Competition begins Friday in Fargo at Junior nationals and 16U nationals

Connecticut wrestlers begin competition Friday at the USA Wrestling Junior and Cadet Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota. The Cadet Nationals are now known as the 16U nationals.

The world’s largest wrestling competition – the U.S. Marine Corps’ Junior and 16U nationals – begin Saturday in Fargo, North Dakota at the Fargodome on the campus of North Dakota State.

The tournament is scheduled for July 13-19 and will feature outstanding wrestlers in every weight class. For six straight days, starting on Sunday, July 14 and running through Friday, July 19, there will be a championship final held on that respective day.

The U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals features high school wrestlers in grades 9-12. It’s the 49th anniversary of the tournament, first held in 1971 in Iowa. It’s the 17th year for the Junior women’s freestyle tournament.

The 16U Nationals – previously called the Cadet Nationals – are for wrestlers who are 15 and 16 years old. It’s the eighth year that a girls division will be offered at the 16U level.

The event opens with men’s and women’s freestyle early in the week, with Greco-Roman in the second half of the week.

The most recent national champion from Connecticut was Plymouth’s Cara Broadus, who won a national title in women’s Cadet at 115 pounds in 2016. The most recent state boy to win a national title was East Lyme’s Ross Spencer (105) in Junior Freestyle in 2010.

Broadus (second, Junior Women), New Milford’s Joanne Ortiz (Junior Women), Bristol Eastern’s Trent Thompson (Junior Freestyle) and Middletown’s Elijah Cyr (Junior Greco Roman) earned All-American honors at the tournament a year ago.

All of the matches on all of the mats from the 2019 U.S. Marine Corps Junior & 16U Nationals will be broadcast live on Flo Wrestling.

SCHEDULE FOR 2019 CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS IN FARGO
Sunday, July 14 – 16U Women’s Freestyle finals at 2:30 p.m. EST
Monday, July 15 – 16U Men’s Freestyle finals at 2 p.m. EST
Tuesday, July 16 – Junior Men’s Freestyle finals at 2 p.m. EST
Wednesday, July 17 – Junior Women’s Freestyle finals at 2:30 p.m. EST
Thursday, July 18 – 16U Greco-Roman finals at 2:30 p.m. EST
Friday, July 19 – Junior Greco-Roman finals at 3 p.m. EST

Connecticut wrestlers
16 and Under Nationals (ages 15-16)

16U Freestyle
88 – Graham Ziperstein
100 – Michael Longo, Cameron Hines, Caleb Seyfried
106 – Ethan Titus, Josh Brault
113 – Thomas Chappa
126 – Ghassan Saleh, Drew Currier, William Ebert
132 – Thomas Nichols, Tristan Julian
138 – Peter Kane
145 – Ben Richardson
160 – Michael Bartush, Samuel Bergin, Mark Anthony Delima
182 – John Summers
195 – Jamikael Lytle

16U Greco-Roman
88 – Graham Ziperstein
100 – Michael Longo, Cameron Hines, Caleb Seyfried
106 – Ethan Titus, Josh Brault
126 – Ghassan Saleh
132 – Thomas Nichols, Tristan Julian
145 – Ben Ricahrdson
160 – Michael Bartush, Samuel Bergin, Mark Anthony Delima
182 – John Summers
195 – Jamikael Lytle

16U Women
122 – Destiny Mateo
144 – Ella Nichols
152 – Dakota-Marie Dinielli

Connecticut wrestlers
Junior Nationals (grades 9-12)

Junior Freestyle
113 – Nico Provo
120 – CJ Shea, Elijah Cyr
126 – Jack Ryan, Parker Shutton, Kalil Shabazzkshell
138 – Anthony Cimino, Matthew Ryan, Eamon-Antonio Toland Matos
145 – Cole Shaughnessy, Raul Mateo, Cayleb Leclerc
152 – Nicholas Bell
160 – Hunter Adams
170 – Hunter Rasmussen
182 – Carson Licastri

Junior Greco-Roman
113 – Nico Provo
120 – CJ Shea, Elijah Cyr
126 – Jack Ryan, Parker Shutton, Kalil Shabazzkshell
138 – Anthony Cimino, Eamon-Antonio Toland Matos
145 – Cole Shaughnessy, Raul Mateo, Cayleb Leclerc
152 – Nicholas Bell
160 – Hunter Adams
170 – Hunter Rasmussen
182 – Carson Licastri

Junior Women
122 – Destiny Mateo
144 – Ella Nichols
152 – Dakota-Marie Dinielli