Nine of 10 spots set on Junior Greco-Roman World Team

Las Vegas, NV The Junior Greco-Roman World Team is set at nine weight classes with only 77 kg left to be settled. The team is a veteran squad with extensive international experience. Four wrestlers made their second World Team, three of whom were members of the 2018 Junior World Team.

The most surprising wrestler of the tournament however, was the only wrestler not to secure a spot, 77 kg champion and Washington native, Jake Ervien. He came into the tournament unseeded and knocked off the seventh seed in the opening round, top-seeded 2017 Cadet World Team member Jake Hendricks in the quarterfinals and scored back-to-back pins in the best-of-three finals against no. six seed Isaiah Alford. Ervien will have to wrestle off 2018 Junior World Team member Tyler Dow in a best-of-three series because Dow is competing in the senior Open.

“It’s just hard work. I’ve never won a state title. I’ve never won a national title, but I’ve put the time in and it’s finally paying off. I came in with confidence because I’ve been training hard.”

Ervien said.

Among the previous Junior World Team members are Alston Nutter at 62 kg, Peyton Omania at 67 kg, and Cohlton Schultz at 130 kg. Schultz has made an impressive six age-group world teams, and has brought home a Cadet World gold medal and a Junior World silver. Although he was pinned in his first match, he came back dominant, with back-to-back 9-0 and 8-0 technical falls. At 55 kg Dylan Ragusin has also made a Cadet World Team.

Omania is one of two Michigan State wrestlers to make the team alongside Cameron Caffey at 87 kg. Caffey took gold in both men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman at the 2018 Junior Pan American Championships.

Greco-Roman Programs Manager, Gary Mayabb said this an extremely experienced team.

“This is about as veteran as we’ve had. On several of our cadet and junior teams we’ve had guys that their first time overseas was at the World Championships. That is not the case with this team. I think we’ve got a great team, and I think we’ve got the right team”

Mayabb said.

The Junior World Championships will take place in Tallinn, Estonia, August 12-18.

Finals Results:

55Dylan Ragusin Elk Grove Village, IL (Izzy Style) 2-0 over PO Billy Sullivan Las Vegas, NV (Legends of Gold) (8-0, 10-1)

60Mason Hartshorn Oakley, CA (NMU/OTS) 2-0 over Haiden Drury WA (Takedown Express Wrestling Club), 2-0 (7-1, 4-1)

63Alston Nutter Fennimore, WI (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) 2-0 over Hunter Lewis Madison, WI (Advance / Ringers) (12-3, 16-8)

67Peyton Omania Concord, CA (Michigan State) 2-0 over Benjamin Peak Elkhorn, WI (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) (6-4, 7-4)

72Tyler Eischens Andover, MN (Stanford - California RTC) 2-0 over Calvin Germinaro Anoka, MN (Minnesota Storm) (17-7, Fall)

77Jack Ervien Milton, WA (Takedown Express Wrestling Club) 2-0 over Isaiah Alford Lincoln, NE (MWC) (Fall, Fall)

82Zachary Braunagel O'Fallon, IL (IRTC) 2-0 over Max Wohlabaugh Winter Springs, FL (Clarion RTC) (8-4, 6-3)

87Cameron Caffey Carbondale, IL (Michigan State) 2-0 over Keaton Fannin, Bedford, TX (NMU/OTS) (Fall, Fall)

97Nicholas Boykin Murfreesboro, TN (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) 2-0 over Austin Harris Stillwater, OK (Cowboy RTC/TMWC) (Fall, 10-0)

130Cohlton Schultz KY (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) over 2-1 Lee Herrington Kearney, NE (Nebraska Golden Eagles Wrestling Club) (Fall, 9-0, 8-0)

Consolation Results:

55 kg

Third

Joseph Harrison Omaha, NE (MWC) VSU1 Jace Koelzer Greeley, CO (Northern Colorado), 12-3 5:00

Fifth

Camden Russell Omaha, NE (MWC) VIN Paxton Creese Shakopee, MN (Minnesota Storm), 8-6 4:21

60 kg

Third

Mosha Schwartz Franktown, CO (Colorado) VSU1 Phillip Moomey Kearney, NE (Nebraska Golden Eagles Wrestling Club), 13-4 4:22

Fifth

Delon Kanari Volo, IL (NMU/OTS) VPO1 King Sandoval Waldorf, MD (Terrapin Wrestling Club), 8-6

63 kg

Third

Michael Gunther Libertyville, IL (IRTC) VFA Adrian Gomez Pittsburg, CA (NMU/OTS), 2-2 1:07

Fifth

Kyle Parco Danville, CA (CYC) VSU1 Blaine Martinez Fort Worth, TX (kctc), 10-2 3:07

67 kg

Third

Dominic Damon Seattle, WA (SWC) VSU Ryan Wheeler Tacoma, WA (FordDynasty Wrestling Club), 8-0 1:00

Fifth

Dayton Porsch Selden, KS (Hoxie) VSU Duncan Nelson Wheaton, IL (Williams Baptist University), 8-0 0:33

72 kg

Third

Britton Holmes Peyton, CO (NMU/OTS) VPO James Burks Omaha, NE (MWC), 6-0

Fifth

Franky Almaguer Granger, WA (PureBred Wrestling) VSU1 Dracius Mckee Corvallis, OR (Orange Crush Wrestling Club), 12-4 2:17

77 kg

Third

Jake Hendricks Philadelphia, PA (Pennsylvania Regional Training Center) VSU1 Gerrit Nijenhuis Eighty Four, PA (Young Guns), 12-4 1:11

Fifth

Terrance Parks NY (NYAC) VSU1 Sawyer Knott Thompson's Station, TN (Unattached), 11-2 4:43

82 kg

Third

Jonathan Loew Ithaca, NY (Finger Lakes RTC) VFA Jose Acosta Manitowoc, WI (X-Factor Elite), 2-0 0:36

Fifth

Dane Harter Baton Rouge, LA (Finger Lakes RTC) VIN Tommy Dantzler Colorado Springs, CO (Front Range Twisters), 0-0 0:00

87 kg

Third

Jonathon Fagen Fruitland, ID (Suples Wrestling Club) VFA Connor Bourne Las Vegas, NV (Nevada), 4-4 1:07

Fifth

Tyrell Gordon Cedar Falls, IA (Panther Wrestling Club RTC) VPO1 Artem Loginov Los Angeles, CA (SOTLA), 8-2

97 kg

Third

Braxton Amos Mineral Wells, WV (Team Miron) VSU Brad Wilton Mason, MI (Michigan State), 9-0 1:21

Fifth

Aric Bohn Big Bend, WI (Southern Illinois) VSU Niccolo Colucci Summit, NJ (Buxton (NJ)), 8-0 1:47

130 kg

Third

Spencer Trenary Rolfe, IA (SWIFT) VSU Max Darrah Foristell, MO (Xtreme Training), 9-0 2:45

Fifth

Gavin Nye Pueblo, CO (CSU Pueblo Wrestling RTC) VSU Owen Miller Olivet, MI (Olivet Wrestling Club), 8-0 0:20