Teemer rolls to OW, World medalists McHenry, Wittlake excel in UWW Cadet Nationals freestyle finals
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by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
Photo: Jacori Teemer (New York) finishes a double leg on Sammy Sasso (Pennsylvania) in the 63 kg championship match at the UWW Cadet Freestyle Nationals in Akron. Photo by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling.
Video: UWW Cadet and University Nationals champion interviews
AKRON, Ohio – The men’s freestyle Cadet World Team was set on Sunday morning in Akron, Ohio, after the UWW Cadet Nationals concluded with past Cadet World medalists Kurt McHenry and Travis Wittlake securing return trips to the World Championships, and Jacori Teemer stealing the show with an electric finals performance.
In a rematch of last year’s UWW Cadet finals, McHenry imposed his will on 2016 USAW Cadet Nationals champion Jeremiah Reno to win the 46 kg/101 lbs. championship series in straight bouts, 11-0 and 10-0. A stark contrast from last summer when the pair went a full three matches in the finals.
“Hope is a dangerous thing to give people, and coming into this tournament I knew that I had to take all of [Reno’s] hope from him. I had to rip it all away from him so next time we wrestle he has no hope…I knew if I dominated him here then that wouldn’t happen ever again,” McHenry said.
McHenry won a Cadet World gold medal last summer in Tbilisi, Georgia, and has only added to his arsenal since. This weekend, McHenry won six total matches, all by technical fall. He outscored his opponents by a combined 64-2 tally.
“I knew what I wanted to get back to, and I knew what feeling I wanted to chase again, what I’m looking for, because I want to experience that feeling again…I just want to chase the same thing I did last year and get it,” he added.
After coming out ahead in two tight matches yesterday, Wittlake proved his mettle once again with an impressive effort against two-time USAW Cadet Nationals champion Aaron Brooks of Maryland in the 76 kg/167 lbs. finals. In the first match of the best-of-three series, Wittlake won a back and forth affair, 4-2. He left no doubt in match two, quickly dispatching of Brooks, 10-0.
“I definitely expected to be a little more dominant,” Wittlake said. “This is a good lesson learner for me. By World Championship time I’ll be a different human for sure. I’ll definitely be a lot more prepared for the World Championships.”
Wittlake earned a bronze medal at the Cadet World Championships one year ago. Among his many accomplishments include a USA Wrestling Triple Crown for earning national titles in freestyle, Greco-Roman and folkstyle last year.
New York native and past USAW Cadet Nationals champion Jacori Teemer was unstoppable on his way to the 63 kg/138 lbs. title. Teemer took on the highly-touted Sammy Sasso of Pennsylvania in the championship series, and controlled the action every step of the way. He defeated Sasso, now a two-time UWW Cadet Nationals runner-up, by scores of 12-2 and 12-1.
“I was ranked the number two seed. That allowed me to wrestle with a lot of freedom, nothing to lose. Go out there and did what I do, and came up victorious,” Teemer said.
Teemer was named Outstanding Wrestler of the men’s freestyle tournament after a 7-0 run through the 63 kg field.
If it wasn’t for a spectacular outing by Teemer, the OW might have gone to Ohio’s Jordan Decatur, who was exceptional all weekend on his way to the 58 kg/127 lbs. crown. Decatur won seven-straight bouts, including two over Minnesota’s Carson Manville in the championships series, to make his first Cadet World Team.
Decatur put up 68 points in his first six matches, all of which came by technical fall. He capped off his run with a second-period pin over Manville in match two of the championship series. Decatur finished in second place at this event last year, and owns two USAW Cadet Nationals titles in freestyle competition.
Up at 85 kg/187 lbs., Pennsylvania’s Gavin Hoffman took out three-time USAW Cadet Nationals champion Ryan Karoly of New Jersey with apparent ease. Hoffman’s size and strength advantage led him to 8-1 and 7-0 wins over Karoly in the championship series.
