U23 Greco-Roman World Team set after best-of-three finals at U23 Nationals

Team photo courtesy of Mark Lundy/Lutte Lens.

Lincoln, Neb. – Day one of the U23 World Team Trials is in the books, and the 2021 U23 Greco-Roman World Team is set. Today’s action concluded with the best-of-three finals to determine who will represent the U.S. in Belgrade, Serbia this November. All ten World Team members won their series in two-straight matches, with no one needing a tie-breaking third match.

The lightest two weight classes will be manned by members of the Brunson Utah Valley RTC, with Taylor LaMont earning the nod at 55 kg and Dylan Gregerson claiming the title at 60 kg. Both wrestlers won U23 National titles in 2020 up a weight class, with LaMont competing at 60 kg and Gregerson at 63 kg.

LaMont, who made his record-setting eighth age-group World Team, defeated No. 2 on the National Team at 55 kg Brady Koontz, 3-1 and 4-0. Gregerson made his first World Team, defeating Dylan Koontz, twin brother of Brady, 7-5 and 9-6.

The next three weight classes feature wrestlers from Northern Michigan University. At 63 kg, David Stepanian defeated 2020 Senior Nationals finalist and former Cadet World Team member, Mosha Schwartz, 5-2 and 8-3.

At 67 kg, 2019 Junior World bronze medalist Alston Nutter made his third age-group World Team, picking up 9-6 and 8-5 wins over 2017 Junior Fargo champion Jaden Enriquez. National Team member Benji Peak followed it up at 72 kg with a first period pin and a 10-1 technical fall over 2019 World Team member Lenny Merkin. Peak was awarded the tournament’s outstanding wrestler honors after outscoring his competition, 43-1.

Britton Holmes was one of two Army World Class Athlete Program members to make the World Team. Holmes claimed the spot at 77 kg with 4-0 and 5-3 victories over 2021 Senior Nationals finalist Ryan Epps.

Tommy Brackett repeated as U23 Nationals champion at 82 kg with two-straight wins over 2018 U23 World Team member George Sikes, 5-0 and 7-0. Brackett was the 2021 Senior Nationals runner-up at 87 kg.

The second WCAP member to make the World Team was Spencer Woods at 87 kg. Woods torched his competition, 40-0, in four matches, including two-straight 10-0 technical falls in the finals over Job Ayala.

Nick Boykin, a 2019 Junior World Team member, claimed his spot at 97 kg by defeating two-time age-group World Team member Chad Porter with two-straight 8-0 technical falls. Boykin only scored technical falls in the tournament.

Brandon Metz wrapped up the tournament at 130 kg. Metz, a 2021 Senior Nationals third-place finisher and two-time NCAA qualifier for North Dakota State, defeated 2020 UWW Junior champion Spencer Trenary by fall and 5-0 decision. This is Metz first time making a World Team.

Best-of-three finals results
55 kg – Taylor LaMont (Sunkist Kids) over Brady Koontz (Ohio RTC), 2 matches to 0
Match 1: LaMont dec Koontz, 3-1
Match 2: LaMont dec Koontz, 4-0

60 kg – Dylan Gregerson (Brunson UVRTC) over Dylan Koontz (Ohio RTC), 2 matches to 0
Match 1: Gregerson dec Koontz, 7-5
Match 2: Gregerson dec Koontz, 9-6

63 kg – David Stepanian (NYAC) over Mosha Schwartz (Northern Colorado WC), 2 matches to 0
Match 1: Stepanian dec Schwartz, 5-2
Match 2: Stepanian dec Schwartz, 8-3

67 kg – Alston Nutter (Sunkist Kids) over Jaden Enriquez (Michigan WC), 2 matches to 0
Match 1: Nutter dec Enriquez, 9-6
Match 2: Nutter dec Enriquez, 8-5

72 kg: Benji Peak (Sunkist Kids) over Lenny Merkin (NYAC), 2 matches to 0
Match 1: Peak FALL Merkin, 1:00
Match 2: Peak tech Merkin, 10-1

