LaMont, Demas among big winners in UWW Cadet Nationals Greco-Roman competition
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by Craig Sesker, USA Wrestling
Utah’s Taylor LaMont is pursuing a Cadet World title in Greco-Roman wrestling this year. John Sachs photo.
AKRON, Ohio – Utah’s Taylor LaMont had been in this situation before.
And his experience paid off during the United World Wrestling Cadet Nationals Greco-Roman competition on Friday at the University of Akron Field House.
LaMont made his third straight U.S. Cadet World Team, outlasting 2014 Cadet Nationals champion Jaden Enriquez in the finals at 58 kg/127.5 lbs.
LaMont won the first match before Enriquez rallied for a takedown in the final seconds to win the second bout 4-2. LaMont then earned a gritty 3-1 victory in the third and decisive bout.
“I didn’t finish, and he came back strong to win that second match and didn’t give up,” LaMont said. “I was super motivated for that last match. I wanted to make sure and get back on top.”
LaMont, who also beat Enriquez in the FILA Cadet finals here last year, now prepares for his third straight appearance at the Cadet Worlds.
“My first year I didn’t know what to expect and I felt like the kids were better than me,” LaMont said. “My second year, I felt like I was right there with everyone. This year is my year. I want to be a World champ.”
Champions in all the weight classes, except 125 kg, qualify for the FILA Cadet World Championships on Aug. 25-30 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Ohio’s Dominick Demas made his second straight Cadet World Team after sweeping Utah’s Jaron Jensen in the finals at 63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Demas, eighth at the 2014 Cadet Worlds, was named Outstanding Wrestler.
“I’m excited to get back there again,” Demas said of Cadet Worlds. “I won my first two matches last year and it was a good experience. I learned a lot and I’ve been working hard at improving in par terre.”
Pennsylvania’s Jordan Wood rolled to the title at 100 kg/220 lbs. Wood was second in this event in Greco last year. He won a Cadet World silver medal for the U.S. in freestyle in 2014.
Dack Punke of Illinois also repeated as champion. Punke swept Minnesota’s Peyton Robb in the finals at 50 kg/110 lbs.
Athletes from this event will be considered for the U.S. team for the Cadet Pan American Championships on July 3-5 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
UWW CADET NATIONALS
Greco-Roman
May 29, 2015 Akron, Ohio
Finals results
42 kg/92.5 lbs.
Eric Barnett (Wisconsin) def. Cevion Severado (Missouri), 2 matches to 0
Barnett won by tech. fall over Severado, 8-0
Barnett dec. Severado, 6-6
46 kg/101 lbs.
Brady Koontz (Wisconsin) def. Benji Peak (Wisconsin), 2 matches to 0
Koontz dec. Peak, 3-1
Koontz won by tech. fall over Peak, 9-1
50 kg/110 lbs.
Dack Punke (Illinois) def. Peyton Robb (Minnesota), 2 matches to 0
Punke won by tech. fall over Robb, 8-0
Punke pinned Robb, 0:24
54 kg/119 lbs.
Paul Bianchi (Wisconsin) def. Alston Nutter (Wisconsin), 2 matches to 0
Bianchi pinned Nutter, 2:44
Bianchi pinned Nutter, 0:32
58 kg/127.5 lbs.
Taylor LaMont (Utah) def. Jaden Enriquez (California), 2 matches to 1
LaMont dec. Enriquez, 5-4
Enriquez dec. LaMont, 4-2
LaMont dec. Enriquez, 3-1
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Dominick Demas (Ohio) def. Jaron Jensen (Utah), 2 matches to 0
Demas dec. Jensen, 9-4
Demas dec. Jensen, 7-4
69 kg/152 lbs.
Jake Allar (Minnesota) def. Anthony Mantanona (California), 2 matches to 0
Allar won by tech. fall over Mantanona, 18-10
Allar pinned Mantanona, 1:40
76 kg/167 lbs.
Logan Gruszka (Illinois) def. Spencer Carey (New Jersey), 2 matches to 0
Gruszka pinned Carey, 0:51
Gruszka won by tech. fall over Carey, 9-0
85 kg/187 lbs.
Wyatt Koelling (Utah) def. Ashton J. Seely (Utah), 2 matches to 0
Koelling won by tech. fall over Seely, 10-2
Koelling won by tech. fall over Seely, 9-0
100 kg/220 lbs.
Jordan Wood (Pennsylvania) def Anthony Piscopo (Pennsylvania), 2 matches to 0
Wood dec. Piscopo, 5-0
Wood dec. Piscopo, 3-1
125 kg/275 lbs.
