Eight returning All-Americans reach finals, two can repeat as champions at USMC 16U Freestyle Nationals

Haakon Peterson of Wisconsin battles in the 94-pound bracket of the 16U men's freestyle division.

FARGO, N.D. — Eight returning All-Americans at the 16U men’s freestyle division continued their Fargo dreams at the USMC 16U and Junior Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota with victories in the semifinal round.

 

Haakon Peterson of Wisconsin avenged losses from earlier in the year to return to a Fargo final. Last summer, he finished as runner-up at 88. Now up a weight, he quickly ended Oklahoma’s Cason Craft, 10-0, in the 94 semifinals.

 

He will battle Indiana’s Nathan Rioux, another returning All-American, in the 94 final.

 

Seth Mendoza of Illinois is in position to repeat as 16U champion in Fargo. He beat Isaiah Cortez of California, 5-1, to advance to the finals at 106. Last year, Mendoza claimed a national championship at 100.

 

At 113, Moses Mendoza of California clinched a finals appearance after an 10-8 win over teammate Edwin Sierra in the semifinals. Mendoza will wrestle Wisconsin’s Kellen Wolbert in Monday’s final.

 

Anthony Knox, last year’s champion at 113, bumped up to the stacked 120 bracket and defeated a 2021 106 runner-up, Sam Herring of Pennsylvania, 8-1, to make the finals. Knox will scrap with Ohio’s Marcus Blaze who placed fourth at 106 in 2021. Blaze edged Jordyn Raney of Kentucky, 4-2. This makes the 120 final a clash of All-Americans.

 

Minnesota’s Landon Robideau cruised to the finals at 126. Last year’s runner-up at 126, Robideau outscored opponents 59-1. He’ll battle Benjamin Davino of Illinois in the final.

 

At 132, Brock Mantanona, last year’s runner-up at 113, will have another shot at a national championship. He clipped Maddox Shaw of Pennsylvania, 6-4, to make the final. Shaw placed fifth at 120 in 2021. Mantanona will see Tyson Charmoli of Minnesota in the final.

 

Vince Bouzakis of Pennsylvania scrapped his way to the finals at 138, where PJ Duke of New York awaits Bouzakis in the final.

 

Up at 152, Alessio Perentin of New Jersey beat Ohio’s Brodie Dominique, 2-0, to the make the finals. Oklahoma star Ladarion Lockett will wrestle Perentin in the final.

 

Travis Grace of California, who placed sixth at 132 in 2021, made the finals at 160. It’ll be Grace and Bekhruz Sadriddinov of Pennsylvania in the final.

 

The 182 final will feature another battle of All-Americans — Aeoden Sinclair of Wisconsin and De’Alcapon Veazy of Indiana.

Two wrestlers remain eligible for the Triple Crown — Wolbert and Veazy. To win a Triple Crown, a wrestler must win a freestyle, folkstyle and Greco-Roman national championship.

 

The 16U men’s freestyle tournament will continue Monday with the consolations and consolation semifinals at 9 a.m. Central. The tournament will conclude Monday afternoon with the finals and medals matches at 1:30 p.m. Central time.

 

The update on the records of the 25 returning All-Americans:

 

94:

Haakon Peterson of Wisconsin: 6-0 (Finalist)

Kole Davidheiser of Pennsylvania: 3-1 (Lost quarterfinals, onto consolation of eight No. 2)

Nathan Rioux: 6-0 (Finalist)

 

100:

Revin Dickman of Indiana: 4-1 (Lost quarterfinals, onto consolation of eight No. 2)

Lawson Eller: 3-2 (ELIMINATED Saturday 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 (ELIMINATED, lost in consolation eight No. 1)

Seth Mendoza of Illinois: 6-0 (Finalist)

 

113:

Moses Mendoza of California: 5-0 (Finalist)

 

120:

Draegen Orine of Missouri: 4-1 (Lost quarterfinals, onto consolation of eight No. 2)

Sam Herring of Pennsylvania: 5-1 (Lost semifinals, onto consolation semifinals)

Anthony Knox of New Jersey: 6-0 (Finalist)

Marcus Blaze of Ohio: 6-0 (Finalist)

Jackson Blum of Michigan: 4-1 (Lost quarterfinals, onto consolation of eight No. 2)

Gauge Botero of Pennsylvania: 3-1 (Lost quarterfinals, onto consolation of eight No. 2)

 

126:

Landon Robideau of Minnesota: 6-0 (Finalist)

 

132:

Maddox Shaw of Pennsylvania: 5-1 (Lost semifinal, onto consolation semifinals)

Brock Mantanona of California: 5-0 (Finalist)

 

138:

Vince Bouzakis of Pennsylvania: 5-0 (Finalist)

Gabriel Bouyssou of Rhode Island: 3-1 (Lost quarterfinals, onto consolation of eight No. 2)

 

152:

Alessio Perentin of New Jersey: 5-0 (Finalist)

 

160:

Travis Grace of California: 6-0 (Finalist)

 

170:

Peyton Westpfahl of Missouri: 4-1 (Lost semifinal, onto consolation semifinals)

 

182:

Aeoden Sinclair of Wisconsin: 6-0 (Finalist)

De’Alcapon Veazy of Indiana: 5-0 (Finalist)

