2023 U17 World champion Ladarion Lockett celebrates his semifinal win at the U20 Freestyle Nationals in Las Vegas.
World champions Lockett, Sealey to meet in 74 kg finals at U20 Freestyle Nationals in Las Vegas
by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
LAS VEGAS – The U20 freestyle national finals are set with the featured matchup coming between U17 World champions Ladarion Lockett of Cowboy WC and Joseph Sealey of Pennsylvania at 74 kg.
Lockett survived a thrilling semifinal against Vince Bouzakis of Pennsylvania, 9-7, on Saturday morning at South Point Arena. The 2023 U17 World gold medalist trailed 5-0 in the first period and rallied, scoring the go-ahead takedown with 12-seconds left in the match.
Similarly, Sealey was pushed to the brink in his semifinal by Beau Mantanona of Cliff Keen WC. It was Mantanona leading 8-6 at the period break, but Sealey pushed the offense in the second period to score on five different sequences. The 2022 U17 World champion took the match 13-10 to set up the date with Lockett in the finals.
Sealey defeated Lockett 4-2 in folkstyle at the 2023 Walsh Jesuit Ironman, one of the top high school events held annually. There are no noted freestyle results between the two.
A third past U17 World champion navigated to the U20 freestyle finals—2021 gold medalist Bo Bassett of Bishop McCort High School. Unlike his two World champion counterparts, Bassett had no trouble navigating the quarters and semis on Saturday morning. He scored a fall on Gabriel Bouyssou of Mayo Quanchi WC in 1:07 before teching Koy Buesgens of Minnesota, 13-2.
Meeting Basset in the 65 kg championship match is Aden Valencia of California RTC, who is a two-time placer at the U.S. Senior Nationals and gold medalist from this year’s Henri Deglane Grand Prix at the Senior level. The pair met 20 days ago at the Last Chance Olympic Team Trials Qualifier, with Bassett taking a close contest, 7-4.
Returning U20 freestyle champions Luke Lilledahl and Camden McDanel are back in the finals after dominant showings to this point in the event. Lilledahl has registered five technical falls in five matches, tossing a casual 57 points on the board so far. McDanel has wrestled three matches and posted three technical falls while only giving up one point to his opposition. Both were medalists at last year’s U20 World Championships held in Amman, Jordan, Lilledahl earning silver and McDanel taking home bronze.
Lilledahl will face a new test in the 57 kg finals against Ohio RTC upstart Vincent Kilkeary, who has been on a tear himself this week in Las Vegas. The Ohio State Buckeye freshman has logged two pins, three technical falls and an impressive 3-1 decision over top talent Anthony Knox to get to the final showdown.
It’ll be Askren Wrestling Academy’s Cole Mirasola as the finals opponent for McDanel at 97 kg. Mirasola picked up a 9-3 decision over Steven Burrell Jr. in his semifinal. McDanel topped Mirasola at the Last Chance Olympic Trials Qualifier earlier this month, 7-0. The two met in the fifth-place match in Fargo two years ago with Mirasola taking it, 16-14.
Cole’s twin brother Connor Mirasola made it to the 92 kg finals on the strength of four shutout technical fall victories. He will battle Justin Rademacher of Beaver Dam RTC, who also teched his way to the finals, for the title.
2023 U17 World Team member Aeoden Sinclair gave Askren Wrestling Academy three finalists for the event. He earned a 10-3 decision over 2021 U17 World Team member and Ohio State freshman Ryder Rogotzke, plus a quick 10-0 tech against Tate Naaktgeboren of Cyclone RTC, to book a spot in the 86 kg finals against Nittany Lion WC athlete Joshua Barr.
Two-time U17 World bronze medalist Zack Ryder of M2 Training Center and 2022 U17 World Team member Kyler Larkin of Valiant Wrestling Club also found a place in the championship finals.
The U20 freestyle finals are set for 4 p.m. (PT) and can be viewed live online at FloWrestling.com. Complete brackets and match-by-match results are available on FloArena.
For more information about the 2024 U.S. Open Championships visit the official event website at usawrestlingevents.com.
