10 wrestlers win double titles at 2023 Masters Nationals; 12 repeat as Masters freestyle champions

Cedrick Gibson of Sarbacker Wrestling Academy battles Ted Bristol of Mad Cow WC in Masters Freestyle finals at 78 kg in Div. A. Photo by Robbert Wijtman.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – One of the largest and most competitive Masters National Championship ever completed with the men’s freestyle competition. There were 10 wrestlers who were able to win a coveted double title, capturing both the Greco-Roman and freestyle tournaments the same year.

In Div. A, Tony Vezzetti of the Chicago WC was the only double champion. Ben Kjar of BUVRTC, the champion at 58 kg, was the only Div. B double champion. Three athletes won double titles in Div. C, Jason Goldman of New York at 58 kg, Ben Vombaur of Bear Cave WC at 62 kg and James Ferguson of Wrestling With Character at 70 kg.

The two Div. D double champions were Carson Gainey of Mad Cow WC (58 kg) and Kevin Pine of Las Vegas WC at 88 kg. The two Div. E double champions were Petros Petrosyan of Orange County Grappling at 88 kg and Charles Jones of the Las Vegas WC at 100 kg. Winning a Div. F double title was Kevin Hajnal of the Modesto Wrestling Academy at 78 kg.

Of the 10 double champions this year, five were repeat Masters freestyle champions from last year: VomBaur, Gainey, Pine, Petrosyan and Jones. Other repeat Masters freestyle champions from 2022 were Cedric Gibson of Sarbacker Wrestling Academy (Div. A, 78 kg), Donovan McMahill of Western Colorado WC (Div. B, 88 kg), Joshua Nacey of Mustang WC (Div. C, 100 kg), Jeff Anderson of Chicago WC (Div. D, 100 kg), Brad Swartz of Fitness Quest WC (Div. E 78 kg), Gaetano DiZebba of Maryland (Div. F, 70 kg) and Martin Rowley of Oregon (Div. F, 88 kg).

Every year, it seems a prominent past wrestler comes back to compete at the Masters level. This year, former Cal-Bakersfield star and National Team freestyle wrestler Eric Mittlestead competed, winning the 130 kg freestyle title at Div. E.

While this is not a qualifier for the Veterans World Championships, which will be held in Loutraki, Greece, October 17-22, many of the champions here will be part of the USA World Team there. In 2022, the USA won both the freestyle and Greco-Roman Team titles at the Veterans Worlds. Members of that historic team were recognized on the raised mats during the U.S. Open this year. Based upon the quality of this year’s Masters Nationals, Team USA should be loaded again in 2023.

MASTERS FREESTYLE NATIONALS
At Las Vegas, Nev., April 27

Masters A Freestyle

58 KG
1 Devane Dodgens (Morris Fitness Wrestling Club)
2 Darrion Harris (California)
3 Reginald Lowery (Beat the Streets Cleveland)

62 KG
1 Max Oldenburg (California)
2 Dakota Caldwell (Utah)
3 Michael Otero (Florida)

70 KG
1st — Sawyer Sarbacker WI (Sarbacker Wrestling Academy) dec. Cade Sarbacker WI (Sarbacker Wrestling Academy), 9-8
3rd — Glenn Robertson WA (Washington) tech fall Troy Rose CO (Colorado), 12-0 1:19
5th — Jimmy Zhen CA (Mad Cow Wrestling Club) tech fall Corey Hawk IN (Indiana), 10-0 0:54
7th — Andrew Taylor PA (Pennsylvania) forfeit Brandon Gacad MN (No Nonsense Wrestling), 0-0

78 KG
1st — Cedric Gibson WI (Sarbacker Wrestling Academy) dec. Ted Bristol CA (Mad Cow Wrestling Club), 11-6
3rd — Jacob Williams TN (Next Level Wrestling Club) injury default Arthur Millner PA (Falls Church Force Wrestling Club)
5th — Cory Graham IN (Legends of Gold Wrestling) no contest Dmitrii Petaikin FL (Chicago Wrestling Club), 0-0
7th — Ameer Al-gharib CA (California) tech fall Kaleb Brooks KS (Kansas City Training Center), 10-0 0:56