Illinois standout Will Lewan was the only wrestler to pull off double titles at the UWW Cadet Nationals, therefore qualifying for the Cadet World Team in both Greco-Roman and men’s freestyle. He downed Minnesota’s Peyton Robb in two-straight bouts, 9-5 and 9-4, to top the 69 kg/152 lbs. freestyle division.
Lewan won an impressive 12 matches over the course of both tournaments this weekend, five in Greco-Roman and seven in men’s freestyle.
Other athletes qualifying for the Cadet World Team with freestyle championships include Ohio stars Cole Skinner at 42 kg/92 lbs. and Julian Tagg at 50 kg/110 lbs., Pennsylvania’s Robert Howard at 54 kg/119 lbs. and Minnesota’s Daniel Kerkvliet at 100 kg/220 lbs.
It was an all-Ohio battle in the 125 kg/275 lbs. finals, with Jordan Earnest getting the better of Greco-Roman champion Jack Delgarbino, 8-1. The 125 kg weight class is not a UWW sanctioned weight meaning Earnest will not compete at the Cadet World championships.
The Cadet World Championships will be held in Athens, Greece, this September. The U.S. won seven medals at the event one year ago in Tbilisi, Georgia, to take second place in the team standings.
Archived matches, complete brackets and match-by-match results from the UWW Cadet Nationals can be found at Flowrestling.com.
UWW CADET FREESTYLE NATIONALS
June 3-4 at Akron, Ohio
Outstanding Wrestler – Jacori Teemer (New York), 63 kg champion
Final Results
42 kg/92 lbs.
Championships Series
Cole Skinner (G2 World WA) tech. fall Chance Lamer (Orange Crush WC), 10-0
Cole Skinner (G2 World WA) dec. Chance Lamer (Orange Crush WC), 7-2
Skinner wins series 2-0
Placement Matches
3rd – Jett Strickenberger (Sons of Thunder) tech. fall Alex Almeyda (Edge), 10-0
5th – Drake Ayala (Sebolt WA) tech. fall Blake Noonan (Team Donahoe), 12-2
7th – Laz Maldonado (Sons of Thunder) tech. fall Tommy Curran (Gomez WA), 10-0
46 kg/101 lbs.
Championships Series
Kurt McHenry (Ranger WC) tech. fall Jeremiah Reno (Victory), 11-0
Kurt McHenry (Ranger WC) tech. fall Jeremiah Reno (Victory), 10-0
McHenry wins series 2-0
Placement Matches
3rd – Dylan Ragusin (Izzy Style) dec. Cullan Schriever (Sebolt WA), 6-0
5th – Yusief Little (Team Aggression) forfeit Ryan Crookham (Weaver Elite)
7th – Richard Figueroa (Team Selma) tech. fall Cooper Flynn (Holland Trained), 12-1
50 kg/110 lbs.
Championships Series
Julian Tagg (Seasons) dec. Isaac Salas (Sunkist Kids/Monster Garage), 7-0
Julian Tagg (Seasons) dec. Isaac Salas (Sunkist Kids/Monster Garage), 10-2
Tagg wins series 2-0
Placement Matches
3rd – Trevor Mastrogiovanni (Blairstown WC) dec. Greg Diakomihalis (FLWC), 3-2
5th – Justin Cardani (Centennial) forfeit Noah Surtin (Quest)
7th – Hunter Lewis (Wisconsin) fall Steele Dias (Nevada), 3:33
54 kg/119 lbs.
Championships Series
Robert Howard (Bitetto Trained) dec. Chris Cannon (Blairstown WC), 8-3
Robert Howard (Bitetto Trained) dec. Chris Cannon (Blairstown WC), 6-4
Howard wins series 2-0
Placement Matches
3rd – Brody Teske (Team Valley) dec. Jakob Camacho (Iowa Style WC), 10-4
5th – Gabriel Tagg (Seasons) forfeit Aaron Cashman (Pinnacle)
7th – Joseph Heilmann (South Plainfield) dec. Kyle Gollhofer (Georgia), 6-2
58 kg/127 lbs.
