Bassett repeats, Ruscitti named OW at 15U Greco-Roman Nationals in Las Vegas

Watch: 15U Greco-Roman Nationals champion interviews

LAS VEGAS – 10 champions were decided in the 15U Greco-Roman division on Wednesday evening at the 2024 Pritchard Companies U.S. Open Championships in sunny Las Vegas.

The lone man to repeat as 15U Greco-Roman national champion was Pennsylvania’s Keegan Bassett of Young Guns WC at 41 kg. Bassett overcame a lengthy technical delay in his final against New York’s Tyler Conzo to get a fall at the 3:41 mark while leading 10-0.

Bassett’s final was his easiest result of the day at South Point Arena. He went 3-0 in the preliminary rounds winning by scores of 9-3, 5-4 and 7-5. Bassett was a U15 Pan American champion in both Greco-Roman and freestyle last summer for Team USA. He is the brother of U17 World champion Bo Bassett, who just finished an impressive second place at the Last Chance Olympic Trials Qualifier as a high school sophomore.

Earning the outstanding wrestler award was 48 kg champion Robert Ruscitti of Illinois, who tuned up his bracket by going five-for-five on technical falls without surrendering a point. He defeated Jaxsen Bailey of Curby 3 Style WC 9-0 in the championship bout, highlighted by a monster 4-point underhook toss followed by a match-clinching high-dive takedown.

Joining Ruscitti with technical falls in the finals were Justus Heeg of Pinnacle WC at 62 kg and Carson Langford of All-Phase WC at 85 kg.

Idaho’s Ivan Ivanov of Suples WC, the son of Bulgarian World medalist and Olympian Ivan Ivanov, iced the 75 kg title with a gritty 3-1 decision over Mario Hutcherson of Young Guns WC, who was the U15 freestyle national champion last year.

Ivanov went 4-0 on the day with his first three bouts ending by shutout technical fall. He outscored his opponents 27-0 entering the finals. The win bumps Ivanov up from his runner-up finish from last year’s event.

The wildest championship contest came at 44 kg with Tyler Verceles of HeadHunters WC outlasting Michael Rundell of Illinois, 13-11, in a match that came down to the final moments. Verceles held off a tight Rundell head tip attempt at the buzzer to cinch the match.

Additional champions in the 15U Greco-Roman tournament were Thales Silva of Red Wave Wrestling at 38 kg, Reece Movahead of American Dream WC at 52 kg, Thomas Banas of Illinois at 57 kg and Hayden Reuter of Interior Grappling Academy at 68 kg.

The U.S. Open Championships continue Thursday with the U17 Greco-Roman World Team Trials, plus freestyle action in the 15U, Masters and Futures divisions. U17 and U15 athletes kick things off at 10 a.m. (PT) tomorrow.

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.

1^st – Thales Silva (Red Wave Wrestling) dec. Evan Restivo (M2 Training Center), 3-0

3^rd – Rylen Wax (Beast Mode Wrestling) tech. fall Kooper Deputy (M2 Training Center), 9-0 2:20

5^th – Brody Compau (Michigan Grappler Training Center) dec. Xander Webber (Beast Mode Wrestling), 11-6

7^th – Carter Smith (Perrysburg WC) tech. fall Jack Holman (Juab WC), 8-0

1^st – Keegan Bassett PA (Young Guns WC) fall Tyler Conzo (New York), 3:41

3^rd – Arav Pandey (American Dream WC) tech. fall Spenser Mccammon (Maurer Coughlin WC), 8-0

5^th – Lucas Forman (Nevada Elite Wrestling) dec. Jesse Grossman (Billings WC), 9-7

7^th – Manny Novelli (Avalanche Wrestling Association) dec. Ace Schweitzer (MWC Wrestling Academy), 5-3

