Takedown Report

PENNSYLVANIA WINS USMC JUNIOR MEN’S FREESTYLE TEAM TITLE, BUT WISCONSIN SHINES IN FINALS; FOUR CHAMPS WIN SECOND TITLES

Fargo, North Dakota – Pennsylvania set a state-record with 19 All-Americans and came away with two individual champions and a ninth Junior men’s freestyle team title, but Wisconsin stole the show Wednesday night as they set their own records and tied a national record with five champions at the 2023 USMC Men’s Junior Freestyle National Championships at the Fargodome on the campus of North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota.

Four of the five Juniors looking to win second men’s freestyle titles were successful as Iowa’s Ryder Block, Illinois’ Kannon Webster, Wisconsin’s Connor Mirasola and California’s Cody Merrill were all victorious. The fifth, Idaho’s Aden Attao, was pinned in the finals by Wisconsin’s Koy Hopke.

Pennsylvania won two of their three finals — Jax Forrest at 126 pounds, Vince Bouzakis at 152 pounds. Coming into the finals, Wisconsin set a state record with six finalists. The state’s previous high was in 2002 when they put five in the finals and won three titles. Titlists Mirasola and Hopke were joined atop the podium by Haakon Peterson (106 pounds), Braeden Scoles (160) and Noah Mulvaney (170). Wisconsin’s second-place finish its best in state history as well.

The five champions ties a national record for most Junior men’s freestyle champions in a year, set by Ohio in both 1991 and 2003. Pennsylvania’s 19 placewinners was the second-most all-time. Illinois had 20 medalists in 2011 and 2018.

Block, one of two Iowa champions on the night, earned his second title in a row, dominating California’s Daniel Zepeda 10-0. Block had five techs, a fall and a decision en route to his title. He outscored his opponents 76-10 in the tournament.

Webster won his second championship in three finals trips and returned to the top of the podium after finishing second a year ago after a 7-4 win at 145 pounds over Cross Wasilewski. It was one of two champions from Illinois on the night.

Wisconsin’s first champion of the night came at 106 pounds where Peterson won his fourth all-time title in Fargo and his first Junior freestyle championship with a 6-4 win over Iowa’s Tyler Harper. Scoles climbed to the top of the podium after finishing fourth and third each of the last two years. He topped New Jersey’s William Henckel, a 2021 16U freestyle champion, 7-4. Mulvaney followed with a dominant 14-1 technical fall over Illinois’ Chris Moore.

Of the five Wisconsin champions, four were part of Ben and Max Askren’s Askren Wrestling Academy, including 195-pound gold medalist Mirasola, who won last year at 182 pounds. Mirasola was one of the most dominant wrestlers in the tournament, going 7-0 and not surrendering a single point and putting up 71 points in seven technical falls.

California’s Merrill won his second title and was the only one who was able to solve Wisconsin in the finals. Merrill beat Cole Mirasola 11-0 and was the only champion from the Golden State on the night.

Hopke put the cherry on top for Wisconsin, rallying from a 7-0 deficit to pin Idaho’s returning champion Attao in the final 30 seconds. Hopke found an opening in the second period with sweeps and ended up tying the bout at nine before he maintained control on top and picked up the fall. … rest of story at … Teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2023/July/19/Junior-FS-finals-wrap

July 22, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment