California, Pennsylvania send five to Junior freestyle finals; All-Georgia final set at 150 as Peach State has three finalists

FARGO, North Dakota – Even with both teams having five finalists, Pennsylvania holds the lead over second-place California heading into Wednesday’s Junior Boys finals at the 2025 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals.

Returning champion Melvin Miller of Pennsylvania had a pair of technical falls in Wednesday's first session to lead the Keystone quintet. Miller had five techs and a decision en route to the final. He’ll face Wisconsin’s Sullivan Ramos for gold.

Miller will be joined in the finals by Pennsylvanians Nathan Schuman at 100 pounds, Justin Farnsworth at 113 pounds, Bo Bassett at 144 pounds and Nicholas Singer at 175 pounds.

Schuman teched Illinois Symon Woods 16-6 in the semifinals. He’ll face Colorado’s Onofre Gonzales in the finals.

Farnsworth, last year’s 16U Boys champion, teched Illinois’ Kaleb Pratt 10-0 to reach the 113-pound final. Farnsworth will face Ohio’s Rylan Seacrist, an All-American a year ago at 16U.

Bassett’s first trip to the Junior Boys tournament has been a successful one thus far. Bassett controlled four-time Fargo champion and 2023 Junior champion Haakon Peterson to the tune of a 10-0 technical fall. Bassett will face lightning-quick Clinton Shepherd of Indiana, last year’s 16U Boys champion at 132 pounds, in the final.

Singer, a 16U Boys placewinner last year, has been punishing in the bracket. He teched returning Junior All-American Waylon Cressell of Indiana to reach the finals where he will face California’s Mason Ontiveros, who also is a returning Junior placer.

Heading into the medal matches, Pennsylvania led with 188 pounds, followed by California (147) and Illinois (114). Wisconsin, Georgia, Ohio, Florida, Minnesota, New Jersey and Oklahoma round out the top 10 teams. They’re separated by a total of 18 points.

California’s five are Ontiveros, Rocklin Zinkin at 120 pounds, Coby Merrill at 285 pounds and an all-California battle at 132 pounds with Isaiah Cortez and Moses Mendoza.

Merrill upended U17 world champion and 2023 16U champion Michael Mocco of Florida 9-4 in the semifinals. Merrill, trailing 4-3 with 41 seconds left in the bout, drove Mocco out of bounds, forcing a caution for fleeing. Returning to the middle in par terre, Merrill turned Mocco three times to pick up six points for the final 9-4 score. Merrill will face Dreshaun Ross of Iowa in the final. Ross has blistered through the tournament with five techs and hasn’t given up a point.

Cortez, last year’s Junior Greco-Roman champion, teched his way into the semifinals, where he then got past Dale Corbin of Pennsylvania 10-8. It assures Cortez of his fifth Fargo medal. Mendoza assured himself of a seventh Fargo medal en route to the final. After finishing sixth in the division a year ago, also teched his way into the semifinals. He beat California teammate Slater Hicks 18-10.

Zinkin beat Tennessee’s Mason Jakob 16-8 in the semifinals to earn a place in the final opposite 2023 16U All-American New Jersey’s Cameron Sontz.

The All-California final at 132 pounds isn’t the only final involving two wrestlers from the same state. Oklahoma has both finalists – Turner Ross and Cason Craft – at 106 pounds, while Georgia has both finalists – Logan Paradice and Dallas Russell - at 150 pounds.

It will be the sixth time in Junior Boys history there’s been an All-Oklahoma final and the first since Tyrone Lewis beat Tony Morgan in overtime at 154 pounds in 1999. In Georgia’s case, it’s the first time the state’s had both finalists in a weight class in any age group or style in the event. It’s also the first time in state history Georgia has punched three wrestlers into the finals of Junior freestyle in the same year as Russell and Paradice are joined by Antonio Mills at 126 pounds.

Another first came from Kentucky, which saw Jordyn Raney reach the finals at 138 pounds and Lucas Ricketts punch through to the finals at 190 pounds. It’s the first time in state history Kentucky has put multiple wrestlers into the Junior finals. Raney and twin brother Jayden both won 16U Greco-Roman titles in 2022. Jordyn Raney will face Wisconsin’s Kellen Wolbert, while Ricketts will take on Jarrett Wadsen of Minnesota.

Ricketts and Jordyn Raney are the only the second and third Junior Boys finalists in state history –the only other appearance came in 1997 when Joe Carr Jr. finished second to Ohio’s Sonny Marchette at 143 pounds.

At 157 pounds, Illinois Wyatt Medlin will face David Gleason of Missouri, while at 215 pounds, Ohio’s Michael Boyle will face Nebraska’s Cade Ziola, who reached the Junior Boys finals for the second year in a row.  

