Official picks for u20's and u23's with registration closed

[Truzzcat]

2024 U20 & U23 World Team Trials Entries - FloWrestling

[Truzzcat]

u20's

57kg: Lilledahl (Would love to see Jax win it but I think running the gauntlet to make the finals and then taking two from Luke seems like a very difficult task)

61kg: Marcus Blaze (ben davino beat him at ironman in ride outs but Blaze has just looked absolutely unreal and I just watched a video of him training with Micic where it looked like he was holding his own. Nasir Bailey is also a huge landmine for these guys but I think this high school talent is just unreal right now)

65kg: Bo (was a bit underwhelmed with lemley at u20's considering the wins he had this folk season I think Valencia makes the finals again but while I think he can win one I don't see him winning two against Bo given hes currently 0-2)

70kg: Antrell Taylor (I don't think we will get to see the future teammate match of Duke vs Kasak. Taylor had a great year up at 165 which was not his natural weight, He made the open and trials finals last year at 74 I think hes going to be absolutely nails down at 70 and 157)

74kg: Cameron steed (I've been high on steed for awhile he got hurt this year and the open was his first comp back. He lost on criteria early to Hanson but stormed back to take third I think with another month to train and having his footing back in competition he wins the entire thing)

79kg: Gabe Arnold (too positionally sound)

86kg: Sinclair 

92kg: Mirasola

97kg: Mcdaniel

125kg: Ben Keuter but I think Sahakian could have something to say about it

 

u23's

57kg: Greg D (I was between Poulin, Vince Robinson and greg ultimately going with greg because of his ability to get to legs and his par tear this weight will be fun.

61kg: Anthony noto (I have heard hes even better at free than folk and he made the finals and won in 22 at 57kg but Vito got the spot for taking second at trials)

65kg: Josh saunders (hes really good at freestyle)

70kg: Daniel Cardenas 

74kg: Bryce Andonian 

79kg: Lenny pinto (his gas tank concerns me sucking what I would assume is a ton of weight but I also don't know how anyone can hand fight with him or get by his hips)

86kg: Brayden thompson ( a bit of a weaker weight here. Brayden has a lot of age level success going up in weight especially 15lbs concerns me a bit but hes similar to Arnold just super positionally sound)

92kg: Christian Carroll (I think Cardenas is the smarter pick since hes medaled but carroll has really impressed as of late up at 97)

97kg: Massoma Endene (Going with the D3 champ)

125kg: Feldman (I should pick greg I just did not think he looked good at trials I know he teched Wyatt but that was after Bradley doubled him off the stage which was about a 5 foot drop onto the floor I can't imagine he was feeling great and I love Feldmans rate of progression)

 

[Truzzcat]

I did not see Merrill in at 97 hes my pick.

[ionel]

8 hours ago, Truzzcat said:

u20's 

79kg: Lenny pinto

 

[ILLINIWrestlingBlog]

What I wrote on the IWB&F&B+ about the two ILLINI entries at U20:

 

70 kg KANNON WEBSTER

Challenges will come from wrestlers like Brock Mantanona, Antrell Taylor (if he can make weight at 154 pounds and some change), Dylan Gilcher, Tyler Kasak and Ethan Stiles. With his showing at the 2024 US Open, expect KANNON to receive a very high seed in this tournament. This might be a good time to mention that there are other ILLINOIS athletes from NIU, SIUE and other schools who will be wrestling. There are 15 wrestlers registered at this weight so far.


79 kg CHRIS MOORE

Challenges will come from Gabe Arnold, M.J. Gaitan (Edmond Ruth beat him in the blood round) and William Henckel among others. Of note, Bradley Gillum will be repping ILLINOIS and SIUE at this weight. At this time, there are 13 wrestlers registered at 79 kg.

Win the tournament and what you earn is a best-of-three trials finals against PJ Duke at 70 kg and Zack Ryder at 79 kg. We're sure the young ILLINI are itching for that, especially a rematch between WEBSTER and Duke. The 2024 U20 World Championships are slated for September 2-8 at the Pontevedra Municipal Sports Hall in Pontevedra, Spain.

 

A few additional thoughts: Kannon lost two crucial (and high-scoring) 50/50 positions with PJ Duke at the US Open. Had that match gone much further, I'm thinking Duke woulda gassed. Antrell Taylor looked small at 165, but not that small. How does he like cutting weight? Webster is a real title threat here. 

Chris Moore just keeps getting better. As a true Freshman last year, Moore lost to #11 Caleb Fish, #12 Maxx Mayfield and #22 Stoney Buell early in the season. He beat all three later in the season. I think he's giving up weight at 79 kg, but the kid keeps improving. 

 

[Threadkilla]

U20's

Lilledall, Blaze, Bo,  Duke,  Ryder, Barr, Mirasola, Rademacher and Keuter  won in 2

Barr and Lockett won in 3.   

Barr teched Sinclair in the third.  

Ryder swept Arnold.

Keuter looked tough.  

Duke is a beast.

 

 

[de4856]

Well our U20 MFS, is loaded with talent, I hope that they go out and dominate at the Worlds 

[Truzzcat]

22 hours ago, de4856 said:

Well our U20 MFS, is loaded with talent, I hope that they go out and dominate at the Worlds 

truly think 10 medals is reasonable for this team.