Dake, Diakomihalis, Dean, Arujau win Main Card bouts on Spartan Combat Wrestling I card
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Video capture of Kyle Dake and David McFadden from FloWrestling broadcast.
All four Senior stars from the Titan Mercury WC who train with the Spartan Combat RTC won their main card matches at Spartan Combat Wrestling I card, held in North Carolina on Friday night.
Two-time World champion and four-time NCAA champion Kyle Dake won the Main Event, with a workman-like 10-0 technical fall over former Virginia Tech standout and 2020 U23 Nationals champion David McFadden of the TMWC/Pennsylvania RTC.
Dake went to the break with a 7-0 lead, after scoring a takedown and five step-out points. In the second period, Dake scored a snap down takedown, followed by a quick gut wrench to secure the technical fall.
In a battle of Senior National Team members, two-time NCAA champion and Cadet World champion Yianni Diakomihalis scored an impressive 10-0 technical fall against NCAA champion and 2020 Pan American champion Anthony Ashnault of the New York AC/NJRTC.
Diakomihalis led 3-0 at the break, including a takedown on a single leg. In the second period, Diakomihalis added a low single for a 5-0 lead, then broke the match open with an explosive four-point double leg takedown for the technical fall with 1:22 left in the period.
Diakomihalis is currently No. 2 on Team USA at 65 kg, while Ashnault is No. 3 on the Team USA at 70 kg. Both were 2019 NCAA champions, with Cornell’s Diakomihalis winning at 141 pounds and Rutgers’ Ashnault winning at 149 pounds.
Ashnault was a late replacement on the card, filling in for Austin O’Connor who was unable to compete.
Gabe Dean, a two-time NCAA champion for Cornell and 2020 Senior Nationals champion, had a big four-point move in the second period, the key to his 5-5 criteria win over NC State NCAA champion and current Senior National Team member Mike Macchiavello of the TMWC/Wolfpack RTC.
Dean, who competes at 86 kg while Macchiavello is at 92 kg and 97 kg, trailed 1-0 at the break, after getting put on the shot clock and not scoring in 30 seconds. In the second period, during a wild exchange, Dean scored four points, with Macchiavello getting exposure on the reversal to take a 5-3 lead. Macchiavello scored a low single takedown as time ran out to tie it at 5-5, but Dean won the tie-breaker with the highest value score.
The first Main Event match went to 2019 Junior World bronze medalist and 2020 Senior Nationals champion Vitali Arujau, who scored a second-period 11-0 technical fall win over 2020 U23 Nationals runner-up Michael Colaiocco of the Pennsylvania RTC. Arujau is an All-American for Cornell, while Colaiocco is a star for Penn.
Arujau, who gave up some size to Colaiocco, jumped to a 7-0 lead in the first period, scoring three takedowns and a step-out, using his speed and technique to his advantage. Early in the second period, an Arujau go-behind takedown immediately into an ankle lace turn ended the match.
Dake, Diakomihalis and Arujau leave tomorrow for Nice, France, where they will compete in the Henri Deglane Grand Prix of France next weekend.
There were 16 undercard matches, most featuring athletes from Cornell or the Spartan Combat WC. College athletes from D-I Penn, D-I Presbyterian, NAIA Life, NAIA Reinhardt and D-III Greensboro helped fill out the undercard bouts. In the undercard, Spartan Combat RTC won 14 matches.
In one of the highly anticipated bouts, Penn’s EIWA champion Anthony Artalona of the Pennsylvania RTC scored a 2-2 criteria decision over Cornell’s Josh Saunders of Spartan Combat. Both were among the nation’s top freestyle wrestlers while in high school, Artalona from Florida and Saunders from Missouri. Saunders scored a takedown on the edge in the first period. Artalona scored two points on a slick dump in the second period, and won the bout by scoring the last point.
A pair of past Cornell All-Americans defeated the same wrestler, Khalil Shakur of Life University.
Early in the undercard, Ben Darmstadt quickly tore through Shakur with a first-period pin. Darmstadt had a four-point throw and three turns, securing a fall on his third exposure. In the last bout of the undercard, Max Dean finished off Shakur with a 10-0 technical fall, with two takedowns and three turns.
2020 Senior Nationals runner-up Evan Henderson of Spartan Combat, who was an All-American for North Carolina, scored a pin in 1:58 over Greensboro’s Div. III qualifier Hai Sui in a spirited bout. Siu came out with a quick takedown and almost scored another before Henderson opened up his offense. Henderson answered with a four-point throw, three gut wrenches and a hip toss which he finished for the fall.
Other Spartan Combat winners were Dom LaJoie, Daniel Koll, Chris Foca, Jon Loew, Louis Fernandes, Colton Yapoujian, Julian Ramirez, Hunter Richard and Jacob Cardenas. LaJoie won two bouts by technical fall, defeating Dominic Chavez of Presbyterian early on the card, 13-3, then stopping Jacob Brosseur of Presbyterian, 10-0 late on the card.
