SPC Britton Holmes (U.S. Army) controls the tie against Timothy Worthen (U.S. Navy team/USCG) in 74 kg freestyle match at the 2023 Armed Forces Championships. Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Ian Carver.

BREMERTON, Wash. – The U.S. Army won nine of 10 bouts to defeat the U.S. Air Force, 38-9 and claim the men’s freestyle team title at the Armed Forces Championships on Sunday at Naval Base Kitsap on Sunday.

After a forfeit win at 55 kg for PV2 William Sullivan of the Army, 2LT Sidney Flores of the U.S. Air Force won by technical fall at 61 kg to close the Army team lead to 5-4. The Army closed the door from that point on, winning the final eight bouts.

2016 Olympian SPC Jesse Thielke scored a 20 second pin at 65 kg over A1C Mitch Brown, getting two falls in freestyle in a combined 68 seconds.

The rest of the U.S. Army wins were by technical falls from SPC Justus Scott (70 kg), SPC Britton Holmes (74 kg), CPT Michael Hooker (79 kg), SGT Isaac Dukes (86 kg), SPC Spencer Woods (92 kg), CPT Samson Imonode (97 kg) and PFC James Hustoles (125 kg).

The U.S. Army won the first six bouts in their opener against the U.S. Navy, going on to a 34-9 victory. 2016 Olympian SPC Jesse Thielke had a 48 second pin over PO3 Sheldon Ealy at 65 kg. The U.S. Army also had five technical fall victories and a forfeit win.

In the first dual meet of the day, the U.S. Air Force defeated the U.S. Navy 26-14. The Air Force was dominant early, winning the first five matches, with pins from 2Lt Alex Saylor (74 kg) and A1C Sam Adams (79 kg), plus technical falls from 2LT Sidney Flores (61 kg), A1C Mitch Brown (65 kg) and A1C Brenner Vogan (70 kg). The U.S. Navy won three of the last four bouts, but it was too late to close the margin. Included in the Navy run were pins by PO2 Austin Craig (92 kg) and 1stLt Courtney Freeman (125 kg).

The U.S. Army won seven individual titles from Sullivan, Thielke, Scott, Holmes, Hooker, Woods and Imonode. The other individual champions were Flores from the Air Force at 61 kg, Fekete from the U.S. Navy team at 86 kg and Freeman from the Navy team at 125 kg.

Winning double titles by claiming gold medals in both freestyle and Greco-Roman for the weekend were U.S. Army stars SPC Jesse Thielke, SPC Britton Holmes, CPT Michael Hooker, SPC Michael Hooker and CPT Samson Imonode plus U.S. Marine Corps 1stLt Courtney Freeman, competing for the U.S. Navy.

In the combined standing, the U.S. Army placed first, the U.S. Air Force placed second and the U.S. Navy placed third. The Navy was second in Greco-Roman and the Air Force was second in freestyle, but the Air Force got the edge on total points scored.

This was the first Armed Forces Championships since 2000, which was also held at Naval Base Kitsap. The 2021 and 2022 events were not held due to the pandemic.

Head official Rick Tucci is being honored, as he is attending his 50th Armed Forces Wrestling Championships, going all the way back to 1971 when he first officiated at this traditional wrestling event.

ARMED FORCES CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Naval Base Kitsap, Bremerton, Wash., February 26

SESSION I
U.S. Air Force 26, U.S. Navy 14
61kg/134.4 lbs. – 2LT Sidney Flores (U.S. Air Force) tech. fall. PO3 Colton Davis (U.S. Navy), 10-0
65kg/143.3 lbs. – A1C Mitch Brown (U.S. Air Force) tech. fall PO3 Sheldon Ealy (U.S. Navy), 10-0
70kg/154.3 lbs. – A1C Brenner Vogan (U.S. Air Force) tech. fall PO3 Leandro Rodriguez-Rodriguez (U.S. Navy team/USSF), 10-0
74kg/163.1 lbs. – 2Lt Alex Saylor (U.S. Air Force) pin PO2 Timothy Worthen (U.S. Navy team/USCG), 0:58
79kg/174.1 lbs. – A1C Sam Adams (U.S. Air Force) pin PO3 Khilik Morales (U.S. Navy), 1:55
86kg/189.5 lbs. –1stLt Jared Fekete (U.S. Navy team/USMC) tech. fall SrA Angel Romo (U.S. Air Force),
92kg/202.8 lbs. – PO2 Austin Craig (U.S. Navy) pin A1C Lamont Espino (U.S. Air Force), 0:10
97kg/213.8 lbs. – SrA Eric Santos (U.S. Air Force) tech. fall PO1 Shaun Heist (U.S. Navy), 21-10
125kg/275.5 lbs. –1stLt Courtney Freeman (U.S. Navy/USMC) tech fall MSgt Donald Degarmo (U.S. Air Force), 11-0

