Army wins 15th straight Armed Forces Greco-Roman team title, led by seven champions

Feb. 20 – BREMERTON, Wash. – The U.S. Army dominated the Armed Forces Championships, winning all three of its dual meets handily and earning seven individual champions at KITSAP Naval Base on Saturday.

The U.S. Army defeated the U.S. Marines, 27-6 in the deciding third round of the competition, as both teams entered the final dual meet undefeated. The Army also defeated the U.S. Navy, 28-1, and the U.S. Air Force, 21-5.

The U.S. Marines finished second with a 2-1 record, the U.S. Air Force was third with a 1-2 record and the U.S. Navy was fourth with an 0-3 record.

“This is one of the smallest, but toughest tournaments in the world. It is always really, in essence, about pride and service. We have 15 in a row. We take this very seriously. The Marines, Air Force and Navy come here to fight. There is a lot of pride that is shown with this,” said U.S. Army coach Bruce Robinson.

Seven of the eight U.S. Army wrestlers won individual gold medals, based upon their results in their weight class:.SGT Jermaine Hodge (59 kg/130 lbs), PFC Michael Hooker (66 kg/145.5 lbs.), SGT Justin Lester (75 kg/165 lbs. ), SGT Timothy Bleau (80 kg/176 lbs.), SGT Courtney Myers (85 kg/187 lbs.), SGT Caylor Williams (98 kg/215 lbs.) and SPC Matthew Lamb (130 kg/286 lbs.). All of the Army champions were an unbeaten 3-0 in their weight classes, except Myers, who was 2-1 but won the gold on tiebreakers.

The only other individual champion was Capt Bryce Saddoris of the Marines, who went 3-1 at 71 kg/156 lbs. Of the individual champions, Lester, Williams and Saddoris were all teammates on the 2015 U.S. Greco-Roman World Team which competed at the World Championships in Las Vegas in September. Lester is a two-time World bronze medalist and a 2012 Olympian.

“It is super special to be here. I think everyone who is here can totally understand it. It is a friendly competition between the services, but at the end of the day, we all know we are on the same team. As far as today, I felt really good. I am really getting back into it. I just came back from Hungary and Croatia and those camps and then going right into this. I am feeling really well,” said Saddoris.

Hooker, Saddoris, Lester and Williams repeated as Armed Forces champions from last year.

“I think I wrestled well today. I think everyone here wrestled well. We have the Navy, Marine Corps, the Air Force and we have the Army. It is an outstanding showing from all the different Armed Forces. Seeing these guys really makes me happy,” said Williams.

This event is part of the #Road2IowaCity Trials Qualifiers series. The champions in the Greco-Roman division qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, which will be held at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa, April 9-10. Of the eight champions, six had already qualified. Therefore, there were only two new qualifiers for the Olympic Trials were Hooker and Bleau.

There was one women’s Greco-Roman match, as two-time World bronze medalist SGT Sally Roberts of the Army scored on multiple gut wrenches to earn an 8-0 technical fall over OS3 Abril Ramirez of the Navy.

The Armed Forces Championships conclude on Sunday with the freestyle competition, with sessions at 10:00 a.m., approx. 11:30 p.m. and at 1:00 p.m.

The Armed Forces Championships are being streamed live on TheMat.com, and on USA Wrestling’s YouTube Channel.

ARMED FORCES GRECO-ROMAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
At KITSAP Naval Base, Bremerton, Wash., February 20

TEAM STANDINGS
1. U.S. Army, 3-0 record
2. U.S. Marines, 2-1 record
3. U.S. Air Force, 1-2 record
4. U.S. Navy, 0-3 record.

