting a five-point throw in the first period, then a pair of clutch two-point exposures late in the match, Joe Rau of the Minnesota Storm knocked off three-time U.S. World Team member Caylor Williams in an entertaining finals at 98 kg/215 lbs. at the U.S. Nationals/Trials Qualifier in Greco-Roman.
Rau nailed a back arch on the edge of the mat for five points to lead 5-0 at the break. Williams came back strong early in the second period, to score six straight points for a 6-5 lead. Initially, officials gave Williams four points, but he protested the call, and one of his two-point moves was changed to a four-point throw.
Late in the period, Rau got a pair of exposures for four more points, reclaiming the lead at 9-6. He was able to hold off Williams as time ran out, and he captured his first national title. Rau was a member of the 2014 U.S. World Team at 80 kg, but has moved back up in weight this year.
“I wanted to beat him worse than I did the first time, and I think I did that, but I made a little bit more mistakes too. I got scored on more, but I was getting some pretty big moves, which was hard for me to get too. Usually I’m a small move guy. I really just wanted this for bragging rights,” said Rau.
Also winning his first Senior national title and earning the Outstanding Wrestler award was Geordan Speiller of the Florida Jets, the champion at 75 kg/165 lbs.
Speiller stopped 2011 World Team member Cheney Haight of the New York AC in the finals, 5-1. After a scoreless first period, the match was tied at 1-1, when Speiller scored a pair of takedowns to earn the victory.
“Even though we knew what he was going to do it was still very difficult. He’s just so good at that two-on-one. I just knew to try to keep away from it as much as possible, but coming in to it I was prepared," said Speiller.
Speiller returned after missing a majority of the 2015 season with an injury. He has been training in Budapest, Hungary for a month with Peter Nagy, a Hungarian wrestler who was a former teammate in Florida.
“Two words, overcame and adversity. It’s my first tournament back since injury. It’s been a year since competition. Cinderella story. So, I feel great about it. I’m doing all the right things. I just got accepted to UCF, so I’ll be going to college full time now and, yeah, I’m just getting my life together, not just in wrestling but in academics and other areas too,” he said.
Competition was held in the six Olympic weight classes. Four of the champions won their first-time winners.
Winning his second career national title was the amazing Jake Clark of the Minnesota Storm, who defeated 2012 Olympian Ben Provisor of the New York AC in the finals, 4-0. Clark scored a four-point hip toss in the first period for the winning margin.
Clark, 35, sat out the last three years and returned in top form. Clark, who lives in Hawaii, has been training in his native Minnesota to prepare for the tournament.
“I just tried to stay focused on the competition. I get nervous before every match. This is year number 31 in wrestling and I still get nervous before each match. I’m wrestling smart and that’s important. I can’t believe I won this tournament. I really can’t. I’ve had a rough couple last month’s here. It’s crazy. Sometime the stars align,” said Clark.
2012 Olympian Ellis Coleman of the Minnesota Storm won the gold medal at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. finals, defeating Patrick Smith of the Minnesota Storm, 4-2, on the strength of a pair of gut wrench turns in the second period. It was his second career national title, to go with his 2013 national title. Smith dropped down from 70 kg to test himself at this Olympic weight class.
2014 Junior World bronze medalist Adam Coon of the New York AC dominated Parker Betts of the Minnesota Storm for an 8-0 technical fall at 130 kg/286 lbs. Coon pushed Betts all over the mat, getting a pair of fleeing the hold calls against Betts along with a number of pushouts. Coon, a 2015 NCAA runner-up for Michigan, won his first Senior national title.
There was no bout in the finals at 59 kg/130 lbs. as U.S. Army WCAP teammates Ildar Hafizov and Spenser Mango did not wrestle each other. The gold medal went to Hafizov, his first national title, by an injury default over Mango. Both wrestlers are past Olympians, as Hafizov competed in the 2012 Olympic Games for Uzbekistan, while Mango was in both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics for the United States.
The top seven placewinners in each weight class this weekend qualify to compete at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City, Iowa, April 9-10. This is the largest of the #Road2IowaCity qualifying events.
