Cliff Keen Wrestling Club defeats SERTC/NJRTC to claim FloWrestling's RTC Cup
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by Taylor Miller, USA Wrestling
CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Cliff Keen Wrestling Club won the grand prize at FloWrestling’s RTC Cup, defeating the combined squad of Southeast RTC and New Jersey RTC, four matches to two, in the finals on Saturday night in Cincinnati.
Kicking off the dual was an action-packed match between NCAA champions Nahshon Garrett (SERTC/NJRTC) and Seth Gross (CKWC). Garrett came out on top with a 12-4 win to get the SERTC/NJRTC off to a hot start.
At 65 kg, Alec Pantaleo (CKWC) and Matthew Kolodzik (SERTC/NJRTC) went back and forth on takedowns and exposures, but it was Pantaleo who claimed the win, 8-6, giving Cliff Keen WC its first win of the night and Pantaleo a perfect 4-0 record for the weekend.
The bout at 74 kg was a rematch of the 2019 Senior Nationals finals as two-time Senior Nationals champion Logan Massa (CKWC) faced 2018 Junior World champion Mekhi Lewis (SERTC/NJRTC). Though Lewis scored the only takedown in the match, Massa held out for a 3-2 win.
In just 58 seconds, Myles Amine (CKWC), an Olympian for San Marino, wrapped up a technical fall at 86 kg over Nate Jackson, scoring a takedown in the opening seconds, followed by three turns on a leg lace for an 8-0 lead. Amine eventually won the bout, 11-0.
At 97 kg, 2017 U23 World silver medalist Ty Walz (SERTC/NJRTC) bested 2015 NCAA runner-up TJ Dudley (CKWC). Walz scored two takedowns en route to a 5-1 decision. Keeping SERTC/NJRTC’s hopes alive for the title.
With CKWC leading on matches, 3-2, going into heavyweight, the bout featured 2019 Junior World champion Mason Parris (CKWC) against 2014 Cadet World silver medalist Jordan Wood (SERTC/NJRTC). Parris was explosive with his offense, scoring 12 points in less than five minutes for a 12-1 tech fall, securing the RTC Cup title for the Cliff Keen Wrestling Club.
In the semifinals earlier in the day, Cliff Keen WC split the matches with Wolfpack RTC, and the dual was decided on technical points based on types of wins. Of note in that dual, 2019 Junior World champion Mason Parris avenged his Friday-night loss to two-time Senior World bronze medalist Nick Gwiazdowski with a 10-7 decision.
On the other side of the bracket, the SERTC/NJRTC took down the Spartan Combat RTC for a win on matches, 4-2. Victories from Mekhi Lewis, Nate Jackson, Ty Walz and Jordan Woods spurred the SERTC/NJRTC to the win just one day after losing to the Spartan Combat RTC in pool action.
Spartan Combat WC went on to defeat Wolfpack RTC for third place, while Ohio RTC won five of six matches against Gopher WC for fifth place. See below for placement dual results or CLICK HERE for full results from the weekend.
Final standings
1st – Cliff Keen Wrestling Club
2nd – SERTC/NJRTC
3rd – Spartan Combat RTC
4th – Wolfpack RTC
5th – Ohio RTC
6th – Gopher WC
1st Place
Cliff Keen WC defeats NJRTC/SERTC on matches, 4-2
57: Nahshon Garrett (NJRTC/SERTC) df. Seth Gross (Cliff Keen Wrestling Club), 12-4
65: Alec Pantaleo (Cliff Keen Wrestling Club) df. Matthew Kolodzik (NJRTC/SERTC), 8-6
74: Logan Massa (Cliff Keen Wrestling Club) df. Mekhi Lewis (NJRTC/SERTC), 3-2
86: Myles Amine (Cliff Keen Wrestling Club) TF Nate Jackson (NJRTC/SERTC), 11-0
97: Ty Walz (NJRTC/SERTC) df. Timothy Dudley (Cliff Keen Wrestling Club), 5-1
125: Mason Parris (Cliff Keen Wrestling Club) TF Jordan Wood (NJRTC/SERTC), 12-1
3rd Place
Spartan Combat RTC defeats Wolfpack RTC on matches, 4-2
57: Vitali Arujau (Spartan Combat RTC) TF Darian Cruz (Wolfpack RTC), 11-0
65: Yianni Diakomihalis (Spartan Combat RTC) TF Tariq Wilson (Wolfpack RTC), 11-0
74: Hayden Hidlay (Wolfpack RTC) TF Jevon Balfour (Spartan Combat RTC), 11-0
86: Trent Hidlay (Wolfpack RTC) df. Drew Foster (Spartan Combat RTC), 12-9
97: Jacob Cardenas (Spartan Combat RTC) df. Timmy McCall (Wolfpack RTC), 7-4
125: Dom Bradley (Spartan Combat RTC) df. Michael Macchiavello Wolfpack RTC), 2-1
5th Place
Ohio RTC defeats Gopher WC on matches, 5-1
57: Zach Sanders (Gopher WC) df. Jack Mueller (Ohio RTC), 8-6
65: Sammy Sasso (Ohio RTC) TF Mitch Mckee (Gopher WC), 14-4
74: Carson Kharchla (Ohio RTC) TF Elroy Perkin (Gopher WC), 11-0
86: Sammy Brooks (Ohio RTC) df. Brett Pfarr (Gopher WC), 2-1
97: Kollin Moore (Ohio RTC) df. Hayden Zillmer (Gopher WC), 2-2
125: Amar Dhesi (Ohio RTC) df. Anthony Nelson (Gopher WC), 3-2
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