2/5/2005 – Wrestling
Navy Wrestling Cruises To All-Academy Title
CHARLESTON, S.C. — The 21st-ranked Navy wrestling team placed all 10 wrestlers in the top three and cruised to the team title at the 11th annual All-Academy Championship on Saturday. Navy had nine wrestlers in the finals, claiming five of the individual titles for the second straight year. The team title was also Navy’s second overall and fifth in the history of the tournament. Navy outscored second-place Air Force, 126.5 to 90 for the team title. The title also gave Bruce Burnett All-Academy Coach of the Year honors.
Navy’s first individual title came at 141 pounds, when senior Nate Gulosh (Stow, Ohio) outscored Army’s Patrick Simpson in the finals, 3-0. Gulosh, now 22-6 on the season, went 3-0 in the tournament. Gulosh scored a reverse on Simpson in the second period for a 2-0 lead, then held Simpson for the entire third period to earn a point riding time for the 3-0 decision. Gulosh also recorded a major decision and a fall during his tournament run.
At 174 pounds, freshman Matt Stolpinski (Westfield, Mass.) earned his first career tournament title with a 5-3 sudden-victory decision over Air Force’s Jacob Lillich. Stolpinski scored a takedown in the overtime session with eight seconds left to claim the individual title. Stolpinski also recorded his team-leading seventh pin of the season in his tournament run, and improved to 22-12 on the season.
The biggest upset of the tournament came at 184 pounds, when third-seeded Jon Kane (Portland, Maine) earned the title virtue of a 7-5 victory over top-seeded Luke Lafever in the finals. Kane advanced to the finals with a 3-1 victory over Army’s Charles Martin in the semifinals, before topping Lefever. Kane also scored a fall in the first round. With the wins, Kane moved his record to 25-11.
At 197 pounds, Thayer Paxton (Meyersdale, Pa.) cruised to the individual title, defeating Todd Wisman of Army, 12-5. However, in the first round, Paxton recorded his 24th career fall, moving him into eighth on Navy’s career top ten pins list. Paxton improved to 24-4 with the three wins.
Lastly, at heavyweight, junior Tanner Garrett (Tulsa, Okla.) claimed the tournament title with an 8-3 decision over the Citadel’s Billy Linane. Garrett, who received a first-round bye, improved to 27-2 on the season and ran his winning streak to 14 matches. Garrett recorded a fall in the semifinal round to move to the finals.
The Mids received runner-up accolades at 125, 133, 149 and 157 pounds. At 125, Alex Usztics (Dauphin, Pa.) fell to Air Force’s Brandon Strong in the finals, on the heels of knocking off Army’s Travis Featherstone, 10-5, in the semifinals.
At 133 pounds, senior Sam Gray (Essex, Vt.) fell in sudden-death overtime to the Citadel’s Ryan Mclester, 5-3. Gray advanced to the finals with a tech fall in the first round and a fall in the semifinals. Gray’s record is now 21-9 on the season.
At 149 pounds, junior Matt Gulosh (Stow, Ohio) fell to fourth-ranked Phillip Simpson of Army in the finals. Gulosh, the third seed, advanced to the finals with a 6-3 victory over No. 2 seed in Sam Alvarenga of VMI in the semifinals.
Senior captain Pat Lukanich (LaGrange, Ill.) placed second after falling to nationally-ranked Travis Piccard of the Citadel in sudden-death overtime, 3-1. Lukanich advanced to the finals with a fall and a major-decision in the tournament.
At 165 pounds, third-seeded Craig Dziewiatkowski (Aurora, Ill.) placed third, falling to Army’s Chad Marzec, 5-4, in the semifinals. Dziewiatkowski responded by pinning Tommy Cunningham of VMI in the consolation finals.
During the tournament, Navy posted a 25-5 mark, with no wrestlers losing more than one match. Navy now has 10 wrestlers with at least 20 wins this season.
The Mids will be in action next weekend at Halsey Field House, when they host American and Delaware State on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. Navy is 9-3 in dual meets this year, having won three in a row.
TEAM SCORES:
1. Navy 126.5
2. Air Force 90
3. Army 76.5
4. The Citadel 59
5. VMI 29
6. Coast Guard 14
7. Norwich 13
8. USMMA 5.5
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:
125 — Alex Usztics – 2nd place
Tournament record: 2-1 Overall record: 15-11
133 — Sam Gray – 2nd place
Tournament record: 2-1 Overall record: 21-9
141 — Nate Gulosh – 1st place
Tournament record: 3-0 Overall record: 22-6
149 — Matt Gulosh – 2nd place
Tournament record: 2-1 Overall record: 21-9
157 — Pat Lukanich – 2nd place
Tournament record: 2-1 Overall record: 15-8
165 — Craig Dziewiatkowski – 3rd place
Tournament record: 3-1 Overall record: 24-11
174 — Matt Stolpinski – 1st place
Tournament record: 3-0 Overall record: 22-12
184 — Jon Kane – 1st place
Tournament record: 3-0 Overall record: 25-11
197 — Thayer Paxton – 1st place
Tournament record: 3-0 Overall record: 24-4
HW — Tanner Garrett – 1st place
Tournament record: 2-0 Overall record: 27-2
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