8 16U Quarterfinals You Have To See
8 16U Quarterfinals You Have To See
The 16U girls finals go down this afternoon, but the action doesn't end there. Here are 8 bouts in the evening session you're going to want to see.
Day 2 of Fargo starts with Junior freestyle prelims, features 16U girls finals in the afternoon, then concludes with 16U freestyle quarterfinals and semis. You can't go wrong with all this action, but here are eight quarterfinal bouts you won't want to miss.
106 lbs - HM Jake Knight vs #10 Isaiah Cortez
Iowa's Jake Knight hasn't spent a minute in a high school classroom yet, but he's already established himself as one of the nation's top lightweights by finishing on the podium at the U17 World Team Trials. #10 Isaiah Cortez of California bested Knight in the fifth place match at that event. Now Knight has an opportunity for revenge.
Knight & Cortez's 5th place bout at U17 Trials
106 lbs - Jayden Raney vs #3 Aaron Seidel
On Saturday, the Raney brothers from Kentucky established themselves as title contenders when Jordyn beat Bo Bassett at 120 lbs and Jayden knocked off New York state champ Dunia Sibomana and Fargo champ Zane Donley. In the quarterfinals, he'll see PIAA champ Aaron Seidel, the third-ranked wrestler in the country and his toughest test of the tournament so far.
120 lbs - Jordyn Raney vs #20 Cooper Hilton
Jordyn Raney made headlines on Saturday by pinning Cadet World champ Bo Bassett in the round of 32. He'll have another tough test in #20 Cooper Hilton in the quarterfinals on Sunday evening. Was Raney's performance against Bassett a fluke, or is this guy for real? This quarterfinal will reveal a lot.
120 lbs - HM Jackson Blum vs #9 Marcus Blaze
Michigan state champ Jackson Blum takes on Ohio state champ Marcus Blaze in a quarterfinal at 120 lbs. Blaze won their meeting at the Central Regional 7-0. What kinds of adjustments will Blum make for this bout with a spot in the Fargo semis on the line?
120 lbs - HM Sam Herring vs #4 Draegen Orine
Fargo finalist Sam Herring and #4 Draegen Orine met twice at the Elite 8 Duals this spring where Herring won both matches. Orine's been excellent thus far in Fargo with four techs, and he'll look for redemption this evening.
120 lbs - HM Gauge Botero vs #1 Anthony Knox
This won't be the first meeting between #1 Anthony Knox and HM Gauge Botero. Their Escape the Rock semifinal was electric with lead changes and a ton of points. Watch their folkstyle meeting before they square off in freestyle in the quarters.
138 lbs - HM Gabriel Bouyssou vs #7 PJ Duke
This quarterfinal at 138 lbs is a rematch from the U17 World Team Trials. Rhode Island's Gabriel Bouyssou upset #7 PJ Duke there and will look to repeat the performance today. Duke will attempt to reverse the result with a whole lot at stake.
145 lbs - HM Beau Hickman vs #13 Kollin Rath
NHSCA finalist Beau Hickman has two techs and a 10-2 victory over HM Hunter Sturgill thus far. He's set for a quarterfinal showdown with PIAA third-place finisher Kollin Rath, the 13th ranked wrestler in the country, who's coming off a 5-1 victory over Iowa's Kyler Knaack.