Las Vegas, NV – “It was the best Senior National performance in PRTC history!” Executive Director and Head Coach Brandon Slay was happy that two of his full-time resident athletes each came away with a championship title on Saturday night at the US Open. “Mark Hall made history by becoming our first two-time US Open Champion while David McFadden won his first US Open title,” said Slay. “Also, Doug Zapf, a student-athlete at the University of Pennsylvania, beat an NCAA Champion and an NCAA Finalist on his way to an outstanding third place finish.”

With seconds left on the clock and losing to two-time NCAA Champion Vincenzo Joseph, McFadden scored the deciding points to capture his first US Senior National Title. The 7th seed at 79kg, McFadden worked his way through a talented field of veteran competitors. After dominating tech-fall victories in the first two rounds, he pinned two time NCAA Champion Isaiah Martinez in the quarter finals. He then defeated a very tough Chance Marstellar of the Annapolis RTC before claiming victory over Joseph, 8-6 in the finals.

Hall was nearly untouched in winning his second Senior National Championship at 86kg. Conceding just two points all weekend, he started the tournament with a pin followed by three consecutive tech-falls. “Takedown to turn was the key for Mark’s dominance,” said Slay. “I’m very proud of his commitment to turning his opponents after every takedown.” Hall outscored his opponents 36-2 on his journey towards winning gold.

Zapf, a junior at UPenn, competed for the first time since the NCAA Championships in March in Detroit. After winning his first round match at 70kg, he took on NCAA Champion and 2x Pan Am Champion, Anthony Ashnault of the Scarlet Knight Wrestling Club. He would defeat Ashnault 6-2, win his quarterfinal match, and meet another Pan Am Champion in the semi-finals. Zapf battled Alec Pantaleo of the Cliff Keen Wrestling Club to a 3-2 loss. In the consolation semi-finals, Zapf would defeat NCAA Finalist Sammy Sasso of Ohio State enroute to a third place finish against Michael Blockhus of the Gopher WC.

According to Slay, “Doug will now join David, Mark, and Joey McKenna at the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament in Coralville, Iowa on May 21-22, 2022.” McKenna will be competing at 65kg in Iowa. As the current World Champion, Jordan Burroughs has accepted his spot in Final X at 79kg. The winners of the Challenge Tournament will compete in Final X and a shot at representing Team USA at the World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia this coming Fall.

“The PRTC continues to fulfill our mission of enriching lives locally and globally through the sport of wrestling,” Slay added. “Our next event is this week. Joey and Jordan will be competing for Team USA at the Pan American Championships in Acapulco, Mexico.”

In total, the PRTC had 14 competitors at the US Open. In addition to the three place-winners, Nick Incontrera(79kg), Mickey O’Malley(79kg), CJ LaFragola(86kg), and John Stout(86kg) also competed in the Senior Freestyle Division. Jake Hendricks(82kg) competed in the Senior Greco-Roman Division.

At the U20 Level, Kelly Dunnigan(61kg), Kyle Hauserman(65kg), Aboubakare Diaby(74kg), Tate Nichter(74kg), John Janda(79kg), and Josh LaBarbera(86kg) represented the PRTC in the Freestyle Division. LaBarbera also competed in U20 Greco-Roman at 87kg.

Full PRTC US Open Results:

