NJ’s Knox & DeLuca among three returning Fargo champs in 16U MFS
Photos: Left, Anthony Knox (left) of New Jersey defeated Sam Herring of Pennsylvania for the 106-pound title in 16U men’s freestyle last summer, while Leo DeLuca (right, also from New Jersey) blanked Brock Mantanona of California for the 113-pound championship.
By Mike Finn
New Jersey wrestlers Anthony Knox and Leo DeLuca certainly have enjoyed the past 12 months that saw them, respectively, win a New Jersey state championship for St. John Vianney High School from Holmdel, N.J. and a National Prep title for national power Blair Academy, also located in the Garden State.
And starting this upcoming Saturday, both high school sophomores are among the three young men who will return to Fargo, N.D., to defend their 2021 16U men’s freestyle championships at USA Wrestling’s 2022 16U/Junior Nationals.
Knox is moving up from 106 to 113 pounds, while DeLuca will compete at 120 pounds after winning a Fargo “stop sign” trophy at 113 last July in the Fargodome.
The third defending champ in this age-group division is Seth Mendoza, who also won an Illinois state championship as a sophomore for Mt. Carmel High School this past winter. Mendoza will wrestle at 106 pounds in this year’s 16U men’s freestyle event after winning the 100-pound championship last summer.
Seth Mendoza (left) of Illinois defeated Christian Castillo of Arizona for the 100-pound 16U men’s freestyle championship last summer. Mendoza will compete at 106 pounds this July in Fargo. (WIN file photo)
This year’s week-long event, which has been held in Fargo since 1993, is expected to draw over 7,100 wrestlers for six separate tournaments. This national tournament for high school-aged wrestlers began in 1971 as Junior men’s freestyle national tournament before adding Greco-Roman in Juniors and both styles in 16U (formerly known as Cadet) as well as women’s freestyle in both Junior and 16U.
The 16U men’s freestyle tournament that concludes with the finals on Monday, July 18, had 1490 preliminary entries from 47 states, which would break the record of 1317 from the 2021 tournament.
The source for these numbers can be found in Jason Bryant’s MatTalk Online Fargo Almanac. (https://mattalkonline.gumroad.com/l/fargoguide)
In the last issue of WIN Magazine, high school columnist Rob Sherrill made his prediction of 2022 finalists in 16U men’s freestyle, following this summer’s 16U National Duals:
88 – Caleb Noble (WI) vs. Kaison Schreier (MO)
94 – Kole Davidheiser (PA) vs. Ayden Dodd (OH)
100 – Dominic Munaretto (IL) vs. Ryan Seacrist (OH)
106 – Mason Rohr (OH) vs. Aaron Seidel (PA)
113 – Sebastian DeGennaro (FL) vs. Anthony Knox (NJ)
120 – Marcus Blaze (OH) vs. Sam Herring (PA)
126 – Ben Davino (IL) vs. Billy Townson (CA) P
132 – Tyson Charmoli (MN) vs. Maddox Shaw (PA)
138 – Vince Bouzakis (PA) vs. Trae Rios (OK)
145 – Beau Hickman (OK) vs. Ty Wilson (OH) D
152 – Brodie Dominque (OH) vs. LaDarian Lockett (OK)
160 – Bronson Baxter (TX) vs. Angelo Posada (CA)
170 – Robert Kuharczk (VA) vs. Brent Slade (IA)
182 – Aeoden Sinclair (WI) vs. De’Alcapon Veazy (IN)
195 – Chase Matthias (WI) vs. Melvin Whitehead (NV)
220 – Carter Neves (OH) vs. Austin Johnson (PA)
285 – Lee Smith (IL) vs. Sampson Stillwell (MO)
The following is a schedule for all six tournaments. Click on each tourney to read a preview of that event. Previews of 16U Greco-Roman will be available July 12, followed by a look at Junior Freestyle on July 13 and Junior Greco on July 14.
