LAS VEGAS, Nev. — The Cliff Keen Wrestling Club’s Adam Coon captured the 130kg/286-pound Greco-Roman gold medal at the 2015 U.S. Senior Nationals on Friday evening (Dec. 18) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The event also served as the largest qualifier for the Olympic Team Trials, scheduled for April 9-10, in Iowa City, Iowa.
Coon, who was already qualified for the Olympic Trials after winning the Bill Farrell International last month, posted a 4-0 record with a pin and three technical falls. None of his matches went to a second period.
He earned an 8-0 technical fall against Parker Betts in the championship match without much effort, scoring on five stepouts and three caution points in just 2:45 when Betts continued to back straight out of bounds to avoid tying up with the Wolverine wrestler.
Coon also made quick work of his preliminary opponents. He similarly defeated Jacob Mitchell, 8-0, in the semifinal round, countering a throw attempt to put Mitchell on his back early in the first period before countering another for four points late, adding a quick gut wrench for two more points to end the bout at the 2:55 mark. His pin came against Jack Griggs in the quarterfinals when Coon again counter a throw attempt to put Griggs on his back just 46 seconds into the opening frame.
The CKWC also had Ryan Hope claim seventh place at 85kg/184 pounds to earn the weight’s final qualifying spot for the Olympic Trials. He posted a 3-2 and overcame an initial deficit to beat Army’s Courtney Myers in the seventh-place bout. He trailed, 4-0, after the first period but cut the gap with a takedown off a bodylock early in the second and surged into the lead with a four-point throw with a minute remaining.
The U.S. Senior Nationals will resume tomorrow (Saturday, Dec. 19) with the freestyle competition at 9 a.m. PST at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The CKWC will have Stevan Micic, B.J. Futrell, Jimmy Kennedy, Kellen Russell, Logan Massa and J.T. Felix in the field.
CKWC Results
Adam Coon, 130kg/286 pounds
First Round – tech. fall Kirk Wilson (Sunkist Kids), 8-0
Quarterfinals – pinned Jack Griggs (Northern Michigan), 0:46
Semifinals – tech. fall Jacob Mitchell (CSU Pueblo), 8-0
Final – tech. fall Parker Betts (Minnesota Storm), 8-0
Ryan Hope, 85kg/184 pounds
First Round – dec. by Khymbakhy Johnson (NYAC/NMU), 5-2
Consolations – tech. fall Brandon Marshall (Keystone Heights), 10-0
Consolations – injury def. Jon Anderson (Army (WCAP))
Consolations – dec. by Mark Stenberg (NYAC/NMU), 4-1
Seventh Place – dec. Courtney Myers (Army (WCAP)), 6-4