In the one undercard bout without a Spartan Combat athlete, Penn wrestler Ryan Miller of the Pennsylvania RTC scored two second-period takedowns and two second-period turns to open up a close match for an 11-1 technical fall over Benny Gomez of Presbyterian.
SPARTAN COMBAT WRESTLING I
Friday, January 8
Main Card
Vitali Arujau (TMWC/Spartan Combat) tech. fall Michael Colaiocco (PRTC), 11-0
Gabe Dean (TMWC/Spartan Combat) dec. Mike Macchiavello (TMWC/Wolfpack RTC), 5-5
Yianni Diakomihalis (TMWC/Spartan Combat) tech. fall Anthony Ashnault (NYAC/Scarlet Knights WC), 10-0
Kyle Dake (TMWC/Spartan Combat) tech. fall Dave McFadden (TMWC/PRTC), 11-0
Undercard
Ben Darmstadt (Spartan Combat) pin Khalil Shakur (Life), 0:50
Ryan Miller (PRTC) tech. fall Benny Gomez (Presbyterian), 11-1
Dom LaJoie (Spartan Combat) tech. fall Dominic Chavez (Presbyterian), 13-3
Daniel Koll (Spartan Combat) tech. fall Khalid Blankly (Presbyterian), 11-1
Anthony Artalona (PRTC) dec. Josh Saunders (Spartan Combat), 2-2
Chris Foca (Spartan Combat) tech. fall Neil Antrassian (PRTC), 13-2
Jon Loew (Spartan Combat) pin Maximus Hale (PRTC), 5:08
Lewis Fernandes (Spartan Combat) tech. fall Ben Goldin (PRTC), 14-4
Colton Yapoujian (Spartan Combat) tech. fall Jackson Dean (PRTC), 10-0
Julian Ramirez (Spartan Combat) tech. fall Sam Erwin (Reinhardt), 10-0
Hunter Richard (Spartan Combat) tech. fall Matt Jenkins (Reinhardt), 10-0
Jacob Cardenas (Spartan Combat) tech. fall Khalil Belk (Greensboro), 11-0
Evan Henderson (Spartan Combat) pin Hai Siu (Greensboro), 1:58
Scottie Boykin (Spartan Combat) tech. fall Brandon Williams (Greensboro), 10-0
Dom LaJoie (Spartan Combat) tech. fall Jacob Brosseur (Presbyterian), 10-0
Max Dean (Spartan Combat) tech. fall Khalil Shakur (Life), 10-0
All four Senior stars from the Titan Mercury WC who train with the Spartan Combat RTC won their main card matches at Spartan Combat Wrestling I card, held in North Carolina on Friday night.
Two-time World champion and four-time NCAA champion Kyle Dake won the Main Event, with a workman-like 10-0 technical fall over former Virginia Tech standout and 2020 U23 Nationals champion David McFadden of the TMWC/Pennsylvania RTC.
Dake went to the break with a 7-0 lead, after scoring a takedown and five step-out points. In the second period, Dake scored a snap down takedown, followed by a quick gut wrench to secure the technical fall.
In a battle of Senior National Team members, two-time NCAA champion and Cadet World champion Yianni Diakomihalis scored an impressive 10-0 technical fall against NCAA champion and 2020 Pan American champion Anthony Ashnault of the New York AC/NJRTC.
Diakomihalis led 3-0 at the break, including a takedown on a single leg. In the second period, Diakomihalis added a low single for a 5-0 lead, then broke the match open with an explosive four-point double leg takedown for the technical fall with 1:22 left in the period.
Diakomihalis is currently No. 2 on Team USA at 65 kg, while Ashnault is No. 3 on the Team USA at 70 kg. Both were 2019 NCAA champions, with Cornell’s Diakomihalis winning at 141 pounds and Rutgers’ Ashnault winning at 149 pounds.
Ashnault was a late replacement on the card, filling in for Austin O’Connor who was unable to compete.
Gabe Dean, a two-time NCAA champion for Cornell and 2020 Senior Nationals champion, had a big four-point move in the second period, the key to his 5-5 criteria win over NC State NCAA champion and current Senior National Team member Mike Macchiavello of the TMWC/Wolfpack RTC.
Dean, who competes at 86 kg while Macchiavello is at 92 kg and 97 kg, trailed 1-0 at the break, after getting put on the shot clock and not scoring in 30 seconds. In the second period, during a wild exchange, Dean scored four points, with Macchiavello getting exposure on the reversal to take a 5-3 lead. Macchiavello scored a low single takedown as time ran out to tie it at 5-5, but Dean won the tie-breaker with the highest value score.
The first Main Event match went to 2019 Junior World bronze medalist and 2020 Senior Nationals champion Vitali Arujau, who scored a second-period 11-0 technical fall win over 2020 U23 Nationals runner-up Michael Colaiocco of the Pennsylvania RTC. Arujau is an All-American for Cornell, while Colaiocco is a star for Penn.
