Fila Cadets Loaded with Top Talent

Willie Saylor, Editor

*Photo Credit, Rob Preston

It’s the Cadets turn.

Two weeks ago Fila Juniors, some of the top older high schoolers and younger collegiates, wrestled in Columbus.

Now the Cadets will battle it out in Akron.

In what amasses to over one-fifth of the nation’s top talent, 50 ranked wrestlers (and a host more that appear on TOM’s Honorable Mention list) will converge on Akron’s Louis and Freda Stiles Field House. In all 338 athletes are registered for the men’s Cadet FS Tournament.

The opportunity? For many years, winners and/or high placers from Fila Cadets earned first rights for a spot on the USA Team that competes in the Pan-Am Games (August 5th-7th in Campeche, MEX, this year). But there’s even an additional incentive this time around.

For the first time in 12 years, Fila, the national governing body of world wrestling competition, will hold Cadet Worlds, which will be staged in Szombathely, Hungary, August 23-28.

In our official preview, we’ll break down the numbers, highlight the contenders, and make our fearless picks at each weight for the Freestyle portion.

Action starts Thursday with Greco-Roman. Freestyle begins Friday and concludes Saturday.

USAW will be live streaming the University age-group, which runs concurrently, with select Cadet bouts to be covered periodically. See themat.com for livestream link and additional information. Brackets will be available after weigh-ins on trackwrestling.com.

Links:

• Live Video: http://themat.com/
• Event Schedule: http://www.themat.com/events/default.php?page=schedule&EventID=24403
• Brackets:

Weight Capsules

42kg (96)
Competitors: 9

The Contenders:
Gannon Volk, MN
Carlos Fuentes, IL
Aaron Dick, MN

The Skinny:
This is a weight that, traditionally, competitors come in little-known, but make a name for themselves going forward. In ’07, it was Ohio’s Hunter Steiber winning this weight. Mark Grey (NJ) won it in ’08. And in 2009, Missouri’s Brad Perkins claimed the title over Ohio’s Nathan Tomasello. Phil Laux (IA) was 3rd. All five of these wrestlers would go on to be ranked #1 in the country at some point in their careers.

The leading contender here is Apple Valley’s Gannon Volk, who is coming off a USAW Folkstyle title last month. Volk was a double Fargo AA (5th and 4th) last summer.

Dick, another Minnesotan, placed 5th at Volk’s weight at that USAW Folk tourney.

Fuentes was a runner-up at that same event, but at a weight lower.

TOM’s Picks: 1. Volk 2. Fuentes 3. Lincoln Olsen, MI

46kg (101)
Competitors: 23

The Contenders:
#14-Noah Teaney, MO
HM-Coy Ozias, MD
HM-Tommy Thorn, MN
Tommy Pawleski, IL
Kyle Norstrem, FL
Armando Torres, OH

The Skinny:
Any number of competitors could take a major step here. Leading the way is already established, Noah Teaney, a Fargo Runner-Up last summer. Teaney was also 3rd here a year ago.

Thorn was a state champ in Minnesota this year, and a USAW Folk Champ. He placed 4th at Fargo a year ago.

Ozias is a kid that has already posted wins over ranked wrestlers, so don’t count him out.

Torres was a Fargo AA last summer.

TOM’s Picks: 1. Thorn 2. Teaney 3. Norstrem

50kg (110)
Competitors: 39

The Contenders:
#1-Phil Laux, IA
#2-Nathan Tomasello, OH
#4-Joey McKenna, NJ
#5-Dalton Brady, AZ
#8-Matt Garelli, IL
#20-Sebastian Pique, IL
HM-Jon Marmolejo. IL
HM-Jarred Oftedahl, MN
HM-Dylan Lucas, FL
Dalton Macri, PA
Tyler Ponte, MA
Will Crisco, CT
Martin Rodriguez, MI
Jared Parvinmehr, IL
Logan Massa, MI

The Skinny:
Welcome to the meat-grinder weights. A number of these athletes made hay at 103 this season and are now up at 110.

