Junior National Duals Preview

Men and Women will compete this week in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A few bumps in the road in filling spots for duals this year across the Southeast and you can see that below with a few weights missing from some of the states. Truth is … this tournament is exceptionally difficult. But this is a great opportunity to see where everyone is before the trip to Fargo in a few weeks. We see a few PIN Ratings in the tables below with 1100 and 1200’s, but there are many in the 1000’s … and some with no rating at all. PIN Ratings give you an idea of the level of some of the talent, but it is by no means the best gauge of who will do well and who won’t. That said, they are used by USA Wrestling for seeding purposes … so getting some solid wins in Oklahoma can have a very positive impact on a wrestler’s PIN as we head to Fargo in a few weeks.

Schedule:

Wednesday, June 19

  • JR Men Greco Roman Duals Session 1:(16 mats)Rounds 1 & 2 Preliminary Championship Match, Championship Semi-Finals, & Consolation Quarterfinals 
    9:00 AM to 12:30 PM 

  • JR Women’s Freestyle Duals Session 1: (Mats 6) Rounds 1 & 2 Preliminary Championship Match, Championship Semi-Finals, & Consolation Quarterfinals 
    9:00 AM to 12:30 PM 

  • JR Men Greco-Roman Duals Session 2:(16 mats) Rounds 3, 4 & 5 - Consolation Semi-Finals & 1st Place Match, Placement Match 3rd, 5th, 7th,True 2nd place Match 

    1:30 PM to 7:00 PM 

  • JR Women’s Freestyle Duals Session 2: (Mats 6) Rounds 3, 4 & 5 - Consolation Semi-Finals & 1st Place Match, Placement Match 3rd, 5th, 7th,True 2nd place Match 

    1:30 PM to 7:00 PM 

Thursday, June 20 

  • JR Men Greco-Roman Duals Session 3:(16 Mats) Color Pools(Gold/Silver, Bronze/Copper, Red/Blue, Green/Yellow)Rounds 1& 2 Preliminary Duals 

    9:00 AM to 12:00 PM 

  • JR Women’s Freestyle Duals Session 3: (Mats 6) Color Pools(Gold/Silver, Bronze/Copper, Red/Blue, Green/Yellow)Rounds 1& 2 Preliminary Duals 

    9:00 AM to 12:00 PM

  • JR Men Greco-Roman Duals Session 4:(All 16 Mats)Rounds 3 & 4Preliminary Duals &Finals Placement Match Dual 

    1:00 PM to 5:00 PM(Break before Finals) 

  • JR Women’s Freestyle Duals Session 4: (Mats 6) Rounds 3 & 4Preliminary Duals &Finals Placement Match Dual 

    1:00 PM to 5:00 PM(Break before Finials) 

Friday, June 21

  • JR Men Freestyle Duals Session 1:(16 mats) Rounds 1, 2, & 3– Preliminaries, Consolations, & Semifinals 

    8:00 AM to 12:30 PM 

  • JR Women Greco Duals Session 1:(6 mats) Rounds 1, 2, & 3– Preliminaries, Consolations, & Semifinals 

    8:00 AM to 12:30 PM 

  • JR Men Freestyle Duals Session 2:(16 mats) Rounds 4, 5, & 6 – Consolations, Placement (1st-8th), True 2nd & Round 1 of Preliminary DualsColor Pools(Gold/Silver, Bronze/Copper, Red/Blue, Green/Yellow) 
    1:30 PM to 8:00 PM 

  • JR Women Greco Duals Session 2: (6 mats) Rounds 4, 5, & 6 – Consolations, Placement (1st-8th), True 2nd & Round 1 of Preliminary DualsColor Pools(Gold/Silver, Bronze/Copper, Red/Blue, Green/Yellow) 
    1:30 PM to 8:00 PM 

Saturday, June 22

  • JR Men Freestyle Duals Session 3:(16 Mats) Round2, 3 & 4 - (16 mats)Preliminary Duals and Finals Placement Match (Awards to follow)(Gold/Silver, Bronze/Copper, Red/Blue, Green/Yellow) 
    9:00 AM to 3:00 PM(Break before Finals) 

  • JR Women Greco Duals Session 3:(6 Mats) Round2, 3 & 4 - (6 mats)Preliminary Duals and Finals Placement Match (Awards to follow)(Gold/Silver, Bronze/Copper, Red/Blue, Green/Yellow) 
    9:00 AM to 3:00 PM(Break before Finals) 

