Perkins named Outstanding Wrestler as USA gets four Greco-Roman golds at Dave Schultz Memorial
Share:
by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
RaVaughn Perkins lifts Alejandro Sancho in the 66 kg Greco finals at the Dave Schultz Memorial International. Photo by John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo – Four U.S. wrestlers won gold medals in Greco-Roman on the first day of the Dave Schultz Memorial International at the U.S. Olympic Training Center on Thursday.
Winning the Outstanding Wrestler award in Greco-Roman was RaVaughn Perkins (USA/New York AC), who defeated Alejandro Sancho (USA/New York AC), 3-0 in the finals at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Perkins hit a two-point gutwrench in the first period and added a point on a passivity in the second period for the margin of victory. The 66 kg/145.5 lbs. class was one of the most competitive in the tournament. Sancho placed second in the 2015 World Team Trials, the highest ranked athlete in the field at the weight class.
"This was first tournament since the World Team Trials in 2014. It feels great to be back out here. I just had to be smart and keep pushing the pace using my legs. I am comfortable in a body lock position but I figured I would stay away from it because that's what he is best at. I just kept good position throughout the match,” said Perkins.
The Dave Schultz Memorial International is named in the honor of the late Dave Schultz, an Olympic and World champion who was known as an ambassador of goodwill through wrestling. This is the 18th year of this prestigious tournament.
Winning the title at 59 kg/130 lbs. was veteran Jermaine Hodge of the U.S. Army WCAP, who pinned Sammy Jones of the New York AC, 5:36.
Hodge led 3-0 at the break with a takedown and a pushout, then added a second-period takedown to go ahead 5-0. A Jones protest of the takedown was denied, making it 6-0. Hodge was leading 6-0 when Jones attempted a throw, which he countered and scored the fall at the 5:36 mark.
"I just focused on basic wrestling. I knew he was tough wrestler so I just wanted to come out and wrestle a basic match. Got my bell run a little bit on a throw but I was able to recovery quickly, get back out there and win the match,” said Hodge.
In a battle of Colorado Springs based athletes at 75 kg/165 lbs., USOTC resident Corey Hope of the New York AC defeated Dylan Cowan of U.S. Army WCAP, 7-0. Hope scored three takedowns on the way to a convincing victory.
"It means a lot. I have been close so many times. The old saying is once a bridesmaid never the bride or once a groomsman and never the groom. This was big for me leading up to trials. I had knock off some rust today and its better to do it now that way I have the right foot moving forward heading into April,” said Hope.
Coming in ranked No. 2 in the nation at 130 kg/286 lbs, USOTC resident athlete Toby Erickson of the New York AC won his first international gold medal on the Senior level, with a 5-2 win over Matthew Lamb of the U.S. Army WCAP.
Both athletes were penalized two points on cautions for jumping the whistle from the bottom position. Erickson scored a takedown and received a passivity point for the margin of victory.
Erickson, who is 24 years old, is 18 years younger than the 42-year-old Lamb, who took 11 years off from the sport after competing in the 2004 Olympic Trials. A former wrestler for the U.S. Navy, Lamb came back with the Army team last year for the annual Armed Forces Championships.
"This is my first ever senior tournament win. I have numerous silver and bronze medals back home and to be honest I was tired of seeing those colors. I wanted some gold. Winning this means a lot to me,” said Erickson.
All four American champions won their first career Dave Schultz titles.
Two international wrestlers captured gold medals, Amer Hrustanovic of Austria at 85 kg/187.5 lbs. and Kevin Mejia of Honduras at 98 kg/215 lbs., both who scored technical falls in the finals. Hrustanovic beat Courtney Meyers of the U.S. Army WCAP, 8-0, while Hrustanovic defeated G’Angelo Hancock of the New York AC, 8-0.
The team champions were the U.S. Army WCAP with 32 points, followed by the New York AC with 31 points.
The Dave Schultz Memorial International is included in the #Road2IowaCity series of events which serve as qualifiers for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling in Iowa City, Iowa, April 9-10. The highest placing American wrestler in each weight class who wins a medal and has not yet qualified will earn a spot in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Five athletes qualified for the Olympic Trials through the Greco-Roman division at the Dave Schultz, including champion Perkins, silver medalists Cowan and Meyers, and bronze-medalists Patrick Carey of the Minnesota Storm at 98 kg/215 lbs. and Tyrell Fortune of the Titan Mercury WC at 130 kg/286 lbs.
The tournament continues with men’s freestyle on Friday, with the opening session at 9:00 a.m. and the medal match finals at 4:00 p.m.
