NHSCA

2000
NHSCA

National Open
Wrestling Championships

July, 2000

LESTER, KIRSPEL, BRADLEY REPEAT AS NATIONAL OPEN CHAMPIONS
Surprising Idaho snatches team title

Harry Lester (130 pounds) of Cuyahoga Falls (Ohio) Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, Matt Kirspel (152) of Livingston (N.J.), and Eric Bradley (189) of Plaistow (N.H.) Timberlane won their second titles in the 3rd annual National Open Wrestling Championships High School Division July 2-4 at the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center in Birmingham, Ala.

The tournament, sponsored by the National High School Coaches Association, attracted a record 1,023 entries in three age groups, including 642 in the High School Division. It is the only national tournament in the nation which allows high school wrestlers in all four grades, 9 through 12, to compete in scholastic competition.

Lester, a three-time Division 3 Ohio state champion, prevailed easily in the most anticipated matchup of the championship finals, scoring a 12-4 victory over Brandon Lauer of Clarksville (Md.) River Hill in a battle of three-time state champions. Lauer, unbeaten his final three years of high school, will attend West Virginia next year. He was voted one of the tournament's two Outstanding Wrestlers by the media. Sharing the OW was local favorite Alan Klinner of Vestavia (Ala.) Vestavia Hills, who blanked Christopher Reid of Downers Grove (Ill.) South 4-0 in the championship match.

Kirspel and Bradley also claimed their titles easily, Kirspel using a cradle to pin Nick Kozar of Ironwood (Pa) in just 36 seconds and Bradley, who will attend Penn State next year, scoring a technical fall at 5:46 over two-time Alabama champion Brad Holloway of Brookwood.

Also making a strong bid for Outstanding Wrestler honors was 171-pound champion Bryan Cowdin of Adrian (Minn.), who pinned all five of his opponents in a combined 11 minutes, 32 seconds, including a fall in 4:34 over defending champion Nick Hansen of Fulton (N.Y.). The other defending champion to enter the tournament, Ian Morgan of Rocklin (Calif)., moved up two weight classes from last year and finished eighth at 135.

Five states, Florida, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, and Tennessee, each crowned two individual champions. Eric Diaz (103) and Patrick Williams (145), two of three finalists from South Dade High in Homestead, were Florida's champions. Cowdin and Chad Mentel (215) of Austin won for Minnesota, Ricky LaForge (119) and Kirspel for New Jersey, James Phillips (112) of Warren Howland and Lester for Ohio, and Darren McKnight (125) of Chattanooga Red Bank and Phillip Simpson (135) of Nashville Montgomery Bell Academy for Tennessee. Simpson, one of four brothers competing in the tournament across the three age divisions, moved up to the top spot after finishing second each of the previous two years. Thad Benton (140) of Claysburg (Pa.) Claysburg-Kimmel also won a title.

Idaho stole the show from the nation's established powers in the team competition, leading all states with 11 All-Americans, six semifinalists, and three finalists. Pete Mecham (160) of Shelley was Idaho's only champion, overcoming a 8-2 first-period deficit for a 15-11 victory over Cornell-bound Justin Hagen of Chattanooga (Tenn.) McCallie in the title match. Idaho scored 214.5 points, outdistancing Ohio, which had 204. New Jersey (184.5), Florida (179.5), and Illinois (168.5) rounded out the top five.

3rd annual NHSCA National Open Wrestling Championships
At Birmingham, Ala., July 2-4

High School Division

State team scores: Idaho 214.5, Ohio 204, New Jersey 184.5, Florida 179.5, Illinois 168.5, Georgia 162, New York 147, California 134, Minnesota 143, Alabama 125, West Virginia 119.5, Maryland 118.5, Tennessee 118, Pennsylvania 103, Oklahoma 76, Wisconsin 70, Missouri 69, New Hampshire 67.5, North Carolina and Washington 54, Vermont 48, Virginia 45, Massachusetts 32, Utah 27, South Carolina 21, New Mexico 20, Louisiana 6, Kentucky 4, Colorado 3.5, Wyoming 3, Texas 1.