The U.S. Army won the Div. I team title with 67 points, just one point ahead of runner-ups the New York Athletic Club. The Div. II team champions were the Minnesota Storm, with 38 points
U.S. NATIONALS/TRIALS QUALIFIER
At Las Vegas, Nev., December 18
Greco-Roman Championship Finals
59 kg/130 lbs. - Ildar Hafizov (Army WCAP) inj. dft. Spenser Mango (Army WCAP)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Ellis Coleman (Army) dec. Patrick Smith (Minnesota Storm), 4-2
75 kg/165 lbs. - Geordan Speiller (Florida Jets) dec. Cheney Haight (NYAC/OTC), 5-1
85 kg/187 lbs. - Jacob Clark (Minnesota Storm) dec. Ben Provisor (NYAC/OTC), 4-0
98 kg/216 lbs. -. Joe Rau (Minnesota Storm) dec. Caylor Williams (Army WCAP), 9-6
130 kg/286 lbs. - Adam Coon (NYAC/CKWC) tech. fall Parker Betts (Minnesota Storm), 8-0
Final Greco-Roman results
59 kg/130 lbs.
1st -. Ildar Hafizov, Colorado Springs,Colo. (Army WCAP) inj. dft. Spenser Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP)
3rd - Ryan Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army (WCAP) tech. fall Sam Jones, Folsom, La. (NYAC/NMU), 10-2
5th- Max Nowry, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP) inj. dft. Jermaine Hodge, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP)
7th - Dmitry Ryabchinskiy, Brooklyn, N.Y. (NYAC/NMU) dec. Aaron Kalil, Sneads Ferry, N.C. (U.S. Marines), 6-4)
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
1st - Ellis Coleman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP) dec. Patrick Smith, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 4-2
3rd - Jesse Thielke, Germantown, Wis. (NYAC/OTC) tech. fall Christopher Gonzalez, Bolingbrook, Ill. (NYAC/NMU), 8-0
5th - Alejandro Sancho, Miami, Fla. (NYAC/NMU) tech. fall Devin Scott, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 11-0
7th - Brian Graham, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) tech. fall Bo Beckman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/OTC), 8-0
75 kg/165 lbs.
1st - Geordan Speiller, Oviedo, Fla. (Florida Jets) dec. Cheney Haight, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/OTC), 5-1
3rd Place Match - Justin Lester (Army (WCAP)) won by tech fall over Tarrence Williams (CSU Pueblo wrestling RTC) (TF 8-0)
5th - Corey Hope, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/OTC) inj. dft. Jacob Fisher, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
7th - Barrett Stanghill, Philipsburg, Montana (NYAC/NMU) won by tech fall over Colin Schubert, Brussels, Wis. (NMU-OTS), 8-0
85 kg/187 lbs.
1st - Jacob Clark, Honolulu, Hawaii (Minnesota Storm) dec. Ben Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/OTC), 4-0
3rd - Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army (WCAP) tech. fall Lucas Sheridan, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP), 8-0
5th- Kevin Radford, Jr., Fayetteville, N.C. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Mark Stenberg, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/NMU), 13-12
7th - Ryan Hope, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/CKWC) dec. Courtney Myers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP), 6-4
98 kg/215 lbs.
1st - Joe Rau, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) dec. Caylor Williams, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP), 9-6
3rd– G’Angelo Hancock, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/OTC) won by tech fall over Marcus Finau (CSU Pueblo Wrestling RTC), 9-0
5th - Orry Elor, Walnut Creek, Calif. (NYAC/NMU) inj. dft. John Wechter, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
7th - Jacob Kasper, Mansfield, Ohio (Roughhouse) won by fall over Endhyr Meza, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army (WCAP), 3:31
130 kg/286 lbs.
1st- Adam Coon, Fowlerville, Mich. (NYAC/CKWC) tech. fall Parker Betts, St. Michael, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 8-0
3rd - Jacob Mitchell, Portland, Ore. (CSU Pueblo Wrestling RTC) dec. Matthew Lamb, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army (WCAP), 2-1
5th - Zach Merrill, Buermuda Dunes, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC), tech. fall Eric Fader, Camp Lejeune, N.C (U.S. Marines), 8-0
7th - Jack Griggs, Brighton, Mich. (NMU-OTS) pin Christopher Pierce, Lemont Furnace, Pa. (Patriot Elite WC), 2:10
Outstanding Wrestler – Geordan Speiller (Florida Jets), 75 kg
Div. I team standings – 1. U.S. Army, 67 points, 2. New York Athletic Club, 66 pts.
Div. II team standings – 1. Minnesota Storm, 38 points
VIDEO: U.S. Senior Nationals & Olympic Trials Qualifier Champion Interviews
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Hitting a five-point throw in the first period, then a pair of clutch two-point exposures late in the match, Joe Rau of the Minnesota Storm knocked off three-time U.S. World Team member Caylor Williams in an entertaining finals at 98 kg/215 lbs. at the U.S. Nationals/Trials Qualifier in Greco-Roman.
