Bey and Hancock win U.S. Open finals rematches to capture Dave Schultz Memorial Greco-Roman golds
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
G'Angelo Hancock of the Sunkist Kids locks up Hayden Zillmer of the Minnesota Storm in the 98 kg finals of the Dave Schultz Memorial International. Photo by John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – There were two Greco-Roman gold-medal finals at the 19th annual Dave Schultz Memorial International that were rematches of the U.S. Open finals in Las Vegas in December. The winners were the same, but the matches were much different than their last battles.
At 75 kg/165 lbs., national champion Kamal Bey of the Sunkist Kids edged national runner-up Jesse Porter of the New York AC, 5-3. It was a much closer than the national finals, which Bey won by a quick 9-0 technical fall.
After a 1-1 first period, Porter took a 3-1 lead with an arm throw takedown early in the second period. With less than a minute left in the bout, Bey nailed a four-point throw to secure the victory. Although he got the win again, Bey was not pleased with his overall performance.
“It pisses me off that I didn't wrestle as good as I knew I could wrestle. I wasn't firing. I was waiting and I was hesitant. That's not how I get down at all so it was a little upsetting winning like that. It was a slip, and everyone saw that I slipped off the headlock and they let the action continue, but they eventually took away his points. At the end, I hit him with a last-second throw to come back and take it. That's not the way I ever want to win. If I'm going to wrestle, I'm going to dominate. That's my only purpose in this sport is to dominate and win medals,” said Bey.
At 98 kg/215 lbs., national champion G’Angelo Hancock of the New York AC edged national runner-up Hayden Zillmer of the Minnesota Storm, 6-5. It was a very active match with a number of big throws, which was not the same as their U.S. Open final.
Zillmer took a 5-1 lead with a four-point throw on the edge, where both athletes were aggressively going for points. In the second period, Hancock scored on a two-point takedown to close it to 5-3. Zillmer challenged the call, which was denied, giving Hancock another point for a 5-4 score. In the final minute, Hancock pushed hard into Zillmer, who was backing up, and officials penalized Zillmer two points for fleeing the hold. The final minute had some very active pummeling for both wrestlers, but no more scores were made, and Hancock won 6-5.
“When I looked at the scoreboard, I was instantly turned off. I saw I was down and I thought 'impossible.' Something in my mind switched and I was like 'Go! Go! Go!' and I went into survival mode. I had to get up on the scoreboard,” he said.
This was the third meeting between Hancock and Zillmer this season, with Hancock winning in the finals at the Bill Farrell International in November and the U.S. Open in December. Both of those matches ended 2-0 for Hancock.
“Like I said, the hardest thing to do is beat a guy three times. They start figuring you out and they start working you. It's not just you working them anymore,” Hancock added.
Bey and Hancock won their first Dave Schultz Memorial titles. At 19 years old, both have had fantastic seasons. The U.S. Olympic Training Center athletes won the U.S. Open and the Bill Farrell International this season, and had strong performances at the Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup in Hungary.
There were six U.S. champions out of the eight weight class, with four of the finals featuring two U.S. athletes competing against each other.
Winning the Outstanding Wrestler was Geordan Speiller of the Florida Jets, who won a 3-3 criteria decision over 2016 Olympian Mahmoud Sebie of Egypt, 3-3. Sebie jumped to a 3-0 lead with a takedown and a passivity point, but Speiller powered back to make it 3-1. With just 45 seconds left, Speiller scored a clutch takedown to tie the match, and win the criteria for scoring the last point.
Two U.S. champions won their second career Dave Schultz Memorial titles, RaVaughn Perkins of the New York at 71 kg/156 lbs. and Ben Provisor of the New York AC at 85 kg/187.25 lbs.
Perkins won his second straight Dave Schultz gold medal, beating Shogo Takahashi of Japan, 7-4. Perkins led early on a takedown and a passivity call, but in the second period, Takahashi closed the lead to 5-3. Perkins countered an arm spin attempt by Takahashi and scored a takedown with 25 seconds left for the deciding score.
Two-time Olympian Provisor was in control throughout the 85 kg/189 lbs. finals, on the way to a 4-1 decision over Kevin Radford of the Sunkist Kids. Provisor last won the Dave Schultz Memorial in 2015 at 80 kg/176 lbs.
In an All-USA finals at 130 kg/286 lbs., Greco-Roman newcomer Malcolm Allen of the Minnesota Storm won his first international tournament, scoring two takedowns in the finals to beat Pete Gounaridis of Army WCAP, 4-1. Allen, who wrestled for Minnesota State at Mankato, was third at the U.S. Open and is making a name for himself on the Senior Greco-Roman scene.
Japan won the other two gold medals in the light weights, with Masuto Kawano at 59 kg/130 lbs. and Tsuchika Shimoyamada at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Both beat U.S. opponents, with Kawana pinning Sam Jones of the New York AC in 3:39 and Shimoyamada edged Alejandro Sancho of NYAC, 6-5.
The team title went to the New York Athletic Club with 79 points, followed by Team Japan with 44 points.
