2015 UWW Cadet University Nationals

What 2 Watch 4 Early at Cadet World Team Trials

What 2 Watch 4 Early at Cadet World Team Trials

May 29, 2015 by Willie Saylor
What 2 Watch 4 Early at Cadet World Team Trials
The brackets have been released for what is perhaps the most anticipated Cadet World Team Trials America has ever seen.

Of course it's headlined by the monster 54kg bracket that features four wrestlers that have at least one Cadet World Team experience on their resumes: Spencer Lee ('13, '14), Cade Olivas ('13 (Greco), '14), Austin Gomez ('13), and Daton Fix ('14), who just last month earned a bye to the finals of the Junior Trials.

The seeding gods were kind to some, and not so kind to others. To clarify - Cadets aren't seeded, but like all USAW events, 'separated' by levels of past credentials.

We'll break down the fallout from the bracket release and tell you what to keep an eye on early on Friday in Akron.


42KG
Bracket Dynamics: The two top contenders are on opposite sides of the bracket. Malik Heinselman (CO), a Fargo Champ last year, is in the top half with Mosha Schwartz (CO) down below. Heinselman beat Schwartz in the 3rd place match in GR on Friday.


46KG
Bracket Dynamics: Nico Aguilar (CA) beat Dylan D'Emilio (OH) in Fargo finals last summer. They're on opposite sides of the bracket here.

Best Early Round Matches: R1-Kyle Biscoglia, IA vs. Mike Madara, PA


50KG
Bracket Dynamics: Roman Bravo-Young (AZ) had just one loss here last year (to Cade Olivas) before torching the field at Fargo in both styles with nine falls or tech falls and two 9-point wins. He's in the top half while returning Cadet World Team Member Gavin Teasdale (PA) is on the bottom side.

Best Early Round Matches
R1-Brandon Courtney, AZ vs. Logan Macri, PA
R1-Van Schmidt, NE vs. Gavin Teasdale, PA


54KG
Bracket Dynamics: The big news here is 3 of the big 4 up top. Led be nonpareil Spencer Lee (PA), the top half also features Cade Olivas (CA) and Austin Gomez (IL), who are scheduled to meet in the quarters. Gomez beat Olivas in Akron in 2013.
Daton Fix (OK) is down below (where the 3 seed usually resides). Paul Konrath lives where you'd find the 2 seed. Why is Konrath the 2 (and higher than Gomez) ? Both Konrath and Gomez were Fargo champs last summer, giving each a "Level 1" separation designation. After that, the chips fall where they may.
But before you put the cart before the horse and think Fix got off easy, consider he'll have a potential date with Jason Renteria (IL) who beat Austin Gomez this year.

Best Early Round Matches: R1-Jason Renteria, IL vs. Bryce West, IA


58KG
Bracket Dynamics: Taylor LaMont (UT), who just made his third straight World Team in GR, sits atop the bracket. He has his GR finals opponent, and Fargo Runner-Up (to Chad Red), in his quarter. Another Fargo Runner-Up, Yianni Diakomalis (NY) is the de facto 4 seed.
Two former Fargo Champs, Dylan Duncan (IL), who beat Yianni last year, and Kaden Gfeller (OK), who beat Austin Gomez in 2013 Fargo finals, are downstairs.

Best Early Round Matches:
R1-Coltan Williams, TX vs. Alec Hagan, MO
R2-Tim Kane, CT vs. Taylor LaMont, UT
R2-Requir Van der Merwe, NJ vs. Kaden Gfeller, OH


63KG
Bracket Dynamics: Jarod Verkleeren (PA) won both this and Fargo last year. But he has a scary quarter drawl with Stephen Glasgow (NJ), whom he beat in a wild NHSCA final last month. Fargo Runner-Up Shayne Oster (IL) is the 2 seed, with Fargo AA Kanen Storr (MI), the 3.

Best Early Round Matches:
R1-Jake Hinkson, PA vs. Shayne Oster, IL
R2-Anthony Artalona, FL vs. Stephen Glasgow, NJ
R2-Joe Lee, IN vs. Lane Stigall, OR


69KG
Bracket Dynamics: Not quite sure how Anthony Mantanona (CA) sits as the 1 seed, but he does. He finished as Runner-Up in Greco to Jake Allar (MN) on Friday. Allar is in Mantanona's quarter along with Layne Van Anrooy (OR).
In the bottom half is Brady Berge (MN), who was 3rd in Fargo last year and Fargo Runner-Up Johnny Blankenship (MO).
This weight has a gang of studs that have the ability to win this, but who don't have freestyle credentials to give them separation. Keep your eyes on Van Anrooy (top bracket), David Carr (OH/top), and Frankie Gissendanner (NY/bottom) for potential 'upsets'.

Best Early Round Matches:
R1-Travis Wittlake, OR vs. Luke Troy, CA
R1-Braeden Redlin, TX vs. Frankie Gissendanner, NY
R2-Jake Allar-Josiah Rider


76KG
Bracket Dynamics: Two Fargo Champs here and they're separated. Brandon Dallavia (NJ) is up top with Beau Breske (WI), who lost in the finals last year to Mark Hall, down below.
Additionally, there is a whopping 8 other Fargo FS All Americans in this bracket.

Best Early Round Matches: R1-Jelani Embree, MI vs. Jeremiah Moody, WI


85KG
Bracket Dynamics: Double Fargo Champ Keegan Moore (MN) sits up top. He could have a date with Fargo AA Christian Brunner (IL) in a quarter of Top 10 guys.
Luke Drugac (NJ) is the effective 2 seed, with Haydn Maley (OR), who's only loss at Fargo came to Moore, as the 3.

Best Early Round Matches:
R1-Owen Webster-Peter Brucki
R2-Webster/Brucki-Noah Adams
R2-Brandon Whitman-Jacob Raschka


100KG
Bracket Dynamics: Jordan Wood (PA) made both finals last year and won GR on Friday. He was also the Cadet World Silver Medalist in '14. But the bracket certainly wasn't kind to him. he has a scary drawl in R1 with the #1 JR High wrestler in the country, Cohlton Schultz (CO), who as a first-year Cadet had no separation criteria. His semi would likely be the winner of #2 freshman in America, Gable Steveson (MN) and Fargo and FloNationals Runner-Up Luke Ready (MI).
Fellow Fargo Runner-Up, Kobe Woods, is the 2 seed.

Bracket Dynamics: R2-Jordan Wood-Cohlton Schultz