It's a great time for wrestling. Starting this Friday, the next two weekends kick off competitions that will decide four age levels of U.S. World Teams that will go to international competitions.

It starts with FILA Cadets. And with the re-institution of Cadet Worlds in 2011, Akron has taken on greater importance and attracted boat loads of talent.

There are 11 weights competed at FILA Cadets and all but 125KG qualify for the World Championships which are in Snina, Slovakia from July 15th to the 20th, which does, unfortunately, overlap with Fargo this year.

Three Cadet World Team Members return from last year. Austin Gomez and Spencer Lee are at the same weight (50KG) with Lance Benick, who won the spot at 100KG in 2013, now down at 85KG.

Below we'll break down the weights, listing contenders, giving notes, and making picks.

Make sure to catch all the action this weekend as you can watch every match live on FLO PRO.


Note - Only Freestyle credentials listed.


42KG
Contenders:
Cody Phippen, KS
Gavin Teasdale, PA - Fargo Champ
Jordan Crace, OH
Logan Macri, PA
Patrick McKee, MN
Ryan Chauvin, CO
Zack Murillo, CT - Fargo Runner-Up

Commentary: A lot of talent for the lightest weight. If you haven’t heard of some of these guys, you will soon. Teasdale and Murillo met in last year’s Fargo finals with Teasdale getting a 14-4 tech. While they are the only wrestlers here with FS resumes, the others are all national names. Phippen, Crace, Macri, McKee and Chauvin have all been ranked at one time on the Top 50 Junior High Big Board.
Expect Teasdale to dominate. Murillo, a JR in high school, should be in from the bottom half of the bracket. After that, we’ll find out where they’re truly at.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Teasdale, PA 2. Murillo, CT 3. Macri, PA 4. Crace, OH


46KG
Contenders:
Brandon Courtney, AZ
Cade Olivas, CA
Drew Mattin, OH - Returning AA
Dom Lajoie, MI
Louie Hayes, IL - Fargo 3rd
Randon Miranda, CA - Fargo 5th
Sam Webster, MN
Will Moss, PA
Zach Sherman, NJ

Commentary: Interesting weight here and I see four clear title threats. Cade Olivas is arguably the best Junior High wrestler in the country as his pre-high school career comes to a close. He didn’t place he last year, but he hit Austin Gomez and Kaden Gfeller early. He’s gotten a lot bigger and stronger in the last 12 months. n
Randon Miranda beat Mattin in the 5th place bout here last year, and I like him as my top pick. But Sherman is a sneaky sleeper. The National Prep Runner-Up at 106 is going to be big. And Blair Academy knows how to coach ‘em up in Freestyle. He could be a real wild card.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Miranda, CA 2. Mattin, OH 3. Olivas, CA 4. Sherman


50KG
Contenders:
Allan Hart, OH
Austin Gomez, IL - Cadet World Team Member
Ben Freeman, MI - Fargo 6th
Brent Jones, MN - FILA 3rd
Bryce West, IA
Danny Vega, AZ - Fargo Champ
Drew West, IA
Ian Timmins, NV
Ian Parker, MI - Fargo 5th
Kaden Gfeller, OK - Fargo Champ
Spencer Lee, PA - Cadet World Team Member

Commentary: An incredible field featuring two of last year’s World Team members and two other Fargo FS Champs.
Spencer Lee is a dynamo; so much so that even with the rest of the talent present at the weight, he has to be considered a prohibitive favorite. Ask him and he’ll tell you that not medaling at last year’s Worlds has weighed on him ever since. He’s focused and hungry and that spells trouble for his opponents.
Gomez beat Gfeller in the finals here last year, but Gfeller returned the favor on the raised platform in Fargo at 94lbs. Vega won the Fargo title at 100 with solid wins over Joey Prata and Matt Schmitt.
One of the best wrestlers that still flies under the radar nationally is Brent Jones. He was 3rd here last year with losses only to Gomez and, in the True 2nd match, Gfeller. He was also 3rd at Fargo where his only loss was to Gomez.
Michigan checks in with two studs. Parker beat Freeman in the 5/6 bout in Fargo last year. And keep an eye on the West twins from Iowa.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Lee, PA 2. Gfeller, OK 3. Gomez, IL 4. Vega, AZ


54KG
Contenders:
Corbin Nirschl, KS
Dalton Duffield, OK
Daton Fix, OK - Fargo Champ
Dylan Duncan, IL
Jack Mueller, TX - Fargo Champ
Joe Lee, IN
Jon Trowbridge, KS
Kanen Storr, MN
Paul Fitterer, MN
Travis Piotrowski, IL - Fargo 6th
Vitali Arajau, NY

