U.S. Army wins five Greco-Roman golds at U.S. Open; Hancock named Outstanding Wrestler
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Ryan Mango of the U.S. Army celebrates after winning the U.S. Open for the second straight year. Photo by Robbert Wijtman.
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – It was a great performance by the U.S. Army WCAP program at the 2019 U.S. Open in Greco-Roman, which won half of the available titles by leaving the South Point Arena with five athletes carrying national champion stop sign trophies.
The individual Army champions were Max Nowry (55 kg), Leslie Fuenffinger (60 kg), Ryan Mango (63 kg), Ellis Coleman (67 kg) and Jacob Mitchell (130 kg).
Two of the finals featured a pair of Army WCAP wrestlers facing each other. 2012 Olympian Ellis Coleman won his fifth U.S. Open title with an impressive 12-3 technical fall over Hayden Tuma at 67 kg. Coleman had a slow start in the match, but opened up his offense late in the first period with exposure turns, then closed out the technical fall in the second period.
“At this point in my career I’m kind of becoming a vet. So the biggest thing for me is getting these international medals and beating the foreigners so I can get my first medal, and break that stage on the international scene,” said Coleman.
Coleman went to his best techniques on top, including his powerful gut wrench.
“Everyone knows I’ve got a good gut, and I figure if everyone knows I have a good gut I want to change it and find something else. But no, Burroughs has a good double leg, and he still shoots his double leg, so it’s just me getting to my gut wrench. It’s them knowing I have it, but me still being able to score. I’m just trying to get better at the things I’m already great at,” said Coleman.
The other All-Army final was at 60 kg, when Leslie Fuenffinger won his first U.S. Open title with a 6-4 win over 2017 World Team member Ildar Hafizov. Fuenffinger trailed in the first period, but came back strong in the second period. He avenged a loss to Hafizov in the finals of the 2019 Dave Schultz Memorial in January. Fuenffinger was a U.S. Open runner-up last year.
Nowry and Mango repeated as national champions, claiming their second U.S. Open title in a row.
Nowry, seeded No. 1, stopped second seeded Dalton Duffield of the New York AC, winning the key positions in a 5-3 victory.
For the second straight year, Mango defeated Sam Jones of the New York AC in the finals, this time by a 9-1 technical fall. Jones led 1-0 at the break but Mango came out with some big throws in the second period to secure the win. Mango was injured in his semifinals win but showed grit in his finals performance.
Mitchell, seeded No. 3, won his first U.S. Open title with a 7-0 decision over top seed Tate Orndorff of the New York AC/Utah Valley RTC. Mitchell got a takedown and two gut wrenches for an early 6-0 lead and controlled the action the rest of the way.
All of the individual champions, except at 130 kg, advanced to compete in Final X in June, where they will compete for a spot on the 2019 U.S. World Team. These national champions will face the winner from the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament in Raleigh, N.C. in Final X.
Mitchell will get the top seed at the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament. The winner in Raleigh will advance to Final X against 2018 World silver medalist Adam Coon, who has already qualified for Final X based upon his World medal.
The Outstanding Wrestler was two-time World Team member G’Angelo Hancock, who claimed a second career U.S. Open title with a 9-0 technical fall over Lucas Sheridan of the U.S. Army in just 1:05.
It’s part of the process. To me this is a stepping stone, so it had to happen for me to get where I am going.
Hancock has continued a strong season, where he won medals in a number of international events, and is ranked No. 4 in the UWW Ranking Series at this time.
“Wrestling is 90% mental, so I go out there and think totally different then I used be like last year. I’ve been training overseas as much as I can, so I hope that technique is just coming with me. My attitude my mental, you know everything’s different, everything has changed this year,” said Hancock.
One of the most intense finals came at 77 kg, when 2018 World Team member and 2017 Junior World champion Kamal Bey defeated 2017 World Team member Pat Smith of the Minnesota Storm. Bey led 4-0, but Smith battled back to tie the match at 5-5. Bey scored two points on an action on the edge, but Smith challenged and officials gave Bey one point for a 6-5 lead. A Bey one-point score in the closing seconds gave him the tight win.
In another battle of past World Team members, 2014 World Team member Joe Rau of the Titan Mercury WC edged three-time World Team member Patrick Martinez of the New York AC, 3-1. Rau won a second U.S. Open title, after claiming his first back in 2016.
Also winning a second career U.S. Open crown was Kendrick Sanders of the New York AC, who dominated unseeded Spencer Woods of the New York AC in a powerful 10-0 technical fall at 82 kg. Sanders won his first national title in 2014.
Claiming his first U.S. Open title was Raymond Bunker of the U.S. Marine Corps, who won a tight 4-3 win at 72 kg over 2018 World Team member RaVaughn Perkins of the New York AC. Bunker, who was in his first U.S. Open finals, was emotional after grinding out the win over a talented finals opponent.
