Armed Forces Wrestling Tournament

04/16/2003
By A1C Alana L. Nicolai

More than 50 of the best wrestlers in the military were in Mountain Home, Idaho Saturday and Sunday for the Armed Forces Wrestling Tournament.

The Armed Forces Wrestling Tournament began with opening ceremonies Saturday morning at 9 a.m with wrestling beginning at 10 a.m.

Each of the teams wrestled each other in Greco-Roman style competition on the first day.Greco-Roman is an Olympic style of wrestling in which the competitors can't use their legs in order to get a fall, nor can a wrestler hold an opponent below the waist.

"These guys are an elite group. Every single one of them had to do a lot to get here; it's a constant drive," said Rockey Isley, a spectator.

Saturday the Army had three first place wins. Ssg. Glenn Nieradka in the 60Kg weight class, Sgt. Keith Sieracki in the 74Kg weight class and Sgt. Dremiel Byers in the 120Kg weight class, Sgt Byers is currently ranked as the number one wrestler in the world. The Marine Corps walked away with two wins. SSgt. Duaine Martin won in the 55Kg weight class and Sgt. Deon Hicks won in the 96Kg weight class.

"In the first round there are a lot of nerves, now the guys have settled down. It's good to get the first match over with," said CWO3 Michael Mann, the officer in charge (OIC) for the Marine Corps team.

The Air Force had two wins Saturday. SSgt. Steve Woods won in the 66Kg weight class and SrA Aaron Sieracki won in the 84Kg weight class.

"I was disappointed in my first match but as a whole I think this is the best team we have had on the mat in years," said Sgt. Keith Sieracki, an Army wrestler with the WCAP stationed in Colorado Springs, Co.

Sunday, the last day of competition, the athletes wrestled freestyle. Freestyle wrestling under international rule says any fair hold, trip or throw is permitted. Unlike in Greco-Roman wrestling, wrestlers are allowed to use their legs to take an opponent down.

The wrestlers can participate in both styles if they choose to do so, however most teams have two sets of wrestlers one for Greco-Roman and one for Freestyle.

On the last day of the tournament the Army dominated the competition by walking away with six first place wins. 1st Lt. Eric Albaricin won in the 55 Kg weight class, Sgt. Jason Kutz won in the 60Kg weight class, Spc. Oscar Wood won in the 66Kg weight class. Spc. Max Shingara won in the 74Kg weight class, Spc. Franklin Lashley won in the 96Kg weight class and 2nd Lt. Dominique Black won in the 120Kg weight class. The only first place win that the army did not get on Sunday was in the 84Kg weight class. LCpl. Jacob Clark of the Marine Corps won that first place spot.

Over all, the Army took first place in the competition, the Marines took second place, the Navy took third place and the Air Force came in fourth.
Many of the wrestlers on the teams have been wrestling for more than 15 years and have been with the wrestling program in their branch of the service for more than 5 years.

"My brother and I have been wrestling for over 20 years. When we started we discovered we were good at it. We have been everywhere thanks to wrestling," said Aaron Sieracki, an Air Force wrestler in the WCAP.

Keith Sieracki, Sieracki's brother, is in the WCAP and wrestles for the Army.
Many of the wrestlers are ranked among the best wrestlers in the nation or world, based on their weight class.

One of the highlight matches was between Sgt. Dremiel Byers, Army, and SrA Corey Farkas. Sgt Byers is the number one wrestler in the world and SrA Farkas is ranked number two nationally. Sgt. Byers won by pinning SrA Farkas.

The first-place wrestlers have a choice of their next competition, either the World Military Championship in Istanbul, Turkey or the Pan Am Tournament, an Olympic qualifying event.

"We are all focused on the task at hand and we have a mission to complete but our thoughts and prayers are with the troops over seas," said SSgt. Shon Lewis, head coach for the Army team, stationed in Colorado Springs, Co.

Greco-Roman Winners

55Kg
1 SSgt. Duaine Martin-Marines
2 Lt. Neal Rodak- Navy
3 *Sgt. Michel Santos-Army
4 SrA. Jay Field-Air Force

60Kg
1 Sgt Glenn Nieradka- Army
2 IT 1 Mark Gaskill- Navy
3 LCpl. Jesse Clark-Marines
4 A1C Jared Moreland-Air Force

66Kg
1 SrA. Steve Woods-Air Force
2 Spc. Oscar Wood-Army
3 LCpl. Carson Brenard-Marines
4 DCFA. Anthony Doerr-Navy

74Kg
1 Sgt. Keith Sieracki-Army
2 Sgt. Robert Mckenney-Marines
3 An. Nicholas Flach-Navy
4 1st Lt. Royce Johnson

84Kg
1 SrA. Aaron Sieracki-Air Force
2 LCpl. Jacob Clark-Marines
3 Sgt. Kenneth Owens-Army
4 EM3 Christopher Cologgi-Navy

96Kg
1 Sgt. Deon Hicks-Marines
2 BM3 Adam Wheeler-Navy
3 Spc. Jason Loukides-Army
4 SrA. John Groundwater-Air Force


120Kg
1 Sgt. Dremiel Byers-Army
2 SrA. Corey Farkas-Air Force
3 Lt. Josh Feldman-Navy
4 Capt. David Workman-Marines

Freestyle winners

55Kg
1 1st Lt. Eric Albaricin-Army
2 SSgt. Duaine Martin-Marines
3 Mike Wendelken-Navy
4 SrA. Jay Field-Air Force

60Kg
1 Sgt. Jason Kutz-Army
2 LCpl. Jesse Clark-Marines
3 MMFN. Christopher Winter-Navy
4 A1C Jared Moreland-Air Force

66Kg
1 Spc. Oscar Wood-Army
2 LCpl. Carson Bernard-Marines
3 Sa. Joseph Hernan-Navy
4 A1C Jeremiah Jolliff-Air Force

74Kg
1 Spc. Max Shingara-Army
2 An. Nicolas Flach-Navy
3 Sgt. Robert McKinney-Marines
4 1st Lt. Royce Johnson-Air Force

84Kg
1 LCpl. Jacob Clark-Marines
2 Sgt. Charles Daniels-Army
3 SWCA Joseph Axiots-Navy
4 Lt. David Spangler-Air Force

96Kg
1 Spc. Franklin Lachley-Army
2 BM3 Adam Wheeler-Navy
3 SrA. John Groundwater-Air Force
4 2nd Lt. Michael Bigrigg-Marine

120Kg
1 2nd Lt. Dominique Black-Army
2 Capt. Raymond Mendoza-Marines
3 SrA. Corey Farkas-Air Force
4 Lt. Josh Feldman-Navy