Kevin Vough (Ohio) def. Thomas Helton (Illinois), 2 matches to 0
Vough dec. Helton, 3-2
Vough dec. Helton, 4-2
AKRON, Ohio – Utah’s Taylor LaMont had been in this situation before.
And his experience paid off during the United World Wrestling Cadet Nationals Greco-Roman competition on Friday at the University of Akron Field House.
LaMont made his third straight U.S. Cadet World Team, outlasting 2014 Cadet Nationals champion Jaden Enriquez in the finals at 58 kg/127.5 lbs.
LaMont won the first match before Enriquez rallied for a takedown in the final seconds to win the second bout 4-2. LaMont then earned a gritty 3-1 victory in the third and decisive bout.
“I didn’t finish, and he came back strong to win that second match and didn’t give up,” LaMont said. “I was super motivated for that last match. I wanted to make sure and get back on top.”
LaMont, who also beat Enriquez in the FILA Cadet finals here last year, now prepares for his third straight appearance at the Cadet Worlds.
“My first year I didn’t know what to expect and I felt like the kids were better than me,” LaMont said. “My second year, I felt like I was right there with everyone. This year is my year. I want to be a World champ.”
Champions in all the weight classes, except 125 kg, qualify for the FILA Cadet World Championships on Aug. 25-30 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Ohio’s Dominick Demas made his second straight Cadet World Team after sweeping Utah’s Jaron Jensen in the finals at 63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Demas, eighth at the 2014 Cadet Worlds, was named Outstanding Wrestler.
“I’m excited to get back there again,” Demas said of Cadet Worlds. “I won my first two matches last year and it was a good experience. I learned a lot and I’ve been working hard at improving in par terre.”
Pennsylvania’s Jordan Wood rolled to the title at 100 kg/220 lbs. Wood was second in this event in Greco last year. He won a Cadet World silver medal for the U.S. in freestyle in 2014.
Dack Punke of Illinois also repeated as champion. Punke swept Minnesota’s Peyton Robb in the finals at 50 kg/110 lbs.
Athletes from this event will be considered for the U.S. team for the Cadet Pan American Championships on July 3-5 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
UWW CADET NATIONALS
Greco-Roman
May 29, 2015 Akron, Ohio
Finals results
42 kg/92.5 lbs.
Eric Barnett (Wisconsin) def. Cevion Severado (Missouri), 2 matches to 0
Barnett won by tech. fall over Severado, 8-0
Barnett dec. Severado, 6-6
46 kg/101 lbs.
Brady Koontz (Wisconsin) def. Benji Peak (Wisconsin), 2 matches to 0
Koontz dec. Peak, 3-1
Koontz won by tech. fall over Peak, 9-1
50 kg/110 lbs.
Dack Punke (Illinois) def. Peyton Robb (Minnesota), 2 matches to 0
Punke won by tech. fall over Robb, 8-0
Punke pinned Robb, 0:24
54 kg/119 lbs.
Paul Bianchi (Wisconsin) def. Alston Nutter (Wisconsin), 2 matches to 0
Bianchi pinned Nutter, 2:44
Bianchi pinned Nutter, 0:32
58 kg/127.5 lbs.
Taylor LaMont (Utah) def. Jaden Enriquez (California), 2 matches to 1
LaMont dec. Enriquez, 5-4
Enriquez dec. LaMont, 4-2
LaMont dec. Enriquez, 3-1
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Dominick Demas (Ohio) def. Jaron Jensen (Utah), 2 matches to 0
Demas dec. Jensen, 9-4
Demas dec. Jensen, 7-4
69 kg/152 lbs.
Jake Allar (Minnesota) def. Anthony Mantanona (California), 2 matches to 0
Allar won by tech. fall over Mantanona, 18-10
Allar pinned Mantanona, 1:40
76 kg/167 lbs.
Logan Gruszka (Illinois) def. Spencer Carey (New Jersey), 2 matches to 0
Gruszka pinned Carey, 0:51
Gruszka won by tech. fall over Carey, 9-0
85 kg/187 lbs.
Wyatt Koelling (Utah) def. Ashton J. Seely (Utah), 2 matches to 0
Koelling won by tech. fall over Seely, 10-2
Koelling won by tech. fall over Seely, 9-0
100 kg/220 lbs.
Jordan Wood (Pennsylvania) def Anthony Piscopo (Pennsylvania), 2 matches to 0
Wood dec. Piscopo, 5-0
Wood dec. Piscopo, 3-1
125 kg/275 lbs.
Kevin Vough (Ohio) def. Thomas Helton (Illinois), 2 matches to 0
Vough dec. Helton, 3-2
Vough dec. Helton, 4-2
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