Only Four Members From 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Claim Titles at 2005 World Team Trials
By Andrew Hipps “Staff Writer
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AMES – The World Team Trials culminated on Sunday night at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa, with 21 of the nation’s finest wrestlers (freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women’s) earning a spot on the U.S. World Team and the chance to compete in the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary from September 26-Oct. 2.
Only four members from the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team claimed titles at the World Team Trials. Those wrestlers were Brad Vering (NYAC), Daniel Cormier (Gator WC), Joe Williams (Sunkist Kids), and Sara McMann (Sunkist Kids).
Vering, who has twice placed fifth at the World Championships, defeated U.S. Marines star Jake Clark in the Championship Series finals in Greco-Roman at 84 kg in two straight matches
“I’m real hungry, “said Vering. “It has been a tough year with the rules changing all the time. It has been tougher mentally than physically. I felt like I came into my own after the Olympics last year. I won the World Cup and had some success with the rule changes this year. Now I have four months to get used to these and hopefully that’s enough time to bring home a medal from Budapest. ”
Cormier dominated surprise finalist Nick Preston (Sunkist Kids) in two consecutive matches, both shutouts, at 96 kg in freestyle.
“I just want to wrestle as well as I can, “said Cormier. “I don’t think that I’ve wrestled as well as I can at the World Championships yet, so hopefully this year I can finally put it together and have a good tournament all the way around. ”
Williams, who placed fifth at the 2004 Olympic Games, swept Challenge Tournament champion Kirk White (Bronco WC) in the finals at 74 kg in freestyle. McMann came back from nearly a year layoff to win two straight matches over Alaina Berube (New York AC) at 63 kg.
Sammie Henson, a 2000 Olympic silver medalist and a 1998 World champion, soundly defeated veteran Eric Akin (Cyclone WC) in two straight matches in the finals at 55 kg in freestyle. Henson and Akin, both 34 years old, have forged a rivalry that dates all the way back to their youth wrestling days. It’s a rivalry built on mutual respect.
“I just told (Akin) that I love him, “said Henson. “He said I was an animal. And I said that I love him. If I didn’t win, I wanted him to win. He’s my buddy. I’ll go have a beer with him afterwards. He’s a guy I really look up to. ”
Michael Lightner (Sunkist Kids) might be the biggest surprise member of this year’s U.S. World Team. The former NCAA champion for the University of Oklahoma has battled numerous knee injuries throughout his career. He entered the U.S. Nationals in April seeded eighth, but shocked the wrestling world by knocking off Olympic silver medalist Stephen Abas en route to winning the title. On Sunday, Lightner defeated collegiate star Nate Gallick (Sunkist Kids) in two straight matches in the Championship Series finals in freestyle at 60 kg.
“I have a lot of respect for (Gallick), “said Lightner. “To fight the way he does, he’s tough as heck. He’s definitely not a guy you look forward to wrestling because he doesn’t making it easy for you. ”
Lightner, who trains in Norman, Oklahoma, has a newfound love for the sport of wrestling.
“When I tore my ACL last year, before the U.S. Open, my first goal was just to get back on the mat, “said Lightner. “Once I got back on the mat, I just see wrestling from a difference perspective. I’ve done it my whole life, and didn’t get to do it for six months. Once I got to do it again, I fell in love with it again. ”
Chris Bono (Sunkist Kids), a former NCAA champion for Iowa State University and now an assistant coach at his alma mater, defeated Challenge Tournament champion Jared Lawrence (Minnesota Storm) in two consecutive matches in freestyle at 66 kg to qualify for his third U.S. World Team. The fact that the tournament was held in his home arena made it all the more meaningful.
“It doesn’t get any better than this for me, “said Bono. “I’ve put a lot of hard work into this. To do it here in front of my family, my fans, my boosters, it’s indescribable. I’ve got a bunch of family here. For the last 26 years, all they’ve done is support me, win, lose, or draw. ”
At 120 kg in freestyle, Tolly Thompson (Sunkist Kids) qualified for his first U.S. World Team by defeating Steve Mocco (Gator WC) two matches to zero.
“I was born in Ames, Iowa, so what better place for me to come back and make my first World Team, “said Thompson, who now serves as an assistant coach for the University of Northern Iowa.
T.C. Dantzler (NYAC), an eight-time U.S. Nationals place winner, bounced back from a disappointing third place finish at the U.S. Nationals in April to defeat Darryl Christian (NYAC) in two straight matches and qualify for his second U.S. World Team in Greco-Roman at 74 kg.
“First off, for making the World Team, I want to thank FILA, “said Dantzler, referring to the recent rule changes made by the international wrestling federation. “Those guys really know what they’re doing. The new rules really fit my style. ”
Justin Ruiz (NYAC), a two-time U.S. Nationals champion, qualified for his first U.S. World Team at 96 kg in Greco-Roman, after finishing runner-up at the last three World and Olympic Trials. In the finals, Ruiz blanked Adam Wheeler (Gator WC), a young, rising star in the USOEC program, in two straight matches.
“It feels great, “said Ruiz. “Last year I got really close to making the Olympic Team, but it didn’t work out. This year I’ve been working hard, getting a lot of matches overseas, and preparing with the World Championships in mind. This is just a step on the way to the World Championships and doing the best I can there. ”
In women’s competition, Katie Downing (Sunkist Kids) dethroned U.S.all-time great Kristi Marano (New York AC), a seven-time World medalist and two-time World champion, in the finals at 67 kg. Downing pinned Marano in the first match, and then scored a 4-0, 1-0 shutout to claim the title, avenging a loss at the U.S. Nationals in April.
