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News | March 17, 2013

Army wins Armed Forces Men’s Freestyle Title, Led by Five Individual Champions

By Gary Abbott USA Wrestling

FORT DIX, N.J. - The U.S. Army went a perfect 3-0 in dual meets to claim the team title in men’s freestyle at the Armed Forces Championships on Sunday.

In consecutive order, the Army defeated the Air Force, 22-8, stopped the Navy, 26-6 and beat the Marines, 25-6. The Marines placed second with a 2-1 record, the Air Force was third with a 1-2 record and the Navy was fourth with an 0-3 record.

In the deciding dual meet between the Army and the Marines, the Army won the first four matches, including three pins, to put away the match. Pins for the Army in those early matches came from William Simpson at 60 kg/132 lbs., Phillip Simpson at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Justin Lester at 74 kg/163 lbs.

Based upon results of the dual meets, the Army had five individual champions, including Lester, William Simpson, Phillip Simpson, plus Nathan Engel at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Jack Jensen at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

There were no repeat champions in men’s freestyle from the last Armed Forces Championships, which was held at Fort Carson, Colo. in November 2011.

Two members of the U.S. Marine Corps teams won individual gold medals in freestyle, Ryan Lyons at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Dave Arendt at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.

Three athletes won Armed Forces double titles, capturing gold medals in both Greco-Roman and freestyle, Engel and Lester from the Army and Arendt from the Marines.

The Army also won the overall championship, which combines the results from the men’s freestyle event on Sunday and the Greco-Roman event on Saturday. Army was also the winner of the Greco-Roman event with a 3-0 dual meet record in that style. The Marines were second, the Air Force third and the Navy fourth in the combined event.

ARMED FORCES CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Fort Dix, N.J., March 17

Freestyle Dual Meets

Army 22, Air Force 8
55 kg/121 lbs. – Nathan Engel (Army) dec. Galen Williams (Air Force), 1-1, 4-1
60 kg/132 lbs. – William Simpson (Army) tech. fall Raniel Buenviaje (Air Force), 7-0, 7-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Phillip Simpson (Army) pin Nathan Higgins (Air Force), 1:52
74 kg/163 lbs. – Justin Lester (Army) dec. Brandon Johnson (Air Force), 7-1, 6-1
84 kg/185 lbs. – Nathaniel Hartley (Air Force) won by forfeit
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Jack Jensen (Army) dec. Terrell Walker (Air Force), 4-2, 7-0
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Eric Nye (Army) tech. fall Logan Fleegle (Air Force), 7-0, 6-0

Marines 23, Navy 7
55 kg/121 lbs. – Ian Moser (Marines) dec. Darnell Jones (Navy), 3-1, 11-7
60 kg/132 lbs. – Sheldon Wilder (Navy) dec. Joel Ake (Marines), 0-3, 2-1, 3-2
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Alexander Holloway (Marines) dec. Julio Cerecer (Navy), 5-2, 8-5
74 kg/163 lbs. – John Stefanowicz (Marines) dec. Adrian Rios (Navy), 4-3, 3-0
84 kg/185 lbs. – Ryan Lyons (Marines) pin Jorge Mendez (Navy), 6-0, 1:42
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Courtney Meyers (Marines) dec. Gary DiMarzio (Navy), 6-0, 5-1
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Dave Arendt (Marines) won by forfeit

Army 26, Navy 6
55 kg/121 lbs. – Nathan Engel (Army) pin Darnell Jones (Navy), 3-0, 0:55
60 kg/132 lbs. – William Simpson (Army) dec. Sheldon Wilder (Navy), 1-0, 6-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Phillip Simpson (Army) pin Julio Cerecer (Navy), 6-0, 0:42
74 kg/163 lbs. – Justin Lester (Army) tech. fall Adrian Rios (Navy), 7-0, 7-0
84 kg/185 lbs. – Jorge Mendez (Navy) won by forfeit
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Jack Jensen (Army) tech. fall Gary DiMarzo (Navy), 6-0, 7-1
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Erik Nye (Army) won by forfeit

Marines 25, Air Force 4
55 kg/121 lbs. – Ian Moser (Marines) dec. Galen Williams (Air Force), 3-1, 5-1
60 kg/132 lbs. – Joel Ake (Marines) tech. fall Raniel Buenviaje (Air Force), 6-0, 7-1
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Alexander Holloway (Marines) dec. Nathan Higgins (Air Force), 5-2, 8-5
74 kg/163 lbs. – John Stefanowicz (Marines) dec. Brandon Johnson (Air Force), 2-1, 3-1
84 kg/185 lbs. – Ryan Lyons (Marines) pin Nathaniel Hartley (Air Force), 4-1, 0:31
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Courtney Meyers (Marines) dec. Terrell Walker (Air Force), 3-2, 2-1
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Dave Arendt (Marines) tech. fall Logan Fleegle (Air Force), 7-0, 7-0

Army 25, Marines 6
55 kg/121 lbs. –Nathan Engel (Army) dec. Ian Moser (Marines), 3-0, 1-0
60 kg/132 lbs. – William Simpson (Army) pin Joel Ake (Marines), 2-1, 0:49
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Phillip Simpson (Army) pin Alexander Holloway (Marines), 1:18
74 kg/163 lbs. – Justin Lester (Army) pin John Stefanowicz (Marines), 1-6, 7-0, 1:03
84 kg/185 lbs. – Ryan Lyons (Marines) dec. Mac Bailey (Army), 7-2, 7-0
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Jack Jensen (Army) pin Courtney Meyers (Marines), 1:09
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Dave Arendt (Marines) dec. Erik Nye (Army), 1-1, 1-0

Air Force 20, Navy 11
55 kg/121 lbs. – Galen Williams (Air Force) dec. Darnell Jones (Navy), 4-0, 2-1
60 kg/132 lbs. – Sheldon Wilder (Navy) tech. fall Raniel Buenviaje (Air Force), 1-3, 6-0, 8-1
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Nathan Higgins (Air Force) dec. Julio Cerecer (Navy), 4-3, 7-2
74 kg/163 lbs. – Brandon Johnson (Air Force) dec. Adrian Rios (Navy), 6-0, 4-0
84 kg/185 lbs. – Nathanial Hartley (Air Force) pin Jorge Mendez (Navy)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Gary DiMarzio (Navy) won by medical forfeit
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Logan Fleegle (Air Force) won by forfeit

Freestyle Individual medals

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Nathan Engel (Army)
Silver – Ian Moser (Marines)

60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold – William Simpson (Army)
Silver – Sheldon Wilder (Navy)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold – Phillip Simpson (Army)
Silver – Alex Holloway (Marines)

74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold – Justin Lester (Army)
Silver – John Stefanowicz (Marines)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold – Ryan Lyons (Marines)
Silver – Nathaniel Hartley (Air Force)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold – Jack Jensen (Army)
Silver – Courtney Meyers (Marines)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold – Dave Arendt (Marines)
Silver – Erik Nye (Army)