Finals set for 16U boys freestyle at U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals; Salas remains eligible for Triple Crown

FARGO, N.D. – The quarterfinals and semifinals of the 16U boys freestyle competition at the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals was of high intensity and exciting. A new set of young stars have stepped up to earn their spot on the raised stage in the finals on Wednesday night.

The number of 16U Boys Triple Crown eligible wrestlers dwindled down to only one, Ceasar Salas of Indiana at 215 pounds. Nine wrestlers remained eligible for the 16U Triple Crown after Tuesday night’s action

Salas won two matches on Wednesday morning. In the quarterfinals, he stopped Jaxson Mathenia of Illinois, 6-2. In the semifinals, Salas opened up his offense in a 12-0 technical fall over Camden Williams of Indiana. He will face Satoshi Davis of Nevada in the finals.

One of the Triple Crown hopefuls, Wyatt Dannegger of Missouri, did not make weight and was out of the tournament. Five other Triple Crown contenders were defeated in the quarterfinals and went into consolations: Max Lindquist of Missouri at 88 pounds, Blake Nevils of Idaho at 132 pounds, Carson Neubert of Wisconsin at 138 pounds, Thunder Page of Kansas at 150 pounds and Andrew Olson of Minnesota at 285 pounds.

Dropping their semifinal matches were Triple Crown contenders Riker O’Hearon of Utah at 138 pounds and William Fullhart of Iowa at 165 pounds.

There are no returning 16U champions in the field this year. All three of the returning runners-up have been beaten and will not be in the finals. Mateo Gallegos of Pennsylvania defeated returning runner-up Corey Brown of Maryland, 2-1 in a 120-pound semifinal. At 126 pounds, Milko Hernandez of Minnesota stopped returning runner-up Paul Ruiz of California, 10-7. The other returning runner-up, Tyler Verceles of Maryland, was injured in the first day and did not continue.

The highest placing returning All-Americans who were able to reach the championship finals this year were four wrestlers who placed third last year, Kooper Deputy of Pennsylvania (100), Thiago Silva of California (106), Camryn Howard of New York (157) and Salah Tsarni of Maryland (175).

Deputy won a high-level match against 2024 14U Nationals champion Shiloh Joyce of New Jersey, with a 10-0 technical fall. Deputy has drawn Jack Stonebreaker in an all-Pennsylvania finals.

In a battle of returning 16U All-Americans, Silva edged Traevon Ducking of Indiana, 5-4. In last year’s 94-pound third-place match, Silva had stopped Ducking, 3-2. Silva draws another returning All-American, William Soto of New York in the finals.

Howard stopped Justus Heeg of Illinois in the semifinals, 5-2 and will draw Asher Bacon of Pennsylvania in the finals.

Tsarni powered to a 12-2 technical fall victory in the semifinals over Tate Sailer of North Dakota. His finals opponent will be Jayden O’Farrill of Pennsylvania.

The medal matches for third, fifth and seventh were also determined during the session.

Pennsylvania has taken a commanding lead in the team race after the first session on Wednesday with 231points, followed by Ohio with 123, California with 110, Iowa with 103 and Indiana with 89

Pennsylvania has the most finalists with seven, followed by New York with four. Other teams with multiple finalists are California with three plus Iowa, Minnesota and New Jersey with two. There were 17 different states with at least one U17 boys freestyle finalist.

The medal matches (3^rd-5^th-7^th) will be held at 3:00 p.m. CT, with the championship finals at 5:30 p.m.

All of the action is broadcast live on FloWrestling. https://flosports.link/4fTU45E All of the brackets are on USABracketing https://www.usabracketing.com/events/c5d3fc33-e502-4c07-8fcd-62a2f6b338b4

U.S. MARINE CORPS JUNIOR NATIONALS

At Fargo, N.D.,

16U Boys Finals pairings

88 - Johnathan Thompson (IA) vs. Leo Murillo (PA)

94 - Carter Smith (OH) vs. Miro Parr-Coffin (WA)

100 - Kooper Deputy (PA) vs. Jack Stonebraker (PA)

106 - William Soto (NY) vs. Thiago Silva (CA)

113 - Sean Kenny (NJ) vs. Oliver Pulliam (TX)

120 - Mateo Gallegos (PA) vs. Tommy Wurster (OH)

126 - Miklo Hernandez (MN) vs. Tommy Marchetti (NJ)

132 - Finnegan O'Brien (NY) vs. Angel Cejudo Jr. (AZ)

138 - Jovani Solis (FL) vs. Landyn Shaffer (NY)

144 - Peyton Hornsby (IN) vs. Lincoln Robideau (MN)

150 - Colin Rutlin (MO) vs. Dylan Villers (TN)

157 - Camryn Howard (NY) vs. Asher Bacon (PA)

