U17 silver medalist Forrest wins Who's Number One on exciting and loaded men's card

Jax Forrest (red) battles with Nate Jesuroga at Who's Number One. Photo by Sam Janicki.

ANN ARBOR, Mich — Ten men’s wrestlers earned No. 1 rankings from FloWrestling in its Who Number One event on Friday night at Cliff Keen Arena in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

  

Two age-group World team members earned wins on Friday night.

 

At 182, U20 World Team member Brayden Thompson outlasted Zack Ryder 3-3 on criteria. Jax Forrest, a U17 World silver medalist, topped Nate Jesuroga 8-7 in a fast-paced bout at 120.

 

Anthony Knox also repeated as a Who’s Number One champion with a 16-1 tech over Christian Castillo at 113.

 

Match summaries

All matches were contested using NCAA wrestling folkstyle rules.

 

160 semifinal

Angelo Ferrari (Melissa, Texas, No. 1 at 160, No. 18 pound-for-pound) vs. Braeden Scoles (Kewaskum, Wisc., No. 4 at 160), 5-2

 

After a scoreless first period, Ferrari’s second period escape made the difference entering the final period. Thirty seconds into the third, Ferrari forced Scoles to the edge and scored a two-point near fall.

 

Scoles earned an escape point with a minute left, but Ferrari’s pressure remained. Ferrari countered a shot from Scoles with a takedown of his own to make it 5-1.

 

A late escape from Scoless didn’t matter as Ferrari won 5-2. Ferrari advanced to the 160-pound final to wrestle Joe Sealey.

 

160 semifinal

Joe Sealey (Orlando, Fla. No. 3 at 160) dec. Nicco Ruiz (Ontario, Calif., No. 2 at 160), 9-5

 

Sealey, a U17 World champion, continued to win with his non-stop gas tank.

 

Near the edge, Sealey worked a takedown for the match’s first points in the first period. After allowing a pair of escapes with another takedown, Sealey led 4-2 at the break.

 

With 1:43 left in the third, Ruiz escaped to cut it within one. But not for long. Sealey ankle picked for a takedown. Throughout the match, Sealey continued to fatigue Ruiz. With the win, Sealey advanced to wrestle Ferrari in the 160-pound final.

 

132

Sergio Lemley (Chesterton, Ind., No. 2 at 132) dec. Kannon Webster (Washington, Ill. No. 1 at 132), 7-6

 

Webster, an Illinois commit, began the scoring with a takedown in the first period. Lemley scored on a reversal off the mat return. Several seconds later, Webster escaped on the edge to lead 3-2 after the first period.

 

Lemley, a future Michigan Wolverine, displayed several mat returns throughout the second period.

 

Lemley began the third with an escape from bottom and a reversal. Lemley continued to add onto his two minutes-plus of riding time.

 

With 80 seconds left, Lemley let Webster escape to tie it at 4-4.

 

Webster forced a scramble and chopped him down, but Lemley scored a reversal with 11 seconds left. Webster worked for a takedown but riding time gave Lemley the 7-6 win.

 

113

 

Anthony Knox (Freehold, N.J., No. 1 at 113, No. 24 pound-for-pound) tech. Christian Castillo (Glendale, Ariz. No. 1 at 106), 16-1

 

Knox opened the scoring with an early takedown and let his speed take over. He added a four-point near fall and continued to punish Castillo, a U17 World silver medalist. With a minute left in the first, Knox ran and lifted Castillo into a takedown and another four-point near fall. Seconds later, Knox secured another four-point near fall to end it in the first via technical fall.

 

138

Nasir Bailey (Rich Township, Ill., No. 2 at 138) dec. Ryder Block (Waverly, Iowa, No. 1 at 138), 8-4

 

Speedy hand fighting and cross faces were aplenty before the action picked up late in the first period. Bailey blasted toward Block for a double leg takedown and rolled Block for a four-point near fall.

With under 30 seconds left in the first, Block escaped and added a takedown to cut within three.

 

Bailey, the Little Rock commit and 2021 Fargo champ, began the third on bottom with two minutes-plus of riding time.

 

Bailey continued to push the pace and control Block to the end.

 

145

Beau Mantanona (Palm Desert, Calif., No, 2 at 145) pin Tyler Kasak (Doylestown, Pa., No. 1 at 145, No 17 pound-for-pound), 2:32

 

Mantanona, a Michigan commit, scored first in his future gym. From there, Mantanona worked on Kasak’s shoulders and pinned him with a half-nelson in the first period.

 

Kasak, a Penn State commit, won a freestyle silver medal at the U17 World Championships this summer.

 

126

Ben Davino (St. Charles, Ill., No. 2 at 126) dec. Marc-Anthony McGowan (New Brunswick, N.J., No. 1 at 126, No. 14 pound-for-pound), 6-3

 

McGowan worked his underhook to a takedown on the edge in the first minute. Later in the restart, Davino escaped from bottom to cut the lead in half.

 

Underhooks became key in this match.

 

Davino recorded an escape of his own. In the final seconds of the second period, Davino, a 2022 Fargo champ, pulled McGowan into a cradle but time expired before a pin. Instead, Davino led with a takedown and two-point near fall.