Winning the Div. I team title was the New York AC, with the U.S. Marine Corps taking the Div. II team title.
U.S. OPEN
At Las Vegas, Nev., April 26
Greco-Roman results
55 kg
1st - Max Nowry (Army WCAP) dec. Dalton Duffield (NYAC), 5-3
3rd - Jabari Moody (NYAC) fall Ibrahim Bunduka (Inland Northwest WTC), 2:00
5th - Britain Longmire (Team Nevada) TF Jemone Carter (Marines), 8-0
7th - Joe Deangelo (West Point RTC) win by forfeit Bernardino Gomez (Blue Chip WC)
60 kg
1st - Leslie Fuenffinger (Army WCAP) dec. Ildar Hafizov (Army WCAP), 6-4
3rd - Dalton Roberts (NYAC) dec. Randon Miranda (NYAC), 6-0
5th - Taylor Lamont (Sunkist Kids) dec. Matthew Schmitt (WVRTC), 4-4
7th - Devon Jackson (3 Style WC) TF Joshua Wright (Williams Baptist), 8-0
63 kg
1st - Ryan Mango (Army WCAP) tech. fall Sam Jones (NYAC), 9-1
3rd - Travis Rice (NYAC) TF Kyle Evans (Western Wyoming), 10-0
5th - Nathan Cervantez (CYC) win by forfeit Xavier Johnson (Marines)
7th - Dylan Gregerson (Utah Valley RTC) dec. Christopher Anderson (Williams Baptist), 10-8
67 kg
1st - Ellis Coleman (Army WCAP) tech. fall Hayden Tuma (Army WCAP), 12-3
3rd - Jamel Johnson (Marines) dec. Austin Morrow (NYAC), 5-0
5th - Jarod Verkleeren PA (Nittany Lion WC) TF Morgan Flaharty (USOTC), 12-4
7th - Jessy Williams (NYAC) TF Daniel Van Hoose (Colorado Mesa), 10-2
72 kg
1st - Raymond Bunker (USMC) dec. RaVaughn Perkins (NYAC), 4-3
3rd - Michael Hooker (Army/WCAP) dec. Lenny Merkin NY (NJRTC), 13-10
5th - Nick Tarpley (NYAC) dec. Colin Schubert (NYAC), 4-4
7th - Connor Myers (Army/WCAP) win by injury default Eleazar Deluca (NJRTC)
77 kg
1st - Kamal Bey (Sunkist Kids WC) dec. Patrick Smith (MN Storm), 7-5
3rd - Mason Manville (Nittany Lion WC) dec. Corey Hope (NYAC), 3-0
5th - Jesse Porter (NYAC) TF Peyton Walsh (Marines), 8-0
7th - Tyler Dow (University of Wisconsin) df. Brandon Mueller (Air Force WCAP)
82 kg
1st - Kendrick Sanders (NYAC) tech. fall Spencer Woods (NYAC), 10-0
3rd - Chandler Rogers (Cowboy RTC/TMWC) TF Terrence Zaleski (Marines), 8-0
5th - John Stefanowicz (Marines) win by forfeit Cheney Haight (NYAC)
7th - Carter Nielsen (Minnesota Storm) dec. Jacob Fisher (Curby 3 Style Wrestling), 7-5
87 kg
1st - Joe Rau (TMWC) dec. Patrick Martinez (NYAC), 3-1
3rd - Ben Provisor (NYAC/NLWC) TF Vaughn Monreal-Berner (Marines), 9-0 1:37
5th - James Souza (Army/WCAP) win by forfeit Barrett Stanghill (Minnesota Storm)
7th - George Sikes (NYAC) win by forfeit Haszell West (CSU Pueblo Wrestling RTC)
97 kg
1st - G’Angelo Hancock (Sunkist Kids WC) tech. fall Lucas Sheridan (Army WCAP), 9-0
3rd - Daniel Miller (Marines) TF Eric Twohey (Minnesota Storm), 9-1
5th - Khymba Johnson (NYAC) TF Blake Smith (USOTC), 8-0
7th - Orry Elor (Florida Jets) dec. Easton Hargrave (Unattached), 12-7
130 kg
1st - Jacob Mitchell (Army WCAP) dec.Tate Orndoff (NYAC/Utah Valley RTC), 7-0
3rd - Toby Erickson (Army/WCAP) TF Haydn Maley (Stanford California RTC), 8-0
5th - West Cathcart (IRTC) TF Ike Okoli (Inland Northwest WTC), 8-0
7th - Thomas Helton (Southern Illinois) TF Zach Schrader (California Baptist), 9-0
Outstanding Wrestler – G’Angelo Hancock (Sunkist Kids), 97 kg
Div. I teams – 1. New York AC, 111 pts., 2. U.S. Army WCAP, 69 pts.
