Bassett, Lockett, Knox, James among top stars to win on Who’s Number One Boys Card

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Beau Bassett of Pennsylvania and LaDarion Lockett of Oklahoma won their featured match on a loaded boys card at Who’s Number One at the University of Pittsburgh-Johnston on Sunday.

Bassett stopped California’s Daniel Zepeda, 12-6 in the Main Event at 144, and Lockett went up in weight to beat Ryan Burton of New Jersey, 9-3.

Anthony Knox of New Jersey won his 126-pound battle against Aaron Seidel of Pennsylvania, 3-2, for his fourth career victory on Who’s Number One cards.

Jayden James of New Jersey won two matches to be the top ranked star at 150 pounds. He beat a pair of Pennsylvania state champions, with a 10-6 win over Collin Gaj in the first bout, then a 7-2 win over previous No. 1 Maddox Shaw, 7-2.

There were 11 athletes on the card who are in the current FloWrestling Boys High School Pound-for-Pound rankings and four of the battles had both wrestlers in the Pound-for-Pound list.

The athletes competed under NCAA rules, including a seven-minute match, riding time and all the rules that these athletes will compete under when they go to college.

Summaries of the two Main Events follow:

Main Event: 144: No. 4 P-4-P Bo Bassett, PA vs No. 16 P-4-P Daniel Zepeda, CA, 12-6

Bassett scored the first takedown early for a 3-0 lead. Zepeda escaped to make it 3-1. Bassett got to a single leg, which he finished for a 6-1 lead. Bassett was able to ride out the period. In the second period, with Bassett on top, Zepeda got an escape to make the score 6-2 after two periods. Bassett chose bottom and Zepeda conceded the escape to make it 7-2. Bassett got to a single leg and finished the takedown for a 10-2 lead. Zepeda escaped to make it 10-3. Zepeda took a shot and finished it to make it 10-6. Zepeda cut Bassett to make it 11-6. Zepeda could not score at the end. Add in riding time for Bassett and the final score, 12-6. Bassett has been a U17 World champion and U20 World bronze medalist in freestyle. Zepeda beat Bassett the last time they met.

Co-Main Event: 175; No. 5 P-4-P LaDarion Lockett, OK vs No. 7 P-4-P Ryan Burton, NJ, 9-3

Lockett scored the first takedown on a double leg re-attack during a great exchange for a 3-0 lead. Officials reviewed the move and the takedown was confirmed. Burton escaped to make it 3-1 which was the score at the end of the first period. Lockett was on top in the second period and Burton got an escape to make it 3-2 going into the third period. Lockett chose down for the third period and quickly hit a switch for a reversal and a 5-2 lead. Lockett rode for much of the period, and ran up riding time to 1:31 before Burton escaped to make it 5-3. Lockett got a go-behind for a takedown on the buzzer and an 8-3 lead. Add in riding time for a 9-3 win.  Burton came into the match at No. 1 at 175 pounds, while Lockett was at No. 1 at 165 pounds. Lockett has been a U17 World champion and U20 World silver medalist.

Match summaries in the other bouts (in the order that they occurred) follows:

150: Jayden James, NJ dec. Collin Gaj, PA, 10-6

James got behind Gaj with a duck under and scored the first takedown to lead 3-0. Gaj got an escape to make it 3-1.

James got a sweet body lock takedown for a 6-1 lead. A Gaj escape makes it 6-2 after the first period. James is on top in the second and got a quick escape to make it 6-3. A Gaj takedown made it 6-6, with an escape, 7-6. James won a scramble on the edge for a takedown and a 10-6 lead after two periods. James selects neutral for the third period. No points were scored in the third period. With the win, James advanced to a match near the end of the card against No.1 Maddox Shaw of Pennsylvania. Both are James and Gaj are commits to Virginia Tech.

113: Ignacio Villasenor, OK dec. Domenic Munaretto, IL, 7-5

Villasenior scored the first three-point takedown after a scramble to lead 3-0. Villasenior rode out Munaretto the rest of the first period, to have 1:29 of riding time. Munaretto started the second period on top, and knocked off some riding time, but Villasenior got a reversal for a 5-0 lead. Munaretto escaped to make it 5-1 after two period. Munaretto chose neutral for the third period. Munaretto scored a go-behind to make it 5-4, and cut Villasenior with it 6-4. Villasenior took a shot which went to stalemate with only 19 seconds left. Villasenior is hit with a stalling point, but adds riding time to win it 7-5. Villasenior was a U17 World bronze medalist, while Munaretto is a two-time World freestyle champion

157: No. 17 P-4-P Landon Robideau, MN dec. No. 10 P-4-P Melvin Miller, PA, 6-1

Robideau scored a double leg takedown on the edge to lead 3-0, and rode Miller out for the rest of the period, getting 1:16 of riding time. In the second period, Miller was on top. Robideau gets the escape for a 4-0 lead. There was no scoring on the feet in the second period. Miller selects neutral for the third period. Miller was hit with a stalling point, making it 5-0. Robideau was nailed with a stalling point, making it 5-1. Time ran out and Robideau added 1:07 of riding time for a 6-1 win.

