Finalists look to earn their places on the U17 Greco-Roman World Team in the best-of-three finals
by Charles Klepps, Special to TheMat.com
Photo of Amryn Nutter throwing opponent in the quarterfinals at the U17 Greco-Roman World Team Trials. Photo by Jenni Peterson
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The U17 Greco-Roman World Team Trials began this morning, with athletes looking to punch their ticket to Rome, Italy at the end of July. At the end of the first session, 20 wrestlers have secured their place in tonight’s best-of-three finals for the team spot.
Athletes registered for both Greco-Roman and Freestyle will have the opportunity to earn a spot on the U17 Pan-Am team in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The representative at each weight will be chosen based on the best combined result between the two styles this weekend.
The U17 Greco-Roman World Team will feature some new faces this year, as all six returning World Team members dropped matches before the semifinals. With so much on the line, it was clear that nobody was safe from a potential upset.
The only returning Cadet World Team member, Bo Bassett of Pennsylvania was looking to claim the 51 kg spot on this year’s team. However, in the Round of 16, Elijah Cortez of California had other plans, using a four point move in the waning moments to pull off the upset 5-3. Cortez placed seventh at last year’s U15 World Team trials. Cortez wound up losing in the semifinals to Edwin Sierra of Poway Wrestling. Sierra finished third at the World Team Trials last year.
Later on, in the 51 kg quarterfinals, U15 World Team member Cooper Hilton of Pennsylvania was tech falled. Following the completion of the semifinals, it will be Sierra up against Elyle Francisco of Anchorage Youth Wrestling Academy. Francisco finished third at the Team Trials in 2021.
In the Round of 16 of the 45 kg division, both 2021 U15 Team members Domenic Munaretto of Toss Em Up Wrestling Academy and Haakon Peterson of Sebolt Wrestling Academy were upended in narrow decisions. In the end, Davis Motyka of XCalibur Athletics will take on Hudson Loges of MWC Wrestling Academy for the team spot. Motyka was fifth in the World Team Trials last year.
In the 55 kg quarterfinals, U15 World Team member Matthew Martino of Team Idaho Wrestling Club was defeated in a close 10-8 decision. The finals in the weight class will pit Nick Treaster of Newton Wrestling Club against Austin Laudenbach of Apple Valley Wrestling Club for the spot tonight.
In his first match of the day at 60 kg, reigning U15 57 kg Team member Vince Bouzakis of Pennsylvania lost a tight 6-5 decision to Matthew Beem of MWC Wrestling Academy. Bouzakis was the Outstanding Wrestler at last year’s World Team Trials. The finals at 60 kg will pair Tanner Frothinger of Team Idaho Wrestling Club with Zan Fugitt of Missouri for the title. Last year, Frothinger was eighth, while Fugitt was third in the same Team Trials bracket.
Mack Mauger of Team Idaho Wrestling Club was the runner-up at the World Team Trials last year. He has placed himself into this evening’s finals with two tech falls and a 7-2 decision. His competitor will be Christian Castillo of Thorobred Wrestling Club. Castillo finished third at the U15 World Team Trials last year.
Pierson Manville of Pennsylvania finished third at last year’s World Team Trials. He’s improved upon that finish and finds himself in the finals taking on Joel Adams of The Best Wrestler for the team spot. Adams was the runner-up in the Trials tournament last year.
At 71 kg, Arvin Khosravy of California had three tech falls and a close 4-3 decision to earn his berth in tonight’s finals. His opponent, Cordell White of Gladiator Wrestling, made it to the finals with two tech falls and three decisions.
Cole Han-Lindemyer of Pinnacle Wrestling Club placed himself in the best-of-three series at 80 kg this evening. He took sixth at the 2021 Trials. He will be squared up against Omaury Alvarez of Level Up Wrestling Center, who has four straight tech falls leading into the finals.
Soren Herzog of Pinnacle Wrestling Club finished fourth in the Trials last year. He is into the finals with four tech falls, where he will take on Cody Merrill of Daniel Cormier Wrestling Club. Merrill was third in the same Trials bracket as Herzog in 2021.
In the last weight division, Koy Hopke of Pinnacle Wrestling Club hasn’t been on the mat for longer than a minute. He was third last year and hopes to become a team member this afternoon. He’ll have to beat Sampson Stillwell of Kobra Kai Training. Stillwell was seventh at the World Team Trials tournament.
