The youth always runs wild in Akron, but the 2019 Cadets have raised the bar with the result being potentially one of America’s strongest World Teams in recent memory.
The 2019 US Cadet Greco-Roman World Team Trials took place on Friday with the final round beginning at 4:00pm (ET) and broadcast live in the US on FLOWrestling.
As illustrated in our preview, there were no returning champs entering battle this year with much of the 2018 talent at Cadet having aged out. Those who remained (including several Fargo studs) were hungry for the big prize — and it showed in each best-of-three series.
2018 Fargo champs Parker Decker (60 kg, Spartan) and Braxton Mikesell (110 kg, INWTC) both took the next step in their respective age-group careers. Decker, a runner-up at the Cadet Trials in ’17, defeated Tarrell Wallace Jr. (Garage Boyz) in two straight via tech. It was quite a ride for the Texan. In the semifinal, Decker ousted fellow Fargo winner and uber-prospect Haiden Drury (Takedown Express) 10-2.
Mikesell also swept his finals opponent, Daniel Striggow of PINnacle (MN), though after winning 8-0 in Match 1, was forced into a dogfight in Match 2. Striggow led 1-0 entering the second, but Mikesell surged ahead by nailing a lateral for four. Striggow did reverse to get a point back but was unable to score any further, giving Washington-resident Mikesell an impressive series victory.
Along with Decker, Mikesell, and Drury, Nebraskan Conor Knopick (MWC) is a name that often pops up among coaches as a future Senior star. He came close last year at both Fargo and this event, and it wasn’t going to slip away this time. On Friday, Knopick wrestled six matches. He won by tech in all six, including in his two-match sweep of teammate Dyson Kunz, outscoring his five opponents by a wide margin of 60-3.
Robert Perez III (65 kg, Sunkist Monster Garage) was frighteningly effective, as well, blanking Matt Singleton (Compound) by matching scores of 8-0 in their best-of-three, and did not reach the second period in either bout.
Yet another Fargo Cadet National titleist made it happen in the UWW Cadet Trials. Mason Gehloff (Sebolt) raced past Jore Volk (PINnacle) in Match 1, was gutted out in Match 2 — and then Gehloff returned the favor in the third and decisive bout, using the first passivity to nail four gutwrenches en-route to the sizzling 9-0 series-clinching win.
In a rematch from the 2018 Fargo finals, Kyle Haas (92 kg, Maize) scored a measure of revenge over Tyler Hannah (WI). Hannah scored with a beautiful bodylock early in Match 1 — although Haas responded immediately with a lateral to go up on criteria and followed with a gut to take an outright 6-4 lead. Hannah closed the gap in the second period with a takedown to make it 6-6. But with just over a minute left to go, Haas blasted another modified lateral and held Hannah down for the fall.
Match 2 saw Haas use a snap to score a takedown in the first, but that it. Hannah did manage to get rewarded with a passive in the second, but there was no further scoring in the contest. As is the case for his nine US teammates, 2019 will mark Haas’ first appearance in a World Championships.
Notes:
- Fargo’s imprint continues to be enormous: 11 of the Cadet Trials finalists were 2018 Fargo Cadet All-Americans and four were champions.
- Of the final round’s 21 matches, 15 ended via tech. There were two pins and no criteria decisions.
- The 2019 Cadet World Championships begin on July 29th from Sofia, Bulgaria.
2019 US Cadet Greco-Roman World Team Trials
May 31st — Akron, Ohio
FINALS RESULTS
45 kg
Mason Gehloff (Sebolt) def. Jore Volk (PINnacle) two matches to one
Match 1: Gehloff def. Volk 9-0, TF
Match 2: Volk def. Gehloff 8-0, TF
Match 3: Gehloff def. Volk 9-0, TF
48 kg
Corey Land (Ironclad) def. Joey Fisher (Young Guns) two matches to none
Match 1: Land def. Fisher 6-2
Match 2: Land def. Fisher 8-0, TF
51 kg
Jett Strickenberger def. Sam Smith (CWCTF) two matches to none
Match 1: Strickenberger def. Smith 9-0, TF
Match 2: Strickenberger def. Smith 8-0, TF
55 kg
Conor Knopick (MWC) def. Dyson Kunz (MWC) two matches to none
Match 1: Knopick def. Kunz 9-0, TF
Match 2: Knopick def. Kunz 9-0, TF
60 kg
Parker Decker (Spartan) def. Tarrell Wallace Jr. (Garage Boyz) two matches to none
Match 1: Decker def. Wallace Jr. 10-1, TF
Match 2: Decker def. Wallace Jr. 17-6, TF
65 kg
Robert Perez III (Sunkist Kids Monster Garage) def. Matt Singleton (Compound) two matches to none
Match 1: Perez III def. Singleton 8-0, TF
Match 2: Perez III def. Singleton 8-0, TF
71 kg
Daniel Segura (Team Miron) def. Kaden Reetz (WI) two matches to one
Match 1: Segura def. Reetz via fall
Match 2: Reetz def. Segura 8-0, TF
80 kg
Tate Picklo (Matrix) def. Caden Rogers (LAW) two matches to none
Match 1: Picklo def. Rogers 4-2
Match 2: Picklo def. Rogers 9-0, TF
92 kg
Kyle Hass (Maize) def. Tyler Hannah (WI) two matches to none
Match 1: Hass def. Hannah via fall
Match 2: Hass def. Hannah 2-1
110 kg
Braxton Mikesell (INWTC) def. Daniel Striggow (PINnacle) two matches to none
Match 1: Mikesell def. Striggow 8-0, TF
Match 2: Mikesell def. Striggow 4-2
THIRD-PLACE MATCHES
45 kg: Kannon Webster (IRTC) def. Daniel Sheen (Izzy Style) 5-4
48 kg: Nick Gonzalez (Izzy Style) def. Sefton Douglass (JET) 9-0, TF
51 kg: Max Black (Sons of Thunder) def. Sheldon Seymour (XCalibur) 9-0, TF
55 kg: Hunter Garvin (Big Game) def. Nain Vasquez (Izzy Style) 7-0
60 kg: Ryan Sokol (Simley) def. Jacob Rundell (TWA)
65 kg: Vincent Zerban (Xtreme) def. Chase Warden (3F) 7-5
71 kg: Brayden Roberts (Patriots) def. Tyler Lillard (Arsenal Wrestling) 9-0, TF
80 kg: Duwayne Villalpando (Maize) def. Nate Kisgen (AK) 8-0, TF
92 kg: Silas Allred (Central Indiana Academy of Wrestling) def. Kolby Franklin (LAB) 8-0, TF
110 kg: Ryan Boersma (NLWC) def. Matt Moore (The Community) 9-3
Listen to “5PM23: World Team Trials Challenge Tournament Preview” on Spreaker.
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