Day 3 preview: Record men’s freestyle field for Junior and 16U kicks off with preliminaries

Boys freestyle is in the house, and once again, this is the largest field ever at the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals in both the Junior and the 16U divisions.

Here is what we are looking at over the next three days. There are 1,888 competing in the Junior division, and another 1,785 in the 16U division, for a grand total of 3,673 men’s freestyle wrestlers. Both are more than last year, which were the previous record for this competition. This year will have both quantity and quality. It will be a meat-grinder, for sure.

JUNIOR BOYS FREESTYLE

Returning Junior champions (with current weight) – Christopher Swann of Georgia (113), Dunia Sibomana of New York (120) and Melvin Miller of Pennsylvania (165).

Returning Junior runners-up (with current weight) – Aydin Dodd of Ohio (120), Brock Rothermel of Pennsylvania (120), and Cade Ziola of Nebraska (215).

Other returning Junior All-Americans (and current weight class):  Kaiden Belinsky of Iowa (106), Chase Dubuque of New Jersey (106), Cason Craft of Oklahoma (106), Ethan Powell of Ohio (113), Kacen Jones of Utah (113), Jason Foutz of Pennsylvania (113), Brock Goebel of Nebraska (113), Jarrett Smith of Michigan (113), Charles Esposito of New Jersey (113), Daniel Alire of Arizona (113), Oumar Tounkara of New York (113), Carter Chunko of Pennsylvania (120), Abdirahman Unle of Nebraska (120), Nicolas Emzinger of North Dakota (120),  Revin Dickman of Indiana (126), Nicholas Garcia of Illinois (126), Dominic Deputy of Pennsylania (126), Antonio Mills of Georgia (126), Moses Mendoza of California (132), Manuel Saldate of Nevada (132), Tyler Dekraker of Pennsylvania (138), Sam Herring of Pennsylvania (138), Kellen Wolbert of Wisconsin (138), Blue Stiffler of Georgia (138), Gus Cardinal of Arizona (150), Blake Cosby of Michigan (150), Matthew Martino of Idaho (150), Brandon Dean of Colorado (150), Zeno Moore of Florida (157), Israel Ibarra of Arizona (165), Travis Grace of California (175), Wayland Cressell of Indiana (175), Keenan Sheridan of South Dakota (175), Mason Ontiveros of California (175), Adam Waters of Pennsylvania (190), Peter Snyder of Maryland (190), Evan McGuire of Minnesota (215), Dean Bechtold of Pennsylvania (285)

2024 16U National champions moving up into Juniors (with current weight) – Justin Farnsworth of Pennsylvania (113), Clinton Shepherd of Indiana (144), Justis Jesuroga of Iowa (150), Lucas Boe of Indiana (165) and Brayden Koester of Iowa (190).

Junior Triple Crown Eligible:

To win the 2025 Boys Junior Triple Crown, you must have won the 2025 Junior Folkstyle Nationals in West Des Moines, Iowa in March, and then must win both the Junior men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman divisions at the 2025 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals.

Not everybody who won the Junior Folkstyle Nationals are entered here in Fargo, so the number of actual Triple Crown eligible wrestlers is eight. We list only those Folkstyle National champions who will be wrestling tomorrow and will have a chance to win a Triple Crown.

Last year, there were no Boys Junior Triple Crown winners. Only nine Junior boys have won the Triple Crown since it was launched in 2007. Only two boys have won two Junior Triple Crowns, Adam Coon of Michigan (2012-2013) and Tony Cassioppi of Illinois (2017-2018).

2025 Junior Folkstyle Nationals champions

106 - Aiden Sweat (Kalispell Wrestling Club/MT) – now at 113

120 - Roman Luttrell (Cleveland High School Wrestling/NM)

126 - Lander Bosh (Sanderson Wrestling Academy/UT)

138 - Dean Anderson (Valiant Wrestling Club/AZ)

144 - Jayce Paridon (Spartan RTC@LHP/FL)

157 - Austin Paris (Devils Wrestling/UT) – now at 150

190 - Cooper Reves (Abilene Kids Wrestling Club/KS)

215 - Leimana Fager (Sanderson Wrestling Academy/UT)

2024 Top Five Junior Nationals Teams:  1. Pennsylvania, 2. New Jersey, 3. California, 4. Minnesota, 5. Illinois.

2025 Junior National Duals Top Five Teams: 1. Pennsylvania, 2. Ohio. 3. Illinois, 4. Wisconsin, 5. Indiana

Bo Bassett (yes, he gets his own category) – One of the most popular high school wrestlers in years, Bo Bassett of Pennsylvania is entered to compete in Fargo this year. Yes, this is the Bo Bassett that is all over the internet, and is already giving autograph sessions. Bassett was a U20 Word bronze medalist in 2024 and was a 2021 and 2022 U17 World champion. His last appearance in Fargo was when he was fourth in the 2022 16U Nationals. Bassett will be wrestling at 144 pounds this week. Enjoy the show.

