Steller Rancor Battalion, Curby Kodiak Bears win National Freestyle Duals; Boone RTC, UNC score two Men's Open champions

Photo: National Freestyle Duals first-place trophy. (National Freestyle Duals Twitter/@DualsFreestyle)

MANALAPAN TOWNSHIP, N.J. – The 2023 National Freestyle Duals and Open concluded on Sunday afternoon at Sportika with dual meet champions decided in the high school boys and girls divisions, as well as individual champions crowned in the men’s open division.

The crew from Steller Rancor Battalion added another trophy to its case, following a tournament title from last week’s Ultimate Club Duals with a perfect 6-0 outing in the high school boys bracket at the National Freestyle Duals. Steller Rancor took nine-of-15 bouts from Scarlet Knights WC to win the first-place match, 36-26.

On the girls high school side, Curby Kodiak Bears brought home the team title after going 4-0 in round robin competition. The battle of top-two teams happened in the first round of pool play as Curby won seven-of-eight contested bouts against Elite.

The men’s open field featured numerous NCAA student-athletes seeking a competitive warm-up tournament ahead of large national events this summer, including next week’s Pritchard Companies U.S. Open Championships, presented by FloWrestling, in Las Vegas, Nev.

Appalachian State brought the largest cohort of wrestlers at 16. Winning gold medals for the crew representing Boone RTC were rising sophomore Chad Bellis at 57 kg and reigning SoCon champion Tommy Askey at 70 kg.

Joining Boone RTC with two champions was North Carolina, who earned gold medals from Sonny Santiago at 74 kg and Blah Dahnweih in the combined 86/92 kg bracket.

Other universities represented were Binghamton, Hofstra, Brown, Drexel, Long Island, Princeton, Rider, Rutgers, and West Liberty.

2022 NCAA Div. I qualifier Dylan Shawver of Rutgers brought home the title at 61 kg. He went 4-0 on the day posting two technical falls and a 9-8 decision over North Carolina’s Caden McCrary in the finals.

Rider’s Steyn De Lange, a 2021 Junior World bronze medalist in freestyle for South Africa, went 5-0 on his way to the heavyweight title.

Other champions included Justin Hoyle of Blue & Gold Wrestling Club at 65 kg and Drew Clearie of Brown RTC at 79 kg. Clearie was the most dominant wrestler of the event, earning four technical falls with a pin to boot.

Long Island’s James Johnston picked up the fastest fall of the event at 24-seconds.

Complete brackets and match-by-match results from the National Freestyle Duals and Open can be found at Trackwrestling.com.

National Freestyle Duals and Open
At Manalapan Township, N.J., April 22-23

Boys High School Duals Results
Gold Bracket
1st Place - Steller Rancor Battalion
2nd Place - Scarlet Knight WC
3rd Place - Steller Bane
4th Place - Triumph Trained Gold

1st Place Match - Steller Rancor Battalion defeated Scarlet Knight WC ,36-26
100 - Brayden Sigle (Steller Rancor Battalion) tech. fall Sean Kenny (Scarlet Knight WC), 13-0
106 - Max Tancini (Steller Rancor Battalion) dec. Killian Collucio (Scarlet Knight WC), 9-0
113 - Paul Kenny (Scarlet Knight WC) dec. Aaron Seidel (Steller Rancor Battalion), 4-4
120 - Bobby Duffy (Scarlet Knight WC) fall Mac Speece (Steller Rancor Battalion), 1:43
126 - Carson Walsh (Scarlet Knight WC) tech. fall Jimmy Garcia (Steller Rancor Battalion), 10-0
132 - Eren Sement (Steller Rancor Battalion) dec. Patrick O`Keefe (Scarlet Knight WC), 10-2
138 - Jackson Young (Steller Rancor Battalion) tech. fall Jayden James (Scarlet Knight WC), 10-0
145 - Julian George (Scarlet Knight WC) tech. fall Jack Campbell (Steller Rancor Battalion), 10-0
152 - Nick Campagna (Scarlet Knight WC) tech. fall Kelly Kakos (Steller Rancor Battalion), 12-2
160 - Nick Kunstek (Steller Rancor Battalion) dec. Zander Silva (Scarlet Knight WC), 8-0
170 - Ryan Burton (Scarlet Knight WC) dec. Sammy Gautreau (Steller Rancor Battalion), 10-4
182 - Jake Gilfoil (Steller Rancor Battalion) winner by forfeit
195 - Sonny Sasso (Steller Rancor Battalion) dec. Nate Taylor (Scarlet Knight WC), 4-1
220 - Adrian Gacek (Steller Rancor Battalion) dec. Caleb Marzolino (Scarlet Knight WC), 8-4
285 - Ean Winchester (Steller Rancor Battalion) forfeit Unknown (Unattached)

