2016 USAW Cadet and Junior National Championships

Cadet Freestyle Preview

Cadet Freestyle Preview

Fargo is going to be a coming-out party for most of these cadets. While some of these guys are already household names, many will dip their toes into high-l

Jul 20, 2016 by Wrestling Nomad
Cadet Freestyle Preview
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Fargo is going to be a coming-out party for most of these cadets. While some of these guys are already household names, many will dip their toes into high-level freestyle for the first time. Check out the schedule to make sure you don't miss one second of the action going down LIVE this weekend.

88
Contenders
Alexzander Cottey, IN
Andrew Chambal, MI
Cullan Schriever, IA
Kase Mauger, ID
Paxton Creese, MN
Pope Rivers, AL
Preston Blotter, UT
Sam Latona, AL
Timothy Levine, CA
Wyatt Yapoujian, CO

All eight of the Greco AAs are entered in this bracket. Chambal is the highest-placing finisher from Akron here. Cottey, Schriever and Creese all had success in Cadet Duals. Mauger also placed in Akron. Latona and Creese both will hope to build on the success they had in Greco. Wyatt Yapoujian has continued to have age-level success as he gets older.

94
Contenders
No. 10, Jeremiah Reno, MO
Brenden Chaowanapibool, WA
Caden McCrary, GA
Dominic Chavez, TX
Dylan Ragusin, IL
Justin Bierdumpfel, NJ
Will Guida, NJ

This weight is full of Big Boarders. I like Reno and Bierdumpfel here, but don't be surprised if Ragusin or McCrary makes a run deep into the tournament. Chavez may bump up to 100, but has a real solid shot to place if he stays at 94.

100
Contenders
No. 11, Eric Faught, IA
No. 16, Eric Barnett, WI
Anthony Clark, NJ
Chayse La Joie, MI
Oscar Sanchez, OH
Ridge Lovett, ID

This is one of the more balanced weights in the tournament, I think there will be a lot of parity here. Don't be surprised if someone loses early and then goes on to place ahead of the person to whom they lost. It is not only possible, but likely, that the two ranked guys don't end up in the finals.

106
Contenders:
No. 15, Gregory Diakahomilas, NY
Jace Koelzer, KS
Patrick Allis, CO
Dylan Shawver, OH

Diakomihalis is the only ranked 106 in this weight. I expect him to bring home a stop sign in his first trip to the FargoDome. Koelzer proved how dangerous he can be with his Greco title. Shawver was undefeated at Cadet Duals. Cardiani is a bit of a wild card in this bracket that could make some noise.

113
Contenders
No. 2, Adam Busiello, NY
No. 6, Colton Yapoujian, CO
No. 16, Colt Newton, OK
No. 18, Benyamin Kamali, MI
No. 20, Legend Lamer, IA
Connor Kievman, PA
Joey Bianchi, WI
Joseph Klock, PA
Malyke Hines, FL
Reece Witcraft, OK
Kyle Burwick, ND

This is one of the most stacked weights in the tournament, but I like Yapoujian and Busiello to meet in the final. Kievman and Kamali are dark horses to make the final. Legend Lamer has to do well with a name like that, and I believe he'll end up on the podium. My sources tell me home state's Kyle Burwick has been ready to place here for months.



120
Contenders
No. 4, Jordan Decatur, OH
No. 10, Travis Ford-Melton, IL
No. 14, Brody Teske, IA
No. 18, Theorius Robison, CO
Andrew Alirez, CO
Cade DeVos, IA
Curtis LeMair, MN
Josh Saunders, MO
Pat Glory, NJ

What a weight! Theorius is one of the most dangerous wrestlers in the whole tournament. Ford-Melton was runner-up at 100 a year ago, so it will be interesting to see how he adjusts to the higher weight. Glory, Saunders and Alirez are all landmines waiting to make their mark in Fargo. Iowa is sending a couple of AA contenders in Teske and DeVos. Decatur will be hungry for another stop sign, especially after he was unable to win Akron.

126
Contenders
No. 5, Nick Raimo, NJ
Carter Tuttle, PA
Jaden Abas, CA
Job Greenwood, CO
Peyton Robb, MN

Tuttle turned heads with his Greco final against Raimo, but the Jersey boy is still the favorite here. A big tournament here could help Abas move his way up the big board. 

