Wimmer upsets World medalist Okoli at 2016 U.S. Beach Nationals at Carolina Beach, N.C.

90+ kg Beach Nationals champion Jacob Kasper (Right) attacks the legs of runner-up Charles Daniels (Left) at Carolina Beach, N.C. Photo: Robbert Wijtman, CSC Sports Photography.

CAROLINA BEACH, N.C. – For the fourth consecutive year Carolina Beach played host to the USA Wrestling Beach Nationals which featured a full day of exciting competition for all ages on the Atlantic Ocean border on Saturday.

In the last bout of the day Nicholas Wimmer of Combat WC stunned those in attendance by defeating 2014 World bronze medalist and 2015 Pan American champion Ike Okoli, 3-2, at 90++ kg in the Senior Men’s division.

The win by Wimmer forced a three way tie atop the 90++ kg round robin bracket between himself, Okoli and 2016 U.S. Veteran’s Nationals Greco-Roman champion Gabe Beauperthuy. Wimmer was awarded first place overall courtesy of scoring the most technical points in matches wrestled of the three. Last year, Wimmer won the Junior heavyweight division at Carolina Beach.

Jacob Kasper, a 2015 NCAA qualifier for Duke, took the 90+ kg weight class in the Senior Men’s division by winning four matches on the day. Kasper finished in seventh place at the U.S. Senior Nationals last December in Greco-Roman and represented the U.S. at the 2016 Senior Pan American Championships. He has two years of NCAA eligibility remaining.

“It’s just a fun time and opportunity to compete,” Kasper said after winning his first U.S. Beach Nationals championship. “I do a little coaching on the side, and I’m always telling the guys you have to jump at every opportunity to compete. It’s a chance to get better.”

Local star Lee Reitzel of Carolina Beach was impressive in winning 70 kg, the largest bracket in the Senior Men’s division. He defeated Nicholas Pipes in the championship bout. Reitzel also won the Veteran’s D/E division giving him two gold medals on the day.

Rounding out the Senior Men’s champions were Tucker Guy of the Port City Pirates at 80 kg and Bradley Metz of Ohio at 90 kg.

In the Senior Women’s division Anna Matteson of North Carolina went unopposed to take the 70 kg gold.

The Senior division champions in Carolina Beach have the first opportunity to compete on the U.S. Beach World Team at the 2017 Beach World Championships.

Nine athletes repeated as Beach Nationals champions in the youth divisions: Elijah Harris (Novice 92), Conner Zimmerman (Novice 139), Dominic Kremer (Schoolboy 146), Nicholas Daggett (Junior 112), Hunter Smith (Junior 129), Dan Mills (Junior 141), Cole Collins (Junior 168), Luke Blue (Junior 210) and Kaleb Giles (Junior 236).

For the second straight year, USA Wrestling will host the U.S. Grappling World Team Trials the same weekend as the U.S. Beach Nationals. The U.S. Grappling World Team Trials will be held at Eugene Ashley High School in Wilmington, N.C. tomorrow.

2016 BEACH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
May 21 at Carolina Beach, N.C.

Senior Men
70 KG/154.3 lbs.
1st Place - Lee Reitzel of Carolina Beach
2nd Place - Nicholas Pipes of Pope / Fort Bragg
3rd Place - Travis Allen of Belmont Abbey
4th Place - Aaron Phier of Belmont Abbey

80 KG/186.4 lbs.
1st Place - Tucker Guy of Port City Pirates
2nd Place - Justin Perry of Combat Wrestling Club
3rd Place - Obie Simpson of Harvey Twisters WC
4th Place - Zachery Nelson of Red Wolf Wrestling

90 KG/198.5 lbs.
1st Place - Bradley Metz of Unattached
2nd Place - Nate Bipes of Goon Squad

90+ KG
1st Place - Jacob Kasper of Unattached
2nd Place - Charles Daniels of Pine Forrest
3rd Place - Matthew Mosall of Unattached
4th Place - Andrew Hahemaster of SJWC
5th Place - Justin Still of Red Wolf Wrestling