Championships Series
Jordan Decatur (Seasons) tech. fall Carson Manville (Shakopee Mat Club), 12-2
Jordan Decatur (Seasons) fall Carson Manville (Shakopee Mat Club), 3:40
Decatur wins series 2-0
Placement Matches
3rd – Jesse Vasquez (Sunkist Kids) dec. Joshua Saunders (Sunkist Kids/Monster Garage), 8-2
5th – Atilano Escobar (Olympus/LWC) forfeit Nicholas Raimo (Apex)
7th – Beau Bartlett (Sunkist Kids/Monster Garage) dec. Ryan Moore (ETC), 10-2
63 kg/138 lbs.
Championships Series
Jacori Teemer (Long Beach) tech. fall Sammy Sasso (Dark Knights), 12-2
Jacori Teemer (Long Beach) tech. fall Sammy Sasso (Dark Knights), 12-1
Teemer wins series 2-0
Placement Matches
3rd – Jason Kraisser (Maryland) dec. Kevon Davenport (Shamrock Select), 5-3
5th – Kasper Mcintosh (Portage WC) dec. Cade Devos (Iron Rams), 6-0
7th – Fidel Mayora (Izzy Style) tech. fall Padriac Gallacher (TWFOC), 10-0
69 kg/152 lbs.
Championships Series
Will Lewan (Izzy Style) dec. Peyton Robb (Pinnacle), 9-5
Will Lewan (Izzy Style) dec. Peyton Robb (Pinnacle), 9-4
Lewan wins series 2-0
Placement Matches
3rd – Connor Brady (Ohio RTC) dec. Jared Franek (West Fargo), 11-3
5th – Carter Starocci (Bad Karma) dec. Tyler Dow (Wisconsin), 4-1
7th – Justin Mccoy (Young Guns) dec. Nevan Snodgrass (Ohio), 13-8
76 kg/167 lbs.
Championships Series
Travis Wittlake Jr. (Team Bucs) dec. Aaron Brooks (Hagerstown), 4-2
Travis Wittlake Jr. (Team Bucs) tech. fall Aaron Brooks (Hagerstown), 10-0
Wittlake Jr. wins series 2-0
Placement Matches
3rd – Patrick Kennedy (Minnesota Storm) tech. fall Jeremiah Kent (MOWesst), 10-0
5th – Michael O’Malley (Apex) fall Carson Kharchla (Team Miron), 1:15
7th – Julian Ramirez (Blairstown WC) forfeit Grant Cuomo (Iowa Style WC)
85 kg/187 lbs.
Championships Series
Gavin Hoffman (Bison Legend) dec. Ryan Karoly (Malvern WC), 8-1
Gavin Hoffman (Bison Legend) dec. Ryan Karoly (Malvern WC), 7-0
Hoffman wins series 2-0
Placement Matches
3rd – Joel Shapiro (Ubasa WA) dec. Lucas Davidson (Chesterton WC), 8-0
5th – Devin Winston (Greater Heights) tech. fall Tyler Barnes (Journeymen), 12-2
7th – Hunter Dejong (MWCWA) fall Cristian Knop (Ironclad WC), 0:42
100 kg/220 lbs.
Championship Series
Daniel Kerkvliet (Pinnacle) tech. fall Jace Punke (OS/WN), 10-0
Daniel Kerkvliet (Pinnacle) tech. fall Jace Punke (OS/WN), 10-0
Kerkvliet wins series 2-0
Placement Matches
3rd – Luke Luffman (OS/WN) dec. Tyler Curd (MOWest), 8-0
5th – Tyler Stein (Ohio) forfeit Kyle Lightner (Fortify WC)
7th – Jacob Somali (Askren WA) fall Jake Cook (Journeymen), 1:35
125 kg/275 lbs.