Quarterfinal Notes

Fans around the country took to social media raving about Antonio Mills’ 10-9 win over past U17 world champion Paul Kenny of New Jersey. Mills, from Georgia, built a 7-3 lead before Kenny closed it to 7-5. A restart with under 15 seconds left set the stage for some late drama. Kenny hit a front-headlock roll through for four points, and Mills came out of the sequence on top for a one-point reversal. Mills ended up with a trapped-arm gutwrench and turned Kenny at the buzzer. There was no confirmation of the call on the mat, but after a challenge, Mills’ turn was accepted as being in time and the wild sequence of events concluded with Mills getting his hand raised. … Illinois’ Kaleb Pratt reached the semifinals with a forfeit after returning champion Christopher Swann of Georgia did not weight in on Wednesday. Swann won at 106 pounds last year.  … Returning champion and OW Adam Waters fell via injury default in the quarters against Indiana’s Michael White. Waters led 6-0 until he appeared to injure his hamstring walking back to the center of the mat. Waters continued, but White kept attacking, eventually building a 13-6 lead before Waters defaulted.

2025 U.S. MARINE CORPS JUNIOR NATIONALS
FINALS PAIRINGS
100 - Nathan Schuman (PA) vs. Onofre Gonzales (CO)
106 - Turner Ross (OK) vs. Cason Craft (OK)
113 - Rylan Seacrist (OH) vs. Justin Farnsworth (PA)
120 - Cameron Sontz (NJ) vs. Rocklin Zinkin (CA)
126 - Antonio Mills (GA) vs. Nicholas Garcia (IL)
132 - Isaiah Cortez (CA) vs. Moses Mendoza (CA)
138 - Kellen Wolbert (WI) vs. Jordyn Raney (KY)
144 - Bo Bassett (PA) vs. Clinton Shepherd (IN)
150 - Logan W. Paradice (GA) vs. Dallas Russell (GA)
157 - David Gleason (MO) vs. Wyatt Medlin (IL)
165 - Melvin Miller (PA) vs. Sullivan Ramos (WI)
175 - Mason Ontiveros (CA) vs. Nicholas Singer (PA)
190 - Jarrett Wadsen (MN) vs. Lucas Ricketts (KY)
215 - Michael Boyle (OH) vs. Cade Ziola (NE)
285 - Dreshaun Ross (IA) vs. Coby Merrill (CA)

SEMIFINAL RESULTS

100
Nathan Schuman (PA) T.F. Symon Woods (IL), 16-6 (2:01)
Onofre Gonzales (CO) Dec. Bennett Wachter (OH), 12-5

106
Turner Ross (OK) T.F. Daniel Romero (CO), 13-2 (1:27)
Cason Craft (OK) T.F. Michael Salas-Sanchez (OR), 10-0 (1:39)

113
Rylan Seacrist (OH) Dec. Loc Webber (OH), 9-4
Justin Farnsworth (PA) T.F. Kaleb Pratt (IL), 10-0 (4:16)

120
Cameron Sontz (NJ) Dec. Brock Rothermel (PA), 2-1
Rocklin Zinkin (CA) Dec. Mason Jakob (TN), 16-8

126
Antonio Mills (GA) T.F. Brady Collins (WI), 10-0 (2:41)
Nicholas Garcia (IL) Dec. Vincent Anello (NJ), 8-0

132
Isaiah Cortez (CA) Dec. Dale Corbin (PA), 10-8
Moses Mendoza (CA) Dec. Slater Hicks (CA), 18-10

138
Kellen Wolbert (WI) Dec. Tyler Dekraker (PA), 9-6
Jordyn Raney (KY) T.F. Maximus Brady (IA), 10-0 (1:34)

144
Bo Bassett (PA) T.F. Haakon Peterson (WI), 10-0 (2:05)
Clinton Shepherd (IN) T.F. Bobby Duffy (NJ), 13-2 (2:04)

150
Logan W. Paradice (GA) Dec. Matthew Martino (ID), 5-1
Dallas Russell (GA) Dec. Brandon Dean (CO), 5-4

157
David Gleason (MO) Dec. Bruno Cassioppi (IL), 8-6
Wyatt Medlin (IL) Dec. Reagan Milheim (PA), 5-1

165
Melvin Miller (PA) T.F. Maximus Dhabolt (IA), 12-1 (3:06)
Sullivan Ramos (WI) Dec. Liam Carlin (CT), 10-3

175
Nicholas Singer (PA) T.F. Waylon Cressell (IN), 13-0 (2:09)
Mason Ontiveros (CA) Dec. Eli Leonard (WI), 7-2

190
Jarrett Wadsen (MN) T.F. Michael White (IN), 21-8 (3:26)
Lucas Ricketts (KY) Dec. Alex Reyes (NJ), 2-1

215
Michael Boyle (OH) Dec. Levi Bussey (CA), 3-0
Cade Ziola (NE) F. Kai Calcutt (IL), 5:15

285
Dreshaun Ross (IA) T.F. Mark Effendian (PA), 11-0 (2:03)
Coby Merrill (CA) Dec. Michael Mocco (FL), 9-4

QUARTERFINAL RESULTS
100
Nathan Schuman (PA) Dec. Aidan Ortega (IL), 11-6
Symon Woods (IL) F. Jackson Thorn (MN), 6:00
Bennett Wachter (OH) Dec. Alex Huddleston (IN), 6-0
Onofre Gonzales (CO) T.F. Joey Synan (PA), 15-3 (2:30)