90++ KG
1st Place - Nicholas Wimmer of Combat Wrestling Club
2nd Place - Ike Okoli of NB Elite Wrestling
3rd Place - Gabe Beauperthuy of GE
4th Place - Dylan Bowman of Goon Squad

Senior Women
70 KG/154.3 lbs.
1st Place - Anna Matteson of Unattached

Pre-Bantam
32-36 lbs.
1st Place - Nolan Mann of Pinning Pythons
2nd Place - Brayden Mann of Pinning Pythons

42-48 lbs.
1st Place - Austin Greene of Jr. Spartans Wrestling Club
2nd Place - Alissa Austin of OBX Elite
3rd Place - Sloann Bipes of Goon Squad

Bantam
47-57 lbs.
1st Place - Christian Riddick of OBX Elite
2nd Place - Skyla Simpson of OBX Elite
3rd Place - Austin Grosdidier of Hernandez Wrestling Academy

63-67 lbs.
1st Place - Christian Noblett of Compound Wrestling
2nd Place - Noah Sandlin of Hernandez Wrestling Academy

Intermediate
63-68 lbs.
1st Place - Jayden Morris of Independent
2nd Place - Adam Martinez of Hernandez Wrestling Academy

84-97 lbs.
1st Place - Azrael Simpson of OBX Elite
2nd Place - Michael Morlet of Onslow County Wrestling Club

105-112 lbs.
1st Place - Chase Baker of Chain Wrestling
2nd Place - Ryder Strickland of Combat Wrestling Club

Novice
66-73 lbs.
1st Place - Samuel Hodge of Great Bridge Wrestling Club
2nd Place - Blake Austin of OBX Elite
3rd Place - Benjamin Wimberly of Hernandez Wrestling Academy
4th Place - Brian Bernstein of Wolfpack Wrestling
5th Place - Eden Wimberly of Hernandez Wrestling Academy

87-92 lbs.
1st Place - Elijah Harris of Sun Valley Wrestling Club
2nd Place - Reagan Riddick of OBX Elite

137-139 lbs.
1st Place - Conner Zimmerman of Ashley HS
2nd Place - Erin Kremer of Chain Wrestling

Schoolboy
97-101 lbs.
1st Place - Grant Haney of Sun Valley Wrestling Club
2nd Place - Will Saby of Wolfpack Wrestling
3rd Place - Triston Spencer of Wolfpack Wrestling

113-124 lbs.
1st Place - Jackson Gannon of Independent
2nd Place - Cale Collins of Purnell Swett High School Wres
3rd Place - Aidan Tauszky of Wolfpack Wrestling

133-146 lbs.
1st Place - Dominic Kremer of Chain Wrestling
2nd Place - Holden Cypher of Wake Forest
3rd Place - Hunter Noblett of Bethlehem

Cadet
96-98 lbs.
1st Place - Michael Cabrera of Sun Valley Wrestling Club
2nd Place - Josh Martinez of Hernandez Wrestling Academy

107-109 lbs.
1st Place - Matthew Barrett of Strong & Courageous
2nd Place - Justin Kelly of RobCo
3rd Place - Bryen Daughtry of Real Heroes

112-116 lbs.
1st Place - Montgomery Smith of Old School Wrestling
2nd Place - Coltin Marlowe of WCW
3rd Place - Michael Shook of Copperheads

115-121 lbs.
1st Place - Hunter Holcomb of Copperheads
2nd Place - Paul Howard of Strong & Courageous
3rd Place - James Benjamin of RobCo
4th Place - Jacey King of Hendersonville

126-132 lbs.
1st Place - Spencer Jackson of Strong & Courageous
2nd Place - Hart Locklear of RobCo
3rd Place - Kody Giles of Ashley HS
4th Place - Gabriel Valverde of North Brunswick High School

139-147 lbs.
1st Place - Patrick McCormick of Copperheads
2nd Place - Armando Marquez of RobCo
3rd Place - Brody Oxendine of RobCo
4th Place - Jackson Webb of Purnell Swett High School Wres

