Air Force Wrestling Team grapples 3 placings at Nat'l Wrestling Championships Published May 1, 2008 By Staff Sgt. Jacob R. McCarthy Nellis AFB Public Affairs LAS VEGAS -- Airmen from the U.S. Air Force Wrestling Team pitted their skills against fierce competitors from across the country at the 2008 U.S. National Wrestling Championships April 24-25 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Twelve Air Force wrestlers faced off on the mat against opponents in six weight classes ranging from 45-96 kilos throughout the two-day tournament. After a series of uncommon Air Force, first-round losses, Olympic hopeful Justin Millard gave the Air Force team its first tournament victory with a 7-1, 6-0 technical fall triumph against Riley Orozco of the Roadrunner Express Wrestling Club in senior men's Greco competition, 96 kilos. After suffering a 2-1, 2-0 decision defeat in round two against R.C. Johnson, Sunkist Kids Wrestling, Millard brought home a 5th-place finish after powering over three other opponents, finalized by a pin victory against independent wrestler John Lorenz. "I lost two close matches to guys who are beatable," said Millard. "All in all, I wrestled well today, but I know I can do better. I just have to beat a couple of these guys to make the Olympic team." Also finishing 5th in senior men's Greco 66 kilos competition was fellow Olympic hopeful Jacob Hey with a win-by-injury default over Army wrestler Marcel Cooper. "It's always hard losing that first match," said Hey. "You've got to go straight back in and just come all the way back." Hey showed his veteran skills after his first-round upset and really stepped up his performance in the later rounds, said Air Force and Olympic Team coach, Rich Estrella. "It looks like this is going to be my last year," said Hey when asked about his future on the team. "I'd like to start coaching," he admitted. Millard and Hey, both part of the World Class Athlete Program, will be returning to Las Vegas with the Air Force Wrestling Team to compete in the Olympic trials June 13-15 at the University of Nevada Las Vegas Thomas and Mack Center. Bringing the Air Force team its third placing victory for this year's national's, Andrew Perez tallied 8th in senior men's Greco 55 kilos competition after a 2-0, 2-0 decision loss to Army wrestler Joshua Habeck. Perez finished the national's one spot shy of qualifying for the Olympic trials, but with two more tournaments left before June's main event, Perez said he just has to give it all he's got. "I've always been the underdog, ever since high school," said Perez. "I wish I'd come out harder. I did what I could, but it's still not over." Elsewhere throughout the brackets, Air Force wrestlers were eliminated from competition during a series of second- and third-round losses with only Gabe Schaefer advancing to third-round fights in senior men's Greco, 66 kilos, and David Spangler grappling his way to round three in senior men's Greco, 84 kilos. Peter Hicks and Walter Hoffman were both eliminated in second-round bouts from senior men's Greco, 84 kilos. Nader Maghribi had to sit out of senior men's Greco 96 kilos competition after his second-round loss. Sharing second-round losses in senior men's Greco, 60 kilos bouts were Anthony Brooker, another WCAP athlete, Dean Maraj and Tyler Moore. In the senior women's 48 kilos freestyle tournament, Air Force wrestler Rachel Bernardes lost two consecutive matches to end her medal hopes early on. "This is the toughest first round we've had in more than a dozen years," said coach Estrella. "As the tournament went on, I found we weren't the only team having a big struggle. You have to look at the new guys and the good things they did winning those bouts as something to build on and learn from. "It's always tough during an Olympic year. We wouldn't be able to perform as well as we do year in and year out without the support of the commanders, supervisors and duty sections," said the veteran coach. Coach Estrella and company now head back to Peterson AFB, Colo. to begin training for the upcoming Northern Plains Olympic regional's May 8-10 in Waterloo, Iowa with the Rocky Mountain Olympic regional's following a week later in Pueblo, Colo. The team is set to focus on strengths needed to close out this year's competitions and prepare for the Olympic trials this June.
