Maryland’s bright future was on display during the Freestyle competition at the 16U United States Marine Corp Nationals at the Fargo Dome in North Dakota on Monday through Wednesday of last week. The youngsters locked down four All-American spots including two finalists. The performances of Tyler Verceles (94), Corey Brown (100), Brooklyn Pickett (138), Salah Tsarni (165), and others pushed Maryland into a tenth-place finish. Out of those placers, only Tsarni has competed in high school.
Of the two finalists, Brown and Verceles, Brown had the more impressive run to reach the finals, taking out U15 US Open FS champion Chase Karenbauer (PA) in the semis, 2-2, and New Jersey’s JoJo Burke, 10-6, in the quarters. Burke was fourth in the U17 Division at the US Open in FS, where he beat Ohio’s Brandon Bickerton (No. 17 in the nation at 106lbs in Scorebook Live’s latest rankings). Burke also picked up a win over Oklahoma’s Cason Craft at the Open. Craft was fifth at 106 in Junior FS at Fargo.
Brown, who was third in U17 Greco Roman at the US Open and plans to attend Mt. St. Joseph, took out another U15 FS US Open placer, New York’s Anthony Curlo (5th), 9-2, in the round of 16. Two shutouts preceded those three matches, a round of 64 shellacking of Zack Dixon (CT), 10-0, was followed by a 5-0 outcome over New York’s Chase Phillips.
Brown’s storybook run and streak of top-level wins ended in the finals where he faced Pennsylvania’s Justin Farnsworth, who is ranked 21st in the country at 106lbs, and fell by a 4-2 tally. Farnsworth was just eighth at National Preps for Germantown Academy including a loss to St. Mary’s Ryken’s Eli Gabrielson. But as the FS season has unfolded, Farnsworth has gone to another level, placing fifth in U17 FS at the US Open with wins over Bickerton and Burke. At the NFS Duals, Farnsworth downed New Jersey’s No. 6 PJ Terranova, who was second at Fargo at 106 in 16U FS, 4-2.
“I felt like I wrestled pretty good,” said Brown. “I mean, obviously not the result I wanted. I wanted to be on the top of the podium with the big stop sign. But we all have those moments when we have to lose. I just have to keep my head up and next year I’ve got to be on top of the podium. Do a little bit more and keep working harder.”
“I felt like it (the match with Karenbauer) was just another match. We’ve wrestled ten to twelve times and he’s never beaten me, and I just kept that same mentality that he was never going to beat me. It was a pretty good match. I got the last takedown to win with two seconds left off the challenge. It felt pretty good. I was really happy that I beat him in the semis to make the finals. That’s what I went there for. To see all the good wrestlers.”
“It was great. I loved it. I liked how there were so many people, and all the eyes were on me when I was in the finals. It was a really fun experience. I’m already looking forward to next year. I can’t wait. And next year, I’m going to double champ.”
Verceles, who was a U15 GR champ at the US Open, will be taking his talents to Loyola as a freshman this year. The future Don was not able to add a Fargo FS crown to those accolades as he came up short in his finals showdown with Pennsylvania’s Keegan Bassett, 4-2. Bassett was an U15 US Open FS gold medalist.
In the semis and quarter finals, Verceles beat the fifth and sixth place finishers, Cody Clarke (GA), 11-2, and Niko Odiotti (IL), 7-0, respectively. The victory over Clarke avenged a loss from the 16U FS National Duals where Clarke beat him, 10-4. Three technical superiority wins got him to that point, 10-0 over California’s Gabriel Martinez in the round of 64, 11-0 against Bo Courtney (OK) in the round of 32, and a round of 16, 11-1 victory versus Shaefer Hoffman (PA).
“Reaching the Fargo finals was a surreal experience for me,” Verceles said. “Prior to starting my eighth-grade wrestling season last Fall, I made one of my goals to be a Fargo All-American and win a stop sign. Making the finals and having the opportunity to stand at the top of the podium made me realize how incredibly hard I had been training for that exact moment.”