The Dave Schultz Memorial continues on Thursday with the men’s freestyle competition, with session times of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. All of the action will be broadcast live on Flowrestling.
DAVE SCHULTZ MEMORIAL INTERNATIONAL
At Colorado Springs, Colo., Feb. 1
Greco-Roman results
59 kg/130 lbs.
1st – Masuto Kawana (Japan) pin Sam Jones (USA/NYAC), 3:39
3rd – Mustafa Mohamed (Egypt) dec. Mike Fuenffinger (USA/Army WCAP), 5-2
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
1st - Tsuchika Shimoyamada (Japan) dec. Alejandro Sancho (USA/NYAC), 6-5
3rd – Rodolpho Guillen (USA/unattached) tech. fall Jessy Williams (USA/NYAC), 12-4, 2:05
71 kg/156 lbs.
1st – Ravaughn Perkins (USA/NYAC) dec. Shogo Takahashi (Japan), 7-4
3rd – Anthonie Linares (USA/NYAC) dec. Jefrim Mejia Sambula (Honduras), 4-1
75 kg/165 lbs.
1st - Kamal Bey (USA/Sunkist Kids) dec. Jesse Porter (USA/NYAC), 5-3
3rd –Dillon Cowan (USA/Army WCAP) tech. fall Curt Calovecchi (USA/NMU-OTC), 8-0, 2:50
80 kg/176 lbs.
1st – Geordan Speiller (USA/Florida Jets) dec. Mahmoud Sebie (Egypt), 3-3
3rd – Shohei Yabiku (Japan) inj. dft. Aliaksandr Kikinou (Belarus)
85 kg/187.25 lbs.
1st – Ben Provisor (USA/NYAC) dec. Kevin Radford (USA/Sunkist Kids), 4-1
3rd – Khymba Johnson (USA/NYAC) tech. fall Easton Hargrave (USA/Choker WC), 10-2, 2:10
98 kg/215 lbs.
1st - G’Angelo Hancock (USA/Sunkist Kids) dec. Hayden Zillmer (USA/Minnesota), 6-5
3rd – Kevin Mejia (Honduras) tech. fall Trent Osnes (USA/Marines), 8-0, 0:50
130 kg/286 lbs.
1st- Malcolm Allen (USA/Minnesota Storm) dec. Pete Gounaridis (USA/Army WCAP), 4-1
3rd – Arata Sonoda (Japan) tech. fall Luciano Del Rio (Argentina), 9-0, 4:21
Outstanding Wrestler - Geordan Speiller (USA/Florida Jets)
Team Standings – 1. New York AC, 79 pts., 2. Japan, 44 pts.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – There were two Greco-Roman gold-medal finals at the 19th annual Dave Schultz Memorial International that were rematches of the U.S. Open finals in Las Vegas in December. The winners were the same, but the matches were much different than their last battles.
At 75 kg/165 lbs., national champion Kamal Bey of the Sunkist Kids edged national runner-up Jesse Porter of the New York AC, 5-3. It was a much closer than the national finals, which Bey won by a quick 9-0 technical fall.
After a 1-1 first period, Porter took a 3-1 lead with an arm throw takedown early in the second period. With less than a minute left in the bout, Bey nailed a four-point throw to secure the victory. Although he got the win again, Bey was not pleased with his overall performance.
“It pisses me off that I didn't wrestle as good as I knew I could wrestle. I wasn't firing. I was waiting and I was hesitant. That's not how I get down at all so it was a little upsetting winning like that. It was a slip, and everyone saw that I slipped off the headlock and they let the action continue, but they eventually took away his points. At the end, I hit him with a last-second throw to come back and take it. That's not the way I ever want to win. If I'm going to wrestle, I'm going to dominate. That's my only purpose in this sport is to dominate and win medals,” said Bey.
At 98 kg/215 lbs., national champion G’Angelo Hancock of the New York AC edged national runner-up Hayden Zillmer of the Minnesota Storm, 6-5. It was a very active match with a number of big throws, which was not the same as their U.S. Open final.
Zillmer took a 5-1 lead with a four-point throw on the edge, where both athletes were aggressively going for points. In the second period, Hancock scored on a two-point takedown to close it to 5-3. Zillmer challenged the call, which was denied, giving Hancock another point for a 5-4 score. In the final minute, Hancock pushed hard into Zillmer, who was backing up, and officials penalized Zillmer two points for fleeing the hold. The final minute had some very active pummeling for both wrestlers, but no more scores were made, and Hancock won 6-5.
“When I looked at the scoreboard, I was instantly turned off. I saw I was down and I thought 'impossible.' Something in my mind switched and I was like 'Go! Go! Go!' and I went into survival mode. I had to get up on the scoreboard,” he said.
This was the third meeting between Hancock and Zillmer this season, with Hancock winning in the finals at the Bill Farrell International in November and the U.S. Open in December. Both of those matches ended 2-0 for Hancock.
