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    Junior National Greco-Roman Preview

    The following is a weight-by-weight breakdown of the Junior National Greco-Roman tournament. Wrestling in that event kicks off at 9 a.m. CT on Monday, July 15, with finals commencing at 2:15 p.m. CT on Tuesday. Analysis is based on participants listed in Track Wrestling as of 11 p.m. on Saturday.

    100: The opening weight of Junior level competition is always limited participants, and tends not to be robust in quality. A couple of the names to watch are 2012 FILA Cadet Greco-Roman national champion Dalton Roberts (Michigan), as well as 2012 Cadet National double All-American Kirk Johansen (Illinois).

    106: Joe Cisneros (California), a returning Junior Greco-Roman All-American just may be the favorite in this weight class, as he also went undefeated in both styles at the Junior Duals at the end of June in Oklahoma City. However, returning Cadet freestyle champion Miguel Silva (Illinois), who ended the 2012-13 regular season weight class ranked, will also have a say in the proceedings at this weight class. Others to watch include Erik Zorilla (Florida), a FILA Junior champion in Greco-Roman; Paul Bianchi (Wisconsin), runner-up at the FILA Cadet Nationals in Greco-Roman; and FILA Junior double All-American Brock George (Utah).

    113: This field has the makings of a very interesting overall tournament. The slightest of favorites just may be Anthony Cefolo (New Jersey), a 2012 in-season state champion and two-time Cadet Greco-Roman All-American. Others to watch include Skyler Petry (Minnesota), a three-time in-season state placer and Preseason Nationals runner-up; FILA Cadet Greco-Roman runner-up Isaac Jimenez (Texas); FILA Junior Greco-Roman third placer Doyle Trout (Nebraska), who also went undefeated in Greco-Roman at the Junior Duals; as well as four other wrestlers that earned All-American honors in Fargo last summer.

    120: And the meat of the Junior Nationals has begun! Defending Junior Greco-Roman champion Jared Oftedahl (Minnesota) is going to have a stern challenge in order to repeat his title-winning performance. Five others in this field are nationally ranked at their grade level: Taylor LaMont (Utah) is No. 25 in the Class of 2016, having won a FILA Cadet Greco-Roman national title in late May and going undefeated at the Junior Duals in both styles during late June; Jordan Allen (West Virginia) is ranked No. 40 in the Class of 2015; Ronnie Bresser (Oregon), a Junior National double All-American last summer, finished No. 76 in the graduated Class of 2016; while Josh Terao (Hawaii), a Cadet double All-American last summer, and 2012 FILA Cadet Greco-Roman champion James Flint (Florida) are ranked within the Top 100 of the Class of 2014. Others meriting attention include Sean Cannon (Nevada), Dom Forys (Pennsylvania), returning Junior Greco-Roman runner-up Tommy Pawleski (Illinois) and FILA Cadet Greco-Roman runner-up Blaine Tschida (Minnesota).

    126: Things seem set for a wide open competition here, with maybe the slightest of favorites being Cub Yeager (Oklahoma), who has two in-season state titles to his credit, was a Junior Greco-Roman All-American last summer, and went undefeated in Greco-Roman at the Junior Duals in late June. Others to watch here include 2012 FILA Cadet Greco-Roman champion Danny Boychuck (New Jersey), returning Cadet Greco-Roman runner-up Jon Marmolejo (Illinois), 2011 Junior Greco-Roman runner-up Dante Rodriguez (Nebraska), FILA Cadet Greco-Roman All-American Jordan Shearer (North Dakota), along with Cody Karstetter (Oklahoma) and William Koll (New York)

    Hayden Tuma of Idaho is the prohibitive favorite at 132 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)
    132: Among the five Top 100 rising seniors in this weight bracket, there is one clear standout in Hayden Tuma (Idaho), who has a case for being the best high school-aged Greco-Roman wrestler in the country. Tuma is ranked No. 6 nationally in the Class of 2014, was a Junior Greco-Roman national champion last summer, and also won FILA Juniors this spring along with FILA Cadets the prior two springs in Greco-Roman. Other Top 100 rated wrestlers are No. 37 Cole Weaver (Michigan), a Cadet Greco-Roman champion last summer; No. 55 Seth Gross (Minnesota), runner-up in Cadet Greco-Roman last year but a two-time Cadet freestyle champion; No. 60 Anthony Giraldo (New Jersey), champion in Greco-Roman at the FILA Cadet Nationals this May; and No. 97 Jacob Rubio (Texas), a multi-time Greco-Roman All-American in USA Wrestling events who also went undefeated in both styles at the Junior Duals last month. Also here is 2011 FILA Cadet Greco-Roman champion Darius Henry (Illinois).

    138: Based on listed registrants, the favorite in this weight class would have to be Joseph McKenna (New Jersey), a two-time Cadet National Greco-Roman champion who is ranked No. 10 overall in the Class of 2014. Primary challengers would include Jake Velarde (Washington), a two-time Junior Greco-Roman All-American who finished ranked No. 71 overall in the Class of 2013; and Renaldo Rodriguez-Spencer, an All-American at both Junior Nationals and FILA Juniors in Greco-Roman, also No. 33 overall in the Class of 2014. Others to watch include Andrew Crone (Wisconsin) and Blaine Invernon (Idaho), both who are returning Junior Greco-Roman All-Americans; along with Max Thomsen (Iowa), who is ranked No. 43 in the Class of 2015.