“I felt that I performed to the best of my ability in every match. However, in the freestyle finals I made one crucial mistake in the first period. At such a high level of wrestling, even a single mistake can cost you the match. Other than that mistake, I feel I wrestled the best I have all season, beating multiple All-Americans and executing moves I had been practicing all spring and summer.”
“I wasn’t aware of my accomplishment at the time, but Coach (John) Nogle emphasized to me that placing second in Fargo is a huge deal. Thinking back, I still fell just short of my ultimate goal of winning and bringing the real Fargo stop sign home to Maryland. Placing second this year just gives me more motivation to come back next year to compete.”
Tsarni earned a bronze for his efforts that included two wins over Wisconsin state champion Liam Crook, 6-2 in the consolation finals and 12-2 in the quarters. Crook beat Fargo Junior FS fourth place finisher Caleb Dennee (175) in the state finals.
To reach the third-place match, Tsarni beat U15 US Open FS champion Mario Hutcherson (PA), 7-2. The only blemish the Bullis grappler endured was a semi-final loss by fall to Michigan’s national honorable mention, Jay’Den Williams, 2:26.
Including the win over Crook, all of Tsarni’s championship bracket wins came on tech falls, handling Utah’s Kaizen Detoles, 14-4, Pennsylvania’s Xayden Sallit, 12-0, Georgia’s Timothy Brown III, 11-0, and Oklahoma’s John Cole, 12-0. Tsarni was a freshman state champ, who took seventh at National Preps and placed second at the NHSCA Freshmen Nationals.
Future St. Joe grappler, Brooklyn Pickett is a highly decorated wrestler who has claimed a Super 32 Middle School crown among many other awards. In the spring, Pickett did not place at the US Open in the U17 FS slate but picked up two big wins there over California’s Josh Requena, who was fifth in his state tournament, and Iowa’s Justis Jesurgoa. Jesuroga took top honors in Pickett’s Fargo weight class, beating Missouri’s Miller Sipes, who defeated Picket in the round of 16, and Hunter Stevens (WI), who kicked Utah’s Austin Ellis to the consolation bracket.
Ellis pinned Pickett in the consolation finals, 1:22. Five straight consolation wins got Pickett to that encounter. Wins were registered over Ohio’s Kyle Jardine, 12-3, Vinnie Gutierrez (CA), 10-0, Isaac Conner (OR), 10-0, in the blood round. Two close matches followed the blood round win, 4-1 over Pennsylvania’s Wyatt Fry and 6-4 against California’s Carlos Valdiviezo.
Because of where he fell in the championship bracket and making it all the way through to the third-place match, Pickett wrestled ten matches over the three days. Before falling to Sipes, Pickett downed Arizona’s Griffin Burch, 12-1, Pennsylvania’s Myles Grossman, 5-3, and Ohio’s Eddie Kessen, 10-0.
“Fargo is a very different event than I’ve ever been to,” remarked Pickett. “It’s the biggest wrestling tournament and that gave me a little bit of nerves but mostly I was confident in my skills, my training, and my ability. I really went out there trying to win every match and just showcase my skills and stay calm and collected.”
“(I was thinking) just take it one match at a time, don’t think too far ahead. Don’t ponder on mistakes made in another match and just keep moving forward. Once I won my blood round match it was a little bit of relief. Relief and like a feeling of reward but mostly I just knew getting fifth or sixth wasn’t good enough for me. I wanted to get third or fourth, and that’s what I did.”
“I think I wrestled tough. I wrestled well. There’s a lot of areas for improvement, mentally and mat wise. I’m excited for the upcoming high school season and Fargo was a great learning experience and test.”
Peter Snyder (190), who wrestles for Blair Academy, during the season was the only Maryland rep to place in the Junior Division coming in seventh place with a 2-1 win over Arizona’s Aidan Ysaguirre in that match. Snyder lost to fourth place finishing Gage Yackee (OH), 7-0, after a blood round win over Indiana’s Gunner Henry, 4-1. Two other consolation victims were Wisconsin’s Max Matthias, 4-0, and Georgia’s Connor McCloskey, 8-6.