103 pounds
Championship: Eric Diaz, Homestead, Fla., d. Brock Zollinger, Sugar City, Idaho, 12-8.
Third place: Andy Wade, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, d. Roberto Martinez, Natomas, Calif., 0-0 TB.
Fifth place: Bobby Whitley, Anniston, Ala., d. Shawn Werberger, Carl Junction, Mo., 6-3.
Seventh place: Nick Mayhew, Cary, N.C., d. Joel Karr, Clinton, Ill., 3-0.

112 pounds
Championship: James Phillips, Warren, Ohio, p. Ashley Gandee, Ravenswood, W.Va., 2:32.
Third place: Matt Smith, Plaistow, N.H., d. Pat Barth, Morton, Ill., 7-4.
Fifth place: Derek Maple, Milan, Ohio, d. David Mahan, Midwest City, Okla., 3-0.
Seventh place: Patrick Dattalo, Randolph, N.J., d. Alexis DeArmas, Homestead, Fla., 3-1 OT.

119 pounds
Championship: Ricky LaForge, Oakland, N.J., m.d. Matt Stevens, Parkersburg, W.Va., 9-0.
Third place: Eric Morgan, Rocklin, Calif., d. Jeff Smith, Sewell, N.J., 4-0.
Fifth place: Matt Wellner, Plainfield, Ill., d. Albert Dattalo, Randolph, N.J., 6-3.
Seventh place: Chad George, Rancho Cordova, Calif., p. Kevin Spangler, Moscow, Idaho, 1:35.

125 pounds
Championship: Darren McKnight, Hixson, Tenn., d. David West, Midwest City, Okla., 11-7.
Third place: Joe Dubuque, Glen Ridge, N.J., d. Ben Parker, Preston, Idaho, 4-3.
Fifth place: Jason Watson, Mexico, Mo., forfeit Troy Forte, Pittsford, N.Y.
Seventh place: David Saadeh Elderton, Pa., d. Bob Bohaczyk, Summit, Ill., 5-3.

130 pounds
Championship: Harry Lester, Akron, Ohio, m.d. Brandon Lauer, Clarksville, Md., 12-4.
Third place: Gerry Braun, Dallas, Ga., d. Paul Stansbury, Dacula, Ga., 3-1.
Fifth place: Clint Leonard, Rathdrum, Idaho, d. Greg McCoy, North Babylon, N.Y., 3-1.
Seventh place: Ryan Green, Clarksville, Md., DEC Monterrious Adams, Vestavia, Ala., 12-5.

135 pounds
Championship: Phillip Simpson, Nashville, Tenn., d. Josh Ruff, Bainbridge, N.Y., 6-4.
Third place: Brett Smilek, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, p. Austin Scarset, Westbrook, Minn, 1:11.
Fifth place: Wayne Boward, Williamsport, Md., p. Jason Rhoten, Mantorville, Minn., 0:43.
Seventh place: Ian Morgan, Rocklin, Calif., p. Shane Tappe, Detroit Lakes, Minn., 1:17.

140 pounds
Championship: Thad Benton, Claysburg, Pa., d. Alex Hernandez, Homestead, Fla., 13-10.
Third place: Ben Lackey, Bennington, Vt., d. Craig Dziewiatkowski, Aurora, Ill., 3-1.
Fifth place: Josh Sims, Canton, Ga., d. Craig Jentz, Fennimore, Wis., 6-0.
Seventh place: Chris Seta, Cincinnati, Ohio, forfeit Kyle Shelton, Midwest City, Okla.

145 pounds
Championship: Patrick Williams, Homestead, Fla., d. Ned Shuck, Maple River, Minn., 6-3.
Third place: Devin Mesanko, Toms River, N.J., d. David Gay, Garden City, Ga., 9-4.
Fifth place: Patrick Carr, Millington, Tenn., d. Brandon Hanna, Rexburg, Idaho, 6-3.
Seventh place: Vinny DiGiovanni, Solon, Ohio, p. Jarrod Melito, Medford, N.Y., 2:57.

