Semifinals set in U17 Freestyle Nationals; four remain eligible for a double title

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The semifinals have been set for the U17 Freestyle Nationals, after an exciting quarterfinal round on Saturday, as part of the Pritchard Companies U.S. Open in the South Point Arena.

There are no athletes who won U17 National titles last year in the quarterfinals, meaning there will be a whole new set of champions this year.

Four of the wrestlers who won U17 Greco-Roman National titles on Friday reached the quarterfinals, Domenic Munaretto of Illinois (51 kg), Jayden Raney of Union County HS (60 kg), Jordyn Raney of Union County HS (60 kg) and Emmitt Sherlock of HeadHunters WC (80 kg).

Munaretto was a U17 World champion in freestyle in 2022. He draws Arseni Kikiniou of Poway Wrestling in the freestyle semifinals, the man Munaretto beat in the best-of-three Greco-Roman series on Friday.

The Raney twins ended up in the same weight class in freestyle. In Greco-Roman, Jordyn won 60 kg title, while Jayden won the 55 kg title and has moved up. The brothers are on opposite sides of the bracket, and would only meet each other if they both reached the finals. Jordyn was a U17 World champion in Greco-Roman last year, while Jayden won the 16U Nationals in both styles.

Sherlock will draw Liam Crook of Kaukauna HS in Wisconsin in the semifinals.

This is the qualifying event for the 2024 U17 World Championships in Amman, Jordan, August 19-25. The winners of Sunday morning’s semifinals will advance to a best-of-three championship series to determine the U.S. World Team member in each weight class.

Henry Aslikyan of Birmingham Community Charter HS, a member of the 2023 U.S. U17 World Greco-Roman team, has reached the semifinals at 48 kg, were he faces Cameron Sontz of Edge Wrestling.

The only returning champion in this tournament, Paul Kenny of New Jersey, was defeated in the 55 kg quarterfinals by Slater Hicks of Central Coast RTC, 11-1. Kenny was a U17 World champion last summer at 48 kg.

2023 16U Nationals freestyle champions in the quarterfinals include Melvin Miller of Bishop McCort High School (71 kg), Elijah Diakomihalis of New York (92 kg), Dreshaun Ross of Sebolt Wrestling Academy (92 kg), Michael Mocco of ATT/Mocco Wrestling Academy (110 kg) and Jacob Levy of the Tar Heel WC (110 kg).

The semifinals begin at 10:00 a.m. PT, with the best-of-three Championship Series to follow. All of the action is live on FloWrestling https://flosports.link/3S5LB5x

U17 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Las Vegas, Nev., April 27

U17 Freestyle semifinal pairings

45 kg

Brandon Bickerton OH (Seasons Freestyle Club) vs. Samuel Sanchez CA (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club)

Sean Kenny NJ (New Jersey) vs. Justin Farnsworth PA (Steller Trained Wrestling)

48 kg

Henry Aslikyan CA (Birmingham Community Charter HS) vs. Cameron Sontz NJ (Edge Wrestling)

Brayden Wenrich PA (Grit Mat Club) vs. Turner Ross MN (Sebolt Wrestling Academy)

51 kg

Domenic Munaretto IL (Illinois) vs. Arseni Kikiniou CA (Poway Wrestling)

Alex Rozas LA (AllStar Wrestling Club) vs. Alexander Pierce IA (Big Game Wrestling Club)

55 kg

Lincoln Sledzianowski PA (Pennsylvania) vs. Keanu Dillard PA (Steller Trained Wrestling)

Titan Friederichs MN (MN Elite Wrestling Club) vs. Slater Hicks CA (Central Coast Regional Training Center)

60 kg

Jayden Raney KY (Union County HS) vs. Tyler Dekraker VA (Integrity Wrestling Club)

Jordyn Raney KY (Union County High School Wrestling) vs. Clinton Shepherd IN (Howe Wrestling School, LLC)

65 kg

Derek Barrows CO (Bear Cave Wrestling Club) vs. Kellen Wolbert WI (Askren Wrestling Academy)

Nathaniel Askew NC (Tar Heel Wrestling Club) vs. Tyler Traves VA (Legacy Dragons Wrestling)

71 kg

Jayden James NJ (New Jersey) vs. Kyler Knaack IA (Immortal Athletics WC)

Cooper Rowe MN (Pinnacle Wrestling Club) vs. Melvin Miller PA (Bishop McCort HS)

80 kg

Emmitt Sherlock MD (HeadHunters Wrestling Club) vs. Liam Crook WI (Kaukauna HS)

Caleb Dennee WI (CrassTrained: Weigh In Club) vs. Ryder Wilder GA (Camden County HS)

92 kg

Dreshaun Ross IA (Sebolt Wrestling Academy) vs. Cason Howle SC (Blue Chip Wrestling Club)

Kaleb Jackson NJ (New Jersey) vs. Elijah Diakomihalis NY (New York)

110 kg

Dean Bechtold PA (Steller Trained Wrestling) vs. Mark Effendian PA (Steller Trained Wrestling)

Michael Mocco FL (ATT/Mocco Wrestling Academy) vs. Jacob Levy GA (Tar Heel Wrestling Club)

U17 Freestyle Quarterfinals results

45 kg

Brandon Bickerton OH (Seasons Freestyle Club) dec. Hudson Chittum TN (Sebolt Wrestling Academy), 3-1