3rd Place Match - Steller Bane defeated Triumph Trained Gold, 37-22
100 - Will Soto (Steller Bane) tech. fall Luke Johnson (Triumph Trained Gold), 10-0
106 - Sam Wolford (Steller Bane) tech. fall Anthony Mason (Triumph Trained Gold), 11-0
113 - Dan Dennis (Steller Bane) dec. Joey Deangelo (Triumph Trained Gold), 10-4
120 - Tyson Cook (Steller Bane) tech. fall Brady Klinsky (Triumph Trained Gold), 10-0
126 – Double forfeit
132 - Jack Zaleski (Triumph Trained Gold) tech. fall Blase Mele (Steller Bane), 11-0
138 - Zach Reilley (Triumph Trained Gold) tech. fall Rocco Fratelli (Steller Bane), 12-2
145 - Blake Bryant (Steller Bane) dec. Marco Conroy (Triumph Trained Gold), 16-10
152 - Chase Hontz (Steller Bane) tech. fall Jimmy Jakub (Triumph Trained Gold), 10-0
160 - Matthew Castelli (Triumph Trained Gold) inj. def. Nate RIckards (Steller Bane), 0:36
170 - David Hussey (Triumph Trained Gold) dec. Luke Sugalski (Steller Bane), 7-4
182 - Blaise Eidle (Steller Bane) dec. Toko Kajaia (Triumph Trained Gold), 10-6
195 - George Rhodes (Triumph Trained Gold) dec. Jeremy McKinney (Steller Bane), 10-6
220 - Dean Bechtold (Steller Bane) winner by forfeit
285 - Mark Effendian (Steller Bane) tech. fall Tyson Caroll (Triumph Trained Gold), 11-0

Silver Bracket
1st Place - PA Power
2nd Place - The Marauders
3rd Place - Scorpions
4th Place - Team Rhino

1st Place Match - PA Power defeated The Marauders, 46-18
3rd Place Match - Scorpions defeated Team Rhino, 35-27

Bronze Bracket
1st Place - Diamond Fish
2nd Place - Steller Embo
3rd Place - Curby Grizzlies
4th Place - Seagull WC B

1st Place Match - Diamond Fish defeated Steller Embo, 44-22
3rd Place Match - Curby Grizzlies defeated Seagull WC B, 43-25

Girls High School Duals Results
Team Placements
1st Place - Curby Kodiak Bears
2nd Place - Elite
3rd Place - Immortals
4th Place - Crash
5th Place - Vision Quest

1st Place Match- Curby Kodiak Bears defeated Elite, 34-24
94 - Double forfeit
100 - Mandy Gavares (Elite) winner by forfeit
106 - Madison Rucci (Elite) winner by forfeit
112 - Makayla Matson (Curby Kodiak Bears) fall Olivia Mitchell (Elite), 1:55
117 - Angie Dill (Curby Kodiak Bears) tech. fall Maeve Witte (Elite), 12-0
122 - Brianna Dugo (Elite) winner by forfeit
127 - Emily Frost (Curby Kodiak Bears) tech. fall Leila Gearl (Elite), 10-0
132 - Ragan Retell (Curby Kodiak Bears) tech. fall Emma Sagii (Elite), 11-0
138 - Double forfeit
144 - Paityn DeLong (Curby Kodiak Bears) tech. fall Samantha Henrich (Elite), 10-0
152 - Zoe Lints (Curby Kodiak Bears) tech. fall Daniella Forlenza (Elite), 10-0
164 - Kamila Bieszczad (Elite) tech. fall Elle Hutton (Curby Kodiak Bears), 10-0
180-225 - Sophie Pollack (Curby Kodiak Bears) dec. Apryl Coffman (Elite), 6-2