148-151 lbs.
1st Place - Jonathon Locklear of RobCo
2nd Place - Bradley Hamilton of North Brunswick High School
3rd Place - Cody Hawk of Red Wolf Wrestling
4th Place - Cole Rathke of Wolfpack Wrestling

164-166 lbs.
1st Place - Caleb Kimpler of Copperheads
2nd Place - Ethan Ballard of Strong & Courageous
3rd Place - Cody Deterding of North Paulding Junior Wolfpack

167-171 lbs.
1st Place - Ryan Richardson of WCW
2nd Place - Austin Smith of Combat Wrestling Club

208-220 lbs.
1st Place - Kevin Caggiano of North Brunswick High School
2nd Place - Oscar Cabrera of Sun Valley Wrestling Club
3rd Place - Ricky Longnecker of Ashley HS

Junior
106-112 lbs.
1st Place - Nicholas Daggett of Combat Wrestling Club
2nd Place - Sincere Johnson of RobCo
3rd Place - Josh Shore of Combat Wrestling Club
4th Place - Mason Bennett of Copperheads
5th Place - Alyssa White of Hoggard High School Wrestling

121-129 lbs.
1st Place - Hunter Smith of Combat Wrestling Club
2nd Place - Jaston Simmons of RobCo
3rd Place - Randy Treevors of Mat Sharks
4th Place - Brandon Jones of Wolfpack Wrestling
5th Place - Shawn Conner of Hoggard High School Wrestling

129-135 lbs.
1st Place - Christopher Kelly of RobCo
2nd Place - Justin Zacharko of Wolfpack Wrestling
3rd Place - Adam Hoover of Copperheads
4th Place - Garrett Teague of Red Wolf Wrestling

132-141 lbs.
1st Place - Dan Mills of Wolfpack Wrestling
2nd Place - Rommie Mcneil of RobCo
3rd Place - Dakota Hughes of Red Wolf Wrestling
4th Place - Sawyer Blake of Union Pines High School

143-155 lbs.
1st Place - Johnathon Holcomb of Union Pines High School
2nd Place - Jay Johnson of Backyard Wrestling
3rd Place - Sadri Badakash of Hoggard High School Wrestling
4th Place - Zach Hedgepeth of Wolfpack Wrestling

156-162 lbs.
1st Place - Hunter Strickland of Combat Wrestling Club
2nd Place - Garrett Pugh of Union Pines High School
3rd Place - Terrell Soler of RobCo
4th Place - Payton Fox of Unattached

157-168 lbs.
1st Place - Cole Collins of Wolfpack Wrestling
2nd Place - Alexander Faison of Union Pines High School Wrestl
3rd Place - Zach Judon of Ashley HS
4th Place - Daryen Priest of RobCo

170-181 lbs.
1st Place - Troy Cain of RoCo
2nd Place - Dustin Mcmillian of RobCo
3rd Place - Cade Collins of Wolfpack Wrestling

193-210 lbs.
1st Place - Luke Blue of RobCo
2nd Place - Chris Judson of Wolfpack Wrestling
3rd Place - Derek Rose of St. Sebastian`s School of Wres
4th Place - Elsyn Gonzalez - Bautista of Hoggard High School Wrestling

224-236 lbs.
1st Place - Kaleb Giles of Ashley HS
2nd Place - Dalton Vest of Red Wolf Wrestling
3rd Place - Elijah Locklear of RobCo

Veterans
A/C Heavy
1st Place - Edwin Hojilla of Unattached
2nd Place - Brad Perry of Piney Flats
3rd Place - Tomas Gonzales of Pope / Fort Bragg Wrestling Te

D/E
1st Place – Lee Reitzel of Carolina Beach
2nd Place – Brian Strizki of Flemington

A Light
1st Place - Patrick Strizki of Team Strizki
2nd Place - Larry Coughlin of North Andover
3rd Place - Mark Huls of Champaign