USAW
High School & Youth
2026 Fargo

Murillo Keeps Repeat Hopes Alive, 16U Boys Freestyle Quarterfinals Set at 2026 Marine Corps Junior Nationals

Share:

by David Gerhart, USA Wrestling

Leonidas Murillo of Pennsylvania competing at the 2026 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals in Fargo, N.D.

Leonidas Murillo of Pennsylvania competing at the 2026 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals in Fargo, N.D.

FARGO, North Dakota – Pennsylvania’s Leonidas Murillo, the only defending champion still in title contention, kept his bid for a second-straight national title alive with two wins on Saturday at the FARGODOME.


Murillo started his day with a 6-2 decision over Michael Perna from New Jersey in the round of 32. Murillo punched his ticket to the quarterfinals after a 2-1 win over Florida’s Kash Clementi. Murillo’s quarterfinal opponent is 2025 Fargo All-American Shay Lundvall of Iowa. Murillo beat Lundvall in last year’s quarterfinals at 88 pounds by fall.


The second day of competition started with 12 Triple Crown hopefuls, and that number has been whittled down to eight. Colton Wiseman of Indiana (94), Patrick Pina III of Arizona (126), Jeffrey Dunaway of Illinois (132) and Marco Costa of California (138) all bowed out of title contention on Saturday.


Remaining in Triple Crown contention heading into the final day of 16U Boys freestyle action is Johnathan Thompson of Iowa (94), Jeremiah Hayes of Illinois (144), Caden Woodall of Arizona (150), Jaimon Mogard of Iowa (157), Harrison Murdock of Georgia (165), Dresden Beard of Kansas (190), Leland Havens of Wisconsin (285) and Sawyer Schendel of Minnesota (285).


Of the 17 No. 1 seeds that were on the championship side of the bracket to start the day, 13 remain. Illinois’ Miles Davis scored a pin over top-seed Karin Kaumfer of Alaska at 100 pounds. Jhakai Roller of Tennessee upset No. 1 Brody Compau of Michigan at 113 pounds, 7-4. A second 7-4 upset of a No. 1 seed occurred at 132 pounds with Lucas Reeves of Pennsylvania beating Ryatt Rodden of Oklahoma. The final of a top seed came from New York’s Daniel Jones winning a 9-2 contest against Shane Ostermiller from Alaska.


28 states are represented across the 136 quarterfinalists, with Pennsylvania leading the way with 26 individuals, followed by 11 from Iowa. Of the 272 wrestlers who are still alive on both sides of the tournament, Pennsylvania also has a tournament-best 37 individuals competing on Sunday.


Minnesota’s Beckett Edstrom’s 10-second pin from Friday is still the fastest fall of the tournament. The fastest pin on Saturday was shared by Jayden Bronson of Iowa, Marcel Hawkins of Oklahoma and Anthony Samanich of Illinois, with each notching 16-second falls.


Both the 16U and Junior Boys Freestyle divisions wrap up on Sunday with quarterfinal action for both divisions starting at 10 a.m. CT, followed by semifinals. Placement matches are slated to begin at 3 p.m. CT, with the championship finals at 5 p.m. CT.


Live stream and archived matches from the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals are available on FloWrestling. Brackets and live results are available on USA Bracketing.


Visit the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals Event Hub and USA Wrestling’s social media platforms for complete coverage of the action in Fargo.



2026 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals

At Fargo, N.D., July 11

Reference Links

16U Boys Freestyle Results

Top 10 States By Wrestlers Remaining

1. Pennsylvania, 37 (26 championship, 11 consolation)

2. Ohio, 21 (9 championship, 12 consolation)

3. Iowa, 20 (15 championship, 5 consolation)

4. California, 19 (9 championship, 10 consolation)

5. Illinois, 18 (6 championships, 12 consolation)

6. New Jersey, 15 (6 championship, 9 consolation)

T7. Indiana, 13 (7 championship, 6 consolation)

T7. Wisconsin, 13 (11 championship, 2 consolation)

9. Minnesota, 12 (5 championship, 7 consolation)

T10. Michigan, 9 (4 championship, 5 consolation)

T10.Oklahoma, 9 (6 championship, 3 consolation)


Quarterfinal Matchups

88 pounds

Kai McDonald (Iowa) vs. Zander Melendez (California)

Ryker Rollans (Nevada) vs. Elijah Jensen (Washington)

Cameron Smith (Ohio) vs. Garrett Whalen (Pennsylvania)

Cole Train Vanderwerff (Wisconsin) vs. Grayden Paris (Pennsylvania)


94 pounds

Johnathan Thompson (Iowa) vs. Chase Smith (Tennessee)

Grady Glowacki (Illinois) vs. Case Freeman (Iowa)

Michael Nicosia (Pennsylvania) vs. Jaxon Holtz (Ohio)

Walker Hoffman (Pennsylvania) vs. George Dipsey (New Jersey)


100 pounds

Maverick Sanchez (California) vs. Parker Workman (Ohio)

Cade Ruckle (Nevada) vs. Cyrus Millage (Iowa)

