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News | Feb. 25, 2023

U.S. Army Beats U.S. Navy, 37-7, to Win Armed Forces Greco-Roman Championships

By Mr. Gary Abbott - USA Wrestling U.S. Armed Forces Sports

The U.S. Army dominated the opposition to win the team title at the Armed Forces Greco-Roman Championships at Naval Base Kitsap.

The U.S. Army finished with a 2-0 record for the day, completing the victory in session three with a 37-7 victory over the U.S. Navy in the championship dual meet. Earlier in the day, the U.S. Army also defeated the U.S. Air Force, 42-1.

In the final dual against the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Army won nine of 10 matches, with six technical falls, one pin, one decision and a forfeit. The pin came at 67 kg, where 2016 Olympian SPC Jesse Thielke put away Leandro Rodriguez-Rodriguez in 43 seconds.

Technical falls for the Army in the dual meet came from SGT Leslie Fuenffinger (60 kg), SPC Dalton Roberts (63 kg), SPC Alejandro Sancho (72 kg), CPT Michael Hooker (77 kg), SPC Britton Holmes (82 kg) and CPT Samson Imonode (97 kg).

The closest match in the dual meet came at 87 kg, where SPC Spencer Woods of the Army edged PO2 Austin Craig of the Navy, 11-8. Craig scored the first two points of the match, and was able to hit a few big throws, while Woods was consistent in his scoring and able to emerge with the victory.

In the last match of the dual meet, 1stLt Courtney Freeman, a U.S. Marine Corps athlete competing on the U.S. Navy team pinned PFC James Hustoles of U.S. Army, 1:03.

The U.S. Navy finished second with a 1-1 record, with the U.S. Air Force third with an 0-2 record. In the first dual meet of the day, the U.S. Navy beat the U.S. Air Force, 21-17.

Individual medals were awarded at each weight class. The U.S. Army claimed nine of the 10 gold medals, with the only other gold medal going to Navy team member Freeman at 130 kg.

This was the first Armed Forces Championships since 2020, with the last two years cancelled due to the pandemic. The U.S. Marines, which won the Greco-Roman event in 2020, did not enter a team this year, although two Marines were on the U.S. Navy team. There were also personnel from the U.S. Coast Guard on the U.S. Navy team and the U.S. Space Force who wrestled on U.S. Air Force team, providing representation from six branches of the U.S. military.

ARMED FORCES GRECO-ROMAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Kitsap Naval Base, Bremerton, Waah., Feb. 25

Team Standings
1. U.S. Army, 2-0 record
2. U.S. Navy, 1-1 record
3. U.S. Air Force, 0-2 record

SESSION THREE

U.S. Army 37, U.S. Navy 7
55kg/121.2 lbs. – SPC Jacob Coachran (U.S. Army) won by forfeit
60kg/132.2 lbs. – SGT Leslie Fuenffinger (U.S. Army) tech. fall PO3 Colton Davis (U.S. Navy), 9-0
63kg/138.8 lbs. – SPC Dalton Roberts (U.S. Army) tech. fall PO3 Sheldon Ealy (U.S. Navy), 8-0
67kg/147.7 lbs. – SPC Jesse Thielke (U.S. Army) pin PO3 Leandro Rodriguez-Rodriguez (U.S. Navy), 0:43
72kg/158.7 lbs. – SPC Alejandro Sancho (U.S. Army) tech fall Capt. Colton Rasche (U.S. Navy team/USMC), 11-2
77kg/169.7 lbs. – CPT Michael Hooker (U.S. Army) tech. fall PO2 Timothy Worthen (U.S. Navy team/USCG), 8-0
82kg/180.7 lbs. – SPC Britton Holmes (U.S. Army) tech. fall PO3 Anthony Edson (U.S. Navy), 9-0
87kg/191.8 lbs. – SPC Spencer Woods (U.S. Army) dec. PO2 Austin Craig (U.S. Navy), 11-8
97kg/213.8 lbs. – CPT Samson Imonode (U.S. Army) tech. fall PO1 Shaun Heist (U.S. Navy), 9-0
130kg/286.6 lbs. –1stLt Courtney Freeman (U.S. Navy team/USMC) pin PFC James Hustoles (U.S. Army), 1:03