152 pounds
Championship: Matt Kirspel, Livingston, N.J., p. Nick Kozar, Derry, Pa., 0:36.
Third place: Nathan Pickens, Parkersburg, W.Va., m.d. Luke Wiegand, Eureka, Ill., 14-4.
Fifth place: Brandon MacEachen, Albuquerque, N.M., d. David Courtney, Richmond, Va., 7-0.
Seventh place: Ariston Bowers, Fayetteville, Ga., d. Harold Jean-Louis, Wyandanch, N.Y., 5-4.

160 pounds
Championship: Pete Mecham, Shelley, Idaho, d. Justin Hagen, Chattanooga, Tenn., 15-11.
Third place: B.J. Mikesky, Derry, Pa., d. Sean Fehn, North Babylon, N.Y., 4-3.
Fifth place: Lee Roper, Rutledge, Ga., d. Chris Marold, West Morris, N.J., 8-2.
Seventh place: Tremaine Burton, Rexburg, Idaho, forfeit Shawn Swift, Wheatley, N.Y.

171 pounds
Championship: Bryan Cowdin, Adrian, Minn., p. Nicholas Hansen, Fulton, N.Y., 4:34.
Third place: Adrian Belcarris, Oxon Hill, Md., d. Chris Ressa, Stanhope, N.J., 7-2.
Fifth place: Brad McAdams, Mantorville, Minn., d. Ricky Ties, Rochester, Minn., 4-2.
Seventh place: Christopher Daggett, Parkersburg, W.Va., d. Nicholas Mason, Harvard, Ill., 3-0.

189 pounds
Championship: Eric Bradley, Plaistow, N.H., t.f. Brad Holloway, Brookwood, Ala., 26-11 at 5:46.
Third place: Chris Smolk, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, d. John Lowery, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, 4-2.
Fifth place: Mallan Schwantes, Lancaster, Wis., forfeit Nickolai Timbs, Atlanta, Ga.
Seventh place: Jason Reyes, Vacaville, Calif., d. Brandon Bartell, East Wenatchee, Wash., 7-0.

215 pounds
Championship: Chad Mentel, Austin, Minn., d. Stacy Mello, McCall, Idaho, 7-5 OT.
Third place: Matt Engwall, Hollister, Calif., d. Matt Bishop, Dallas, Ga., 3-2.
Fifth place: Steve Krambule, Preston, Idaho, d. Nicholas Leone, Irmo, S.C., 5-0.
Seventh place: Gabe Nielsen, Arimo, Idaho, forfeit Ken Timbs, Atlanta, Ga.

275 pounds
Championship: Alan Klinner, Vestavia, Ala., d. Christopher Reid, Downers Grove, Ill., 4-0.
Third place: Todd Drage, Moscow, Idaho, p. Daniel Perez, Homestead, Fla., 0:52.
Fifth place: David Schultz, Harvard, Ill., d. Dan Stack, Longwood, Fla., 2-1.
Seventh place: Davin Joseph, Hallandale, Fla., Gary Smith, Huntsville, Ala., 3-0.

Outstanding Wrestler - Harry Lester, 130, and Alan Klinner, 275.

Middle School Division

80 pounds
Championship: Cory Cormier, OH, m.d. Aaron Anderson, WA, 17-6.
Third place: Jeffrey Weeks, VA, p. Joshua Varner, AL, 2:57.
Fifth place: Whitt Dunning, TN, d. Jimmy Fitzgerald, IL, 6-2.
Seventh place: Rocky Alling, AL, d. Aadames Garcia, FL, 5-0.

85 pounds
Championship: Micah Ferguson, CA, m.d. Jaime Lopez, CA, 11-0.
Third place: Anthony Myhre, MN, d. Keith Evans, FL, 10-6.
Fifth place: Andrew Curran, VA, p. Alfredo Conant, WA, 0:18.
Seventh place: Clinton Teeples, WA.

90 pounds
Championship: Nate Nauroth, PA, d. Cory Borges, CA, 5-0.
Third place: Josh Henderson, WY, p. John Bennett, WA, 0:40.
Fifth place: Tony Adamo, NJ, d. Louis Ruonavar, MD, 5-0.
Seventh place: Timothy Kurtz, IL, d. Michael Ryan, IL, 3-1.