88 KG
1st — Tony Vezzetti IL (Chicago Wrestling Club) tech fall Alex Skipper IN (Legends of Gold Wrestling), 10-0 0:57
3rd — Jake Ferris WA (Wrestling Club Tacoma Slam) dec. Travis Foster NJ (New Jersey), 11-4
5th — Manuel Sedillo NV (Las Vegas Wrestling Club) tech fall Tyler Espitia IL (Klub PowderKeg WC), 10-0 3:09
7th — Anthony Brown-Garcia NM (505 Wrestling Club) forfeit Jeffrey Isaac MN (White Bear Lake Youth Wrestling), 0-0

100 KG
1st — Markel Fluker MO (Missouri) fall Dylan Jahrling NV (Nevada), 5-0 0:51
3rd — Collin Johnston CA (California) tech fall Jeffrey Saldevar CA (California), 14-1 1:31
5th — Michael Baumhart IL (Illinois) forfeit Andrew Millner VA (Virginia), 0-0
7th — Brandon Gay IN (Legends of Gold Wrestling) forfeit Joseph Radke TX (Texas), 0-0

130 KG
1 Ryan Pearl (California)
2 Eric Schwark (California)
3 Anthony Martinez (Central Valley High School Wrestling)
4 Elijah McGhee (LOG)
5 Austin Hagh-Panah (Sunnyvale Wrestling Club)

Masters B Freestyle

58 KG
1 Ben Kjar (BUVRTC)
2 Dante Lewis (Lewis Academy Wrestling)
3 Serge Urakhchin (Chicago Wrestling Club)
4 Gerrard Contreras (Mad Cow Wrestling Club)
5 Josias Rivera (NB Elite Wrestling Club)

62 KG
1st — Nate Hansen IA (Norse Wrestling Club) tech fall Alex Meger SD (Viking RTC), 11-0 1:21
3rd — David Espinosa CA (Mad Cow Wrestling Club) dec. Thomas Schurkamp CA (Mad Cow Wrestling Club), 6-1
5th — Nuradilov Amantay PA (Pennsylvania) tech fall Lean jeffrey HI (Hawaii), 11-0 2:58

70 KG
1st — Matthew Collum IL (Chicago Wrestling Club) tech fall Jordin Humphrey CA (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club), 10-0 0:40
3rd — Chism Fink SD (Viking RTC) dec. Grant Nakamura HI (Mad Cow Wrestling Club), 11-6
5th — Connor Keating VT (Rock Eater Wrestling) dec. Jacob Salas CA (Mad Cow Wrestling Club), 12-5
7th — Pat Lamkin KS (Kansas Young Guns Wrestling Club) forfeit Donald Lockett CA (Mad Cow Wrestling Club)

78 KG
1st — Jeff Bristol CA (Mad Cow Wrestling Club) dec. Timothy Lowry MO (Winnetonka Youth Wrestling), 7-4
3rd — Scott Loescher CA (Mad Cow Wrestling Club) tech fall Elliott Tracy ID (Idaho), 11-0 0:50
5th — Justin Hale IL (512 Outlaw Wrestling) dec. Samuel Reading ID (Idaho), 11-5
7th — Nathaniel Augustson NM (505 Wrestling Club) injury default Paul Schon CA (Mad Cow Wrestling Club), 0-0 0:00

88 KG
1st — Donovan Mcmahill CO (Western Colorado Wrestling Club) tech fall Matthew Loftis CA (Mad Cow Wrestling Club), 11-0 1:56
3rd — Naweed Zemaryalai CA (United Wrestling Club) dec. Chrisopher Fickes CA (Mad Cow Wrestling Club), 4-3
5th — Abay Smagulov CO (Colorado) dec. Kyle De berry AZ (Tucson Badger Wrestling Club), 5-0
7th — Reed Shelger TX (Mad Cow Wrestling Club) injury default Daniel Kolbasowski MI (Myrmidon Training Systems Wrestling)

100 KG
1st — Karl Oeser CO (505 Wrestling Club) dec. James Medeiros CA (Mad Cow Wrestling Club), 2-1
3rd — Brandon Hudiburgh NE (Nebraska) forfeit Michael Burke IN (Yorktown Wrestling Club)
5th — Deandre Nunn IL (Chicago Wrestling Club) fall David Waters CA (California), 6-6 1:44
7th — Christopher Myers IN (Carroll Wrestling Club) tech fall Andrew Mostowa CA (Oxnard High School Wrestling), 14-3 3:56