Round 1
Curby Kodiak Bears defeated Elite, 34-24
Immortals defeated Crash, 47-19

Round 2
Immortals defeated Vision Quest, 43-32
Elite defeated Crash, 42-24

Round 3
Crash defeated Vision Quest, 39-36
Immortals defeated Curby Kodiak Bears, 34-33

Round 4
Curby Kodiak Bears defeated Vision Quest, 45-30
Elite defeated Immortals, 37-37

Round 5
Elite defeated Vision Quest, 65-12
Curby Kodiak Bears defeated Crash, 40-31

Men’s Open Results
57 kg
1st Place - Chad Bellis of Boone RTC
2nd Place - Noah Luna of Boone RTC
3rd Place - Jacob Moon of Blue & Gold Wrestling Club
4th Place - Riley Parker of West Liberty

Round 1
Chad Bellis (Boone RTC) tech. fall Jacob Moon (Blue & Gold Wrestling Club), 10-0
Noah Luna (Boone RTC) dec. Riley Parker (West Liberty), 16-8

Round 2
Noah Luna (Boone RTC) fall Jacob Moon (Blue & Gold Wrestling Club), 4:19
Chad Bellis (Boone RTC) tech. fall Riley Parker (West Liberty), 11-0

Round 3
Jacob Moon (Blue & Gold Wrestling Club) tech. fall Riley Parker (West Liberty), 10-0
Chad Bellis (Boone RTC) tech. fall Noah Luna (Boone RTC), 16-5

61 kg
1st Place - Dylan Shawver of Rutgers
2nd Place - Caden McCrary of UNC
3rd Place - Corey Keener of Team Lone Wolfs
4th Place - Jace Palmer of UNC
5th Place - Ian Oswalt of Brown RTC
6th Place - Ethan Oakley of Boone RTC
7th Place - Brandan Chletsos of Rutgers
8th Place - Kaelan Francois of LIU

1st Place Match
Dylan Shawver (Rutgers) dec. Caden McCrary (UNC), 9-8
3rd Place Match
Corey Keener (Team Lone Wolfs) tech. fall Jace Palmer (UNC), 12-2
5th Place Match
Ian Oswalt (Brown RTC) dec. Ethan Oakley (Boone RTC), 10-3
7th Place Match
Brandan Chletsos (Rutgers) tech. fall Kaelan Francois (LIU), 10-0

65 kg
1st Place - Justin Hoyle of Blue & Gold Wrestling Club
2nd Place - Wil Guida of UNC
3rd Place - Joe Olivieri of Rutgers
4th Place - Heath Gonyer of Boone RTC
5th Place - Gabriel Onorato of Drexel
6th Place - Devon Britton of Rutgers
7th Place - Isaac Byers of Boone RTC
8th Place - Jordan Soriano of Drexel

1st Place Match
Justin Hoyle (Blue & Gold Wrestling Club) tech. fall Wil Guida (UNC), 11-1
3rd Place Match
Joe Olivieri (Rutgers) fall Heath Gonyer (Boone RTC), 2:29
5th Place Match
Gabriel Onorato (Drexel) dec. Devon Britton (Rutgers), 13-12
7th Place Match
Isaac Byers (Boone RTC) tech. fall Jordan Soriano (Drexel), 10-0

70 kg
1st Place - Tommy Askey of Boone RTC
2nd Place - Danny Nini of UNC
3rd Place - Michael Cetta of Rutgers
4th Place - Blake Saito of Brown RTC
5th Place - Drake Acklin of Boone RTC
6th Place - Kai O`Dell of Boone RTC
7th Place - Nicholas Grizales of Boone RTC
8th Place - Eric Shindel of Blue & Gold Wrestling Club

