Cassioppi and Phippen among returning champions advancing to Folkstyle Nationals semis

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The semifinals are set for the USA Wrestling Cadet and Junior Folkstyle Nationals, which began its first day of action on Thursday at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

The semifinals will be wrestled on Friday morning at 8 a.m. CT, with the finals expected to take place at 11 a.m.

Of those in the finals, 10 are 2017 Folkstyle National champions across different age groups, including 2017 Junior champions Cody Phippen of Missouri and Anthony Cassioppi of Illinois.

Phippen looks to defend his title at 126 pounds and will face Gavin Ayotte of Utah in tomorrow’s semifinals. Phippen notched a major decision, pin and tech fall in his first three matches on Thursday.

At heavyweight, Cassioppi impressed with three first-period falls. His fastest pin came in the quarterfinals, when he stuck Jake McGinnis of Idaho in 44 seconds. Cassioppi, a 2017 Fargo double champ and a 2017 Junior Pan American double champion, will face Keegan Wilkinson of Utah in the semis at 285 pounds.

There are four 2017 Cadet Folkstyle champions in the field, with three who have moved up to the Junior level, counting Eli Griffin of Oklahoma at 100 pounds, Dawson Sihavong of California at 138 pounds and Alex Facundo of Michigan at 152 pounds.

Colton Drousias from Indiana looks for his second-straight Cadet title, bumping up to 106 from 100 pounds. He continues on to the semis, where he will match up against Michael Gioffre of California.

There are four 2017 Schoolboy Folkstyle National champions, who are still in the hunt for a title at the Cadet level, including Jordan Williams of Oklahoma at 100 pounds, Jesse Mendez of Indiana at 120 pounds, Nic Bouzakis of Florida at 120 pounds and Robert Paul Perez III of California at 145 pounds.

Other notable semifinalists are 2017 Cadet Freestyle national champion and the No. 3 ranked 195 pounder in the nation Albert (AJ) Ferrari of Texas, 2017 Cadet Greco-Roman World Team member and 2016 Cadet Greco national champ Ridge Lovett of Idaho and 2016 Cadet Freestyle national champion and No. 2 at 145 Brock Hardy of Utah.

The semis will begin at 8 a.m. CT and the finals will take place at 11 a.m. Fans can watch all the action live on Trackwrestling.com

USA WRESTLING FOLKSTYLE NATIONALS

at UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa, March 29-31

Cadet semifinal matchups
88 lbs.
Christopher Martino (Team Idaho) vs. Jore Volk (Pinnacle)
Tristan Stafford (Threestyle wrestling) vs. Mason Gehloff (Sebolt Wrestling Academy)

94 lbs.
Matthew Hogue (Pinnacle) vs. Roddy Romero (Team Idaho)
Maxximus Martinez (Sunkist Kids Monster Garage) vs. Guy Clevenger (Threestyle)

100 lbs.
Blake West (Sebolt Wrestling Academy) vs. Jordan Williams (Threestyle wrestling)
Drake Ayala (Sebolt Wrestling Academy) vs. Alex Almeyda (Edge)

106 lbs.
Nicolar Rivera (Ringers/Stoughton Wrestling) vs. Stephen Roberson Jr (Region Wrestling Academy)
Jacob Mann (Purler Wrestling Academy) vs. Colton Drousias (Region Wrestling Acadamy)

113 lbs.
Mason Campshure (Kaukauna Grappling Ghosts) vs. Kyler Lake (The Empire Wrestling Club)
Hunter Garvin (Eastern Iowa Wrestling Club) vs. Tom Crook (Caveman)

120 lbs.
Carter Smith (Wentzville Holt Wrestling Club) vs. Nic Bouzakis (Tampa Bay Caveman Wrestling Cl
Caleb Rathjen (Sebolt Wrestling Academy) vs. Jesse Mendez (Bulldog Premier WC)

126 lbs.
Robert Avila (Lisbon Lions) vs. Jack Ganos (Askren Wrestling Academy)
Jack Thomsen (Knights Wrestling Club) vs. Teague Travis (Tolton)

132 lbs.
Randy Myers (Mounds View Mustangs) vs. Jared Simma (Saint Thomas Aquinas)
Angel Flores (School Of Hard Knocks) vs. Cayden Hughbanks (Kansas)

138 lbs.
Devin Gomez (Team Kansas) vs. Aaden Valdez (La Gente)
Brayden Thompson (Sons of Thunder Academy) vs. Antonio Segura (Sons of Thunder Academy)

145 lbs.
Robert Paul Perez III (Sunkistkids/Monster Garage) vs. Cougar Andersen (Threestyle wrestling)
Gavin Peterson (Maple Grove) vs. Manuel Rojas (S.A.W)