 

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)

 

16U Boys still eligible for the Triple Crown (Folkstyle national champions and undefeated so far in Fargo)

113 — Kellen Wolbert of Wisconsin

182 — De’Alcapon Veazy of Indiana

 

Final pairings:

 

88:

Caleb Noble of Wisconsin vs Mac Crosson of Iowa

 

94:

Haakon Peterson of Wisconsin vs Nathan Rioux of Indiana

 

100:

Michael Romero of California vs Keanu Dillard of Pennsylvania

 

106:

Seth Mendoza of Illinois vs Jayden Raney of Kentucky

 

113:

Kellen Wolbert of Wisconsin vs Moses Mendoza of California

 

120:

Marcus Blaze of Ohio vs Anthony Knox of New Jersey

 

126:

Benjamin Davino of Illinois vs Landon Robideau of Minnesota

 

132:

Tyson Charmoli of Minnesota vs Brock Mantanona of California

 

138:

PJ Duke of New York vs Vince Bouzakis of Pennsylvania

 

145:

Kody Routledge of Oklahoma vs Kollin Rath of Pennsylvania

 

152:

Ladarion Lockett of Oklahoma vs Alessio Perentin of New Jersey

 

160:

Travis Grace of California vs Bekhruz Sadriddinov of Pennsylvania

 

170:

Bryce Burkett of Minnesota vs Jarrel Miller Jr of Ohio

 

182:

Aeoden Sinclair of Wisconsin vs De’Alcapon Veazy of Indiana

 

195:

Dreshaun Ross of Iowa vs Vincenzo Lavalle of New Jersey

 

220:

Jay Henderson of Utah vs Adam Farha of California

 

285:

Aaron Ries of Ohio vs Jacob Levy of Georgia

 

Semifinal results:

88: Caleb Noble (Wisconsin) TF Cason Craft (Oklahoma), 10-0 1:06

88: Mac Crosson (Iowa) TF James Hemmila (Illinois), 10-0 3:00

94: Haakon Peterson (Wisconsin) TF Ayden Dodd (Ohio), 11-1 3:40

94: Nathan Rioux (Indiana) fall Cole Welte (Nebraska), 3-2 2:30

100: Michael Romero (California) TF Titan Friederichs (Minnesota), 10-0 1:47

100: Keanu Dillard (Pennsylvania) dec. Rylan Seacrist (Ohio), 6-6, on criteria

106: Seth Mendoza (Illinois) dec. Isaiah Cortez (California), 5-1

106: Jayden Raney (Kentucky) TF Kolter Burton (Idaho), 10-0 1:40

113: Kellen Wolbert (Wisconsin) dec. Cameron Stinson Jr. (North Carolina), 7-5

113: Moses Mendoza (California) dec. Edwin Sierra (California), 10-8

120: Marcus Blaze (Ohio) dec. Jordyn Raney (Kentucky), 4-2

120: Anthony Knox (New Jersey) dec. Sam Herring (Pennsylvania), 8-1

126: Benjamin Davino (Illinois) dec. Thomas Verrette (Colorado), 6-0

126: Landon Robideau (Minnesota) TF Elias Navida (California), 11-0 2:18

132: Brock Mantanona (California) dec. Maddox Shaw (Pennsylvania), 6-4

132: Tyson Charmoli (Minnesota) dec. Garrett Reece (Colorado), 5-3

138: PJ Duke (New York) TF Grayson Woodcock (Ohio), 10-0 1:19

138: Vince Bouzakis (Pennsylvania) dec. Elvis Solis (Florida), 5-2

145: Kody Routledge (Oklahoma) dec. Collin Gaj (Pennsylvania), 6-6, on criteria

145: Kollin Rath (Pennsylvania) TF Tycho Carmichael (Iowa), 11-0 3:14

152: Ladarion Lockett (Oklahoma) TF Christopher Crawford (New York), 12-1 3:20

152: Alessio Perentin (New Jersey) VPO Brodie Dominique (Ohio), 2-0

160: Travis Grace (California) dec. Cade Ziola (Nebraska), 11-4

160: Bekhruz Sadriddinov (Pennsylvania) fall Jordan Chapman (New Jersey), 11-8 2:26

170: Bryce Burkett (Minnesota) dec. Peyton Westpfahl (Missouri), 5-2

170: Jarrel Miller Jr. (Ohio) dec. Ryan Burton (New Jersey), 7-2

182: De'alcapon Veazy (Indiana) dec. Adam Waters (Pennsylvania), 6-0

182: Aeoden Sinclair (Wisconsin) TF Caleb Marzolino (Pennsylvania), 10-0 1:24

195: Dreshaun Ross (Iowa) TF Mason Ellis (Alabama), 11-1 2:22

195: Vincenzo Lavalle (New Jersey) dec. Michael Mocco (Florida), 8-1

220: Jay Henderson (Utah) dec. Melvin Whitehead (Nevada), 8-6

220: Adam Farha (California) TF James Bechter (Ohio), 20-9 3:27

285: Aaron Ries (Ohio) fall Cooper Martinson (Iowa), 16-6 3:53

285: Jacob Levy (Georgia) TF Nicholas Bowser (Ohio), 13-2 2:17