95 pounds
Championship: Brandon Dick, MN, d. Michael Barrie, MN, 3-1.
Third place: Kyle Jahn, IL, m.d. Sergio Pollock, VA, 12-1.
Fifth place: John Mark Rives, AL, m.d. Brandon Summers, VA, 10-2.
Seventh place: Sean Glassel, TX, d. William Simpson, TN, 7-5 OT.

100 pounds
Championship: Kylar Ponder, MO, d. Cornell Hamilton, FL, 4-1.
Third place: Zachary Nelson, MN, d. Jeff Graveline, IL, 7-4.

105 pounds
Championship: Colt Heger, WA, d. Christopher Pruden, VT, 6-0.
Third place: Michael Cuthbertson, AL, d. Parker Stone, VA, 2-0.
Fifth place: Brian Humphrey, WV, s. Jared Garvin, WV, 3-0.
Seventh place: Brandon Scott, GA, d. Steven Emerick, MN, 2:07.

115 pounds
Championship: Steven Blunk, OH, m.d. Todd Traen, MN, 12-0.
Third place: Delrico Choates, FL, d. David Davis, OH, 3-2.
Fifth place: Edward Sawyer, NC, d. Kevin Tavares, NJ, 5-0.
Seventh place: Robert Labrake, VT, p. Tony Gross, IL, 2:27.

125 pounds
Championship: Eric Glass, AL, d. Nick Nauroth, PA, 4-2.
Third place: Ben Milius, MO, m.d. Derek Goodson, VA, 11-1.
Fifth place: Tyler Ties, MN, m.d. Joel Acosta, CA, 12-3.
Seventh place: Chris Angle, CA, d. Matthew Wells, OH, 4-2 OT.

135 pounds
Championship: Bryce Pickens, WV, d. Brad Milius, MO, 7-2.
Third place: Gary Erwin, AL, d. Nate Chambers, WI, 6-4.
Fifth place: Ryan Feller, MN, fft. Joseph Curatolo, IL.
Seventh place: Shane Proctor, WA, m.d. Chris Kieslich, MO, 9-0.

145 pounds
Championship: Seth Garvin, AL, d. Chris Lingle, MO, 6-4.
Third place: Herbert Porter, FL, d. Todd Halbakken, MN, 3-1.
Fifth place: John Salter, AL, d. Chris Jerry, WI, 7-2.
Seventh place: Tanner Orr, FL, d. Calib Ross, WA, 7-5.

155 pounds
Championship: Andrew Legg, OH, d. DeAndre Nunn, IL, 5-3 OT.
Third place: Luke Lofthouse, UT, d. Trevor Berndt, WI, 9-2.
Fifth place: Danny Gutin, NJ, d. Michael Felix, OH, 7-0.
Seventh place: Isaac Cuno, MO, m.d. Justin Roldan, NC, 16-2.

170 pounds
Cchampionship: Darrin Brown, MN, d. Bryan Hyde, FL, 4-3.
Third place: Joseph Rye, MN, d. Ben Johnson, AL, 4-0.
Fifth place: Billy Tettemer, FL, d. Scott Sewell, FL, 2-0.
Seventh place: Zach Weaver, IL, p. Cody Browning, AL, 1:39.

190 pounds
Championship: John Buck, NC, d. Garron Edginton, NC, 5-3.
Third place: Dennis Wood, VA, d. Arthur Badger, WV, 4-2.
Fifth place: Richard Mayers, AL, d. Drew Glenn, GA, 6-5.
Seventh place: Jesse Wolfe, VA.

220 pounds
Championship: Ben Deheve, AL, p. Ben Roberson, MN, 0:41.
Third place: Ricky Kinner, NC, p. Junior Beaubrun, FL, 1:53.
Fifth place: Nathan Shad, WI, p. J.T. Burkhart, AL, 2:45.
Seventh place: Brandon Bennington, FL, p. Charles Cohen, FL, 2:16.

Outstanding Wrestler - Steven Blunk, 115.

