2017 Cadet/Junior National Championships

Fargo 2017 Cadet Greco Preview

Fargo 2017 Cadet Greco Preview

The Cadet National Championships' four-day journey into Greco-Roman kicks off today in Fargo, ND, and we're taking a look at the field to close out the division this year. Remember, brackets for all 17 weights can be found in FloArena.

Jul 19, 2017 by Wrestling Nomad
Fargo 2017 Cadet Greco Preview
The Cadet National Championships' four-day journey into Greco-Roman kicks off today in Fargo, ND, and we're taking a look at the field to close out the division this year. Remember, brackets for all 17 weights can be found in FloArena.

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88 Pounds

Tommy Curran, IL
Chance Lamer, OR
Brandon O'Brien, Iowa
Cody Thompson, CO
Richard Treanor, NC
Joey Couch, MD
Nate Rubino, NE

Commentary: Five of the eight freestyle All-Americans are in this field. Tommy Curran (IL) enters as the top seed after placing third in Akron, Ohio; winning a Central regional title; and posting a 5-1 record at Cadet Duals. In the semifinals, he could see freestyle runner-up Chance Lamer, who went undefeated at Cadet Duals.

Joey Couch is the two seed after a 7-1 performance at Cadet Duals. However, he could face Nate Rubino of Nebraska in the semis, the same round in which Rubino beat Couch last year at Schoolboy Nationals.

94 Pounds

Kase Mauger, Idaho
Carter Young, OK
Sheldon Seymour, PA

Commentary: Cadet world teamer Kase Mauger was only seventh in freestyle but is the favorite in Greco. Though he did not place last year, Mauger has made big gains in the classic style.

He will likely be tested by Sheldon Seymour, the bronze medalist in freestyle who went 8-0 at Cadet Duals and teched his way through the Northeast regional. It will also be good to see freestyle runner-up Carter Young try to make another run in Greco.

100 Pounds

Andrew Chambal, MI
Paxton Creese, MN
Yusief Lillie, WA
Jett Strickenberger, CO
Angelo Lozado, CO

Commentary: Top-seeded Andrew Chambal was runner-up in both last year's 88lb Greco finals and this year's 100lb freestyle finals. Two seed Paxton Creese is someone you would be unwise to count out of any Greco tournament. If not Creese, Yusief Lillie is a good bet to make the finals.

Two young men from Colorado are looking like AA candidates. Jett Strickenberger just won the 94lb bracket in freestyle, while No. 4 seed Angelo Lozado was sixth in Akron, with every loss coming to a guy wrestling at 106 this week.

106 Pounds

Dylan Ragusin, IL
Brenden Chaowanapibool, WA
Matthew Ramos, IL
Aizayah Yacapin, WA
Caden McCrary, GA
Jakason Burks, NE
Chris Kim, PA

Commentary: As expected, 100lb freestyle champ Dylan Ragusin bumped up to 106 for Greco. He is the cadet world team member at 46kg and won his title last year at 94lb. Brenden Chaowanapibool of Washington is coming off a fifth-place finish in Akron and was second in both cadet and junior last year for Greco. Aizayah Yacapin and Matthew Ramos could meet in the quarters, a rematch of the freestyle semis.

Caden McCrary of Georgia was undefeated at Cadet Duals, won the Southeast regional, and finished seventh at the UWW Cadet Trials. His seventh-place match was against Jakason Burks of Nebraska. I was told by a high-level coach that we should all be on notice of Burks' ability to place highly. Chris Kim was also undefeated at Cadet Duals.

113 Pounds

Hunter Lewis, WI
Noah Surtin, IL
Caleb Rathken, IA
Nick Masters, GA
Josh Ogunsanya, IL
Trey Crawford, MO
Joel Vandenvere, IL
Blake Boarman, IN

Commentary: Although not the top seed, Hunter Lewis seems like a safe bet to win this weight. A returning All-American, he now has experience against international competition. Noah Surtin did not place last year in Greco, but he was undefeated at Cadet Duals.

120 Pounds

Jalen Spuhler, WI
Phillip Moomey, NE
Jake Svihel, MN
Curtez Riley, KS

Commentary: Jalen Spuhler was bronze last year but all the way down at 94lb. Most recently, he was fifth at Northern Plains with a loss to Jake Svihel, who is on his side of the bracket. Phillip Moomey has stayed the same weight as last year, where he was fifth, and also just placed third in freestyle. Curtez Riley finished eighth last year down at 94, where he took a loss to Spuhler.

