A Fan's Guide to Fargo - Georgia Edition

History:

Georgia has collected 287 medals over the history of their time at USA Wrestling’s Junior and 16U National Championships (aka Fargo … the only reason I say aka Fargo is because years ago - it wasn’t held in Fargo). In fact, for many years during the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s it was held in 6 different states (Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and Michigan) with the Junior Men’s Freestyle and Greco finally calling Fargo home in 1993 and 16U men following 3 years later and the Junior and 16U Women after the turn of the century. All of that to say - Georgia was never won a team title on either the men’s or women’s side or in Juniors or 16U’s. But the Peach State does have one of the most accomplished wrestlers in Fargo history in current Lumpkin County Head Coach Sean Hage.

Hage shares the most titles by an individual (combining both Junior and 16U) with David Kjeldgaard of Iowa. Both Hage and Kjeldgaard have won 8 individual titles. Hage also shares the distinction of being just one of two that are considered “Six-Timers” - individuals that have won 6 individual Junior titles (Hage shares that distinction with Michigan’s Brent Metcalf). But what separates Sean Hage from everyone else is the fact that he never lost a match in “Fargo” and was a perfect 8-0 in Fargo Finals. At the team level - Georgia has enjoyed some success:

  • 1 top 5 finish in Junior Greco

    • 2014 - 6 All Americans including Todd Small, Rudy Guillen, Roman Boylan, Derekston Williams, Andrew Webb, and Justan Rivera

  • 1 top 5 finish in 16U Freestyle

    • 2019 - 9 All Americans including Darrell Rochester, Michael Kilic, Matthew Singleton, RJ Weston, Kamdyn Munro, Dawson Mathews, Noah Pettigrew, David Harper and Chase Horne

  • 2 top 5 finishes in 16U Greco

    • 2010 - 6 All Americans - Hunter Kelley, Darshawn Sharp, Marshawn Sharp, Tyler Askey, Jason Grimes, and Brooks Climmons

    • 2019 - 8 All Americans - many of the same names as Freestyle plus David Panone and Garrison Dendy

  • The women’s team (nor the Junior Men’s Freestyle team) have ever finished in the top 5.

Some more interesting stats:

  • 16U’s Men Freestyle were dominant in 2023 - 2 Champs (Jacob Levy and Blue Stiffler) as well as All Americans Ryder Wilder and Gabe Swann. Levy, Stiffler, and Swann are back looking for Junior medals.

  • Last 16U Greco Champ from Georgia was RJ Weston and Michael Kilic in 2019

  • Amani Jones was the last 16U Women’s Freestyle Champ in 2019

  • Caleb Henson is the last Junior Freestyle National Champ (won 152 in 2021 and won an NCAA title for Virgina Tech in 2024).

  • There are several previous All Americans on this year’s roster for Georgia including 3x AA (1 time Runner-up Genevieve An), Dom Bambinelli, Emil Necula, Logan Paradice, Drew Gorman, as well as the 16U hammers mentioned previously.

Attribution: Data reported above is courtesy of Jason Bryant of Mat Talk Online and the Fargo Almanac that is published each year.

2024 Squad:

The idea that Georgia would have only 5 16U Women heading to Fargo is surprising. Several of last year’s 16U’s make the jump up to Juniors (Betances, Eaton, Weiland, Kaufmann, etc.), but the numbers are certainly small for Team Georgia with the 16U’s (just as a comparison - Georgia brought a small squad last year with 11 - they now have half that in 2024). Still they have some hammers in Greta Garbuzovas, Ella Hughes, and returner Ella Wells. Wells was 2-2 last year and as a 2nd year 16U has a shot to make a deep run this year. Greta Garbuzovas missed last year with an injury and was unbeaten at 16U duals just a few weeks ago … despite having just 5 - Georgia could have their first finalist since 2022 when Genevieve An took 2nd and their first champ since Amani Jones won it in 2019. Where the Georgia 16U’s are deficient (numbers) - the Junior women more than make up for it with a roster that has both depth (23) - 7 more than they had in 2023 - and quality. The Junior women return to Fargo with a bevy of talent that return with Fargo experience including 2023 World Team member May Prado, 3x Fargo All American Genevieve An as well as others that have made deep runs in Fargo previously (Epstein, Kaufmann, etc.). Don’t be surprised to see some newcomers to the Fargodome make some noise. Kori Campbell was a beast at Junior Duals as well as Vera Spencer, Milly Hughes, etc. who were not in Fargo a year ago. The Junior women had 3 All Americans in 2017, 2018 and 2019 - I’d be surprised if they don’t pass that mark in 2024.