1st Place Match
Tommy Askey (Boone RTC) dec. Danny Nini (UNC), 10-2
3rd Place Match
Michael Cetta (Rutgers) fall Blake Saito (Brown RTC), 1:50
5th Place Match
Drake Acklin (Boone RTC) dec. Kai O`Dell (Boone RTC), 6-2
7th Place Match
Nicholas Grizales (Boone RTC) dec. Eric Shindel (Blue & Gold Wrestling Club), 11-4

74 kg
1st Place - Sonny Santiago of UNC
2nd Place - James Johnston of LIU
3rd Place - Carter Baer of Binghamton
4th Place - Oren Bost of Boone RTC
5th Place - Anthony White of Rutgers
6th Place - Luke Gayer of Rutgers
7th Place - Jurius Clark of Blue & Gold Wrestling Club
8th Place - Joseph Mcginty of Blue & Gold Wrestling Club

1st Place Match
Sonny Santiago (UNC) inj. def. James Johnston (LIU), 2:21
3rd Place Match
Carter Baer (Binghamton) tech. fall Oren Bost (Boone RTC), 10-0
5th Place Match
Anthony White (Rutgers) tech. fall Luke Gayer (Rutgers), 11-0
7th Place Match
Jurius Clark (Blue & Gold Wrestling Club) dec. Joseph Mcginty (Blue & Gold Wrestling Club), 7-7

79 kg
1st Place - Drew Clearie of Brown RTC
2nd Place - Harrison Trahan of Brown RTC
3rd Place - Cj Brucki of NJRTC
4th Place - Cody Walsh of Drexel
5th Place - Michael Wilson of Rider
6th Place - Jonathan Conrad of Brown RTC
7th Place - Ethan Wilson of Drexel
8th Place - Dalton Battle of Boone RTC

1st Place Match
Drew Clearie (Brown RTC) tech. fall Harrison Trahan (Brown RTC), 10-0
3rd Place Match
Cj Brucki (NJRTC) tech. fall Cody Walsh (Drexel), 12-0
5th Place Match
Michael Wilson (Rider) dec. Jonathan Conrad (Brown RTC), 13-6
7th Place Match
Ethan Wilson (Drexel) tech. fall Dalton Battle (Boone RTC), 10-0

86/92 kg
1st Place - Blah Dahnweih of UNC
2nd Place - Michael Toranzo of Rutgers
3rd Place - Lear Quinton of Brown RTC
4th Place - Nathan Lapinski of Drexel
5th Place - Cayden Brevis of Binghamton
6th Place - Nick Olivieri of Brown RTC
7th Place - Isaac Dean of Rider

1st Place Match
Blah Dahnweih (UNC) tech. fall Michael Toranzo (Rutgers), 10-0
3rd Place Match
Lear Quinton (Brown RTC) tech. fall Nathan Lapinski (Drexel), 11-0
5th Place Match
Cayden Brevis (Binghamton) tech. fall Nick Olivieri (Brown RTC), 11-1

125 kg
1st Place - Steyn De Lange of Rider
2nd Place - Alex Semenenko of Brown RTC
3rd Place - Kyle Epperly of Rutgers
4th Place - Charlie Tibbits of Binghamton
5th Place - Levi Andrews of Boone RTC
6th Place - John O`Donnell of Rutgers
7th Place - Adam Honis of UNC
8th Place - Jacob Sartorio of Boone RTC

1st Place Match
Steyn De Lange (Rider) inj. def. Alex Semenenko (Brown RTC), 5:37
3rd Place Match
Kyle Epperly (Rutgers) fall Charlie Tibbits (Binghamton), 3:29
5th Place Match
Levi Andrews (Boone RTC) forfeit John O`Donnell (Rutgers)
7th Place Match
Adam Honis (UNC) forfeit Jacob Sartorio (Boone RTC)