ROUND ONE

U.S. Army 28, U.S. Navy 1
Greco-Roman
59 kg/130 lbs.– SGT Jermaine Hodge (Army) tech. fall FN Ryan Schmehr (Navy), 8-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – PFC Michael Hooker (Army) pin AE2 Whit Dawkins (Navy), 2:41
71 kg/156 lbs. – SGT Jamel Johnson dec. MA2 Bobby Yamashita (Navy), 4-2
75 kg/165 lbs. – SGT Justin Lester (Army) tech. fall IC3 Craig Austin (Navy), 12-2
80 kg/176 lbs. – SGT Timothy Bleau (Army) tech. fall ND2 David Close (Navy), 8-0
85 kg/187 lbs. – SGT Courtney Myers (Army) dec. MM3 James Souza (Navy), 4-2
98 kg/215 lbs. – SGT Caylor Williams (Army) tech. fall AEAN Joseph Blaes (Navy), 9-0
130 kg/286 lbs. – SPC Matthew Lamb (Army) tech. fall OS2 Zachariah Manning (Navy), 8-0

U.S. Marine Corps 23, U.S. Air Force 9
59 kg/130 lbs.– 1stLt Aaron Kalil (Marines) tech. fall SSgt Randy Duncan (Air Force), 12-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs. –SrA Thomas Domerese (Air Force) dec. LCPL Joshua Russo (Marines), 9-0
71 kg/156 lbs. – Capt Bryce Saddoris (Marines) dec. 1Lt Brandon Mueller (Air Force), 6-1
75 kg/165 lbs. – 1stLt Robby Neill (Marines) dec. 1Lt Gabrian Martinez (Air Force), 3-0
80 kg/176 lbs. - MSgt Sherwin Severin (Air Force) dec. 1stLt Michael Brant (Marines), 6-5
85 kg/187 lbs. – Sgt John Stefanowicz (Marines) tech. fall. SrA Brandon Johnson (Air Force), 8-0
98 kg/215 lbs. – 1stLt Daniel Miller (Marines) pin Sgt Jeffrey Zastrow (Air Force), 1:00
130 kg/286 lbs. – LCPL Eric Fader (Marines) dec. SrA Jorge Hernandez (Air Force), 5-1

ROUND TWO

U.S. Army 21, Air Force 5
59 kg/130 lbs.– SGT Jermaine Hodge (Army) tech. fall SSgt Randy Duncan (Air Force), 8-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – PFC Michael Hooker (Army) dec. SrA Thomas Domerese (Air Force), 4-0
71 kg/156 lbs. – SGT Jamel Johnson (Army) dec. 1Lt Brandon Mueller (Air Force), 1-0
75 kg/165 lbs. – SGT Justin Lester (Army) tech. fall 1Lt Gabrian Martinez (Air Force), 13-4
80 kg/176 lbs. – SGT Timothy Bleau (Army) dec. MSgt Sherwin Severin (Air Force), 2-1
85 kg/187 lbs. – SrA Brandon Johnson (Air Force) tech. fall SGT Courtney Myers (Army), 8-0
98 kg/215 lbs. – SGT Caylor Williams (Army) tech. fall Sgt Jeffrey Zastrow (Air Force), 10-0
130 kg/286 lbs. – SPC Matthew Lamb (Army) tech. fall SrA Jorge Hernandez (Air Force), 8-0

U.S. Marine Corps 25, Navy 9
59 kg/130 lbs..– 1stLt Aaron Kalil (Marines) tech. fall FN Ryan Schmehr (Navy), 10-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – LCPL Joshua Russo (Marines) tech. fall AE2 Whit Dawkins (Navy), 12-2
71 kg/156 lbs. – Capt Bryce Saddoris (Marines) tech. fall MA2 Bobby Yamashita (Navy), 8-0
75 kg/165 lbs. – 1stLt Robby Neill (Marines) tech. fall IC3 Craig Austin (Navy), 8-0
80 kg/176 lbs. - 1stLt Michael Brant (Marines) tech. fall ND2 David Close (Navy), 8-0
85 kg/187 lbs. – MM3 James Souza (Navy) tech. fall Sgt John Stefanowicz (Marines), 11-2
98 kg/215 lbs. – 1stLt Daniel Miller (Marines) tech. fall AEAN Joseph Blaes (Navy), 8-0
130 kg/286 lbs. – OS2 Zachariah Manning (Navy) tech. fall LCPL Eric Fader (Marines), 8-0