1st – Jordan Earnest (Wadsworth) dec. Jack Delgarbino (Green Machine WC), 8-1
3rd – Eli Pokorney (Chesterton WC) fall Guy Snow (Eastern Iowa WC), 2:49
5th – Jayvon Davidson (Eclipse) fall Enutifa Gamia (Easter Iowa WC), 0:33
Video: UWW Cadet and University Nationals champion interviews
AKRON, Ohio – The men’s freestyle Cadet World Team was set on Sunday morning in Akron, Ohio, after the UWW Cadet Nationals concluded with past Cadet World medalists Kurt McHenry and Travis Wittlake securing return trips to the World Championships, and Jacori Teemer stealing the show with an electric finals performance.
In a rematch of last year’s UWW Cadet finals, McHenry imposed his will on 2016 USAW Cadet Nationals champion Jeremiah Reno to win the 46 kg/101 lbs. championship series in straight bouts, 11-0 and 10-0. A stark contrast from last summer when the pair went a full three matches in the finals.
“Hope is a dangerous thing to give people, and coming into this tournament I knew that I had to take all of [Reno’s] hope from him. I had to rip it all away from him so next time we wrestle he has no hope…I knew if I dominated him here then that wouldn’t happen ever again,” McHenry said.
McHenry won a Cadet World gold medal last summer in Tbilisi, Georgia, and has only added to his arsenal since. This weekend, McHenry won six total matches, all by technical fall. He outscored his opponents by a combined 64-2 tally.
“I knew what I wanted to get back to, and I knew what feeling I wanted to chase again, what I’m looking for, because I want to experience that feeling again…I just want to chase the same thing I did last year and get it,” he added.
After coming out ahead in two tight matches yesterday, Wittlake proved his mettle once again with an impressive effort against two-time USAW Cadet Nationals champion Aaron Brooks of Maryland in the 76 kg/167 lbs. finals. In the first match of the best-of-three series, Wittlake won a back and forth affair, 4-2. He left no doubt in match two, quickly dispatching of Brooks, 10-0.
“I definitely expected to be a little more dominant,” Wittlake said. “This is a good lesson learner for me. By World Championship time I’ll be a different human for sure. I’ll definitely be a lot more prepared for the World Championships.”
Wittlake earned a bronze medal at the Cadet World Championships one year ago. Among his many accomplishments include a USA Wrestling Triple Crown for earning national titles in freestyle, Greco-Roman and folkstyle last year.
New York native and past USAW Cadet Nationals champion Jacori Teemer was unstoppable on his way to the 63 kg/138 lbs. title. Teemer took on the highly-touted Sammy Sasso of Pennsylvania in the championship series, and controlled the action every step of the way. He defeated Sasso, now a two-time UWW Cadet Nationals runner-up, by scores of 12-2 and 12-1.
“I was ranked the number two seed. That allowed me to wrestle with a lot of freedom, nothing to lose. Go out there and did what I do, and came up victorious,” Teemer said.
Teemer was named Outstanding Wrestler of the men’s freestyle tournament after a 7-0 run through the 63 kg field.
If it wasn’t for a spectacular outing by Teemer, the OW might have gone to Ohio’s Jordan Decatur, who was exceptional all weekend on his way to the 58 kg/127 lbs. crown. Decatur won seven-straight bouts, including two over Minnesota’s Carson Manville in the championships series, to make his first Cadet World Team.
Decatur put up 68 points in his first six matches, all of which came by technical fall. He capped off his run with a second-period pin over Manville in match two of the championship series. Decatur finished in second place at this event last year, and owns two USAW Cadet Nationals titles in freestyle competition.
Up at 85 kg/187 lbs., Pennsylvania’s Gavin Hoffman took out three-time USAW Cadet Nationals champion Ryan Karoly of New Jersey with apparent ease. Hoffman’s size and strength advantage led him to 8-1 and 7-0 wins over Karoly in the championship series.
Illinois standout Will Lewan was the only wrestler to pull off double titles at the UWW Cadet Nationals, therefore qualifying for the Cadet World Team in both Greco-Roman and men’s freestyle. He downed Minnesota’s Peyton Robb in two-straight bouts, 9-5 and 9-4, to top the 69 kg/152 lbs. freestyle division.