Arujau, who gave up some size to Colaiocco, jumped to a 7-0 lead in the first period, scoring three takedowns and a step-out, using his speed and technique to his advantage. Early in the second period, an Arujau go-behind takedown immediately into an ankle lace turn ended the match.
Dake, Diakomihalis and Arujau leave tomorrow for Nice, France, where they will compete in the Henri Deglane Grand Prix of France next weekend.
There were 16 undercard matches, most featuring athletes from Cornell or the Spartan Combat WC. College athletes from D-I Penn, D-I Presbyterian, NAIA Life, NAIA Reinhardt and D-III Greensboro helped fill out the undercard bouts. In the undercard, Spartan Combat RTC won 14 matches.
In one of the highly anticipated bouts, Penn’s EIWA champion Anthony Artalona of the Pennsylvania RTC scored a 2-2 criteria decision over Cornell’s Josh Saunders of Spartan Combat. Both were among the nation’s top freestyle wrestlers while in high school, Artalona from Florida and Saunders from Missouri. Saunders scored a takedown on the edge in the first period. Artalona scored two points on a slick dump in the second period, and won the bout by scoring the last point.
A pair of past Cornell All-Americans defeated the same wrestler, Khalil Shakur of Life University.
Early in the undercard, Ben Darmstadt quickly tore through Shakur with a first-period pin. Darmstadt had a four-point throw and three turns, securing a fall on his third exposure. In the last bout of the undercard, Max Dean finished off Shakur with a 10-0 technical fall, with two takedowns and three turns.
2020 Senior Nationals runner-up Evan Henderson of Spartan Combat, who was an All-American for North Carolina, scored a pin in 1:58 over Greensboro’s Div. III qualifier Hai Sui in a spirited bout. Siu came out with a quick takedown and almost scored another before Henderson opened up his offense. Henderson answered with a four-point throw, three gut wrenches and a hip toss which he finished for the fall.
Other Spartan Combat winners were Dom LaJoie, Daniel Koll, Chris Foca, Jon Loew, Louis Fernandes, Colton Yapoujian, Julian Ramirez, Hunter Richard and Jacob Cardenas. LaJoie won two bouts by technical fall, defeating Dominic Chavez of Presbyterian early on the card, 13-3, then stopping Jacob Brosseur of Presbyterian, 10-0 late on the card.
In the one undercard bout without a Spartan Combat athlete, Penn wrestler Ryan Miller of the Pennsylvania RTC scored two second-period takedowns and two second-period turns to open up a close match for an 11-1 technical fall over Benny Gomez of Presbyterian.
SPARTAN COMBAT WRESTLING I
Friday, January 8
Main Card
Vitali Arujau (TMWC/Spartan Combat) tech. fall Michael Colaiocco (PRTC), 11-0
Gabe Dean (TMWC/Spartan Combat) dec. Mike Macchiavello (TMWC/Wolfpack RTC), 5-5
Yianni Diakomihalis (TMWC/Spartan Combat) tech. fall Anthony Ashnault (NYAC/Scarlet Knights WC), 10-0
Kyle Dake (TMWC/Spartan Combat) tech. fall Dave McFadden (TMWC/PRTC), 11-0
Undercard
Ben Darmstadt (Spartan Combat) pin Khalil Shakur (Life), 0:50
Ryan Miller (PRTC) tech. fall Benny Gomez (Presbyterian), 11-1
Dom LaJoie (Spartan Combat) tech. fall Dominic Chavez (Presbyterian), 13-3
Daniel Koll (Spartan Combat) tech. fall Khalid Blankly (Presbyterian), 11-1
Anthony Artalona (PRTC) dec. Josh Saunders (Spartan Combat), 2-2
Chris Foca (Spartan Combat) tech. fall Neil Antrassian (PRTC), 13-2
Jon Loew (Spartan Combat) pin Maximus Hale (PRTC), 5:08
Lewis Fernandes (Spartan Combat) tech. fall Ben Goldin (PRTC), 14-4
Colton Yapoujian (Spartan Combat) tech. fall Jackson Dean (PRTC), 10-0
Julian Ramirez (Spartan Combat) tech. fall Sam Erwin (Reinhardt), 10-0
Hunter Richard (Spartan Combat) tech. fall Matt Jenkins (Reinhardt), 10-0
Jacob Cardenas (Spartan Combat) tech. fall Khalil Belk (Greensboro), 11-0
Evan Henderson (Spartan Combat) pin Hai Siu (Greensboro), 1:58
Scottie Boykin (Spartan Combat) tech. fall Brandon Williams (Greensboro), 10-0
Dom LaJoie (Spartan Combat) tech. fall Jacob Brosseur (Presbyterian), 10-0
Max Dean (Spartan Combat) tech. fall Khalil Shakur (Life), 10-0
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