In today's preliminary pools of Greco-Roman, Minnesota is the top overall seed of the tournament, and anchors Pool A. Illinois is the second overall seed, top of Pool B; California tops Pool C, and Iowa tops pool D. The four seeded teams in each pool are as follows:
Pool A: Minnesota, Missouri, Washington, and Tennessee
Pool B: Illinois, Utah, Kansas, and Florida
Pool C: California, Ohio, Arizona, and Michigan
Pool D: Iowa, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Nebraska
As with the freestyle competition, the preliminary pool is actually a double-elimination bracket that competes back to true second. The top two teams in each preliminary pool move to the championship pools, which are truly a pair of four-team round-robins with a cross-match for placement at the end. Championship pools are contained of the following: A1, B2, C2, D1 and A2, B1, C1, D2.
Looking ahead to the freestyle competition, it will be a star-studded showcase event. Even with the proliferation of dual team events onto the out-of-scholastic-season wrestling calendar, the Junior Freestyle Duals still present a unique opportunity to see the best of the best from each state match up with bragging rights and supremacy on the line.
Based on the lineups posted to Trackwrestling, the defending champions from the host state of Oklahoma will have a solid squad, one that could feature a state finalist starting at every single weight class but for 100 pounds. Eleven of the fifteen weight classes have a state champion present. The anchor figures on the Sooner State team would be Daton Fix (126), Kaden Gfeller (138), and Wyatt Sheets (152). As the host team, they'll obviously have the advantage of depth and being able to rotate wrestlers through matches in both the Greco-Roman and freestyle competitions.
While the squad from traditional power New Jersey isn't going to have the roster quantity of the hosts, the Garden State group will have the advantage of not having to grind through the Greco-Roman competition. As is their normal practice, they will not participate in the Greco-Roman event today and tomorrow. Their roster is likewise loaded with 13 of 15 weight classes featuring a top three or better finisher from either the National Prep tournament of the single-class New Jersey state tournament (nine were state champions). Roster anchors include back-end hammers in Brandon Dallavia (170), Joe Grello (182), Kevin Mulligan (195), and Chase Singletary (220).
Runners-up last year to Oklahoma in the Junior National freestyle team point race in Fargo, Ohio will bring a most excellent squad to the freestyle competition this weekend. While the freestyle roster is not entered in Track, if the Buckeye State has the same group as in Greco-Roman, twelve weight classes will feature a wrestler that finished top three or better in this year's scholastic state tournament.
Even though starters at 100 and 106 were not top three placers, each is talented, which will provide opportunity to steal wins in many of the core dual meets; Lucas Byrd (100) placed at state, and was a Cadet double All-American last year, while Oscar Sanchez (106) backed up a state champion and went undefeated at the Cadet Duals last week. Overall roster anchors on the Ohio squad include Dylan D'Emilio (113) and Drew Mattin (120) down low, Dom Demas (145) in the middle, with Ben Darmstadt (195) and Jared Campbell (220) up top.
Perennial powers Illinois do not have their freestyle roster in Track Wrestling. The Land of Lincoln is also notorious for having a number of "freestyle only" participants. From the Greco-Roman group, look for Joey Melendez (113), Louie Hayes (120), Austin O'Connor (152), and Anthony Cassioppi (285) to play key roles in the freestyle team.
Another pair of teams looking pretty strong from top-to-bottom are Iowa and Minnesota. The Iowa squad features state champions as starters in eleven of the fifteen weight classes, with another manned by a state third. Anchor wrestlers include Kyle Biscoglia (113), Carter Happel (138), Marcus Coleman (170), and Carter Isley (220); Colton Clingenpeel (160) and Wyatt Wriedt (220) also ended the scholastic season in the national weight-class rankings.
Minnesota has nine weight classes occupied by a state champion from this past season, a number that could be stretched by one depending on how the Gopher State coaches align their lineup on a match-to-match basis. Also key is that the opening two weight classes have state medalists present, which can be a "hidden points" opportunity. Of the remaining four weight classes, three have a top three state medalist listed to compete. Anchor wrestlers for Minnesota include Patrick McKee (113), Mitch McKee (138), Lucas Jeske (170), Owen Webster (182), and Keegan Moore (195).
Finally, the Golden State of California is bringing it strong to the Junior Freestyle Duals. Five state champions from this scholastic season are present: David Campbell (126), Trence Gillem (145), Zander Wick (152), Evan Wick (160), and Jeremy Thomas (170). Five other weight classes have a state medalist present. Their susceptibility against elite squads will come in the opening couple weight classes and the back weight classes (though three of those back four weight classes do have state medalists present, other power states have nationally ranked competitors).
Some of the other individuals to watch in freestyle, listed by team:
Arizona: Jason Holmes (106), Danny Vega (113), Brandon Courtney (120), Quentin Hovis (152)
Florida: Anthony Artalona (145), Max Wohlabaugh (160), Kyron Taylor (285)
Georgia: Codi Russell (126), Justin Ruffin (145)
Indiana: Paul Konrath (126), Andrew Davison (195)
Iowa (2nd): Ryan Leisure (138)
Kansas: Clay Lautt (170), Kayne Hutchison (285)
Michigan: Rayvon Foley (106), Ben Freeman (138), Jelani Embree (182), Brandon Whitman (195), Trent Hillger (285)
Missouri: Malik Johnson/Cody Phippen (113), Colin Valdiviez (126), Ethan Karsten (145), Daniel Filipek (160)
Nebraska: Joseph Harrison (113)
Oklahoma (2nd): Paxton Rosen (120)
Pennsylvania: Jaret Lane (106), Sammy Sasso (145), Trent Hidlay (160), Eric Hong (170), Zane Black (220)
Tennessee: Knox Fuller (138), Sammy Evans/Nick Boykin (285)
Texas: Dylanger Potter (152), Braedin Redlin (160), Brian Andrews (285)
Utah: Taylor LaMont (132), Brock Hardy (138), Wyatt Koelling (195)
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