Fargo 2023 closes with record Greco numbers, Idaho’s first Junior title, two Triple Crown winners in 16U

Photo: Dreshaun Ross (top) of Fort Dodge, Iowa, needed just 36 seconds to score a technical fall over David Calkins of California to claim the 195-pound 16U championship in Greco-Roman last Saturday in Fargo, N.D. In doing so, Ross became one of two 16U wrestlers to claim a “Triple Crown” this season as he also won a folkstyle championship in April and a freestyle title earlier last week in the Fargodome. (John Johnson photo)

By Mike Finn

FARGO, N.D. — USA’Wrestling’s 2023 U.S. Marines Junior/16U Nationals ended with a bang at Saturday night’s Greco-Roman finals in both age groups as 2,300 wrestlers competed in the style to break the all-time overall record in the week-long event. Meanwhile, Idaho captured its first Junior team championship and two 16U wrestlers from Iowa — Kyler Knaack (152) and Dreshaun Ross (195) — left the Fargodome as “Triple Crown” winners, as each won a freestyle and Greco championship last week to go along with national folkstyle titles this past spring.

These were just a few of the highlights from the 52^nd annual tournament — and 30^th year in Fargo — that also featured championships in women’s freestyle and men’s freestyle earlier last week. Click here or call 888-305-0606 to subscribe to WIN and receive the magazine’s commemorative issue on Fargo 2023, which will be printed on Aug. 2.

The following are additional highlights from the 16U and Junior Greco-Roman tournaments that were held last Friday and Saturday:

Ashton Miess (red) of Wisconsin defeated Leandro Araujo of North Dakota, 10-0, to claim the 160-pound Junior National Greco-Roman championship. (John Johnson photo)

• Of the two Triple Crown winners, Kyler Knaack, a sophomore from Don Bosco High School in Gilbertville, Iowa, defeated dec. Jimmy Mastny of Oregon, Ill., 4-3, to win the 152-pound Greco-Roman championship. Meanwhile, Dreshaun Ross, a sophomore at Fort Dodge High School, won by a 9-0 technical fall in 36 seconds over David Calkins of Brentwood, Calif., to claim his third 16U national title in different styles this year.
• Five other wrestlers also were double winners in Fargo – earning titles in both freestyle and Greco — in both age-group tournaments: Jayden Raney (120 pounds) of Mayfield, Ky., Aaron Stewart (160) of Gurnee, Ill., and Michael Mocco (220) from Parkland, Fla., in 16U; and Kannon Webster (145) from Washington, Ill., and Tate Naaktgeboren (182) from Marion, Iowa, in Junior Greco.
• In claiming its first Junior National team title in Greco-Roman, Idaho was led by two champions — Mack Mauger (113) and Aden Attao (285), the defending Greco champ who had finished second in the Junior freestyle tournament — and were among 10 All-Americans for the state.
• Illinois captured its first 16U team championship since 2019 (and 10^th all-time) with three champs: Caleb Noble (100), who finished second in freestyle; Wyatt Medlin (132) and Stewart; making up 13 All-American for Team Illinois.
• Iowa finished second in 16U team standings but also had three champs and 15 All-Americans. One of those champs was Hayden Schwab, the son of Northern Iowa head coach Doug Schwab, who won the 16U Greco-Roman championship at 94 pounds after finishing fourth in freestyle. The other champs were Knaack and Ross.

• In addition to Raney, Mauger, Webster and Attao, the following wrestlers — both from Colorado and teammates at Ponderosa High School — also won Fargo Greco-Roman titles for a second consecutive year: Thomas Verrette (138) in 16U; and Otto Black (132) in the Junior Nationals.

• The 16U Greco-Roman Nationals drew 1,204 wrestlers, breaking the record 1,044 set last year. Meanwhile 1,114 young men competed in the Junior tournament, which ranks second to the 1,140 participants who wrestled in 2022. Overall, 7,132 wrestlers in the six different tournaments wrestled, breaking the mark of 6,647 set a year ago.