Three wins propelled Snyder to the round of 16 where he took a loss to No. 17 John Murphy (MN), who did not end up placing. The wins were gained over Arizona’s Jaxon Hamilton, 10-0, a pin of Illinois’ Alihan Bereket, 5:23, and a 5-0 blanking of Oklahoma’s Wura Yinusa.
Snyder won National Preps as a freshman and was fifth this past season. The soon to be junior was unranked going into Fargo because of inconsistency. This madness played out at the Ultimate Club Duals, where he beat Nebraska’s No. 8 Cade Ziola, who was second at Fargo, but lost to the unranked Greyson Meak of New York.
Two nationally ranked guys who encountered tough sledding at Fargo were Gilman’s Liam McGettigan (No. 9 at 106) and the nomadic Ben Smith (No. 25 at 165), who wrestled at Mt. St. Joe two seasons ago but was with the New York Military Academy last year.
McGettigan (16U 106), an Ironman and National Prep placer in addition to being a state champion, was somehow unseeded at 106. The Greyhound won his first two matches against Georgia’s Noah Scott, 10-0, and Illinois’ Aidan McClure, 10-0, before getting tripped up by Terranova, 8-4, in the round of 32. Terranova would go onto place second while McGettigan went 1-1 in the consolation rounds, beating New York’s Rocco DeStefano, 4-0, and losing to Iowa’s Carew Christensen, 15-4.
Smith (Junior 165) won his first two matches before tasting defeat in the round of 32 to Illinois’ Jimmy Mastny, 4-3, who was unranked nationally. Once in the consolation bracket, Smith was immediately eliminated by New Jersey’s Jordan Chapman (No. 10 at 175), 8-6. Smith’s two wins were both by techs, 11-0 versus Jacob Blandford (ID) and 13-2 over Tyler Neiva (CT).
St. Mary’s Ryken’s Evan Boblits (Junior 144) is on the periphery of the national rankings and spent some time in the honorable mention section at one point during last season. The state champion and national prep placer went 2-1 in both the championship and consolation brackets.
Boblits opened with tech falls against Colorado’s Elijah Banks, 12-2, and New York’s Jordan Joslyn, 15-4, before encountering seventh place finisher, No. 10 Gabriel Bouyssou (RI), and coming up short, 4-2.
Two 12-2 techs in the consolations came versus Iowa’s Jase Jaspers and Texas’ Bryce Palmer. Indiana’s Easton Doster returned the favor and teched Boblits, 13-0, to eliminate the Knight.
A couple of multi-time state champions came up short in the hunt for hardware at Fargo. Stephen Decatur’s Elijah Collick went 5-2 at 120 in the 16U side. Centennial’s Calvin Kraisser was 3-2 at 150 in the Junior Division.
Boonsboro’s state champ, Tanner Halling was 2-2 in the Junior 126lbs bracket with one of his losses being to No. 7 Christian Castillo (AZ), who placed third. Both of Bullis’ Noah Tucker’s losses at 157 in the 16U Division were to eventual placers, New Jersey’s Gabe Logan (2nd), 10-0, and Illinois’ Ismael Bereket (5th), 12-5. Tucker was 2-2.
Hereford’s Adam Keever (16U 190) lost his first match then reeled off four straight wins before succumbing to Iowa’s Andy Franke, 9-3, to finish 4-2. 3-2 records were posted by Spalding’s Sean Garretson (JR 126), St. Joe’s Ben Scheiner (16U 126), and Good Counsel’s George Tate (16U 190).
Others who went 2-2 were St. Joe’s Connor Allison (16U 132), Eleanor Roosevelt’s Austin Hayes (16U 100), and Sparrows Point’s Christian Manley (JR 126).