126 Pounds

Reece Witcraft, OK
Ryan Ripplinger, ND
Dom Serrano, CO
Ryan Franco, CA

Commentary: Coming up two weight classes from last year is Reece Witcraaft, a Greco silver medalist and the top seed. Returning fourth-placer Ryan Ripplinger is the two seed and just placed seventh in freestyle. The 120lb freestyle runner-up Dom Serrano and 126lb freestyle runner-up Ryan Franco represent the three and four seeds, respectively, and may have to settle for slightly lower placings than their Greco counterparts.

132 Pounds

Carson Manville, MN
Josh Saunders, MO
Gabe Hixenbaugh, AL
Cameron Robinson, PA
Stockton O'Brien, UT

Commentary: Carson Manville dominated his way through the freestyle bracket, and everyone expects him to do the same in Greco. That is, unless Josh Saunders is able to knock him off after bumping up a weight from his freestyle title. Western regional champion Dawson Sihavong is the three seed and will have to bounce back from not placing in freestyle or at cadet 120 last year.

138 Pounds

Kevon Davenport, MI
Fidel Mayora, IL
Alex Mosconi, IN
Cade DeVos, IA
Nick Dunagan, MN

Commentary: Mayora and Davenport could meet once again in the finals of what might be the toughest field -- or at least the deepest. DeVos was undefeated at Cadet Duals and won Norther Plains, while Mosconi was also undefeated at Cadet Duals but coming up from a weight in which he placed fourth in freestyle.

145 Pounds

Alex Facundo, MI
Michael Weber, MT
Jace Luchau, CA
Drew Eller, GA
Christian Hudson, ID

Commentary: The top five from freestyle all return in what should be an exciting field. With a win over Michael Weber, Alex Facundo can cement himself as one of the top incoming freshman in the country. Jace Luchau is a second-year cadet hoping to place after failing to get on the podium last year at 138.

152 Pounds

Aaron Gandara, AZ
Gage Coppock, NE
Daniel Snediker, WA
Cade Lindsey, IL

Commentary: Freestyle runner-up Aaron Gandara stayed down, while champion Starocci went up in weight. Second-seeded Coppock was a runner-up at last year's Schoolboy Nationals and three seed Daniel Snediker comes in as a Western regional champ. Gandara could see Southern Plains champ Cade Lindsey in the semis.

160 Pounds

Carter Starocci, PA
Abe Geraci, IL

Commentary: It should be fun to see 152-pound freestyle champ Starocci bumping up, though this is the weight in which he won his Northeast regional title.. Abe Geraci of Illinois is coming down in weight from his Central regional title and should present a good challenge.

170 Pounds

Abe Assad, Illinois
Talon Borror, Oklahoma
Isaiah Alford, Nebraska

Commentary: There does not appear to be much in the way of Abe Assad making another final this week and taking home the crown this time.

182 Pounds

Jon Fagen, ID
Devin Winston, MO
Darrien Roberts
Grant Parrish, MN

Commentary: For many guys, there is a big difference between the first and second year of cadets. Jon Fagen didn't place last year but is the top seed. He'll have to deal with freestyle champ Devin Winson in a quest to double up. Freestyle All-Americans Darrien Roberts and Grant Parrish are back looking for slightly larger stop signs.

195 Pounds

Ashton Sharp, MO
Peter Christensen, IL
Wyatt Hendrickson, KS

Commentary: While not going for a triple crown, Ashton Sharp is trying to double up after winning the cadet world team spot in Akron. There, he beat second-seeded Peter Christensen of Illinois, and the two should meet in the finals once again.

220 Pounds

Braxton Amos, WV
Luke Luffman, IL

Commentary: It's relatively rare to see a finals rematch in the different styles, but that is exactly what we could see at 220 pounds. On Monday night, Braxton Amos of West Virginia won his third Fargo title and is the favorite to double up once again. Last year at 195, he averaged 13 oints a match.

285 Pounds

Nash Hutmacher, SD
Chase Dokter, ND
Eli Pokorney, IN
Nick Pierce, MN

Commentary: Hutmacher ran through the field in freestyle, and everyone is waiting to see if he can do the same in Greco. However, two of the other top three guys from freestyle are right there in his way, along with Nick Pierce of Minnesota.


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