132
Contenders
Jacori Teemer
Carnell Andrews
Nathan Thacker, MD
Frankie Tal-Shahar, FL

Teemer might be the only known guy in this bracket. Carnell Andrews isn't a household name yet, but he will be after this tournament. Thacker and Tal-Shahar were both very impressive at Cadet Duals.

138
Contenders
No. 3, Sammy Sasso, PA
No. 6, Will Lewan, IL
Brock Hardy, UT
Cam Amine, MI
Jason Kraisser, MD

Commentary: Sasso was a cadet champ last year, and is my pick to win here again. Lewan beat him in Greco and is looking to double up. Hardy has taken second so many times, it's possible this will finally be the time he breaks through.



145
Contenders
Abe Assad, IL
Isaac Wilcox, IL
Sam Dover, OH
Jared Franek, ND

All-Illinois finals have become a common thing in Fargo, and I'm thinking there will be another one here. I was told to keep an eye on Franek, who placed seventh last year at 132 and has a win over a returning third-placer from Junior duals.

152
Contenders
No. 8, Frankie Gissendanner, NY
No. 12, Michael O'Malley, NJ
No. 13, Tyler Dow, WI
Sam Mora, TX
Vincent Baker, GA

This is a three-horse race: O'Malley, Gissendanner and Dow are the big guns here, and the semifinal pairings may decide who wins. 

160
Contenders
No. 7, Julian Ramirez, FL
Aaron Brooks, MD
Jake Hendricks, PA
David Key, GA
Barrett Beaird, MO

This is going to be Ramirez's coming-out party after spending all summer at the Olympic Training Center. Brooks shocked the field in Greco after bumping up from 138 during folkstyle season, and his coaches believe his freestyle ceiling is even higher. Key and Beaird are going to sneak up on folks.

170
Contenders
No. 3, Travis Wittlake Jr., OR
No. 18, Nick Casperson, SD
Shane Flandermeyer, OK
Devin Winston, MO

Wittlake is one of the best wrestlers in this tournament and should have no problem doubling up; the cadet-world-teamer is the strongest in the field. Casperson is an impressive kid and the only other ranked athlete in this weight. Flandermeyer comes from a power state and has the goods to place well. Winston will show out from the Show Me state.

182
Contenders
No. 5, Ryan Karoly, NJ
No. 7, Jared Krattiger, WI
Julian Gorring, PA
Logan Schumacher, IA
Lucas Davison, IN

Commentary: Karoly is a heavy favorite to double up in his final cadet year. Gorring pushed him hard in Greco while primarily using a freestyle stance and a shuck that easily translated to the other style. Schumacher and Davison should double AA, based on their undefeated showings at Cadet Duals. Krattiger is a highly ranked guy who placed in Akron and should end up on the podium again this week.



195
Contenders
No. 19, Braxton Amos, OH/WV
Kaleb Reeves, IA
Caleb Willis, KS
Trent Ragland, VA

Representing Ohio or West Virginia, all (country) roads lead to the Fargo finals for stud freshman Braxton Amos. He is the favorite here to double up and cement his top-10 big board status entering his freshman year. The money bet is that his finals opponent will be either Caleb Willis or Kaleb Reeves.

220
Contenders
No. 4, Cohlton Schultz, CO
No. 7, Gavin Hoffman, PA
Tyler Curd, MO
Chase Trussell, UT
Keaton Fogler, IL

Though known as a Greco guy, Schultz was upended in the quarterfinals by Tyler Curd of Missouri. Both Curd and his finals opponent Chase Trussell went undefeated at Cadet Duals. Hoffman and Fogler were also undefeated at Cadet duals. Hopefully, we'll get a Curd/Schultz rematch in the finals.

285 
Contenders
Spencer Trenary, IA
Montana Phillips, OK
Austin Emerson, MI
Ronald Tucker, IL
Jeff Queer, MT
Moses Jackson, OR
Payton Smith, SD 

Commentary: Trenary beat Phillips in the Greco final, but Phillps pinned Trenary in freestyle at Cadet Duals. Tucker, the No. 28 guy on the freshman big board, took out Trenary in folkstyle nationals and is a fan favorite wherever he goes. Every Cadet Greco AA is registered, and some guys who split weight between 220 and 285 at Cadet Duals may decide to go up in weight.