10 wrestlers repeat as Masters Greco-Roman champions to kick off day one of U.S. Open Championships

Jason Goldman at the 2017 Masters Greco-Roman National Championships. Photo by Robbert Wijtman.

LAS VEGAS – There were 10 repeat champions at the 2017 Masters Greco-Roman Nationals on Wednesday afternoon at the South Point Hotel in Las Vegas. There were more than 100 entrants at the event.

The repeat champions this year were:

• Andrew Nicola of Concordia Wrestling Club – Div. A 69 kg
• Sean Nonamaker (unattached) – Div. A 97 kg
• Jason Goldman of Team JGold – Div. B 50-58 kg
• Aleksandr Serebrinnikov of Chicago Wrestling Club – Div. B 63 kg
• Brett Clark of TEAM FLUFFY – Div. B 97-130 kg
• Ric Fehr of Relentless WC – Div. C 50-58 kg
• Antonio Calandra of The Wrestling Family – Italia – Div. C 69 kg
• Kevin Pine of Las Vegas WC – Div. C 85 kg
• Gelu Bors of Las Vegas WC – Div. C 97 kg
• Hedj Nelson of INWTC – Div. D 63 kg
• James Kasser of Crush WC – Div. D 69 kg

Goldman won his third-consecutive Greco national championship, putting up 21 points over his competitors on the day in the B division at 58 kg.

A 2013 freestyle Veterans World champion and multiple-time World medalist, Goldman defeated Alan Kan in his first bout with a 9-0 technical fall before commanding Brandon Donofrio in his second bout, 12-4.

“The weight cut was tough, but I was able to get my weight down and under control,” Goldman said. “I had a couple of matches. There were new guys in the group. Great competition. I won both my bouts…and I’m looking forward to freestyle.”

Goldman will also compete in tomorrow’s Masters freestyle tournament.

Four-time World medalist Kevin Pine won his division for the fourth-straight year in an eight-man bracket at 85 kg in Division C.

Pine bookended his tournament with falls, pinning Khashayar Mahdavi in the first round in 37 seconds and Alvin Riggs in the finals in 3:49.

Three other 2016 World medalists won their brackets, including Steve Contarino (Div. E 97 kg), James Kasser (Div. D 69 kg) and Hedj Nelson (Div. D 63 kg).

Contarino, who has competed in 26 World Championships, won his eighth Greco national title at 62 years of age.

He competed in a two-man round-robin against Florida’s Jeff Davis. To start his tournament, Contarino defeated Davis in a dominant 11-0 win. In their second round of action, Davis injury defaulted halfway through the second period, giving Contarino a 4-0 win.

“I was really happy with my performance. Jeff is really strong,” Contarino said. “He hasn’t wrestled at this level for a while. When guys come back after not wrestling for a while, it really takes a lot to get back into the swing of things. That’s why I was able to win. It’s really great. Everyone who comes to these tournaments is great, and I feel really fortunate that I’m able to do it.”

Kasser, a 2015 Masters World champion, controlled his two opponents en route to the Div. D 69 kg championship.

He took out Christopher Roos of Santa Monica Bay Wrestling in the first round with an 8-0 tech fall before defeating Dennis McInerney in his second match, 7-2.

Three-time Veterans World medalist, Nelson went uncontested in his quest to a stop sign at 63 kg in Div. D. It was his fourth Greco title in as many attempts.

Dethroning eight-time World medalist in the Div. D 76 kg finals, Bill Newton defeated Bruce Moe in a tightly contested 2-1 battle.

Newton also recorded another 2-1 win in the semifinals against Steve Morris after a 16-6 opener over K.C. McCleary.

Also knocking off a 2016 Veteran Greco World medalist was returning champion Brett Clark, who teched Gabe Beeaupaerthuy in round three of the four-man round-robin at Div. B 97 kg to win the title.

The Masters Freestyle National Championships are set for Thursday afternoon at the South Point Hotel in Las Vegas.

2017 MASTERS GRECO-NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

April 26 at South Point Hotel in Las Vegas

Division A

63 kg
1st – Marcus Cobbs (Truett WC)

69 kg
1st – Andrew Nicola (Concordia Wrestling Club)
2nd – Bakytbek Tashtanbekov (Chicago wrestling club)
3rd – Jacob Eck (Sons Of Thunder Academy)
4th – Christopher Hunt (8west)

76 kg
1st – Alex Rinas (GHW)
2nd – Dat Kin Vong (Barksdale AFB)

85 kg
1st – Nathaniel Augustson (505 Wrestling Club)
2nd – Borys Savkiv (Chicago wrestling club)
3rd – Victor Bryson (Unattached)

