Lowe: Eight wrestlers who raised their stock in Fargo

It can be argued that the Cadet and Junior Nationals event that happened this past week in Fargo, N.D. represents the most rigorous test for high school-aged wrestlers in the U.S. Given that the event has an extremely high-level field, it draws the attention of many Division I college coaches, as well as fans and analysts. Below is a list of eight wrestlers (four Juniors, four Cadets) who increased their visibility and position in the minds and hearts of coaches and fans.

Juniors

Anthony Collica
High School: Solon, Ohio
Fargo Placement: Champion in freestyle at 145 pounds

Ohio's Anthony Collica came through a very deep pool at 145 pounds to win the title (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)

Performance Analysis: Coming into the event ranked No. 22 in the Class of 2013, he was in an absolutely loaded pool with seven other wrestlers ranked within their grade level. Just to clear the day undefeated on Thursday, he had to beat four-time state runner-up Connor Ryan (Iowa) and Greco runner-up Ryan Blees (North Dakota), who earned All-American honors the previous two years in Cadet freestyle.

To start the day on Friday, he beat Dylan Milonas (New Jersey), a Cadet freestyle champion who is ranked No. 15 in the Class of 2014 and beat Collica during the high school season. Then came the lone loss to Grant Lamont (Utah), a top 100 rising senior who won the Greco-Roman tournament earlier in the week and was third in Cadet freestyle last year.

Now Collica faced a must win match against Jake Short (Minnesota), a returning Junior freestyle runner-up who is ranked No. 7 in the rising senior class. After losing a 1-1 first period, Collica scored a pin in the second to clinch All-American honors. Then, in order to win the pool, he had to beat yet another Junior freestyle runner-up from last year in Brian Murphy (Illinois), the No. 8 ranked wrestler in the Class of 2013 and a 2010 Cadet freestyle champion. Collica won that match 1-0, 1-1 and then beat three-time state placer Austin Eads (Missouri) 3-3, 3-0, 7-0 in the championship match.

Broc Berge
High School: Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.
Fargo Placement: Runner-up in freestyle at 195 pounds

Minnesota's Broc Berge's performance in Fargo validates him as a national star (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)

Performance Analysis: Though not in as tough a weight class pool as faced by Collica, the path for this No. 48 ranked wrestler in the Class of 2013 was nowhere near a walk in the park. It was one featuring two graduated seniors in the top 55 of their class, three other ranked rising seniors, along with a pair of "power state" runner-up finishers in addition to Berge. He was able to exit day one undefeated, keyed by a three period win over fellow top 100 rising senior Payne Hayden (Michigan).

Berge then started Friday with a 0-1, 1-0, 1-0 victory over Greco champion Ryan Solomon (Pennsylvania), who is ranked No. 37 in the Class of 2013, and has now doubled in Fargo the last three summers. It continued with tight two period victories over state runner-up Jake Hart (Pennsylvania) and fellow top 100 rising senior Alex Bambic (Arizona), before closing out the pool with a 1-0, 1-2, 6-1 victory over Willie Miklus (Iowa) who won the Junior folkstyle title and graduated as the No. 27 wrestler in the Class of 2012.

Though the run ended with a second period loss by fall to University of Iowa bound Sam Brooks (Illinois), this tournament clearly validates the two-time state champion as a national star.

Zain Retherford
High School: Benton, Pa.
Fargo Placement: Champion in freestyle at 132 pounds

Pennsylvania's Zain Retherford did not lose a single period (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)

Performance Analysis: Even though his really big "stock up" moment came at last month’s FILA Cadet freestyle championships when he beat Bryce Brill (Mt. Carmel, Ill.) -- who just won the Junior freestyle title at 138 -- and three-time state champions Anthony Ashnault (S. Plainfield, N.J.) and Dean Heil (St. Edward, Ohio), the just completed tournament served as further affirmation that this No. 12 wrestler in the Class of 2013 is the real deal and should quite frankly be ranked higher. During that weekend in Akron, he also beat four other wrestlers ranked in their respective grade level.

In Fargo, Retherford did not lose a single period in the 11 matches that he wrestled. Even more impressive was that prior to the 1-1, 1-1 victory over defending Junior freestyle champion Zane Richards (Carbondale, Ill.), who finished high school with four stop signs and eight All-American finishes, he had only given up points in two of 19 periods wrestled; and eight of ten matches were pins or technical fall victories.

Despite not having a high school season due to the PIAA ruling him ineligible after transferring from Line Mountain, it’s been an excellent 2011-12 for Retherford, who finished third at the Super 32 Challenge, and was champion at the NHSCA Junior Nationals, FILA Cadet freestyle Nationals, and Junior National freestyle championships. Next month, he will compete in the FILA Cadet World Championships.

