LEXINGTON, Va. ? Navy advanced seven competitors to the championship finals and won three individual championships as the Midshipmen recaptured the team title at the 15th Annual USAA All-Academy Championships, hosted by VMI at Cocke Hall on Saturday.
Navy took home its eighth team title in the event's history, reclaiming the championship that they won for four consecutive years before West Point broke the string a season ago. The Mids had nine of their 10 competitors place in the competition, led by champions Joe Baker (133), Luke Rebertus (174) and Casey Caldwell (184).
Army placed second in the meet with five individual champions, while Merchant Marine took home the event's Division III title. Mariner sophomore Vincent Renaut also made history at the event, becoming the first-ever Division III individual champion in the 15 years of the event. Renaut won the 165-pound title with a 14-10 decision over Navy's Steve Crozier in a rematch of last year's final that went the other way. He also becomes the first Division III grappler to earn Outstanding Wrestler accolades.
In the overall team competition, Navy's 105 points led the way, followed by Army's total of 90 points and The Citadel's 69.5 points. USMMA tied with Air Force with 49 points apiece, while Norwich (16.5 pts.), VMI (16 pts.) and Coast Guard (10.5 pts.) rounded out the team scoring.
Navy senior Baker took home his third career All-Academy title with a pair of technical falls before pinning USMMA's Phil Greene in 3:43. Rebertus had an impressive run as well, netting a pin and a pair of major decisions in his first All-Academy Championship. Caldwell, meanwhile, advanced on a technical fall and a major decision before scoring a reversal early in the third period to take control against USAFA sophomore Brett Boyce, leading to a 7-3 decision.
Each of the five Black Knights that advanced to the championship finals walked away with titles. One of the top matches of the day came in the 149-pound final, where Navy's Bryce Saddoris, ranked sixth nationally, took on Army's Matt Kyler, ranked ninth nationally. With the match tied at two late in the third period, Kyler posted a takedown with 12 seconds remaining, leading to a 4-2 decision and Kyler's third consecutive All-Academy title.
The night ended with one of the most exciting finals, as Black Knight senior Mike Sprigg and VMI sophomore Josh Wine locked up in an overtime battle. Both Sprigg and Wine each needed only three seconds to escape from the bottom position to begin the second and third periods, and neither combatant could score any more points in regulation. Midway through the first sudden victory period, however, Sprigg scored the match's only takedown, winning the bout, 3-1.
Army sophomore Casey Thome, the 2008 All-Academy Runner-Up at 149 lbs, pulled out a 3-1 decision with a takedown in the final 30 seconds of the match to claim the 141-pound bracket against second-seeded Matt Pagan. The Black Knights also scored titles at 157, where Rudy Chelednik outlasted Norwich's Connor Keating 5-1, and at 197, as top-seeded repeated as All-Academy champion with a 4-1 decision over Navy's Phil Neese.
Third-seeded junior Tyler Sim of The Citadel captured the 125-pound title, scoring a takedown in the final 15 seconds to claim a 7-5 decision over top-seeded Prescott Garner of Navy.
VMI returns to action on Wednesday evening in their final home dual of the season, taking on Southern Conference foe Appalachian State at 7:30 p.m. at The Thunderdome.
Championship Finals-
125- #3 Tyler Sim (The Citadel) dec. #1 Prescott Garner (Navy); 7-5
133- #1 Joe Baker (Navy) pins #3 Phil Greene (MM); 3:43
141- #1 Casey Thome (Army) dec. #2 Matt Pagan (Navy); 3-1
149- #2 Matt Kyler (Army) dec. #1 Bryce Saddoris (Navy); 4-2
157- #2 Rudy Chelednik (Army) dec. #4 Connor Keating (Norwich); 5-1
165- #3 Vincent Renaut (MM) dec. #1 Steve Crozier (AF); 14-10
174- #1 Luke Rebertus (Navy) maj. dec. #2 J.C. Oddo (The Citadel); 10-2
184- #1 Casey Caldwell (Navy) dec. Brett Boyce (AF); 7-3
197- #1 Richard Starks (Army) dec. #2 Phil Neese (Navy); 4-1
285- #1 Mike Sprigg (Army) dec. #2 Josh Wine (VMI); 3-1 (OT)
