Johnson, Sullivan repeat as Western Junior Regional Greco-Roman champions

Las Vegas, Nev. – The conclusion of the Western Junior Greco-Roman Regional of the U.S. Open Championships wrapped up at the South Point Hotel with the crowning of 14 regional champions.
The Western Junior Regionals is an automatic qualifier for the Cadet/Junior National Championships in Fargo, N.D. on July 12-20.
Among those winners is returning champion Bret Johnson of Arizona at 285-pounds who had a stunning tournament with pins in all three of his matches. Johnson’s stopped Henry Saafi of Alaska in only 24 seconds for the regional title.
Returning Greco-Roman Western Regional champion Billy Sullivan of Nevada won another regional title but this time at 113-pounds. Last year Sullivan won the 2017 Greco-Roman Western Regional at 106-pounds. Sullivan had three back-to-back technical falls against his opponents.
“There was a lot of good competition on my side of the bracket. It felt good to win. Now I start getting ready for Fargo,” Sullivan said.
Tyler Eischens of Minnesota scored technical falls all the way to a regional title, qualifying him once again for Fargo. Eischens is also entered in the UWW Junior Nationals in Greco-Roman and is in the semi-final rounds scheduled to compete later today.
“I just went out there and wrestled my match, I didn’t worry much about anything else. He was good at throwing and I just knew I had to go out there and wrestle better. Now I am just trying to finish strong, I have two matches left at the UWW Juniors bracket,” Eischens said.
At 152-pounds Nathan Moore of Washington decisioned Justus Scott of Nevada, 14-6 in an exciting final.
“Winning this and qualifying for Fargo Is great, and more seeding points for Team Washington. [Justus] is a pretty tough guy, he was very strong,” Moore said.
Scoring technical falls in the finals were Jacob Tangen of Colorado (138), Danny Coles of Canada (145), Jack Ervien of Washington (170), Guillermo Ecobedo of California (182) and Connor Bourne of Nevada (195). David Woods of Alaska (220) pinned in the finals.
The Western Junior freestyle championships begins Friday, April, 27 at 9:00 a.m. (PT)
WESTERN JUNIOR GRECO-ROMAN REGIONAL

At Las Vegas, Nev., April 25-26
JUNIOR 106 kg –
1st Place - Charlie Boyle of Arizona
2nd Place - Christian Her of California
Round 1
Charlie Boyle (Arizona) won by decision over Christian Her (California) (Dec 16-12)
Round 2
Christian Her (California) won by tech fall over Charlie Boyle (Arizona) (TF 10-0)
Round 3
Charlie Boyle (Arizona) won by fall over Christian Her (California) (Fall 1:03)
JUNIOR 113 kg –
1st Place - Billy Sullivan of South Dakota
2nd Place - Braxton Sample of Washington
3rd Place - Nathan Kahoe of Iowa
4th Place - Ceasar Sanchez of Colorado
1st Place Match
Billy Sullivan (South Dakota) won by tech fall over Braxton Sample (Washington) (TF 12-0)
3rd Place Match
Nathan Kahoe (Iowa) won by tech fall over Ceasar Sanchez (Colorado) (TF 12-2)
JUNIOR 120 lbs. –
1st Place - Tariq Hornbuckle of Arizona
2nd Place - Haiden Drury of Washington
3rd Place - Matt Vinci of California
4th Place - Zackary Kvavle (Qwivley) of Arizona
1st Place Match
Tariq Hornbuckle (Arizona) won by decision over Haiden Drury (Washington) (Dec 7-7)
3rd Place Match
Matt Vinci (California) won by tech fall over Zackary Kvavle (Qwivley) (Arizona) (TF 18-5)