“I just want to win, “said Downing. “It doesn’t matter whoever it is that I’ve got to beat to go to Worlds, that’s my goal. I’ve been working towards the same goal. The motivations have been the same this whole time. ”
Sunday’s Championship Series Finals Results:
Freestyle:
55 kg:
Sammie Henson (Sunkist Kids) over Eric Akin (Cyclone WC)
Match 1: Henson over Akin 1-0, 6-0.
Match 2: Henson over Akin 4-0, 4-1.
Henson wins series 2-0.
60 kg:
Michael Lightner (Sunkist Kids) def. Nate Gallick (Sunkist Kids)
Match 1: Lightner over Gallick 1-0, 1-0 (OT)
Match 2: Lightner over Gallick 1-0, 2-2, 2-2
Lightner wins series 2-0.
66 kg:
Chris Bono (Sunkist Kids) over Jared Lawrence (Minnesota Storm)
Match 1: Bono over Lawrence 2-0, 0-2, 2-0 (OT)
Match 2: Bono over Lawrence 3-0, 3-2.
Bono wins series 2-0.
74 kg:
Joe Williams (Sunkist Kids) over Kirk White (Bronco WC)
Match 1: Williams over White 2-0, 1-0.
Match 2: Williams over. White 1-0, 4-0.
Williams wins series 2-0.
84 kg:
Mo Lawal (Gator WC) over Lee Fullhart (Gator WC)
Match 1: Lawal over Fullhart 0-2, 1-1, 1-0.
Match 2: Lawal over Fullhart 3-0, 5-0.
Lawal wins series 2-0.
96 kg:
Daniel Cormier (Gator WC) over Nick Preston (Sunkist Kids)
Match 1: Cormier over Preston 6-0, 4-0.
Match 2: Cormier over Preston 2-0, 6-0.
Cormier wins series 2-0.
120 kg:
Tolly Thompson (Sunkist Kids) over Steve Mocco (NYAC)
Match 1: Thompson over Mocco 2-0, 1-0.
Match 2: Thompson over Mocco 0-3, 1-0, 2-0.
Thompson wins series 2-0.
Greco-Roman:
55 kg:
Lindsey Durlacher (NYAC) over Sam Hazewinkel (Gator WC)
Match 1: Hazewinkel over Durlacher 2-1, 3-1.
Match 2: Durlacher over Hazewinkel 3-0, 6-0.
Match 3: Durlacher over Hazewinkel 5-1, 3-0.
Durlacher wins series 2-1.
60 kg:
Joe Warren (NYAC) over James Johnson (U.S. Army)
Match 1: Warren over Johnson 1-1, 4-3, 5-1.
Match 2: Warren over Johnson 3-0, 2-1.
Warren wins series 2-0.
66 kg:
Harry Lester (Gator WC) vs. Glenn Garrison (U.S. Army)
Match 1: Garrison over Lester 5-3, 5-1.
Match 2: Lester over Garrison 2-0, 1-2, 2-1.
Match 3: Lester over Garrison 2-1, 2-0.
Lester wins series 2-1.
74 kg:
T.C. Dantzler (NYAC) def. Darryl Christian (NYAC)
Match 1: Dantzler over Christian 1:38 fall.
Match 2: Dantzler over Christian 4-0, 1-3, 4-3.
Dantzler wins series 2-0.
84 kg:
Brad Vering (NYAC) over Jake Clark (U.S. Marines)
Match 1: Vering over Clark 1-1, 1-1, 2-1.
Match 2: Vering over Clark 3-0, 1-1.
Vering wins series 2-0.
96 kg:
Justin Ruiz (NYAC) over Adam Wheeler (Gator WC)
Match 1: Ruiz over Wheeler 5-0, 6-0.
Match 2: Ruiz over Wheeler 3-0, 3-0.
120 kg:
Dremiel Byers (U.S. Army) over Russ Davie (NYAC)
Match 1: Byers over Davie 5-0, 2-1.
Match 2: Byers over Davie 4-0, 3-0.
Byers wins series 2-0.
Women’s
48 kg:
Jenny Wong (Sunkist Kids) over Sara Fulp-Allen (Menlo College)
Match 1: Wong over Fulp-Allen 0-1, 1-0, 1-0.
Match 2: Wong over Fulp-Allen 1-0, 0-2, 3-0.
Wong wins series 2-0.
51 kg:
Stephanie Murata (Sunkist Kids) over Mary Kelly (Dave Schultz WC)
Match 1: Murata over Kelly 3-0, 3-1.
Match 2: Murata over Kelly 1-0, 5-2.
Murata wins series 2-0.
55 kg:
Marcie Van Dusen (Sunkist Kids) over Chelynne Pringle (Minnesota Storm)
Match 1: Van Dusen over Pringle 2-2, 1-0.
Match 2: Van Dusen over Pringle 5-0, 2-0.
Van Dusen wins series 2-0.
59 kg:
Sally Roberts (Gator WC) over Tela O’Donnell (Sunkist Kids)
Match 1: Roberts over O’Donnell 5-3, 4-1.
Match 2: Roberts over O’Donnell 0-4, 5-0, 2-0 (OT).
Roberts wins series 2-0.
63 kg:
Sara McMann (Sunkist Kids) over Alaina Berube (NYAC)
Match 1: McMann over Berube 6-0, 0-1, 4-3.
Match 2: McMann over 2-1, 2-4, 4-2.
McMann wins series 2-0.
67 kg:
Katie Downing (Sunkist Kids) def. Kristie Marano (NYAC)
Match 1: Downing over Marano :30 fall.
Match 2: Downing over Marano 4-0, 1-0.
Downing wins series 2-0.
72 kg:
Iris Smith (U.S. Army) over Ali Bernard (University of Regina)
Match 1: Smith over Bernard 2-0, 2-3, 6-0.
Match 2: Smith over Bernard 2-0, 3-0.
Smith wins series 2-0.
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