Commentary: It’s weird to look at that group of names and see credentials next to just four. Many of them have very good folk credentials and many have AA’d at national events in Greco.
Fix and Mueller have to be considered the class of the weight. Fix was a Runner-Up here last year to Spencer Lee and then went on to double up at Fargo. He beat Mueller in the True 2nd bout last year here, 10-0.
The guy that could upset the apple cart is Arajau, who’s long, lanky, and frustrates the heck out of opponents with stingy defense.
I also like Storr, who has been on the verge of really breaking out, and Fitterer, who just won Northern Plains. Keep an eye on Duncan, too. He was a runner-up at Fargo in Greco.
Now, the arrival. Joe Lee is going to be special. The only question is, how soon? We’ll find out here.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Fix, OK 2. Mueller, TX 3. Arajau, NY 4. Duncan, IL



58KG
Contenders:
Andrew Merholz, IL - Fargo 6th
Carter Happel, IA - Fargo Champ
Chris DeBien, TN
Coltan Williams, TX - Fargo 8th
Corey Shie, OH - Fargo 7th
Gabe Townsell, IL - Fargo Runner-Up
Hunter Marko, WI - 2x Fargo Champ
Jacob Fontanez, OK
Justin Ruffin, GA
Kyle Bierdumpfel - Fargo 5th
Matt Noble, NJ - Fargo 7th
Mitchell McKee, MN - Fargo Runner-Up
Nick Lee, IN - Fargo 3rd
Rico Montoya, NM - Fargo 6th
Shayne Oster, IL
Taylor LaMont, UT - Fargo Champ
Taylor Ortz, PA

Commentary: Pfft. Where to start. It’s a loaded weight (12 Fargo AA’s, 5 finalists!), and yet it’s without a true favorite. It might be the most intriguing of the weekend.
While Townsell struggles a bit with consistency in folk, he’s a FS/GR whiz. He lost to Lamont in Fargo finals last year.
Lee is a prodigy. He’s Metcalf-esque in his brawling, forward style, and he’s only a Frosh. He was 2nd here last year and 3rd at Fargo where he beat Montoya and his only loss came to Zahid.
McKee was a Runner-Up at Fargo to Daton Fix last year.
Two guys I really want to get a look at are Montoya and last year’s Fargo Champ, Happel.
Debien is a sneaky guy here. He has folk wins over Chad Red and Mitchell McKee. But perhaps even more a threat to make a run at the title is Bierdumpfel, who has two Fargo AA’s under his belt and will be a nice size for the weight.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Lee, IN 2. Happel, IA 3. Bierdumpfel, NJ 4. LaMont, UT



63KG
Contenders:
Austin Kraisser, MD - Fargo Runner-Up
Brady O’Keefe, NV
Cameron Coy, PA
Devin Bahr, WI
Dom Demas, OH
Jaron Chavez, ID
Johnny O’Hearon, UT - Fargo 6th
Nate Hagan, OH - Fargo 6th
Robert Lee, WI - Fargo 5th
Ryder Punke, IL
Vince Turk, IL
William Kui, NJ
Wyatt Sheets, OK - Fargo 7th

Commentary: Like 54KG, a lot of talent with just a handful of national FS placings. Kraisser is sometimes up-and-down, but he’s the FS veteran of the group. In his Fargo run to the finals last year, he posted a win over the highly-ranked Larry Early.
I think he’s the favorite, but oddly enough, I think this weight is about the guys that don’t have the FS medals. Cameron Coy is an absolute hammer and Dom Demas will be a star in time. Devin Bahr pretty much torches everyone in folk, but his FS game remains to be seen.
Jaron Chavez makes a huge jump in weight and looked good at Western Regionals.
Look for FloNationals Runner-Up Robert Lee to play a factor.
And one kid I really want to get a better look at is O’Hearon, who’s only been wrestling for 3 years. The kid has skills.
In the end, I think it’s Coy that’s the best pure wrestler in the group, but Kraisser that’s more FS savvy.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Kraisser, MD 2. Coy, PA 3. Bahr, WI 4. Lee, WI



69KG
Contenders:
Bryce Steiert, IA
Carver James, IL
Jake Adcock, GA - Fargo 6th
Jake Restrepo, NY - Fargo 8th
Jesse Porter, NY - Fargo 5th
Joey Gunther, IL
Kaleb Young, PA
Mason Manville, VA - 2x Fargo Champ
Owen Webster, MN
Taleb Rahmani, OH
Trace Carello, IL - Fargo Runner-Up
Zahid Valencia, CA - 2x Fargo Champ

