Three 2022 U20 Freestyle World Team medalists advance to U20 Freestyle Nationals semifinals

Christian Carroll of Cowboy RTC locks up a front headlock. Photo by Robbert Wijtman.

Six returning U20 Freestyle World Team members advanced to the 2023 U20 Freestyle Nationals semifinals at the 2023 Pritchard Companies U.S. Open, presented by FloWrestling on Saturday in Las Vegas.

No. 6 Christian Carroll of Cowboy RTC, a 2022 U20 Greco-Roman World Team member, also advanced to Saturday night’s semifinals at 125 kg.

2022 U20 World champion Jore Volk of Wyoming Wrestling Regional Training Center waltzed toward the 57 kg semis with three tech falls in five matches. Volk, who just finished his freshman season at the University of Wyoming, will battle No. 5 Adrian Meza of Arizona in the semifinals. No. 2 Luke Lilledahl of X-Calibur Athletics Wrestling Club, a 2022 U17 Freestyle World champion, sees Cael Nasdeo of Central Pennsylvania RTC in the weight’s other semis.

At 74 kg, Mitchell Mesenbrink of Askren Wrestling Academy looks to repeat as a U20 Nationals champion. He won silver at the 2022 U20 World Championships and scraps with Nick Fea of New York in the semifinal.

Another 2022 U17 Freestyle World champion from Pennsylvania will compete in the other semifnal. No. 2 Joseph Sealey gets No. 3 Hunter Garvin of Iowa.

Bennett Berge of Jackrabbit Wrestling Club, a 2022 U20 World Bronze medalist reached the semis in a loaded 86 kg bracket. He will wrestle No. 4 Clayton Whiting of Tiger Style Wrestling Club. Three of the bracket’s semifinalists represented Team USA in either the U17 or U20 World Championships.

Brayden Thompson of Cowboy RTC, a fellow 2022 U20 World Team member, will scuffle with No. 3 Max McEnelly of Waconia Wrestling Club, a 2022 U17 World bronze medalist.

No. 1 Nic Bouzakis of Pennsylvania at 61 kg and No. 1 Nic Bouzakis of Spartan Combat RTC at 65 kg are the other 2022 U20 Freestyle World Team members who made the semifinals. Those guys could repeat as U20 Freestyle Nationals champions.

Luca Augustine of Pittsburgh WC at 79 kg also can repeat as a national champion.

The semifinals begin at 4 p.m. Each bout can be streamed live on FloWrestling.

2023 U20 Freestyle Nationals
Las Vegas, Nev. — April 29

Semifinals pairings

57 kg
No. 1 Jore Volk (Wyoming Wrestling Regional Training Center) vs No. 5 Adrian Meza (Arizona)
Cael Nasdeo (Central Pennsylvania RTC) vs No. 2 Luke Lilledahl (X-Calibur Athletics Wrestling Club)

61 kg
No. 1 Nic Bouzakis (Pennsylvania) vs Jace Rhodes (Hawkeye Wrestling Club)
No. 6 Kale Peterson (Sebolt Wrestling Academy) vs No. 2 Nasir Bailey (Harvey Twisters WC)

65 kg
No. 1 Vince Cornella (Spartan Combat RTC) vs No. 5 Tyler Kasak (Pennsylvania)
No. 3 Jesse Mendez (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) vs No. 2 Kannon Webster (Ilinois)

70 kg
No. 1 Meyer Shapiro (Spartan Combat RTC) vs No. 4 Daniel Cardenas (Colorado)
No. 6 Paniro Johnson (Pennsylvania) Vs No. 10 Antrell Taylor (MWC Wrestling Academy)

74 kg
No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink (Askren Wrestling Academy) vs Nick Fea (New York)
No. 3 Hunter Garvin (Iowa) vs No. 2 Joseph Sealey (Pennsylvania)

79 kg
No. 1 Rocco Welsh (Young Guns Wrestling Club) vs No. 1 Rocco Welsh (Young Guns Wrestling Club)
No. 3 Gabriel Arnold IA (Level Up Wrestling Center) vs No. 15 Luca Augustine (Pittsburgh Wrestling Club)

86 kg
No. 1 Bennett Berge (Jackrabbit Wrestling Club) vs No. 4 Clayton Whiting (Tiger Style Wrestling Club)
No. 3 Max McEnelly (Waconia Wrestling Club) vs No. 2 Brayden Thompson (Cowboy RTC)

92 kg
No. 1 Gavin Nelson ((Minnesota) vs No. 5 Stephen Little (Arkansas Regional Training Center)
No. 3 Jack Darrah (Missouri) vs No. 10 Mac Stout (Pittsburgh Wrestling Club)

97 kg
No. 1 Sawyer Bartelt (Gladiator Wrestling) vs No. 4 Camden Mcdanel (Ohio)
Joey Braunagel (Illinois Regional Training Center/Illini WC) vs Colden Dorfman (Cavalier Wrestling Club)

125 kg
No. 9 Bradley Hill (Hawkeye Wrestling Club) vs No. 12 Harley Andrews (Tuttle Wrestling Club)
No. 6 Christian Carroll (Cowboy RTC) vs No. 10 Carter Neves (Ohio)

Quarterfinal results

57 kg
No. 5 Adrian Meza AZ (Arizona) tech fall Dominic Mendez CA (Righetti High School Wrestling), 10-0 2:56
Cael Nasdeo PA (Central Pennsylvania RTC (CPRTC)) dec. No. 3 Alan Koehler MN (Pinnacle Wrestling Club), 9-8
No. 2 Luke Lilledahl MO (X-Calibur Athletics Wrestling Club) dec. No. 7 Kenneth Hendriksen TX (Minnesota Gold Wrestling Club), 2-2
No. 1 Jore Volk WY (Wyoming Wrestling Reg Training Ctr) dec. No. 9 Aaron Lucio MI (Michigan West Wrestling Club), 15-6