16U Greco-Roman Team Standings

Non-Scoring States: Alabama, Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, West Virginia, Wyoming

16U Greco-Roman All-American Results

Championship Matches

88 – Loc Webber (Ohio) won by TF over Vincent Demarco (Illinois), 8-0 2:15

94 – Hayden Schwab (Iowa) won by TF over Jarrett Smith (Michigan), 10-2 3:50

100 – Caleb Noble (Illinois) won by TF over James Hemmila (Illinois), 11-0 1:25

106 – Saxton Scott (Idaho) won by TF over Konner Blaney (Ohio), 8-0 1:50

113 – Will Detar (Pennsylvania) dec. Titan Friederichs (Minnesota), 3-3

120 – Jayden Raney (Kentucky) won by TF over Austin Collins (Colorado), 10-2 1:53

126 – Devon Miller (Oklahoma) dec. Isaiah Jones (Oklahoma), 7-3

132 – Wyatt Medlin (Illinois) dec. Jake Miller (Oklahoma), 8-4

138 – Thomas Verrette (Colorado) dec. Colton Weiler (Wisconsin), 6-5

145 – Gabriel Logan (New Jersey) won by TF over Nolan Fellers (Iowa), 8-0 1:35

152 – Kyler Knaack (Iowa) dec. Jimmy Mastny (Illinois), 4-3

160 – Aaron Stewart (Illinois) dec.  Emmitt Sherlock (Maryland), 5-4

170 – Shawn Rounsaville (Oklahoma) won by TF over Broedy Collins Hendricks (Iowa), 12-4 2:41

182 – Adonis Bonar II (Nebraska) won by TF over Matt King (Washington), 16-8 3:24

195 – Dreshaun Ross (Iowa) won by TF over David Calkins (California), 9-0 0:36

220 – Michael Mocco (Florida) dec. Kai Calcutt (Illinois), 3-2

285 – James Hartleroad (Indiana) won by TF over Cooper Martinson (Iowa), 8-0 1:32

Third-Place Matches

88 – Hudson Chittum (Tennessee) won by TF over Kaden Oldroyd (Utah), 8-0 0:32

94 – Cason Craft (Oklahoma) dec. Jose Cordero (Tennessee), 3-0

100 – Jensen Boyd (Indiana) dec. Gavin Landers (Iowa), 2-0

106 – Rocco Cassioppi (Illinois) dec. Christopher Grossman (Montana), 5-4

113 – Roman Luttrell (New Mexico) won by TF over Johnny Leck (Kansas), 9-0 1:23

120 – Gus Cardinal (Arizona) dec. Evan Sanati (Virginia), 7-1

126 – Zayn Navarrete (Texas) pinned Valentine Popadiuc (New Mexico), 6-1 1:26

132 – Davis Parrow (Minnesota) dec. Declan Koch (Wisconsin), 11-5

138- David Gleason (Missouri) dec. Blue Stiffler (Georgia), 4-1

145 – Melvin Miller (Pennsylvania) won by TF over Nathaniel Askew (Georgia), 10-0 2:15

152 – Jayden Williams (Michigan) pinned Eli Esguerra (Ohio), 4-0 0:19

160 – Maximus Norman (Tennessee) dec.  Lucas Ricketts (Kentucky), 4-3

170 – Anthony Kroninger (Ohio) won by TF over Gavin Craner (Michigan), 9-0 2:21

182 – Ryder Wilder (Georgia) dec. Jackson Rotterman (Missouri), 12-8

195 – Jaxon Penovich (Illinois) won by TF over Connor Smalley (Pennsylvania), 10-0 1:02

220 – Alex Taylor (Ohio) won by TF over Mason Koehler (Iowa), 11-0 3:14

285 – Jonathan Rulo (Illinois) dec. Brayden Hill (Kansas), 9-6

Fifth-Place Matches

88 – Eric Bice (Nevada) won by TF over Urijah Courter (Iowa), 9-0 2:33

94 – Kellen Downing (Montana) won by injury default over Chase Kastner (Connecticut)

100 – Carter Shin (Virginia) dec. Dylan Ota (Texas), 2-1

106 – Caleb Jackson (Utah) dec. Alexander Pierce (Iowa), 5-5

113 – Hunter Knox (Oklahoma) dec. Jack Baron (Pennsylvania), 10-7

120 – Blaze Van Gundy (Ohio) won by TF over Maximus Riggins (Iowa), 9-0 1:43

126 – Ned Kauffman (Pennsylvania) won by TF over Austin Ellis (Utah), 8-0 0:39

132 – Manuel Saldate (Nevada) won by TF over Jacob Herm (Wisconsin), 10-1 3:07

138 – Mason Petersen (Nebraska) won by TF over Derek Barrows (Colorado), 8-0 2:38

145 – Carlos Valdez (Idaho) won by injury default over Luis Alberto-Desilva (Pennsylvania)