130 KG
1st — Mm Grant MD (Maryland) dec. Ike Okoli WA (Inland Northwest Wrestling Training Center), 6-1
3rd — Vincent Mancuso NJ (New Jersey) dec. Ronald Williams ii NV (Las Vegas Wrestling Club), 5-0
5th — Esteban Mendoza CA (California) tech fall Mario Heder UT (Utah), 12-1 2:38

Masters C Freestyle

58 KG
1 Jason Goldman (New York)

62 KG
1st — Ben Vombaur CO (Bear Cave Wrestling Club) tech fall Powers Tilden IL (Chicago Wrestling Club), 12-0 1:34
3rd — David Yi CA (Mad Cow Wrestling Club) fall Guadalupe Hudgens WA (Washington), 7-2 3:34
5th — Alesio Velasquez NV (Las Vegas Wrestling Club) forfeit Leshaunne Lewis FL (Florida), 0-0

70 KG
1st — James Ferguson NE (Wrestling With Character) dec. Leevy Mears FL (Olympic Heights High School Wrestling), 8-5
3rd — William Anderson CA (California Regional Training Center (CA RTC)) dec. Michele Rauhut CO (Chicago Wrestling Club), 4-1
5th — Bradford Hebebrand GA (Morris Fitness Wrestling Club) injury default Thomas Donahue OH (Mad Cow Wrestling Club)
7th — Charlie Hong CA (Mad Cow Wrestling Club) no contest Marty Johnson GA (Johnson`s Din), 0-0

78 KG
1st — Rudy James MN (Minnesota Storm) fall Shad Olvera CA (California), 6-0 0:36
3rd — Russell Brunson ID (Idaho) dec. Jaime Garcia TX (Texas Style Wrestling Club), 4-2
5th — Adrian Garcia CA (Mad Cow Wrestling Club) forfeit Jesse Hoff WA (Inland Northwest Wrestling Training Center), 0-0
7th — Michael Atkins KS (Kansas Young Guns Wrestling Club) forfeit Derek Rice AZ (Arizona), 0-0

88 KG
1st — Quantal Langford CA (California) tech fall Michael Levanti IL (Chicago Wrestling Club), 10-0 1:52
3rd — Octavius Bellamy IL (Chicago Wrestling Club) dec. Joaquin Bautista TX (Texas), 6-0
5th — Jeremy Black CA (Mad Cow Wrestling Club) no contest Russ Smithson CA (California Mat Masters), 0-0
7th — Charles Sciortino CA (Esteem Wrestling Academy) no contest Edward Andersen ID (Warrior Wrestling Club), 0-0

100 KG
1st — Joshua Nacey WY (Mustang Wrestling Club) dec. Jake Lininger PA (Primus Wrestling), 5-4
3rd — Brett Faustman MI (Lake Orion Wrestling Club) dec. James Verderico NV (Las Vegas Wrestling Club), 7-0
5th — Nickolaus Knight CA (Mad Cow Wrestling Club) dec. Daren Phillipy NV (Las Vegas Wrestling Club), 10-2
7th — James Self AZ (Arizona) no contest Daniel Lovell IA (Iowa), 0-0

130 KG
1 Hector Ramirez Jr. (Dog Pound Wrestling)
2 Kenneth Hammonds (Wilson County Wrestling Club)
3 Jason Paul (Mad Cow Wrestling Club)
4 Alex Yntriago (Bts Eab)

Masters D Freestyle

58 KG
1 Carson Gainey (Mad Cow Wrestling Club)
2 Darren Goldstein (New York)

62 KG
1st — Brian Kapusta PA (Young Guns Wrestling Club) tech fall Blake Tompkins ID (Idaho), 11-0 2:46
3rd — Greg Donahue OH (Ohio) dec. Darrin Farrow OH (Ohio), 6-2
5th — Joe Raia IL (Chicago Wrestling Club) forfeit Rob Prebish VA (Richmond Wrestling Club)

