Kenny beats World champ Munaretto, three World medalists advance as freestyle finals set at U17 World Team Trials

Paul Kenny (NJ) controls Domenic Munaretto (IL) in U17 World Team Trials semifinals. Photo by Sandy Slater.


LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The championship finals series have been set at the U17 World Team Trials in men’s freestyle, after an action-packed semifinals round at the South Point Arena.


The big news of the semifinals came at 48 kg, where No. 5 seed Paul Kenny of New Jersey upset the top seed and a 2022 U17 World champion Domenic Munaretto of Illinois, 4-3. Kenny will battle No. 2 seed Grey Burnett of Ohio in the best-of-three championship series on Sunday.


The other three 2022 U17 World medalists in the semifinals all safely advanced to the championship series: World silver medalist Christian Castillo of Arizona (51 kg) and Jax Forrest of Pennsylvania (60 kg), plus World bronze medalist Zack Ryder of New York (80 kg).


Castillo defeated No. 5 seed Keanu Dillard of Pennsylvania in the semifinals, 6-2. He will battle No. 3 seed Seth Mendoza of Illinois in the championship series.


Forrest had no trouble with nseeded Matthew Botello of Massachusetts in a 10-0 technical fall. His finals series opponent will be No. 3 seed Benjamin Davino of Illinois.


Ryder defeated No. 4 seed and 2023 U17 Greco-Roman champion Adam Waters of Pennsylvania in the semifinals, 6-1. He will battle No. 2 De'alcapon Veazy of Indiana for the World Team berth.


A pair of U17 Greco-Roman champions have reached the men’s freestyle finals, with a chance to double up this weekend: Dreshawn Ross of Iowa (92 kg) and Nicholas Sahakian of California (110 kg).


Ross will battle top seed Aeoden Sinclair of Wisconsin in his finals series. Sahakian’s finals opponent is Missouri’s No. 3 seed Sampson Stillwell.


Six No. 1 seeds advanced to the finals: Castillo, Forrest, Ryder and Sinclair, plus Kollin Rath of Pennsylvania (65 kg) and Ladarion Lockett of Oklahoma (71 kg).


The winners of the best-of-three championship finals series on Sunday will represent the USA at the 2023 U17 World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, July 31-August 6.


The Championship Series is set for 4:00 p.m. PT on Sunday afternoon, live on FloWrestling.

U17 FREESTYLE WORLD TEAM TRIALS

At Las Vegas, Nev., April 29

Finals pairings

45 kg- No. 5 Kavin Muyleart PA (American Dream Wrestling Club) vs. No. 6 Ignacio Villasenor CO (Pomona Elite (PWCC)

48 kg - No. 5 Paul Kenny NJ (New Jersey) vs. No. 2 Grey Burnett OH (Perrysburg Wrestling Club)

51 kg - No. 1 Christian Castillo AZ (Thorobred Wrestling Club) vs. No. 3 Seth Mendoza IL (Region Wrestling Academy)

55 kg - No. 5 Anthony Knox NJ (Rhino Wrestling LLC) vs. No. 3 Marcus Blaze OH (Perrysburg Wrestling Club)

60 kg - No. 1 Jax Forrest PA (Bishop McCort High School Wrestling) vs. No. 3 Benjamin Davino IL (St. Charles WC)

65 kg - No. 1 Kollin Rath PA (Steller Trained Wrestling) vs. No. 6 Brock Mantanona CA (Coachella Valley Wrestling Club)

71 kg - No. 1 Ladarion Lockett OK (Cowboy Wrestling Club) vs. Unseeded Vince Bouzakis PA (Pennsylvania)

80 kg - No. 1 Zack Ryder NY (M2 Training Center) vs. No. 2 De'alcapon Veazy IN (Legends of Gold Wrestling)

92 kg - No. 1 Aeoden Sinclair WI (Askren Wrestling Academy) vs. No. 2 Dreshaun Ross IA (Sebolt Wrestling Academy)

110 kg - No. 4 Nicholas Sahakian CA (Sunkist Kids/Monster Garage) vs. No. 3 Sampson Stillwell MO (Kobra Kai Training)

Semifinals results


45 kg

No. 5 Kavin Muyleart PA (American Dream Wrestling Club) dec. No. 8 Cameron Sontz NJ (Edge Wrestling), 15-12

No. 6 Ignacio Villasenor CO (Pomona Elite (PWCC) dec. No. 2 Haakon Peterson WI (Dodgeville High School Wrestling), 5-2


48 kg

No. 5 Paul Kenny NJ (New Jersey) dec. No. 1 Domenic Munaretto IL (Illinois), 4-3

No. 2 Grey Burnett OH (Perrysburg Wrestling Club) dec. No. 3 Lincoln Sledzianowski PA (Pennsylvania), 10-7


51

No. 1 Christian Castillo AZ (Thorobred Wrestling Club) dec. No. 5 Keanu Dillard PA (Steller Trained Wrestling), 6-2

No. 3 Seth Mendoza IL (Region Wrestling Academy) tech. fall No. 2 Aydan Thomas OK (Cowboy Wrestling Club), 10-0, 3:43


55 kg

No. 5 Anthony Knox NJ (Rhino Wrestling LLC) dec. No. 9 Elijah Cortez CA (Gilroy High School Wrestling), 5-2

No. 3 Marcus Blaze OH (Perrysburg Wrestling Club) dec. No. 2 Jayden Raney KY (Union County High School Wrestling), 5-2


60 kg

No. 1 Jax Forrest PA (Bishop McCort High School Wrestling) tech fall. unseeded Matthew Botello MA (Massachusetts), 10-0

No. 3 Benjamin Davino IL (St. Charles WC) tech fall No. 2 Landon Robideau MN (MN Elite Wrestling Club), 12-1


65 kg

No. 1 Kollin Rath PA (Steller Trained Wrestling) dec. No. 4 Gabriel Bouyssou RI (Mayo Quanchi Wrestling Club), 5-2

No. 6 Brock Mantanona CA (Coachella Valley Wrestling Club) dec. No. 2 Logan w. Paradice GA (The Storm Wrestling Center), 9-3


71 kg

No. 1 Ladarion Lockett OK (Cowboy Wrestling Club) dec. No. 13 Jake Stoffel WI (Askren Wrestling Academy), 6-1

Unseeded Vince Bouzakis PA (Pennsylvania) tech. fall No. 2 Kyler Knaack IA (Immortal Athletics WC), 11-0


80 kg

No. 1 Zack Ryder NY (M2 Training Center) dec. No. 4 Adam Waters PA (Steller Trained Wrestling), 6-1

No. 2 De'alcapon Veazy IN (Legends of Gold Wrestling) tech fall No. 6 Brent Slade IA (Moen Wrestling Academy), 12-2.


92 kg

No. 1 Aeoden Sinclair WI (Askren Wrestling Academy) tech fall No. 4 Aiden Cooley TX (Allen High School Wrestling), 11-1

No. 2 Dreshaun Ross IA (Sebolt Wrestling Academy) dec. No. 3 Karson Tompkins TX (Warrior Trained Wrestling), 14-9


110 kg

No. 4 Nicholas Sahakian CA (Sunkist Kids/Monster Garage) tech fall No. 1 Jacob Levy GA (Georgia), 16-6

No. 3 Sampson Stillwell MO (Kobra Kai Training) tech fall No. 2 Kai Calcutt IL (Toss Em Up Wrestling Academy), 10-0