1^st – Tyler Verceles (HeadHunters WC) dec. Michael Rundell (Illinois), 13-11

3^rd – Tristan Pino (Betterman Elite Wrestling) tech. fall Chase Karenbauer (Bad Karma WC), 9-0

5^th – Traevon Ducking (Contenders Wrestling Academy) dec. Chase Watkinson (Immortal Athletics WC), 7-5

7^th – Beau Fennick (Young Guns WC) tech. fall Flynn Arnestad (American Dream Wrestling Club), 8-0

1^st – Robert Ruscitti (Illinois) tech. fall Jaxsen Bailey (Curby 3 Style WC), 9-0

3^rd – Mateo Gallegos (M2 Training Center) tech. fall Taegan Leavitt (Champions WC), 8-0

5^th – Tommy Wurster (Beast Mode Wrestling) tech. fall Kyle Menuez (Black Fox Wrestling Academy), 10-0

7^th – Coleton Klipa (Knights WC) dec. Kacen Jones (Charger WC), 9-8

1^st – Reece Movahead (American Dream WC) dec. Tommy Marchetti (Edge Wrestling), 2-1

3^rd – Daniel Green (Billings WC) dec. Cooper Mathews (Black Fox Wrestling Academy), 6-2

5^th – Jovanni Tovar (Miami WC) dec. Jordan Manyette (American Dream WC), 2-2

7^th – Paul Ruiz (California) dec. Hendrix Schwab (Immortal Athletics WC), 4-4

1^st – Thomas Banas (Illinois) dec. Alexander Penzkover (LaCrosse Area Wrestlers), 8-3

3^rd – Weston Borgers (Beast Mode Wrestling) tech. fall Caden Yanarella (Lancaster Alliance WC), 8-0

5^th – Cole Speer (Seasons Freestyle Club) dec. Shane Ostermiller (Pioneer Grappling Academy), 6-0

7^th – Blake Nevils (Team Idaho WC) fall Michael Daleiden (Ringers WC), 0:25

1^st – Justus Heeg (Pinnacle WC) tech. fall Riker Ohearon (Champions WC), 9-0

3^rd – James Whitbred (M2 Training Center) tech. fall Marcus Killgore (Grindhouse WC), 9-0

5^th – Isaac Conner (Oregon) tech. fall Hunter Gordon (Ranger 47 WC), 11-3

7^th – Diego Valdiviezo (Poway Wrestling) fall Gavin Cantera (Samurai WC), 0:52

1^st – Hayden Reuter (Interior Grappling Academy) dec. Camryn Howard (New York), 7-4

3^rd – Asher Bacon (X-Calibur Athletics WC) dec. Mihai Necula (Level Up Wrestling Center), 8-7

5^th – Gavin Wells (Mat Demon WC) tech. fall Lake Waters MO (Odessa Youth WC), 9-1

7^th – Gregory Torosian (Birmingham Community Charter HS Wrestling) tech. fall Deacon Dressler (Maurer Coughlin WC), 11-2

1^st – Ivan Ivanov (Suples WC) dec. Mario Hutcherson (Young Guns WC), 3-1

3^rd – Parker Casey (Sebolt Wrestling Academy) fall Kannon Freschette (Camas WC), 3:27

5^th – Shepard Stephens (Sanderson Wrestling Academy) tech. fall Macklin Penner (Immortal Athletics WC), 9-0

7^th – Harrison Smith (Gold Rush Wrestling) tech. fall Chris Anguiano (Dominator WC), 10-1

1^st – Carson Langford (All-Phase WC) tech. fall Satoshi Davis (Gold Rush Wrestling), 13-4

3^rd – Isaac Barrientos (Izzy Style Wrestling) tech. fall Kendahl Hoare (M2 Training Center), 8-0

5^th – Caden Brooks (Big Cat WC) dec. James Capasso (Journeymen WC), 10-10

7^th – Jesse Conley (Interior Grappling Academy) tech. fall Zachary Leftwich (Osprey Wrestling Club), 10-2