1. Illinois continues dominance in spring/summer wrestling
Gabe Townsell (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Arguably the flagship high school program in that state at the moment is Oak Park River Forest. Wrestlers that were on the Huskies' roster in 2012-13 amassed twelve All-American honors on the week: double honors for Gabe Townsell, Larry Early, Kamal Bey, and Adam Lemke-Bell at the Cadet level, and Davonte Mahomes at the Cadet level; along with a Cadet freestyle title for Isaiah White, and a Junior Greco All-American finish for Zach Pickering. That number would put them 20th overall as a state.
Another measure of dominance is the nine championships across the tournaments accomplished by Team Illinois. Second place in this category was jointly shared among Wisconsin, California, Minnesota, and Texas with four apiece. Championships for Illinois were earned in Cadet Greco-Roman by Louie Hayes, Austin Gomez, Gabe Townsell, and Larry Early; Davonte Mahomes won a Junior Greco-Roman title; Cadet freestyle titles were earned by Isaiah White and Tyler Johnson; while Kirk Johansen and Jered Cortez won Junior freestyle titles.
The accomplishments accrued by this program are impressive, and credit should be given to the Illinois USA Wrestling leadership, coaches, parents, and wrestlers. It is also a level of commitment and performance to which every other state program should aspire to reach.
2. Double the pleasure
Many wrestlers participate in each of the Fargo competitions (this year 807 in Cadet Greco-Roman, 1007 in Cadet freestyle, 800 in Junior Greco-Roman, and 1062 in Junior freestyle). Fewer than that, obviously, compete in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. Then, obviously there are a select few who are able to All-American in both freestyle and Greco-Roman.
Many reasons stand out for why. The first obvious reason is that the tournaments are very tough and the margins very low. Another reason is that competing in both styles is a grind, and potentially can impact performance. Here is the chronological grind: make weight a couple hours before the start of the first day of Greco-Roman, wrestle the first day of Greco-Roman, wrestle day two of Greco-Roman, then comes a rest day which probably is used for recovery and weight management, weigh-in before the first day of freestyle, wrestle the first day of freestyle, make weight before day two of freestyle (with two pound allowance), compete day two of freestyle, and then compete day three of freestyle.
Even fewer are those wrestlers that make the finals in both styles of the competition.
The following wrestlers won titles in both Greco-Roman and freestyle this past week:
*Daton Fix (Oklahoma) -- Greco-Roman champ at Cadet 106, freestyle champ at Cadet 113
***Zahid Valencia (California) -- Greco-Roman and freestyle champ at Cadet 126
Mason Manville (New Jersey) -- Greco-Roman and freestyle champ at Cadet 145
*Nick Reenan (Texas) -- Greco-Roman and freestyle champ at Cadet 152
*Mark Hall (Colorado) -- Greco-Roman and freestyle champ at Cadet 160
Beau Breske (Wisconsin) -- Greco-Roman and freestyle champ at Cadet 170
***Lance Benick (Minnesota) -- Greco-Roman and freestyle champ at Cadet 220
*Jacob Marnin (Iowa) -- Greco-Roman and freestyle champ at Cadet 285
Roy Nash (Utah) -- Greco-Roman and freestyle champ at Junior 220
**Adam Coon (Michigan) -- Greco-Roman champ, freestyle at Junior 285
*Cadet Triple Crown winner (Greco-Roman, freestyle, and folkstyle)
**Junior Triple Crown winner
***also won the Junior folkstyle national title
The following wrestlers also made the finals in both styles during the past week:
Austin Gomez (Illinois) -- Greco-Roman champ, freestyle runner-up at Cadet 94
Danny Vega (Arizona) -- Greco-Roman runner-up, freestyle champ at Cadet 100
Mitch McKee (Minnesota) -- Greco-Roman champ, freestyle runner-up at Cadet 113
Gabe Townsell (Illinois) -- Greco-Roman champ, freestyle runner-up at Cadet 120
Hayden Hidlay (Pennsylvania) -- Greco-Roman and freestyle runner-up at Cadet 126
Justan Rivera (Georgia) -- Greco-Roman runner-up, freestyle champ at Cadet 182
Samuel Colbray (Oregon) -- Greco-Roman champ, freestyle runner-up at Cadet 195
Kirk Johansen (Illinois) -- Greco-Roman runner-up, freestyle champ at Junior 100
Joey Cisneros (California) -- Greco-Roman and freestyle runner-up at Junior 106
Joey McKenna (New Jersey) -- Greco-Roman champ, freestyle runner-up at Junior 138
Blayne Briceno (California) -- Greco-Roman champ, freestyle runner-up at Junior 145
Davonte Mahomes (Illinois) -- Greco-Roman champ, freestyle runner-up at Junior 160 (also won the Junior folkstyle title in April)
3. Winning titles despite losing an earlier match
One of the unique features about freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, at least in USA Wrestling at the Cadet and Junior levels is the vertical pairing system. Instead of the traditional "line bracketing" employed during the scholastic season, wrestlers compete in what can be best described as a double elimination pool structure. As a result, it is possible -- given certain peripheral circumstances -- to advance to the championship match despite losing a match during the course of the competition.