Div. II teams – 1. U.S. Marine Corps 30 pts., 2. Sunkist Kids, 21 pts.
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – It was a great performance by the U.S. Army WCAP program at the 2019 U.S. Open in Greco-Roman, which won half of the available titles by leaving the South Point Arena with five athletes carrying national champion stop sign trophies.
The individual Army champions were Max Nowry (55 kg), Leslie Fuenffinger (60 kg), Ryan Mango (63 kg), Ellis Coleman (67 kg) and Jacob Mitchell (130 kg).
Two of the finals featured a pair of Army WCAP wrestlers facing each other. 2012 Olympian Ellis Coleman won his fifth U.S. Open title with an impressive 12-3 technical fall over Hayden Tuma at 67 kg. Coleman had a slow start in the match, but opened up his offense late in the first period with exposure turns, then closed out the technical fall in the second period.
“At this point in my career I’m kind of becoming a vet. So the biggest thing for me is getting these international medals and beating the foreigners so I can get my first medal, and break that stage on the international scene,” said Coleman.
Coleman went to his best techniques on top, including his powerful gut wrench.
“Everyone knows I’ve got a good gut, and I figure if everyone knows I have a good gut I want to change it and find something else. But no, Burroughs has a good double leg, and he still shoots his double leg, so it’s just me getting to my gut wrench. It’s them knowing I have it, but me still being able to score. I’m just trying to get better at the things I’m already great at,” said Coleman.
The other All-Army final was at 60 kg, when Leslie Fuenffinger won his first U.S. Open title with a 6-4 win over 2017 World Team member Ildar Hafizov. Fuenffinger trailed in the first period, but came back strong in the second period. He avenged a loss to Hafizov in the finals of the 2019 Dave Schultz Memorial in January. Fuenffinger was a U.S. Open runner-up last year.
Nowry and Mango repeated as national champions, claiming their second U.S. Open title in a row.
Nowry, seeded No. 1, stopped second seeded Dalton Duffield of the New York AC, winning the key positions in a 5-3 victory.
For the second straight year, Mango defeated Sam Jones of the New York AC in the finals, this time by a 9-1 technical fall. Jones led 1-0 at the break but Mango came out with some big throws in the second period to secure the win. Mango was injured in his semifinals win but showed grit in his finals performance.
Mitchell, seeded No. 3, won his first U.S. Open title with a 7-0 decision over top seed Tate Orndorff of the New York AC/Utah Valley RTC. Mitchell got a takedown and two gut wrenches for an early 6-0 lead and controlled the action the rest of the way.
All of the individual champions, except at 130 kg, advanced to compete in Final X in June, where they will compete for a spot on the 2019 U.S. World Team. These national champions will face the winner from the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament in Raleigh, N.C. in Final X.
Mitchell will get the top seed at the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament. The winner in Raleigh will advance to Final X against 2018 World silver medalist Adam Coon, who has already qualified for Final X based upon his World medal.
The Outstanding Wrestler was two-time World Team member G’Angelo Hancock, who claimed a second career U.S. Open title with a 9-0 technical fall over Lucas Sheridan of the U.S. Army in just 1:05.
It’s part of the process. To me this is a stepping stone, so it had to happen for me to get where I am going.
Hancock has continued a strong season, where he won medals in a number of international events, and is ranked No. 4 in the UWW Ranking Series at this time.
“Wrestling is 90% mental, so I go out there and think totally different then I used be like last year. I’ve been training overseas as much as I can, so I hope that technique is just coming with me. My attitude my mental, you know everything’s different, everything has changed this year,” said Hancock.
One of the most intense finals came at 77 kg, when 2018 World Team member and 2017 Junior World champion Kamal Bey defeated 2017 World Team member Pat Smith of the Minnesota Storm. Bey led 4-0, but Smith battled back to tie the match at 5-5. Bey scored two points on an action on the edge, but Smith challenged and officials gave Bey one point for a 6-5 lead. A Bey one-point score in the closing seconds gave him the tight win.
In another battle of past World Team members, 2014 World Team member Joe Rau of the Titan Mercury WC edged three-time World Team member Patrick Martinez of the New York AC, 3-1. Rau won a second U.S. Open title, after claiming his first back in 2016.
Also winning a second career U.S. Open crown was Kendrick Sanders of the New York AC, who dominated unseeded Spencer Woods of the New York AC in a powerful 10-0 technical fall at 82 kg. Sanders won his first national title in 2014.
Claiming his first U.S. Open title was Raymond Bunker of the U.S. Marine Corps, who won a tight 4-3 win at 72 kg over 2018 World Team member RaVaughn Perkins of the New York AC. Bunker, who was in his first U.S. Open finals, was emotional after grinding out the win over a talented finals opponent.
Winning the Div. I team title was the New York AC, with the U.S. Marine Corps taking the Div. II team title.
