Daniel "Greg" Kerkvliet claimed the title at 110 kilograms (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)AKRON, Ohio -- The previous four years have represented excellent success for the United States at the UWW Cadet World Championships in freestyle, as each year has yielded three or more champions out of the ten weights.
The 2014, 2015, and 2016 teams had three gold medals each, while last year's team had four gold medals; the overall medal count has relatively improved year-to-year as well: four in 2014, five in 2015, seven in 2016, and then six in 2017.
On Saturday and Sunday at the University of Akron this year's team trials process was executed.
Leading the way are a pair of repeat participants in Robert Howard (Bergen Catholic, N.J.) at 55 kilograms (121.25 pounds) and Daniel "Greg" Kerkvliet (Simley, Minn.) at 110 (242.5).
Howard beat fellow returning Cadet World Team participant Julian Tagg (Brecksville, Ohio) in the championship series, two matches to zero, not giving up a takedown in either bout. A comprehensive pair of results saw excellent leg attacks, par terre offense, and overall defense yield 10-1 then 4-1 victories. Earlier notable victories came over grade level stars Nic Bouzakis (Lake Higland Prep, Fla.) and Trevor Mastrogiovanni (Blair Academy, N.J.) in the round of 16 and quarterfinal rounds on Saturday.
Returning world champion Kerkvliet, who also qualified for the Junior World Team in his first year of eligibility -- at 97 kilograms -- steamrolled to the final with three shutout technical falls that lasted in total one minute. The championship series sweep over Hunter Catka (Sun Valley, Pa.) was similar quick and decisive, a pair of shutout technical falls. The total tournament for Kerkvliet was five matches lasting two minutes and 36 seconds with a cumulative score of 51-0.
Carson Manville earned a spot on the Cadet World Team at 65 kilograms (Photo/Robbert Wijtman)Also qualifying for the team was two-time Pan-American Cadet double champion Carson Manville, who did so at 65 kilograms (143.3), though his journey was more of a challenge. It started decisive enough for the nation's top overall Class of 2021 wrestler with three technical falls. The quarterfinal was an 8-4 battle over Kevon Davenport (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.), as it was a battle of four-point throws, Manville getting two to the one for returning Fargo Cadet double finalist Davenport. It was thorny in the semifinal as Bryce Andonian (St. Edward, Ohio) jumped out to a 6-1 lead; however, Manville countered a gut-wrench attempt by Andonian into a reversal-exposure and a fall at the 1:20 mark of the first period.
That set up a championship series battle with fellow returning Fargo Cadet freestyle champion Fidel Mayora (Montini Catholic, Ill.). Mayora took a strong early lead in the first match, and turned it into a fall at the 1:35 mark. The second match was a much more tightly contested battle, one that Manville hung on to win 4-2 as Mayora was in on what would have been a "winning" attack late in the bout but couldn't finish. The rubber match was all Manville from the start, and ended in a pin at the 1:22 mark.
The No. 2 overall Class of 2021 wrestler Alex Facundo (Davison, Mich.) joins Manville on the team, also winning his finals series in three bouts. Facundo won the 71 kilo (156.5) title over Joshua Otto (Arrowhead, Wis.). The first and third matches were shutout decisions, 9-0 and 6-0; while the middle match defeat came 3-3 via criteria, as Otto was able to come back from a 3-0 second period deficit with a takedown and then a very late pushout.
A third of the ten total championship series went three bouts, as Abe Assad (Glenbard North, Ill.) swept both the Greco-Roman and freestyle tournaments at 80 kilograms (176.4). It was a statement tournament title for the returning Fargo Cadet double finalist (Greco champ), as he cleared a loaded weight bracket. The most notable pre-finals win was a 2-2 criteria victory over returning Fargo Cadet double champion Carter Starocci (Erie Cathedral Prep, Pa.), as a single takedown beat two pushouts in the semifinal. In the championship match against probable favorite Julian Ramirez (Blair Academy, N.J.), Ramirez won the first match decisively 6-0.
