Scott Jones (Little Rock, Ark.), Scott Moore (Denver, Colo.) and Jordan Mouton (Colorado Springs, Colo.) gave their all on the mat against the top competition from the Americas. Jones and Moore lost the battles for bronze in their classes, while Mouton went 0-3.

Attempting to qualify for his fourth Paralympic Games, Moore lost his first-round bout with the eventual men’s 73 kg class silver medalist. Facing a must-win situation, he dispersed of his next opponent in 56 seconds, earning the victory with a body pin set up by an overpowering shoulder throw.

“He came back strong in his second match,” U.S. Head Coach Raul Tamayo (Redwood City, Calif.) said of Moore, a three-time Paralympic medalist (gold, 2000 Sydney Games; bronze, 2004 Athens Games; and bronze, 1996 Atlanta Games).

Argentina’s Fabian Ramirez then defeated Moore in the clash for bronze. The bracketed classes of the judo tournament, including the 73 kg competitors, feature two bronze medalists, so Moore was one of two fifth-place finishers.

Jones, a 2004 Paralympian, received a first-round bye in the men’s 81 kg class, a bracket draw that occurred by chance. He also earned fifth place, with his tenacious opponents moving on and earning silver and one of two class bronze medals.

The 18-year-old Mouton moved up to the women’s 63 kg class to get on the mat in Rio. She lost to the gold, silver and bronze medalists, but displayed the desire to win characteristic of a judo champion.

“Being a rookie, she made some mistakes and that’s fine,” Tamayo said. “There’s a lot that we need to work on, but this was a good experience for her.”

A trio of young American players will take the mat today, hoping to overcome the defiant competition and climb the steps of the medal podium. Greg De Wall (Chico, Calif.), Lisamaria Martinez (Union City, Calif.) and Myles Porter (Colorado Springs, Colo.) are eager to lock arms with their willing international opponents.

Porter, 21, is ready to revel in the view from an international medal stand, having earned fifth place at the 2006 World Judo Championships in France. He faces a formidable men’s 100 kg class.

De Wall fought to fifth place earlier this month at the 2007 World Judo Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil, garnering a qualifying spot to compete at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games. He will square off with the men’s heavyweights in Rio.

Martinez won a bronze medal at the 1998 World Judo Championships in Madrid, Spain. She will use her shifty skills against the women’s 70 kg class.

“I think she’s got a couple sneaky moves that surprise people,” Tamayo said of Martinez. “She’s that type of a player.”

U.S. Parapan American Games judo schedule for Aug. 18:

10 a.m. – preliminaries: women’s 70 kg, men’s 100 kg and men’s 100+ kg
Noon – class repechages
2 p.m. – medal rounds