U.S. OPEN
At Las Vegas, Nev., April 26
Greco-Roman results
55 kg
1st - Max Nowry (Army WCAP) dec. Dalton Duffield (NYAC), 5-3
3rd - Jabari Moody (NYAC) fall Ibrahim Bunduka (Inland Northwest WTC), 2:00
5th - Britain Longmire (Team Nevada) TF Jemone Carter (Marines), 8-0
7th - Joe Deangelo (West Point RTC) win by forfeit Bernardino Gomez (Blue Chip WC)
60 kg
1st - Leslie Fuenffinger (Army WCAP) dec. Ildar Hafizov (Army WCAP), 6-4
3rd - Dalton Roberts (NYAC) dec. Randon Miranda (NYAC), 6-0
5th - Taylor Lamont (Sunkist Kids) dec. Matthew Schmitt (WVRTC), 4-4
7th - Devon Jackson (3 Style WC) TF Joshua Wright (Williams Baptist), 8-0
63 kg
1st - Ryan Mango (Army WCAP) tech. fall Sam Jones (NYAC), 9-1
3rd - Travis Rice (NYAC) TF Kyle Evans (Western Wyoming), 10-0
5th - Nathan Cervantez (CYC) win by forfeit Xavier Johnson (Marines)
7th - Dylan Gregerson (Utah Valley RTC) dec. Christopher Anderson (Williams Baptist), 10-8
67 kg
1st - Ellis Coleman (Army WCAP) tech. fall Hayden Tuma (Army WCAP), 12-3
3rd - Jamel Johnson (Marines) dec. Austin Morrow (NYAC), 5-0
5th - Jarod Verkleeren PA (Nittany Lion WC) TF Morgan Flaharty (USOTC), 12-4
7th - Jessy Williams (NYAC) TF Daniel Van Hoose (Colorado Mesa), 10-2
72 kg
1st - Raymond Bunker (USMC) dec. RaVaughn Perkins (NYAC), 4-3
3rd - Michael Hooker (Army/WCAP) dec. Lenny Merkin NY (NJRTC), 13-10
5th - Nick Tarpley (NYAC) dec. Colin Schubert (NYAC), 4-4
7th - Connor Myers (Army/WCAP) win by injury default Eleazar Deluca (NJRTC)
77 kg
1st - Kamal Bey (Sunkist Kids WC) dec. Patrick Smith (MN Storm), 7-5
3rd - Mason Manville (Nittany Lion WC) dec. Corey Hope (NYAC), 3-0
5th - Jesse Porter (NYAC) TF Peyton Walsh (Marines), 8-0
7th - Tyler Dow (University of Wisconsin) df. Brandon Mueller (Air Force WCAP)
82 kg
1st - Kendrick Sanders (NYAC) tech. fall Spencer Woods (NYAC), 10-0
3rd - Chandler Rogers (Cowboy RTC/TMWC) TF Terrence Zaleski (Marines), 8-0
5th - John Stefanowicz (Marines) win by forfeit Cheney Haight (NYAC)
7th - Carter Nielsen (Minnesota Storm) dec. Jacob Fisher (Curby 3 Style Wrestling), 7-5
87 kg
1st - Joe Rau (TMWC) dec. Patrick Martinez (NYAC), 3-1
3rd - Ben Provisor (NYAC/NLWC) TF Vaughn Monreal-Berner (Marines), 9-0 1:37
5th - James Souza (Army/WCAP) win by forfeit Barrett Stanghill (Minnesota Storm)
7th - George Sikes (NYAC) win by forfeit Haszell West (CSU Pueblo Wrestling RTC)
97 kg
1st - G’Angelo Hancock (Sunkist Kids WC) tech. fall Lucas Sheridan (Army WCAP), 9-0
3rd - Daniel Miller (Marines) TF Eric Twohey (Minnesota Storm), 9-1
5th - Khymba Johnson (NYAC) TF Blake Smith (USOTC), 8-0
7th - Orry Elor (Florida Jets) dec. Easton Hargrave (Unattached), 12-7
130 kg
1st - Jacob Mitchell (Army WCAP) dec.Tate Orndoff (NYAC/Utah Valley RTC), 7-0
3rd - Toby Erickson (Army/WCAP) TF Haydn Maley (Stanford California RTC), 8-0
5th - West Cathcart (IRTC) TF Ike Okoli (Inland Northwest WTC), 8-0
7th - Thomas Helton (Southern Illinois) TF Zach Schrader (California Baptist), 9-0
Outstanding Wrestler – G’Angelo Hancock (Sunkist Kids), 97 kg
Div. I teams – 1. New York AC, 111 pts., 2. U.S. Army WCAP, 69 pts.
Div. II teams – 1. U.S. Marine Corps 30 pts., 2. Sunkist Kids, 21 pts.
