Champions crowned at U15 Freestyle Nationals, Verrette named Outstanding Wrestler
by Koral Sugiyama, Special to TheMat.com
Photo of Grey Burnett attacking high in the U15 National finals. Photo by Robbert Wijtman
LAS VEGAS, Nev.–The newly minted U15 National champions were crowned tonight at the South Point Arena with only one of two returning finalists leaving a national champion.
This event qualifies the top eight placers to be pulled into the U15 Pan-American Team selection process. The team will be selected on a points based system with results being pulled from this tournament and the 2021 16U Nationals and Kids Nationals. This year’s U15 Pan-American Championships will be held in Rio Negro, Colombia, November 4-6.
Grey Burnett (Perrysburg WC) upgraded from 2021 U15 runner-up to this year’s 41 kg U15 National champion. Burnett defeated his opponent, Henry Aslikyan (International Sport Union), 8-2. Into the finals Burnett brought a Preseason National title along with a third place finish at the 2021 Kids freestyle Nationals.
Returning finalist Michael Romero (Sunkist Kids/Monster Garage) dropped the 48 kg finals match to Tyler Dekraker (Integrity WC) in a 5-0 decision. Dekraker was the 2021 runner-up at 14U Kids’ freestyle nationals with a third place finish in Greco-Roman. Drekraker is getting right back to business for the rest of the evening. He also entered the U17 freestyle tournament with the goal of making a world team. Drekraker reached the quarterfinals to wrestle 16U Triple Crown champion Mack Mauger, but dropped to the back-side after losing to the U17 Greco-Roman runner-up.
In the first match of the finals Samuel Sanchez (California) defeated Cameron Sontz (Edge Wrestling), 7-0. On his way to the championship finish, Sanchez claimed a technical-fall, pin, and another tech before clinching his 38 kg U15 National title.
Ignacio Villasenor (Pomona Elite (PWCC) defeated Lincoln Sledzianowski (Garage Boyz Wrestling) in a close 9-8 match in the 44 kg finals bout. Sledzianowski, 14U freestyle champion, made a jump from his sixth place finish last year while Villasenor is stepping up from his third-place finish. Villasenor also won both Cadet freestyle and Greco-Roman Pan-Ams in October and could be returning to the championships this year if he is selected.
At 52 kg, Isaiah Jones OK (Oklahoma) defeated Landon Sidun (Pennsylvania), 7-10.
Jones was runner-up in both styles at 14U Kids Nationals. In addition to his new U15 freestyle national title, Jones is also a middle school Preseason National champion.
Thomas Verrette (Black Fox Wrestling Academy) got straight to business in the 57 kg finals bout. Verrette walked off the mat with 10-0 victory over Gabriel Logan (Apex Wrestling Academy) in the 49 second finals bout. Verrette won the 14U Greco-Roman bracket at Kids Nationals while earning runner-up in freestyle while Logan placed fourth at the 14U Kids Nationals in both styles.
14U Folkstyle National runner-up, Joseph Jeter (Standfast WC), kept his fans on their toes with his 10-10 win over 14U Kids freestyle Nationals third-place winner Blue Stiffler (Roundtree Wrestling Academy). In the 62 kg finals, Stiffler took advantage of Jeter’s aggressiveness to attack and continually scored exposure with chest tilts, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Oklahoma wrestler.
Owen McMullen of Pennsylvania defeated Joseph Ruiz of RedNose Wrestling School, LLC in a 5-2 decision. McMullen was runner-up in both styles for 14U Kids Nationals and is leaving Vegas as the 68 kg freestyle National champion
Californian, Adrien Reyes defeated 14U Kids Nationals double champion, John Murphy (Minnesota), 10-5, in the 75 kg finals bout. Reyes, 16U Showcase National champion, beat returning champion, Terrell McFarland (PA), in the quarterfinals, 10-0.
14U Kids National double champion, Dreshaun Ross (Sebolt Wrestling Academy) won via technical-fall over Elijah Diakomihalis (New York), 10-0. The 85 kg champion stepped up from his fifth place finish last year.
U15 Greco-Roman will begin tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. You can follow along on FloArena.
