Returning champions Lilledahl, McDanel among quarterfinalists at U20 Freestyle Nationals in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS – Defending champions and returning U20 World medalists Luke Lilledahl and Camden McDanel headline the field of U20 freestyle quarterfinalists at the 2024 Pritchard Companies U.S. Open Championships in Las Vegas.

Lilledahl, a three-time age-group World medalist and 2022 U17 World champion, captured three breezy wins at 57 kg on Friday at South Point Arena. He outscored his trio of opponents by a combined 34-1 score, ending each match via technical fall. The Nittany Lion WC athlete was sharp with his takedown-to-lace combinations throughout the day.

Entering the quarterfinals, Lilledahl stands opposite 2023 Junior Freestyle Nationals finalist Aaron Seidel of Steller Trained Wrestling. Also in the 57 kg quarterfinals is 17-year-old sensation Jax Forrest, who is a 2022 U17 World silver medalist and freshly minted U.S. Senior National Team member following a fourth-place finish at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling held last weekend in State College, Pa.

The powerhouse 97 kg athlete McDanel is seeking to back up his 2023 U20 World bronze medal with a return trip to the U20 World Championships, which are set for Pontevedra, Spain, this September. The first step on that journey is to secure the bye to the U20 World Team Trials championship series with a title run in Las Vegas.

McDanel had one results on the day, a 12-0 technical fall in 1:29 over Northern Colorado’s Tyler Perry. His quarterfinal opponent is Max Ramberg of Viking RTC, who took second place in the U20 Greco-Roman tournament earlier in the week. McDanel currently trains at the U.S. Olympic Training Center as part of the USA Wrestling Elite Accelerator Program.

Tomorrow morning’s electric quarterfinal session will feature four past U17 World champions, 11 past age-group World medalists and 13 past age-group World Team members.

A battle of World champions is brewing at 74 kg with 2023 U17 World champion Ladarion Lockett of Cowboy WC and 2022 U17 World champion Joseph Sealey of Pennsylvania looking strong on the first day of competition. The duo will meet in the finals if they take care of business tomorrow morning.

U17 World champions Bo Bassett of Bishop McCort and Koy Hopke of Wisconsin impressed on their way to the quarterfinals as well. Basset has drawn Gabriel Bouyssou of Mayo Quanchi WC in the 65 kg quarterfinals. Hopke will see Alex Semenenko of Brown University at 125 kg. Opposite Hopke’s side of the heavyweight bracket is 2022 U20 World bronze medalist in Greco-Roman Aden Attao of Beaver Dam RTC, who won the U20 Greco-Roman tournament two day ago and remained undefeated in freestyle on Friday.

Other notable names making the U20 freestyle quarterfinals were two-time U17 World bronze medalist Zack Ryder of M2 Training Center, 2022 U17 World bronze medalist Max McEnelly of Gopher WC-RTC, and past U17 World Team members Kyler Larkin of Valiant Wrestling Club, Aeoden Sinclair of Askren Wrestling Academy and Gavin Nelson of Gopher WC-RTC.

The U.S. Open Championships continue Saturday morning with the U20 freestyle quarterfinals at 10 a.m. (PT), plus the start of the U17 Freestyle World Team Trials and the Girls National High School Recruiting Showcase. The U20 medal matches will be held at 4 p.m. (PT).

Watch every match from Las Vegas live of on-demand at FloWrestling.com. Complete brackets and match-by-match results are available on FloArena.

For more information about the 2024 U.S. Open Championships visit the official event website at usawrestlingevents.com.