Brackets:
16U MEN FREESTYLE
FINALS
88-Ariah Mills (GA) VPO1 Hudson Chittum (TN), 5-2
94-Keegan Bassett (PA) VPO1 Tyler Verceles (MD), 4-2
100-Justin Farnsworth (PA) VPO1 Corey Brown (MD), 4-2
106-Hayden Schwab (IA) VPO1 Pj Terranova (NJ), 2-1
113-Shamus Regan (PA) VPO Paul Ruiz (CA), 5-0
120-Will Detar (PA) VPO1 Liston Seibert (OH), 11-8
126-Stephen Myers (WV) VPO1 Bruno Cassioppi (IL), 12-6
132-Clinton Shepherd (IN) VPO1 Ashton Besmer (CA), 12-3
138-Justis Jesuroga (IA) VPO1 Hunter Stevens (WI), 4-3
144-Noah Bull (UT) VSU1 Dominic Wilson (TX), 16-2 2:48
150-Jayden James (NJ) VSU Maximus Dhabolt (IA), 10-0 2:21
157-Lucas Boe (IN) VPO Gabriel Logan (NJ), 8-0
165-Aaron Stewart (IL) VSU Jayden Williams (MI), 10-0 1:02
175-Brayden Koester (IA) VPO1 Cody Savage (VT), 7-7
190-Elijah Brown (PA) VPO1 Maximus Konopka (CT), 8-2
215-Alex Taylor (OH) VPO1 Ryder Smith (TN), 11-7
285-Jonathan Rulo (IL) VFA Makhi Rodgers (WI), 6-0 2:39
3RD PLACE
88-Kooper Deputy (PA) VPO1 Wyatt Dannegger (MO), 8-3
94-Thiago Silva (CA) VPO1 Traevon Ducking (IN), 3-2
100-Turner Ross (MN) VPO Chase Karenbauer (PA), 4-0
106-Case Bell (IN) VPO Mateo Gallegos (PA), 4-0
113-Alexander Pierce (IA) VPO1 Killian Coluccio (NJ), 4-3
120-Gabriel Ballard (PA) VFA Rocco Cassioppi (IL), 6-1 3:29
126-Mason Carlson (UT) VSU1 Gage Lohr (SD), 15-5 3:37
132-Gavin Mangano (NY) VPO1 Jovani Solis (FL), 4-4
138-Austin Ellis (UT) VFA Brooklyn Pickett (MD), 4-1 1:22
144-Camryn Howard (NY) VSU Colin Rutlin (MO), 11-0 1:54
150-Chance Ruble (MO) VPO1 Eli Esguerra (OH), 10-8
157-Brody Sendele (IL) VPO1 Zack Aquila (OH), 8-1
165-Salah Tsarni (MD) VPO1 Liam Crook (WI), 6-2
175-Nicholas Singer (PA) VSU1 Carter Temple (MO), 13-2 2:48
190-Tanner Hodgins (NJ) VPO1 Eli Knight (WV), 11-3
215-Josh Hoffer (IL) VPO1 Joseph Favia (IL), 1-1
285-Mateo Vinciguerra (NJ) VSU Preston Wagner (NE), 13-0 3:04
5TH PLACE
88-Thales Silva (CA) VSU1 Lucas Forman (NV), 14-4 4:00
94-Cody Clarke (GA) VSU Niko Odiotti (IL), 10-0 0:19
100-Loc Webber (OH) VIN William Soto (NY)
106-Analu Woode (HI) VSU1 Layne Martin (MI), 16-6 3:55
113-Jensen Boyd (IN) VPO1 Shea Richter (SD), 6-4
120-Van Smith (OK) DSQ Paul Kenny (NJ)
126-Brenden jorden Agcaoili (NV) VIN Dale Corbin (WI)
132-Dawson Youngblut (IA) VPO1 Grayson Fuchs (MI), 4-2
138-Miller Sipes (MO) VPO1 Carlos Valdiviezo (CA), 5-2
144-James Whitbred (PA) VIN Travis Cardenas (AZ)
