Top-ranked Benick & Stoll lead The Clash XII’s Perfect 36

By Rob Sherrill

Another edition of The Clash National Duals is in the books. While it’s a team event, it’s also revealing to look at the individual stars in the event, and there were many.

A total of 36 wrestlers from the 32 teams that competed at Rochester, Minn., Jan. 3-4, went a perfect 6-0 in the two-day event.

The Super 36 included the superstars, including two wrestlers ranked No. 1 at their weights: Lance Benick (195) of Fridley (Minn.) Totino-Grace and Sam Stoll (285) of Kasson (Minn.) K.-Mantorville. No. 2 Nick Suriano (113) of Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic, a pair of No. 3s, Tommy Thorn (126) of Albertville (Minn.) St. Michael-Albertville and Mark Hall (160-170) of team champion Apple Valley (Minn.) and No. 5 Fredy Stroker (132), one of three 6-0 wrestlers from Bettendorf (Iowa), were top-five wrestlers to post 6-0 marks.

But the Super 36 also included a pair of unheralded wrestlers from first-time entry Rockton (Ill.) Hononegah: sophomore Fernie Silva (145) and senior Tyler DeMoss (170).

Silva, who has yet to qualify for his state tournament, included a 7-3 victory over state runner-up Mark Voss of St. Michael-Albertville among his six wins. All DeMoss, who has never won a state tournament match, did was beat Iowa champion Adam Drain of Mediapolis, 5-2, and Nebraska placewinner Nick Hollins of Omaha Skutt, 9-3.

Jacob Schwarm (113) and Logan Ryan (138) were the other Bettendorf wrestlers to go 6-0. West Fargo (N.D.) also placed three in the Super 36: Reed Cronin (126-132), Jordan Shearer (132-138) and Weston Dobler (160). Ten other schools placed two.

Here’s another indicator of how prestigious a 6-0 record is: two No. 1 wrestlers came up short. Jered Cortez (132) of Carol Stream (Ill.) Glenbard North went up a weight to 138 to challenge Seth Gross of Apple Valley as top-five wrestlers met. Gross won the match, 3-0. But going up a weight bit Gross, too, in a 7-4 loss to Larry Early of Oak Park-River Forest at 145.

Johnny Sebastian (182) of Bergen Catholic was the other No. 1 to fall, losing 6-4 in overtime to Bobby Steveson of Apple Valley in his opening match. Sebastian rebounded with three first-period pins and a 16-7 major decision over another ranked opponent, Alex Benoit of Chicago (Ill.) Marist.

The Super 36, listed in weight class order:

• Austin Gomez, Carol Stream (Ill.) Glenbard North, 106

• Jacob Schwarm, Bettendorf (Iowa), 113

• Nick Suriano, Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic, 113

• Gionn Peralta, Vacaville (Calif.), 120

• Gabe Townsell, Oak Park (Ill.) O.P.-River Forest, 120-126

• Conner Ziegler, Cincinnati (Ohio) Archbishop Moeller, 120

• Reed Cronin, West Fargo (N.D.), 126-132

• Anthony Hernandez, Vacaville (Calif.), 126

• Jon Marmolejo, Carol Stream (Ill.) Glenbard North, 126

• Kaz Onoo, Mason City (Iowa), 126

• Jordan Shearer, West Fargo (N.D.), 132-138

• Griffin Parriott, New Prague (Minn.), 132

• Luke Rowh, Hastings (Minn.), 132

• Fredy Stroker, Bettendorf (Iowa), 132

• Tommy Thorn, Albertville (Minn.) St. Michael-Albertville, 132

• James Berg, New Prague (Minn.), 138

• Andrew Rojas, Grand Island (Neb.), 138

• Logan Ryan, Bettendorf (Iowa), 138

• Brady Berge, Kasson (Minn.) K.-Mantorville, 145

• Fernie Silva, Rockton (Ill.) Hononegah, 145

• Chase Straw, Independence (Iowa), 145

• Weslee Dvorak, Parkston (S.D.), 152

• Dayton Racer, Apple Valley (Minn.), 152

• Weston Dobler, West Fargo (N.D.), 160

• Dustin Gray, Wentzville (Mo.) Timberland, 160

• Mark Hall, Apple Valley (Minn.), 160-170

• Paden Moore, Jackson (Minn.) County Central, 160

• Peter Andreotti, Chicago (Ill.) Marist, 170

• Tyler DeMoss, Rockton (Ill.) Hononegah, 170

• Chance Cooper, Wentzville (Mo.) Timberland, 182-195

• Kyle Fank, Independence (Iowa), 182

• Lance Benick, Fridley (MInn.) Totino-Grace, 195-220

• Kez Flomo, Fridley (MInn.) Totino-Grace, 195-220

• Chase Reis, Grand Island (Neb.), 220-285

• Sam Stoll, Kasson (Minn.) K.-Mantorville, 285

Moore and Stoll went a perfect 6-for-6 – six matches, six falls – and were the only two wrestlers to do so. Stoll, who had five first-period pins, scored his six pins in 11 minutes, 17 seconds. Moore needed just 13:29 to record his six pins. Onoo (four pins, two technical falls) and Stroker (three pins, three technical falls) didn’t have a match go the distance.

Gomez, Schwarm, Hernandez, Hall and Cooper each had five pins. Hall’s sixth win came via a forfeit.