Two returning champs and 20 All-Americans in championship contention after day one of USMC 16U Freestyle Nationals
by Adam Engel, USA Wrestling
Jordyn Raney of Kentucky pins Bo Bassett of Pennsylvania in the 120-pound round of 32. Photo by Austin Bernard.
FARGO, N.D.— Last year, Bo Bassett became the best in the world. Now, he won’t win a 16U national championship.
Bassett, a 2021 Cadet world champion, entered the USMC 16U and Junior Nationals as a serious contender in a loaded bracket.
But someone upset the star.
Jordyn Raney of Kentucky hopped and pumped his fist after he trapped Bassett in a tight headlock and pinned the world champion in the round of 32.
Raney entered Fargo with a third-place finish at the Central Regionals.
All 25 All-Americans remained alive heading into Saturday’s second session but now only 21 are in championship contention. Lawson Eller of Minnesota, who placed eighth at 88 in 2021, exited the tournament after an 11-0 tech fall loss to Colorado’s Isaiah Harrison in the consolation round of 16 No. 2. At 106, Devon Harrison of Missouri, who placed sixth at 94 last year, became eliminated after an 8-4 loss to Zane Donley of Oklahoma in the consolation of 16 No. 2.
Liam Neitzel of Wisconsin, who placed eighth at 94 in 2021, dropped to the consolation bracket at 106 after a 13-4 loss to Karson Brown of Ohio in the round of 16. In his first consolation bout, Neitzel beat New York’s Dunia Sibomana 8-2 to advance to the consolation of eight No. 1
At 220, California’s Nicholas Sahakian, who placed sixth at the weight last summer, battled back from a round of 16 loss to win to advance to the consolation round of eight No. 1.
Every other returning All-American will battle in Sunday’s quarterfinals.
Session III will continue Sunday at 4:30 p.m. local time (Central) with the quarterfinals, semifinals and consolations. The Junior men’s freestyle tournament will start Sunday at 8 a.m.
Before Friday’s second session, eleven wrestlers remained eligible for aa Triple Crown. Now, six are eligible.
16U Boys still eligible for the Triple Crown (Folkstyle national champions and undefeated so far in Fargo)
94 — Wyatt Lees of Michigan
113 — Kellen Wolbert of Wisconsin
138— Alex Braun of Minnesota
170 — Adrien Reyes of California
182 — De’Alcapon Veazy of Indiana
220 — Melvin Whitehead of Nevada
Here are Saturday’s quarterfinal pairings:
88:
Caleb Noble of Wisconsin vs Kaison Schreier of Missouri
Alexander Diaz of Pennsylvania vs Cason Craft of Oklahoma
Mac Crosson of Iowa vs Charles Esposito of New Jersey
Gavin Pongsai of California vs James Hemmila of Illinois
94:
Haakon Peterson of Wisconsin vs Sean Willcox of California
Kole Davidheiser of Pennsylvania vs Ayden Dodd of Ohio
Wyatt Lees of Michigan vs Cole Welte of Nebraska
Nathan Rioux of Indiana vs Lincoln Rohr of Ohio
100:
Carter Pearson of Iowa vs Michael Romero of California
Titan Friederichs of Minnesota vs Dominic Deputy of Pennsylvania
Rylan Seacrist of Ohio vs Revin Dickman of Indiana
Keanu Dillard of Pennsylvania vs Lincoln Sledzianowski of Florida
106:
Seth Mendoza of Illinois vs Karson Brown of Ohio
Jake Knight of Iowa vs Isaiah Cortez of California
Aydan Thomas of Oklahoma vs Kolter Burton of Idaho
Aaron Seidel of Pennsylvania vs Jayden Raney of Kentucky
113:
Keyan Hernandez of Montana vs Kellen Wolbert of Wisconsin
Cameron Stinson Jr. of North Carolina vs Elijah Cortez of California
Moses Mendoza of California vs Isaiah Schaefer of Indiana
Connor Fiser of Iowa vs Edwin Sierra of California
120:
Jordyn Raney of Kentucky vs Cooper Hilton of Tennessee
Marcus Blaze of Ohio vs Jackson Blum of Michigan
Sam Herring of Pennsylvania vs Draegen Orine of Missouri
Gauge Botero of Pennsylvania vs Anthony Knox of New Jersey
126:
Benjamin Davino of Illinois vs Lucas Peters of Wisconsin
Giouse Hickman of Arizona vs Thomas Verrette of Colorado
Elias Navida of California vs Maximus Riggins of Iowa
Landon Robideau of Minnesota vs Emmitt Sherlock of Maryland
