FORT DIX, N.J. – The deciding dual meet went down to the last match, before the U.S. Army edged the U.S. Marine Corps, 14-13, to repeat as the team champions in Greco-Roman at the Armed Forces Wrestling Championships on Saturday.
The Army opened up the deciding dual meet with four straight wins in the lighter weight classes from some of their top international stars.
Nathan Engel edged Ian Moser, 1-0, 1-0 at 55 kg/121 lbs. Two-time Olympian Spenser Mango was dominant in a decision over Joel Ake, 9-0, 5-0 at 60 kg/132 lbs. Two-time World Team member Joseph Betterman won at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. over Alexander Holloway, 1-0, 7-0. Closing out the Army run was Olympian and two-time World bronze medalist Justin Lester, who received a medical forfeit at 74 kg/163 lbs.
The Marines came back with a strong finish in the upper weights. It started at 84 kg/185 lbs., with Donald Simmons getting a medical forfeit. At 96 kg/211.5 lbs., Marine star Charles Fish came from behind to pin Pete Gounaridis in the third period, 0-1, 1-0, 1:15. The team score was Army 14, Marines 10, going into the final bout at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. With the match still up for grabs, Marine heavyweight Dave Arendt edged Erik Nye, 1-0, 1-0, scoring three team points to make the final score in favor of the Army, 14-13.
The Army defeated Air Force 26-1, then stopped Navy, 24-6, setting up the showdown with the Marines in the final round of action. The Marines also entered the final dual with a 2-0 record, after stopping Navy 23-7 and Air Force 22-7.
The Air Force placed third, after defeating the Navy 18-6 in their final dual meet.
Winning individual gold medals for the Army were their four lightweight stars, Engel at 55 kg, Mango at 60 kg, Betterman at 66 kg and Lester at 74 kg. Mango, Betterman and Lester were all competing up a weight class from their usual weight division.
The Marines swept the gold medals in the upper weight classes with Simmons at 84 kg, Fish at 96 kg and Arendt at 120 kg.
Engel is the only champion to win for the second straight time in Greco-Roman. The last Armed Forces Championships was held in November 2011 at Fort Carson, Colo., and Engel was also a champion at that event. In that November 2011 event, Army wrestlers won all seven Greco-Roman gold medals.
The competition concludes on Sunday with the men’s freestyle competition. The Army is also the defending team champion in freestyle.
ARMED FORCES CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Fort Dix, N.J., March 16
Greco-Roman Dual Meets
Army 26, Air Force 1
55 kg/121 lbs. – Nathan Engel (Army) dec. Galen Williams (Air Force), 5-0, 3-0
60 kg/132 lbs. –Spenser Mango (Army) tech. fall Raneil Buenviage (Air Force), 6-0, 6-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Joseph Betterman (Army) tech. fall Jarrod Delp (Air Force), 6-0, 6-0
74 kg/163 lbs. –Justin Lester (Army) tech. fall Sherwin Severin (Air Force), 6-0, 7-0
84 kg/185 lbs. – Gordan Wood (Army) dec. Terrell Walker (Air Force). 0-5, 2-0, 3-2
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Pete Gounaridis (Army) dec. Logan Fleegle (Air Force), 5-0, 7-0
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Erik Nye (Army) won by forfeit
Marines, 23, Navy 7
55 kg/121 lbs. – Ian Moser (Marines) dec. Darnell Jones (Navy), 0-5, 3-0, 3-0
60 kg/132 lbs. –Sheldon Wilder (Navy) dec. Joel Ake (Marines), 5-4, 2-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Alexander Holloway (Marines) dec. Dietrich Zacher (Navy), 3-2, 8-4
74 kg/163 lbs. –John Stefanowicz (Marines) dec. Jorge Mendez (Navy), 5-2, 2-0
84 kg/185 lbs. – Donald Simmons (Marines) tech. fall Adrian Rios (Navy), 6-0, 6-0
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Charles Fish (Marines) tech. fall Gary DiMazio (Navy), 8-1, 7-0
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Dave Arendt (Marines) won by forfeit
Army 24, Navy 6
55 kg/121 lbs. – Nathan Engel (Army) dec. Darnell Jones (Navy), 1-0, 2-0
60 kg/132 lbs. – Spenser Mango (Army) tech. fall Sheldon Wilder (Navy), 5-0, 8-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Joseph Betterman (Army) pin Dietrich Zacher (Navy), 1-0, 0:59
74 kg/163 lbs. – Justin Lester (Army) dec. Jorge Mendez (Navy), 5-2, 7-0
84 kg/185 lbs. – Adrian Rios (Navy) won by medical forfeit
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Pete Gounaridis (Army) tech. fall Gary DiMazio (Navy), 7-0, 7-0
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Erik Nye (Army) won by forfeit
Marines 22, Air Force 7
55 kg/121 lbs. – Ian Moser (Marines) dec. Galen Williams (Air Force), 0-6, 3-1, 5-3
60 kg/132 lbs. – Raneil Buenviaje (Air Force) pin Joel Ake (Marines), 3-3, 1:40
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Alexander Holloway (Marines) pin Jarrod Delp (Air Force), 8-0, 1:15
74 kg/163 lbs. – John Stefanowicz (Marines) dec. Sherwin Severin (Air Force), 1-0, 1-1
84 kg/185 lbs. – Donald Simmons (Marines) dec. Terrell Walker (Air Force), 3-0, 1-0
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Charles Fish (Marines) dec. Logan Fleegle (Air Force), 3-0, 6-0
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Dave Arendt (Marines) won by forfeit
Army 14, Marines 13
55 kg/121 lbs. – Nathan Engel (Army) dec. Ian Moser (Marines), 1-0, 1-0
60 kg/132 lbs. – Spenser Mango (Army) dec. Joel Ake (Marines), 9-0, 5-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Joseph Betterman (Army) dec. Alexander Holloway (Marines), 1-0, 7-0
74 kg/163 lbs. – Justin Lester (Army) medical forfeit
84 kg/185 lbs. – Donald Simmons (Marines) medical forfeit
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Charles Fish (Marines) pin Pete Gounaridis (Army), 0-1, 1-0, 1:15
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Dave Arendt (Marines) dec. Erik Nye (Army), 1-0, 1-0
Air Force 18, Navy 6
55 kg/121 lbs. – Galen Williams (Air Force) pin Darnell Jones (Navy), 5-4, 1:08
60 kg/132 lbs. – Sheldon Wilder (Navy) dec. Raneil Buenviaje (Air Force), 7-0, 5-4
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Jarrod Delp (Air Force) dec. Dietrich Zacher (Navy), 6-9, 7-6, 2-1
74 kg/163 lbs. – Sherwin Severin (Air Force) dec. Jorge Mendez (Navy), 7-4, 1-0, 2-0
84 kg/185 lbs. – Terrell Walker (Air Force) dec. Adrian Rios (Navy), 6-0, 3-0
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Logan Fleegle (Air Force) dec. Gary DiMazio (Navy), 5-0, 4-1
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Double forfeit
Greco-Roman Individual Medals
55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Nathan Engel (Army)
Silver – Ian Moser (Marines)
60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold – Spenser Mango (Army)
Silver – Sheldon Wilder (Navy)
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold – Joseph Betterman (Army)
Silver – Alex Holloway (Marines)
74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold – Justin Lester (Army)
Silver – John Stefanowicz (Marines)
84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold – Donald Simmons (Marines)
Silver – Terrell Walker (Air Force)
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold – Charles Fish (Marines)
Silver – Pete Gounaridis (Army)
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold – Dave Arnedt (Marines)
Silver – Erik Nye (Army)