ROUND THREE

U.S. Army 27, U.S. Marines 6
59 kg/130 lbs.– SGT Jermaine Hodge (Army) tech. fall 1stLt Aaron Kalil (Marines), 8-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – PFC Michael Hooker (Army) tech. fall LCPL Joshua Russo (Marines), 8-0
71 kg/156 lbs. – Capt Bryce Saddoris (Marines) tech. fall SGT Jamel Johnson (Army), 8-0
75 kg/165 lbs. – SGT Justin Lester (Army) tech. fall 1stLt Robby Neill (Marines), 9-0
80 kg/176 lbs. – SGT Timothy Bleau (Army) dec. 1stLt Michael Brant (Marines), 12-3
85 kg/187 lbs. – SGT Courtney Myers (Army) dec. Sgt John Stefanowicz (Marines), 3-1
98 kg/215 lbs. – SGT Caylor Williams (Army) tech. fall 1stLt Daniel Miller (Marines), 8-0
130 kg/286 lbs. – SPC Matthew Lamb (Army) tech. fall LCPL Eric Fader (Marines), 8-0

Air Force 22, Navy 14
59 kg/130 lbs.– FN Ryan Schmehr (Navy) tech. fall SSgt Randy Duncan (Air Force), 10-1
66 kg/145.5 lbs. –SrA Thomas Domerese (Air Force) tech. fall AE2 Whit Dawkins (Navy), 10-2
71 kg/156 lbs. –MA2 Bobby Yamashita (Navy) dec. 1Lt Brandon Mueller (Air Force), 6-1
75 kg/165 lbs. –1Lt Gabrian Martinez (Air Force) tech. fall IC3 Craig Austin (Navy), 8-0
80 kg/176 lbs. - MSgt Sherwin Severin (Air Force) tech. fall ND2 David Close (Navy), 8-0
85 kg/187 lbs. – MM3 James Souza (Navy) tech. fall SrA Brandon Johnson (Air Force), 14-4
98 kg/215 lbs. – Sgt Jeffrey Zastrow (Air Force) dec. AEAN Joseph Blaes (Navy), 17-11
130 kg/286 lbs. – SrA Jorge Hernandez (Air Force) tech. fall OS2 Zachariah Manning (Navy), 15-4

INDIVIDUAL GRECO-ROMAN MEDALISTS

59 kg/130 lbs.
Gold – SGT Jermaine Hodge (Army)
Silver - 1stLt Aaron Kalil (Marines), 8-0

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold - PFC Michael Hooker (Army)
Silver - SrA Thomas Domerese (Air Force)

71 kg/156 lbs.
Gold – Capt Bryce Saddoris (Marines)
Silver - SGT Jamel Johnson (Army), 8-0

75 kg/165 lbs.
Gold – SGT Justin Lester (Army)
Silver - 1stLt Robby Neill (Marines), 9-0

80 kg/176 lbs.
Gold– SGT Timothy Bleau (Army)
Silver – MSgt Sherwin Severin (Air Force)

85 kg/187 lbs.
Gold – SGT Courtney Myers (Army)
Silver - MM3 James Souza (Navy)

98 kg/215 lbs.
Gold – SGT Caylor Williams (Army)
Silver – 1stLt Daniel Miller (USMC)

130 kg/286 lbs.
Gold – SPC Matthew Lamb (Army)
Silver - SrA Jorge Hernandez (Air Force)

WOMEN’S GRECO-ROMAN

63 kg/138.75 lbs – SGT Sally Roberts (Army) tech. fall OS3 Abril Ramirez (Navy), 8-0

63 kg/138.75 lbs
Gold - SGT Sally Roberts (Army)
Silver - Abril Ramirez (Navy)