“Like I said, the hardest thing to do is beat a guy three times. They start figuring you out and they start working you. It's not just you working them anymore,” Hancock added.
Bey and Hancock won their first Dave Schultz Memorial titles. At 19 years old, both have had fantastic seasons. The U.S. Olympic Training Center athletes won the U.S. Open and the Bill Farrell International this season, and had strong performances at the Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup in Hungary.
There were six U.S. champions out of the eight weight class, with four of the finals featuring two U.S. athletes competing against each other.
Winning the Outstanding Wrestler was Geordan Speiller of the Florida Jets, who won a 3-3 criteria decision over 2016 Olympian Mahmoud Sebie of Egypt, 3-3. Sebie jumped to a 3-0 lead with a takedown and a passivity point, but Speiller powered back to make it 3-1. With just 45 seconds left, Speiller scored a clutch takedown to tie the match, and win the criteria for scoring the last point.
Two U.S. champions won their second career Dave Schultz Memorial titles, RaVaughn Perkins of the New York at 71 kg/156 lbs. and Ben Provisor of the New York AC at 85 kg/187.25 lbs.
Perkins won his second straight Dave Schultz gold medal, beating Shogo Takahashi of Japan, 7-4. Perkins led early on a takedown and a passivity call, but in the second period, Takahashi closed the lead to 5-3. Perkins countered an arm spin attempt by Takahashi and scored a takedown with 25 seconds left for the deciding score.
Two-time Olympian Provisor was in control throughout the 85 kg/189 lbs. finals, on the way to a 4-1 decision over Kevin Radford of the Sunkist Kids. Provisor last won the Dave Schultz Memorial in 2015 at 80 kg/176 lbs.
In an All-USA finals at 130 kg/286 lbs., Greco-Roman newcomer Malcolm Allen of the Minnesota Storm won his first international tournament, scoring two takedowns in the finals to beat Pete Gounaridis of Army WCAP, 4-1. Allen, who wrestled for Minnesota State at Mankato, was third at the U.S. Open and is making a name for himself on the Senior Greco-Roman scene.
Japan won the other two gold medals in the light weights, with Masuto Kawano at 59 kg/130 lbs. and Tsuchika Shimoyamada at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Both beat U.S. opponents, with Kawana pinning Sam Jones of the New York AC in 3:39 and Shimoyamada edged Alejandro Sancho of NYAC, 6-5.
The team title went to the New York Athletic Club with 79 points, followed by Team Japan with 44 points.
The Dave Schultz Memorial continues on Thursday with the men’s freestyle competition, with session times of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. All of the action will be broadcast live on Flowrestling.
DAVE SCHULTZ MEMORIAL INTERNATIONAL
At Colorado Springs, Colo., Feb. 1
Greco-Roman results
59 kg/130 lbs.
1st – Masuto Kawana (Japan) pin Sam Jones (USA/NYAC), 3:39
3rd – Mustafa Mohamed (Egypt) dec. Mike Fuenffinger (USA/Army WCAP), 5-2
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
1st - Tsuchika Shimoyamada (Japan) dec. Alejandro Sancho (USA/NYAC), 6-5
3rd – Rodolpho Guillen (USA/unattached) tech. fall Jessy Williams (USA/NYAC), 12-4, 2:05
71 kg/156 lbs.
1st – Ravaughn Perkins (USA/NYAC) dec. Shogo Takahashi (Japan), 7-4
3rd – Anthonie Linares (USA/NYAC) dec. Jefrim Mejia Sambula (Honduras), 4-1
75 kg/165 lbs.
1st - Kamal Bey (USA/Sunkist Kids) dec. Jesse Porter (USA/NYAC), 5-3
3rd –Dillon Cowan (USA/Army WCAP) tech. fall Curt Calovecchi (USA/NMU-OTC), 8-0, 2:50
80 kg/176 lbs.
1st – Geordan Speiller (USA/Florida Jets) dec. Mahmoud Sebie (Egypt), 3-3
3rd – Shohei Yabiku (Japan) inj. dft. Aliaksandr Kikinou (Belarus)
85 kg/187.25 lbs.
1st – Ben Provisor (USA/NYAC) dec. Kevin Radford (USA/Sunkist Kids), 4-1
3rd – Khymba Johnson (USA/NYAC) tech. fall Easton Hargrave (USA/Choker WC), 10-2, 2:10
98 kg/215 lbs.
1st - G’Angelo Hancock (USA/Sunkist Kids) dec. Hayden Zillmer (USA/Minnesota), 6-5
3rd – Kevin Mejia (Honduras) tech. fall Trent Osnes (USA/Marines), 8-0, 0:50
130 kg/286 lbs.
1st- Malcolm Allen (USA/Minnesota Storm) dec. Pete Gounaridis (USA/Army WCAP), 4-1
3rd – Arata Sonoda (Japan) tech. fall Luciano Del Rio (Argentina), 9-0, 4:21
Outstanding Wrestler - Geordan Speiller (USA/Florida Jets)
Team Standings – 1. New York AC, 79 pts., 2. Japan, 44 pts.
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