Font ResizeLast year, the Dover native suffered a broken left hand during the Cadet (ages 15-16) Greco-Roman 215-pound final -- a match he eventually won. Because of that, Black was unable to compete in the Cadet freestyle competition a few days later.
With no injuries to slow him this year, Black rolled to a banner week at this year's national championships in Fargo, N.D.
On Tuesday, he won his second USAW Cadet Greco-Roman national title, this time at heavyweight. And on Friday, Black added a Cadet freestyle heavyweight title to his ever-expanding wrestling resume.
Also winning a title at the North Dakota event was local wrestler Chance Marsteller, who will be a freshman at Kennard-Dale High School this fall.
Black defeated the same opponent in both finals: Florida's Doug Vollaro.
Black bested Vollaro 1-0, 0-1, 1-0 in the Greco championship, and 1-0, 1-0 in the freestyle final.
Brooks Black's father, Gerry Black, couldn't attend the championships, but watched his son's matches from Dover via webcast.
"He was very excited," Gerry Black said Friday after talking to his son. "Winning both of them is great."
Brooks Black, 16, attends Blair Academy, a New Jersey boarding school that boasts one of the top prep wrestling programs in the nation. He will be a sophomore this fall.
Meanwhile, Marsteller won the Cadet freestyle 145-pound
Marsteller was not even scored upon in his first nine freestyle matches leading to the title. Hammond, a year older and a fourth-place finisher in the California state tournament this year, finally got to him, winning the first period of their title match.
Finally, Biglerville rising junior Laike Gardner placed fifth at Cadet Greco 135 pounds.
Those efforts helped the Pennsylvania team win the national Cadet Greco team title.
jclayton@ydr.com; 771-2045