SENIOR FREESTYLE

David McFadden, 79kg, 1st Place

WIN Mason Reiniche, (Beaver Dam RTC), 11-0

WIN Quentin Perez, (California RTC), 14-4

WIN Isaiah Martinez, (Beaver Dam RTC), FALL

WIN Chance Marstellar, (Annapolis RTC), 11-10

WIN Vincenzo Joseph, (California RTC), 8-6

Mark Hall, 86kg, 1st Place

WIN Gavin Kane, (Tar Heel WC), FALL

WIN Julien Broderson, (Iowa), 12-2

WIN Caden Steffen, (Mustang WC), 10-0

WIN Marcus Coleman, (Iowa), 10-0

Doug Zapf, 70kg, 3rd Place 

WIN Cameron Harrell, (Maryland), 11-3

WIN Anthony Ashnault, (Scarlet Knight WC), 6-2

WIN Michael Blockhus, (Gopher WC), 5-4

LOSS Alec Pantaleo, (Cliff Keen WC), 2-3

WIN Sammy Sasso, (Ohio RTC), 10-9

WIN Michael Blockhus, (Gopher WC), 4-1

Nick Incontrera, 79kg 

LOSS Evan Wick, (Southern California RTC), 2-8

WIN Antonio Washington, Jr, (Bluff City WC), 10-0

WIN Quentin Perez, (California RTC), 16-15

WIN Jacen Peterson, (Mountain Man WC), 10-0

LOSS Alex Dieringer, (Cliff Keen WC), 0-11

Mickey O’Malley, 79kg 

WIN Jamal Morris, (Ft. Lauderdale WC), 10-5

LOSS Brayden Thompson, (Illinois), 1-9

WIN Tytus Coombs, (CSU Pueblo WC), 10-0

LOSS Isaiah White, (Sunkist Kids WC), 5-7

Christian LaFragola, 86kg 

WIN Hunter Johns, (Ohio), 6-2

LOSS Owen Webster, (Gopher WC), 0-10

WIN Jason Bynarowicz, (Colorado Mesa WC), 12-8

WIN Kohl Drake, (Alpha Pack Wrestling), 11-0

LOSS Julien Broderson, (Iowa), 5-7

John Stout, 86kg 

WIN Hunter Tobiasson, (Colorado), 9-6

LOSS Julien Broderson, (Iowa), 6-18

WIN Cris Perales, (Texas Style WC), 10-0

LOSS Gavin Kane, (Tar Heel WC), 5-12

SENIOR GRECO-ROMAN

Jake Hendricks, 82kg

WIN Jamal Morris, (Cardinal Gibbons HS), 8-0

LOSS Tommy Brackett, (Tennessee), 4-9

WIN Javier Gomez, (Montwood HS), Injury

WIN Dracius McKee, (Spartan Mat Club), 10-1

LOSS Jacob Fisher, (Curby 3 Style WC), 0-9

U20 FREESTYLE

Kelly Dunnigan, 61kg

WIN Ethan Qureshi, (California), 8-4

WIN Alex Flerage, (Missouri), 10-0

LOSS Nic Bouzakis, (Pennsylvania), 0-10

WIN Cooper Birdwell, (Cowboy RTC), 4-2

LOSS Carter Bailey, (Lehigh Valley WC), 2-12

Kyle Hauserman, 65kg

LOSS Zachary Redding, (New York), 4-9

LOSS Joshua Koderhandt, (Illinois), 4-5

Aboubakare Diaby, 74kg

LOSS Charlie Stuhl, (Twin Cities RTC), 0-10

LOSS Clayton Ulrey, (Southeast RTC), 0-10

Tate Nichter, 74kg

WIN Warren Koslow, (John Marshall Fundamental WC), 13-1

LOSS Jack Thomsen, (Jackrabbit WC), 6-17

WIN Malaiki Owens, (Texas WC), 10-0

LOSS Matthew Lackman, (Steel Mat Club), 0-10

Jack Janda, 79kg

LOSS Rocco Welsh, (Young Guns WC), 0-10

WIN Ryker Permann, (American Falls WC), 3-0

WIN Ben Robuck, (Colorado Mesa WC), 14-7

LOSS Drew Clearie, (Pennsylvania), 0-6

Josh LaBarbera, 86kg 

WIN Luke Isaak, (Arizona), 10-0

WIN Chase Mielnik, (DMV RTC), 13-2

LOSS Gabe Sollars, (Maurer Coughlin WC), 2-13

LOSS Fernando Villaescusa, (Cyclone RTC), 0-13

U20 GRECO-ROMAN

Josh LaBarbera, 86kg

LOSS Ryan Cody, (Greco-Roman Development), 0-9

LOSS Deanthony Parker, (Illinois), 1-7

Pictures courtesy of Levi Ventura/Titan Mercury Wrestling Club