Rau nailed a back arch on the edge of the mat for five points to lead 5-0 at the break. Williams came back strong early in the second period, to score six straight points for a 6-5 lead. Initially, officials gave Williams four points, but he protested the call, and one of his two-point moves was changed to a four-point throw.
Late in the period, Rau got a pair of exposures for four more points, reclaiming the lead at 9-6. He was able to hold off Williams as time ran out, and he captured his first national title. Rau was a member of the 2014 U.S. World Team at 80 kg, but has moved back up in weight this year.
“I wanted to beat him worse than I did the first time, and I think I did that, but I made a little bit more mistakes too. I got scored on more, but I was getting some pretty big moves, which was hard for me to get too. Usually I’m a small move guy. I really just wanted this for bragging rights,” said Rau.
Also winning his first Senior national title and earning the Outstanding Wrestler award was Geordan Speiller of the Florida Jets, the champion at 75 kg/165 lbs.
Speiller stopped 2011 World Team member Cheney Haight of the New York AC in the finals, 5-1. After a scoreless first period, the match was tied at 1-1, when Speiller scored a pair of takedowns to earn the victory.
“Even though we knew what he was going to do it was still very difficult. He’s just so good at that two-on-one. I just knew to try to keep away from it as much as possible, but coming in to it I was prepared," said Speiller.
Speiller returned after missing a majority of the 2015 season with an injury. He has been training in Budapest, Hungary for a month with Peter Nagy, a Hungarian wrestler who was a former teammate in Florida.
“Two words, overcame and adversity. It’s my first tournament back since injury. It’s been a year since competition. Cinderella story. So, I feel great about it. I’m doing all the right things. I just got accepted to UCF, so I’ll be going to college full time now and, yeah, I’m just getting my life together, not just in wrestling but in academics and other areas too,” he said.
Competition was held in the six Olympic weight classes. Four of the champions won their first-time winners.
Winning his second career national title was the amazing Jake Clark of the Minnesota Storm, who defeated 2012 Olympian Ben Provisor of the New York AC in the finals, 4-0. Clark scored a four-point hip toss in the first period for the winning margin.
Clark, 35, sat out the last three years and returned in top form. Clark, who lives in Hawaii, has been training in his native Minnesota to prepare for the tournament.
“I just tried to stay focused on the competition. I get nervous before every match. This is year number 31 in wrestling and I still get nervous before each match. I’m wrestling smart and that’s important. I can’t believe I won this tournament. I really can’t. I’ve had a rough couple last month’s here. It’s crazy. Sometime the stars align,” said Clark.
2012 Olympian Ellis Coleman of the Minnesota Storm won the gold medal at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. finals, defeating Patrick Smith of the Minnesota Storm, 4-2, on the strength of a pair of gut wrench turns in the second period. It was his second career national title, to go with his 2013 national title. Smith dropped down from 70 kg to test himself at this Olympic weight class.
2014 Junior World bronze medalist Adam Coon of the New York AC dominated Parker Betts of the Minnesota Storm for an 8-0 technical fall at 130 kg/286 lbs. Coon pushed Betts all over the mat, getting a pair of fleeing the hold calls against Betts along with a number of pushouts. Coon, a 2015 NCAA runner-up for Michigan, won his first Senior national title.
There was no bout in the finals at 59 kg/130 lbs. as U.S. Army WCAP teammates Ildar Hafizov and Spenser Mango did not wrestle each other. The gold medal went to Hafizov, his first national title, by an injury default over Mango. Both wrestlers are past Olympians, as Hafizov competed in the 2012 Olympic Games for Uzbekistan, while Mango was in both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics for the United States.
The top seven placewinners in each weight class this weekend qualify to compete at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City, Iowa, April 9-10. This is the largest of the #Road2IowaCity qualifying events.
The U.S. Army won the Div. I team title with 67 points, just one point ahead of runner-ups the New York Athletic Club. The Div. II team champions were the Minnesota Storm, with 38 points
U.S. NATIONALS/TRIALS QUALIFIER
At Las Vegas, Nev., December 18
Greco-Roman Championship Finals
59 kg/130 lbs. - Ildar Hafizov (Army WCAP) inj. dft. Spenser Mango (Army WCAP)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Ellis Coleman (Army) dec. Patrick Smith (Minnesota Storm), 4-2
75 kg/165 lbs. - Geordan Speiller (Florida Jets) dec. Cheney Haight (NYAC/OTC), 5-1
85 kg/187 lbs. - Jacob Clark (Minnesota Storm) dec. Ben Provisor (NYAC/OTC), 4-0
98 kg/216 lbs. -. Joe Rau (Minnesota Storm) dec. Caylor Williams (Army WCAP), 9-6
130 kg/286 lbs. - Adam Coon (NYAC/CKWC) tech. fall Parker Betts (Minnesota Storm), 8-0
Final Greco-Roman results
59 kg/130 lbs.