As was the cased in 2012, eight wrestlers lost matches during the course of a tournament but went on to win weight class titles. Same as was the case last year, five of the eight happened during the Greco-Roman competitions.
Winning Cadet Greco-Roman titles despite losing an earlier match were Gabe Townsell (Illinois) at 120 pounds, Zahid Valencia (California) at 126, and Hunter Ritter (Maryland) at 182; Josh Terao (Hawaii) and Jordan Shearer (North Dakota) earned titles in Junior Greco-Roman at 120 and 126; Daton Fix (Oklahoma) won a Cadet freestyle title at 113; while Seth Gross (Minnesota) and Markus Scheidel (Ohio) won Junior freestyle titles at 132 and 160 respectively.
In addition, exactly the same as last year, fourteen runner-up finishers advanced to the final despite losing a match during their preliminary pool. However, the split out was seven each between Greco-Roman and freestyle (whereas last year, it was 10-4 in favor of Greco-Roman).
Cadet Greco-Roman runners-up to lose a match prior to the final were Ramon Miranda (California), Adam Flatt (Georgia) and Randy Scott (Indiana) at 94, 113, and 195 pounds respectively; Jake Velarde (Washington) at 138, Xavier Montalvo (Illinois) at 160, Jared Johnson (Kansas) at 170, and Dan Hawkins (Maryland) at 182 did so in Junior Greco-Roman; losing prior to the final in Cadet freestyle were Matthew Schmitt (Missouri), Mitch McKee (Minnesota), Gabe Townsell (Illinois), and Trace Carello (Illinois) at 100, 113, 120, and 152 pounds; while Brian Ross (Illinois) at 113, P.T. Garcia (Colorado) at 126, and Kyle Gliva (Minnesota) at 132 did so in Junior freestyle.
Therefore, there were two championship finals matches that placed a pair of wrestlers which had lost a match prior to the final. Those came at Cadet freestyle 113, where Fix upended McKee, and at Junior freestyle 132 with Gross defeating Gliva.
4. Measuring the depth in Fargo
It has been stated by many that the Cadet and Junior Nationals are the pinnacle competition for high school aged wrestling. Given that premise, here is a sampling of the more notable wrestlers -- combination of performance in the tournament, as well as reputation and credentials prior to the event -- that failed to earn All-American honors in the Cadet and Junior freestyle Nationals. As is customary, four from each of the pools are listed (reflecting the amount earning All-American honors).
Junior freestyle
100 and 106:
Pools had 13 and 11 kids respectively, so picking the notables not to earn All-American honors would be kind of futile.