Below are the matchups for this afternoon’s best-of-three finals, as well as all of the results from the Semi-finals.
UWW U17 NATIONALS
At Las Vegas, Nev. April 28, 2022
U17 Greco-Roman Finals Pairings
45 - Davis Motyka (XCalibur Athletics) vs Hudson Loges (MWC Wrestling Academy)
48 - Christian Castillo (Thorobred Wrestling Club) vs Mack Mauger (Team Idaho Wrestling Club)
51 - Elyle Francisco (Anchorage Youth Wrestling Academy) vs Edwin Sierra (Poway Wrestling)
55 - Nick Treaster (Newton Wrestling Club) vs Austin Laudenbach (Apple Valley Wrestling Club)
60 - Tanner Frothinger (Team Idaho Wrestling Club) vs Zan Fugitt (Missouri)
65 - Pierson Manville (Pennsylvania) vs Joel Adams (The Best Wrestler)
71 - Arvin Khosravy (California) vs Cordell White (Gladiator Wrestling)
80 - Cole Han-Lindemyer (Pinnacle Wrestling Club) vs Omaury Alvarez (Level Up Wrestling Center)
92 - Soren Herzog (Pinnacle Wrestling Club) vs Cody Merrill (Daniel Cormier Wrestling Club)
110 - Koy Hopke (Pinnacle Wrestling Club) vs Sampson Stillwell (Kobra Kai Training)
U17 Greco-Roman Semi-final Results
45 - Davis Motyka PA (XCalibur Athletics) dec Griffin Rial CO (Black Fox Wrestling Academy), 6-3
45 - Hudson Loges NE (MWC Wrestling Academy) dec Keanu Dillard PA (Pennsylvania), 5-3
48 - Mack Mauger ID (Team Idaho Wrestling Club) dec Gage Singleton OR (Roseburg Mat Club /Umpqua Valley Wrestling Associaction), 7-2
48 - Christian Castillo AZ (Thorobred Wrestling Club) dec Isaiah Cortez CA (California), 7-1
51 - Elyle Francisco AK (Anchorage Youth Wrestling Academy) tech Carter Nogle MD (HeadHunters Wrestling Club), 9-0 4:00
51 - Edwin Sierra CA (Poway Wrestling) dec Elijah Cortez CA (California), 7-3
55 - Nick Treaster KS (Newton Wrestling Club) dec Otto Black CO (Black Fox Wrestling Academy), 2-1
55 - Austin Laudenbach MN (Apple Valley Wrestling Club) tech Amryn Nutter WI (Combat W.C. School of Wrestling), 8-0 2:00
60 - Tanner Frothinger ID (Team Idaho Wrestling Club) fall Garrett Reece CO (Black Fox Wrestling Academy), 12-11 3:16
60 - Zan Fugitt MO (Missouri) tech Rhett Koenig WI (Combat W.C. School of Wrestling), 8-0 1:52
65 - Pierson Manville PA (Pennsylvania) tech Smokey Mcclure WA (Ascend Wrestling Academy), 8-0 0:30
65 Joel Adams NE (The Best Wrestler) tech Casper Stewart NY (Curby 3 Style Wrestling Club), 10-0 2:52
71 - Arvin Khosravy CA (California) dec Brett Back WI (Wisconsin), 4-3
71 - Cordell White FL (Gladiator Wrestling) tech Kj Evans OK (Oklahoma Regional Training Center), 10-2 2:22
80 - Cole Han-lindemyer MN (Pinnacle Wrestling Club) tech De'alcapon Veazy IN (Legends of Gold), 13-2 1:56
80 - Omaury Alvarez GA (Level Up Wrestling Center) tech Jude Correa PA (X-Calibur Athletics Wrestling Club), 9-0 1:02
92 - Soren Herzog MN (Pinnacle Wrestling Club) tech Thomas Edinger VA (MWC Wrestling Academy), 10-2 3:35
92 - Cody Merrill CA (Daniel Cormier Wrestling Club) dec Sawyer Bartelt FL (Gladiator Wrestling), 4-4
110 - Koy Hopke WI (Pinnacle Wrestling Club) tech Dirk Morley CO (Black Fox Wrestling Academy), 8-0 0:33
110 - Sampson Stillwell MO (Kobra Kai Training) dec Nicholas Sahakian CA (St. John Bosco High School Wrestling), 6-1