Phil Laux is your reigning Fargo Champ. He beat Tomasello in the finals there last year. But these two have a see-saw history and, should they meet again, all bets are off.

Of course, there’s no guarantee that Laux and Tomasello meet up, or if it will be in the finals. Behind them are a whole host of legitimate competition: 4 other ranked wrestlers, and 3 HM’s.

McKenna didn’t place here last year in FS, although he was 3rd in GR, pinning Laux in the first period, and moving on to be your Fargo GR Champ. He enjoyed a phenomenal freshman campaign in which is improvement throughout the year was readily apparent.

I kid I really like is Arizona’s Dalton Brady. He wrestled here last year to a 3rd place finish, beating three ranked opponents, including McKenna. His only loss came to Tomasello. This season, he absolutely torched all comers, including a Tri-State title in Idaho.

Matt Garelli rode the wave of a Fargo title into this hs season to ultimate success. If he’s clicking on all cylinders, he’s a major threat, as is fellow Illinois State Champ, Pique, who was 4th in Fargo a year ago.

Keep an eye on Oftedahl, who is surprisingly up from 101lbs. He was a double finalist last year and has a multitude of signature wins.

Although Marmelejo doesn’t have a bulky FS resume, he’s a dynamo, and a pure talent. Watch this kid if you can.

TOM’s Picks: 1. Brady 2. Laux 3. McKenna

54kg (119)
Competitors: 46

The Contenders:
#2-Thomas Gilman, NE
#9-Skyler Wood, MO
#20-Jacob Schmitt, MI
HM-Paul Petrov, IN
Jon-Jay Chavez, CA
Xavi Ramos, NJ
PJ Klee, CA
Godwin Nyama, PA
Troy Heilman, NJ
Brandon George, UT
Cody Hummer, MO
Trey Andrews, AZ
Colt Shorts, PA

The Skinny:
This weight is really interesting. At the top of the heap you have three guys that have a ton of national cred.

Beyond them are really talented wrestlers who haven’t wrestled much in the international styles. A guy like Troy Heilman (NJ state runner-up) has a great deal of potential on any given day, but how will he perform on his first big FS stage? The same can be said of Colt Shorts (PA 3rd/Powerade Champ) and Paul Petrov.

It’s always tough to proclaim a single individual as the clear and decisive favorite in a tournament with as many nationally-relevant kids as this. But Gilman is, and he is that good. He won Fargo last year, and was undefeated at The Clash during the season.

His top competition should come from Wood, a two-time Fargo AA, and/or Schmitt, who’s placed in just about every tournament he’s ever entered.

TOM’s Picks: 1. Gilman 2. Schmitt 3. Wood

58kg (127)
Competitors: 43

The Contenders:
#2-Ben Whitford, IL
#4-Dean Heil, OH
#11-Jack Hathaway, IA
#12-Sam Brancale, MN
#16-Tate Robinson, TN
#17-Hayden Tuma, ID
HM-Mike Labry, OH
Austin Roper, MO
Jake Velarde, WA

The Skinny:
Ladies and Gentleman, I give you…Ben Whitford.

He’s an absolute fantastic young talent, among the best wrestlers pound-for-pound, and per grade, in the country. He’s the reigning Double Fargo National Champion.

But that’s not to say there isn’t chinks in his armor. Whitford wrestles an up-tempo pace often putting him in scrambles that could be an opening for his competition, especially in FS. In fact, he was 4th here last year, the losses coming to Mark Grey and Brandon Jeske.

The top two threats are both coming off extremely impressive performances.

Dean Heil, from powerhouse St. Edwards, just won Flonationals with wins over #5-Joey Dance and former #3-(Sr.) Conor Youtsey.

Hathaway, with a long list of FS/GR credentials, just made the finals of Fila JR’s, beating four collegiate wrestlers in the process. He was also a double Fargo Finalist at 112 last summer.