UWW U15 Nationals
At Las Vegas, Nev. April 30, 2022
U15 Freestyle National Champions
38 - Samuel Sanchez (California)
41 - Grey Burnett (Perrysburg WC)
44 - Ignacio Villasenor (Pomona Elite (PWCC))
48 - Tyler Dekraker (Integrity WC)
52 - Isaiah Jones (Oklahoma)
57 - Thomas Verrette (Black Fox Wrestling Academy)
62 - Joseph Jeter (Standfast WC)
68 - Owen McMullen (Pennsylvania)
75 - Adrien Reyes (California)
85 - Dreshaun Ross (Sebolt Wrestling Academy)
Outstanding Wrestler
57 - Thomas Verrette of Black Fox Wrestling Academy
Final Results
38
1st - Samuel Sanchez (California) dec Cameron Sontz (Edge Wrestling), 7-0
3rd - Jojo Burke (Apex Wrestling Academy) tech Cason Craft (Threestyle Wrestling Of Oklahoma), 14-3 3:24
5th - Allen Woo (Izzy Style Wrestling) tech Cruzer Dominguez (MWC Wrestling Academy), 13-2 3:07
7th - Hudson Chittum (Boom Ranch WC) no contest Keegan Bassett (Pennsylvania)
41
1st - Grey Burnett OH (Perrysburg WC) dec Henry Aslikyan CA (International Sport Union (ISU)), 8-2
3rd - Mac Crosson (Sebolt Wrestling Academy) dec Carter Shin (Integrity WC), 9-1
5th - Grayson Eggum (MN Elite WC) dec Nico Desalvo (Sebolt Wrestling Academy), 10-8
7th Case Bell (Contenders Wrestling Academy) tech Daniel Goodwin (Black Fox Wrestling Academy), 12-2 3:31
44
1st - Ignacio Villasenor CO (Pomona Elite (PWCC)) dec Lincoln Sledzianowski FL (Garage Boyz Wrestling), 9-8
3rd - Sean Willcox (Sunkist Kids/Monster Garage) dec Dale Corbin (Integrity WC), 9-2
5th - Joel Friederichs (No Nonsense Wrestling) dec Zaiyahn Ornelas (Team Zapas WC), 11-6
7th - Caleb Schaefer (Maurer Coughlin WC) tech Rider Seguine (Team Idaho WC), 10-0 1:26
48
1st - Tyler Dekraker VA (Integrity WC) dec Michael Romero CA (Sunkist Kids/Monster Garage), 5-0
3rd - Dunia Sibomana (Long Beach-usa WC) dec Titan Friederichs (No Nonsense Wrestling), 10-8
5th - Zaidyn Quinonez (Bear Cave WC) no contest Liam Davis (Spartan RTC FL)
7th Mason Carlson (Sanderson Wrestling Academy) dec Evan Sanati (Integrity WC), 7-4
52
1st - Isaiah Jones OK (Oklahoma) dec Landon Sidun PA (Pennsylvania), 10-7
3rd - Derek Barrows (Bear Cave WC) dec Timothy Koester (Agoge WC), 6-6
5th - Jacob Herm (Neenah High School Wrestling) forfeit Declan Koch (Team Nazar Training Center), 0-0
7th Noah Bull (Sanderson Wrestling Academy) non contest Brady Kaupp (South Side WC)
57
1st - Thomas Verrette CO (Black Fox Wrestling Academy) tech Gabriel Logan NJ (Apex Wrestling Academy), 10-0 0:49
3rd - Jesse Grajeda (Sunkist Kids/Monster Garage) tech Travis Cardenas (Grindhouse WC), 10-0 3:03
5th - Israel Acosta (Inland Northwest Wrestling Training Center) forfeit Geronimo Rivera (Sanderson Wrestling Academy), 0-0
7th - Zeno Moore (Florida) dec Tigran Greyan (California), 9-9
62
1st - Joseph Jeter OK (Standfast WC) dec Blue Stiffler SC (Roundtree Wrestling Academy), 10-10
3rd - Nathaniel Askew (Georgia) dec Joseph Schinder (New Jersey), 10-7
5th - Beau Lewis (Smithfield Wrestling) dec Tre Haines (Ascend Wrestling Academy), 6-4
7th - Eli Leonard (Sarbacker Wrestling Academy) tech Benjamin Weader (Integrity WC), 17-6 3:21
68
1st - Owen Mcmullen PA (Pennsylvania) dec Joseph Ruiz NJ (RedNose Wrestling School, LLC), 5-2
3rd - Christopher Creason (Wrestling Prep - Virginia) tech Keenan Sheridan (South Dakota), 10-0 1:03
5th - Kyler Knaack (Immortal Athletics WC) tech Mikel david Uyemura (Titan Mercury WC (TMWC)), 10-0 1:00
7th - Cooper Driscoll (Ohio) fall Christopher Acuna (Montana Disciples WC), 10-9 3:59
75
1st - Adrien Reyes CA (California) dec John Murphy MN (Minnesota), 10-5
3rd - Daniel Patrick (Mat Sense Wrestling) fall Broedy Collins hendricks (Team Valley WC), 4-0 0:31
5th - Robert Ibarra (Arizona) fall Ty Carman (Sanderson Wrestling Academy), 7-7 1:11
7th - Isai Fernandez (California) forfeit Terrell Mcfarland (Team Pennsylvania), 0-0
85
1st - Dreshaun Ross IA (Sebolt Wrestling Academy) tech Elijah Diakomihalis NY (New York), 10-0 2:41
3rd - Michael Mocco (ATT/Mocco Wrestling Academy) tech Tyson Martin (LaCrosse Area Wrestlers), 11-1 1:28
5th - Joseph Muhlstein (Pinnacle WC) fall Adonis Bonar II (MWC Wrestling Academy), 8-8 3:37
7th - David Calkins (Delta WC) fall Hayden Martin (Avalanche Wrestling Association), 6-6 1:13