Several state wrestlers earn medals at U.S. Open championships

Several Connecticut wrestlers were in action in Las Vegas at the recent U.S. Open championships at the Expo at World Market.

Southbury’s William Henckel, who just finished his freshman year at Penn State, finished fifth in the Senior U-23 meet at 79 kilograms (174.1 pounds) while Simsbury’s Max Konopka, representing South Side Wrestling Club out of Bridgeport, was fifth in the U-20 tournament at 97 kg (213.8 pounds).

Former Sacred Heart wrestler Madison Sandquist finished sixth at 76 kg (167½ pounds) in the woman’s Senior U-23 meet.

In the U-20 Greco Roman tournament, Greens Farms Academy’s Jackson Heslin (55kg) and Chase Kastner (60 kg) both came home with championship medals. Kastner, from Southington, was sixth while Heslin, from Marlborough, was eighth.

Newtown’s Joey Cotter finished fourth at 44 kg (97 pounds) in the U15 tournament while Plainville’s Logan Bailey took seventh at 48 kg (105.8 pounds).

Henckel, who went 9-0 for the national champion Nittany Lions at 174 pounds this season, won his first two matches in the freestyle tournament by technical fall before dropping a 5-4 decision to Evan Wick of San Gabriel, Calif. In the quarterfinals. Wick got a takedown with 51 seconds left to take the lead for good.

Henckel won his first two bouts in the consolation found before losing 8-6 to Patrick Kennedy of West Concord, Minn. In the fifth place bout, Henckel tied Bernie Truax, 8-8 but prevailed on criteria. Henckel had a takedown with 24 seconds left to tie the match.

Konopka, who is finishing his junior year at Greens Farms Academy in Westport, won his first two bouts with a win by technical fall and a pin before losing to Michael Boyle of Columbus, Ohio in the quarterfinals of his U20 freestyle match, 10-0 in 3:46.

Konopka went 2-1 in the consolation round, taking seventh place with a 19-8 technical fall victory in 4:03 over Thomas Reilly of Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Sandquist went 3-3 in the Senior women’s freestyle tournament at 76 kg to finish sixth. Sandquist dropped an 8-6 decision to Iowa’s Naomi Simon in the quarterfinals and lost to Simon a second time in the fifth place bout by pin (2:14).

Heslin went 5-3 in the U20 Greco Roman tournament at 55 kg with four victories in the consolation round to finish eighth. Kastner, who also won four times in the consolation bracket, went 5-3 in the U20 Greco-Roman tournament at 60 kg to finish sixth.

After winning of his first two bouts in U15 the tournament, Cotter won five straight bouts to reach the consolation final at 44 kgs. Cotter had two pins in the run and three wins by technical fall. He had a pair of 10-0 victories in 19 and 66 seconds, respectively.

Cotter lost to Iowa seventh-grade student Mac Heysinger in 1:01 to finish fourth. Cotter is 20-5 with 11 pins and seven technical falls in USA Wrestling tournaments this spring.

Bailey finished seventh at 48 kg in the U15 tournament with a 5-2 record. He finished seventh with a 7-6 win over Brady Knadler of San Antonio, Texas.

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Stratford’s Nico Provo, the two-time NCAA qualifier from Stanford, is a qualifier for the 2026 Senior world team trials challenge tournament set for May 14-15 in Louisville.

Provo qualified to participate in the 57 kg weight class (125.6 pounds) by finishing third at the recent NCAA Division I championships.

The winners in each weight class qualify for Final X on June 19 in Newark, N.J., where they will face the U.S. Open champion in a best-of-three series to determine the Senior World Team member.

Five men’s freestyle weight classes (57 kg, 61 kg, 70 kg, 74 kg, 125 kg) will be featured at the Senior World team trials challenge tournament. Five men’s freestyle weight classes (65 kg, 79 kg, 86 kg, 92 kg, 97 kg) have locked in a Final X series, with a returning Senior World medalist facing the U.S. Open champion. These weight classes will not be contested in Louisville.