Junior Men Preview

What to Know:

  • Florida has the most firepower of the teams from the Southeast with returning 16U National Champ Michael Mocco leading the way. They also have a group of seniors that are outstanding in Anderson Heap and Gunner Holland as well as Chris Sanchez (who doesn’t have a PIN Rating, but won a state title this past year) and Cameron French. Always excited to see how those we haven’t seen much outside of the SE do on the national stage. Keep an eye on Willie White, David Leiva, and others. Florida should be hunting a spot in the Bronze/Copper Pool on Day 2.

  • Georgia features 3 wrestlers with 1100+ PIN Ratings in Kieron McCormack, Marley Washington, and Cade Parent. All three have competed on the national stage previously. How far Georgia goes will likely come down to how well Conor McCloskey (Freestyle), Nathan Nielsen, JT Bowers, and others wrestle. Given the inexperience at a few weights and no 285 … the goal should be to make the Red/Blue Pool.

  • Alabama is led by Daishun Powe and Willie Cox. Both have been to Fargo in the past and each will look to use this as a solid prep for a return trip in a few weeks. Bradley Williams, Oliver Howard, and Cody Kirk also have a lot of experience and will be called on to help Alabama get a few wins on Day 1 … Missing weights at 126 and 132 … the goal will be making the Red/Blue Pool, but that might be a challenge.

  • North Carolina has just three with PIN Ratings, but keep an eye on Ian Fritz and Dantrell Williams … neither has a PIN rating, but both will look to make an impact. Trevalian James and Jackson Rowling will be counted on to help North Carolina pick up a dual win (or two) on Day 1. Given the number of holes in the lineup … North Carolina will likely be wrestling in the Purple or Green/Yellow Pool on Day 2 of action.

  • Tennessee has a full roster and some hammers down low … which should help them a great deal. But Junior Duals is as tough as you get and this team will need some hammers through the middle and up top if they are going to get a few wins on Day 1. Braylen Cosper, Cash Waymire, and the Cordero’s down low will be counted on to make an impact. The goal for Team Tennessee should be the Red/Blue Pool.

Junior Women

What to Know:

  • Each team has a few hammers … but each can only help their team so much … the key will be the others on the squad.

  • Georgia will probably field two teams, and as a result, could struggle if any gets banged up. It is always an issue for the guys in wrestling Greco first and then Freestyle … the teams that make a run for the Gold/Silver Pool (Top 8) always have that can step in if needed. Don’t know how many of these teams will wrestle Greco or not and each begins in Freestyle (so in theory that is better). Georgia has a number of hammers and two with PIN Ratings above 1100 - Delilah Betances and Genevieve An. But they also have a ton of others that can win matches (Vera Spencer, Artemis Eaton, Elle Kaufmann, Ollie Weiland, etc.). If Georgia can get points (remember scoring a point in a loss to someone else gets the team a point in Freestyle duals) from Long, Whaley, Catledge, etc. then Georgia will be looking to make the top 8. Split the squad into two and you get one or two that get banged up on Day 1 and the team could be wrestling in the Red/Blue Pool.

  • Both Florida and Tennessee have 8 wrestlers in the lineup with PIN Ratings above 1010. Tennessee’s challenge is missing a 95, a 115, and a 135. 15 points is difficult to overcome and as a result they will likely be wrestling in the Red/Blue Pool on Day 2. Florida will rely on their roster from Kiki Bush at 105 to Christina Borgmann at 130. If they can get 5 wins in that group in a dual and get Sophie Booe, Alena Rik, and others to step up then they could make the Bronze/Copper Pool. That should be the goal, but the margin for error is small.

  • Alabama will rely onFargo All American Evelyn Holmes-Smith and Elizabeth Rosentiel (who nearly made the podium a year ago). Add in Taimane Benemerito, Kalyse Hill, and others and Alabama will be looking to make the Red/Blue Pool.

  • North Carolina has several holes and will likely be wrestling in the Purple or Green/Yellow Pool on Day 2. They do have a trio of hammers in Iyanna Crawford, Faith Bane, and Elaina Pollock, but will be giving up too many points (25) to knock off teams in a dual.

Jason Fulmore