Elementary Division

65 pounds
Championship: Chase Skonieczny, OH, p. Nick Mason, CA, 0:29.
Third place: T.J. Davis, OK, d. Robert Spackman, WA, 4-2.
Fifth place: Zach Clark, AL, d. Isaac Lopez, CA, 8-5.
Seventh place: Connor McDonald, DE, p. John Simpson, TN, 2:15.

70 pounds
Championship: Maurice Fleming, MD, m.d. Mark Kamens, GA, 9-0.
Third place: Zachary Taylor, IL, d. Tucker Conklin, PA, 5-4.
Fifth place: Levi Jones, WA, m.d. Erik Spjut, TX, 9-0.
Seventh place: Ricky Anderson, VA, p. Stephen Neal, MO, 1:31.

75 pounds 
Championship: Collin Dozier, VA, d. Gabe Curry, VA, 4-2.
Third place: Vince Hannon, IL, d. Michael DiPaola, NY, 6-2.
Fifth place: Daniel Adamo, NJ, p. Jeremy Wagner, WA, 0:47.
Seventh place: Keaton Blanner, NV, m.d. Jay Adamson, GA, 10-2.

80 pounds
Championship: Jason Winckel, MO, d. Tyler Osborn, AL, 6-4.
Third place: Jesse Larrison, MN, d. Kyle Ruff, VA, 7-2.
Fifth place: Kory Bissett, PA, m.d. Tommy Little, WV, 8-0.
Seventh place: Toby Patterson, WY, p. Mike Thomas, MO, 0:42.

85 pounds 
Championship: Lance Ledesma, OK, d. Brandon Bullerman, MN, 5-2.
Third place: Timothy Long, CO, d. Anthony DiSalvo, AL, 4-1.
Fifth place: Matt Cutchineal, PA, p. David Carmichael, AL, 0:48.
Seventh place: Jacob Gosch, MN, d. Derrick Monteith, MO, 5-4.

90 pounds
Championship: Brian Scott, GA, m.d. Grant Young, OK, 8-0.
Third place: Forrest Millsap, AL, p. Devin Larsen, IL, 1:47.
Fifth place: Derek Gallagher, VA, p. Daniel West, MN, 1:41.
Seventh place: Aaron Sites, VA, p. Daniel Holbert, NC, 2:30.

95 pounds 
Champion: Luke Evjen, MN; 2nd: John-Hayden Countryman, AL; 3rd: Keefe Zelinske, MN.

100 pounds
Championship: Cody Reverts, MN, p. Jeremy Norman, GA, 1:50.
Third place: Joe Yust, MO, d. Shane Braun, MN, 4-0.
Fifth place: Henry Miller, WV, p. Kevin Ogle, AL, 1:56.

105 pounds
Championship: Josh D'Alessandro, OH, p. Paul Roehl, WI, 2:48.
Third place: Bill Farrell, PA, p. Derek Carmichael, AL, 0:59.
Fifth place: Aaron Yohn, PA, p. Daniel Grimes, IL, 0:24.
Seventh place: Stephen Morris, AL, m.d. Jacob Burkhart, AL, 9-0.

115 pounds 
Championship: Jon Millard, WA, m.d. Robbie Medrano, WA, 10-1.
Third place: Clay Heger, WA, d. Jeffrey West, OK, 4-2.
Fifth place: Adam Ramer, MN, d. Anthony Salerno, NJ, 6-2.
Seventh place: Matthew Sheppard, NC, fft. Brandon Gillespie, VA.

125 pounds
Championship: Ryan Hagan, AL, d. Travis Stem, PA, 5-4 TB.
Third place: Kevin Jones, OH, p. Nate Bolton, WI, 0:25.
Fifth place: Timothy O'Shell, AL.

135 pounds
Championship: Patrick Barrett, MN, fft. Shannon Sherwood, VT.
Third place: Jeffrey Yohn, PA, d. Kevin Miller, WV, 7-3.

155 pounds
Champion: Shane Lohman, MN; 2nd: Stan Galbraith, AL; 3rd: Rusty Dayton, NC.

Outstanding Wrestler - Chase Skonieczny, 65.