165 - Ethan Sonne (IL) vs. Chris Anguiano (CA)

175 - Salah Tsarni (MD) vs. Jayden O'Farrill (PA)

190 - Caden Krueger (MI) vs. Mario Hutcherson (PA)

215 - Satoshi Davis (NV) vs. Ceasar Salas (IN)

285 - Joe Constable (IA) vs. Noah Larios (CA)

16U Boys Freestyle semifinals results

88

Johnathan Thompson (IA) Dec. Cyrus Millage (IA), 7-5

Leo Murillo (PA) T.F. Jaxon Holtz (OH), 11-0 (2:00)

94

Carter Smith (OH) Dec. Knox Ayala (IA), 4-1

Miro Parr-Coffin (WA) Dec. Cody Bakhsh (DE), 8-6

100

Kooper Deputy (PA) T.F. Shiloh Joyce (NJ), 10-0 (3:01)

Jack Stonebraker (PA) F. Cohen Reer (OH), 1:41

106

William Soto (NY) T.F. Michael Bernabe (CA), 16-6 (3:40)

Thiago Silva (CA) Dec. Traevon Ducking (IN), 5-4

113

Sean Kenny (NJ) Dec. Cody Clarke (GA), 7-4

Oliver Pulliam (TX) Dec. Jeremy Carver (IN), 8-0

120

Mateo Gallegos (PA) Dec. Corey Brown (MD), 2-1

Tommy Wurster (OH) T.F. Nathan Reynolds (CA), 11-0 (3:14)

126

Miklo Hernandez (MN) Dec. Paul Ruiz (CA), 10-7

Tommy Marchetti (NJ) Dec. Jordan Manyette (PA), 6-3

132

Finnegan O'Brien (NY) Dec. Gage Bjerga (MN), 4-3

Angel Cejudo Jr. (AZ) T.F. Shai Sabag (PA), 18-7 (3:19)

138

Jovani Solis (FL) T.F. Gage Lohr (SD), 11-1 (3:29)

Landyn Shaffer (NY) Dec. Riker Ohearon (UT), 5-1

144

Peyton Hornsby (IN) Dec. Gideon Gonzalez (NJ), 14-12

Lincoln Robideau (MN) Dec. Calvin Rathjen (IA), 11-6

150

Colin Rutlin (MO) T.F. Gregory Torosian (CA), 11-0 (1:12)

Dylan Villers (TN) F. Marcus Killgore (AZ), 3:45

157

Camryn Howard (NY) Dec. Justus Heeg (IL), 5-2

Asher Bacon (PA) F. Izaac Gaines (IL), 3:17

165

Ethan Sonne (IL) Dec. William Fullhart (IA), 9-8

Chris Anguiano (CA) Dec. Easton Kammerud (WI), 19-11

175

Salah Tsarni (MD) T.F. Tate Sailer (ND), 12-2 (2:43)

Jayden O'Farrill (PA) F. Kyle Gallo (FL), 0:55

190

Caden Krueger (MI) Dec. Kannon Freschette (WA), 6-4

Mario Hutcherson (PA) Dec. Peter Mocco (FL), 10-6

215

Satoshi Davis (NV) Dec. Kade Splinter (WI), 11-3

Ceasar Salas (IN) T.F. Camden Williams (IN), 12-0 (3:08)

285

Joe Constable (IA) Dec. Rhodes Molenda (OK), 6-4

Noah Larios (CA) Dec. Lucas Feuerbach (IA), 15-7

16U Boys Freestyle quarterfinals results

88

Johnathan Thompson (IA) Dec. Max Lindquist (MO), 17-11

Cyrus Millage (IA) T.F. Carter Noonan (IL), 14-4 (3:53)

Jaxon Holtz (OH) Dec. Ty Martin (IA), 5-2

Leo Murillo (PA) F. Shay Lundvall (IA), 0:58

94

Carter Smith (OH) Dec. Stephen Bagocius (NJ), 8-8

Knox Ayala (IA) T.F. Dominic DeMarco (IL), 11-0 (3:32)

Cody Bakhsh (DE) Dec. Rylan Sandoval (OK), 10-5

Miro Parr-Coffin (WA) T.F. Ryker Leonard (OH), 11-0 (3:06)

100

Kooper Deputy (PA) Dec. Shaefer Hoffman (PA), 5-4

Shiloh Joyce (NJ) Disq. Wyatt Dannegger (MO),

Jack Stonebraker (PA) Dec. Lincoln Valdez (CO), 5-4

Cohen Reer (OH) T.F. Garrett Bjerga (MN), 12-0 (2:56)

106

Michael Bernabe (CA) vs. Diego Robertty (IA)