77 kg – Britton Holmes (Army WCAP) over Ryan Epps (MN Storm), 2 matches to 0
Match 1: Holmes dec Epps, 4-0
Match 2: Holmes dec Epps, 5-3

82 kg – Tommy Brackett (Tennessee) over George Sikes (NYAC), 2 matches to 0
Match 1: Brackett dec Sikes, 5-0
Match 2: Brackett dec Sikes, 7-0

87 kg: Spencer Woods (Army WCAP) over Job Ayala, 2 matches to 0
Match 1: Woods tech Ayala, 10-0
Match 2: Woods tech Ayala, 10-0

97 kg: Nick Boykin (Sunkist Kids) over Chad Porter (Sunkist Kids), 2 matches to 0
Match 1: Boykin tech Porter, 8-0
Match 2: Boykin tech Porter, 8-0

130 kg: Brandon Metz (Bison WC) over Spencer Trenary (Jackrabbit WC), 2 matches to 0
Match 1: Metz FALL Trenary, :44
Match 2: Metz DEC Trenary, 5-0

Other Medal Matches
55 kg
3rd – 55 kg Joseph Harrison NE (MWC Wrestling Academy) Tech Austin Macias IL (Southern Illinois Training Center), 10-0 3:00
5th - Cole Smith CO (Army (WCAP)) DEC Michael Spangler KS (Beaver Wrestling Club), 14-7
7th - Samuel Braswell IV VA (Cougar Wrestling Club) NC Anthony Molton IL (Illinois), 0-0

60 kg
3rd – Mason Carzino-Hartshorn CA (Community Youth Center - Concord Campus) TF Camden Russell NE (MWC Wrestling Academy), 9-0 2:03
5th – Boo Dryden KS (Gopher Wrestling Club - RTC) TF Thomas Hicks TN (Tennessee), 12-3 2:38
7th – Peter Del Gallo ME (Maine) NC Raffaele Masi NY (Curby 3 Style Wrestling Club), 0-0

63 kg
3rd – We Rachal IL (Illinois Regional Training Center/Illini WC) DEC Corbin Nirschl NE (MWC Wrestling Academy), 4-3
5th – Caleb Gross WI (Jackrabbit Wrestling Club) DEC Rylee Molitor MN (Jackrabbit Wrestling Club), 14-9
7th – Spencer Murphy MI (Olivet Wrestling Club) NC Graham Shore OH (Ohio), 0-0

67 kg
3rd – Jaylen York TX (Texas) tech Aundre Beatty IN (Warren Wrestling Academy), 16-7 2:12
5th – Lydell Canady NC (North Carolina) FALL Ratbek Erkinbekov WA (Washington), 5-2 0:40
7th – Mccoy Pace GA (New York City RTC) DEC Nicholas Leonetti ID (Suples Wrestling Club), 12-9

72 kg
3rd – Nathan Moore WA (Northern Colorado Wrestling Club) TF Jaron Jensen WY (Wyoming Wrestling Reg Training Ctr), 8-0 0:38
5th – Gabriel Lewis IA (Viking Wrestling Club (IA)) DEC Noah Wachsmuth CO (Colorado), 13-12
7th – Jeremy Ridge PA (Pennsylvania RTC) TF Torry Early IL (Illinois), 9-0 1:38

77 kg
3rd – Cael Carlson MN (Gopher Wrestling Club - RTC) FALL Jack Ervien, jr. WA (Washington), 6-0 0:57
5th - Josh Anderson NE (MWC Wrestling Academy) TF Brody Olson MN (NMU-National Training Center), 17-6 5:14
7th – Cody Eaton CO (Northern Colorado Wrestling Club) FALL Julian Beltran CA (California), 9-8 2:25

82 kg
3rd – Tyler Cunningham NE (Nebraska Golden Eagles Wrestling Club) FALL Jake Hendricks PA (Pennsylvania RTC), 8-4 2:47
5th – James Burks NE (MWC Wrestling Academy) TF Dane Harter LA (Gator Wrestling Club - Northshore), 10-2 3:22
7th – Joe Rice IN (Indiana) DEC DM Hallett CO (Colorado), 14-12