Brancale will be in the mix, too. He’s another good one in all three styles, and was a double AA last year in both Fargo and Fila’s.

Labry was the Fargo Runner-Up to Whitford last year, beating Roper, who would go on to AA, in the process.

Tuma, Robinson, and Velarde, were also Fargo AA’s last year.

TOM’s Picks: 1. Whitford 2. Hathaway 3. Heil

63kg (138)
Competitors: 48

The Contenders:
#7-Bryce Brill, IL
#8-Jack Clark, DE
#13-Grant LaMont, UT
#14-Jake Marlin, IA
#16-Collin Holler, IL
#17-Cody Ross, FL
#18-Joey Lavallee, NV
#19-Angelo Silvestro, IL
#20-Laike Gardner, PA
HM-Clayton Ream, MO
HM-Jack Bass, VA
Toby Hague, DE
Josh Pennell, MI
Walker Dempsey, NJ

The Skinny:
Disclaimer: Anything I get wrong here cannot be held against me.

An absolutely loaded weight (nine ranked wrestlers!) with little differentiation among their resumes.

Brill and Clark have, by far, the best results in international styles.

In fact, it was last year at Fila’s that Clark cemented is name in the conversation for national recognition. In that tournament, Clark bested both Gilman and Brill to win the title. In the process, however, Clark was seriously injured and had to take significant time off, including being absent from Fargo. But he’s back, and wrestling well.

It’s a bit surprising to still see Brill at 138. He wrestled 135 this year, and has a huge frame. He was the Fargo Runner-Up to Gilman last year and had a great high school season, particularly at his state tournament.

LaMont was a Fargo Runner-Up in GR last year, losing to #1-Rossi Bruno in the finals. LaMont went on to win a state title and a won NHSCA’s in VA Beach last month.

Marlin was a double Fargo AA last year. Ross, Silvestro, Pannell, Ream, and Lavallee were all AA’s in FS. Gardner, a PA state runner-up, was a GR AA. Silvestro beat Gardner in the round to place in FS.

There are a host of talented freshman here on the ‘back end’ of contenders here. Toby Hague is a guy to watch for. He placed 5th at Fargo. And Jack Bass has been wrestling well, dominating the Fr. field at NHSCA’s.

In the ‘Just-in-case-he-does-well-I-was-the-first-to-tell-you-so’ department, watch out for Blair’s Walker Dempsey. He was a round from placing last year, and has been developing nicely.

TOM’s Picks: 1. Brill 2. Clark 3. Marlin

69kg (152)
Competitors: 43

The Contenders:
#4-Gabe Moreno, IA
#13-Tim Fox, OH
#16-Travis Berridge, FL
#17-Travis Curley, MI
#18-Dylan Milonas, NJ
Russ Parsons, NJ
Beau Vrancken, NJ
Chandler Rogers, WA
Patrick Coover, PA

The Skinny:
At 138 we had two sets of teammates in the field (Brill and Silvestro from Marmion, Clark and Hague from McDonough). At 152 we have a trio of Blair Buccaneers: Milonas, Parsons, and Coover.

After a slow start to his high school campaign, Milonas poured it on at the end, beating ranked opponents to reach the National Prep finals. Coover was 6th here last year.

Among Moreno’s many accomplishments are a 3rd place finish at NHSCA’s as a Sophomore, and a 3rd place showing in Fargo.

Ohio’s Fox is an emerging talent that I really like. He was a Fargo Runner-Up in both styles last summer.

Berridge is coming of a VA Beach finals appearance, and has placed in Fargo GR.

Curley was 5th in both styles in Fargo last year.

TOM’s Picks: 1. Moreno 2. Fox 3. Milonas

76kg (167)
Competitors: 39

The Contenders:
#4-Jordan Rogers, WA
#4-Eric Morris, PA
#9-Brooks Climmons, GA
#10-Domenic Abounader, OH
#16-McCoy Newburg, TN
#17-Kevin Beazley, MI
#18-Alex Meyer, IA
#19-Burke Paddock, NY
Ryan Cone, WI
Payne Hayden, MI
Ricky Robertson, IL

The Skinny:
Similar to 138, this weight is a minefield, and defies prognostication.

