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Draws set for men's freestyle competition at Junior Pan American Championships in Peru

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by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling

Photo: Gabriel Townsell (USA) competing in the Greco-Roman portion of the Junior Pan American Championships. Photo by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling.


LIMA, Peru – The men’s freestyle draws have been determined for the final day of action at the Junior Pan American Championships being held at the Villa Deportiva Nacional Videna in Lima, Peru.


The eight American men who competed in the Greco-Roman portion of the intercontinental event return to the mat tomorrow with their attentions on freestyle. All eight U.S. participants made weight and were drawn into their respective bracket.


Fresh off the Greco-Roman gold medal in Peru, Haydn Maley (Roseburg, Ore.) will face a stiff test to open things tomorrow morning. His first-round opponent at 96 kg/211 lbs. is Nishan Randhawa of Canada who is the defending Junior Pan American champion, and owns bronze medals from the 2015 Junior World Championships and 2017 Senior Pan American championships.


Anthony Cassioppi (Roscoe, Ill.), who was named Outstanding Wrestler of the Greco-Roman tournament, will seek a second gold medal this weekend at 120 kg/264 lbs. Cassioppi will take part in a four-athlete round robin to determine the heavyweight championship.


The third American looking to double up on gold this weekend is 50 kg/110 lbs. representative Brandon Kaylor (Puyallup, Wash.) who will begin his quest against Peru’s Javier Barrera Palacios.


NCAA qualifier Gabriel Townsell (Chicago, Ill.) wound up in fifth place during the Greco-Roman competition and is looking to bounce back with a medal in freestyle. He will begin the day against last year’s Junior Pan American runner up Luis Morales Mayancha of Ecuador at 55 kg/121 lbs.


Competing at 84 kg/185 lbs., Thomas Brackett (Eads, Tenn.) is seeking to move up one notch from the Greco-Roman silver medal he earned on Friday. Brackett will face Nicolas Baez of Argentina in the first round.


Dalton Young (Nine Mile Falls, Wash.) and Leonard Merkin (Brooklyn, N.Y.), both of whom won Greco-Roman bronze at this event, are itching to climb atop the podium on Sunday. Young is set to face two-time Cadet Pan American silver medalist Hector Candelaria Rivera of Puerto Rico to start the day. Likewise, Merkin will open against Guatemala’s Juan Arreola Mujia.


Also taking on an opponent from Guatemala is Mason McDaniel (Kirkland, Wash.) who will see Juan Arreola Mujia tomorrow at 74 kg/163 lbs.


The final day of the Junior Pan American Championships will begin at 11 a.m. (ET) tomorrow with the qualification rounds and repechage bouts. Medal matches will follow at approximately 6 p.m. (ET).


Every match from the tournament will be live streamed to U.S. residents on Trackwrestling.com. Complete brackets can also be found through Trackwrestling.


2017 JUNIOR PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS


June 9-11 at Lima, Peru


U.S. Men’s Freestyle Draws

50 kg/110 lbs. – Brandon Kaylor, Puyallup, Wash. (Team Washington)

Vs. Javier Barrera Palacios (Peru)


55 kg/121 lbs. – Gabriel Townsell, Chicago, Ill. (Stanford-California RTC)

Vs. Luis Morales Mayancha (Ecuador), 2016 Junior Pan American silver medalist, 2015 Cadet Pan American bronze medalist


60 kg/132 lbs. – Dalton Young, Nine Mile Falls, Wash. (Team Washington)

Vs. Hector Candelaria Rivera (Puerto Rico), Two-time Cadet Pan American silver medalist


66 kg/145 lbs. – Leonard Merkin, Brooklyn, N.Y. (Princeton WC)

Vs. Gunnar Sales (Canada)


74 kg/163 lbs. – Mason McDaniel, Kirkland, Wash. (Southern Illinois Training Center)

Vs. Juan Arreola Mujia (Guatemala)


84 kg/185 lbs. – Thomas Brackett, Eads, Tenn. (West Tennessee Takedown Club)

Vs. Nicolas Baez (Argentina)


96 kg/211 lbs. – Haydn Maley, Roseburg, Ore. (Roseburg Mat Club)

Vs. Nishan Randhawa (Canada), 2017 Senior Pan American Championships bronze medalist, 2016 Junior Pan American champion, 2015 Junior World bronze medalist


120 kg/264 lbs. – Anthony Cassioppi, Roscoe, Ill. (Hononegah WC)

Vs. Aly Barghout (Canada)

Vs. Leo Santana Heredia (Dominican Republic)

Vs. Jose Diaz Ponciano (Guatemala), 2017 Junior Pan American Greco-Roman bronze, 2016 Junior Pan American silver medalist

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