JUNIOR 126 lbs. –
1st Place - Hunter Sparks of Oregon
2nd Place - Jacob Shack of Alaska
3rd Place - Chase Tebbets of Washington
4th Place - William Edelblute of Idaho
1st Place Match
Hunter Sparks (Oregon) won by injury default over Jacob Shack (Alaska) (Inj. 0:00)
3rd Place Match
Chase Tebbets (Washington) won by tech fall over William Edelblute (Idaho) (TF 17-6)
JUNIOR 132 lbs. –
1st Place - Drew Bennett of Iowa
2nd Place - Austin Almaguer of Washington
3rd Place - Blake Haney of Washington
4th Place - Trent Baun of Washington
1st Place Match
Drew Bennett (Iowa) won by decision over Austin Almaguer (Washington) (Dec 8-8)
3rd Place Match
Blake Haney (Washington) won by injury default over Trent Baun (Washington) (Inj. 0:00)
JUNIOR 138 lbs. –
1st Place - Jacob Tangen of Colorado
2nd Place - Luke Wymer of Ohio
3rd Place - Samuel Andreassen of Colorado
4th Place - Jack Latimer of Washington
1st Place Match
Jacob Tangen (Colorado) won by tech fall over Luke Wymer (Ohio) (TF 10-0)
3rd Place Match
Samuel Andreassen (Colorado) won by tech fall over Jack Latimer (Washington) (TF 11-0)
JUNIOR 145 lbs. –
1st Place - Danny Coles of Canada
2nd Place - Caden Moore of South Dakota
3rd Place - Ezekial Williamson of Idaho
4th Place - Noah Wachsmuth of Oregon
1st Place Match
Danny Coles (Canada) won by tech fall over Caden Moore (South Dakota) (TF 19-8)
3rd Place Match
Ezekial Williamson (Idaho) won by decision over Noah Wachsmuth (Oregon) (Dec 25-17)


JUNIOR 152 lbs. –
1st Place - Nathan Moore of Washington
2nd Place - Justus Scott of Missouri
3rd Place - Keller Rock of Arizona
4th Place - McKay Foy of Utah
1st Place Match
Nathan Moore (Washington) won by decision over Justus Scott (Missouri) (Dec 14-6)
3rd Place Match
Keller Rock (Arizona) won by fall over McKay Foy (Utah) (Fall 4:57)

JUNIOR 160 lbs. –
1st Place - Tyler Eischens of Minnesota
2nd Place - Desmond Bowers of Nevada
3rd Place - Andrue Shepersky of Alaska
4th Place - Jace Luchau of California
1st Place Match
Tyler Eischens (Minnesota) won by tech fall over Desmond Bowers (Nevada) (TF 15-5)
3rd Place Match
Andrue Shepersky (Alaska) won by decision over Jace Luchau (California) (Dec 16-14)
JUNIOR 170 lbs. –
1st Place - Jack Ervien of Washington
2nd Place - John Knight of Washington
3rd Place - Caleb Hopkins of Alaska
4th Place - Zack Stratton of Washington
1st Place Match
Jack Ervien (Washington) won by tech fall over John Knight (Washington) (TF 10-0)
3rd Place Match
Caleb Hopkins (Alaska) won by tech fall over Zack Stratton (Washington) (TF 10-0)
JUNIOR 182 lbs. –
1st Place - Guillermo Escobedo of California
2nd Place - Shane Gibson of Montana
3rd Place - Clint Herrick of Missouri
4th Place - Kai Olson of Washington
1st Place Match
Guillermo Escobedo (California) won by tech fall over Shane Gibson (Montana) (TF 12-0)
3rd Place Match
Clint Herrick (Missouri) won by fall over Kai Olson (Washington) (Fall 1:16)
JUNIOR 195 lbs. –
1st Place - Connor Bourne of Nevada
2nd Place - Chad Edwards of Alaska
3rd Place - Hunter James of Oregon
4th Place - Alexander Jordan of Arizona
1st Place Match
Connor Bourne (Nevada) won by tech fall over Chad Edwards (Alaska) (TF 14-3)
3rd Place Match
Hunter James (Oregon) won by decision over Alexander Jordan (Arizona) (Dec 10-9)
JUNIOR 220 lbs. –
1st Place - David Woods of Alaska
2nd Place - Beau Crawford of Oregon
3rd Place - Caleb Thomas of Washington
4th Place - Ryder Goff of Washington
1st Place Match
David Woods (Alaska) won by fall over Beau Crawford (Oregon) (Fall 5:53)
3rd Place Match
Caleb Thomas (Washington) won by injury default over Ryder Goff (Washington) (Inj. 0:30)
JUNIOR 285 lbs. –
1st Place - Brett Johnson of Arizona
2nd Place - Henry Saafi of Alaska
3rd Place - Tanner Karnes of Missouri
4th Place - Jason Edwards of Alaska
1st Place Match
Brett Johnson (Arizona) won by fall over Henry Saafi (Alaska) (Fall 0:24)
3rd Place Match
Tanner Karnes (Missouri) won by tech fall over Jason Edwards (Alaska) (TF 11-1)