Men’s finalists determined at American Airlines/NYAC Holiday International as five returning champions advance

Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
11/19/2006

NEW YORK, N.Y. - The gold-medal finals have been determined in the men’s division at the 2006 American Airlines/New York AC Holiday International at the famous New York Athletic Club on Sunday morning.

Included in the finals will be five returning champions. In freestyle, still eligible to repeat as champions are Travis Lee (Ithaca, N.Y./New York AC) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Jared Lawrence (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Andy Hrovat (Ann Arbor, Mich./New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Tommy Rowlands (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. In Greco-Roman, returning champion Adam Wheeler (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) advanced at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

In a rematch of last year’s NYAC Holiday International finals, Lee defeated 2006 U.S. Nationals champion Zach Roberson (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids), 2-3, 1-0, 1-0. Lee also defeated Roberson in last year’s finals. The difference was a spin-behind takedown by Lee late in the third and deciding period.

2006 U.S. World Team member Hrovat earned a spot in the finals with a 6-0, 8-2 technical fall over Tony Gansen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), 6-0, 8-2. In the finals, he will face Clint Wattenberg (Ithaca, N.Y./New York AC) who beat talented.Evguni Kolomets of Russia, 0-6, 1-0, 2-1. This is a rematch of the finals of the 2006 World Team Trials, where Hrovat beat Wattenberg.

Also advancing to the finals was 2005 World bronze medalist Justin Ruiz (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

There was an upset in men’s freestyle at 55 kg/121 lbs. in the semifinals, when Takeshi Sugitani of Japan stopped 2006 Junior World champion Djamel Otarsultanov of Russia, 1-1, 1-6, 3-1. Sugitani won the first period with a late takedown, dropped the second period, and came back with a two-pointer in the final period for the margin of victory.

The women’s competition has begun, with a major upset in the early rounds. At 55 kg/121 lbs., Brandy Rosenbrock (Harrison, Mich./Central Michigan) defeated 2006 Sunkist Kids International champion Marcie Van Dusen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), 4-2, 2-1.

All of the gold medal matches are schedule for 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.

Men’s Greco-Roman semifinal results

55 kg/121 lbs.
Jermaine Hodge (U.S. Army) dec. Promis Mwenga (Black Bear WC), 4-0, 7-0
Spenser Mango (Gator WC) tech. fall Nate Engel (Missouri Valley WC), 7-0, 7-0

60 kg/132 lbs.
Yasuyuki Tanioka (Japan) dec. Chris Iorio (New York AC), 4-3, 6-0
Hiroshi Shimomura (Japan) dec. Joe Betterman (New York AC), 2-2, 2-0

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Jacob Curby (USOEC) dec. Shannon Slack (New York AC), 7-0, 3-0
Mike Ellsworth (New York AC) dec. Mark Rial (Gator WC), 1-1, 1-1, 3-1

74 kg/163 lbs.
Jake Fisher (New York AC) dec. Andy Bisek (USOEC), 5-0, 1-1, 1-1
Cheney Haight (New York AC) dec. Jess Hargrave (U.S. Army), 1-1, 1-1

84 kg/185 lbs.
Aaron Sieracki (U.S. Army) dec. Jake Plamann (USOEC), 7-0, 4-1
Brad Vering (New York AC) dec. Chas Betts (Minnesota Storm), 4-0, 1-1, 3-0

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Justin Ruiz (New York AC) dec. Ken Sogabe (Japan), 9-0, 5-0
Adam Wheeler (Gator WC) dec. Robby Smith (New York AC), 5-0, 4-0

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Vladimir Guralski (Israel) pin Jacob Marquardt (USOEC), 0:31
Russ Davie (New York AC) tech. fall Dmitri Smolyakov (New York AC), 7-0, 6-0

Men’s freestyle semifinal pairings

55 kg/121 lbs.
Vic Moreno (Advanced) dec. Adam Smith (New York AC), 1-0, 1-0
Takeshi Sugitani (Japan) dec. Djamel Otarsultanov (Russia), 1-1, 1-6, 3-1

60 kg/132 lbs.
Seshito Shimizu (Japan) dec. Danny Felix (Sunkist Kids), 2-0, 1-0, 3-0
Travis Lee (New York AC) dec. Zach Roberson (Sunkist Kids), 2-3, 1-0, 1-0

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Jared Frayer (Gator WC) dec. Zack Esposito (Gator WC), 3-0, 3-3
Jared Lawrence (Minnesota Storm) dec. Phillip Simpson (U.S. Army), 4-1, 4-0

74 kg/163 lbs.
Muzaffar Abdurachmanov (DC) dec. Scott Owen (New York AC), 4-0, 2-1
Denis Tsargush (Russia) dec. Ramico Blackmon (New York AC), 1-0, 1-0

84 kg/185 lbs.
Andy Hrovat (New York AC) tech. fall Tony Gansen (Sunkist Kids), 6-0, 8-2
Clint Wattenberg (New York AC) dec..Evguni Kolomets (Russia), 0-6, 1-0, 2-1

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Damion Hahn (New York AC) dec. Kyle Cerminara (New York AC), 3-0, 2-0
Mo Lawal (Gator WC) dec. David Rechul (New York AC), 3-0, 1-0

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Michael Irving (Gator WC) dec. Yoichi Akiba (Japan), 4-2, 3-0
Tommy Rowlands (Sunkist Kids) dec. Jaimie Cox (Guelph), 6-4, 4-0