113:
Pool A: Anthony Cefolo (New Jersey), Skyler Petry (Minnesota), Anthony Bosco (Illinois), and Christian Moody (Oklahoma)
Pool B: Josh Jensen (Utah), Tyler Casamenti (New Jersey), Michael Beck (Maryland), and John Twomey (New York)
120:
Pool A: Tommy Thorn (Minnesota), James Flint (Florida), Austin Assad (Ohio), and Alijah Jeffrey (Iowa)
Pool B: Jens Lantz (Wisconsin), A.C. Headlee (Pennsylvania), Thayer Atkins (Texas), and Jordan Allen (West Virginia)
126:
Pool A: Jaydin Clayton (Missouri), Trevor Zdebski (Michigan), Weston Basler (Missouri), and William Koll (New York)
Pool B: Michael Cook (Idaho), Maleek Williams (Florida), Anthony Tutolo (Ohio), and Mason Pengilly (California)
132:
Pool A: Gabe Grahek (Wisconsin), Keegan Moore (Oklahoma), Cole Weaver (Michigan), and Anthony Giraldo (New Jersey)
Pool B: Matt Findlay (Utah), Wade Hodges (Ohio), Hayden Tuma (Idaho), and Colton Adams (Nebraska)
138:
Pool A: John Kenyon (Idaho), Jake Velarde (Washington), Andrew Crone (Wisconsin), and Colby Knight (Iowa)
Pool B: Logan Ryan (Iowa), Sam Crane (Missouri), Chris Garcia (Illinois), and Max Thomsen (Iowa)
145:
Pool A: Cullen Cummings (Illinois), Brock Zacherl (Pennsylvania), Kevin Cooper (Kentucky), and Tommy Forte (Indiana)
Pool B: Jared Scharenbock (Wisconsin), Walker Dempsey (New Jersey), Patrick Duggan (Pennsylvania), and Phil Downing (Colorado)
152:
Pool A: Jack Clark (New Jersey), Jacobe Smith (Oklahoma), Taylor Misuna (Virginia), and Mitch Berenz (Wisconsin)
Pool B: Jack Bass (Virginia), Keilan Torres (Oklahoma), Jon-Jay Chavez (Idaho), and Garrett Sutton (Illinois)
160:
Pool A: Xavier Montalvo (Illinois), Tyrel White (Pennsylvania), Burke Paddock (New York), and Ryan Preisch (Pennsylvania)
Pool B: Tim Miklus (Iowa), Trey Seymour (New York), Spencer Derifield (Iowa), and Levi Berry (Oklahoma)
170:
Pool A: Chandler Rogers (Washington), Nick Wanzek (Minnesota), Adis Radoncic (New York), and Gage Stallworth (Oklahoma)
Pool B: Andrew Psomas (New York), T.J. O'Hara (Minnesota), Charley Popp (Illinois), and Jordan Rothers (Minnesota)
182:
Pool A: Armani Robinson (Ohio), Troy Murtha (Maryland), Andrew Dixon (Oklahoma), and Jake Turk (Illinois)
Pool B: Aaron Rothwell (Wisconsin), Nick Corba (Ohio), Jake Stilling (Wisconsin), and Spencer Wilson (Kansas)
195:
Pool A: Nezar Haddad (Pennsylvania), B.J. Hurst (South Carolina), Logan Kirby (Maryland), and Kyle Pope (California)
Pool B: Eugene Martin (South Dakota), Jeramy Sweany (California), Nick Osowski (Wisconsin), and Reggie Williams (New York)
220:
Pool A: Kaleb Staack (Iowa), Cory Daniel (Maryland), Matt Voss (Washington), and Connor Tolley (Indiana)
Pool B: Graham Grant (California), Andrew Cavanna (Connecticut), Richard Briggs (Minnesota), and Matthew Olauson (Maryland)
285:
Pool A: Alex Ashley (Georgia), Jerrad Nieland (Minnesota), Donovan Lozada (Massachusetts), and Bailey Sutko (Missouri)
Pool B: Matthew Abbott (New York), Gary Miltenberger (California), Adarios Jones (Illinois), and Cordell Soileau (Virginia)
Cadet freestyle
88 and 94: With 18 and 17 wrestlers in each pool, the exercise is relatively futile as only three and four wrestlers failed to earn All-American status but finished with .500 or better records.
