Fargo Preview: Cadet Greco-Roman

Josh Lowe
Josh Lowe, InterMat High School Analyst
7/18/2015
josh@intermatwrestle.com

While the 2015 edition of the ASICS/Vaughan Junior and Cadet Nationals kick off from Fargo, N.D. today with the Cadet women's freestyle competition, competition for the males kicks off tomorrow with the opening day of Cadet Greco-Roman. Sessions at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. CT on Sunday will whittle the field down to the semifinals of the championship bracket. That semifinal round takes place during a Monday session starting at 9 a.m. -- with the medal matches slated for 2 p.m.

The Cadet level of competition this year features wrestlers born in either 1999 or 2000. As always, it will prove to be an excellent proving ground for some of the already established young stars of scholastic wrestling, and a platform for emerging and unknown athletes to become more known to the wrestling community.

The following is a weight-by-weight analysis of the Cadet Greco-Roman field based on entrants registered as of Friday evening.

88: Incoming freshman Mosha Schwartz (Colorado) won the first leg of the Cadet Triple Crown when he took home the folkstyle title in this weight class this past April in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Coming off of a double All-American finish at the UWW Cadet Nationals at 42 kilos in late May, Schwartz enters this event as favorite to take home leg two of the Triple Crown. Others to watch here include Lucas Byrd (Ohio), Logan Ashton (Georgia), Ernest del Rio (Arizona), Christian Goin (Illinois), and Daniel Kimball (Iowa); Byrd and Ashton were double champions at Cadet regional tournaments, while Byrd went undefeated across both styles at the Cadet Duals last month.

94: Steele Dias (Nevada) seeks the second leg of the Cadet Triple Crown in this weight class after winning the Cadet folkstyle title in April. Dias was a double All-American at the UWW Cadet Nationals in Akron at 42 kilos. However, the likely favorite in this weight class is Cody Phippen (Kansas), an All-American in Greco-Roman last summer in Fargo and runner-up in Cadet folkstyle at 100 pounds this spring. Others to watch include UWW Cadet Greco-Roman champion Eric Barnett (Wisconsin), runner-up Cevion Severado (Missouri), Connor Kievman (Pennsylvania), and Conrad Braswell (Iowa).

100: Returning Cadet National double All-American Peter Ogunsanya (Illinois), who placed third in both styles last year at 94 pounds, enters this weight class as the pre-tournament favorite. Others to watch include state placer Gable Fox (Iowa), Patrick McKee (Minnesota), Joey Melendez (Illinois), and Benji Peak (Wisconsin); McKee and Melendez were both double All-Americans last year in Fargo, with McKee placing second in Greco-Roman at 88 pounds.

106: Things seem rather open in this weight class, though a primary contender is going to be Charles Faber (Illinois); he was undefeated at the Cadet Duals in Greco-Roman and had just one loss in the freestyle competition at this weight class. Others to watch include a pair of Missouri state champions in Malik Johnson and Clayton Singh; state champions Antonio Saldate (Nevada), Bjorn Schroder (Montana), and Dallas Wilson (Kansas); state runner-up Riley Gurr (Washington); returning double All-American Izzak Olejnik (California); and Curtis Lemair (Minnesota).

113: The favorite in this weight class is Roman Bravo-Young (Arizona), who last year was a Cadet double champion at 100 pounds, and is currently ranked No. 17 overall in the Class of 2018. Seven state champions are among the other contenders in this weight -- Brock Bergelin (Wisconsin), who also was runner-up at 50 kilos at the UWW Cadet Nationals in Greco-Roman; Michael Millage (Iowa); Peyton Robb (Minnesota), runner-up in Cadet folkstyle; Brian Stuart (Maryland); Jet Taylor (Oklahoma); Logan Treaster (Kansas); and Trent Baun (Washington), a returning All-American in Cadet Greco-Roman. Others to watch include two-time UWW Cadet All-American P.J. Gohn (New Jersey) and Preseason Nationals champion Chase Zollmann (California).

120: The most talented wrestler in this weight class is two-time state runner-up Jason Renteria (Illinois), who is ranked No. 21 in the Class of 2017 and seeking the second leg of the Cadet Triple Crown in this event after winning the folkstyle title in April. Three other grade level ranked wrestlers are present in this field -- Nick Raimo (New Jersey), who is ranked No. 3 in the Class of 2019, along with a pair of nationally ranked Class of 2018 wrestlers in No. 45 Alex Thomsen (Iowa) and No. 48 Jarrett Trombley (Michigan). Two other contenders are state placers and returning All-Americans in Cadet Greco-Roman, Parker Huss (Minnesota) and Brandon Lucas (Ohio). Others to note include state runner-up Tyler Eischens (Minnesota), state champion and UWW Cadet runner-up Alston Nutter (Wisconsin), state champion Clay Quintanilla (Washington), and two-time state placer Cameron Valdvidez (Missouri).

126: Leading the way in what looks to be an open weight class are state champion Kyran Hagan (Missouri) and New England third place finisher Timmy Kane (Conncticut). Others to watch include two-time state champion Danny Bertoni (Maryland), UWW Cadet All-American Taylor Brown (Missouri), former state champion Hunter Dusold (New York), Cadet folkstyle runner-up Lawrence Saenz (California), along with state placers Keaton Geerts (Iowa) and Zach Villarreal (Illinois).