150-Cooper Rowe (MN) VPO1 Thomas Gibbs (IN), 5-4
157-Ismael Bereket (IL) VSU Tyree Graham (FL), 10-0 1:50
165-Mario Hutcherson (PA) VSU Riley Johnson (NE), 10-0 2:50
175-Xavier Smith (IN) VFO Isai Fernandez (CA), 0-0
190-David Calkins (CA) VPO1 Daniel Moylan (CA), 7-2
215-Cael Leisgang (WI) VFA Noah Larios (CA), 7-1 3:50
285-Kyler Kuhn (MO) VPO1 Lucas Feuerbach (IA), 6-3
7TH PLACE
88-Michael Mcnamara (IL) VPO1 Onofre Gonzales (CO), 4-3
94-Cruz Gannon (IA) VPO Vince Von bernewitz (VA), 5-0
100-Sean Kenny (NJ) VPO1 Jojo Burke (NJ), 5-4
106-Cruzer Dominguez (NE) VPO1 Kaleb Pratt (IL), 5-1
113-Jovanni Tovar (FL) VPO Austin Bickerton (OH), 7-0
120-Czar Quintanilla (WA) VPO1 Kavin Muyleart (PA), 8-3
126-Matthew Orbeta (CA) VPO1 Maximus Hay (WI), 9-6
132-Austin Collins (CO) VFO Max Gonzalez (WI), 0-0
138-Nate Keller (NJ) VPO1 Wyatt Fry (PA), 4-2
144-Hudson Hohman (PA) VPO1 Ladd Holman (UT), 6-4
150-Jake Hughes (OH) VSU1 Carter Fielden (IN), 11-1 2:31
157-Brennan Warwick (OH) VPO1 Kawayran Vazquez (FL), 8-5
165-Blake Hostetter (PA) VPO1 Don Beaufait (MI), 10-4
175-Kyle Scott (PA) VSU1 Sam Howard (IN), 12-1 1:22
190-Deacon Moran (MO) VSU Peter Mocco (FL), 11-0 3:19
215-Noah Mathis (KS) VSU Zach Caldwell (NY), 10-0 2:46
285-Jt Kelso (IA) VPO Chandler Moore (OH), 9-0
JUNIOR MEN FREESTYLE
FINALS
100-Michael Rundell (IL) VPO1 Xavier Diaz (PA), 8-5
106-Christopher Swann (GA) VPO1 Antonio Quiroz (NV), 8-7
113-Dunia Sibomana (NY) VPO1 Ayden Dodd (OH), 8-2
120-Gauge Botero (PA) VPO1 Brock Rothermel (PA), 11-2
126-Aaron Seidel (PA) VSU Koufax Christensen (IA), 10-0 2:42
132-Jax Forrest (PA) VSU Seth Mendoza (IL), 10-0 1:29
138-Sergio Vega (AZ) VPO1 Drew Gorman (GA), 10-2
144-Daniel Zepeda (CA) VPO1 Smokey Mcclure (WA), 13-4
150-Landon Robideau (MN) VSU Paul Kelly (CA), 10-0 5:18
157-Melvin Miller (PA) VPO1 Isaias Jimenez (AZ), 8-7
165-Alessio Perentin (NJ) VSU Elliott Humphries (MA), 10-0 1:35
175-Ryan Burton (NJ) VPO1 William Henckel (CT), 4-2
190-Harvey Ludington (NJ) VSU Cade Ziola (NE), 10-0 1:17
215-Angelo Posada (CA) VPO1 Anthony Harris (NJ), 5-2
285-Rocco Dellagatta (NJ) VPO1 Daniel Herrera (IA), 8-7
3RD PLACE
100-Ethan Powell (OH) VSU Kacen Jones (UT), 10-0 1:49
106-Jarrett Smith (MI) VPO1 Carter Chunko (PA), 6-2
113-Abdirahman Unle (NE) VPO1 Revin Dickman (IN), 8-6
120-Blake Beissel (MN) VPO1 Davis Motyka (PA), 7-6
