Grappler Fall Classic - What happened at 119
Results:
Joey Cruz (CA)
Anthony Santaniello (NJ)
Kyle Montaperto (NC)
Alexander Walker (FL)
Trey Bates (TN)
Daniel Uhorchuk (TN)
Michael Torres (CA)
Aaron Lucio (MI)
Seeds:
Joey Cruz (CA)
Anthony Santaniello (NJ)
Marlon Yarbrough (OH)
Trey Bates (TN)
Sean Logue (PA)
Kyle Montaperto (NC)
Michael Torres (CA)
Max Shore (OH)
Finals: Santaniello kept it fairly close, but he really wasn’t on the same level as Cruz (no one in the bracket was). Cruz had 2 takedowns, Santaniello an escape in the 1st. Santaniello got an escape in the 2nd period for the only point … leaving a close 4-2 score heading into the 3rd. Cruz chose his position (neutral) and demonstrated why he is a wizard on his feet … 2 more takedowns plus riding time to push the final score to 9-3.
Top side: Cali’s Joey Cruz showed why he is the #1 ranked wrestler in the country. He cruised (I wanted to say Cruzed, but refrained) into the finals with little trouble … beating (amongst others) Ohio’s Max Shore 12-2 and TN’s Trey Bates 11-3. Shore beat Uhorchuk in the first round by fall, but that wouldn’t be the last we would hear from the TN State Champ. Bates had to grind out some wins in the 2nd quarter of the bracket … beating FL’s Walker 6-5 and Bazzi of Michigan 5-2 before getting a forfeit over Logue in the quarters.
Bottom side: Montaperto looked simply outstanding in the 3rd quarter of the bracket … pinning Aiden Poe and Cooper Haase of FL before dismantling (and pinning) 3 seed Marlon Yarbrough of Ohio in the quarters. He then took Santaniello to the wire before losing 5-2 in overtime (gave up the escape and a takedown).
SE highlights (not mentioned above): Uhorchuk is mentioned briefly above, but his run through the backside should be discussed. He won 7 in a row including 4-0 over Luna, 7-1 over Haase, 11-10 over Shore (who pinned him in the first round) and 9-5 over Lucio before losing a close match to Montaperto 4-3 in the consi semis. Walker did the same thing on the bottom side of the consi bracket … winning 7 in a row before falling to Montaperto in the consi finals. He beat several hammers including Eberly 5-3 SV1, Torres, 5-1, and Bates 2-0 in the consi semis. In an all-TN 5th-6th Bates beat Uhorchuk 7-6.