Past Div. I stars Hudson, Finesilver, Trotman and Chaid overcome elements to win U.S. Senior Beach National titles
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
2018 Senior Beach National champions: Daniel Chaid, Austin Trotman, Mitch Finesilver and Jamel Hudson. Photo by Robbert Wijtman.
CAROLINA BEACH, N.J. – The conditions were not good, but the Senior field was perhaps the strongest in the 13 year history of the U.S. Beach Nationals, held Saturday between the boardwalk and the Atlantic Ocean on Carolina Beach.
All four of the Senior individual champions were first-time winners, and all four were successful Div. I wrestlers before giving Beach wrestling a try this weekend.
The individual champions were Jamel Hudson of Quiet Storm East (70 kg), Mitch Finesilver of the Blue Blood WC (80 kg), Austin Trotman of the Titan Mercury WC (90 kg) and Daniel Chaid of the Carolina Elite WC (Over 90 kg).
All four are considering representing the USA internationally. The Beach Wrestling World Series Final is set for Pula, Croatia, September 14-15.
The tournament started in light rain, which got more intense during the morning while wrestling continued. For the first time in the 13-year history of the U.S. Beach Nationals, there was a healthy rain delay during lunch. When the wrestlers returned, the rain had dissipated and the tournament continued under cloudy but comfortable conditions. But when the Senior gold and bronze matches were held, another blast of big wind and steady rain hit the beach, which the wrestlers competed through.
Hudson, an NCAA qualifier for Hofstra, won a strong weight class for his first Beach National title, defeating returning Beach National champion Michael Peters of the Road Dawgs WC in the finals. Hudson’s explosive takedown attack proved too much for Peters, who was fifth in last year’s Beach Worlds and competes for Div. II powerhouse Maryville. Hudson has not competed in close to two years since his college career ended.
To reach the finals, Hudson edged past NCAA All-American Joey Ward of the Titan Mercury WC, an All-American at North Carolina.
Finesilver, an NCAA qualifier for Duke, won four matches on the way to the title, including a victory over Spencer Griffey of Chattanooga in the finals. Finesilver won a gold medal at the 2017 Maccabiah Games in freestyle in Israel.
Trotman, a multiple All-American for Appalachian State and a nationally ranked freestyle star for many years, won all three of his matches with dominance, including a victory over Joshua Sturgill of the Valhalla WC in the finals. Trotman completed his freestyle career at last summer’s World Team Trials, and just a few weeks ago moved back to North Carolina not far from Carolina Beach to start a new business.
Chaid, an NCAA qualifier for North Carolina, won a strong heavyweight division, beating Lathan Bumgarner of Gym-O in the finals. Chaid had three wins on the way to the title.
Bumgarner, who wrestles for Div. I Gardner-Webb, defeated returning Beach National champion Gabe Beauperthuy of Colorado in the quarterfinals. Beauperthuy wrestled back to place third.
There were 44 entries in the Senior men’s division, one of the largest in recent years. Overall, the entire Beach Nationals and well as the Belt Nationals held alongside them, set entry level records.
Please note: Interviews and Match videos will be posted soon.
U.S. BEACH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Carolina Beach, N.C., May 19, 2019
Senior Men’s results
70 kg/154.3 lbs
1st - Jamel Hudson (Quiet Storm East) dec. Michael Peters (Road Dawg WC)
3rd -Joey Ward (THWC/ Sunkist Kida) dec. Joshua Finesilver (Blue Blood Wrestling Club)
80 kg/ 176.4 lbs
1st - Mitch Finesilver (Blue Blood WC) dec. Spencer Griffey (Chattanooga)
3rd - Matt Pratt (Maryville RTC) dec. Quenten Zanders (Kings Mtn)
90 kg/198.5 lbs
1st - Austin Trotman (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Joshua Sturgill (Valhalla WC)
3rd - Lee Reitzel (unattached) dec. Troy Cain (ROCO Wrestling)
90+ KG/unlimited
1st - Daniel Chaid (Carolina Elite WC) dec. Lathan Bumgarner (Gym-O)
3rd - Gabe Beauperthuy (unattached) dec. Kenneth Gamble (All Navy Wrestling)
CAROLINA BEACH, N.J. – The conditions were not good, but the Senior field was perhaps the strongest in the 13 year history of the U.S. Beach Nationals, held Saturday between the boardwalk and the Atlantic Ocean on Carolina Beach.