126-Christian Castillo (AZ) VSU Gavin Jendreas (IN), 10-0 4:07
132-Jake Hockaday (IN) VPO1 Matthew Botello (MA), 8-4
138-Alex Braun (MN) VPO1 Hunter Hollingsworth (OK), 6-4
144-Tyson Charmoli (MN) VPO1 Pierson Manville (PA), 3-2
150-Maddox Shaw (PA) VPO1 August Hibler (NJ), 6-4
157-Kody Routledge (OK) VPO1 Ishmael Guerrero (OK), 11-5
165-Charlie Millard (WI) VPO1 Clayton Giddens (OK), 5-3
175-Adam Waters (PA) VSU1 Caleb Dennee (WI), 12-1 2:36
190-Carson Thomas (OH) VPO1 Gage Yackee (OH), 5-5
215-Austin Johnson (PA) VSU Melvin Whitehead (NV), 10-0 4:32
285-Parker Ferrell (VA) VSU1 Jay Henderson (UT), 15-4 4:15
5TH PLACE
100-Jason Foutz (PA) VSU1 Brock Goebel (NE), 16-5 4:43
106-Cason Craft (OK) VPO1 Brady Byrd (IN), 11-10
113-Nicolas Enzminger (ND) VSU Brayden Teunissen (IL), 10-0 0:32
120-Nicholas Garcia (IL) VPO1 Dominic Deputy (PA), 4-4
126-Nathan Desmond (PA) VPO1 Edwin Sierra (CA), 5-3
132-Tyler Dekraker (PA) VPO1 Moses Mendoza (CA), 9-8
138-Sam Herring (PA) VSU Carter Freeman (IA), 10-0 6:00
144-Zeno Moore (FL) VPO1 Jace Roller (OK), 14-7
150-Blake Cosby (MI) VSU1 Daishun Powe (AL), 13-2 5:16
157-Benjamin Weader (VA) VIN Vince Bouzakis (PA)
165-Israel Ibarra (AZ) VFA Travis Grace (CA), 14-7 2:54
175-Waylon Cressell (IN) VSU Keenan Sheridan (SD), 10-0 0:32
190-Anders Thompson (MT) VSU1 Elijah Diakomihalis (NY), 15-2 4:50
215-Evan Mcguire (MN) VPO1 Michael Calcagno (IL), 11-6
285-Rylan Kuhn (MO) VPO1 Dean Bechtold (PA), 6-5
7TH PLACE
100-Kaiden Belinsky (IA) VSU1 Chase Dubuque (NJ), 15-4 3:56
106-Charles Esposito (NJ) VSU Daniel Alire (AZ), 10-0 2:31
113-Caleb Noble (IL) VSU1 Oumar Tounkara (NY), 13-3 4:20
120-Dru Ayala (IA) VPO1 Antonio Mills (GA), 13-11
126-Billy Townson (CA) VPO Jace Hedeman (IA), 6-0
132-Logan Swensen (MN) VPO1 Manuel Saldate (NV), 12-3
138-Kellen Wolbert (WI) VFO Blue Stiffler (GA)
144-Gabriel Bouyssou (RI) VSU Gus Cardinal (AZ), 12-0 2:46
150-Matthew Martino (ID) VFA Brandon Dean (CO), 6-2 2:16
157-Claudio Torres (FL) VSU Caleb Olson (IA), 10-0 1:48
165-Gunner Holland (FL) VPO1 Dante Hutchings (CO), 13-8
175-Mason Ontiveros (CA) VSU1 Matthew Jens (IL), 11-1 5:13
190-Peter Snyder (MD) VPO1 Aidan Ysaguirre (AZ), 2-1
215-Ian Smith (WI) VIN Antonio Palmer (NE), 0-0 0:00
285-Richard Thomas (OK) VPO Jackson Barnhart (IL), 6-0
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