106
Turner Ross (OK) T.F. Niko Odiotti (IL), 11-0 (1:35)
Daniel Romero (CO) T.F. Vincent DeMarco (IL), 14-4 (2:18)
Michael Salas-Sanchez (OR) T.F. Landon Thoennes (MN), 19-8 (6:00)
Cason Craft (OK) T.F. Kaiden Belinsky (IA), 10-0 (0:30)

113
Loc Webber (OH) Dec. Oumar Tounkara (NY), 17-16
Rylan Seacrist (OH) T.F. Cruzer Dominguez (NE), 14-3 (4:24)
Kaleb Pratt (IL) Disq. Christopher Swann (GA),
Justin Farnsworth (PA) Dec. Julian Rios (MA), 2-1

120
Brock Rothermel (PA) Dec. Case Bell (IN), 8-2
Cameron Sontz (NJ) Dec. Titan Friederichs (MN), 11-2
Mason Jakob (TN) T.F. Zaiyahn Ornelas (NE), 11-0 (2:21)
Rocklin Zinkin (CA) Dec. Joseph Uhorchuk (TN), 12-6

126
Antonio Mills (GA) Dec. Paul Kenny (NJ), 10-9
Brady Collins (WI) Dec. Lander Bosh (UT), 9-8
Vincent Anello (NJ) Dec. Mikey Ruiz (TX), 9-6
Nicholas Garcia (IL) Dec. Siraj Sidhu (CA), 9-4

132
Slater Hicks (CA) Dec. Manuel Saldate (NV), 8-4
Isaiah Cortez (CA) T.F. Nicholas Sorrow (MI), 11-0 (2:03)
Dale Corbin (PA) Dec. Justyce Zuniga (WA), 13-12
Moses Mendoza (CA) T.F. Timothy Koester (IA), 10-0 (4:59)

138
Kellen Wolbert (WI) T.F. Dean Anderson (AZ), 16-3 (4:06)
Tyler Dekraker (PA) Dec. Sam Herring (PA), 2-2
Jordyn Raney (KY) T.F. Valentine Popadiuc (NM), 10-0 (1:56)
Maximus Brady (IA) Dec. Elijah Cortez (CA), 8-6

144
Bo Bassett (PA) T.F. Ryan Kennedy (OH), 10-0 (2:21)
Haakon Peterson (WI) Dec. Jet Brown (MO), 3-0
Bobby Duffy (NJ) Dec. Derek Barrows (CO), 6-4
Clinton Shepherd (IN) Dec. Jake Miller (OK), 8-2

150
Logan Paradice (GA) T.F. Maksim Mukhamedaliyev (IL), 12-2 (3:49)
Matthew Martino (ID) Dec. Thomas Gibbs (IN), 12-10
Dallas Russell (GA) Dec. Grayson Eggum (MN), 4-2
Brandon Dean (CO) Dec. Davis Parrow (MN), 8-5

157
Gabriel Delgado (NV) T.F. Kale Baumann (MT), 10-0 (3:53)
Bruno Cassioppi (IL) Dec. Bas Diaz (IA), 6-0
David Gleason (MO) Dec. Declan Koch (WI), 4-1
Wyatt Medlin (IL) Dec. Zeno Moore (FL), 2-0

165
Melvin Miller (PA) T.F. Liam Crook (WI), 12-1 (1:46)
Maximus Dhabolt (IA) F. Chris Dennis (PA), 2:08
Liam Carlin (CT) Dec. Lucas Boe (FL), 6-5
Sullivan Ramos (WI) T.F. JayDen Williams (MI), 10-0 (2:08)

175
Nicholas Singer (PA) F. Maximus Norman (TN), 1:36
Mason Ontiveros (CA) T.F. Ladd Holman (UT), 12-2 (4:30)
Eli Leonard (WI) T.F. Brennan Warwick (OH), 17-7 (5:38)
Waylon Cressell (IN) T.F. Lincoln Jipp (IA), 17-7 (3:00)

190
Alex Reyes (NJ) Dec. John Murphy (MN), 12-9
Michael White (IN) inj. def. Adam Waters (PA), 4:31
Jarrett Wadsen (MN) T.F. Jaxon Penovich (IL), 17-4 (3:28)
Lucas Ricketts (KY) Dec. Jimmy Mastny (IL), 4-1

215
Levi Bussey (CA) Dec. Noah Weaver (IN), 3-3
Michael Boyle (OH) Dec. Alexander Smith (FL), 8-2
Cade Ziola (NE) T.F. Evan Perez (CO), 13-2 (4:16)
Kai Calcutt (IL) T.F. Daniel Moylan (CA), 10-0 (2:52)

285
Dreshaun Ross (IA) T.F. Micah Hach (SD), 10-0 (4:14)
Mark Effendian (PA) T.F. Tyson Martin (WI), 10-0 (3:30)
Coby Merrill (CA) T.F. Trayvn Boger (UT), 10-0 (0:30)
Michael Mocco (FL) T.F. Jacob Levy (FL), 10-0 (1:40)