Michael Mocco (yes, Michael Mocco) – In 2024, Michael Mocco of Florida won a U17 World title for the United States. In 2025, he is wrestling again at the Junior Nationals. Mocco was a 16U National double champion in 2023. His dad is Olympian and two-time NCAA champion Steve Mocco, who is co-chair of Florida’s USA Wrestling state association.

16U MEN’S FREESTYLE NATIONALS

Returning 16U champions – None are entered

Returning 16U runners-up (with current weight)– Tyler Verceles of Maryland (113), Corey Brown of Maryland (120) and Paul Ruiz of California (126).

Other returning 16U All-Americans – Kooper Deputy of Pennsylvania (100), Wyatt Dannegger of Missouri (100), Michael McNamara of Illinois (100), Lucas Forman of Nevada (106), Thiago Silva of California (106), Traevon Ducking of Indiana (106), Cruz Gannon of Iowa (106), Vince Von Bernewitz (106), William Soto of New York (106), Cody Clarke of Georgia (113), Chase Karenbauer of Pennsylvania (113), Sean Kenny of New Jersey (113), Mateo Gallegos of Pennsylvania (120), Jovani Tovar of Florida (120), Gage Lohr of South Dakota (138), Jovani Solis of Florida (138), Colin Rutlin of Missouri (150), Camryn Howard of New York (157), James Whitbred of Pennsylvania (157), Salah Tsarni of Maryland (175), Mario Hutcherson of Pennsylvania (190), Eli Knight of West Virginia (190), Peter Mocco of Florida (190), Noah Larios of California (285), Lucas Feuerbach of Iowa (235)

2024 14U National freestyle champions moving up into 16U Nationals (with current weight): Johnathan Thompson of Iowa (88), Ty Martin of Iowa (88), Carter Smith of Ohio (94), Shiloh Joyce of New Jersey (100), Jeremy Carver of Indiana (113), Jaxsen Bailey of Connecticut (126), Reza Massjouni of Virginia (138), Riley Watts of Iowa (138), Easton Kammerud of Wisconsin (165), Tyde Nelsen of Iowa (175), Sam Harrington of Pennsylvania (175),

16U Triple Crown eligible:

To win the 2025 16U Triple Crown, you must have won the 2025 16U Folkstyle Nationals in West Des Moines, Iowa in March, and then must win both the 16U men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman divisions at the 2025 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals.

There are 16 of the 17 16U champions from the 2025 Folkstyle Nationals are entered for the 16U division at the 2025 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals in the 16U division.

Over the years, 29 different boys have won the 16U Triple Crown. There is only one two-time 16U Triple Crown winner, Taylor Massa of Michigan (2008-2009). Last year, there were two 16U Triple Crown winners, Aaron Stewart (165) and Jonathan Rulo (285), both from Illinois.

2025 Junior Folkstyle Nationals champions

88 - Max Lindquist (Collum Trained School of Wrestling/MO)

94 - Gabriel Ryzyi (Fenton Youth Wrestling/MI) – now at 100

100 - Wyatt Dannegger (Collum Trained School of Wrestling/MO)

106 - Coy Mehlert (Immortal Athletics WC/IA) – now at 113

113 - Lewis Davis (Threestyle Wrestling Of Oklahoma/AR)

120 - Deklan Barr (Young Guns Wrestling Club/PA)

126 - Blake Nevils (Team Idaho Wrestling Club/ID) – now at 132

132 - Carson Neubert (Team Nazar Training Center/WI) – now at 138

138 - Riker Ohearon (Champions Wrestling Club/UT)

144 - Braden Shoemaker (South Dakota) – now at 150

150 - Thunder Page (South Central Punisher Wrestling/KS)

165 - William Fullhart (Northeast Iowa Wrestling Club/IA)

175 - Maximus Purdy (Assumption Elite WC/IL)

190 - Bruno Pallone (Montana) – now at 215

215 - Ceasar Salas (Bulldog Premier Wrestling Club/IN)

285 - Andrew Olson (Pinnacle Wrestling Club/MN)

2024 Top Five 16U Nationals Teams: 1. Pennsylvania, 2. Illinois. 3. Iowa, 4. New Jersey, 5. Indiana

2025 16U National Duals Top Five Teams: 1. Wisconsin, 2. Ohio, 3. Minnesota, 4. Pennsylvania, 5. Illinois

FloWrestling is once again the broadcaster for the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals. See it live on FloWrestling.

Monday, July 14th

8:00 AM to 3:00 PM - Session V

Junior Boys Freestyle - Championship (2 Rds) and Consolation (2 Rds)

4:00 PM to 9:30 PM - Session VI

16U Boys Freestyle - Championship (2 Rds) and Consolation (2 Rds)