152 – Brandon Dean (New Jersey) pinned Cooper Rowe (Minnesota), 6-1 3:58

160 – Ben Smith (Utah) dec. Bradley Rodriguez-little (Minnesota), 6-6

170 – Luke Hoag (Minnesota) won by TF over Junior Bumanglag (California), 8-0 0:32

182 – Nicholas Ronchetti (Illinois) dec. Tavio Hoose (Pennsylvania), 5-4

195 – Jake Conroy (Pennsylvania) won by TF over Wura Yinusa (Oklahoma), 10-0 0:37

220 – Garett Kawczynski (Wisconsin) dec. James Bechter (Ohio), 2-0

285 – Mark Effendian (Pennsylvania) won by injury default over Micah Hach (South Dakota)

Seventh-Place Matches

88 – Landon Thoennes (Minnesota) dec. Charlie Boelman (Iowa), 3-0

94 – Eli Herring (Pennsylvania) pinned Daniel Goodwin (Illinois), 3-0 1:06

100 – Shamus Regan (Tennessee) dec. Christopher Swann (Georgia), 8-5

106 – Eric Casula (Oklahoma) won by injury default over Bruno Cassioppi (Illinois), 0-0 0:00

113 – Khimari Manns (Ohio) dec. Chase Walker (Tennessee), 2-1

120 – Justyce Zuniga (Washington) won by injury default over Dale Corbin (Wisconsin)

126 – Timothy Koester (Iowa) won by TF over Zaydrein Hernandez (California), 11-2 2:37

132 – Austin Paris (Utah) pinned Bryce Palmer (Texas), 2-2 0:30

138 – Easton Dircks (Minnesota) dec. Dane Renick (Arkansas), 5-4

145 – Kawayran Vazquez (Florida) dec. Noah Howk-Erwin (Iowa), 4-2

152 – Joseph Jeter (Oklahoma) won by TF over Keaton Moeller (Iowa), 10-1 4:00

160 – Cash Bachicha (New Mexico) won by DQ over Koray Kage Jones (New Jersey)

170 – Bridger Foss (Oregon) pinned Carter Brown (Missouri), 8-3 3:03

182 – Carter Vannest (California) VPO1 Ty Carman (Utah), 6-4

195 – Jacob Duitsman (Minnesota) pinned Standford Thompson (Tennessee), 18-13 3:19

220 – Dean Bechtold (Pennsylvania) won by TF over Jackson Phillips (Ohio), 8-0 1:16

285 – Trayvn Boger (Utah) pinned Jonathan Romo (Kansas), 5-0 1:26

Junior Greco-Roman Team Standings

Non-Scoring States:  Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, US Territory, Wyoming.

Junior Greco-Roman All-American Results

Championship Matches

100 – Caden Correll (Illinois) dec. Mason Brayfield (Missouri), 13-7

106 – Cadyn Coyle (Nebraska) won by TF over Ezekiel Witt (Kansas), 10-2 3:59

113 – Mack Mauger (Idaho) dec. Kody Tanimoto (Texas), 5-1

120 – Elyle Francisco (Alaska) won by TF over Ryker Graff (Iowa), 8-0 3:52

126 – Isaiah Cortez (California) dec. Rhett Peak (Oklahoma), 9-3

132 – Otto Black (Colorado) won by TF over Zan Fugitt (Missouri), 11-0 2:18

138 – Landon Drury (Colorado) won by TF over Isaiah Powe (Alabama), 8-0 1:55

145 – Kannon Webster (Illinois) dec. Noah Manuel Tapia (Illinois), 6-3

152 – Joel Adams (Nebraska) dec. Jadon Skellenger (Idaho), 4-2

160 – Ashton Miess (Wisconsin) won by TF over Leandro Araujo (North Dakota), 10-0 4:50

170 – Nicholas Fox (Iowa) dec. Tyler Secoy (Georgia), 5-4

182 – Tate Naaktgeboren (Iowa) dec. Franklin Ordonez-Fernandez (Florida), 6-1

195 – Joey Novak (Minnesota) pinned Cittadino Tuttle (Minnesota), 6-0 4:41

220 – Sawyer Bartelt (Florida) dec. Oscar Williams (Oklahoma), 3-1

285 – Aden Attao (Idaho) won by TF over Shilo Jones (Idaho), 8-0 0:17

Third-Place Matches

100 – Caden Smith (Virginia) pinned Gabriel Rosales (Idaho), 6-3 5:15

106 – Damian Moreno (Arizona) won by TF over Isaac Stewart (Montana), 10-1 1:41

113 – Davis Motyka (Pennsylvania) dec. Kaiden Powell (Kansas), 4-2

120 – Musa Tamaradze (Massachusetts) dec. Isaac Hampton (Oregon), 0-0

126 – Massey Odiotti (Illinois) dec. Layne Kleimann (Utah), 7-3

132 – Gable Porter (Iowa) pinned Carter Nogle (Maryland), 6-0 1:32

138 – Maksym Chubenko (Ohio) won by TF over Paul Kelly (California), 8-0 4:20

145 – Pierson Manville (Pennsylvania) won by TF over Brady Collins (Colorado), 8-0 1:00