NEXT … and there are a lot of “next’s” on the 16U roster for Georgia. Ariah Mills and Cody Clarke are amongst the best 16U’s in the country and both are first year 16U’s. Don’t be surprised if both are on the stage wrestling for a national title (that said - both will have tough paths to make that happen), but both are more than capable. Mihai Necula is another first-year 16U that will be in the mix and then there are the 2nd-year 16U’s like Ronan An, Ethan Secoy, Jake Rheaume, Callum Mccormack, Robert McCoy, Christopher Metz, and others that will make a run. Georgia’s 16U’s finished 7th last year in Freestyle with 2 Champs and 4 All Americans and 12th in Greco with 4 All Americans … it would be tough, but this year’s squad could make a run for a top 5 finish in both if everyone performs to their ability. The Junior men have a ton of potential … Gorman, Bambinelli, Paradice, 16U National Champs in Levy and Stiffler, and so many more. Will this year’s Juniors perform like the 2021 group with Champ Caleb Henson, Runner-up Horne, and other All Americans or will it be similar to the Georgia Juniors that we saw in 2022 and 2023 - tons of potential and some great runs, but with some missed opportunities?

Italicized wrestlers competed for Georgia in 2023 (or medaled in a previous year … we didn’t look at year’s before that for those that competed, but did not medal):

16U Women:

  • 88 Cadence Grulla

  • 106 Ella Wells

  • 124 Zuri McCalpine-Ingral

  • 130 Ella Hughes

  • 142 Greta Garbuzovas

Junior Women:

  • 100 Jordan Epstein

  • 105 Kaitlin Coleman

  • 110 Olivia Weiland

  • 110 Jaleesa Whaley

  • 110 Kate Panone

  • 115 Artemis Eaton

  • 115 Alanna Garner

  • 115 Delialah Betances

  • 120 Esperanza Huitron

  • 125 Ivy Andersen

  • 125 Vera Spencer

  • 130 Isabella West

  • 130 Addison Braswell

  • 135 Kori Campbell

  • 135 Milly Hughes

  • 135 Samantha Patton

  • 140 Elle Kaufmann

  • 140 Abigail Plemons

  • 145 Madison Cooley

  • 145 Savannah Chao

  • 140/145 May Prado

  • 190 Genevieve An

  • 235 Rosali Oshodi

16U Men Freestyle:

  • 88 - Ariah Mills

  • 88 - Samuel Edgeworth

  • 94 - Cody Clarke

  • 100 - Christopher Metz

  • 100 - Chase Mort

  • 100 - Ryland Aston

  • 106 - Yasser Valdez

  • 106 - Joseph Austin

  • 106 - Noah Scott

  • 106 - Aiden Simmons

  • 113 - Tyler Prinzo

  • 113 - Owen Cash

  • 113 - Abraham Hurd

  • 120 - AJ West

  • 126 - Christopher Phillips

  • 126 - Cash Prado

  • 132 - David Mathieu

  • 138 - James Sievers

  • 138 - Lucian Brock

  • 138 - Jin Davis

  • 138 - Jackson Lane

  • 144 - Mihai Necula

  • 144 - Caleb Hatcher

  • 150 - Logan Johnson

  • 157 - Miles Lesley

  • 157 - Callum Mccormack

  • 157 - Ronan O'Keeffe

  • 165 - Ethan Secoy

  • 165 - Timothy Brown III

  • 165 - Jake Rheaume

  • 175 - Rolando Gonzalez

  • 175 - Dylan Reel

  • 190 - Ronan An

  • 190 - Robert McCoy

  • 190 - Carson Vaillant

  • 190 - Ryan Nelson

  • 190 - Matthew Polcyn

16U Men Greco:

