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JMJC Athletes Earn Jr. World Spots
Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Athletes from the Glenville, NY based Jason Morris Judo Center (JMJC) earned six total spots July 29 on the Jr. World team that will compete in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic October 12-15, 2006 and then proceeded to capture 7 medals at the Jr. US Open the following day in the same venue. Burnt Hills High School Senior, Nick Depopolo (17) came into the trials seeded #2 at 73kg and pulled off the upset by beating Bobby Lee two straight times to earn his first trip to the Jr. Worlds. Delpopolo and Lee squared off again in the Jr. US Open final with Lee getting the nod in a thrilling overtime match. Lee's win marks the first time this year that he has beaten Delpololo in five tries. Burnt Hills High Senior, Jeremy Liggett (17) put in a workman like performance to claim the 60kg Jr. World slot. Liggett dominated Aaron Kunihiro and Tito Ramos with good tactics and groundwork and not with his usual flash to make sure he secured wins over those two tough players. Liggett has now posted 5 straight wins over 2006 National Champ, Ramos and 6 straight over Kunihiro. Liggett then went on the win his second straight Jr. US Open title going 4-0 to collect the $350 prize for the gold medalist. Liggett's wins included a semifinal ippon victory over rival, Ronnie Talledo and a dramatic win in the final over Jose Romero Cano (Ecuador). Cano had previously beaten Jeremy at the Jr. Pan Ams in April, 2006 but Liggett would turn the tides as he tied the score at koka late in the fight then scored yuko as time expired with sweet osoto-kosoto. Burnt Hills High graduate and UAlbany Sophomore, Yuko Sin (19) cruised to 81kg victory easily dispatching of Wesley Thomas and Carlos Moran to make the Jr. World team. Sin following that up by destroying all comers while posting a 4-0 record to win his first Jr. US Open. After watching JMJC teammate, Delpopolo do battle with Lee in their marathon final, Sin slammed Phillip Spano in less time that it took Lee and Delpopolo to adjust their judogis at the end of their match. Burnt Hills High Graduate, AJ Silverman (18) was seeded #1 but had to defeat two players he had never beaten before. In his first match, Silverman executed his game plan to perfection to beat Francisco Alejandro in an overtime thriller, which ended on the ground where AJ normally shines. Silverman then wasted no time in beating Ross Nakamura pinning him in the first 30 seconds to earn his spot on the Jr. World team. Nakamura beat Silverman in the finals of the High School Nationals earlier this year. Silverman posted a 4-1 record the next day to claim a bronze medal at the Jr.US Open losing only to Ivan Lopouchanski (Russia) in the semis. Burnt Hills High Graduate and UAlbany Freshman, Hannah Martin (18) overcame a loss in in the final to earn her first trip to the Jr. Worlds. Martin easily beat Gabby Baez in the first round but stumbled in the final losing a tight battle to Hana Carmicheal. The #1 seed, Martin took full advantage of her next opportunity to make the team by pinning Carmicheal in the first 30 seconds of their final fight off. Martin then posted a 3-1 mark the following day at the Jr. US Open to capture a silver medal losing only to Estefania Garcia Mendoza (Ecuador) in the final. Shaker High Graduate, Marina Shafir (18) closed out the JMJC parade of athletes to make the Jr. World team easily winning the 78kg division to qualify for her first Jr. World team. Shafir then took a silver at the Jr. US Open. Burnt Hills High Junior, Kyle Vashkulat (16) fell short to become the seventh member of the JMJC to make the Jr. World team as he lost in the 90kg final and again in the one match fight off to #2 seed, Jake Larson. Vashkulat came back the following day to take a bronze medal in the Jr. US Open matching his performance last year. Schalmont High Sophmore, Ronni Aragona (15) closed out the JMJC medal count at the Jr. US Open by taking a well earned bronze medal with a 3-2 record. Aragona added this to her bronze medal last week at the USJF Jr. Nationals making this a very successful trip for her.
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