152 lbs.
Amado Castellon (Cimarron Memorial High School) vs. Jorden Douglass (Red Cobra)
Joseph Martin (Dethrone) vs. Robert Deters (Unattached)

160 lbs.
Duwayne Villalpando (Maize) vs. Quayin Short (Simley)
Andrew Wenzel (Dakota Wrestling Club) vs. Brady Spaeth (Crass Trained WIC)

170 lbs.
Sam Skillings (Menomonie High School Wrestlin) vs. Colton Hawks (Thoroughbred Wrestling Academy)
Gavin Wedemeier (Waverly Area Wrestling Club) vs. Greyden Penner (Victory Wrestling)

182 lbs.
Kyle Haas (Maize) vs. Rocky Elam (Team Central Wrestling Club)
Peter Ming (Elk Grove Wrestling) vs. Isaac Banker (Bonduel)

195 lbs.
Daniel Striggow (Pinnacle) vs. Silas Allred (CIA)
Bret Kostka (Crass Trained WIC) vs. Gavin Carter (Team Kansas)

220 lbs.
Ryan Cochran (Threestyle wrestling) vs. Nathaniel Deasey (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club)
Lucas Walker (Waverly Area Wrestling Club) vs. Chris Island (Best Trained)

285 lbs.
Robert Gentry (Mooresville Wrestling Club)

Junior semifinals matchups
100 lbs.
Eli Griffin (Threestyle wrestling) vs. Alec Hunter (Oshkosh)
Kael Brisker (Big Game Wrestling Club) vs. Kolton Stacey (East ID Elite Wrestling Club)

106 lbs.
Jaden Verhagen (Kaukauna Grappling Ghosts) vs. Blake Peiffer (Askren Wrestling Academy)
Jason Henschel (Team Kansas) vs. Tommy Larson (Higher Level Wrestling)

113 lbs.
Darrick Stacey (East ID Elite Wrestling Club) vs. Jeremiah Reno (Victory wrestling)
Aaron Nagao (Team California) vs. Andrew Chambal (Davison)

120 lbs.
Jake Svihel (Pinnacle) vs. Savion Dixon (Menifee Wrestling Club)
Will VomBaur (Bear Cave) vs. Eric Barnett (Wisconsin)

126 lbs.
Cody Phippen (Lawrence Elite) vs. Gavin Ayotte (Extreme Wrestling)
Jacob Shack (Frost Boyz) vs. Marcus Castillo (Cyclones Wrestling & Fitness)

132 lbs.
Jackson Currier (Colstrip) vs. Domenic Zaccone (Stagg HS)
Ridge Lovett (Team Idaho) vs. Terrell Barraclough (Empire)

138 lbs.
Sebas Swiggum (Apple Valley) vs. John Mears (Big Game Wrestling Club)
Dawson Sihavong (Team California) vs. Legend Lamer (Orange Crush Wrestling Club)

145 lbs.
Spencer Schickram (Ponca City Wildcat Wrestling C) vs. We Rachal (Harvey Twisters)
Saenz Lawrence (Vacaville Wrestling Club) vs. Brock Hardy (Stinger Wrestling Club)

152 lbs.
Alex Facundo (Team Donahoe) vs. Trey Munoz (Team California)
Bubba Wilson (Unattached) vs. Isaac Wilcox (Stinger Wrestling Club)

160 lbs.
Austin Brenner (Pinnacle) vs. Jalin Harper (Team Kansas)
Isaiah Luellen (Kansas City Wrestling Club) vs. Tanner Lofthouse (Team Utah)

170 lbs.
Colter Bye (Outlaw Wrestling Club) vs. Nolan Paar (Ringers)
Anthony Zach (Ubasa Wrestling Academy) vs. Joshua Ramirez (O-Trained)

182 lbs.
Brandyn Van Tassell (Team Utah) vs. Evan Bockman (Frost Boyz)
Nate Dooley (Best Trained) vs. Jack Jessen (Izzy Style Wrestling)

195 lbs.
Wyatt Hendrickson (Newton) vs. Nick Stemmet (Izzy Style Wrestling)
Albert Ferrari (Best Trained) vs. Garrett Joles (Pinnacle)

220 lbs.
Zach Elam (Team Central Wrestling Club) vs. Boone McDermott (Dubuque Wrestling Club)
Aric Bohn (Askren Wrestling Academy) vs. Jacob Somlai (Askren Wrestling Academy)

285 lbs.
Anthony Cassioppi (Hononegah Wrestling Club) vs. Keegan Wilkinson (Team Utah)
Nash Hutmacher (Chamberlain High School) vs. Tyler Delooff (Lowell Wrestling Club)