There’s eight ranked individuals here, some obviously, converging from different weights. Just take a look at the top three listed. This season, Rogers wrestled 171, Morris, 152, and Climmons, 160.

That’s not the only aspect of this list that adds intrigue. The entrants at this weight might not be household names even among the most avid of fans, with constituents coming from every corner of the country in addition to under-the-radar types like Meyer and newcomer Paddock.

The first three listed were all Fargo Finalists last year, with Climmons and Rogers winning titles and Morris taking 2nd.

Climmons, Meyer and Abounader were all on the same side of the 160lb Cadet bracket. Alex Meyer was 3rd and had a win over Abounader, who finished 5th.

Fr. Burke Paddock is a phenom in every sense of the word. Two weeks ago he reached the semi’s of a college-laden Fila JR GR bracket, ultimately placing 4th. Just two weeks before that, he torched the field at VA Beach with a major, a tech, and two pins.

TOM’s Picks: 1. Rogers 2. Morris 3. Climmons

85kg (187)
Competitors: 25

The Contenders:
#6-Sam Brooks, IL
#10-Scott Gibbons, LA
#14-Jack Dechow, IL
#15-Jesse Doyle, NC
#20-Kevin Marvel, DE
Conner King, CO
Frank Mattiace, NJ
Mikey Pelfrey, IA
Addison Kneppshield, PA

The Skinny:
Sam Brooks leads a solid field of contenders at 85kgs. Brooks was 15-1 at Cadet Duals last year. Two weeks ago, he was 3rd and 6th at Fila JR’s in GR and FS, respectively. At Fargo last year, he was a Runner-Up to Rogers and had a win over Dechow, who finished 3rd.

Doyle has several national placings including at NHSCA’s, Fargo, and Fila JR’s where he lost to Brooks in placing 8th.

Gibbons was 1st in GR, 3rd in FS last summer in Fargo. He was 6th here last year and a Beast of the East Runner-Up in December.

TOM’s Picks: 1. Brooks 2. Dechow 3. Gibbons

100kg (220)
Competitors: 16

The Contenders:
#2-Adam Coon, MI
#8-Brad Johnson, IL
#10-Ty Walz, OH
#14-Hashem Omari, MO
Joe Scanlan, IA

The Skinny:
Coon is the leader of the pack. Check out his performance in the 2010 summer: Cadet Duals, undefeated in FS, one loss in Greco. Junior Duals, two losses in GR, undefeated in FS. Fargo GR Champion. Fargo FS Runner-Up.

That being said, his loss in Fargo FS finals came to Walz, who was coming off an NHSCA Championship, and who made the finals there again last month.

Johnson had a very fine year, placing 5th at the Cheesehead and winning a state title. He has two career Fargo FS medals in addition to a Fila 4th.

Omari went undefeated in Pool Play last year at Fargo, and lost just once in the Round Robin to head to the 3rd place bout, which he would drop in three periods to Johnson.

TOM’s Picks: 1. Coon 2. Johnson 3. Omari

125kg (275)
Competitors: 7

The Contenders:
#1-Brooks Black, PA
#2-Doug Vollaro, FL
#6-John Dreggors, FL
Jake Scanlan, IA
Alex Fritz, IL

The Skinny:
The by-line here is: Black-Vollaro XI.

Black has bested the Florida big man all five previous times; in both styles of Fargo last year, in both styles of Fila’s last year, and in the Ironman finals in December. (Pre-high school, they met at the Northeast Regional, splitting bouts.)

One of the lone hs Juniors in the field, Florida’s John Dreggors is coming of an NHSCA Junior National title. He was 3rd and 4th in both Fargo brackets last year as well.

Scanlan is coming off a USAW Folkstyle Nationals crown.

TOM’s Picks: 1. Black 2. Vollaro 3. Dreggors