Taylor Massa, Devin Peterson remain in strong position to win Cadet Triple Crowns
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by Craig Sesker
FARGO, N.D. - There is a reason there have only been five Triple Crown winners in the history of the Cadet division.
It's a very difficult feat to accomplish.
Michigan's Taylor Massa (152) and Wisconsin's Devin Peterson (171) are the only two wrestlers in prime positions to win 2009 Cadet Triple Crowns after finishing Day 2 of 3 in freestyle with unbeaten records.
Massa, a 2008 Cadet Triple Crown winner, now takes aim at becoming the first wrestler to win back-to-back Triple Crowns in Cadets. The Cadets are back on the mat Friday morning with the finals to follow at 1 p.m. Friday.
Two other wrestlers shooting for Triple Crowns - Oliver Pierce of Texas (135) and Jake Waste of Minnesota (160) - suffered losses on Thursday at the FargoDome. Both wrestlers still have an outside shot at making the finals.
The Triple Crown consists of winning titles in the Folkstyle, Greco-Roman and freestyle divisions.
2008 Cadet Nationals champions Nick Roberts of Pennsylvania (98) and Mark Grey of New Jersey (112) remain in contention to repeat as double champions this year. Both wrestlers remain unbeaten in freestyle after winning Greco titles earlier in the week in Cadets.
Tyler Fraley of New Jersey, a Junior Nationals champion in freestyle in 2008, won a Cadet Nationals Greco-Roman title at 105 and is unbeaten in the Cadet freestyle competition.
In the Junior division, Montana's Jade Rauser (105) remains in the running to become USA Wrestling's first Junior Triple Crown winner. Rauser went 2-0 as the Junior freestyle competition started on Thursday. Junior competition continues Friday with the finals set for Saturday morning.
This is the third year that Juniors have had a chance to win the Triple Crown. The Junior division was added at the 2007 Folkstyle Nationals.
Rauser won Folkstyle Nationals in April and followed by winning Junior Nationals in Greco-Roman on Tuesday.
Twins Andrew and Dylan Alton of Pennsylvania are both back looking to repeat as Junior Nationals freestyle champions. Andrew (140) and Dylan (145), who have committed to Penn State, started off strong on Thursday.
Andrew went 4-0 on Thursday and Dylan won all five of his matches.
Missouri's Ryan Mango (119) continued his quest to repeat as a double Junior Nationals champion. Mango won his first four freestyle matches on Thursday. Mango won a Junior Greco title on Tuesday.
Oregon's Brock Gutches (160), a Boise State recruit, went 4-0 on Thursday. Gutches, cousin of past NCAA and World champion Les Gutches, won a Junior Nationals Greco title earlier this week.
2008 Cadet Triple Crown winner Dylan Ness of Minnesota went 5-0 on Thursday at 140. Ness placed second in the Junior Nationals Greco-Roman event.
It's a very difficult feat to accomplish.
Michigan's Taylor Massa (152) and Wisconsin's Devin Peterson (171) are the only two wrestlers in prime positions to win 2009 Cadet Triple Crowns after finishing Day 2 of 3 in freestyle with unbeaten records.
Massa, a 2008 Cadet Triple Crown winner, now takes aim at becoming the first wrestler to win back-to-back Triple Crowns in Cadets. The Cadets are back on the mat Friday morning with the finals to follow at 1 p.m. Friday.
Two other wrestlers shooting for Triple Crowns - Oliver Pierce of Texas (135) and Jake Waste of Minnesota (160) - suffered losses on Thursday at the FargoDome. Both wrestlers still have an outside shot at making the finals.
The Triple Crown consists of winning titles in the Folkstyle, Greco-Roman and freestyle divisions.
2008 Cadet Nationals champions Nick Roberts of Pennsylvania (98) and Mark Grey of New Jersey (112) remain in contention to repeat as double champions this year. Both wrestlers remain unbeaten in freestyle after winning Greco titles earlier in the week in Cadets.
Tyler Fraley of New Jersey, a Junior Nationals champion in freestyle in 2008, won a Cadet Nationals Greco-Roman title at 105 and is unbeaten in the Cadet freestyle competition.
In the Junior division, Montana's Jade Rauser (105) remains in the running to become USA Wrestling's first Junior Triple Crown winner. Rauser went 2-0 as the Junior freestyle competition started on Thursday. Junior competition continues Friday with the finals set for Saturday morning.
This is the third year that Juniors have had a chance to win the Triple Crown. The Junior division was added at the 2007 Folkstyle Nationals.
Rauser won Folkstyle Nationals in April and followed by winning Junior Nationals in Greco-Roman on Tuesday.
Twins Andrew and Dylan Alton of Pennsylvania are both back looking to repeat as Junior Nationals freestyle champions. Andrew (140) and Dylan (145), who have committed to Penn State, started off strong on Thursday.
Andrew went 4-0 on Thursday and Dylan won all five of his matches.
Missouri's Ryan Mango (119) continued his quest to repeat as a double Junior Nationals champion. Mango won his first four freestyle matches on Thursday. Mango won a Junior Greco title on Tuesday.
Oregon's Brock Gutches (160), a Boise State recruit, went 4-0 on Thursday. Gutches, cousin of past NCAA and World champion Les Gutches, won a Junior Nationals Greco title earlier this week.
2008 Cadet Triple Crown winner Dylan Ness of Minnesota went 5-0 on Thursday at 140. Ness placed second in the Junior Nationals Greco-Roman event.
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