DAVE SCHULTZ MEMORIAL INTERNATIONAL
At Colorado Springs, Colo., January 28
Greco-Roman results
59 kg/130 lbs.
Gold - Jermaine Hodge (USA/U.S. Army WCAP) pin Sammy Jones (USA/New York AC), 5:36
Bronze –Max Nowry (USA/U.S. Army WCAP) dec. Justin LaValle (USA/Minnesota Storm), 5-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold - RaVaughan Perkins (USA/New York AC) dec. Alejandro Sancho (USA/New York AC), 3-0
Bronze – Hayden Tuma (USA/U.S. Army WCAP) dec. Michael Hooker (USA/U.S. Army WCAP). 7-6
75 kg/165 lbs.
Gold - Corey Hope (USA/New York AC) dec. Dylan Cowan (USA/U.S. Army WCAP), 7-0
Bronze – Alec Ortiz (USA/Minnesota Storm) dec. Kamal Bey (USA/Front Range Twisters WC), 19-12
85 kg/187.5 lbs.
Gold - Amer Hrustanovic (Austria) tech. fall Courtney Meyers (USA/U.S. Army WCAP), 8-0, 2:34
Bronze – Ryan Hope (USA/New York AC/Cliff Keen WC) tech. fall Kevin Radford (USA/Sunkist Kids), 10-0
98 kg/215 lbs.
Gold - Kevin Mejia (Honduras) tech. fall G'Angelo Hancock (USA/New York AC), 8-0, 3:26
Bronze – Patrick Carey (USA/Minnesota Storm) dec. Endyr Meza (USA/U.S. Army WCAP), 9-0
130 kg/286 lbs.
Gold - Toby Erickson (USA/New York AC) dec. Matthew Lamb (USA/U.S. Army WCAP), 5-2
Bronze – Tyrell Fortune (USA/Titan Mercury WC) tech. fall Zach Merrill (USA/Titan Mercury), 8-0
Outstanding Wrestler – RaVaughn Perkins (New York AC), 66 kg
Team Standing
1. Army WCAP, 32
2. New York AC, 31
3. Minnesota Storm, 12
4. Titan Mercury WC, 8
5. (tie) Austria and Honduras, 6
7. (tie) Front Range Twisters and Sunkist Kids, 3
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo – Four U.S. wrestlers won gold medals in Greco-Roman on the first day of the Dave Schultz Memorial International at the U.S. Olympic Training Center on Thursday.
Winning the Outstanding Wrestler award in Greco-Roman was RaVaughn Perkins (USA/New York AC), who defeated Alejandro Sancho (USA/New York AC), 3-0 in the finals at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Perkins hit a two-point gutwrench in the first period and added a point on a passivity in the second period for the margin of victory. The 66 kg/145.5 lbs. class was one of the most competitive in the tournament. Sancho placed second in the 2015 World Team Trials, the highest ranked athlete in the field at the weight class.
"This was first tournament since the World Team Trials in 2014. It feels great to be back out here. I just had to be smart and keep pushing the pace using my legs. I am comfortable in a body lock position but I figured I would stay away from it because that's what he is best at. I just kept good position throughout the match,” said Perkins.
The Dave Schultz Memorial International is named in the honor of the late Dave Schultz, an Olympic and World champion who was known as an ambassador of goodwill through wrestling. This is the 18th year of this prestigious tournament.
Winning the title at 59 kg/130 lbs. was veteran Jermaine Hodge of the U.S. Army WCAP, who pinned Sammy Jones of the New York AC, 5:36.
Hodge led 3-0 at the break with a takedown and a pushout, then added a second-period takedown to go ahead 5-0. A Jones protest of the takedown was denied, making it 6-0. Hodge was leading 6-0 when Jones attempted a throw, which he countered and scored the fall at the 5:36 mark.
"I just focused on basic wrestling. I knew he was tough wrestler so I just wanted to come out and wrestle a basic match. Got my bell run a little bit on a throw but I was able to recovery quickly, get back out there and win the match,” said Hodge.
In a battle of Colorado Springs based athletes at 75 kg/165 lbs., USOTC resident Corey Hope of the New York AC defeated Dylan Cowan of U.S. Army WCAP, 7-0. Hope scored three takedowns on the way to a convincing victory.
"It means a lot. I have been close so many times. The old saying is once a bridesmaid never the bride or once a groomsman and never the groom. This was big for me leading up to trials. I had knock off some rust today and its better to do it now that way I have the right foot moving forward heading into April,” said Hope.
Coming in ranked No. 2 in the nation at 130 kg/286 lbs, USOTC resident athlete Toby Erickson of the New York AC won his first international gold medal on the Senior level, with a 5-2 win over Matthew Lamb of the U.S. Army WCAP.