132: Two nationally ranked Class of 2018 wrestlers stand at the head of this field, No. 19 Brock Hardy (Utah) and No. 21 Alex Lloyd (Minnesota). Hardy was a state champ this past year and placed third in Cadet folkstyle, while Lloyd is a returning Cadet double All-American and was runner-up in Junior folkstyle this spring. Others to watch here include state champion Brevin Balmeceda (Florida), two-time state champion Sam Eckhart (Idaho) and Dakota Galt (South Dakota), two-time state runner-up Alec Hagan (Missouri), and state runner-up Cal Hansen (Wisconsin).

138: Two nationally ranked Class of 2018 wrestlers lead the notables in this field, No. 22 Joe Lee (Indiana) and No. 39 Aaron Brooks (Maryland); Lee was a state runner-up this past season in high school, while Brooks was a state champion. Others to watch here include Kansas state champions and Cadet folkstyle finalists in this weight class, Kameron and Kendall Frame, returning Cadet All-American Jose Acosta (Wisconsin), 2014 state champion Ryan Hansen (Utah), Andrew Merola (New Jersey), and state placer Tyler Shilson (Minnesota).

145: Leading the way in this weight class is two-time state champion Anthony Artalona (Florida), who earned All-American honors in both styles at the UWW Cadet Nationals; he is also ranked No. 44 in the Class of 2017, though he is actually in the Class of 2018. Primary challengers include Jaryn Curry (Oklahoma), ranked No. 29 in the Class of 2018; two-time state champion Eli King (Tennessee); state champion and returning Cadet All-American Braeden Redlin (Texas); state champion Hunter Richard (New York); and Preseason Nationals champion Emille Shannon (Illinois). Others to watch include returning All-American Aidan Monteverdi (New Jersey), along with state placers Sammy Cokeley (Kansas) and Logan McKoy (Maryland).

152: Jake Allar (Minnesota) won a Cadet National title last year in Greco-Roman at 132 pounds, and was the UWW Cadet champion in this weight class almost two months ago. He is favored in this weight class, as he seeks the second leg of the Cadet Triple Crown after winning the 145 pound weight class at the folkstyle nationals in early April. Others to watch include state placers Michael O'Malley (New Jersey) and Kenny O'Neil (Minnesota), 2014 state champion Max Wohlabaugh (Florida), and returning Cadet All-American Andrew Johnson (Kansas).

160: Three nationally ranked Class of 2018 wrestlers headline this weight class, No. 13 Travis Wittlake (Oregon), No. 25 Ryan Karoly (New Jersey), and No. 47 Anthony Sherry (Iowa). Wittlake, the favorite in this weight class, won the Cadet folkstyle title down at 152 pounds in early April and was a state champion this high school season; Karoly was a NHSCA Freshman Nationals champion after being closed out of the Blair Academy lineup; while Sherry was fourth at state after being a Cadet double All-American last summer, including runner-up in Greco-Roman. Others to watch include state champion Clay Lautt (Kansas) along with state placer Kyle Cochran (New Jersey).

170: A pair of elite wrestlers from Illinois leads the way in this weight class, Jacob Warner and Jack Jessen. Warner is ranked No. 25 overall in the Class of 2017, a state champion, and was fifth in both styles at Cadet Nationals last summer; while Jessen is No. 12 in the Class of 2018, a Cadet folkstyle champion, and placed third in both styles at Cadet Nationals last summer. Primary challengers include New England runner-up Anthony Falbo (Connecticut), returning Cadet All-Americans in Richard Gonzalez (California) and Dylan Servis (Kansas), along with Cadet folkstyle runner-up Jacob Gray (Indiana). Others to watch include state placers David Crawford (Ohio) and Mason Rutt (Minnesota).

182: Cadet folkstyle champion Andrew Davison (Indiana) seeks the second leg of the Triple Crown, and is the favorite in this weight class; he also placed fifth at state this past year, and was a UWW Cadet All-American in freestyle at 85 kilos. Others to watch include state placer and returning Cadet All-American Jared Florell (Minnesota), along with another trio of state placers in Riley Vanik (Illinois), Tage McNutt (Missouri), and Anthony Walters (Pennsylvania).

195: The top five finishers from Cadet folkstyle in this weight class all are in this Fargo Greco-Roman field at present. The weight class champion in folkstyle was Bryce Esmoil (Iowa), who placed seventh at state as a freshman; finishing second was Lucius Rinehart (Wisconsin), state fifth as a sophomore; third went to Dylan Prince (Kansas), state third as a sophomore and a returning All-American in Cadet Greco-Roman. Others who could contend for the title in this weight class include Dan Baker (Oklahoma), who went undefeated in both styles at Cadet Duals and is ranked No. 46 in the Class of 2018; state champion Brady Daniel (Maryland), a Cadet freestyle All-American last year; and state placer Danny Salas (California).

220: Two absurdly talented wrestlers for their grade level anchor this weight class, Gable Steveson (Minnesota) and Cohlton Schultz (Colorado). Steveson is the nation's top-ranked Class of 2018 wrestlers, and the prohibitive favorite in this weight class after winning the UWW Cadet freestyle title with a victory over the returning World silver medalist. The other star is Schultz, ranked second in the Class of 2019, and already placing third in the high school division of the Flo Nationals at this weight class. Others to watch include state placers Max Darrah (Missouri) and Kayne Hutchison (Kansas), along with Preseason Nationals champion Blake Zalapi (Illinois), a returning Cadet All-American.

285: Leading the way in this weight class is Cadet folkstyle champion Zach Muller (Illinois), who was also undefeated across both styles at the Cadet Duals last month. Others to watch include state champion Nicholas Boykin (Tennessee) and state placer Gavin Nye (California).