2019 USMC Cadet and Junior National Championships

Ten Things You Missed At Fargo

Ten Things You Missed At Fargo

Some of the hidden performances of Fargo Junior National Wrestling Championships are highlighted.

Jul 21, 2019 by Willie Saylor
Ten Things You Missed At Fargo
You spent a week following all the results from Fargo. But with so many high profile matches, from front side and back side, there are some hidden gems and interesting stories you might not be aware of. Here are some of the best under the radar happenings from inside the Dome.

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You spent a week following all the results from Fargo. But with so many high profile matches, from front side and back side, there are some hidden gems and interesting stories you might not be aware of. Here are some of the best under the radar happenings from inside the Dome.


#10) Robison's Weight

Theorius Robison was a mainstay in our Big Board rankings until later in his career when his results slipped a bit as it appeared he was more focused on football. A former double AA with a GR title, Robison did something I've never seen before. He wrestled 138 in freestyle. Then two days later dropped two weight classes and went 126 for GR. He didn't place in freestyle but was 7th in Greco. He's an interesting prospect that has graduated and is committed to Northern Colorado.


#9) Lachlan McNeil's Sensational 3rd Place

With everyone focused on the championship rounds, you may have missed Wyoming Seminary's Lachlan McNeil run to 3rd. Up three weights from last year's National Prep Championships, McNeil beat Theorius Robison, Ryder Ramsey, Caden McCrary, and 2x PA State Champ Sammy Hillegas. 


#8) Amos Defaults In History Bid

Braxton Amos was making his third Fargo appearance. In the previous two he wrestled both styles and won double titles. He won FS earlier in the week and then made Greco finals. In the quarters and semis it was clear that his knee was giving him problems. He forfeited in the finals where he could have became just the 11th wrestler to win six or more titles, and just the 5th to go 6-for-6. Stats and records source: Mattalk.


#7) Chayse La Joie Went 16-1

A tough wrestler, sure. But La Joie (MI) came in unranked. That will surely change. He placed 1st in FS and mashed his way through Greco, pinning last year's Cadet World Team member (Jakason Burks) in the semi's and then teching Anthony Molton who won FS earlier in the week. His only loss was to Joey Thompson (MN), which he avenged on the back side.


#6) Christian Tranafeu, 3rd Year Wrestler

Moving to the United States from Cameroon a few years ago, Tranafeu is in his third year of wrestling for former Fargo Champion Jeff Schumacher of Bismarck, ND. And man is making gains. He didn't win a single tournament last year - not the Bismarck Rotary Club, not the Red River Shootout. But he looked amazing in winning the 113lb Cadet Freestyle title.


#5) Dom Serrano Beat Mick Burnett Three Straight Years

I've never seen it before. How many guys wrestle each other three straight years in Freestyle at Fargo? What makes it exceedingly rare (and more important) is that the first meeting was in the semi's while the last two were in the finals. Serrano won all three meetings going 2nd-1st-1st in the process while Burnett was 6th-2nd-2nd.


#4) Illinois Owns The Last Two Weights

In the last six years, Illinois has put 13 wrestlers in the freestyle finals at either 220 or 285. That list grows considerably if you also look at Greco, and even more if you go down to 182 + 195 where Jack Jessen, Pete Christensen, Abe Assad, and Jacob Warner made the big stage.

2019 - 285 JRFS - Luke Luffman (1st)

2019 - 285 JRFS - Aydin Guttridge (2nd)

2019 - 285 CDFS - Hayden Copass (1st)

2018 - 285 CDFS - Hayden Copass (1st)

2018 - 220 JRFS - Luke Luffman (1st)

2018 - 220 JRFS - Jace Punke (2nd)

2018 - 285 JRFS - Anthony Cassioppi (1st)

2017 - 285 JRFS - Anthony Cassioppi (1st)

2017 - 220 CDFS - Luke Luffman (2nd)

2016 - 285 JRFS - Anthony Cassioppi (2nd)

2016 - 285 CDFS - Ronald Tucker (2nd)

2015 - 285 CDFS - Zach Muller (2nd)

2014 - 285 JRFS - Adarios Jones (1st)


#3) Anthony Echemendia Never Wrestled A Greco Match 

After crushing the field in freestyle by a combined score of 78-10, Echemendia told us he's never wrestled a real Greco match. In his native Cuba, he said, they would practice Greco maybe once a week. Turns out he's pretty good in that style, too. He went unscored upon, 51-0 plus two falls where he didn't yield a point. 


#2) Georgia Had Its Best Year Ever - By Far

The Peach State took 4th in Cadet Freestyle with 42pts - 2 ahead of perennial power Illinois. California, New Jersey,  and New York combined had 27.

My lovely colleague Andrew Spey compiled these stats for Georgia's men's teams in both age groups and styles...

Prior to this year, over the previous 12 Fargo's, GA averaged 8.25 All Americans per year. This year they had 25.

They had 9 last year. Their previous high was 14.

This year Georgia totaled 124 across CD and JR Men's FS & GR. Their previous high was 68pts.

They had their most champs ever this year (3). They had 7 over the last 12 Fargo's.


#1) Ridge Lovett Had One Of The Finest Fargo Careers In History

Every summer for the last five years, Idaho's Ridge Lovett travelled to Fargo and wrestled both styles. It's simply one of the best careers in Cadet & Junior Nationals' history. He never failed to place, had less total losses (9) than tournaments entered (10). With his JR Greco title to cap it off, Lovett became one of just ten wrestlers to ever win ten All American honors and the fourteenth to make seven finals.

Here were Lovett's career placings over five years and ten Fargo tournaments.

CDFS - 2nd

CDGR - 5th

CDFS - 2nd

CDGR - 1st

JRFS - 5th

JRGR - 3rd

JRFS - 2nd

JRGR - 1st

JRFS - 2nd

JRGR - 1st