JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. – The defending champion U.S. Army and last year’s runner-up team, the U.S. Marine Corps, won their first two dual meets to set up a championship showdown in Greco-Roman at the Armed Forces Championships on Saturday morning.
The Army entered the tournament with 15 straight Armed Forces titles in Greco-Roman. Coach Shon Lewis’ Army squad was dominant in its two dual meets, hammering the U.S. Navy, 33-1, then stopping the U.S. Air Force, 30-2. The Army won all 16 of its morning bouts.
Against the Navy, the Army team dominated in winning all eight matches. Leading the way was a pin by Lucas Sheridan at 85 kg. The other seven Army wrestlers all won their matches by technical fall.
Against the Air Force, Army racked up six victories by technical fall and two decisions. In all six technical falls, the Air Force wrestler failed to score a point.
The U.S. Marine Corps defeated the same two opponents, opening up with a 23-12 win over the U.S. Air Force, then adding a 34-2 dominant victory over the U.S. Navy.
Against the Air Force, the Marines won five bouts, including a pin from 1stLt Daniel Miller at 98 kg, and technical fall victories by 2d LT Colton Rasche at 59 kg, Sgt. John Stefanowicz at 75 kg and Sgt.Trent Osnes at 130 kg. The wildest match came at 80 kg, when Air Force star Brandon Johnson lit up the scoreboard in a 21-12 technical fall win over Michael Brant of the Marines.
Against the Navy, the Marines won all eight matches, including three pins and four technical falls. Scoring first period pins were 2d LT Colton Rasche at 59 kg, 1stLt Daniel Miller at 98 kg and Sgt.Trent Osnes at 130 kg.
Two 2016 Armed Forces champions won their first two dual meets, SGT Michael Hooker of the U.S. Army at 65 kg and SGT Courtney Myers of the U.S. Army at 80 kg. Last year, Myers won the title up at 85 kg, but dropped in weight this year.
A pair of silver medalists return, with Miller of the Marines holding a 2-0 record in the morning session, and MSgt Sherwin Severin of the U.S. Air Force going 1-1 at 85 kg. Last year, Severin won his silver medal at 80 kg.
The second session will begin at 1:00 p.m. ET, with the Army battling the Marines for first place, and the Air Force going against the Navy for third place.
All of the action from the Armed Forces Championships is being broadcast live on TheMat.com.
ARMED FORCES CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., February 25
ROUND ONE
U.S. Army 33, U.S. Navy 1
59 kg/130 lbs. – SPC Ildar Hafizov (Army) tech. fall-4 Michael Hollingsworth (Navy), 10-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – SPC Ellis Coleman (Army) tech. fall E-4 Randy Bucsok (Navy), 8-0
71 kg/156 lbs. – SGT Michael Hooker (Army) tech. fall E-5 Bobby Yamashita (Navy), 10-0
75 kg/165 lbs. – SPC Dillon Cowan (Army) tech. fall E-4 Austin Craig (Navy), 12-4
80 kg/176 lbs. – SGT Courtney Meyers (Army) tech. fall E-3 Joseph Marques (Navy), 9-0
85 kg/187 lbs/ – SPC Lucas Sheridan (Army) pin E-4 Daniel Mazzie (Navy), 0:58
98 kg/215 lbs.– SPC Endhyr Meza (Army) tech. fall E-5 Antonio Harris (Navy), 8-0
130 kg/286 lbs. – 2LT Toby Erickson (Army) tech fall E-5 Zachahria Manning (Navy), 8-0
U.S. Marine Corps 23, U.S. Air Force 12
59 kg/130 lbs. – 2d LT Colton Rasche (Marines) tech. fall SSgt Randy Duncan (Air Force), 8-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Sgt Raymond Bunker (Marines) dec. SSgt Nate Higgins (Air Force), 7-3
71 kg/156 lbs.– Lt Brandon Mueller (Air Force) dec. Sgt JayShon Wilson (Marines), 4-1
75 kg/165 lbs. – Sgt. John Stefanowicz (Marines) tech. fall A1C Tyler Westlund (Air Force), 9-0
80 kg/176 lbs.– SrA Brandon Johnson (Air Force) tech. fall Capt. Michael Brant (Marines), 21-12
85 kg/187 lbs.– MSgt Sherwin Severin (Air Force) dec. LCpl. Vaughan Monreal-Berner (Marines), 6-2
98 kg/215 lbs. 1st Lt Daniel Miller (Marines) pin A1C Raul Velez (Air Force), 0:32
130 kg/286 lbs. – Sgt.Trent Osnes (Marines) tech. fall A1C Francisco Mata (Air Force), 14-4
ROUND TWO
U.S. Army 30, U.S. Air Force 2
59 kg/130 lbs. – SPC Ildar Hafizov (Army) tech. fall SSgt Randy Duncan (Air Force), 10-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – SPC Ellis Coleman (Army) tech. fall SSgt Nate Higgins (Air Force), 10-0
71 kg/156 lbs. – SGT Michael Hooker (Army) dec. Lt Brandon Mueller (Air Force), 6-2
75 kg/165 lbs. – SPC Dillon Cowan (Army) tech. fall A1C Tyler Westlund (Air Force), 9-0
80 kg/176 lbs. – SGT Courtney Meyers (Army) tech. fall SrA Brandon Johnson (Air Force), 8-0
85 kg/187 lbs/ – SPC Lucas Sheridan (Army) dec. MSgt Sherwin Severin (Air Force), 3-1
98 kg/215 lbs.– SPC Endhyr Meza (Army) tech. fall A1C Raul Velez (Air Force), 9-0
130 kg/286 lbs. – 2LT Toby Erickson (Army) tech. fall A1C Francisco Mata (Air Force), 9-0
U.S. Marine Corps 34. U.S. Navy 2
59 kg/130 lbs. – 2d LT Colton Rasche (Marines) pin E-4 Michael Hollingsworth (Navy). 1:53
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Sgt Raymond Bunker (Marines) tech. fall E-4 Randy Bucsok (Navy), 12-2
71 kg/156 lbs.– Sgt JayShon Wilson (Marines) dec. E-5 Bobby Yamashita (Navy), 7-3
75 kg/165 lbs. – Sgt. John Stefanowicz (Marines) tech. fall E-4 Austin Craig (Navy), 8-0
80 kg/176 lbs.– Capt. Michael Brant (Marines) tech. fall E-3 Joseph Marques (Navy), 8-0
85 kg/187 lbs.– LCpl. Vaughan Monreal-Berner (Marines) tech. fall E-4 Daniel Mazzie (Navy), 10-1
98 kg/215 lbs. 1st Lt Daniel Miller (Marines) pin E-5 Antonio Harris (Navy), 1:21
130 kg/286 lbs. – Sgt.Trent Osnes (Marines) pin E-5 Zachahria Manning (Navy), 0:33