70 KG
1st — Doug Baum IL (Chicago Wrestling Club) fall David Range iii OH (Ohio), 8-5 3:50
3rd — Boyd Fowler CA (Sunnyvale Wrestling Club) forfeit Jeff Bartkowiak AZ (Arizona), 0-0
5th — Peter Bonilla NJ (New Jersey) injury default Kraig Peterson AZ (Grindhouse Wrestling Club)

78 KG
1st — Adrian Doolin MO (Team NKC) dec. Matthew Gruszka IL (MadDog Wrestling Academy), 9-2
3rd — Ernesto Alarcon TX (Mad Cow Wrestling Club) dec. Jason Knox PA (Pennsylvania), 3-0
5th — Jon Daniels MI (Michigan) forfeit Jon Banko PA (All-American Wrestling Club)
7th — Ken Chertow SC (Las Vegas Wrestling Club) injury default Kevin Andres AZ (Arizona)

88 KG
1st — Kevin Pine WA (Las Vegas Wrestling Club) tech fall Alvin Riggs OR (Lowell Wrestling), 10-0 3:33
3rd — Dan Bienvenue CA (Mad Cow Wrestling Club) dec. Brian Mcmillan NC (North Carolina), 4-2

100 KG
1 Jeff Anderson (Chicago Wrestling Club)
2 William Carr (STORM)
3 Joseph Cattan (Mad Cow Wrestling Club)
4 Chris Mangum (Pennsylvania)
5 Domenico Lemme (Eastside Wrestling Club)

130 KG
1 Aaron Hayes (Thresh Hold Wrestling)
2 Alfredo Ruiz (California)
3 Christopher Brownrigg (Canada)
4 Brian Stanley (Canada)

Masters E Freestyle

62 KG
1 Matthew Robertson (Fitness Quest Wrestling Club)
2 Zhora Hovhannisyan (California)
3 Dan Verr (Chicago Wrestling Club)

70 KG
1st — Don Jones OH (Team Jones) fall Michael Madry FL (Mad Cow Wrestling Club), 4-0 1:00
3rd — Jerry Valencia OR (Oregon) fall Samei Rasool CA (California), 6-4 2:56
5th — Jose Nunez CA (New Creation Wrestling Club) no contest Scott Pancoast SC (South Carolina), 0-0
7th — Bruce Moe ND (Bison Wrestling Club) no contest Sean Leson CA (California)

78 KG
1st — Brad Swartz WA (Fitness Quest Wrestling Club) dec. William Newton CA (California), 5-4
3rd — Michael Tritto MD (Montgomery Youth Wrestling League) dec. Cal Cherrington CO (Wild West Wrestling Club), 5-2
5th — Dennis Mcinerney TX (Texas) forfeit Jeff Commeville IN (Indiana)
7th — Karl Johnson WA (South West Washington Wrestling Club) injury default James h. Williams, jr. CA (California), 0-0 0:00

88 KG
1st — Petros Petrosyan CA (Orange County Grappling) fall Kevin Kares NV (Las Vegas Wrestling Club), 4-0 0:28
3rd — James Miller TX (Vici Wrestling Club) tech fall Christopher Boeger WA (Las Vegas Wrestling Club), 13-0 1:30
5th — Wilhelm Schroeder CA (Chicago Wrestling Club) forfeit Louis Orr MN (Victory School of Wrestling), 0-0

100 KG
1 Charles Jones (Las Vegas Wrestling Club)
2 Ron Cole (Washington)

130 KG
1 Eric Mittlestead Sr (California)
2 Michael Buckingham (New Jersey)
3 Brian Jones (Chicago Wrestling Club)

Masters F Freestyle

62 KG
1 Raphael McDonald (Samurai Wrestling Club)
2 Shirzad Ahmadi (Connecticut)
3 Charles McCook (Virginia)

70 KG
1 Gaetano DiZebba (Maryland)
2 Bob Hawkins (Oregon)
3 Steve Ferguson (WWC)

78 KG
1 Kevin Hejnal (Modesto Wrestling Academy)
2 Peter Haag (Chicago Wrestling Club)
3 Bob Bernarducci (New York)
4 Pete Yamamoto (Washington)

88 KG
1 Martin Rowley (Oregon)
2 Lauren Johnson (Oregon)
3 Peter Wirs (The Pennsylvania Wrestling)