97 kg
1st - Sean Nonamaker (Unattached)

97-130 kg
1st – Ike Okoli (Chicago wrestling club)

Division B

50-58 kg
1st – Jason Goldman (Team JGold)
2nd – Alan Kan (Buckhead Wrestling Club)
3rd – Brandon Donofrio (Las Vegas WC)

63 kg
1st – Aleksandr Serebrinnikov (Chicago wrestling club)
2nd – David Yi (Mad Dawg Wrestling Club)

69 kg
1st – Roman Vodoviz (Chicago wrestling club)
2nd – Nick Rodriguez (Sons Of Thunder Academy)
3rd – Alex Zakusylo (Funky Chicken Wrestling Club)

76 kg
1st – Norman Manning (Unattached)
2nd – Rudy James (Apple Valley Wrestling Club)
3rd – Ashkan Morvari (Team Smash)
4th – Caleb Schlack (Team Smash)

85 kg
1st – Leif Williams (Fin Spin Elite)
2nd – Brian Cobb (Team Fluffy)
3rd – Joseph Uccellini (Curby Three-Style Wrestling)
4th – Jeff Paulson (Team Smash)

97 kg
1st – James Mediros (SK Goldenboys)
2nd – Octavius Bellamy (Chicago wrestling club)
3rd – Karl Junitz (Dawg House Wrestling)
4th – Alphonso Espinoza (Buckhead Wrestling Club)

97-130 kg
1st – Brett Clark (Team Fluffy)
2nd – Gabe Beauperthuy (United Training Center)
3rd – Jarad Carson (Bomb Squad Wrestling)
4th – Raymone Gude (Unattached)

Division C

50-58 kg
1st – Ric Fehr (Relentless Wrestling Club)
2nd – Carson Gainey (Ohio Core)
3rd – David Olson (Western Wyoming)

63 kg
1st – Joe Raia (Chicago Wrestling Club)

69 kg
1st – Antonino Calandra (The Wrestling Family - Italia)
2nd – Evgeny Didenko (Chicago wrestling club)
3rd – David Sarmiento (Unattached)

76 kg
1st – Igor Llin (Chicago Wrestling Club)
2nd – Mark Mansfield (East Idaho Elite WC)
3rd – Tony Iva (Bronco WC)
4th – Jeff Williams (Warrior WC)

85 kg
1st – Kevin Pine (Las Vegs WC)
2nd – Alvin Riggs (Fin Spin Elite)
3rd – Khashayar Mahdavi (Beat the Streets)
4th – Darryl Johnson (Excalibur WC)

97 kg
1st – Gelu Bors (Las Vegas Wc)
2nd – Domenico Lemme (Eastside Wrestling Club)
3rd – Ronald Ayers (Las Vegas Wc)
4th – Gabriel Garcia (Las Vegas Wc)

97-130 kg
1st – George Porter (Chicago Wrestling Club)
2nd – Greggreg Conn (Finger Lakes Wrestling Club)
3rd – Aaron Hayes (Iewa Veterans)
4th – Glen Amador (Bronco WC)

Division D

63 kg
1st – Hedj Nelson (INWTC)

69 kg
1st – James Kasser (Crush Wrestling Club)
2nd – Christopher Roos (Santa Monica Bay Wrestling)
3rd – Dennis McInerney (Mac Attack)

76 kg
1st -  Bill Newton (Team Fluffy)
2nd – Bruce Moe (Hillsboro)
3rd – Steve Morris (Rick Sanders WC)
4th – KC McCleary (Modern Day Gladiators WC)

85 kg
1st – Montymonty Graham (Rick Sanders Wrestling)
2nd – Jeff Pratt (Ima)
3rd – Louis Orr (Warehouse Warriors)
4th – Constantin Tintea (none)

97 kg
1st – Larry Robertson (Rick Sanders Wrestling)
2nd – Edward Freysinger (Rick Sanders Wrestling)
3rd – Gregory Pettit (Team Nike)

130 kg
1st – Brian Jones (Santa Monica Bay Wrestling)

Division E

63 kg
1st – Steve Barkman (Hunterdon Hills Wrestling Club)

69 kg
1st – Kenneth Bonte (none)
2nd – Craig Miner (Tactik)

76 kg
1st – Lyubomir Lambov (Chicago wrestling club)
2nd – Tim Holmstron (Tactik 3-Style Wrestling)

85 kg
1st – Valery Sorokov (Chicago wrestling club)
2nd – Peter Haag (Chicago wrestling club)
3rd – Dean Barnard (US Wrestling Club)

97 kg
1st – Steve Contarino (Palmetto)
2nd – Jeff Davis (Florida Jets)

130 kg
1st – Jack Schwartz (Usc)