Round of 16
#12 Ezekiel Witt over #15 John McGinty (2-1)
#7 Shamus Regan over #23 Cam Sontz (1-0)
#17 Rylan Seacrist over #6 Dom Deputy (8-5)
#11 Rocco Hayes over #8 Rocco Cassioppi (5-3)
#3 Grey Burnett over #25 Ayden Dodd (6-1)
Round of 32
#11 Rocco Hayes over Cooper Merli (4-2)
#25 Ayden Dodd over #23 Gavin Landers (1-0)
Wyatt Lees over Eric Casula (1-0)
Round of 64
#12 Ezekiel Witt over Brandon Bickerton (1-0)
Thunder Beard over Mason Haines (5-3)
Consolations
#15 John McGinty over #23 Gavin Landers (3-0)
Upsets
#17 Rylan Seacrist over #6 Dom Deputy
Quarters Matches
#1 Joe Bachmann vs #12 Ezekiel Witt
#10 Caleb Noble (IL) vs #7 Shamus Regan (SC)
#2 Ignacio Villasenor (CO) vs #16 Rylan Seacrist (OH)
#11 Rocco Hayes (IL) vs #3 Grey Burnett (OH)
Final Day 1 Thoughts
Bachmann looks as good as you would imagine.
Cooper Foster (NC) had himself a nice run to the round of 16.
Ranked and eliminated: #22 Julian Rios (MA); #23 Gavin Landers (IA)
Biggest surprise: Hayden Schwab (IA). Cooper Foster (NC).
The three remaining matches on the bottom half will be classic IMO.
Round of 16
#11 Ayden Smith over #22 Aydan Thomas (4-2)
#8 Davis Motyka over Titan Friederichs (4-0)
Matt O’Neill over #10 Dru Ayala (fall; 3:58)
Round of 32
Raekwon Shabazz over Revin Dickman (9-1)
#12 JJ Peace over Bruno Cassioppi (11-6)
#13 Rocklin Zinkin over Mikey Bautista (5-4)
#22 Aydan Thomas over #17 Alex Pierce (3-0)
Nikos Filipos over #16 Nathan Rioux (6-3)
Titan Friederichs over #18 Nick Garcia (7-4)
Round of 64
Raekwon Shabazz over #25 Tyler Garvin (4-1)
Matt O’Neill over Amari Vann (2-0)
Consolations
Braiden Weaver over Nikos Filipos (9-2)
Braiden Weaver over #17 Alex Pierce (1-0)
#22 Aydan Thomas over #16 Nathan Rioux (9-1)
#18 Nick Garcia over #10 Dru Ayala (7-0)
Mikey Bautista over Bruno Cassioppi (5-1)
Upsets
Matt O’Neill over #10 Dru Ayala
Ayala entered as a consensus top 15, maybe top 10 kid in the country. O’Neill is elite but still at the junior high level. Might not have been a real upset but definitely deserves a mention.
Titan Friederichs over #18 Nick Garcia.
One of the ways to truly tell an “upset” is when the surprise winner goes on to lose their next match and possibly finish lower than the kid they beat. The fact Friedrichs is still alive (Garcia is too), could just mean he was overlooked.
Niko Filipos over #16 Nathan Rioux.
Another one that is less of an upset than it appears. Filipos was right on the rankings cusp, Rioux right outside the top 15. These things happen.
Braiden Weaver over #17 Alex Pierce (1-0)
Quarters Matches
#3 Aaron Seidel vs #12 JJ Peace
Seidel looking dominant. Every bit the part of #1. Has it been too easy? Peace is a nice step up.
#11 Ayden Smith vs Matt O’Neill
Upperclassman vs 8th grader. Would think Smith has the advantage but O’Neill came to play today.
#4 Dom Munaretto vs #8 Davis Motyka
Last time they met in a folkstyle match I believe Munaretto got the 13-2 major decision.
#5 Landon Sidun vs #7 JoJo Uhorchuk
This is a crazy clash of body types.
Final Day 1 Thoughts
Seidel looking dominant.
Matt O’Neill showing Malvern has some elite talent on deck.
Ranked and eliminated: #10 Dru Ayala. #16 Nathan Rioux. #17 Alex Pierce. #18 Nathan Rioux. #25 Tyler Garvin (MD). (not a strong showing for my 16-18).
Biggest surprise: Ayala & Garvin eliminated. Braiden Weaver and Titan Friederichs.
Could O’Neill win this whole thing?