| Tourney | First-round | Quarters/Semis | Finals |
| 16U women’s FS | July 16, 8 a.m. | July 16, 3 p.m. | July 17, 1:30 p.m. |
| 16U men’s FS | July 16, 8 a.m. | July 17, 4:30 p.m. | July 18, 1:30 p.m. |
| Junior men’s FS | July 17, 4:30 p.m. | July 18, 9 a.m./4:30 p.m. | July 19, 1 p.m. |
| Junior women’s FS | July 19, 9 a.m. | July 19, 4 p.m./July 20 9 a.m. | July 20, 2 p.m. |
| 16U Greco | July 20, 8 a.m. | July 20, 5 p.m./July 21, 8:30 a.m. | July 21, 2 p.m. |
| Junior Greco | July 21, 8:30 a.m. | July 21, 4:30 p.m./July 22, 9 a.m. | July 22, 2 p.m. |
The following are the All-American matches from the 2021 16U Nationals in men’s freestyle.
Championship Matches
88 – Javaan Yarbrough (Ohio) dec. Haakon Peterson (Wisconsin), 10-4
94 – Mack Mauger (Idaho) dec. Cadell Lee (Virginia), 8-3
100 – Seth Mendoza (Illinois) dec. Christian Castillo (Arizona), 7-0
106 – Anthony Knox (New Jersey) won by TF over Sam Herring (Pennsylvania), 18-6 3:32
113 – Leo Deluca (New Jersey) won by TF over Brock Mantanona (California), 10-0 1:02
120 – Adrian Meza (Arizona) dec. Aden Valencia (California), 3-0
126 – Kyler Larkin (Arizona) dec. Landon Robideau (Minnesota), 3-1
132 – Zach Hanson (Minnesota) dec. Christopher Coates (Missouri), 2-1
138 – Joel Adams (Nebraska) dec. Tyler Kasak (Pennsylvania), 7-6
145 – William Henckel (Connecticut) dec. Pierson Manville (Pennsylvania), 4-2
152 – Zack Ryder (New York) dec. Kj Evans (Oklahoma), 10-9
160 – Louie Cerchio (New Jersey) dec. Daschle Lamer (Oregon), 8-4
170 – Gabriel Arnold (Georgia) dec. Cody Merrill (California), 3-1
182 – Camden Mcdanel (Ohio) dec. Luke Vanadia (Ohio), 9-6
195 – Max McEnelly (Minnesota) dec. Sonny Sasso (Pennsylvania), 11-8
220 – Koy Hopke (Wisconsin) won by TF over Jacob Walker (Iowa), 10-0 1:28
285 – Navarro Schunke (South Dakota) won by TF over Will Sather (Minnesota), 11-0 3:49
3rd-Place Matches
88 – Aydan Thomas (Texas) dec. Griffin Rial (Colorado), 5-4
94 – Moses Mendoza (California) dec. Tyler Garvin (Maryland), 9-4
100 – Gage Singleton (Oregon) won by TF over Dedrick Navarro (Idaho), 12-2 3:42
106 – Isaiah Quintero (California) dec. Marcus Blaze (Ohio), 9-0
113 – Vincent Kilkeary (Pennsylvania) dec. Jax Forrest (North Carolina), 9-6
120 – Tyler Wells (Minnesota) dec. Kael Lauridsen (Nebraska), 5-1
126 – Mason Gibson (Pennsylvania) pinned Kamdyn Williams (Pennsylvania), 5-4 1:03
132 – Brock Herman (Ohio) won by TF over Cross Wasilewski (New Jersey), 10-0 0:17
138 – Ethan Mojena (Florida) dec. Jaydon Robinson (Illinois), 2-1
145 – Dylan Evans (Pennsylvania) dec. Brett Back (Wisconsin), 6-0
152 – Nicholas Fox (Iowa) won by TF over Dominic Bambinelli (Georgia), 11-0 2:32
160 – Aeoden Sinclair (Wisconsin) pinned Roman Garcia (Florida), 11-2 3:34
170 – Jared Schoppe (New Jersey) dec. Justin Rademacher (Oregon), 8-7