1st -. Ildar Hafizov, Colorado Springs,Colo. (Army WCAP) inj. dft. Spenser Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP)
3rd - Ryan Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army (WCAP) tech. fall Sam Jones, Folsom, La. (NYAC/NMU), 10-2
5th- Max Nowry, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP) inj. dft. Jermaine Hodge, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP)
7th - Dmitry Ryabchinskiy, Brooklyn, N.Y. (NYAC/NMU) dec. Aaron Kalil, Sneads Ferry, N.C. (U.S. Marines), 6-4)
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
1st - Ellis Coleman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP) dec. Patrick Smith, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 4-2
3rd - Jesse Thielke, Germantown, Wis. (NYAC/OTC) tech. fall Christopher Gonzalez, Bolingbrook, Ill. (NYAC/NMU), 8-0
5th - Alejandro Sancho, Miami, Fla. (NYAC/NMU) tech. fall Devin Scott, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 11-0
7th - Brian Graham, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) tech. fall Bo Beckman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/OTC), 8-0
75 kg/165 lbs.
1st - Geordan Speiller, Oviedo, Fla. (Florida Jets) dec. Cheney Haight, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/OTC), 5-1
3rd Place Match - Justin Lester (Army (WCAP)) won by tech fall over Tarrence Williams (CSU Pueblo wrestling RTC) (TF 8-0)
5th - Corey Hope, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/OTC) inj. dft. Jacob Fisher, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
7th - Barrett Stanghill, Philipsburg, Montana (NYAC/NMU) won by tech fall over Colin Schubert, Brussels, Wis. (NMU-OTS), 8-0
85 kg/187 lbs.
1st - Jacob Clark, Honolulu, Hawaii (Minnesota Storm) dec. Ben Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/OTC), 4-0
3rd - Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army (WCAP) tech. fall Lucas Sheridan, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP), 8-0
5th- Kevin Radford, Jr., Fayetteville, N.C. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Mark Stenberg, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/NMU), 13-12
7th - Ryan Hope, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/CKWC) dec. Courtney Myers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP), 6-4
98 kg/215 lbs.
1st - Joe Rau, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) dec. Caylor Williams, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP), 9-6
3rd– G’Angelo Hancock, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/OTC) won by tech fall over Marcus Finau (CSU Pueblo Wrestling RTC), 9-0
5th - Orry Elor, Walnut Creek, Calif. (NYAC/NMU) inj. dft. John Wechter, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
7th - Jacob Kasper, Mansfield, Ohio (Roughhouse) won by fall over Endhyr Meza, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army (WCAP), 3:31
130 kg/286 lbs.
1st- Adam Coon, Fowlerville, Mich. (NYAC/CKWC) tech. fall Parker Betts, St. Michael, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 8-0
3rd - Jacob Mitchell, Portland, Ore. (CSU Pueblo Wrestling RTC) dec. Matthew Lamb, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army (WCAP), 2-1
5th - Zach Merrill, Buermuda Dunes, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC), tech. fall Eric Fader, Camp Lejeune, N.C (U.S. Marines), 8-0
7th - Jack Griggs, Brighton, Mich. (NMU-OTS) pin Christopher Pierce, Lemont Furnace, Pa. (Patriot Elite WC), 2:10
Outstanding Wrestler – Geordan Speiller (Florida Jets), 75 kg
Div. I team standings – 1. U.S. Army, 67 points, 2. New York Athletic Club, 66 pts.
Div. II team standings – 1. Minnesota Storm, 38 points
Read More#
Quarterfinals set in U17 Freestyle Nationals; U17 World champions Sanchez, Kenny among stars to advance
Dake vs. Valencia & Green vs. Diakomihalis among 10 great men’s freestyle finals set for CLAW U.S. Open
Senior women’s freestyle semifinals set at 2025 CLAW U.S. Open Championships
Media Reports: Freestyle National Team member and NCAA runner-up Sammy Sasso reportedly sh...
