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Lampe took charge early in scoring a 10-0 technical fall in the women’s freestyle finals. Lampe won her second straight Open title.
“I plan on being done wrestling in 2016, so this is the time to get it done,” Lampe said. “I just need to keep working hard and not let things get me rattled.” Lampe was one of eight women’s champions crowned. World champion Elena Pirozhkova took control late in the first period en route to a 3-0 win over Erin Clodgo in the finals at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. Pirozhkova won her sixth Open title. Jackie Cataline took charge late in the first period, recording a fall over past World champion Iris Smith in the finals at 75 kg/165 lbs. Cataline won her first Open title after twice finishing second in this event. Smith is a five-time Open champion. “It’s amazing to finally win this,”
Cataline said. “It’s long overdue. It’s my year and that’s what I told myself before I came here, and I got it. It feels great.” World silver medalist Helen Maroulis struck U.S. Open gold for the fifth time in the last six years in downing Sarah Hildebrandt 11-0 in the finals at 55 kg/121 lbs. Maroulis is ranked No. 3 in the World.
Maroulis was named Outstanding
Wrestler in women’s freestyle. Olympic bronze medalist Randi Miller continued her strong return to the mat in earning a 3-1 win over 2013 World Team member Veronica Carlson in the finals at 69 kg/152 lbs. Miller won her second Open title, but first since 2008 after not competing in the last Olympic cycle. 2013 World Team member Alli Ragan
pinned Trinity Griffin in the finals at 58 kg/128 lbs. Ragan won her second straight Open title. Past World Team member Whitney Conder kicked off the evening by earning a 2-0 win over Katherine Fulp-Allen in the finals at 53 kg/116.5 lbs.
Conder won her second U.S. Open title.
Jennifer Page continued her strong season by pinning Jenna Burkert in the first period of the finals at 60 kg/132 lbs. Page won her first Open title. The Titan Mercury Wrestling Club won the Division I team title and the Sunkist Kids won the Division II title. Greco-Roman
Spenser Mango continues to stockpile championships at the U.S. Open. Mango earned his sixth Open crown in Greco-Roman at the U.S. Open. Mango defeated close friend and U.S.
RaVaughn Perkins pinned Ellis Coleman in the Greco finals. Larry Slater photo.
back to win his fifth Open title. Robby Smith, fifth in the World last
year, rolled to an 8-0 technical fall over Toby Erickson in the heavyweight finals. Smith won his first Open crown. RaVaughn Perkins scored a stunning second-period fall over 2012 Olympian Ellis Coleman in the finals at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Perkins trailed 4-1 before throwing Coleman to his back for the dramatic fall. Perkins was named Outstanding
World champion Elena Pirozhkova captured her sixth U.S. Open women’s championship. Larry Slater photo.
Army teammate Joe Betterman, a four- time Open champion, in the finals at 59 kg/130 lbs.
Mango and Betterman finished their match tied 1-1, but Mango won the match by virtue of scoring last at 59 kg/130 lbs. “I’m still adjusting to the bigger weight class,” Mango said. “Nine pounds is a big difference. The guys are heavier, harder to turn, harder to move and harder to defend against. I’ve just got to keep mak- ing those adjustments.”
Mango was one of eight Greco champi- ons crowned. Two-time World medalist and 2012 Olympian Justin Lester put on a show with an array of spectacular throws in a 12-3 win over Patrick Smith in the finals at 71 kg/156.5 lbs. Lester trailed 3-0 early, but stormed
Wrestler of the Greco tournament. 2013 World Team member Jordan Holm won his third Open title with a domi- nating 8-0 win over Zac Nielsen in the finals at 85 kg/187 lbs. Two-time World Team member Andy Bisek earned a hard-fought 3-1 win over Jon Anderson in the finals at 75 kg/165 lbs. Bisek won his first Open title. Kendrick Sanders bumped up in weight and finished strong in edging veteran Aaron Sieracki 2-1 in the finals at 80 kg/176 lbs.
Sanders won his first Open title. Sieracki, a past U.S. National Team mem- ber, left his shoes on the mat to signify his retirement following the match. 2013 World Team member Caylor Williams downed John Wechter 2-0 in the finals at 98 kg/216 lbs.
Williams captured his first U.S. Open title.
“I’m setting my goals real high and I’m thinking about winning a World champi- onship,” Williams said. “Being in the Army now, I’ve learned how to stay cool under pressure. Wechter is real physical, and I took my time and stayed patient.” The U.S. Army won the team title in Division I with the Minnesota Storm win- ning the Division II title.
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