All four of the Senior individual champions were first-time winners, and all four were successful Div. I wrestlers before giving Beach wrestling a try this weekend.
The individual champions were Jamel Hudson of Quiet Storm East (70 kg), Mitch Finesilver of the Blue Blood WC (80 kg), Austin Trotman of the Titan Mercury WC (90 kg) and Daniel Chaid of the Carolina Elite WC (Over 90 kg).
All four are considering representing the USA internationally. The Beach Wrestling World Series Final is set for Pula, Croatia, September 14-15.
The tournament started in light rain, which got more intense during the morning while wrestling continued. For the first time in the 13-year history of the U.S. Beach Nationals, there was a healthy rain delay during lunch. When the wrestlers returned, the rain had dissipated and the tournament continued under cloudy but comfortable conditions. But when the Senior gold and bronze matches were held, another blast of big wind and steady rain hit the beach, which the wrestlers competed through.
Hudson, an NCAA qualifier for Hofstra, won a strong weight class for his first Beach National title, defeating returning Beach National champion Michael Peters of the Road Dawgs WC in the finals. Hudson’s explosive takedown attack proved too much for Peters, who was fifth in last year’s Beach Worlds and competes for Div. II powerhouse Maryville. Hudson has not competed in close to two years since his college career ended.
To reach the finals, Hudson edged past NCAA All-American Joey Ward of the Titan Mercury WC, an All-American at North Carolina.
Finesilver, an NCAA qualifier for Duke, won four matches on the way to the title, including a victory over Spencer Griffey of Chattanooga in the finals. Finesilver won a gold medal at the 2017 Maccabiah Games in freestyle in Israel.
Trotman, a multiple All-American for Appalachian State and a nationally ranked freestyle star for many years, won all three of his matches with dominance, including a victory over Joshua Sturgill of the Valhalla WC in the finals. Trotman completed his freestyle career at last summer’s World Team Trials, and just a few weeks ago moved back to North Carolina not far from Carolina Beach to start a new business.
Chaid, an NCAA qualifier for North Carolina, won a strong heavyweight division, beating Lathan Bumgarner of Gym-O in the finals. Chaid had three wins on the way to the title.
Bumgarner, who wrestles for Div. I Gardner-Webb, defeated returning Beach National champion Gabe Beauperthuy of Colorado in the quarterfinals. Beauperthuy wrestled back to place third.
There were 44 entries in the Senior men’s division, one of the largest in recent years. Overall, the entire Beach Nationals and well as the Belt Nationals held alongside them, set entry level records.
Please note: Interviews and Match videos will be posted soon.
U.S. BEACH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Carolina Beach, N.C., May 19, 2019
Senior Men’s results
70 kg/154.3 lbs
1st - Jamel Hudson (Quiet Storm East) dec. Michael Peters (Road Dawg WC)
3rd -Joey Ward (THWC/ Sunkist Kida) dec. Joshua Finesilver (Blue Blood Wrestling Club)
80 kg/ 176.4 lbs
1st - Mitch Finesilver (Blue Blood WC) dec. Spencer Griffey (Chattanooga)
3rd - Matt Pratt (Maryville RTC) dec. Quenten Zanders (Kings Mtn)
90 kg/198.5 lbs
1st - Austin Trotman (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Joshua Sturgill (Valhalla WC)
3rd - Lee Reitzel (unattached) dec. Troy Cain (ROCO Wrestling)
90+ KG/unlimited
1st - Daniel Chaid (Carolina Elite WC) dec. Lathan Bumgarner (Gym-O)
3rd - Gabe Beauperthuy (unattached) dec. Kenneth Gamble (All Navy Wrestling)
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