Duke, Lockett, Mirasola’s win U20 men’s freestyle titles, Knox named OW at 2025 CLAW U.S. Open Championships

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Ten talented athletes claimed national titles in the U20 men’s freestyle division of the 2025 CLAW U.S. Open at The Expo at World Market Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The U20 Men’s Freestyle Nationals champions will represent Team USA at the 2025 U20 Pan American Championships in Lima, Peru, July 10-12. In late May, the winners will sit to the best-of-three series at the U20 World Team Trials in Geneva, Ohio.

A trio of champions defended their titles in this division from the 2024 U.S. Open, including 2024 U20 World medalists PJ Duke (70 kg) and Ladarion Lockett (74 kg), and 2024 U20 World Team member Connor Mirasola (92 kg).

In the 70 kg final, Duke defeated Melvin Miller by 8-5 decision. Duke opened the match by throwing Miller on the edge for four, picking up an early lead. Miller fought back with a takedown before the break to make it 4-2. In the second, Duke extended the lead to 6-2, but Miller answered with a takedown and pushout to close the gap to 6-5. A final takedown with seconds on the clock finished the match in Duke’s favor.

Lockett’s tournament ended with a victory over Joseph Sealey. Early in the match, Lockett gained a 1-0 lead off a step out, which Sealey matched moments later to tie it 1-1 at the break. In a late exchange, Lockett was awarded four points and held off a reversal attempt from Sealey to earn a gritty 5-2 win.

At 92 kg, Mirasola used a 5-1 decision to win the title over Cody Merrill. Mirasola set the tone with an early takedown and held a 2-0 lead into the break. In the second, the pair traded step outs, before Mirasola added another takedown to seal a 5-1 win.

The Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament was an honor awarded to Anthony Knox, after Knox held a 6-0 record, as all six wins were technical falls. In the championship bout, Knox defeated Antonio Mills, 12-2.

Knox opened the match aggressively, scoring off a left-side single leg and converting three gut wrenches for a strong lead. Mills countered with a takedown on the edge to cut it to 9-2, then Knox added a takedown to make it 11-2 at the break. In the second period, a single push-out point sealed it for Knox.

CLAW gave their Most Exciting Wrestler award to 2022 U17 World bronze medalist Max McEnelly, the 86 kg U20 Men’s freestyle champion. McEnelly bested Aeoden Sinclair in a 5-3 decision. Sinclair opened the scoring with a point off the shot clock, but McEnelly took the lead 2-1 on a go-behind. With time winding down, Sinclair scored a late takedown to make it 3-3 and take the lead on criteria. McEnelly fired back with a double leg in the final seconds to reclaim the lead and win.

2024 U20 World bronze medalist Justin Rademacher grinded out a win over 2023 U20 World bronze medalist Camden McDanel at 97 kg. McDanel struck first with a takedown, but Rademacher answered back to take a 2-2 criteria lead. A step out pushed McDanel ahead 3-2.

Rademacher then scored a takedown and exposure for a 6-4 lead, and tacked on two more to make it 8-4. McDanel battled back with a step out and a late scramble score to narrow the gap to one point, making it an 8-7 match. In the final seconds, McDanel pushed hard, but Rademacher stayed strong on defense and held on to win.

Cole Mirasola secured the title at 125 kg, defeating Dreshaun Ross, 7-5. Mirasola opened the scoring, pushing Ross on the edge for a takedown. Four more in the first period would give Mirasola a nice lead entering the break. Ross got on the board in the second frame, scoring one on a push out. A four-point move from Ross was what he needed, but Mirasola’s early lead proved to be too much to overcome.

At 61 kg, 2022 U17 World Team member Kyler Larkin won a tough match over 2023 U17 World Team member Sam Herring for the title. Herring struck first with an arm spin attempt that converted into a takedown, and added a push out point to go up 3-0 before the break. Larkin responded with two takedowns to jump ahead 4-3 and took control late, pulling away to win 10-5.

William Henckel, competing at 79 kg, defeated 2023 U17 World bronze medalist Brock Mantanona in the final bout, 12-8. In the first, Mantanona took early control with a push out and a fleeing call against Henckel to lead 2-0.  Henckel responded with a push out and a four-point sequence from a takedown and lace to go up 5-2 at the break. Mantanona fired back with a takedown and two turns to take an 8-7 lead, and Henckel answered with a clutch four-point throw on the edge, followed by a push out to close it.

In the 65 kg final, Luke Stanich picked up a 6-0 decision over 2025 U20 Greco-Roman champion Pierson Manville. Stanich wasted no time, scoring multiple takedowns to jump out to a 6-0 first-period lead. The second period saw very little offense as Stanich controlled pace and positioning, locking down the victory.

All the action from Las Vegas is available through replays on FloWrestling. Brackets and match-by-match results are available through USA Bracketing, USA Wrestling’s new best-in-class event management software.