Both athletes were penalized two points on cautions for jumping the whistle from the bottom position. Erickson scored a takedown and received a passivity point for the margin of victory.
Erickson, who is 24 years old, is 18 years younger than the 42-year-old Lamb, who took 11 years off from the sport after competing in the 2004 Olympic Trials. A former wrestler for the U.S. Navy, Lamb came back with the Army team last year for the annual Armed Forces Championships.
"This is my first ever senior tournament win. I have numerous silver and bronze medals back home and to be honest I was tired of seeing those colors. I wanted some gold. Winning this means a lot to me,” said Erickson.
All four American champions won their first career Dave Schultz titles.
Two international wrestlers captured gold medals, Amer Hrustanovic of Austria at 85 kg/187.5 lbs. and Kevin Mejia of Honduras at 98 kg/215 lbs., both who scored technical falls in the finals. Hrustanovic beat Courtney Meyers of the U.S. Army WCAP, 8-0, while Hrustanovic defeated G’Angelo Hancock of the New York AC, 8-0.
The team champions were the U.S. Army WCAP with 32 points, followed by the New York AC with 31 points.
The Dave Schultz Memorial International is included in the #Road2IowaCity series of events which serve as qualifiers for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling in Iowa City, Iowa, April 9-10. The highest placing American wrestler in each weight class who wins a medal and has not yet qualified will earn a spot in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Five athletes qualified for the Olympic Trials through the Greco-Roman division at the Dave Schultz, including champion Perkins, silver medalists Cowan and Meyers, and bronze-medalists Patrick Carey of the Minnesota Storm at 98 kg/215 lbs. and Tyrell Fortune of the Titan Mercury WC at 130 kg/286 lbs.
The tournament continues with men’s freestyle on Friday, with the opening session at 9:00 a.m. and the medal match finals at 4:00 p.m.
DAVE SCHULTZ MEMORIAL INTERNATIONAL
At Colorado Springs, Colo., January 28
Greco-Roman results
59 kg/130 lbs.
Gold - Jermaine Hodge (USA/U.S. Army WCAP) pin Sammy Jones (USA/New York AC), 5:36
Bronze –Max Nowry (USA/U.S. Army WCAP) dec. Justin LaValle (USA/Minnesota Storm), 5-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold - RaVaughan Perkins (USA/New York AC) dec. Alejandro Sancho (USA/New York AC), 3-0
Bronze – Hayden Tuma (USA/U.S. Army WCAP) dec. Michael Hooker (USA/U.S. Army WCAP). 7-6
75 kg/165 lbs.
Gold - Corey Hope (USA/New York AC) dec. Dylan Cowan (USA/U.S. Army WCAP), 7-0
Bronze – Alec Ortiz (USA/Minnesota Storm) dec. Kamal Bey (USA/Front Range Twisters WC), 19-12
85 kg/187.5 lbs.
Gold - Amer Hrustanovic (Austria) tech. fall Courtney Meyers (USA/U.S. Army WCAP), 8-0, 2:34
Bronze – Ryan Hope (USA/New York AC/Cliff Keen WC) tech. fall Kevin Radford (USA/Sunkist Kids), 10-0
98 kg/215 lbs.
Gold - Kevin Mejia (Honduras) tech. fall G'Angelo Hancock (USA/New York AC), 8-0, 3:26
Bronze – Patrick Carey (USA/Minnesota Storm) dec. Endyr Meza (USA/U.S. Army WCAP), 9-0
130 kg/286 lbs.
Gold - Toby Erickson (USA/New York AC) dec. Matthew Lamb (USA/U.S. Army WCAP), 5-2
Bronze – Tyrell Fortune (USA/Titan Mercury WC) tech. fall Zach Merrill (USA/Titan Mercury), 8-0
Outstanding Wrestler – RaVaughn Perkins (New York AC), 66 kg
Team Standing
1. Army WCAP, 32
2. New York AC, 31
3. Minnesota Storm, 12
4. Titan Mercury WC, 8
5. (tie) Austria and Honduras, 6
7. (tie) Front Range Twisters and Sunkist Kids, 3
Read More#
Sancho wins gold, Foy gets bronze, and USA wins Pan American Greco-Roman title with nine medals
Quarterfinals set in U17 Freestyle Nationals; U17 World champions Sanchez, Kenny among stars to advance
Media Reports: Freestyle National Team member and NCAA runner-up Sammy Sasso reportedly sh...
Drury, Matthews and Voelker pulled into repechage in Greco-Roman at U20 World Championships