Nelson Villafane (Pennsylvania) vs. Elias Faith (Indiana)

Shay Lundvall (Iowa) vs. Leonidas Murillo (Pennsylvania)


106 pounds

Amir Newman-Winfrey (Iowa) vs. Stephen Bagocius (New Jersey)

Sebastian Gutierrez (California) vs. Ryder Ream (Pennsylvania)

Casen Becker (Colorado) vs. Pietro Velardi (New Jersey)

Cameron Bartlow (California) vs. Asher Procunier (Michigan)


113 pounds

Jhakai Roller (Tennessee) vs. Lee Dreshman (Pennsylvania)

Mason Keesecker (Pennsylvania) vs. Diego Robertty (Iowa)

Keilan Yang (Wisconsin) vs. Chase Lawrence (Minnesota)

Jett Kline (Oklahoma) vs. Michael Bernabe (California)


120 pounds

Spenser McCammon (Indiana) vs. Mason Moody (Wisconsin)

Shiloh Joyce (New Jersey) vs. Erik Klichurov (Illinois)

Devin Hord (North Carolina) vs. Jaxson Boucher (Michigan)

Santino Edgar (New Jersey) vs. Cohen Reer (Ohio)


126 pounds

Jeremy Carver (Indiana) vs. Westin Pollock (Oklahoma)

Mason Milsaps (Texas) vs. Arturo Reyes (Pennsylvania)

Kash Larkin (Arizona) vs. Noel Verduzco (Indiana)

Davien Martinez (Colorado) vs. Anthony Bergeron (Ohio)


132 pounds

Lucas Reeves (Pennsylvania) vs. Alex Marchetti (Pennsylvania)

Joseph Leick (Iowa) vs. Lewis Davis (Arkansas)

Josiah Stanton (Indiana) vs. CJ Caines (Pennsylvania)

Jack Cole (Pennsylvania) vs. Mitchell Chen (Pennsylvania)


138 pounds

Maximus Pearch (Illinois) vs. Marcel Hawkins (Oklahoma)

Eli Edfors (Iowa) vs. Austin Schield (Washington)

Frank Leanza (Pennsylvania) vs. Raymond Castillo (California)

Julian (Gullien) Holguin (California) vs. Bryar Hooks (Oklahoma)


144 pounds

Daniel Jones (New York) vs. Kaden Clark (Alabama)

Reece Movahed (Pennsylvania) vs. Anthony Oscar (Ohio)

Gavin Cantera (Ohio) vs. Vinny Ferrari (Texas)

Caleb Kosko (Pennsylvania) vs. Jeremiah Hayes (Illinois)


150 pounds

Lincoln Hinchman (Indiana) vs. Dakota Anderson (Washington)

Grayson Hostetter (Pennsylvania) vs. Illia Kyrianenko (Florida)

Lincoln James (Ohio) vs. Caden Woodall (Arizona)

Liam Crandall (Wisconsin) vs. Reza Massjouni (Virginia)


157 pounds

Tommy Rowlands (Ohio) vs. Jacob Penzkover (Wisconsin)

Jake Austin (Florida) vs. Lucas Drake (Pennsylvania)

Jaimon Mogard (Iowa) vs. Joseph Paun (Indiana)

Allen Diaz (Nebraska) vs. Asher Bacon (Pennsylvania)


165 pounds

Easton Kammerud (Wisconsin) vs. Chase Young (California)

Brooxton Lundgren (Iowa) vs. Rex Ayshford (Minnesota)

Harrison Murdock (Georgia) vs. Terriel Cooke (Florida)

Cash McFate (Nevada) vs. Collin Hamm (Wisconsin)


175 pounds

Layden Acevedo (Pennsylvania) vs. Colin Sesker (Iowa)

Tyde Nelsen (Iowa) vs. Otis Davis (Illinois)

Cael Tyler (Michigan) vs. Destan Skelly (Minnesota)

Braylen Yates (North Carolina) vs. Teag Sanderson (Pennsylvania)


190 pounds

Dresden Beard (Kansas) vs. Mason McDonnell (California)

Bryce Collins (Pennsylvania) vs. Treyton Altuve (Wisconsin)

Rosco Lewis (Oklahoma) vs. Elias Green (Wisconsin)

Adam Sepulveda (New Jersey) vs. Duane Leslie (Washington)


215 pounds

Kade Splinter (Wisconsin) vs. Cash Frey (Iowa)

Meric Hagarty (Iowa) vs. Zachary Leftwich (Virginia)

Duke Bartoo (Minnesota) vs. Aaron Ruiz-Angel (North Carolina)

Talon Worden (Missouri) vs. Mason Chamberlain (Pennsylvania)


285 pounds

Anthony Samanich (Illinois) vs. Dean Zolman (Utah)

Sawyer Schendel (Minnesota) vs. Lucas Franklin (Oklahoma)

John Montgomery (Pennsylvania) vs. Michael Carter (Michigan)

Kage Stewart (Missouri) vs. Leland Havens (Wisconsin)