At Las Vegas, Nev., April 24, 2025

Medal Match Results

57kg

1st - Anthony Knox (Spartan Combat RTC/ Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) T.F. Antonio Mills (Roundtree Wrestling Academy), 12-2 (3:50)

3rd - Mack Mauger (Tiger Style Wrestling Club) Dec. Ronnie Ramirez (Pounders WC), 5-3

5th - Christian Castillo (Cyclone Regional Training Center C-RTC) T.F. Davis Motyka (Pennsylvania RTC), 10-0 (3:36)

7th - Domenic Munaretto (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) Dec. Blake Beissel (Minnesota - RTC), 5-0

61 kg

1st - Kyler Larkin (Valiant) Dec. Sam Herring (Young Guns Wrestling Club), 10-5

3rd - Isaiah Cortez (Daniel Cormier Wrestling Club) Dec. Aaron Seidel (Steller Trained Wrestling), 6-1

5th - Elijah Cortez (Gilroy High School Wrestling) T.F. Nathan Desmond (X-Calibur Athletics Wrestling Club), 10-0 (1:13)

7th - Dean Anderson (Valiant Wrestling Club) Dec. Jackson Blum (Indiana RTC), 5-3

65 kg

1st - Luke Stanich (Lehigh Valley Wrestling RTC) Dec. Pierson Manville (Atreus Wrestling Club), 6-0

3rd - Bo Bassett (Bishop McCort HS) T.F. Noah Nininger (Staunton River Wrestling Club), 12-2 (1:26)

5th - Alex Braun (Oklahoma RTC) Dec. Drew Gorman (Teknique Wrestling), 18-15

7th - Ryan Kennedy (Spire Academy) For. Daniel Zepeda (Gilroy High School Wrestling),

70 kg

1st - PJ Duke (KDTC / Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) Dec. Melvin Miller (Bishop McCort HS), 8-5

3rd - Landon Robideau (Cowboy RTC) Dec. Jaxon Joy (Spartan Combat RTC/ Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)), 7-6

5th - Cross Wasilewski (Pennsylvania RTC) Dec. Kollin Rath (Steller Trained Wrestling), 10-1

7th - Vince Bouzakis (Team Greco) T.F. Wyatt Medlin (Illinois Regional Training Center/Illini WC), 11-1 (4:06)

74 kg

1st - Ladarion Lockett (Cowboy RTC/ Titan Mercury) Dec. Joseph Sealey (NLWC/TMWC), 5-2

3rd - William Denny (Marist High School) F. Daniel Heiser (Askren Wrestling Academy), 4:22

5th - Zach Hanson (Minnesota) Dec. Benjamin Weader (Integrity Wrestling Club), 4-4

7th - Chase Van Hoven (Legacy Dragons Wrestling) Med. For. Dominic Bambinelli (RWA),

79 kg

1st - William Henckel (Blairstown Wrestling Club) Dec. Brock Mantanona (Cliff Keen Wrestling Club), 12-8

3rd - Louie Cerchio (Spartan Combat RTC/ Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) Dec. Travis Grace (Daniel Cormier Wrestling Club), 11-7

5th - Collin Carrigan (Tar Heel Wrestling Club) T.F. Jasiah Queen (Dragon Wrestling Club), 11-1 (2:16)

7th - Mario Carini (Poway High School) T.F. Waylon Cressell (Warren Wrestling Academy), 14-3 (5:04)

86 kg

1st - Max McEnelly (Minnesota - RTC) Dec. Aeoden Sinclair (Tiger Style Wrestling Club), 5-3

3rd - Adam Waters (Steller Trained Wrestling) Dec. Nicholas Fox (Panther Wrestling Club RTC), 8-6

5th - Lane Foard (VA Team Predator) Dec. De'Alcapon Veazy (Black Fox Wrestling Academy), 8-1

7th - Anders Thompson (Oklahoma Regional Training Center) T.F. Jake Dailey (Tar Heel Wrestling Club), 17-6 (6:00)

92 kg

1st - Connor Mirasola (NLWC/TMWC) Dec. Cody Merrill (Cowboy RTC/ Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)), 5-1

3rd - Dillon Bechtold (Buffalo Valley Regional Training Center) T.F. Angelo Posada (Poway RTC), 11-0 (2:09)

5th - Sonny Sasso (Southeast RTC/ Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) F. Karson Tompkins (Texas), 0:51

7th - Tucker Hogan (Mat-Town USA) T.F. Brody Sampson (Hawkeye Wrestling Club), 10-0 (3:37)

97 kg

1st - Justin Rademacher (Beaver Dam Wrestling Regional Training Center) Dec. Camden McDanel (Nebraska Wrestling Training Center), 8-7

3rd - Cade Ziola (MWC Wrestling Academy) T.F. Quinlan Morgan (Jackrabbit Wrestling Club), 11-1 (4:41)

5th - Aiden Cooley (Best Trained Wrestling) T.F. Myron Mendez (Eagle Empire Wrestling), 10-0 (1:00)

7th - Garett Kawczynski (Askren Wrestling Academy) T.F. Soren Herzog (Colorado), 12-2 (2:39)

125 kg

1st - Cole Mirasola (NLWC/TMWC) Dec. Dreshaun Ross (Sebolt Wrestling Academy), 7-5

3rd - Koy Hopke (Minnesota - RTC) F. Rocco Dellagatta (NYAC), 2:07

5th - Michael Mocco (ATT/Mocco Wrestling Academy) For. Coby Merrill (John W. North High School Wrestling)

7th - Richard Thomas (Oklahoma Regional Training Center) Dec. Max Vanadia (Michigan Wrestling Club), 7-1