100:
Pool A: Sidney Oliver (Missouri), Daniel Planta (Maryland), Drew Hildenbrandt (Indiana), and Joey Prata (Virginia)
Pool B: Michael Doetsch (Maryland), Tanner Ward (Oklahoma), Jaxon Cole (Utah), and Logan Grass (West Virginia)
106:
Pool A: Drew West (Iowa), Jacob Greenwood (Colorado), Ty Agaisse (New Jersey), and Joe Lobeck (Pennsylvania)
Pool B: Brian Friery (Pennsylvania), Vincent Vespa (New York), Tanner Cox (Utah), and Lane Peters (Ohio)
113:
Pool A: Denzel Tovar (New Jersey), Trayton Libolt (Oregon), Beau Guffey (Oklahoma), Collin Glorioso (Pennsylvania)
Pool B: L.J. Bentley (Ohio), Austin O'Connor (Illinois), Kanen Storr (Michigan), and Cameron Sykora (Minnesota)
120:
Pool A: Jake Spiess (Ohio), Nick Casella (New York), Chad Red (Indiana), and Evan Wick (California)
Pool B: Paul Glynn (Iowa), Isaiah Palomino (California), Nick Noel (Arkansas), and Brock Wilson (Pennsylvania)
126:
Pool A: Zander Wick (California), Wyatt Alvis (Texas), Garrett Hancock (Ohio), and Cole Martin (Wisconsin)
Pool B: Parker Filius (Montana), Zachary Ritchie (Alaska), Stephen Persaud (New Jersey), and Marty Margolis (Maryland)
132:
Pool A: Lucas Ortiz (Pennsylvania), Johnny Blankenship (Missouri), Jacob Swift (Arizona), and Sam Morina (New Jersey)
Pool B: Hudson Heidorf (Kentucky), Keegan Shaw (Iowa), Logan Kass (Minnesota), and Leonard Merkin (New York)
138:
Pool A: Brady O'Keefe (Nevada), Kaleb Young (Pennsylvania), Logan Lacure (Ohio), and Conner Myers (Michigan)
Pool B: Wyatt Wyckoff (California), Trey Meyer (Washington), Dominick Demas (Ohio), and Jeren Glosser (Iowa)
145:
Pool A: Davis Ison (Georgia), Felix Belga (Pennsylvania), Chandler Michael (Oregon), and Kyle Kaminski (Ohio)
Pool B: Bryce Steiert (Iowa), Payton Tawater (Colorado), Gino Titone (New York), and Canten Marriott (Missouri)
152:
Pool A: Eric Barone (Illinois), Charlie Perella (Maryland), Andrew McNally (Ohio), and Randy Meneweather (Illinois)
Pool B: Ben Darmstadt (Ohio), Joey Gunther (Illinois), Ben Stewart (Indiana), and Taylor Lujan (Georgia)
160:
Pool A: Jelani Embree (Michigan), Andrew Doak (Pennsylvania), Luke Enzel (Montana), and Joseph Grello (New Jersey)
Pool B: Zac Graver (Pennsylvania), Andrew Gombas (New Jersey), Sal Arzani (Iowa), and Dalton Hahn (Wisconsin)
170:
Pool A: Keegan Moore (Minnesota), Brandon Haas (Iowa), Jacob Woolson (New York), and Mitchell Owens (Washington)
Pool B: Wyatt Koelling (Utah), Jared Bird (Idaho), Michael Bothwell (Minnesota), and Seth Avis (California)
170:
Pool A: Andrew Fenton (Ohio), Mansur Abdul-Malik (Maryland), Dylan Beeler (Washington), Brady Durieux (Ohio)
Pool B: Kevin Mulligan (New Jersey), George Gavalas (Georgia), Johnley Cadet (Florida), and Mark Hussey (New York)
195, 220, and 285: each had 16 or less participants, minimizing the impact of a non-AA all-star analysis
The look ahead ...
Later on this week, InterMat will publish its annual "Stock Up" article off of the Cadet and Junior National Championships. The article will identify four Cadets and four Juniors, whose performances in Fargo have elevated their positioning/perception in the eyes of fans, rankers, and coaches.
Coming next week, July 29 to Aug. 1 in Detroit, Mich., is the AAU Junior Olympics. The format for that competition will be freestyle dual meets. In mid-August will be the FILA Junior World Champions in Sofia, Bulgaria (August 13-18), with the FILA Cadet World Championships the following week in Zrenjanin, Serbia (August 20-25). The FILA World Championships in all three styles will be Sept. 16-22 in Budapest, Hungary.
Starting in mid-to-late October, we'll be right back at it with the major preseason high school tournaments in preparation for the 2013-14 high school wrestling season. The Super 32 Challenge will be on Oct. 26 and 27 in Greensboro, N.C., with the InterMat JJ Classic two Sundays later on Nov. 10 in Rochester, Minn.
Updated grade level rankings for the Classes of 2014 through 2018 will be published in early-to-mid August. Finally, as always, keep following InterMat for the latest in wrestling news, analysis, features and commentary throughout the year!
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