87 kg
3rd – Vincent Baker GA (Blue Blood Wrestling Club) DEC Tyler Hannah WI (Combat W.C. School of Wrestling), 7-4
5th – Ben Lee IA (Iowa) VFO Macaron Kukowski MN (Minnesota Storm)
7th – Ryan Schott IA (Iowa) TF Sam Osho IN (Knights Wrestling Club), 8-0 1:36

97 kg
3rd – Guy Patron IA (Dubuque Wrestling Club) TF Keaton Fanning MI (NMU-National Training Center), 10-1 1:05
5th – Austin Lane IN (Indiana) DEC Jaylin Harris IN (Indiana), 9-6

130 kg
3rd – Lee Herrington NE (Nebraska Golden Eagles Wrestling Club) FALL Kaleb Reeves IA (Eastern Iowa Wrestling Club), 4-0
5th – Bowen Mcconville WA (Jackrabbit Wrestling Club) tech Caleb Warner MD (Maryland), 9-0 1:49
7th – Austin Emerson MI (Nebraska Wrestling Training Center) DEC Jonovan Smith CA (California), 7-1

Semifinals results
55 kg
Brady Koontz WI (Ohio Regional Training Center) TF Cole Smith CO (Army (WCAP)), 8-0 0:55
Taylor Lamont UT (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) TF Joseph Harrison NE (MWC Wrestling Academy), 8-0 2:36

60 kg
Dylan Koontz WI (Ohio Regional Training Center) TF Mason Carzino-Hartshorn CA (Community Youth Center - Concord Campus), 9-0 5:35
Dylan Gregerson UT (Brunson UVRTC) TF Camden Russell NE (MWC Wrestling Academy), 8-0 2:14

63 kg
Mosha Schwartz CO (Northern Colorado Wrestling Club) TF Corbin Nirschl NE (MWC Wrestling Academy), 11-2 4:26
David Stepanian MI (New York Athletic Club) TF We Rachal IL (Illinois Regional Training Center/Illini WC), 11-0 3:34

67 kg
Alston Nutter WI (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) TF Ratbek Erkinbekov WA (Washington), 8-0 1:00
Jaden Enriquez CA (Michigan Wrestling Club) TF Aundre Beatty IN (Warren Wrestling Academy), 8-0 3:17

72 kg
Lenny Merkin NY (New York Athletic Club) TF Jaron Jensen WY (Wyoming Wrestling Reg Training Ctr), 8-0 1:40
Benjamin Peak WI (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) TF Noah Wachsmuth CO (Colorado), 8-0 2:22

77 kg
Britton Holmes CO (Army (WCAP)) DEC Jack Ervien, jr. WA (Washington), 6-0
Ryan Epps MN (Minnesota Storm) DEC Cael Carlson MN (Gopher Wrestling Club - RTC), 7-6

82 kg
George Sikes FL (New York Athletic Club) DEC James Burks NE (MWC Wrestling Academy), 6-1
Tommy Brackett TN (Tennessee) TF Jake Hendricks PA (Pennsylvania RTC), 8-0 0:59

87 kg
Spencer Woods AK (Army (WCAP)) TF Tyler Hannah WI (Combat W.C. School of Wrestling), 11-0 0:54
Job Ayala WI (Wisconsin) TF Macaron Kukowski MN (Minnesota Storm), 8-0 2:22

97 kg
Nicholas Boykin TN (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) TF Keaton Fanning MI (NMU-National Training Center), 11-1 4:49
Chad Porter AZ (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) TF Guy Patron IA (Dubuque Wrestling Club), 10-1 3:35

130 kg
Brandon Metz ND (Bison Wrestling Club) DEC Lee Herrington NE (Nebraska Golden Eagles Wrestling Club), 4-1
Spencer Trenary IA (Jackrabbit Wrestling Club) DEC Kaleb Reeves IA (Eastern Iowa Wrestling Club), 11-8