SESSION II
U.S. Army 34, U.S. Navy 9
57kg/125.6 lbs. – PV2 William Sullivan (U.S. Army)
61kg/134.4 lbs. – SPC Dalton Duffield (U.S. Army) tech. fall PO3 Colton Davis (U.S. Navy), 10-0
65kg/143.3 lbs. – SPC Jesse Thielke (U.S. Army) pin PO3 Sheldon Ealy (U.S. Navy), 0:48
70kg/154.3 lbs. – SPC Justus Scott (U.S. Army) tech. fall PO3 Leandro Rodriguez-Rodriguez (U.S. Navy), 10-0
74kg/163.1 lbs. – SPC Britton Holmes (U.S. Army) tech. fall PO2 Timothy Worthen (U.S. Navy team/USCG), 10-0
79kg/174.1 lbs. – CPT Michael Hooker (U.S. Army) tech. fall tech. fall PO3 Khilik Morales (U.S. Navy), 10-0
86kg/189.5 lbs. –1stLt Jared Fekete (U.S. Navy team/USMC) dec. SGT Isaac Dukes (U.S. Army), 11-2
92kg/202.8 lbs. – SPC Spencer Woods (U.S. Army) dec. PO2 Austin Craig (U.S. Navy), 6-1
97kg/213.8 lbs. – CPT Samson Imonode (U.S. Army) tech. fall PO1 Shaun Heist (U.S. Navy), 12-2
125kg/275.5 lbs. –1stLt Courtney Freeman (U.S. Navy/USMC) tech. fall PFC James Hustoles (U.S. Army), 10-0

SESSION III
U.S. Army 38, U.S. Air Force 9
57kg/125.6 lbs. – PV2 William Sullivan (U.S. Army) by forfeit
61kg/134.4 lbs. – 2LT Sidney Flores (U.S. Air Force) tech. fall SPC Dalton Duffield (U.S. Army), 11-0
65kg/143.3 lbs. – SPC Jesse Thielke (U.S. Army) pin A1C Mitch Brown (U.S. Air Force), 0:20
70kg/154.3 lbs. – SPC Justus Scott (U.S. Army) tech. fall A1C Brenner Vogan (U.S. Air Force), 16-3
74kg/163.1 lbs. – SPC Britton Holmes (U.S. Army) tech. fall 2Lt Alex Saylor (U.S. Air Force), 17-6
79kg/174.1 lbs. – CPT Michael Hooker (U.S. Army) tech. fall A1C Sam Adams (U.S. Air Force), 13-3
86kg/189.5 lbs. – SGT Isaac Dukes (U.S. Army) tech fall SrA Angel Romo (U.S. Air Force), 10-0
92kg/202.8 lbs. – SPC Spencer Woods (U.S. Army) tech fall A1C Lamont Espino (U.S. Air Force), 10-0
97kg/213.8 lbs. – CPT Samson Imonode (U.S. Army) tech. fall SrA Eric Santos (U.S. Air Force), 14-3
125kg/275.5 lbs. – PFC James Hustoles (U.S. Army) tech fall MSgt Donald Degarmo (U.S. Air Force), 12-1

Individual men’s freestyle medalists

57kg/125.6 lbs.
Gold - PV2 William Sullivan (U.S. Army)

61kg/134.4 lbs.
Gold – 2LT Sidney Flores (U.S. Air Force)
Silver - SPC Dalton Duffield (U.S. Army)

65kg/143.3 lbs.
Gold – SPC Jesse Thielke (U.S. Army)
Silver - A1C Mitch Brown (U.S. Air Force)

70kg/154.3 lbs.
Gold – SPC Justus Scott (U.S. Army)
Silver - A1C Brenner Vogan (U.S. Air Force)

74kg/163.1 lbs.
Gold – SPC Britton Holmes (U.S. Army)
Silver - 2Lt Alex Saylor (U.S. Air Force)

79kg/174.1 lbs.
Gold – CPT Michael Hooker (U.S. Army)
Silver - A1C Sam Adams (U.S. Air Force)

86kg/189.5 lbs.
Gold - 1stLt Jared Fekete (U.S. Navy team/USMC)
Silver – SGT Isaac Dukes (U.S. Army)

92kg/202.8 lbs.
Gold – SPC Spencer Woods (U.S. Army)
Silver - PO2 Austin Craig (U.S. Navy)

97kg/213.8 lbs.
Gold – CPT Samson Imonode (U.S. Army)
Silver - SrA Eric Santos (U.S. Air Force)

125 kg
Gold - 1stLt Courtney Freeman (U.S. Navy/USMC)
Silver – PFC James Hustoles (U.S. Army)

U.S. Army defeats U.S. Air Force, 38-9, to claim Armed Forces men’s freestyle title

Loading...