132:
Trevor Jones of New Jersey vs Tyson Charmoli of Minnesota
Benjamin Weader of Virgina vs Garrett Reece of Colorado
Maddox Shaw of Pennsylvania vs Tyson Sherlock of Maryland
Brock Mantanona of California vs Daniel Heiser of Wisconsin
138:
Gabriel Bouyssou of Rhode Island vs PJ Duke of New York
Alex Braun of Minnesota vs Grayson Woodcock of Ohio
Jarrett Wadsen of Minnesota vs Elvis Solis of Florida
Vince Bouzakis of Pennsylvania vs Conlan Carlson of Minnesota
145:
Cameron Milheim of Pennsylvania vs Collin Gaj of Pennsylvania
Kody Routledge of Oklahoma vs Jake Wacha of New Jersey
Tycho Carmichael of Iowa vs Emil Necula of Georgia
Beau Hickman of Oklahoma vs Kollin Rath of Pennsylvania
152:
Ladarion Lockett of Oklahoma vs Carter Davis of Pennsylvania
Mitchell Betz vs Christopher Crawford of New York
Jake Stoffel of Wisconsin vs Brodie Dominique of Ohio
Alexander Rodrigues of Maryland vs Alessio Perentin of New Jersey
160:
Travis Grace of California vs Aydan Carlson of Minnesota
Israel Ibarra of Arizona vs Cade Ziola of Nebraska
Jordan Chapman of New Jersey vs Tyrel Miller
Bekhruz Sadriddinov of Pennsylvania vs John Murphy
170:
Brent Slade of Iowa vs Peyton Westpfahl of Missouri
Bryce Burkett of Minnesota vs Carson Mize of Ohio
Ryan Burton of New Jersey vs Liam Byrne of Oregon
Jarrel Miller Jr. of Ohio vs Adrien Reyes of California
182:
Aeoden Sinclair of Wisconsin vs Artem Skyba of Pennsylvania
Caleb Marzolino of Pennsylvania vs Adonis Bonar II of Nebraska
Coby Merrill of California vs Adam Waters of Pennsylvania
Cittadino Tuttle of Minnesota vs De’Alcapon Veazy of Indiana
195:
Dreshaun Ross of Iowa vs Chase Matthias of Wisconsin
Kayden Cartee of California vs Mason Ellis of Alabama
Aiden Cooley of Texas vs Michael Mocco of Florida
Vincenzo Lavalle of New Jersey vs Mark Marin III
220:
Ean Winchester of Pennsylvania vs Jay Henderson of Utah
Brayden Hill of Kansas vs Melvin Whitehead of Nevada
James Bechter of Ohio vs Chase Baker of Washington
Adam Farha of California vs Lamar Bradley of Illinois
285:
Sampson Stillwell of Missouri vs Aaron Ries of Ohio
Cooper Martinson of Iowa vs Willie Cox of Alabama
Connor Aney of Washington vs Nicholas Bowser of Ohio
Jacob Levy of Georgia vs Luke Cox of Ohio
The update on the records of the 25 returning All-Americans:
94:
Haakon Peterson of Wisconsin: 4-0 (Onto quarterfinals)
Kole Davidheiser of Pennsylvania: 3-0 (Onto quarterfinals)
100:
Revin Dickman of Indiana: 3-0 (Onto quarterfinals)
Lawson Eller: 3-2 (ELIMINATED in consolation round of 16 No. 1)
106:
Devon Harrison of Missouri: 4-2 (ELIMINATED in consolation round of 16 No. 2)
Liam Neitzel of Wisconsin: 4-1 (Lost in round of 16, won consolation of 16 No. 2, advanced to consolation of 8 No. 1)
Seth Mendoza of Illinois: 3-0 (Onto quarterfinals)
113:
Moses Mendoza of California: 3-0 (Onto quarterfinals)
120:
Draegen Orine of Missouri: 4-0 (Onto quarterfinals)
Sam Herring of Pennsylvania: 5-0 (Onto quarterfinals)
Anthony Knox of New Jersey: 4-0 (Onto quarterfinals)
Marcus Blaze of Ohio: 4-0 (Onto quarterfinals)
Jackson Blum of Michigan: 4-0 (Onto quarterfinals)
Gauge Botero of Pennsylvania: 3-0 (Onto quarterfinals)
126:
Landon Robideau of Minnesota: 4-0 (Onto quarterfinals)
132:
Maddox Shaw of Pennsylvania: 4-0 (Onto quarterfinals)
Brock Mantanona of California: 3-0 (Onto quarterfinals)
138:
Vince Bouzakis of Pennsylvania: 4-0 (Onto quarterfinals)
Gabriel Bouyssou of Rhode Island: 3-0 (Onto quarterfinals)
152:
Alessio Perentin of New Jersey: 3-0 (Onto quarterfinals)
160:
Travis Grace of California: 4-0 (Onto quarterfinals)
170:
Peyton Westpfahl of Missouri: 3-0 (Onto quarterfinals)
182:
Aeoden Sinclair of Wisconsin: 4-0 (Onto quarterfinals)
De’Alcapon Veazy of Indiana: 3-0 (Onto quarterfinals)
220:
Nicholas Sahakian of California: 3-1 (Lost in round of 16, dropped to consolation of 16 No. 2, advanced to consolation round of 8 No. 1)
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