  • 100 - Christopher Metz

  • 106 - Noah Scott

  • 106 - Aiden Simmons

  • 120 - Aden Oglesby

  • 126 - Christopher Phillips

  • 126 - Cash Prado

  • 132 - David Mathieu

  • 132 - Evan Diaz

  • 138 - Brock Eckert

  • 144 - Mihai Necula

  • 150 - Keegan Kinsey

  • 157 - Miles Lesley

  • 157 - Callum Mccormack

  • 165 - Ethan Secoy

  • 165 - Timothy Brown III

  • 165 - Jake Rheaume

  • 175 - Dylan Reel

  • 190 - Ronan An

  • 190 - Robert McCoy

  • 190 - Ryan Nelson

  • 190 - Matthew Polcyn

Junior Men Freestyle:

  • 100 - Eli Bowman

  • 106 - Gabe Swann

  • 120 - Gabriel Burns

  • 120 - Michael Madda

  • 120 - Adonnis Sanchez

  • 120 - Antonio Mills

  • 126 - Tyler Herring

  • 126 - Hilkiah Haffner

  • 132 - Colson Hoffman

  • 132 - Kieron McCormack

  • 138 - Conner Doherty

  • 132 - Karter Watson

  • 138 - Santhosh Bonda

  • 138 - Blue Stiffler

  • 138 - Drew Gorman

  • 144 - Jackson Douglas

  • 150 - Logan Paradice

  • 150 - Nathan Nielsen

  • 157 - Cade Parent

  • 157 - Connor Stephens

  • 157/165 - Jace Parent

  • 165 - Antoine Glasgow

  • 165 - James Bowers

  • 165 - Robert Davis

  • 165 - Jack Mathieu

  • 157 - Sebastian Melendez

  • 165 - Konlin Weaver

  • 165 - Dominic Bambinelli

  • 175 - Christopher Mance III

  • 175 - Aleric Marsden

  • 175 - Ethan Kinsey

  • 190 - Landon Jones

  • 190 - Jack Godbee

  • 190 - Conor Mccloskey

  • 215 - Cian Birtwistle

  • 285 - William Chappell

  • 285 - Jacob Levy

Junior Men Greco:

  • 120 - Gabriel Burns

  • 120 - Adonnis Sanchez

  • 120 - Antonio Mills

  • 126 - Tyler Herring

  • 126 - Hilkiah Haffner

  • 132 - Colson Hoffman

  • 132 - Karter Watson

  • 138 - Blue Stiffler

  • 150 - Logan Paradice

  • 150 - Nathan Nielsen

  • 150 - Emil Necula

  • 150 - Zachary Krauss

  • 157 - Cade Parent

  • 157 - Connor Stephens

  • 157 - James Palmer

  • 157 - Sebastian Melendez

  • 157/165 - Jace Parent

  • 165 - James Bowers

  • 165 - Robert Davis

  • 165 - Jack Mathieu

  • 165 - Dominic Bambinelli

  • 165 - Konlin Weaver

  • 175 - Aleric Marsden

  • 175 - Ethan Kinsey

  • 175 - Nathaniel Lowe

  • 175 - Aiden Carroll

  • 190 - Jack Godbee

  • 215 - Cian Birtwistle

  • 285 - William Chappell

Who to Watch:

There are so many athletes you could watch and for everyone reading this, I’m sure you have the individual or individuals you are most interested in following. For me there are tons of wrestlers to watch - but I have a tendency to gravitate to specific storylines or ideas when focusing on individuals and I’ve tried to capture that below. Honestly, many different wrestlers could fall into each of these headings, but I don’t have the capacity to write about everyone. I can’t wait to see who I don’t mention has a great tournament and I can mention them in the wrap-up under the heading … here is who I missed in the preview. For each group below I focused on one name (and narrowing it to just one was extremely difficult in so many cases) for each of these descriptors:

Can’t Miss Hammer - someone that has been here before and this state’s best shot to make the podium.

