Stephens and Skellinger among stars as finals set at U20 Greco-Roman World Team Trials in Las Vegas

Action image from U20 Greco-Roman World Team Trials by Robbert Wijtman.


LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The U20 Greco-Roman division kicked off a big week of USA Wrestling competitions this morning. The top eight at each weight division will automatically qualify for the Senior Greco-Roman World Team Trials in June. All placing matches were set after the morning session. Champions will be crowned later today as well as all final place winners. 

There were six 2021 UWW Cadet Greco Champions in the tournament today, with only one, Jadon Skellenger, punching his ticket into the championship bout. Kodiak Stephens was the only returning UWW Junior (U20) Greco Champion. He managed to earn another championship berth and is looking to repeat this afternoon in session two. 

At the 55 kg division, Caleb Coyle of Beaver Dam Wrestling Regional Training Center punched his ticket to the finals with three straight tech-falls. 2018 Cadet World Team member Jakason Burks of MWC Wrestling Academy will be his challenger after a tech fall in his first match and a 9-3 decision in the semifinals. 

There was drama in the semifinals at 60 kg, as reigning Cadet World Silver Medalist at 55 kg, Cory Land of Ironclad Wrestling Club, was defeated by Anthony Aniciete of Aniciete Training Club by an 8-7 decision. Aniciete’s opponent will be Max Black of Black Fox Wrestling Academy, who had four straight techs enroute to the final. 

At 63 kg, Colton Parduhn of Interior Grappling Academy knocked off 2021 UWW Cadet Greco-Roman Champion Brock Bobzien of Poway High School Wrestling in the quarterfinals by an 11-0 tech fall. He kept it rolling in the semifinals with another tech fall to earn his place in this afternoon’s championship. His opponent will be Haiden Drury of Brunson UVRTC. Drury has been solid all day, with three techs and a 7-1 decision in the semifinals. 

Hunter Garvin of Big Game Wrestling Club rolled through the National High School Showcase in Cedar Falls, Iowa earlier this month earning himself the Outstanding Wrestler Award. He was on a tear today as well where he teched his way into the finals where he will square off with Robert Perez III of Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club. Perez had three techs and a tough 2-1 decision in the semifinals to earn his spot in the championship bout. 

The 72 kg semifinals featured two reigning UWW Cadet Greco Champions from 2021. Jadon Skellenger of Suples Wrestling Club won the 65 kg Cadet bracket last year. After four tech falls today, he will hope to add a Junior title to his resume this afternoon. 2021 71 kg Cadet Champion Braden Stauffenberg of Izzy Style Wrestling was not so fortunate in the semifinals, as he was defeated by Richard Fedalen of Warhawks Wrestling by a score of 4-3. 

CJ Hamblin of Askeo International Mat Club has had a very impressive first session, defeating 2021 Pan-Am Silver Medalist Payton Jacobson 12-8 in the Round of 16. He won by tech fall in both his quarterfinal and semifinal matches. In the finals, he will square off against MJ Gaitan of Temecula Valley High School Wrestling. Gaitan has earned three straight tech falls to place himself into the championship match. 

At 82 kg, Adrian Artsisheuskiy of Elite Wrestling Academy earned two techs and a fall enroute to his championship appearance. His competitor will be Michael Altomer of West Point Wrestling Club, who earned his place in the finals with two tech falls in the session. 

The 87 kg division featured the only returning UWW Junior Greco-Roman Champion – Kodiak Stephens of Beaver Dam Wrestling Regional Training Center. Stephens earned two impressive tech-falls, including one over 2021 UWW Cadet Greco Champion Ryder Rogotzke of Pinnacle Wrestling Club, to earn another finals appearance. He will face a familiar foe in Tyler Hannah of Combat W.C. School of Wrestling. Hannah was a 2019 World Cadet Team Member and teched Stephens in their first bout at last year’s best two of three series. Stephens did come back to defeat Hannah in the next two matches to claim last year’s World Team spot. 

Robert Plympton of Oregon needed only one match to place himself in this afternoon’s 97 kg finals. His fall in 1:22 came after he had fallen into a 6-0 deficit to Spencer Mooberry of Iowa. He will compete with Jackson Dewald of MWC Wrestling Academy for the top spot. Dewald took out 2021 UWW Cadet Greco Champion Nathan Wemstrom of Izzy Style Wrestling in the semifinals by tech fall. 