SESSION TWO

U.S. Army 42, U.S Air Force 1
55kg/121.2 lbs. – SPC Jacob Coachran (U.S. Army) won by forfeit
60kg/132.2 lbs. – SGT Leslie Fuenffinger (U.S. Army) tech. fall AIC Mitch Brown (U.S. Air Force), 9-0
63kg/138.8 lbs. – SPC Dalton Roberts (U.S. Army) tech. fall 2LT Sidney Flores (U.S. Air Force),10-1
67kg/147.7 lbs. – SPC Jesse Thielke (U.S. Army) tech. fall TSgt Evan Rudisill (U.S. Air Force), 9-0
72kg/158.7 lbs. – SPC Alejandro Sancho (U.S. Army) tech. fall A1C Brenner Vogan (U.S. Air Force), 10-0
77kg/169.7 lbs. – CPT Michael Hooker (U.S. Army) tech. fall 2Lt Alex Saylor (U.S. Air Force),10-0
82kg/180.7 lbs. – SPC Britton Holmes (U.S. Army) tech. fall A1C Sam Adams (U.S. Air Force), 9-0
87kg/191.8 lbs. – SPC Spencer Woods (U.S. Army) tech fall SrA Angel Romo (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), 11-0
130kg/286.6 lbs. – PFC James Hustoles (U.S. Army) pin MSgt Donald Degarmo (U.S. Air Force)

SESSION ONE

U.S. Navy 21, U.S. Air Force 17
60kg/132.2 lbs. –AIC Mitch Brown (U.S. Air Force) tech. fall PO3 Colton Davis (U.S. Navy), 10-0
63kg/138.8 lbs. – 2LT Sidney Flores (U.S. Air Force) tech. fall PO3 Sheldon Ealy (U.S. Navy), 9-0
67kg/147.7 lbs. – PO3 Leandro Rodriguez-Rodriguez (U.S. Navy) tech. fall TSgt Evan Rudisill (U.S. Air Force), 8-4
72kg/158.7 lbs. – A1C Brenner Vogan (U.S. Air Force) tech. fall Capt. Colton Rasche (U.S. Navy team/USMC), 8-0
77kg/169.7 lbs. – PO2 Timothy Worthen (U.S. Navy team/USCG) dec. 2Lt Alex Saylor (U.S. Air Force), 5-5
82kg/180.7 lbs. – A1C Sam Adams (U.S. Air Force) tech fall PO3 Anthony Edson (U.S. Navy), 13-5
87kg/191.8 lbs. – PO2 Austin Craig (U.S. Navy) tech. fall SrA Angel Romo (U.S. Air Force), 9-0
97kg/213.8 lbs. – PO1 Shaun Heist (U.S. Navy) pin SrA Eric Santos (U.S. Air Force), 1:17
130kg/286.6 lbs. – 1stLt Courtney Freeman (U.S. Navy team/USMC) tech. fall MSgt Donald Degarmo (U.S. Air Force), 8-0.

Individual Greco-Roman Medals

55kg/121.2 lbs.
Gold Medal - SPC Jacob Coachran (U.S. Army)

60kg/132.2 lbs.
Gold Medal – SGT Leslie Fuenffinger (U.S. Army)
Silver Medal - AIC Mitch Brown (U.S. Air Force)

63kg/138.8 lbs.
Gold Medal – SPC Dalton Roberts (U.S. Army)
Silver Medal - 2LT Sidney Flores (U.S. Air Force)

67kg/147.7 lbs.
Gold Medal – SPC Jesse Thielke (U.S. Army)
Silver Medal - PO3 Leandro Rodriguez-Rodriguez (U.S. Navy)

72kg/158.7 lbs.
Gold Medal – SPC Alejandro Sancho (U.S. Army)
Silver Medal - A1C Brenner Vogan (U.S. Air Force)

77kg/169.7 lbs.
Gold Medal – CPT Michael Hooker (U.S. Army)
Silver Medal - PO2 Timothy Worthen (U.S. Navy team/USCG)

82kg/180.7 lbs.
Gold Medal – SPC Britton Holmes (U.S. Army)
Silver Medal - A1C Sam Adams (U.S. Air Force)

87kg/191.8 lbs.
Gold Medal – SPC Spencer Woods (U.S. Army)
Silver Medal - PO2 Austin Craig (U.S. Navy)

97kg/213.8 lbs.
Gold Medal – CPT Samson Imonode (U.S. Army)
Silver Medal - PO1 Shaun Heist (U.S. Navy)

130kg/286.6 lbs.
Gold Medal - 1stLt Courtney Freeman (U.S. Navy team/USMC)
Silver Medal – PFC James Hustoles (U.S. Army)