Illinois takes three titles, Warner named OW at UWW Cadet Greco-Roman Nationals

Jacob Warner (Illinois) named Outstanding Wrestler at the 2016 UWW Cadet Greco-Roman Nationals. Photo: Sam Janicki.

VIDEO: UWW Cadet Nationals Champion Interviews

AKRON, Ohio – The Illinois pair of Jacob Warner and Real Woods secured spots on the U.S. Cadet World Team with impressive performances at the UWW Cadet Greco-Roman Nationals in Akron, Ohio on Friday.

Warner, a 2016 Illinois high school state champion, cruised to the 85 kg/187 lbs. title with five technical fall victories on the day, outscoring his opponents by a combined 42-2 score.

In the best-of-three championship series Warner topped promising Michigan prospect Brandon Whitman by 8-0 scores in two straight matches.

Warner won both the men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman Cadet Nationals in Fargo, N.D. last summer. He was named Outstanding Greco-Roman Wrestler for the UWW Cadet Nationals.

An Illinois high school state runner-up in 2016, Woods won a total of six matches to claim the crown at 54 kg/119 lbs. Woods twice topped Illinois teammate Jaleel Hollingsworth by technical fall, 8-0, in the finals.

“Today I really wrestled smart. Overall, I came into this tournament with not a whole lot of Greco experience. This is really my first year getting into Greco. With a lot of practice and great partners, success comes,” said Woods.

Colorado added a pair of champions in Mosha Schwartz at 46 kg/101 lbs. and Cohlton Schultz at 100 kg/220 lbs.

Fresh off a runner-up finish at the UWW Junior World Team Trials held two weeks ago in Irving, Texas, Schwartz rebounded to make his first U.S. Cadet World Team. In the finals, Schwartz dominated Cevion Severado of Missouri in two matches, 11-3 and 9-0.

“I’ve been training Greco for a month straight. I had to do what I had to do today and I came out with a victory,” Schwartz said. “I’ve been working on my supe’s and lifts from par terre and I’ve been getting it done this whole tournament. I’m just excited.”

Schwartz was a double champion at the Cadet Nationals held in Fargo, N.D. last year at 88 pounds.

Coming off his first Colorado high school state title, Schultz obliterated the 100 kg field with three technical falls and one pin en route to the top spot. He defeated Brady Daniel of Maryland in the finals, 8-0 and 10-1.

Champions in every weight class except 125 kg qualify for the U.S. Cadet Greco-Roman World Team that will compete at the Cadet World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, Sept. 13-18.

Two championship series went all three matches, providing the Akron crowd several rounds of excitement. At 58 kg/127 lbs. Jack Davis outlasted Jack Karstetter two matches to one. Similarly, Peyton Omania upended Calvin Germinaro in three matches to win at 63 kg/138 lbs.

Other wrestlers earning a coveted stop sign and securing U.S. Cadet World Team berths were Jalen Spuhler (42 kg), Malik Johnson (50 kg), Max Wohlabaugh (69 kg) and Clay Lautt (76 kg).

Tony Cassioppi was the third champion Illinois crowned on the day. He won a four-man round-robin at the non-World Championships weight of 125 kg with three technical falls throughout competition.

Wrestlers eligible to compete in the UWW Cadet age group were born from 1999 to 2001.

The UWW Cadet Nationals will resume on Saturday with day one of the men’s freestyle competition. This event will be held alongside the University Nationals. Both events are U.S. World Team qualifiers.

The remaining action from Akron can be viewed live on Flowrestling.com tomorrow at 9 a.m. (ET).

For complete brackets and results from the UWW Cadet and University Nationals visit Trackwrestling.com.

UWW Cadet Nationals Greco-Roman Results
Best-of-Three Championship Finals

42 kg/92.5 lbs.
Jalen Spuhler (Wisconsin) dec. Andrew Chambal (Michigan), 4-2
Jalen Spuhler (Wisconsin) dec. Andrew Chambal (Michigan), 4-0
Spuhler wins series 2-0

46 kg/101 lbs.
Mosha Schwartz (Colorado) tech. fall Cevion Severado (Missouri), 11-3
Mosha Schwartz (Colorado) tech. fall Cevion Severado (Missouri), 9-0
Schwartz wins series 2-0

50 kg/110 lbs.
Malik Johnson (Missouri) dec. Brock Bergelin (Wisconsin), 7-2
Malik Johnson (Missouri) dec. Brock Bergelin (Wisconsin), 5-1
Johnson wins series 2-0

54 kg/119 lbs.
Real Woods (Illinois) tech. fall Jaleel Hollingsworth (Illinois), 8-0
Real Woods (Illinois) tech. fall Jaleel Hollingsworth (Illinois), 8-0
Woods wins series 2-0

58 kg/127 lbs.
Jack Davis (Pennsylvania) dec. Jack Karstetter (Oklahoma), 5-2
Jack Karstetter (Oklahoma) dec. Jack Davis (Pennsylvania), 12-5
Jack Davis (Pennsylvania) dec. Jack Karstetter (Oklahoma), 3-2
Davis wins series 2-1

63 kg/138 lbs.
Peyton Omania (California) dec. Calvin Germinaro (Minnesota), 16-14
Calvin Germinaro (Minnesota) tech. fall Peyton Omania (California), 8-0
Peyton Omania (California) tech. fall Calvin Germinaro (Minnesota), 8-0
Omania wins series 2-1

69 kg/152 lbs.
Max Wohlabaugh (Florida) dec. Josiah Rider (Colorado), 8-3
Max Wohlabaugh (Florida) tech. fall Josiah Rider (Colorado), 10-0
Wohlabaugh wins series 2-0

76 kg/167.5 lbs.
Clay Lautt (Kansas) dec. Jose Acosta (Wisconsin), 2-2
Clay Lautt (Kansas) tech. fall Jose Acosta (Wisconsin), 8-0
Lautt wins series 2-0

85 kg/187 lbs.
Jacob Warner (Illinois) tech. fall Brandon Whitman (Michigan), 8-0
Jacob Warner (Illinois) tech. fall Brandon Whitman (Michigan), 8-0
Warner wins series 2-0

100 kg/220 lbs.
Cohlton Schultz (Colorado) tech. fall Brady Daniel (Maryland), 8-0
Cohlton Schultz (Colorado) tech. fall Brady Daniel (Maryland), 10-1
Schultz wins series 2-0

125 kg/275.5 lbs. *Round Robin, Non-World Team weight
1st Place - Tony Cassioppi of Illinois
2nd Place - Keaton Kluever of Wisconsin
3rd Place - Kayne Hutchison of Kansas
4th Place - Jack Carruth of Wisconsin