Commentary: Let’s cut to the chase...if you’re a HS Wrestling junkie, this is a showdown of epic proportions. Manville vs. Zahid. Halo headgear included. 2xer vs. 2xer.
Wanna hear something crazy? Last year neither placed here. Shit happens. They’re studs.
A few really interesting prospects after them though. Carello’s only loss in Fargo last year was to Nick Reenan in the finals. He just beat Gunther in the state FS finals last week.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Manville, VA 2. Zahid, CA 3. Carello, IL 4. Gunther, IL



76KG
Contenders:
Beau Breske, WI - Fargo Champ
Mark Hall, MN - Fargo Champ
Nick Reenan, TX - Fargo Champ
Spencer Heywood, UT - Fargo 4th
Taylor Lujan, GA - Returning 4th

Commentary: Good lawd! What a group! Reenan-Hall-Breske were your Fargo champs at 152-160-170, respectively in 2013. Both Hall (to Nickal) and Reenan (to JJ Chavez) were runners-up here a year ago.
But the man to not be counted out is Breske. He’s a hammer and has wrestled Hall to a 3-2 match in folk before.
Lujan is the wildcard here. Talented, strong as an ox, yep. As he showed in FloNational finals, he’s a bear to score on. It will be interesting to see where he’s at in freestyle though. Of all the contenders, he’s the least experienced and consistent in FS.
How do you pick this? At any given time, I could see one of these guys beating Hall, but odds aren’t in their favor. Hall is damn good. And he’s pissed. He wants on that World Team.
Another thing I’m concerned about is Reenan’s weight. He’s gotten a lot bigger in a short amount of time. There’s an adjustment period there. Plus, his dad is certifiable ;)

Willie’s Picks: 1. Hall, MN 2. Reenan, TX 3. Lujan, GA 4. Breske, WI



85KG
Contenders:
Christian Dietrich, NY
Christian Brunner, IL
Emilio Fowler, KS - Fargo 5th
Hunter Ritter, MD - Fargo 3rd
Isaac Florell, MN
Jack Harris, OH - Fargo Runner-Up
Jeremiah Imonode, AZ
Lance Benick, MN - Cadet World Team Member
Nathan Traxler, IL
Sammy Colbray, OR - Fargo Runner-Up
Tyler Johnson, IL - Fargo Champ
Vincente Guerrero, AZ

Commentary: Despite a deep field, Benick is clearly the favorite. It borders on amazing that he’s made a World Team and won 2 straight Fargo titles at an upper weight at such a young age. Young enough to make a second World Team. Last year, he won at 100KG. Now, down at 85KG, he a serious threat for a World medal.
That being said, there’s a long line of dangerous obstacles in his way. Namely, three other Fargo finalists and the FloNationals and National Prep Runners-Up.
Johnson beat Colbray in Fargo finals a year ago. Harris was Runner-Up to GA’s Justan Rivera in one of the craziest bouts in recent memory.
While we’re probably all aware of the nationally ranked accomplishments of Ritter (Prep Runner-Up) and Dietrich (FLO Runner-Up), there are two Illinois guys that loom under the radar. Watch out for Brunner and Traxler.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Benick, MN 2. Dietrich, NY 3. Johnson, IL 4. Colbray, OR



100KG
Contenders:
Bryce Town, PA
Ethan Anderson, IA - Fargo 7th
Gannon Gremmel, IA
James Ford, OH
Jordan Wood, PA - Fargo 3rd
Landon Pelham, MI
Lucas Warren, MI
Matt Correnti, NJ - Fargo 3rd
Neil Putnam, HI

Commentary: Wood had an outstanding Fargo at 220, placing 2nd in GR and 3rd in FS where both his losses were to Lance Benick.
Correnti was 3rd at 195 with his only loss coming to Colbray.
Watch for the two Iowa boys. Both ranked, they know each other well, splitting matches over the last few months.
Like almost every weight here, Illinois has a dangerous wrestler in Warren. Talented but inconsistent, he has upset ability.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Wood, PA 2. Correnti, NJ 3. Anderson, IA 4. Gremmel, IA



125KG
Contenders:
Dante Jiovenetta, FL
Jake Marnin, IA - Fargo Champ
Kevin Vough, OH - Returning 5th
Tate Orndorff, WA - Fargo Runner-Up

Commentary: Note that this is not a weight that is competed at Cadet Worlds. But it’s a solid group.
Marnin beat Orndorff for the Fargo title last year.
Vough has been on fire, winning FloNationals, Central Regionals, and both styles of the Ohio FS/GR tournament. He was Orndorff’s only loss at FloNationals.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Vough, OH 2. Marnin, IA 3. Orndorff, WA 4. Jiovenetta, FL