Breakout Candidate - wasn’t in Fargo in 2023, but has wrestled well this spring/summer and is ready to make their mark on the Fargo stage.

Day 2 - for those of you unfamiliar with Fargo … much of the field is eliminated by the end of Day 1. Only a few make it Day 2 in the largest tournament in the world … this individual has the ability to make that happen.

Stepping Up - this wrestler had an outstanding run as either a 14U or a 16U previously … but this is their first year (If I’m wrong please let me know) in the new age group and they are ready to make the most of the opportunity.

  • 16U Men’s Freestyle

    • Can’t Miss Hammer: Ariah Mills or Cody Clarke - we could have put a returning 16U here like An, Secoy, or Rheaume and been justified in doing so because all three will make a run. But the truth is … Mills and Clarke have been one of the best at their age group for years and both can absolutely win a stop sign this week. In fact - if I were putting odds on it … I’d say that Mills has one of the greatest odds of any 16U in the building. He was 7-0 at duals and wasn’t tested in any of the 7 matches. That doesn’t mean he won’t be tested in Fargo, but he’s already shown he (and Clarke) can both win it all.

    • Breakout Candidate: Ronan An - not in Fargo last year, but has been amongst the top 190 lbers in the country at 16U (was 7-0 at 16U duals with some outstanding wins including a 12-9 decision of Heeg and an 11-8 decision of Hendricks of Iowa).

    • Day 2: Ethan Secoy or Jake Rheume - Secoy was 1-2 and Rheaume was 2-2 last year. Both have made significant jumps over the last year and are in a better position to make a run in 2024 as a second-year 16U. Keep an eye on Robert McCoy who is also a second-year 16U and ready to make a run as well.

    • Stepping Up: Mihai Necula - Necula is a hammer with a lot of upside. He was 2-1 in Freestyle at 16U duals and is another new 16U to watch.

  • 16U Greco

    • Can’t Miss Hammer: Ronan An - 2-2 at duals and split time with McCoy. An is probably better in Freestyle, but is Georgia’s best bet to make a run in 16U.

    • Breakout Candidate: Mihai Necula - tough in freestyle - better in Greco.

    • Day 2: Dylan Reel - could be Secoy, Rheaume or McCormack (and truth is Rheaume could be our Can’t Miss Hammer here … after his only loss at 16U duals was to Ivanov). Reel didn’t have the best duals, but he, Secoy, McCormack and Rheuame (as well as An) will all be in the hunt.

    • Stepping Up: Christopher Phillips (don’t know how far he will go and not if he is a first-year 16U or not, but he has wrestled a ton and will not be overwhelmed by the level of competition in Fargo).

  • Junior Men’s Freestyle

    • Can’t Miss Hammer: Drew Gorman - look this could be Logan Paradice or Dominic Bambinelli or Antonio Mills or any number of Georgia hammers. We chose Gorman for 2 reasons … 1) he is a 2x Fargo All American - 16U and Juniors and 2) he did not make the podium last year after taking 3rd as a first-year Junior and he still has a chip on his shoulder about that. Bambinelli is the same way … he didn’t make the podium last year and that is a motivating factor as we head to the Fargodome this week.

    • Breakout Candidate: Jacob Levy - 16U Champ that is ready to make a run at a Junior title. This could also be Conor McCloskey - who seems to have taken his freestyle game to another level this spring/summer.

    • Day 2: Cade Parent - again this could be Mills (who didn’t wrestle in Fargo last year) or some others, but we go with Parent who was 4-2 a year ago and believes he should already own a medal from Fargo.

