USA beats Ukraine, 5-4, at Beat the Streets LA International event in San Marino, Calif.

Evan Wick (USA) scored a clutch win at 79 kg in his home town to help Team USA claim the dual meet. Photo by Dana Barsuhn, Beat the Streets Los Angeles.


SAN MARINO, Calif. – In an entertaining international dual meet to raise funds for the youth of Los Angeles, the United States defeated Ukraine, 5-4 on Sunday at the Beat the Streets LA International event.


The USA won three men’s freestyle matches and two women’s freestyle matches to defeat a strong team from Ukraine. Winning for the USA were Nahshon Garrett (men’s freestyle 61 kg), Evan Wick (79 kg, men’s freestyle), Jay Aiello (men’s freestyle, 97 kg), Jacarra Winchester (women’s freestyle, 55 kg) and Skylar Grote (women’s freestyle, 72 kg).


2018 Final X champion Garrett got Team USA off to a great start, with a 12-2 technical fall over 2019 U20 World silver medalist Andrii Dzhelep at 61 kg. Garrett scored three takedowns, including a four-point blast double leg, and a turn to secure the big win.


Wick, who is from San Marino and competed in his hometown, looked strong in the second period on the way to an 8-2 win over 2022 World bronze medalist Vasyl Mykhailov, 8-2. Trailing 2-1 at the break, Wick scored three second-period takedown to break the match open. Wick was a 2020 U23 Nationals champion.


2021 U23 World bronze medalist Aiello scored a big 5-3 win over 2022 Senior World Team member Illia Archaia at 97 kg. Aiello scored a second-period takedown then added two points on a crotch lift exposure for the margin of victory. He avenged a loss to Archaia in the Bill Farrell Memorial Invitational last month.


2019 World champion Winchester opened up her offense in an 11-0 technical fall over 2022 Senior World Team member Lilija Malanchuk. Leading 5-0 at the break, Winchester scored a four-point takedown and added a two-point win to close out the victory.


2022 Pan American champion Grote clinched the USA team victory with a 3-0 win over Tokyo 2020 Olympian Alla Belinska at 72 kg. Grote scored on a takedown, then added a step out on a single leg to secure the win.


Winning matches for Ukraine were 2019 U23 World champion Erik Arushanian at 65 kg in men’s freestyle, 2022 World bronze medalist Alina Hrushnya Akobiia at 57 kg in women’s freestyle, 2021 World bronze medalists liona Prokopevniuk at 62 kg in women’s freestyle and 2017 U23 World bronze medalist Anastassia Osniach Shustova at 76 kg in women’s freestyle.


The event opened with four youth matches, two boys and two girls. The winners of the youth matches were Xander Fronhofer of Beat the Streets LA,

Kiara Fernandez of Beat the Streets LA, Eli Butler of California Grapplers and Valeria Miranda of Beat the Streets LA.


The weekend celebrated the 10th anniversaryof the Beat the Streets Los Angeles organization. Founded 10 years ago with a mission to empower and transform the lives of youth, Beat the Streets LA has always been about more than wrestling and competitions — it’s about nurturing a sense of community and confidence that makes anything seem possible. Since its earliest days, Beat the Streets LA has lived up to that mission. A fundraising gala was held Saturday night prior to today’s competition.


The event was livestreamed on Stalemates You Tube Channel.

BEAT THE STREETS LA INTERNATIONAL WRESTLING EVENT

USA VS. UKRAINE

At Barth Athletic Complex, San Marino, Calif., 2:00 p.m.

Men's freestyle results

61 kg - Nahshon Garrett (USA) tech fall Andrii Dzhelep (Ukraine), 12-2

65 kg - Erik Arushanian (Ukraine) tech. fall Evan Henderson (USA), 10-0

79 kg - Evan Wick (USA) dec. Vasyl Mykhailov (Ukraine), 8-2

97 kg - Jay Aiello (USA) dec. Illia Archaia (Ukraine), 5-3

Women's freestyle results

55 kg - Jacarra Winchester (USA) tech. fall Lilija Malanchuk (Ukraine), 11-0

57 kg - Alina Hrushyna Akobiia (Ukraine) dec. Alex Hedrick (USA), 9-2

62 kg - Ilona Prokopevniuk (Ukraine) dec. Jennifer Page (USA), 5-2

72 kg - Skylar Grote (USA) dec. Alla Belinska (Ukraine), 3-0

76 kg -. Anastasiia Osniach Shustova (Ukraine) pin Dymond Guilford (USA), 3:19

Youth wrestling matches

Xander Fronhofer (Beat the Streets LA) tech fall Jesse Lugo (Titan Mercury WC), 10-0

Kiara Fernandez (Beat the Streets LA) dec. Elena Lopez (Titan Mercury WC), 10-2

Eli Butler (California Grapplers) tech. fall Marc Jumanan (Beat the Streets LA), 14-2

Valeria Miranda (Beat the Streets LA) dec. Sapphire Shafer (Smash WC), 7-0