Lewan won an impressive 12 matches over the course of both tournaments this weekend, five in Greco-Roman and seven in men’s freestyle.
Other athletes qualifying for the Cadet World Team with freestyle championships include Ohio stars Cole Skinner at 42 kg/92 lbs. and Julian Tagg at 50 kg/110 lbs., Pennsylvania’s Robert Howard at 54 kg/119 lbs. and Minnesota’s Daniel Kerkvliet at 100 kg/220 lbs.
It was an all-Ohio battle in the 125 kg/275 lbs. finals, with Jordan Earnest getting the better of Greco-Roman champion Jack Delgarbino, 8-1. The 125 kg weight class is not a UWW sanctioned weight meaning Earnest will not compete at the Cadet World championships.
The Cadet World Championships will be held in Athens, Greece, this September. The U.S. won seven medals at the event one year ago in Tbilisi, Georgia, to take second place in the team standings.
Archived matches, complete brackets and match-by-match results from the UWW Cadet Nationals can be found at Flowrestling.com.
UWW CADET FREESTYLE NATIONALS
June 3-4 at Akron, Ohio
Outstanding Wrestler – Jacori Teemer (New York), 63 kg champion
Final Results
42 kg/92 lbs.
Championships Series
Cole Skinner (G2 World WA) tech. fall Chance Lamer (Orange Crush WC), 10-0
Cole Skinner (G2 World WA) dec. Chance Lamer (Orange Crush WC), 7-2
Skinner wins series 2-0
Placement Matches
3rd – Jett Strickenberger (Sons of Thunder) tech. fall Alex Almeyda (Edge), 10-0
5th – Drake Ayala (Sebolt WA) tech. fall Blake Noonan (Team Donahoe), 12-2
7th – Laz Maldonado (Sons of Thunder) tech. fall Tommy Curran (Gomez WA), 10-0
46 kg/101 lbs.
Championships Series
Kurt McHenry (Ranger WC) tech. fall Jeremiah Reno (Victory), 11-0
Kurt McHenry (Ranger WC) tech. fall Jeremiah Reno (Victory), 10-0
McHenry wins series 2-0
Placement Matches
3rd – Dylan Ragusin (Izzy Style) dec. Cullan Schriever (Sebolt WA), 6-0
5th – Yusief Little (Team Aggression) forfeit Ryan Crookham (Weaver Elite)
7th – Richard Figueroa (Team Selma) tech. fall Cooper Flynn (Holland Trained), 12-1
50 kg/110 lbs.
Championships Series
Julian Tagg (Seasons) dec. Isaac Salas (Sunkist Kids/Monster Garage), 7-0
Julian Tagg (Seasons) dec. Isaac Salas (Sunkist Kids/Monster Garage), 10-2
Tagg wins series 2-0
Placement Matches
3rd – Trevor Mastrogiovanni (Blairstown WC) dec. Greg Diakomihalis (FLWC), 3-2
5th – Justin Cardani (Centennial) forfeit Noah Surtin (Quest)
7th – Hunter Lewis (Wisconsin) fall Steele Dias (Nevada), 3:33
54 kg/119 lbs.
Championships Series
Robert Howard (Bitetto Trained) dec. Chris Cannon (Blairstown WC), 8-3
Robert Howard (Bitetto Trained) dec. Chris Cannon (Blairstown WC), 6-4
Howard wins series 2-0
Placement Matches
3rd – Brody Teske (Team Valley) dec. Jakob Camacho (Iowa Style WC), 10-4
5th – Gabriel Tagg (Seasons) forfeit Aaron Cashman (Pinnacle)
7th – Joseph Heilmann (South Plainfield) dec. Kyle Gollhofer (Georgia), 6-2
58 kg/127 lbs.