152 – Aliaksandr Kikiniou (California) won by TF over Owen Hicks (New York), 11-3 4:46

160 – Benjamin Smith (Maryland) dec. Brett Back (Wisconsin), 7-0

170 – Adam Waters (Pennsylvania) dec. Caden Young (Wisconsin), 5-2

182 – Brayden Gautreau (Michigan) dec. Aidan Squier (New Jersey), 6-5

195 – Payton Thomas (Oklahoma) pinned Kingsley Menifee (Virginia), 4-0 1:28

220 – Coby Merrill (California) dec. Jared Thiry (Iowa), 5-3

285 – Richard Thomas (Oklahoma) pinned Connor Aney (Washington), 5-0 1:28

Fifth-Place Matches

100 – Hunter Anderson (Idaho) pinned Kaison Schreier (Missouri), 11-10 4:14

106 – Hunter Sanchez (Utah) dec. Kiyan Simon (Alabama), 5-2

113 – Lawson Eller (Minnesota) won by injury default over Brayten Casey (Wisconsin)

120 – Jaxton Packer (Idaho) won by TF over Moses Mendoza (California), 11-0 1:54

126 – Billy Townson (California) won by TF over Treygen Morin (Idaho), 8-0 1:34

132 – Dmytro Chubenko (Ohio) pinned Matthew Beem (Iowa), 6-0 3:52

138 – Tanner Frothinger (Idaho) pinned Kane Naaktgeboren (Iowa), 4-0 0:37

145 – Gabriel Bouyssou (Rhode Island) won by TF over Garrett Reece (Colorado), 8-0 0:14

152 – TJ Schierl (Wisconsin) dec. Matthew Randolph (Minnesota), 5-1

160 – Patrick Brackett (Colorado) won by TF over Jude Randall (Oklahoma), 10-1 4:18

170 – Deontre Buttram (Oklahoma) dec.  Angelo Posada (California), 17-16

182 – Justin Rademacher (Oregon) won by TF over De’alcapon Veazy (Indiana), 8-0 0:47

195 – Karson Tompkins (Texas) won by TF over Quinlan Morgan (Minnesota), 8-0 0:58

220 – Nick Nosler (Illinois) won by TF over Torin Forsyth (Kansas), 9-0 1:56

285 – Cameron Geuther (Iowa) dec. Soren Pirhoun (Virginia), 5-4

Seventh-Place Matches

100 – Brady Byrd (Indiana) won by forfeit over Alexander Diaz (Pennsylvania)

106 – Gavin Miller (Oklahoma) pinned Malachi Ortiz (Florida), 6-3 1:31

113 – Nathan Rioux (Indiana) pinned Anthony Alanis (Illinois), 12-8 3:41

120 – Anthony Ruzic (Illinois) won by TF over Easton Cooper (Wisconsin), 8-0 3:00

126 – Miles Anderson (Nebraska) won by TF over Cooper Shore (Ohio), 11-2 4:19

132 – Amryn Nutter (Wisconsin) won by TF over Angel Serrano (Colorado), 12-4 5:51

138 – Maddox Khalimsky (Illinois) dec. Emil Necula (Georgia), 7-4

145 – Alex Braun (Minnesota) won by forfeit over Daniel Zepeda (California)

152 – Laird Root (California) won by injury default over Casper Stewart (New York)

160 – Kale Roth (Wisconsin) won by injury default over Thor Michaelson (Washington)

170 – Gavin Ricketts (Kentucky) won by TF over Dominic Bambinelli (Georgia), 9-0 2:29

182 – Isaiah Twait (Idaho) won by forfeit over Marco Christiansen (Minnesota)

195 – Dillon Bechtold (Pennsylvania) won by TF over Sean Carroll (Kansas), 16-5 4:50

220- Jarrett Stoner (Texas) won by TF over Mason Christian (Montana), 10-2 1:29

285 – Navarro Schunke (South Dakota) dec. Cameron Groncki (New York), 8-4