FARGO: Quarterfinals set in 16U & Junior Boys Freestyle

Photo: Michael Mocco (right) is in the quarters in Junior Boys freestyle at 285 pounds. Photo by Tony Rotundo.

By Richard Immel, USA Wrestling

FARGO, N.D. – The Junior Boys freestyle field has been pared down from 1,818 to 240 competitors following the second day of action at the 2026 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals. 16 wrestlers remain in each of the 15 weight classes and are on the verge of achieving All-American status.

Four individuals are in the hunt for a repeat championship in the Junior Boys freestyle division, needing three wins on Sunday to complete the back-to-back—Turner Ross of Oklahoma at 113 pounds, Antonio Mills of Georgia at 132 pounds, Melvin Miller of Pennsylvania at 165 pounds and Nicholas Singer of Pennsylvania at 190 pounds

After a 2-0 start to the tournament with a pair of 10-0 wins on Friday, returning champion Nathan Schuman of Pennsylvania dropped two matches on Saturday, 10-0 to Hawaii’s Analu Woode and 12-3 to Ohio’s Jarreau Walker, to finish outside All-America status; Further evidence of the difficulty level making it to day three in Fargo demands.

13-of-15 No. 1 seeds moved on to the quarterfinals, which are set for 10 a.m. (CT) tomorrow, meaning there were a pair of title threats upended in the round-of-16. Indiana state runner-up and Central Regional champion Jensen Boyd fell 9-3 to Pennsylvania state place winner Tanner Guenot at 138 pounds. Up at 144 pounds, returning third-place finisher Dale Corbin of Pennsylvania dropped a 12-7 match to Western Regional champion Michael Lopez of Colorado.

U17 World champions Sammy Sanchez of California at 126 pounds, Paul Kenny of New Jersey at 132 pounds and Michael Mocco at 285 pounds breezed to the quarterfinals with five technical falls and a pin between them. All three are in search of their first Junior Nationals crown.

Speaking of crowns, the Junior Boys Triple Crown contenders are down to six, with three hopefuls—Isaiah Jones of Oklahoma (126), Maxwell Cumbee of Illinois (138) and Gavin Landers of Iowa (144)—dropping to the consolations on Saturday morning. Still in the USA Wrestling Triple Crown hunt are DeVaughn Miller of Alabama (100), Cason Craft of Oklahoma (113), Mac Crosson of Iowa (157), Maximus Dhabolt of Iowa (175), Waylon Cressell of Iowa (190) and Ladd Holman of Utah (215).

Iowa’s Carter Wright matched Georgia’s Rolando Gonzalez with a 16-second pin, currently the fastest mark in the Junior Boys division. Washington’s Owen Marshall holds the lead in the most pins / least amount of time race with three pins in 2:17.

Team points are only awarded to the top eight placers in each weight class, meaning fans must wait until tomorrow morning for official team scores to start populating. Pennsylvania and Illinois are tied with the most wrestlers left in the tournament at 23, which promises to deliver a tight finish in the team race. Illinois boasts more quarterfinalists with 10 to Pennsylvania’s 8. Iowa pushed the most wrestlers to the quarterfinals with 12.

T1. Illinois 23 (10 championship, 13 consolation)

T1. Pennsylvania 23 (8 championship, 15 consolation)

3. Iowa 18 (12 championship, 6 consolation)

4. California 17 (11 championship, 6 consolation)

5. Indiana 14 (8 championship, 6 consolation)

T6. Minnesota 12 (8 championship, 4 consolation)

T6. Ohio 12 (8 championship, 4 consolation)

8. Wisconsin 11 (6 championship, 5 consolation)

T9. Florida 10 (6 championship, 4 consolation)

T9. New Jersey 10 (4 championship, 6 consolation)

T9. Oklahoma 10 (5 championship, 5 consolation)

Ty Martin (Iowa) vs. Jaxon Lewis (Alabama)

Jonathan Hall (Alabama) vs. David Serrano (Florida)

Ryker Leonard (Ohio) vs. Hudson Cox (Iowa)

DeVaughn Miller (Alabama) vs. Symon Woods (Illinois)

Jackson Thorn (Minnesota) vs. Luke Loren (California)

Frank Fuentes (California) vs. Dakota Harmer (Michigan)

Alex Huddleston (Indiana) vs. Aidan Ortega (Illinois)

Cache Williams (Oklahoma) vs. Derik Kiefer (Georgia)

Turner Ross (Oklahoma) vs. Analu Woode (Hawaii)

Cruz Gannon (Iowa) vs. Cason Craft (Oklahoma)

Thales Silva (California) vs. Traevon Ducking (Indiana)

Oscar Gauna (Kansas) vs. Camden Rugg (Wisconsin)

Thiago Silva (California) vs. Michael Batista (New Jersey)

Loc Webber (Ohio) vs. Aiden Garcia (California)

Tyler Verceles (Maryland) vs. Brayden Wenrich (Pennsylvania)

