From left Tristan Rosenschein, Jaxsen Bailey, coach Mike Mirmina and Hubert Szymko at the USA Wrestling Kids Folkstyle Nationals in Iowa. Bailey won a national title in 14-and-under division. All three train with South Side Wrestling Club. (Photo courtesy Bailey Family)
Plainville’s Jaxsen Bailey won four matches and beat the defending champion in overtime in the championship final to win the 2024 USA Wrestling Kids Folkstyle national championship on Saturday in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Bailey, 13, beat defending champion Vincenzo Mannello in overtime to win the 102 pound weight class in the 14-and-under division (14U).
Bailey was one of three Connecticut wrestlers to win national titles at the meet for wrestlers ages 6-14 and one of 14 to bring home a medal. Stonington’s Hailey Farrar won in the 10U division at 62 pounds while Madison’s Emory White won the 8U division at 56 pounds.
Mannello, who is from New York, had a 5-0 lead on Bailey with 40 seconds left in the third period. Bailey used a Greco toss that changed the match. He got three points for the takedown and back points to tie the match at 5-5.
Two overtime periods didn’t determine a winner. In the third OT, Bailey was on top with Mannello on the bottom. Bailey had to ride Mannello for 30 seconds to win the title and he did.
Bailey began his tournament with a 5-2 win over Darion Johnson of Oregon and then beat the No. 1 seed Tate St. Laurent from Indiana, 4-1 in the quarterfinals. Bailey moved to the final with a 4-1 win over Brody Koselke. Bailey trains with South Side Wrestling Club in Bridgeport.
Farrar, who wrestles with the Westerly, Rhode Island, Wrestling Club went 3-0 to win a title. She didn’t give up a point in three matches and was named outstanding wrestler in the girls 10U tournament. Farrar won her first two matches by scores of 12-0 and 6-0 and she beat McKyla Fink of Indiana in the final, 8-0.
White went 3-0 to take the championship at 56 pounds in the boys 8U tournament. He won his first match by technical fall, beat Indiana’s Eli Michael in the semifinals, 6-0 before getting a pin in 1:47 over Ronan Niemer of Indiana in the final.
Chris Weiner and Jasmine Weiner from Team Tugmen each advanced to the finals and finished second in their respective 10U weight classes. Chris Weiner went 3-1 with one pin and dropped a 11-6 decision to Illinois’ Iaromir Zhukovski of Brunson West in the finals at 77 pounds while Jasmine finished second at 90 pounds with a loss to Lennox Deringer of Pittsburgh. Jasmine Weiner had two pins in the tournament.
Newtown’s Hubert Szymko was third at 149 pounds in 14U while Milford’s Katrina Batres was fourth at 69 pounds in girls 12U. Trumbull’s Tristan Rosenschein (130) finished sixth in the boys 14U.
Six wrestlers from Meriden Youth Wrestling took home medals. Nicol Aly (105) was fourth in 10U with Jaelene Murillo (57) finishing fifth in 10U. Carlos Alicea (125) was sixth in 14U with Evan Pillsbury (71) taking sixth in 10U. Caiden Murillo (92) was eighth at 92 pounds in the 12U tournament with Colton Masse (114) finishing fifth in the 14U tournament.
Brooke Dixon (81) finished third in 12U wrestling for Mayo Quanchi Judo out of Coventry, R.I. Dixon was 3-1 with two pins.
Results: 2014 USA Wrestling Folkstyle Kids National Championships
