KING'S POINT, N.Y. -- Juan Adams continued his torrid pace of wins Saturday afternoon and added a title to his season as the Virginia Military Institute grappler won the heavyweight division of the 21st All-Academy Championships, hosted by the United States Merchant Marine Academy.
Overall, VMI finished sixth out of the eight teams, earning 26.5 points, aided by Adams' title and a fourth-place finishes from Shabaka Johns at 165 pounds and Dalton Henderson at 125 pounds.
The United States Air Force Academy won the team title with 90.0 points, followed by the United States Military Academy with 86.5 points and the United States Naval Academy with 81.5. The Citadel took fourth with 58.5 points, followed by a fifth place finished by the United States Coast Guard Academy with 27.5 points. Norwich University and the host institution finished tied for seventh with 5.5 points each.
Navy's Peyton Walsh won the Most Pins Award with two wins by fall while Nate Giorgio of the Coast Guard Academy won the Ken Shelton Most Outstanding Wrestler Award.
Adams, who has now won eight of his last nine matches, opened his day with a win by fall, sticking Norwich wrestler Frankie Girolamo in the middle of the second period at 3:58. Adams followed with a shutout 7-0 decision over Army's Stephen Snyder, setting up a first and second seed title bout.
The Houston native took a 6-3 decision over Air Force Academy's Marcus Malecek, giving VMI its first weight class title at a tournament this season. Adams hit the 20-win plateau as well, joining Johns as the first VMI duo to win 20 matches in a season since Matt Brock and Andrew Embree did so in 2011-12.
Johns extended his 165 pound winning streak to 10 with a win by fall in the opening match, stopping the clock at five minutes against Norwich's Zach Gibson. Johns' impressive run came to a halt in the semifinals as eventual champion Peyton Walsh earned a 12-0 major decision. Johns rebounded in the consolation semifinals with a 5-2 decision over Merchant Marine's Branden Yeik before taking fourth overall after falling 11-2 against second-seeded Coleman Gracey of Army.
Like his teammates, Henderson opened the day with a win by fall, ending his match with Coast Guard's Domenick Summers in just 1:55. Henderson's progress was halted in the semifinals after dropping an 11-5 decision against top-seeded Air Force grappler and eventual champion Martin Martinez. Henderson bounced back with a an 11-8 tiebreaker decision over Army's Sean Badua. In the third-place round, Henderson's day came to an end by fall against Navy's Cam Timok in 2:26.
Derek Thurman picked up a win in the consolation first round after getting a major decision over Coast Guard's Dan Fiorvanti by a 12-3 count. In the consolation semifinals, Thurman was edged 4-3 by Merchant Marine's Pat Rooney.
VMI returns home to The Thunderdome for a Southern Conference battle against Appalachian State University on Feb. 16. Match time for the 44th meeting between the schools is set for 7:30 p.m. at Cocke Hall.
Agate:
21st All-Academy Championships Hosted by US Merchant Marine Academy
Team Standings
1) US Air Force Academy 90.0, 2) US Military Academy 86.5, 3) US Naval Academy 81.5 4) The Citadel 58.5, 5) US Coast Guard Academy 27.5, 6) Virginia Military Academy 26.5, t7) Norwich University 5.5 t7) US Merchant Marine Academy
Most Pins Award: Peyton Walsh (US Naval Academy) with 2
Ken Shelton Most Outstanding Wrestler Award: Nate Giorgio (US Coast Guard Academy)
125 Pounds
First Round: Dalton Henderson (VMI) WBF Dominick Summers (USCGA) 1:55
Semifinals: Martin Martinez (USAFA) DEC Dalton Henderson (VMI) 11-5
Consolation Semifinals: Dalton Henderson (VMI) TB-1 Sean Badua (USMA) 11-8
Third-Place Bout: Cam Timok (USNA) WBF Dalton Henderson (VMI) 2:26
149 Pounds
First Round: Matt Frisch (CIT) MAJ DEC Jack Krall (VMI) 9-0
Consolation First Round: Mike Giorgio (USCGA) WBF Jack Krall (VMI) 1:16
157 Pounds
First Round: Russ Parsons (USMA) WBF Sam Paulay (VMI) 1:45
Consolation First Round: Alex Kwmuntis (NOR) WBF Sam Paulay (VMI) 5:43
165 Pounds
First Round: Shabaka Johns (VMI) WBF Zach Gibson (NOR) 5:00
Semifinals: Peyton Walsh (USNA) MAJ DEC Shabaka Johns (VMI) 12-0
Consolation Semifinals: Shabaka Johns (VMI) DEC Branden Yeik (USMMA) 5-2
Third-Place Bout: Coleman Gracey (USMA) MAJ DEC Shabaka Johns (VMI) 11-2
184 Pounds
First Round: Michael Woulfe (USNA) WBF Derek Thurman (VMI) 2:50
Consolation First Round: Derek Thurman (VMI) MAJ DEC Dan Fiorvanti (USCGA) 12-3
Consolation Semifinals: Pat Rooney (USMMA) DEC Derek Thurman (VMI) 4-3
197 Pounds
First Round: Marshall Haas (CIT) DEC Urayoan Garcia (VMI) 4-2
Consolation First Round: Urayoan Garcia (VMI) BYE
Consolation Semifinals: Jack Carda (USAFA) TB-1 Urayoan Garcia (VMI) 4-3
285 Pounds
First Round: Juan Adams (VMI) WBF Frankie Girolamo (NOR) 3:58
Semifinals: Juan Adams (VMI) DEC Stephen Snyder (USMA) 7-0
Title Bout: Juan Adams (VMI) DEC Marcus Malecek (USAFA) 6-3
