Three Clearfield Grads Compete at ASICS U.S. Wrestling Nationals

by Jay Siegel, sports editor

Posted on April 12, 2009

LAS VEGAS -- Clearfield Area High School was well represented at the ASICS U.S. Freestyle and Greco-Roman Senior National Wrestling Championships at the Las Vegas Convention Center on April 10 and 11.

The highest finisher was Greco-Roman 264-pounder Tim Taylor, representing the Army. Taylor went 2-3 on the day to place 6th.

Wrestling for Penn State, 121-pounder Brad Pataky went 4-2 in the tournament to place 7th in freestyle.

Placing in the top eight qualified Taylor and Pataky to compete in the May 30 and 31 world team trials at Council Bluff, Iowa. Winners there would represent the United States in the 2009 world championships in Denmark on September 21-27.

The final Clearfield grad was Air Force 132-pounder Chris Bloom. Bloom went 1-2 and did not place in his first Senior Nationals. Bloom placed second at the Armed Forces Championships earlier this year.

Other local talent competing in the Senior Nationals was Philipsburg-Osceola and Penn State grad James Yonushonis, who went 1-2 and did not place at 185 pounds in freestyle.

Wrestlers of note who competed in the FILA Junior (Age 17-20) Freestyle Nationals:
Andrew Alton, Central Mountain HS placed third at 138 pounds. Quentin Wright, Bald Eagle Area HS grad and current Penn Stater, placed second at 185 pounds. Penn State heavyweight Cameron Wade placed fourth in the 264 pound class.

Taylor's bout-by-bout results:
Senior Men`s Greco-Roman (04/08 - 04/10/2009)
Mens - 120 KG / 264.5 lbs (6th)
Champ. Round 1: Timothy Taylor (Army) over Peter Kowalczuk (Sunkist Kids) (Dec 2-0,1-0)
Quarterfinal: Timothy Taylor (Army) over Mark Simmonds (Air Force) (Dec 0-1,1-0,2-0)
Semifinal: Brandon Rupp (NYAC) over Timothy Taylor (Army) (Dec 3-0,4-3)
Cons. Semi: David Arendt Jr (USMC) over Timothy Taylor (Army) (Dec 1-0,1-0)
5th Place Match: Mark Simmonds (Air Force) over Timothy Taylor (Army) (Inj. )

Pataky's bout-by-bout results:
Senior Men`s Freestyle (04/09 - 04/11/2009)
Men - 55 kg/121 lbs (7th)
Champ. Round 1: Bradley Pataky (Penn State), Bye
Champ. Round 2: Ben Ashmore (Sunkist Kids) over Bradley Pataky (Penn State) (Dec 3-0,9-3)
Cons. Round 2: Bradley Pataky (Penn State) over T.J. Hill (NYAC) (Forfeit)
Cons. Round 3: Bradley Pataky (Penn State) over Jaime Marrero (EU) (Pin 0:51)
Cons. Round 4: Bradley Pataky (Penn State) over Danny Felix (Sunkist Kids) (Inj. )
Cons. Round 5: Logan Stieber (NYAC) over Bradley Pataky (Penn State) (Pin 2-3,1:41)
7th Place Match: Bradley Pataky (Penn State) over Jeff Sato (Athletes in Action) (Dec 7-0,2-0)

Bloom's bout-by-bout results:
Senior Men`s Greco-Roman (04/08 - 04/10/2009)
Mens - 60 KG / 132.25 lbs
Champ. Round 1: Eric Stevenson (Newberg) over Chris Bloom (Air Force) (Dec 4-0,6-1)
Cons. Round 1: Chris Bloom (Air Force) over Gannon Hjerleid (Orange Crush Wrestling Club) (Pin 6-0,0-6,0:52)
Cons. Round 2: Lara Marco (Army) over Chris Bloom (Air Force) (Dec 6-0,2-0)

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