285: No. 14 P-4-P Jude Correa, NH dec. No. 19 P-4-P Nicholas Sahakian, CA, 8-1

Correa got behind Sahakian and scored a takedown on the edge for a 3-0 lead. Correa rode Sahakian for a short time, when Sahakian took injury time for a knee injury. Correa takes bottom after the injury time and escaped to make it 4-0 after the first period. Sahakian chose neutral in the second period and there was no scoring from the feet. Correa chose down for the third period. Correa escapes quickly to make it 5-0. Correa was awarded a takedown during a scramble on the edge to make it 8-0. Sahakian got out for an escape to make it 8-1, which was the final score. Correa was ranked No. 1 at 215 pounds coming in, with Sahakian ranked No. 1 at 285 pounds. Both are commits to Michigan.

138: No. 8 P-4-P Sergio Vega, AZ dec. Drew Gorman, GA, 12-5

Vega scored a takedown on a dump and a 3-0 lead. Vega rode strong for two minutes. Gorman escaped to make it 3-1, but Vega locked a cradle for a takedown and a 6-1 lead after the first period. Gorman is on top in the second period. Vega gets a stand-up escape to make it 7-1, but there are no more points scored in the period. The third period starts neutral. Vega secures a single leg and finishes for a takedown. Vega goes neutral, 10-1. Gorman gets a takedown and Vega escapes to make it 11-5. There is not other scoring, and Vega adds 1:38 of riding time for a 12-5 victory. This was a rematch of the finals in Fargo last summer, also won by Vega.

200: Cade Ziola, NE dec. Angelo Posada, CA, 7-2

Ziola secured a counter takedown to lead 3-0, with an immediate Posada escape at 3-1. Posada lifted a single leg but could not finish out of bounds. The first period ended 3-1. Posada gets the escape granted from Ziola, 3-2. Ziola gets a scramble going for a takedown and a 6-2 lead. Posada rode out rest of the second period. Ziola choses neutral in the third. There were no takedowns in the final period, and Posada had 1:10 of riding time for the 7-2 victory.

126: No. 6 P-4-P Anthony Knox, NJ dec. Aaron Seidel, PA, 3-2

There were no takedowns in the first period. In the second period, Seidel was on top and showed great riding skills, controlling Knox for two minutes. Seidel chose down in the third period and escaped in 27 seconds for a 1-0 lead. Knox scored a takedown on a high crotch with 12 seconds left rode out the period. Seidel gets a riding time point, but Knox wins 3-2. Knox has wrestled in four Who’s Number One cards, and has won them all.

132: No. 2 P-4-P Jax Forrest, PA dec. Seth Mendoza, IL, 7-3

Forrest slides by and finishes a takedown for a 3-0 lead. Mendoza scored an escape to make it 3-1 which was the score after one period. Forrest was on top in the second period. Mendoza gets an escape to make it 3-2. Mendozaa get in on a single leg and the scramble ended up with a Mendoza takedown with a cradle on the edge for a 5-3 lead. Officials wave off the takedown to keep it at 3-2 for Forrest. Forrest takes down in the third period and turns in for an escape. 4-2. Forrest scored a counter takedown to lead 7-2. Mendoza escaped to close to 7-3 and no other points were scored. This was their fourth match within the year, with Forrest having a 3-1 record in those bouts. Forrest has won three Who’s Number One bouts.

150: Jayden James, NJ dec. Maddox Shaw, PA, 7-2

James secured a single leg, lifted it up and scored the takedown to lead 3-0. Shaw escaped quickly to make it 3-1, which was the score at the end of the period. James was on top in the second period, and Shaw got out on an escape to tighten it to 3-2. James got behind on a throw by for a takedown and a 6-2 lead. Maddox took injury time, with concussion protocol, and was cleared to continue. The second period ended 6-2. Third period started in neutral and there were no points scored. James had 1:10 in riding time for a 7-2 win. It was James’ second win of the day.

WHO’S NUMBER ONE

At Johnstown, Pa.,

Boys Results

In bout order, with Pound-For-Pound ranking listed

150: Jayden James, NJ dec. Collin Gaj, PA, 10-6

113: Ignacio Villasenor, OK dec. Domenic Munaretto, IL, 7-5

157: No. 17 P-4-P Landon Robideau, MN dec. No. 10 P-4-P Melvin Miller, PA, 6-1

285: No. 14 P-4-P Jude Correa, NH dec. No. 19 P-4-P Nicholas Sahakian, CA, 8-1

138: No. 8 P-4-P Sergio Vega, AZ dec. Drew Gorman, GA, 12-5

200: Cade Ziola, NE dec. Angelo Posada, CA, 7-2

126: No. 6 P-4-P Anthony Knox, NJ dec. Aaron Seidel, PA, 3-2

132: No. 2 P-4-P Jax Forrest, PA dec. Seth Mendoza, IL, 7-3

150: Jayden James, NJ dec. Maddox Shaw, PA, 7-2

175; No. 5 P-4-P LaDarion Lockett, OK dec. No. 7 P-4-P Ryan Burton, NJ, 9-3

144: No. 4 P-4-P Bo Bassett, PA dec. No. 16 P-4-P Daniel Zepeda, CA, 12-6