    145: Runner-up last year in Junior Greco-Roman, Mitch Bengtson (Minnesota) will enter this weight class as the tournament favorite. He is a two-time All-American in Junior Greco-Roman, and finished his scholastic career as the No. 34 overall prospect in the Class of 2013. Four other wrestlers return as Junior Greco-Roman All-Americans: Brandon Ashworth (Utah), Phil Downing (Colorado), Joe Grable (Washington), and Jared Johshoy (Idaho). Three other wrestlers went undefeated in Greco-Roman at the Junior Duals last month: Isaac Dulgarian (Kansas), Matthew Moody (Georgia), and FILA Cadet Greco-Roman runner-up Brooks Robinson (Utah).

    152: Grant Lamont (Utah) was champion in Junior Greco-Roman last year, and seeks a second consecutive title. The graduated senior was also runner-up in the 2010 Junior Greco-Roman tournament, and is after a fourth top three finish in this event. However, life will not be easy with the always tough Jon-Jay Chavez (Idaho) among the challengers. Chavez was champion in both styles at the FILA Cadet Nationals this May, won Cadet Nationals in Greco-Roman in 2011, and is ranked No. 34 overall in the Class of 2014. Others to watch include FILA Cadet double All-American Weston Dobler (North Dakota); Grant Leeth (Missouri), who is ranked No. 35 overall in the Class of 2014; Logan Breitenbach (Maryland), who was 2012 FILA Cadet Greco-Roman All-American; and Anthony Valenica (California), who went undefeated in both styles at the Junior Duals, and is ranked No. 13 in the Class of 2015.

    160: Three Top 100 Class of 2014 with excellent Greco-Roman backgrounds lead the field in this weight class. Ranked No. 39, Burke Paddock (New York) has been an All-American at multiple USA Wrestling tournaments in this style, including such a finish in 2011 at the Junior Nationals; he also went undefeated in Greco-Roman at last month's Junior Duals. Kimball Bastian (Utah), ranked No. 68, won the Cadet National title last year, and was champion of this year's FILA Cadet Nationals in Greco-Roman with two victories over top 15 wrestlers in his class. Finally, Tyrel White (Pennsylvania) is ranked No. 91 in that class, finished runner-up at the FILA Junior Nationals this year, and was a Junior Greco-Roman All-American last summer. Others to watch include returning Junior All-American Calvin Ochs (Kansas); Nick Georgian (Illinois), who was undefeated at the Junior Duals in Greco-Roman; and 2012 FILA Junior All-American Barrett Stanghill (Montana).

    170: Two-time Cadet Greco-Roman champion Chandler Rogers (Washington) enters the tournament as a strong favorite in this weight class. Rogers is ranked No. 13 overall in the Class of 2014, was also undefeated in both styles at the Junior Duals last month, and is a two-time FILA Cadet Greco-Roman finalist (winning the title in 2012). Others to watch include Jacob Morrissey (Wisconsin), who won the Junior folkstyle title in April and seeks a Triple Crown; Patrick Coover (Pennsylvania), a 2010 Cadet Greco-Roman champion; Kyle Bateman (Oregon), a returning Junior Greco-Roman All-American; and Xavier Montalvo (Illinois), ranked No. 45 in the Class of 2015 and a Cadet double All-American last year in Fargo.

    182: Preston Lehmann (North Dakota), who finished his prep career ranked No. 46 in the Class of 2013, enters this weight bracket as the slight favorite after finishing undefeated in both styles at the Junior Duals last month. Most notable among the challengers is Ryan Christensen (Washington), a Cadet National double finalist last year, who is ranked No. 41 in the Class of 2014 and went undefeated in Greco-Roman at the Junior Duals. Others meriting attention include Daniel Hawkins (Maryland), a returning Junior Greco-Roman All-American, as well as Nick Corba (Ohio), Troy Murtha (Maryland), and Aaron Rothwell (Wisconsin).

    195: Four Top 100 recruits in the Classes of 2013 and 2014 are featured among a rather solid field in this weight class. Leading the list from a ranking standpoint is Jared Haught (West Virginia), who finished No. 68 overall in the Class of 2013. Among the rising seniors is Jeramy Sweany (California), No. 84 in the Class of 2014 and a returning Junior Greco-Roman All-American, along with No. 98 Reggie Williams (New York) and No. 100 Chance McClure (Georgia). Another pair of returning Junior Greco-Roman All-Americans in this field is Matthew Seabold (Iowa) and returning runner-up Alen Turcinhodzic (Pennsylvania). Two additional wrestlers in the field went undefeated at the Junior Duals in Greco-Roman last month, Tyler McLean (Washington) and Roland Zilberman (New York).

    220: Returning Cadet National double champion, and a FILA Cadet Nationals double finalist (Greco-Roman champion) in May, Roy Nash is ranked No. 79 overall in the Class of 2014. He enters this event as the weight class favorite. Among the others to watch are Mikel Baker (Oklahoma), a returning Junior Greco-Roman All-American; and Cory Daniel (Maryland), a FILA Junior Greco-Roman All-American in April.

    285: Even though Sam Stoll (Minnesota) swept a pair of matches from Adam Coon (Michigan) at the FILA Junior World Team Trials in Greco-Roman, one should still consider Coon the favorite in this tournament. Coon won the Junior Nationals in both styles last year, including a pool round-robin win over Stoll as part of that. He was ranked No. 2 overall in the Class of 2013, and won everything under the sun in his high school career. Stoll was third in Junior Greco-Roman last year, is the FILA Juniors World Team representative this year, and ranked No. 11 overall in the Class of 2014. Others meriting attention in this weight class include Nathan Butler (Kansas), who was ranked No. 64 overall in the Class of 2013 and went undefeated at the Junior Duals in both styles last month; last year's Cadet National double champion Wyatt Spears (Oregon); and Newton Smerchek (Wisconsin).

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