Round of 16
#19 Tyler Dekraker over #16 CJ Huerta (2-1)
#20 Antonio Mills over #23 Cam Stinson (4-0)
#14 Keanu Dillard over Blake Beissel (6-1)
#11 Ethan Rivera over Israel Borge (5-4)
Round of 32
#19 Tyler Dekraker over Mason Rohr (4-3)
Upsets
None that stand out
Quarters Matches
#1 Anthony Knox vs #20 Antonio Mills
Knox should dominate. Mills is still quality.
#14 Keanu Dillard vs #11 Ethan Rivera
I think this should be the best of the bunch.
#8 Nate Desmond vs #15 Ronnie Ramirez
PA state champ vs CA state champ. Favor Desmond but should be good.
#19 Tyler Dekraker vs #2 Chris Castillo
Feels like Dekraker has slipped from folks minds nationally. Might not get the win but should be closer than the rankings indicate.
Final Day 1 Thoughts
These one seeds all look unbeatable. Knox no different.
Castillo looks ready for the anticipated showdown with Knox.
Ranked already eliminated: None.
This weight is really living up to all the seeding and expectations. All the top 8 seeds are in the quarterfinals.
Round of 16
#7 Nik O’Neill over #18 TJ Verrette (3-0)
#9 JJ McComas over #15 Jackson Blum (4-1)
#14 Jake Crapps over #20 Mason Ziegler (4-2)
Dawson Youngblut over #22 Nikade Zinkin (9-4)
Round of 32
#17 Noah Nininger over Billy Townson (4-1)
Dawson Youngblut over #13 Jake Hockaday (fall; 3:03)
#25 Caio Aron over Leo Maestas (7-0)
#22 Nikade Zinknin over Geronimo Rivera (9-7)
#18 TJ Verrette over Justyce Zuniga (5-0)
Consolations
#25 Caio Aron over Charlie Desena (8-4)
#20 Mason Ziegler over #13 Jake Hockaday (13-2)
Colin Martin over Ethan Uhorchuk (4-3)
Isaiah Schaefer over Leo Maestas (8-5)
Upsets
Ivan Arias over Tim Koester (4-1)
LT Hawkins over Colin Martin (4-2)
LT Hawkins over Patrick O’Keefe (fall; 6:30)
#20 Mason Ziegler over #13 Jake Hockaday (13-2)
Dawson Youngblut over #13 Jake Hockaday (fall; 3:03)
Quarters Matches
#1 Jax Forrest vs #17 Noah Nininger
Forrest should win with bonus points.
#7 Nik O’Neill vs Dawson Youngblut
This could be the best of the 4.
#9 JJ McComas vs #14 Jake Crapps
Another very very solid quarter match.
#11 Eren Sement vs #8 Seth Mendoza
This is the match for Sement to really show he’s grown coming into the season.
Final Day 1 Thoughts
Jax keeping the 1 seed domination going.
Seth Mendoza doesn’t look like the weight bump is hurting any.
Ranked already eliminated: #13 Jake Hockaday.
Biggest surprises: The youngster Dawson Youngblut settling into 126. LT Hawkins. Adrian DeJesus.
Aside from Hockaday this is all falling into place.
Round of 16
#9 Drew Gorman over #18 Jesse Grajeda (15-1)
#7 Matt Botello over Layne Kleimann (5-3)
#4 Sergio Vega over #20 Jayce Paridon (11-6)
#11 Tahir Parkins over #8 Brandt Harer (4-1)
Round of 32
Layne Kleinmann over #19 Manuel Saldate (5-4)
#5 Adrian Meza over Dillon Cooper (10-9)
Consolations
Lucas Peters over #19 Manuel Saldate (10-2)
Upsets
Layne Kleimann over #19 Manuel Saldate (5-4)
Lucas Peters over #19 Manuel Saldate (10-2)
Quarters Matches
#1 Ben Davino vs #9 Drew Gorman
Gorman is really good. This still feels like a long shot.
#7 Matt Botello vs #4 Sergio Vega
A true toss up.
#2 Bo Bassett vs #5 Adrian Meza
I think we’ll see Bo kick it up even further.
#11 Tahir Parkins vs #3 Kyler Larkin
The way Parkins has been wrestling, this is live for him.
Final Day 1 Thoughts
Davino hasn’t come close to challenged.
Neither has Bo. This is setting up lovely.
Ranked already eliminated: #19 Manuel Saldate.
Biggest surprises: Layne Kleimann for sure.
13 ranked wrestlers, 12 still alive to place. All top 8 seeds in quarterfinals.
Based in Western PA. Right in the heart of WPIAL country, Todd brings an insider’s view from the country’s epicenter of wrestling. He’s excited to build on the TKDWN tradition of starting with the story first. The athletes, the coaches, their families and supporters, there is no shortage of stories to tell. And Todd will bring his unique perspective to help us continue to deliver top notch content for the world’s greatest sport!
