ASICS/Vaughan Junior and Cadet Nationals to feature nation’s top young wrestlers, July 23-30 in Fargo, N.D.
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
The ASICS/Vaughan Junior and Cadet National Championships are considered the most prestigious youth wrestling events in the nation. Dubbed the “world’s largest wrestling tournament,” this competition has helped develop numerous athletes who have gone on to win World and Olympic medals for the United States, as well as national titles on the college level.
Up to 4,500 wrestlers from 49 different states will compete at the event, spread on over 20 mats on the floor of the FargoDome on the campus of North Dakota State. Two styles of wrestling will be competed at both the Cadet and Junior levels: Greco-Roman and freestyle. Women will compete in freestyle only.
Greco-Roman competition will take place July 23-26, men’s freestyle will compete July 27-30 and women’s action will be held July 29-30.
This will be the fourth year that a women’s division will be featured at the Junior Nationals. For the first time, USA Wrestling will host a Women’s Junior National Dual Meet Championships, set for Thursday, July 28 at the Bison Sports Arena.
Numerous champions from 2004 are expected to return to Fargo this year to seek more titles for their trophy case. In each division, there are some athletes who are back defending their gold medals. In some cases, athletes who were Cadet champions last year have moved up to the Junior division to make their name at a new level.
The Junior Nationals include the nation’s best athletes in grades 9-12 competing in both international styles.
Three of last year’s Junior double champions, winners of both the freestyle and Greco-Roman divisions, are eligible to return this year: Henry Cejudo of Arizona at 112 pounds, Troy Nickerson of New York at 119 pounds and Brent Metcalf of Michigan at 145 pounds. Nickerson was the Outstanding Wrestler in both style last year at the Junior Nationals. Please note that many of these athletes may compete at a different weight class this season.
Along with these three stars, there are a total of 12 other Junior Nationals champions from last year who are eligible to return this year.
Returning Junior National Greco-Roman champions include Matt McNaughton of Illinois (98), Dan Bishop of New York (105), Jayson Ness of Minnesota (125), Brett Robbins of Illinois (135), Kyle Bounds of Washington (152) and Jake Cranford of Oregon (189). Returning Junior National freestyle champions include Pat McCaffrey of Illinois (98), Rollie Peterkin of Massachusetts (105), Zach Bailey of Missouri (130), Mitch Smith of West Virginia (140), Matt Coughlin of Indiana (160) and Patrick Bond of Virginia (189).
The women’s division of the Junior Nationals will be loaded with 2004 champions, with eight of the nine winners from last year eligible to return to Fargo this year. Leading the group is last year’s Outstanding Wrestler in the women’s division, Na’Tasha Umemoto of Oregon at 138 pounds, plus two-time Junior Nationals winners Rachel Holthaus of Minnesota (101) and Deanna Rix of Main (128).
Other returning Junior Nationals champions include Nicole Woody of Maryland (95), Caitlyn Chase of Illinois (110), Nicole Darrow of New York (119), Melissa Simmons of Washington (165) and Juanita Russell of New York (175). The women’s weight classes have changed for 2005, moving up from nine divisions to 11 divisions, so there should be some new champions at different weight divisions on champion’s row this season.
The top 15- and 16-year old wrestlers in the United States will battle in freestyle and Greco-Roman for national titles and All-American honors at the Cadet National Championships.
There are eight 2004 Cadet National champions who are eligible to return this year, four in Greco-Roman and four in freestyle.
The returning Cadet National Greco-Roman champions are Eric Grajales of Florida at 84 pounds, Brian Owen of Washington at 98 pounds, Luke Rebertus of Maryland at 145 pounds and Deron Winn of Missouri at 171 pounds. The returning Cadet National freestyle champions this season are Boris Novachkov of California at 84 pounds, Anthony Valles of Connecticut at 91 pounds, Eric Medina of New Jersey at 145 pounds and Ben Kuhar of Ohio at 275 pounds.
In 2004, three records were set in Fargo, including the largest Junior National Championships, including all three divisions (2,320 participants), the largest Junior National Greco-Roman Championships (946 participants) and the largest Junior Girls National Championships (144 participants).
Many of these star athletes were competing for their state teams earlier this summer at the National Dual Meet Championships.
At the Junior National Duals, Iowa was the team champion in freestyle, with New Jersey placing second. In Greco-Roman, Minnesota won the team title, stopping Michigan in the championship match.
At the Cadet National Duals, Missouri was the freestyle team champion, defeating Minnesota in the championship finals. In Greco-Roman, Pennsylvania was the champion, and Missouri was the team runner-up.
To be eligible for Junior competition for both men and women, a wrestler must be born Sept. 1, 1985 or later and be enrolled in grads 9-12 during the 2005 Spring semester. Only wrestlers born in 1989 or 1990 are eligible to compete at the Cadet level.
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