Samuel Sanchez CA (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) pin Cruzer Dominguez NE (MWC Wrestling Academy), 10-0 0:42

Sean Kenny NJ (New Jersey) dec. Corey Brown MD (HeadHunters Wrestling Club), 3-1

Justin Farnsworth PA (Steller Trained Wrestling) dec. Jojo Burke NJ (New Jersey), 4-2

48 kg

Henry Aslikyan CA (Birmingham Community Charter HS) tech fall Caleb Noble IL (Toss Em Up Wrestling Academy), 12-0 3:04

Cameron Sontz NJ (Edge Wrestling) dec. Austin Bickerton OH (Seasons Freestyle Club), 9-0

Brayden Wenrich PA (Grit Mat Club) tech fall Dylan Ota TX (Spartan Mat Club), 10-0 1:55

Turner Ross MN (Sebolt Wrestling Academy) dec. Case Bell IN (Contenders Wrestling Academy), 4-0

51 kg

Domenic Munaretto IL (Illinois) dec. Rylan Seacrist OH (Seasons Freestyle Club), 4-0

Arseni Kikiniou CA (Poway Wrestling) dec. Shamus Regan TN (Boom Ranch Wrestling Club), 7-1

Alex Rozas LA (AllStar Wrestling Club) dec. Gavin Landers IA (Immortal Athletics WC), 3-1

Alexander Pierce IA (Big Game Wrestling Club) dec. Grey Burnett OH (Perrysburg Wrestling Club), 5-4

55 kg

Lincoln Sledzianowski PA (Pennsylvania) dec. Dale Corbin WI (Wisconsin), 6-5

Keanu Dillard PA (Steller Trained Wrestling) dec. Kavin Muyleart PA (American Dream Wrestling Club), 6-1

Titan Friederichs MN (MN Elite Wrestling Club) dec. Ty Henderson IN (Maurer Coughlin Wrestling Club), 2-1

Slater Hicks CA (Central Coast Regional Training Center) tech fall Paul Kenny NJ (New Jersey), 11-1 2:52

60 kg

Jayden Raney KY (Union County High School Wrestling) dec. Peter Tomazevic WI (Askren Wrestling Academy), 6-2

Tyler Dekraker VA (Integrity Wrestling Club) dec. Manuel Saldate NV (Gold Rush Wrestling), 10-4

Jordyn Raney KY (Union County High School Wrestling) dec. Karson Brown OH (Ohio), 10-0 1:17

Clinton Shepherd IN (Howe Wrestling School, LLC) dec. Roman Stewart MO (Victory Wrestling), 8-1

65 kg

Derek Barrows CO (Bear Cave Wrestling Club) dec. Wyatt Medlin IL (Illinois Regional Training Center/Illini WC), 8-3

Kellen Wolbert WI (Askren Wrestling Academy) tech fall Travis Cardenas AZ (Grindhouse Wrestling Club), 13-3 2:30

Nathaniel Askew NC (Tar Heel Wrestling Club) dec. Blue Stiffler GA (Roundtree Wrestling Academy), 2-2

Tyler Traves VA (Legacy Dragons Wrestling) dec. Nolan Fellers IA (Sebolt Wrestling Academy), 11-4

71 kg

Jayden James NJ (New Jersey) tech fall Zane Gerlach AK (Avalanche Wrestling Association), 10-0 1:30

Kyler Knaack IA (Immortal Athletics WC) dec. Tre Haines WA (Ascend Wrestling Academy), 6-2

Cooper Rowe MN (Pinnacle Wrestling Club) dec. Daniel Heiser WI (Wisconsin), 6-4

Melvin Miller PA (Bishop McCort High School Wrestling) tech fall Mavrik Gregory OH (Ohio), 11-1 2:00

80 kg

Emmitt Sherlock MD (HeadHunters Wrestling Club) dec. Isai Fernandez CA (Sunkist Kids Monster Garage), 11-3

Liam Crook WI (Kaukauna High School Wrestling) dec. Jimmy Mastny IL (Relentless Training Center), 8-5

Caleb Dennee WI (CrassTrained: Weigh In Club) dec. Mason Ontiveros CA (Vasky Bros\Pitman Wrestling Club), 6-4

Ryder Wilder GA (Camden County High School Wrestling) tech fall Gavin Craner MI (Michigan Grappler Training Center), 12-0 2:56

92 kg

Dreshaun Ross IA (Sebolt Wrestling Academy) tech fall Carson Thomas OH (Ohio), 10-0 1:00

Cason Howle SC (Blue Chip Wrestling Club) tech fall Jake Conroy PA (Phoenix Wrestling Club), 10-0 0:33

Kaleb Jackson NJ (New Jersey) dec. Aiden Peterson OH (Eagle Club), 3-3

Elijah Diakomihalis NY (New York) dec. Joseph Muhlstein MN (Pinnacle Wrestling Club), 7-0

110 kg

Dean Bechtold PA (Steller Trained Wrestling) dec. Garett Kawczynski WI (Askren Wrestling Academy), 11-4

Mark Effendian PA (Steller Trained Wrestling) dec. Trayvn Boger UT (Sanderson Wrestling Academy), 10-0 2:18

Michael Mocco FL (ATT/Mocco Wrestling Academy) dec. James Bechter OH (MVKWA Patriot Wrestling Club), 11-0 1:15

Jacob Levy GA (Tar Heel Wrestling Club) pin Kai Calcutt IL (Relentless Training Center), 2:28