61 kg
No. 1 Nic Bouzakis PA (Pennsylvania) tech fall Cesar Avelar AZ (Grindhouse Wrestling Club), 10-0 0:55
No. 2 Nasir Bailey IL (Harvey Twisters WC) dec. Emilio Ysaguirre, jr. AZ (Arizona), 7-6
No. 6 Kale Petersen IA (Sebolt Wrestling Academy) tech fall Fernando Barreto CA (Pounders Wc), 12-1 1:44
Jace Rhodes IA (Hawkeye Wrestling Club) dec. No. 5 Cael Hughes OK (Cowboy Wrestling Club), 6-3

65 kg
No. 1 Vince Cornella CO (Spartan Combat RTC) fall Kade Moore TX (Tiger Style Wrestling Club), 6-0 2:37
No. 5 Tyler Kasak PA (Pennsylvania) dec. No. 4 Pierson Manville PA (M2 Training Center), 8-6
No. 3 Jesse Mendez IN (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) dec. Dylan Chappell PA (Buffalo Valley Regional Training Center), 11-8
No. 2 Kannon Webster IL (Illinois) dec. Ethan Fernandez NJ (Spartan Combat RTC), 3-2

70 kg
No. 1 Meyer Shapiro MD (Spartan Combat RTC) tech fall No. 8 Nicco Ruiz CA (Sunkist Kids/Monster Garage), 12-2 1:38
No. 4 Daniel Cardenas CO (Colorado) dec. No. 12 John Wiley OK (Oklahoma Regional Training Center), 6-5
No. 10 Antrell Taylor NE (MWC Wrestling Academy) tech fall No. 15 Maxwell Petersen MN (Bison Wrestling Club), 12-1 3:32
No. 6 Paniro Johnson PA (Pennsylvania) dec. No. 3 Jordan Williams OK (Cowboy RTC), 5-0

74 kg
No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink WI (Askren Wrestling Academy) tech fall No. 8 Matthew Bianchi WI (Arkansas Regional Training Center), 10-0 1:43
Nick Fea NY (New York) tech fall Kamdyn Munro GA (Regional Training Center South), 10-0 2:03
No. 3 Hunter Garvin IA (Iowa) tech fall No. 11 Kyle Dutton MO (Arkansas Regional Training Center), 10-0 2:27
No. 2 Joseph Sealey PA (Pennsylvania) injury default Cameron Steed OK (Tiger Style Wrestling Club), 2-0 1:11

79 kg
No. 1 Rocco Welsh PA (Young Guns Wrestling Club) dec. No. 8 Manuel (m.j.) Gaitan CA (California), 6-5
No. 4 Noah Mulvaney WI (Askren Wrestling Academy) tech fall No. 5 Jared Simma KS (Panther Wrestling Club RTC), 20-10 4:45
No. 15 Luca Augustine PA (Pittsburgh Wrestling Club) dec. No. 10 Brody Baumann IN (Boilermaker RTC), 9-6
No. 3 Gabriel Arnold IA (Level Up Wrestling Center) tech fall No. 6 Ethan Riddle WI (Askren Wrestling Academy), 10-0 4:10

86 kg
No. 1 Bennett Berge MN (Jackrabbit Wrestling Club) tech fall Tate Naaktgeboren IA (Big Game Wrestling Club), 10-0 2:04
No. 4 Clayton Whiting WI (Tiger Style Wrestling Club) dec. Connor Mirasola WI (Askren Wrestling Academy), 7-4
No. 3 Max Mcenelly MN (Waconia Wrestling Club) dec. No. 6 Wyatt Voelker IA (Panther Wrestling Club RTC), 3-1
No. 2 Brayden Thompson OK (Cowboy RTC) dec. Leonard Pinto PA (Nebraska Wrestling Training Center), 7-3

92 kg
No. 1 Gavin Nelson MN (Minnesota) fall Carson Floyd NC (Boone RTC), 4-0 1:03
No. 5 Stephen Little KY (Arkansas Regional Training Center) tech fall No. 4 Gabe Sollars IN (Indiana RTC), 12-2 5:53
No. 10 Mac Stout PA (Pittsburgh Wrestling Club) dec. No. 2 Cole Mirasola WI (Askren Wrestling Academy), 10-7
No. 3 Jack Darrah MO (Missouri) VPO1 Carsten Rawls CA (American University), 6-2

97 kg
No. 1 Sawyer Bartelt FL (Gladiator Wrestling) tech fall No. 8 Steven Burrell jr NY (New York), 12-0 3:29
No. 4 Camden Mcdanel OH (Ohio) tech fall Max Ramberg WI (Viking RTC), 11-0 1:21
Joey Braunagel IL (Illinois Regional Training Center/Illini WC) dec. No. 6 Ben Kawczynski WI (Askren Wrestling Academy), 6-6
Colden Dorfman NY (Cavalier Wrestling Club) forfeit No. 2 Noah Pettigrew GA (The Storm Wrestling Center), 8-5

125 kg
No. 9 Bradley Hill IA (Hawkeye Wrestling Club) tech fall Nathan Taylor PA (Lehigh Valley Wrestling Club), 10-0 3:22
No. 12 Harley Andrews OK (Tuttle Wrestling Club) tech fall Tristan Ruhlman IN (Bloomington South Wrestling Club), 12-2 1:50
No. 6 Christian Carroll TX (Cowboy RTC) dec. No. 14 Juan Mora CA (Bison Wrestling Club), 6-4
No. 10 Carter Neves OH (Ohio) dec. No. 2 Ryan Boersma IL (Tiger Style Wrestling Club), 10-4