Brand’n Edstrom (Idaho) vs. Trevor Patrovich (New York)

Samuel Sanchez (California) vs. Titan Friederichs (Minnesota)

Van Smith (Oklahoma) vs. Matthew Mulligan (New Jersey)

Hayden Schwab (Iowa) vs. Cody Clarke (Georgia)

Cale Vandermark (Iowa) vs. Mateo Gallegos (Pennsylvania)

Paul Kenny (New Jersey) vs. Jamiel Castleberry (Illinois)

Blaze Van Gundy (Ohio) vs. Nathan Rioux (Indiana)

Antonio Mills (Georgia) vs. Miklo Hernandez (Minnesota)

Eddie Woody, Jr. (Iowa) vs. Tommy Wurster (Ohio)

Tanner Guenot (Pennsylvania) vs. Nicholas Sorrow (Michigan)

Dawson Youngblut (Iowa) vs. Blake Nevils (Idaho)

Gage Bjerga (Minnesota) vs. Austin Ellis (Utah)

Urijah Lopez (Ohio) vs. Tyler Dekraker (Florida)

Michael Lopez (Colorado) vs. Cole Speer (Ohio)

Jesse Grajeda (California) vs. Adante Washington (Illinois)

Cody Trevino (Iowa) vs. Brian Little III (New Jersey)

Drake Hooiman (Nevada) vs. Braylon Reynolds (Indiana)

Clinton Shepherd (Indiana) vs. Jason Dube (Pennsylvania)

Peyton Hornsby (Indiana) vs. Austin Collins (Colorado)

Deacon Morgan (Michigan) vs. Hunter Stevens (Wisconsin)

Davis Parrow (Minnesota) vs. Xavier Chavez (Arizona)

Lincoln Robideau (Minnesota) vs. Wyatt Medlin (Illinois)

Dominic Way (West Virginia) vs. Mac Crosson (Iowa)

Jake Miller (Oklahoma) vs. Charlie DeSena (Florida)

Mason Petersen (Nebraska) vs. Jet Brown (Missouri)

Melvin Miller (Pennsylvania) vs. Grayson Eggum (Minnesota)

Aiden Arnett (Illinois) vs. Jacob Perez (California)

Declan Koch (Wisconsin) vs. David Ogunsanya (Illinois)

Joe Bachmann (Pennsylvania) vs. Rocco Cassioppi (Illinois)

Bruno Cassioppi (Illinois) vs. Jakob Hoke (Ohio)

Brody Sendele (Illinois) vs. Zack Aquila (Ohio)

Maximus Dhabolt (Iowa) vs. Mario Carini (California)

Tomm Heiser (Wisconsin) vs. Lucas Boe (Florida)

Victor Marks-Jenkins (Maryland) vs. Nicholas Singer (Pennsylvania)

Joseph Heim (Minnesota) vs. Mason Ontiveros (California)

Kyle Gallo (Florida) vs. Everett Joyce (Kansas)

Riley Johnson (Nebraska) vs. Waylon Cressell (Iowa)

Ladd Holman (Utah) vs. Sam Howard (Indiana)

Maximus Konopka (Connecticut) vs. Decker Bechtold (Pennsylvania)

Satoshi Davis (Nevada) vs. Daniel Moylan (California)

William Ward (North Dakota) vs. Carter Brown (Missouri)

Michael Mocco (Florida) vs. Ashton Honnold (Iowa)

Kal-El Fluckiger (Arizona) vs. William Glesing (Indiana)

Cael Leisgang (Wisconsin) vs. Kade West (Washington)

Kaz Morosetti (Rhode Island) vs. Tyson Martin (Wisconsin)

1. Pennsylvania, 37 (26 championship, 11 consolation)

2. Ohio, 21 (9 championship, 12 consolation)

3. Iowa, 20 (15 championship, 5 consolation)

4. California, 19 (9 championship, 10 consolation)

5. Illinois, 18 (6 championships, 12 consolation)

6. New Jersey, 15 (6 championship, 9 consolation)

T7. Indiana, 13 (7 championship, 6 consolation)

T7. Wisconsin, 13 (11 championship, 2 consolation)

9. Minnesota, 12 (5 championship, 7 consolation)

T10. Michigan, 9 (4 championship, 5 consolation)

T10.Oklahoma, 9 (6 championship, 3 consolation)

Kai McDonald (Iowa) vs. Zander Melendez (California)

Ryker Rollans (Nevada) vs. Elijah Jensen (Washington)

Cameron Smith (Ohio) vs. Garrett Whalen (Pennsylvania)

Cole Train Vanderwerff (Wisconsin) vs. Grayden Paris (Pennsylvania)

Johnathan Thompson (Iowa) vs. Chase Smith (Tennessee)

Grady Glowacki (Illinois) vs. Case Freeman (Iowa)

Michael Nicosia (Pennsylvania) vs. Jaxon Holtz (Ohio)

Walker Hoffman (Pennsylvania) vs. George Dipsey (New Jersey)