182 – Connor Mirasola (Wisconsin) won by injury default over Cole Mirasola (Wisconsin), 0-0 0:00
195 – McCrae Hagarty (Iowa) pinned Carter Neves (Ohio), 10-3 2:55
220 – Parker Ferrell (Virginia) dec. Austin Johnson (Pennsylvania), 6-0
285 – Spencer Lanosga (Louisiana) won by TF over Maddux Borcherding-johnson (Iowa), 12-0 3:04
5th-Place Matches
88 – Revin Dickman (Indiana) dec. Kole Davidheiser (Pennsylvania), 8-4
94 – Michael Olson (Minnesota) pinned Devon Harrison (Missouri), 8-7 2:50
100 – Layne Kleimann (Utah) won by TF over Blake Beissel (Minnesota), 13-2 2:33
106 – Jameson Garcia (Illinois) dec. Jackson Blum (Michigan), 9-2
113 – Draegen Orine (Missouri) dec. Jack Consiglio (Pennsylvania), 9-6
120 – Maddox Shaw (Pennsylvania) won in injury default over Jacob Myers (Colorado), 0-0 0:00
126 – Dmitri Alarcon (Colorado) pinned Vince Bouzakis (Pennsylvania), 18-8 4:00
132 – Jason Mara (Idaho) dec. Travis Grace (California), 8-4
138 – August Hibler (New Jersey) dec. Nicholas Kunstek (Pennsylvania), 4-4
145 – Charlie Millard (Wisconsin) dec. Duncan Christensen (Virginia), 9-2
152 – Lars Michaelson (Washington) won by TF over Griffin Lundeen (Minnesota), 10-0 1:34
160 – Talon Mccollom (Oklahoma) won by TF over Jed Wester (Minnesota), 12-0 1:43
170 – Brian Burburija (Florida) dec. Keegan Sell (Ohio), 8-2
182 – Dominic Thebeau (Illinois) dec. De’alcapon Veazy (Indiana), 6-3
195 – Sawyer Bartelt (Florida) won by TF over Adam Haselius (Michigan), 10-0 2:42
220 – Zachary Evans (Pennsylvania) won by TF over Nicholas Sahakian (California), 10-0 2:24
285 – Aiden Compton (Pennsylvania) won by TF over Aidan Trujillo (Colorado), 12-1 3:11
7th -Place Matches
88 – Nathan Rioux (Indiana) dec. Lawson Eller (Minnesota), 5-0
94 – Tyler Harper (Iowa) pinned Liam Neitzel (Wisconsin), 10-8 3:27
100 – Dru Ayala (Iowa) dec. Carson Walsh (New Jersey), 6-6
106 – Nathan Desmond (Pennsylvania) dec. Ethan Rivera (Florida), 6-2
113 – Drew Gorman (Georgia) dec. Nick Treaster (Kansas), 8-0
120 – Dalton Perry (Pennsylvania) dec. Gauge Botero (Pennsylvania), 8-3
126 – Clayton Giddens (Oklahoma) dec. Nathan Taylor (New Jersey), 4-1
132 – Gabriel Bouyssou (Rhode Island) won by TF over Smokey Mcclure (Washington), 10-0 1:10
138 – Alessio Perentin (New Jersey) dec. James Chance (Ohio), 7-7
145 – Isaias Jimenez (Arizona) dec. Latrell Schafer (Georgia), 6-2
152 – Silas Dailey (Wisconsin) dec. Zachary Eliszewski (Wisconsin), 4-1
160 – Peyton Westpfahl (Missouri) dec. Tyler Secoy (Georgia), 4-2
170 – Nathan Taylor (Connecticut) dec. Travis Stipetich (Pennsylvania), 6-1
182 – Tucker Hogan (Pennsylvania) won by TF over Soren Herzog (Minnesota), 17-6 3:08
195 – Max Agresti (Delaware) dec. William Clark (Indiana), 16-12
220 – Samuel Murphy (Missouri) dec. Max Vanadia (Ohio), 7-0
285 – Sebastian Lopez (Kansas) won by injury default over Aidan Fockler (Ohio)