2024 U.S. Open Championships | April 24-28 South Point Arena, Las Vegas, Nev.
U20 Freestyle Nationals
Finals Matchups
57 kg – Luke Lilledahl (Nittany Lion WC) vs. Vincent Kilkeary (Ohio RTC)
61 kg – Cael Hughes (Cowboy RTC) vs. Kyler Larkin (Valiant WC)
65 kg – Aden Valencia (California RTC) vs. Bo Bassett (Bishop McCort)
70 kg – P.J. Duke (KD Training Center) vs. Kody Routledge (Husky WC)
74 kg – Ladarion Lockett (Cowboy WC) vs. Joseph Sealey (Pennsylvania)
79 kg – Noah Mulvaney (Wisconsin) vs. Zack Ryder (M2 Training Center)
86 kg – Aeoden Sinclair (Askren Wrestling Academy) vs. Joshua Barr (Nittany Lion WC)
92 kg – Connor Mirasola (Askren Wrestling Academy) vs. Justin Rademacher (Beaver Dam RTC)
97 kg – Cole Mirasola (Askren Wrestling Academy) vs. Camden McDanel (Ohio)
125 kg – Nicholas Sahakian (Sunkist Kids Monster Garage) vs. Jimmy Mullen (Southeast RTC)
Semifinal Results
57 kg
Luke Lilledahl (Nittany Lion WC) tech. fall Isaiah Quintero (California), 13-2
Vincent Kilkeary (Ohio RTC) tech. fall Seth Mendoza (SPAR Wrestling Academy), 10-0
61 kg
Cael Hughes (Cowboy RTC) tech. fall William Dekraker (Virginia), 10-0
Kyler Larkin (Valiant WC) dec. Jake Hockaday (Contenders Wrestling Academy), 8-7
65 kg
Aden Valencia (California RTC) dec. Pierson Manville (Pennsylvania), 8-5
Bo Bassett (Bishop McCort) tech. fall Koy Buesgens (Minnesota), 13-2
70 kg
P.J. Duke (KD Training Center) tech. fall Kannon Webster (Illinois), 12-1
Kody Routledge (Husky WC) tech. fall Kael Voinovich (Big Game WC), 11-0
74 kg
Ladarion Lockett (Cowboy WC) dec. Vince Bouzakis (Pennsylvania), 9-7
Joseph Sealey (Pennsylvania) dec. Beau Mantanona (Cliff Keen WC), 13-10
79 kg
Noah Mulvaney (Wisconsin) tech. fall Ethan Deleon (Nebraska WTC), 11-0
Zack Ryder (M2 Training Center) dec. Simon Ruiz (Spartan Combat RTC/Titan Mercury WC), 6-1
86 kg
Aeoden Sinclair (Askren Wrestling Academy) tech. fall Tate Naaktgeboren (Cyclone RTC), 10-0
Joshua Barr (Nittany Lion WC) dec. Max McEnelly (Gopher WC-RTC), 6-2
92 kg
Connor Mirasola (Askren Wrestling Academy) tech. fall Michael Dellagatta (Spartan Combat RTC/Titan Mercury WC), 10-0
Justin Rademacher (Beaver Dam RTC) tech. fall Adam Haselius (New York City RTC), 11-0
97 kg
Cole Mirasola (Askren Wrestling Academy) dec. Steven Burrell Jr. (Cavalier WC), 9-3
Camden McDanel (Ohio) tech. fall Thomas Dineen (Jackrabbit WC), 11-1
125 kg
Nicholas Sahakian (Sunkist Kids Monster Garage) dec. Aden Attao (Beaver Dam RTC), 10-9
Jimmy Mullen (Southeast RTC) tech. fall Koy Hopke (Wisconsin), 16-4
Quarterfinal Results
57 kg
Luke Lilledahl (Nittany Lion WC) tech. fall Aaron Seidel (Steller Trained Wrestling), 10-0
Isaiah Quintero (California) dec. Garret Rinken (Panther WC-RTC), 10-1
Vincent Kilkeary (Ohio RTC) dec. Anthony Knox (Titan Mercury WC), 3-1
Seth Mendoza (SPAR Wrestling Academy) tech. fall Jax Forrest (Bishop McCort), 12-1