Maverick Sanchez (California) vs. Parker Workman (Ohio)

Cade Ruckle (Nevada) vs. Cyrus Millage (Iowa)

Nelson Villafane (Pennsylvania) vs. Elias Faith (Indiana)

Shay Lundvall (Iowa) vs. Leonidas Murillo (Pennsylvania)

Amir Newman-Winfrey (Iowa) vs. Stephen Bagocius (New Jersey)

Sebastian Gutierrez (California) vs. Ryder Ream (Pennsylvania)

Casen Becker (Colorado) vs. Pietro Velardi (New Jersey)

Cameron Bartlow (California) vs. Asher Procunier (Michigan)

Jhakai Roller (Tennessee) vs. Lee Dreshman (Pennsylvania)

Mason Keesecker (Pennsylvania) vs. Diego Robertty (Iowa)

Keilan Yang (Wisconsin) vs. Chase Lawrence (Minnesota)

Jett Kline (Oklahoma) vs. Michael Bernabe (California)

Spenser McCammon (Indiana) vs. Mason Moody (Wisconsin)

Shiloh Joyce (New Jersey) vs. Erik Klichurov (Illinois)

Devin Hord (North Carolina) vs. Jaxson Boucher (Michigan)

Santino Edgar (New Jersey) vs. Cohen Reer (Ohio)

Jeremy Carver (Indiana) vs. Westin Pollock (Oklahoma)

Mason Milsaps (Texas) vs. Arturo Reyes (Pennsylvania)

Kash Larkin (Arizona) vs. Noel Verduzco (Indiana)

Davien Martinez (Colorado) vs. Anthony Bergeron (Ohio)

Lucas Reeves (Pennsylvania) vs. Alex Marchetti (Pennsylvania)

Joseph Leick (Iowa) vs. Lewis Davis (Arkansas)

Josiah Stanton (Indiana) vs. CJ Caines (Pennsylvania)

Jack Cole (Pennsylvania) vs. Mitchell Chen (Pennsylvania)

Maximus Pearch (Illinois) vs. Marcel Hawkins (Oklahoma)

Eli Edfors (Iowa) vs. Austin Schield (Washington)

Frank Leanza (Pennsylvania) vs. Raymond Castillo (California)

Julian (Gullien) Holguin (California) vs. Bryar Hooks (Oklahoma)

Daniel Jones (New York) vs. Kaden Clark (Alabama)

Reece Movahed (Pennsylvania) vs. Anthony Oscar (Ohio)

Gavin Cantera (Ohio) vs. Vinny Ferrari (Texas)

Caleb Kosko (Pennsylvania) vs. Jeremiah Hayes (Illinois)

Lincoln Hinchman (Indiana) vs. Dakota Anderson (Washington)

Grayson Hostetter (Pennsylvania) vs. Illia Kyrianenko (Florida)

Lincoln James (Ohio) vs. Caden Woodall (Arizona)

Liam Crandall (Wisconsin) vs. Reza Massjouni (Virginia)

Tommy Rowlands (Ohio) vs. Jacob Penzkover (Wisconsin)

Jake Austin (Florida) vs. Lucas Drake (Pennsylvania)

Jaimon Mogard (Iowa) vs. Joseph Paun (Indiana)

Allen Diaz (Nebraska) vs. Asher Bacon (Pennsylvania)

Easton Kammerud (Wisconsin) vs. Chase Young (California)

Brooxton Lundgren (Iowa) vs. Rex Ayshford (Minnesota)

Harrison Murdock (Georgia) vs. Terriel Cooke (Florida)

Cash McFate (Nevada) vs. Collin Hamm (Wisconsin)

Layden Acevedo (Pennsylvania) vs. Colin Sesker (Iowa)

Tyde Nelsen (Iowa) vs. Otis Davis (Illinois)

Cael Tyler (Michigan) vs. Destan Skelly (Minnesota)

Braylen Yates (North Carolina) vs. Teag Sanderson (Pennsylvania)

Dresden Beard (Kansas) vs. Mason McDonnell (California)

Bryce Collins (Pennsylvania) vs. Treyton Altuve (Wisconsin)

Rosco Lewis (Oklahoma) vs. Elias Green (Wisconsin)

Adam Sepulveda (New Jersey) vs. Duane Leslie (Washington)

Kade Splinter (Wisconsin) vs. Cash Frey (Iowa)

Meric Hagarty (Iowa) vs. Zachary Leftwich (Virginia)

Duke Bartoo (Minnesota) vs. Aaron Ruiz-Angel (North Carolina)

Talon Worden (Missouri) vs. Mason Chamberlain (Pennsylvania)

Anthony Samanich (Illinois) vs. Dean Zolman (Utah)

Sawyer Schendel (Minnesota) vs. Lucas Franklin (Oklahoma)

John Montgomery (Pennsylvania) vs. Michael Carter (Michigan)

Kage Stewart (Missouri) vs. Leland Havens (Wisconsin)