At 130 kg, Alex Semenenko of DC Trained has had two tech falls enroute to his championship match berth. He will toe the line against Aden Attao of Suples Wrestling Club for the number one spot this evening. Attao won the National High School Showcase earlier this month and had two techs and a 12-6 decision in the semi finals. 

UWW U20 NATIONALS

At Las Vegas, Nev. April 27, 2022

U20 Greco-Roman final pairing
55 - Caleb Coyle (Beaver Dam Wrestling RTC) vs. Jakason Burks (MWC Wrestling Academy)
60 - Anthony Aniciete (Aniciete Training Club) vs. Max Black (Black Fox Wrestling Academy)
63 - Colton Parduhn (Interior Grappling Academy) vs. Haiden Drury (Brunson UVRTC)
67 - Robert Perez III (Sunkist Kids WC) vs. Hunter Garvin (Big Game WC)
72 - Richard Fedalen (Warhawks Wrestling) vs. Jadon Skellenger (Suples WC)
77 - CJ Hamblin (Askeo International Mat Club) vs. Manuel (M.J.) Gaitan (Temecula Valley High School Wrestling)
82 - Adrian Artsisheuskiy (Elite Wrestling Academy) vs. Michael Altomer (West Point WC)
87 - Tyler Hannah (Combat W.C. School of Wrestling) vs. Kodiak Stephens (Beaver Dam Wrestling RTC)
97 - Robert Plympton (Oregon) vs. Jackson Dewald (MWC Wrestling Academy)
130 - Alex Semenenko (DC Trained) vs. Aden Attao (Suples WC)

U20 Greco Semifinal Results

55 - Caleb Coyle (Beaver Dam Wrestling RTC) tech Cole Smith (Army (WCAP), 11-2 2:49

55 - Jakason Burks (MWC Wrestling Academy) dec Jonathan Gurule (NMU-National Training Center), 9-3

60 - Anthony Aniciete (Aniciete Training Club) dec Cory Land (Ironclad WC), 8-7

60 - Max Black (Black Fox Wrestling Academy) tech Dyson Kunz (Northern Colorado WC), 8-0 0:36

63 - Colton Parduhn  (Interior Grappling Academy) tech Joey Cape (Central Coast RTC), 11-2 4:56

63 - Haiden Drury (Brunson UVRTC) dec Carter Stephenson (Colorado), 7-1

67 - Robert Perez III (Sunkist Kids WC) dec Tyler Antoniak (MWC Wrestling Academy), 2-1

67 - Hunter Garvin (Big Game WC) tech Ivan Morris (Northern Colorado WC), 12-4 4:02

72 - Richard Fedalen (Warhawks Wrestling) dec Braden Stauffenberg (Izzy Style Wrestling), 4-3

72 - Jadon Skellenger (Suples WC) tech Antonio Segura (Greco-Roman Development), 11-2 3:42

77 - CJ Hamblin (Askeo International Mat Club) fall Arian Khosravy (Chaminade High School Wrestling), 9-0 2:52

77 - Manuel (M.J.) Gaitan (Temecula Valley High School Wrestling) tech Niko Katsuyoshi (New England RTC), 17-8 5:44

82 - Adrian Artsisheuskiy (Elite Wrestling Academy) fall Macaron Kukowski (Minnesota Storm), 5-5 4:22

82 - Michael Altomer (West Point WC) tech Jackson Rosado (Mat Sense Wrestling), 13-4 1:28

87 - Tyler Hannah (Combat W.C. School of Wrestling) tech Ryan Cody (Greco-Roman Development), 8-0 1:25

87 - Kodiak Stephens (Beaver Dam Wrestling RTC) tech Jack Darrah (Xtreme Training), 8-0 0:40

97 - Robert Plympton (Oregon) inj Spencer Mooberry (Iowa), 6-0 1:22

97 - Jackson Dewald (MWC Wrestling Academy) tech Nathan Wemstrom (Izzy Style Wrestling), 16-7 3:19

130 - Alex Semenenko (DC Trained) tech Cameron Groncki (Curby 3 Style WC), 9-0 5:52

130 - Aden Attao (Suples WC) dec Matthew Moore (Colorado), 12-6