ASICS Junior/Cadet Nationals Preview: 126 & 132 pounds
Editor’s Note: WIN’s high school columnist Rob Sherrill is continuing his weight-by-weight preview of the ASICS Junior/Cadet Nationals, which will be held July 13-20 in Fargo, N.D.
In this week’s WIN eNews, Sherrill is focusing on the top wrestlers at both 126 and 132 pounds, based primarily on their performance at the four regional tournaments.
126 pounds
Northeast Regional
Hayden Hidlay, Lewistown (Pa.) Mifflin County
Hidlay was the double Cadet champion, posting an 11-0 record. Seven of those wins came in freestyle, where he posted a pair of pins and three technical falls in pool competition. He pinned three of his four Greco-Roman opponents as well.
The freshman posted a 27-7 record and was a AAA state qualifier at 113 pounds.
West Regional
Cole Weaver, Hudson (Mich.)
The junior won his first 11 matches, taking the Greco-Roman title with a 5-0 record which included three pins. He went 6-0 in his pool to advance to the freestyle finals. He lost a period in Greco-Roman and two more in freestyle, but he still went 8-0, including a 5-0 freestyle mark.
Weaver finished 52-0 and won his second straight Division 4 state title at 130 pounds.
Zahid Valencia, Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco
It took one of the best in the nation to stop Weaver’s streak. Valencia, the Cadet National freestyle champion at 113 a year ago, went 7-0 to take the freestyle title, stopping Weaver in two periods, 1-0, 1-1. He advanced to the finals with a three-period win over William Koll of Lansing (N.Y.) in his pool final.
The sophomore finished third in state this season at 113 pounds after winning the state title at 106 as a freshman, finishing the season No. 1 in the WIN rankings at that weight class.
Central Regional
Nathan Tomasello, Cuyahoga Falls (Ohio) Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy
The two-time Junior National freestyle champion went 6-0 to win the Junior freestyle title. He didn’t allow a point, advancing to the finals with four technical falls and a pin. In an all-Ohio final, the Ohio State University recruit shut out Austin Assad of Brecksville-Broadview Heights, 4-0, 7-0.
The four-time Division 2 state champion finished 51-0 at 120 pounds, finishing the season ranked No. 1 in the WIN rankings.
Southeast Regional
Ty Lucas, Brandon (Fla.)
The sophomore was the Cadet double champion for the second year in row, winning four matches in Greco-Roman and five more in freestyle for a 9-0 overall record. He was particularly dominant in freestyle with three technical falls and two pins, and allowed just six points in his nine matches. Lucas was the double champion at 106 in 2012.
Lucas will be a freshman at Brandon next year.
132 pounds
Northwest Regional
Matt Park, Boise (Idaho) Centennial
For a weekend, the freshman emerged from the shadow of his highly-decorated high school teammate, Hayden Tuma; posting an 11-0 overall record and winning the double Cadet championship. How did Park post that record? He pinned all 11 of his opponents. You read that right: 11 matches, 11 falls. Six came in the first period.
Park finished 42-13 and was the 5A state runner-up at 126 pounds.
West Regional
Jacob Schmitt, St. Johns (Mich.)
The Northwestern University recruit dominated both styles en route to his Junior double title. He went 6-0 in each style, collecting four technical falls in Greco-Roman. He added three pins and three technical falls in freestyle, and his 7-0, 7-1 technical fall over Jacob Rubio of Amarillo (Texas) Canyon Randall in the final represented the only point he allowed during the event.
The three-time Division 2 state champion finished 51-0 at 130 pounds, and finished the season No. 4 in the WIN rankings.
Central Regional
Josh Bird, Burlington (Wis.)
The freshman turned in a dominating double Cadet championship performance. After posting three pins and a technical fall in winning the Greco-Roman title with a 4-0 record, he added six freestyle wins, three by technical fall and two by pin. Bird pinned both his finals opponents in under one minute.
Bird was the Division 1 state champion at 120 pounds this season, posting a 48-3 record.
Southeast Regional
Dylan Lucas, Brandon (Fla.)
The sophomore came within one match of matching brother Ty’s feat at the Junior level. He was 4-0 in winning the Greco-Roman title, then added three technical falls to reach the freestyle final against three-time Illinois champion Jered Cortez of Carol Stream Glenbard North. Lucas won the first period against Cortez, 6-2, before Cortez rallied to win the final two periods and the title, 2-0, 4-0.
Lucas was the 3A state champion at 126 pounds, posting a 58-1 record.