However, in the second match Assad jumped out strong to a 6-1 lead, as Ramirez suffered an ankle injury midway through the first period right off a takedown by Assad; Ramirez would storm back with a reversal-exposure from the forced par terre defense and then then a subsequent turn to cut that deficit. A takedown midway through the second period gave Ramirez the 7-6 lead. However, a late point yielded Assad the 7-7 criteria victory. In the winner-take-all rubber match, Assad won by 10-0 technical fall at the 1:56 mark.
Also qualifying for this Cadet World Team was the nation's top overall Class of 2020 wrestler, A.J. Ferrari (Allen, Texas) at 92 kilograms (202.8). His finals series was a dominant sweep over Konner Doucet (Comanche, Okla.); the first bout a 10-0 technical fall early in the second period at the 2:26 mark, before the second bout was a 10-1 decision. However, Ferrari was significantly challenged during the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. In the quarterfinal he used a significant early lead to outlast Wyatt Hendrickson (Newton, Kansas) 9-8, a wrestler he beat in the Junior Folkstyle final two months ago; then the semifinal saw him need excellent defense while holding a 1-0 lead to prevent falling behind, before scoring a late counter takedown to beat the very talented Jacob Cardenas (Bergen Catholic, N.J.)
Rounding out the team are Chance Lamer (Crescent Valley, Ore.) at 45 kilograms (99), Richard Figueroa (Selma, Calif.) at 48 (105.8), Matthew Ramos (Lockport, Ill.) at 51 (112.4), and Josh Saunders (Christian Brothers College, Mo.) at 60 (132.25).
Figueroa knocked off returning world team member Cole Skinner (Cincinnati LaSalle, Ohio) 9-1 in the semifinal round; Skinner was lost in the bronze medal match last year at 42 kilograms. Prior to that semifinal, Figueroa had three shutout technical fall victories; in the championship series he swept Kyle Rowan (Perry, Ohio) by 10-0 technical fall and then a pin at the 3:19 mark. Two shutout technical falls put Saunders into a quarterfinal battle against fellow Class of 2020 star Beau Bartlett (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.), a back-and-forth bout won by Saunders 11-8; the semifinal was a rematch of last year's Fargo Cadet freestyle final, this time a 2-1 victory over Ryan Franco (Clovis North, Calif.); and then a sweep over Frankie Tal-Shahar (American Heritage, Fla.) in the final.
Results
45 kg:
1st: Chance Lamer (Orange Crush WC) def. Maxximus Martinez (Sunkist Kids Monster Garage), 2 matches to 0
Match 1: Lamer dec. Martinez, 3-1
Match 2: Lamer dec. Martinez, 5-1
3rd: Stevo Poulin (Journeymen Wrestling Club) dec. Alex Almeyda (NYCRTC/EDGE), 6-2
5th: Jordan Williams (Threestyle Wrestling) pinned Casey Swiderski (BTWC), 2:17
7th: Eli Griffin (Threestyle Wrestling) by injury default over Drake Ayala (Sebolt Wrestling Academy)
48 kg:
1st: Richard Figueroa II (Sunkist Kids Monster Garage) def. Kyle Rowan (Wrestling Factory of Cleveland), 2 matches to 0
Match 1: Figueroa TF Rowan, 10-0
Match 2: Figueroa pin Rowan, 3:19
3rd: Sheldon Seymour (xcalibur) dec. Jacob Mann (USWA), 5-0
5th: Cole Skinner (USA-Ohio Wrestling) tech. fall Tommy Curran (Hurricane WC), 11-0
7th: Kase Mauger (Delchev Trained Academy) tech. fall Joe Scheeran (Journeymen Wrestling Club), 10-0
51 kg:
1st: Matthew Ramos (Colt Wrestling) def. Anthony Ferrari (Best Trained Texas), 2 matches to 0