Yoanse Mejia
High School: Southwest Miami, Fla.
Fargo Placements: Third in Greco-Roman, runner-up freestyle at 152 pounds

Performance Analysis: Even though Mejia finished seventh in the 145 pound weight class at the NHSCA Senior Nationals, circumstances have Mejia enrolled at North Iowa Area Community College for this coming fall. Therefore, the past week was important to (1) set the tone for his junior college career (2) keep on the proverbial "tip of the tongue" for Division I college coaches.

It is abundantly clear that Mejia accomplished those goals with flying colors. He finished 8-1 in the Greco-Roman tournament with his lone loss coming to runner-up T.J. Fox (Field, Ohio/Ohio University), and additionally earned victories over the other two All-Americans in his pool. The freestyle tournament was further impressive with nine wins coming prior to the loss to Josh Llopez (La Plata, Md.) in the championship match. Among the wins were those over two-time Cadet All-American Toby Hague (McDonogh, Md.), top 100 Class of 2013 wrestler Markus Scheidel (St. Edward, Ohio), fellow double All-American Eric Hoffman (Northern Calvert, Md.), defending freestyle champion Brian Realbuto (Somers, N.Y./Cornell), and 2011 California state champion Jake Elliott (Oakmont/Woming).

Cadets

Bo Nickal
High School: Allen, Texas
Fargo Placements: Double champion (Greco-Roman 152, freestyle 160)

Bo Nickal of Texas was named Outstanding
Wrestler in freestyle (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)

Performance Analysis: Though not at all unexpected, Nickal -- ranked No. 14 in the Class of 2014 -- finished off his Triple Crown with a pair of dominant tournament titles in Fargo this past week. In Greco, he went 8-0 with four falls and only gave up points in three periods. Up a weight in freestyle, he went 9-0 and was named Outstanding Wrestler. Of note were four falls; two technical falls; and a 1-1, 1-0 victory over Greco-Roman champion Kimball Bastian (Maple Mountain, Utah). In earlier Triple Crown action, Nickal earned an early round victory over Mark Hall (Michigan), who won the 152 pound Cadet freestyle title this past weekend.

Lance Benick
High School: Totino Grace, Minn.
Fargo Placements: Champion in Greco-Roman, champion in freestyle at 195 pounds

Minnesota's Lance Benick won double titles in Fargo to cap off a Triple Crown (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)

Performance Analysis: Like with Nickal, Benick -- who is ranked No. 12 in the Class of 2015 -- finished off his Triple Crown in the way that a prohibitive favorite should, with a pair of dominant tournaments. In the course of six Greco-Roman matches, he gave up points in just one period. During freestyle, it was more of the same for Benick who only gave up points in one period over seven contested matches. Furthermore, the dominance was reflected in three wins by pin and the other four coming by technical fall. In earlier Triple Crown action, Benick won his championship with three pins and a 23-8 technical fall in the final.

Kyle Bierdumpfel
High School: Don Bosco Prep, N.J.
Fargo Placements: Runner-up in Greco-Roman, runner-up in freestyle at 100 pounds

Performance Analysis: Despite not being ranked among the nation's top incoming ninth-graders (Class of 2016), Bierdumpfel had a superlative tournament with 7-1 finishes in each style. Of high significance was that in the seven freestyle wins prior to the final, he had five shutout technical fall victories and only gave up points in one of the fourteen contested periods.

Both championship losses came in razor tight matches against proven opposition; 1-0, 2-1 to FILA Cadet Greco runner-up Mitch McKee (Kimball, Minn.) in Greco-Roman, and a 4-1, 1-5, 3-1 loss against returning freestyle runner-up Miguel Silva, Jr. (Plainfield South, Ill.)

Ronnie Gentile
High School: Paulsboro, N.J.
Fargo Placement: Third in freestyle at 138 pounds

Performance Analysis: This rising sophomore had his freshman season cut short due to a broken leg the Monday before the district tournament. He was 29-4 at 126 pounds during the regular season, and would have been a contender for state placement if not for the injury. Notable wins, all in the pool, included three over ranked wrestlers in his grade: 6-0, 2-2 over No. 36 Dayton Racer (Apple Valley, Minn.); 9-1, 5-0 over Greco-Roman champion No. 49 Joseph Nelson (Stoughton, Wis.); and 7-0, 6-4 over No. 7 Anthony Valencia (St. John Bosco, Calif.), who won the weight class in spite of that loss. The lone loss was to fellow Class of 2015 member Josh Shields, who is ranked No. 11, by score of 4-4, 3-2.

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Lowe: Eight wrestlers who raised their stock in Fargo

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