61 kg
William Dekraker (Virginia) dec. Zan Fugitt (Nixa), 12-9
Cael Hughes (Cowboy RTC) dec. Cory Land (Panther WC-RTC), 11-10
Jake Hockaday (Contenders Wrestling Academy) dec. Kyison Garcia (Nittany Lion WC), 5-1
Kyler Larkin (Valiant Wrestling Club) dec. Gable Porter (Cavalier Wrestling Club), 5-3
65 kg
Pierson Manville (Pennsylvania) dec. Kollin Rath (Steller Trained Wrestling), 6-0
Aden Valencia (California RTC) dec. Sergio Lemley (Cliff Keen WC), 4-2
Koy Buesgens (Minnesota) dec. Drew Gorman (Teknique Wrestling), 8-2
Bo Bassett (Bishop McCort) fall Gabriel Bouyssou (Mayo Quanchi WC), 1:07
70 kg
Kannon Webster (Illinois) tech. fall Anthony Conetta (Boone RTC), 10-0
P.J. Duke (KD Training Center) fall James Harrington (New England RTC), 0:39
Kael Voinovich (Big Game WC) dec. Cross Wasilewski (Pennsylvania RTC), 10-8
Kody Routledge (Husky WC) dec. Noah Manuel Tapia (Blue & Gold WC), 7-2
74 kg
Beau Mantanona (Cliff Keen WC) tech. fall Zach Hanson (Minnesota), 10-0
Joseph Sealey (Pennsylvania) tech. fall Laird Root (Poway), 12-1
Ladarion Lockett (Cowboy WC) tech. fall Grigor Cholakyan (Sunkist Kids Monster Garage), 11-0
Vince Bouzakis (Pennsylvania) tech. fall Charlie Millard (Askren Wrestling Academy), 10-0
79 kg
Noah Mulvaney (Wisconsin) tech. fall Christopher Minto (Nebraska WTC), 11-0
Ethan Deleon (Nebraska WTC) dec. Nolan O'Boyle (Tar Heel WC), 10-6
Zack Ryder (M2 Training Center) dec. William Henckel (Blairstown WC), 4-3
Simon Ruiz (Spartan Combat RTC/Titan Mercury WC) dec. Carter Baer (New York), 5-0
86 kg
Aeoden Sinclair (Askren Wrestling Academy) dec. Ryder Rogotzke (Ohio RTC), 10-3
Tate Naaktgeboren (Cyclone RTC) dec. Eddie Neitenbach (Ohio), 9-7
Max McEnelly (Gopher WC-RTC) tech. fall Daschle Lamer (Central Coast RTC), 10-0
Joshua Barr (Nittany Lion WC) dec. Lucas Condon (California), 5-0
92 kg
Connor Mirasola (Askren Wrestling Academy) tech. fall Soren Herzog (Air Force RTC), 11-0
Michael Dellagatta (Spartan Combat RTC/Titan Mercury WC) dec. Patrick Brophy (Charleston RTC), 10-3
Justin Rademacher (Beaver Dam RTC) tech. fall Gavin Nelson (Gopher WC-RTC), 14-3
Adam Haselius (New York City RTC) fall Abraham Wojcikiewicz (Illinois), 1:29
97 kg
Camden McDanel (Ohio) tech. fall Max Ramberg (Viking RTC), 11-0
Thomas Dineen (Jackrabbit WC) tech. fall Melvin Whitehead (Gold Rush Wrestling), 13-0
Steven Burrell Jr. (Cavalier WC) tech. fall Ian Smith (CrassTrained: Weigh In Club), 10-0
Cole Mirasola (Askren Wrestling Academy) tech. fall Rodney Trotter Jr. (Cardinal WC), 10-0
125 kg
Koy Hopke (Wisconsin) tech. fall Alex Semenenko (Brown University), 20-10
Jimmy Mullen (Southeast RTC) fall Vincent Mueller (Pinnacle WC), 0:28
Nicholas Sahakian (Sunkist Kids Monster Garage) dec. Daniel Herrera (Coachella Valley WC), 12-3
Aden Attao (Beaver Dam RTC) tech. fall Connor Barket (Indiana), 13-1