Championships Series
Jordan Decatur (Seasons) tech. fall Carson Manville (Shakopee Mat Club), 12-2
Jordan Decatur (Seasons) fall Carson Manville (Shakopee Mat Club), 3:40
Decatur wins series 2-0
Placement Matches
3rd – Jesse Vasquez (Sunkist Kids) dec. Joshua Saunders (Sunkist Kids/Monster Garage), 8-2
5th – Atilano Escobar (Olympus/LWC) forfeit Nicholas Raimo (Apex)
7th – Beau Bartlett (Sunkist Kids/Monster Garage) dec. Ryan Moore (ETC), 10-2
63 kg/138 lbs.
Championships Series
Jacori Teemer (Long Beach) tech. fall Sammy Sasso (Dark Knights), 12-2
Jacori Teemer (Long Beach) tech. fall Sammy Sasso (Dark Knights), 12-1
Teemer wins series 2-0
Placement Matches
3rd – Jason Kraisser (Maryland) dec. Kevon Davenport (Shamrock Select), 5-3
5th – Kasper Mcintosh (Portage WC) dec. Cade Devos (Iron Rams), 6-0
7th – Fidel Mayora (Izzy Style) tech. fall Padriac Gallacher (TWFOC), 10-0
69 kg/152 lbs.
Championships Series
Will Lewan (Izzy Style) dec. Peyton Robb (Pinnacle), 9-5
Will Lewan (Izzy Style) dec. Peyton Robb (Pinnacle), 9-4
Lewan wins series 2-0
Placement Matches
3rd – Connor Brady (Ohio RTC) dec. Jared Franek (West Fargo), 11-3
5th – Carter Starocci (Bad Karma) dec. Tyler Dow (Wisconsin), 4-1
7th – Justin Mccoy (Young Guns) dec. Nevan Snodgrass (Ohio), 13-8
76 kg/167 lbs.
Championships Series
Travis Wittlake Jr. (Team Bucs) dec. Aaron Brooks (Hagerstown), 4-2
Travis Wittlake Jr. (Team Bucs) tech. fall Aaron Brooks (Hagerstown), 10-0
Wittlake Jr. wins series 2-0
Placement Matches
3rd – Patrick Kennedy (Minnesota Storm) tech. fall Jeremiah Kent (MOWesst), 10-0
5th – Michael O’Malley (Apex) fall Carson Kharchla (Team Miron), 1:15
7th – Julian Ramirez (Blairstown WC) forfeit Grant Cuomo (Iowa Style WC)
85 kg/187 lbs.
Championships Series
Gavin Hoffman (Bison Legend) dec. Ryan Karoly (Malvern WC), 8-1
Gavin Hoffman (Bison Legend) dec. Ryan Karoly (Malvern WC), 7-0
Hoffman wins series 2-0
Placement Matches
3rd – Joel Shapiro (Ubasa WA) dec. Lucas Davidson (Chesterton WC), 8-0
5th – Devin Winston (Greater Heights) tech. fall Tyler Barnes (Journeymen), 12-2
7th – Hunter Dejong (MWCWA) fall Cristian Knop (Ironclad WC), 0:42
100 kg/220 lbs.
Championship Series
Daniel Kerkvliet (Pinnacle) tech. fall Jace Punke (OS/WN), 10-0
Daniel Kerkvliet (Pinnacle) tech. fall Jace Punke (OS/WN), 10-0
Kerkvliet wins series 2-0
Placement Matches
3rd – Luke Luffman (OS/WN) dec. Tyler Curd (MOWest), 8-0
5th – Tyler Stein (Ohio) forfeit Kyle Lightner (Fortify WC)
7th – Jacob Somali (Askren WA) fall Jake Cook (Journeymen), 1:35
125 kg/275 lbs.
1st – Jordan Earnest (Wadsworth) dec. Jack Delgarbino (Green Machine WC), 8-1
3rd – Eli Pokorney (Chesterton WC) fall Guy Snow (Eastern Iowa WC), 2:49
5th – Jayvon Davidson (Eclipse) fall Enutifa Gamia (Easter Iowa WC), 0:33
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