 

Davino fended off late shots from McGowan to hold on for the win.

 

152

 

Meyer Shapiro (Woodbine, Md., No. 1 at 152, No. 9 pound-for-pound) dec. LaDarion Lockett (Stillwater, Okla. No. 2 at 152), 6-3

 

In a battle of World champ versus Fargo champ, Shapriro quickly snatched Lockett’s ankles for the first takedown.

 

Shapiro, a 2021 Cadet World champ and Ohio State commit, controlled Lockett with another takedown and a minute-plus of riding time in the first period. Lockett added two escapes in this fast-paced bout.

 

With 14 seconds left, Lockett snapped with a duck under that would’ve tied it at 4-4 but a challenge negated the move.

 

Lockett took bottom to start the second but continued to be pressured from Shapiro. Lockett, a 2022 Fargo champ, escaped on the edge.

 

Shapiro controlled the pace in the third period with another escape and 1:41 of riding time to win 6-3.

 

182

Brayden Thompson (Lockport, Ill. No. 1 at 182, No. 3 pound-for-pound) dec. Zack Ryder (Minisink Valley, N.Y., No. 2 at 182, No. 6 pound-for-pound), 3-3, criteria

 

In this low-scoring affair, Thompson grabbed a reversal halfway through the second and Ryder escaped seconds later.

 

Thompson, a 2022 U20 World Team member, is committed to Oklahoma State. Ryder, a 2022 U17 World bronze medalist is uncommitted.

 

Ryder escaped from bottom to start the third to tie it at 2-2.

 

Nothing changed in the two-minute sudden victory period, so the match needed a riding time tiebreaker to determine a winner.

 

Thompson escaped from bottom to start the first tiebreaker period but allowed eight seconds of riding time to Ryder.

 

Thompson controlled Ryder from the restart and negated his riding time. Ryder escaped with eight seconds left but Thompson held criteria from riding time.

 

120

Jax Forrest (Johnstown, Pa., No. 1 at 120, No. 21 pound-for-pound) dec. Nate Jesuroga (Pleasant Hill, Iowa, No. 2 at 120, No 5 pound-for-pound), 8-7

 

Forrest, a speedy U17 World silver medalist, let his offense show against Jesuroga.

 

At least in the first period. Then Jesuroga, a Fargo champ and Iowa commit, did the same.

 

Forrest carried a 5-3 lead after two. Jesuroga, with his long arms, scored off a go behind to tie it at 5-5 with 80 seconds left. Jesuroga opted to let Forrest escape but then Jesuroga grabbed a takedown to lead 7-6. That lead lasted a few seconds as Jesuroga let Forrest escape since riding time went to Forrest.

 

He held on for an 8-7 win with 1:28 of riding time.

 

160

Angelo Ferrari (Melissa, Texas, No. 1 at 160, No. 18 pound-for-pound) maj dec. Joe Sealey (Orlando, Fla. No. 3 at 160), 10-2

 

Ferrari scored first with a takedown on the edge with about 80 seconds left in the first.

 

Sealey, a 2022 U17 World champion, later escaped toward the end of the first period to trial 2-1 entering the second.

 

Ferrari escaped from bottom to begin the second period and pushed the pace the rest of the match.

 

Several more takedowns put Ferrari ahead 9-2 with 30 seconds remaining. He finished with 2:35 of riding time.

 

170

Rocco Welsh (Waynesburg, Pa., No. 2 at 170, No. 12 pound-for-pound) dec. Josh Barr (Davison, Mich. No. 1 at 170, No. 8 pound-for-pound), 5-4

 

Riding time decided this Fargo finals rematch featuring future Big Ten rivals.

 

Barr scored first from a double leg lift takedown, but escapes were key.

 

Welsh escaped seconds later but the 2-1 score remained until the second period.

 

Twenty seconds into the second, Welsh escaped and scored a takedown from a reattack to lead 4-2. Barr escaped late in the second but still trailed by one.

 

Halfway through the third, Barr tied it with an escape, but Welsh held advantage with a minute-plus of riding time to win 5-4.

 

Who’s Number One

 

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Sept. 9, 2022

 

Men’s results

 

160: Angelo Ferrari (TX) dec. Braeden Scoles (WI), 5-2

160: Joe Sealey (FL) vs Nicco Ruiz (CA), 9-5

132: Sergio Lemley (IN) dec. Kannon Webster (IL), 7-6

113: Anthony Knox (NJ) tech. No. 1 (at 106) Christian Castillo, 16-1

138: Nasir Bailey (IL) dec. Ryder Block (IA), 8-4

145: Beau Mantanona (CA) fall. Tyler Kasak (PA), 2:32

126: Ben Davino (IL) dec. Marc-Anthony McGowan (NJ), 6-3

152: Meyer Shapiro (MD) dec. LaDarion Lockett (OK), 6-3

182: Brayden Thompson (IL) dec. Zack Ryder (NY), 3-3, criteria

120: Jax Forrest (PA) dec. No. 2 Nate Jesuroga (IA), 8-7

160: Angelo Ferrari (TX) maj dec. Joe Sealey (FL), 10-2

170: Rocco Welsh (PA) dec. Josh Barr (MI), 5-4