William Soto (NY) T.F. Cruz Gannon (IA), 11-0 (1:13)

Traevon Ducking (IN) F. Colton Wyller (IL), 1:51

Thiago Silva (CA) T.F. Evan Cies (PA), 13-1 (2:26)

113

Sean Kenny (NJ) F. Braiden Lotier (PA), 2:00

Cody Clarke (GA) Dec. Bradley Bauman (OH), 3-0

Oliver Pulliam (TX) Dec. Jamison Forrest (PA), 7-3

Jeremy Carver (IN) Dec. Lazarus McEwen (WA), 11-9

120

Mateo Gallegos (PA) Dec. Martez Sheard (WI), 2-2

Corey Brown (MD) Dec. Izayiah Chavez (TX), 4-1

Nathan Reynolds (CA) Dec. Noel Verduzco (IN), 6-0

Tommy Wurster (OH) Dec. Jovanni Tovar (FL), 4-2

126

Paul Ruiz (CA) T.F. Jaxsen Bailey (CT), 13-0 (3:48)

Miklo Hernandez (MN) Dec. Jaxon Lane (TN), 5-1

Jordan Manyette (PA) Dec. Jack Cole (NJ), 11-10

Tommy Marchetti (NJ) Dec. Parker Wickam (CO), 11-8

132

Finnegan O'Brien (NY) Dec. Blake Nevils (ID), 6-2

Gage Bjerga (MN) Dec. Donald Bowie (IN), 10-3

Shai Sabag (PA) Dec. Grayson Davis (PA), 6-4

Angel Cejudo Jr. (AZ) Dec. Thomas Banas (IL), 15-12

138

Jovani Solis (FL) Dec. Carson Neubert (WI), 5-0

Gage Lohr (SD) Dec. Jack Simpson (CO), 14-5

Landyn Shaffer (NY) Dec. Weston Borgers (OH), 4-0

Riker Ohearon (UT) T.F. Bruce Li (FL), 10-0 (2:23)

144

Gideon Gonzalez (NJ) Dec. James Anderson (OK), 10-3

Peyton Hornsby (IN) Dec. Greyson Music (PA), 10-6

Calvin Rathjen (IA) T.F. Carmine Cruz (AZ), 12-0 (2:35)

Lincoln Robideau (MN) Dec. Jason Dube (PA), 5-1

150

Gregory Torosian (CA) T.F. Samuel Gehring (WI), 10-0 (1:13)

Colin Rutlin (MO) T.F. Kaygen Roberts (KY), 12-2 (4:00)

Marcus Killgore (AZ) Dec. Thunder Page (KS), 10-8

Dylan Villers (TN) T.F. Gary High (TN), 15-4 (1:39)

157

Camryn Howard (NY) T.F. Nathaniel Replogle (PA), 10-0 (2:24)

Justus Heeg (IL) Dec. Zane Engels (MN), 6-2

Izaac Gaines (IL) T.F. Mack Powell (OK), 12-1 (3:53)

Asher Bacon (PA) Dec. Emerson Tjaden (KS), 6-4

165

Ethan Sonne (IL) Dec. John Manley (OH), 4-4

William Fullhart (IA) F. Jesus Guzman (CA), 3:15

Chris Anguiano (CA) F. Braylon Stewart (LA), 1:31

Easton Kammerud (WI) T.F. Radic Dvorak (IL), 15-2 (3:29)

175

Salah Tsarni (MD) T.F. Nolan Koehler (PA), 10-0 (0:58)

Tate Sailer (ND) T.F. Tomm Heiser (WI), 18-7 (2:37)

Jayden O'Farrill (PA) T.F. Holden Hoiness (MT), 16-5 (3:18)

Kyle Gallo (FL) Dec. Jakob Hoke (OH), 12-7

190

Kannon Freschette (WA) T.F. Austin Freisberg (KS), 12-2 (1:33)

Caden Krueger (MI) Dec. Braden Strain (OK), 2-1

Mario Hutcherson (PA) T.F. Reed Falk (WI), 12-2 (1:15)

Peter Mocco (FL) Dec. Braylen Bieber (IA), 10-1

215

Kade Splinter (WI) Dec. Kendahl Hoare (PA), 8-6

Satoshi Davis (NV) Dec. Xander Horak (OH), 2-2

Ceasar Salas (IN) Dec. Jaxson Mathenia (IL), 6-2

Camden Williams (IN) F. Michael Garcia (CO), 2:19

285

Rhodes Molenda (OK) Dec. Kameron Hazelett (IN), 1-1

Joe Constable (IA) Dec. Leland Day (CO), 8-5

Lucas Feuerbach (IA) Dec. Andrew Olson (MN), 6-0

Noah Larios (CA) T.F. Leland Havens (WI), 11-0 (1:02)