    • Stepping Up: Blue Stiffler - hard to imagine a 16U Champ in the “Stepping up” category, but that is how deep the Juniors are for Team Georgia. Stiffler knows what competition at this level looks like … don’t be surprised another run - but this time as a first-year Junior.

  • Junior Greco

    • Can’t Miss Hammer: Dominic Bambinelli - Greco All American last year. Ready to make a run to a title this year. Colson Hoffman qualified for World Team Trials and is another that will certainly be in the mix for a run at a Greco title this weekend.

    • Breakout Candidate: Blue Stiffler - All American as a 16U and has already demonstrated the ability to do the same thing in Juniors.

    • Day 2: Antonio Mills - I want to go with Emil Necula, but the last time I saw him he was in a sling and reffing Southeast Regions. Necula is a hammer and if he is back then he could be either here or with Hoffman and Bambinelli as a can’t miss hammer. Mills showed a ton at Southeast Regions in Greco - the Greco boys better watch out - Mills is Georgia’s best shot to have their first Junior double All American since Omaury Alvarez.

    • Stepping Up: Nathan Nielsen - love the determination of Nathan. Always working to get better. 2-2 in 16U last year and given his work ethic wouldn’t be surprised by a run as a first-year Junior (which is absolutely the most difficult spot to be in this week in Fargo - I don’t know if there are any stats or not, but I’d venture that first-year Junior All Americans are much less common than second or third-year Juniors).

  • 16U Women’s Freestyle

    • Can’t Miss Hammer: Greta Garbuzovas - would have been the pick to All American last year as a first-year 16U, but was out injured. After a dominating duals this summer - Garbuzovas whould be amongst the favorites to claim a stop sign at 142.

    • Breakout Candidate: Ella Hughes - Hughes was 6-2 at 16U duals with both losses coming on narrow decisions (and matches she can absolutely win). 130 is a deep weight in 16U, but Hughes has the ability to make a run for the podium and if she wins the close matches she could be wrestling on the stage when all is said and done.

    • Day 2: Ella Wells - 2-2 at 100 last year as a first year 16U - now back at 106 - Wells should be in the hunt for a spot on the podium.

    • Stepping Up: Cadence Grulla - opportunities abound for Grulla. 88 was not wrestled a year ago in Fargo and she was 5-3 at 16U duals a few weeks ago.

  • Junior Women’s Freestyle

    • Can’t Miss Hammer: Genevieve An - this was a tough one to pick because there are a number of wrestlers we could put in this spot (actually that’s true for all of the spot for Junior Women). But I’m a big believer in past performance and no one on the squad has been better in Fargo than An. She has been a Fargo All American 3x’s and was a 16U finalist. She did not make the podium in 2023 and that has to be a motivating factor - An is your best shot to finish her career on the podium in 2024.

    • Breakout Candidate: May Prado - another tough pick, but we go with May Prado. Prado was a World Team member in 2023 (thus why she didn’t compete in Fargo) but despite being on a World Team - she has never made the podium in Fargo … look for that to change in 2024.

    • Day 2: Kori Campbell could have been our breakout candidate, but we decided to put her here. This is her first trip to Fargo and after a dominating run at Junior Duals - she is ready to make a run for a spot on the Fargo stage. The number of potential Day 2ers on the Georgia roster is huge … I can make a case for at least 8 that I think will be wrestling in the bloodround on Sunday afternoon.

    • Stepping Up: Elle Kaufmann - again I could make a case for Betances, Eaton, Weiland or someone else here, but this is why I went with Kaufmann. She lost 8-5 in the bloodround in 2023 … she was 6-3 at Junior Duals and (like Betances, Eaton, and Weiland) seems to be on the cusp on getting over the hump and onto the podium. The 16U women making the jump to Juniors are ready - the tournament is significantly tougher, but each could make a run to the podium.

Jason Fulmore