Match 1: Ramos dec. Ferrari, 6-5
Match 2: Ramos dec. Ferrari, 6-1
3rd: Greg Diakomihalis (FLWC) dec. Cooper Flynn (McDonogh School), 8-1
5th: Carter Young (Team BIG) by forfeit over Cullan Schriever (Sebolt Wrestling Academy)
7th: Tristan Lujan (Sons Of Thunder Academy) dec. Ryan Miller (Blairstown Wrestling Club), 4-1
55 kg:
1st: Robert Howard (Titan Mercury/Bitetto Trained) def. Julian Tagg (USA-Ohio), 2 matches to 0
Match 1: Howard dec. Tagg, 10-1
Match 2: Howard dec. Tagg, 4-1
3rd: Trevor Mastrogiovanni (Blairstown Wrestling Club) tech. fall Ryan Crookham (Lost Boys Wrestling Club), 10-0
5th: Teague Travis (Eierman Elite) pinned Dominick Serrano (Northern Colorado Wrestling Club), 3:57
7th: Maximo Renteria (Dethrone) dec. Dylan Ragusin (Izzy Style), 10-7
60 kg:
1st: Joshua Saunders (Titan Mercury WC) def. Frankie Tal-shahar (SWAT), 2 matches to 0
Match 1: Saunders win by forfeit over Tal-shahar
Match 2: Saunders dec. Tal-shahar, 8-3
3rd: Beau Bartlett (Sunkist Kids) dec. Ryan Franco (Darkhorse), 8-0
5th: Keegan O'toole (Askren Wrestling Academy) tech. fall Marckis Branford (LVWC), 11-0
7th: Joshua Edmond (Detroit Catholic Central) by forfeit over Wyatt Henson (Sunkist Kids)
65 kg:
1st: Carson Manville (Banditos) def. Fidel Mayora (Izzy Style), 2 matches to 1
Match 1: Mayora pin Manville, 1:35
Match 2: Manville dec. Mayora, 4-2
Match 3: Manville pin Mayora, 1:22
3rd: Kevon Davenport (Detroit Catholic Central) dec. Bryce Andonian (The Wrestling Factory of Cleveland), 12-5
5th: Cade Devos (Iron Rams) dec. Luke Surber (Tuttle Wrestling), 10-7
7th: Victor Voinovich (Seasons) tech. fall Ed Scott (Young Guns), 10-0
71 kg:
1st: Alex Facundo (Team Donahue) def. Joshua Otto (Askren Wrestling Academy), 2 matches to 1
Match 1: Facundo dec. Otto, 8-0
Match 2: Otto dec. Facundo, 3-3
Match 3: Facundo dec. Otto, 6-0
3rd: Jace Luchau (Sons Of Thunder Academy) tech. fall Padraic Gallagher (The Wrestling Factory of Cleveland), 12-0
5th: Sonny Santiago (Sunkist Kids Monster Garage) tech. fall Lance Runyon (Iron Rams), 10-0
7th: Aaron Gandara (Wrestling Prep) tech. fall Donnell Washington (Portage High School), 10-0
80 kg:
1st: Abe Assad (Izzy Style) def. Julian Ramirez (Blairstown WC), 2 matches to 1
Match 1: Ramirez dec. Assad, 6-0
Match 2: Assad dec. Ramirez, 7-7
Match 3: Assad TF Ramirez, 10-0
3rd: Carter Starocci (Bad Karma) dec. David Key (Compound), 3-2
5th: Zach Glazier (Minnesota) dec. Ethan Hatcher (Seasons), 9-4
7th: Jacob Logan (GPS Wrestling) dec. Patrick Kennedy (Minnesota), 8-4
92 kg:
1st: AJ Ferrari (Best Trained Texas) def. Konner Doucet (Oklahoma), 2 matches to 0
Match 1: Ferrari TF Doucet, 10-0
Match 2: Ferrari dec. Doucet, 10-1
3rd: Braxton Amos (Team Miron) dec. Peter Christensen (Izzy Style), 6-4
5th: Jacob Cardenas (Rednose) pinned Niccolo Colucci (St. Peter's Prep), 0:36
7th: Wyatt Hendrickson (Team Kansas) dec. Gabe Christenson (Iron Rams), 11-10
110 kg:
1st: Daniel Kerkvliet (Titan Mercury/Pinnacle) def. Hunter Catka (LAB Trained), 2 matches to 0
Match 1: Kervliet TF Catka, 10-0
Match 2: Kervliet TF Catka, 10-0
3rd: Luke Luffman (IRTC) tech. fall1 Hayden Copass (Unattached), 12-1
5th: Joshua Heindselman (Oklahoma) tech. fall1 Isaac Righter (MSJ Titans), 13-3
7th: Andy Garcia (La Gente WC) tech. fall William Taylor (Unattached), 10-0
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