2023 US Marine Corps USAW 16U Junior National Championships

Top Potential Fargo Matchups - Men's Freestyle

A breakdown of the top potential matches that could be wrestled at Fargo 2023 in the men's freestyle divisions.

Jul 11, 2023

Top Potential Fargo Matchups - Men's Freestyle

It’s almost time for Fargo! From July 15-22 we’ll see incredible matches from the best high school wrestlers in the country - every bracket will be massive and loaded with talent. With so many of the top wrestlers competing, there will be a number of showcase bouts that go down throughout the week. With that in mind, we sorted through some of the best potential matches in the men's freestyle divisions and highlighted them in the below article.

Jul 15-22, 2023, 3:00 PM UTC

2023 US Marine Corps USAW 16U Junior National Championships

#1 Isaiah Cortez vs #3 Leo DeLuca, Junior 120

Isaiah Cortez and Leo DeLuca are two of the top lightweights in the country and will be the favorites to meet in the finals of an incredibly deep bracket. Both are entering their junior year of high school and are sure to be coveted recruits. Cortez is a 2023 California state champ who placed 3rd at U17 trials in April. There, Cortez took out the likes of Bo Bassett, Gauge Botero, and Edwin Sierra while only losing to eventual champ Marcus Blaze.

DeLuca didn’t wrestle at U17s but has accumulated an impressive hitlist over the past few years highlighted with wins over Marcus Blaze, Jordyn Raney, Cooper Hilton, Brock Mantanona, Jax Forrest, and a slew of other ranked wrestlers. On top of that hitlist, DeLuca has the experience of navigating a Fargo bracket and took home gold in 2021 when he won the 113-pound bracket in the 16U division. Cortez and DeLuca are the class of this weight and if either come away with the title, they will almost assuredly punch their ticket to a spot at Who’s Number One in September.

Isaiah Cortez’s win over Bo Bassett:

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Ranked wrestlers also at Junior 120:

#4 Beric Jordan, Oklahoma
#6 Gauge Botero, Pennsylvania
#7 Nathan Desmond, Pennsylvania
#8 Louie Gill, Pennsylvania
#11 Christopher Kiser, Oklahoma
#12 JJ Peace, South Carolina
#15 Ethan Rivera, Florida
#16 Edwin Sierra, California
#20 Jackson Blum, Michigan

#3 Carter Pearson vs #5 Domenic Munaretto, 16U 113

Carter Pearson and Dom Munaretto are both looking for their first Fargo title, but that doesn’t mean they enter the tournament without notable accolades. In fact, they come in with about as impressive credentials as any wrestlers in the bracket. Munaretto took home a U17 world title last summer and won an Illinois state title this year. On top of that, Munaretto won Ironman in 2022 while also placing 6th at Super 32. Pearson has accumulated his own credentials by placing third at this year’s U17 world team trials, third at the 2023 Iowa State tournament, and 7th at the 2022 Super 32.

Beyond the accolades, what makes this potential matchup especially interesting is Munaretto and Pearson’s familiarity with one another. Over the past 2 years, the two have wrestled each other 4 times. Munaretto had controlled the series winning the first 3 matches however Pearson got his first win over Munaretto just recently at the 16U duals. These two are the favorites to come out on top at 113 and it will be fascinating to watch their rivalry continue should they meet in Fargo.

Pearson’s win over Munaretto at the 16U Duals:

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Other ranked wrestlers at 16U 113

#12 Landon Sidun, Pennsylvania
#15 Rocco Cassioppi, Illinois
#16 Czar Quintanilla, Washington
#18 Nicolas Enzminger, North Dakota
#18 Joseph Uhorchuk, Tennessee
#20 Siraj Sidhu, California

#2 Aden Attao vs #3 Koy Hopke, Junior 285

Many of the potential best matches in this article are tough to predict with the depth of every bracket. However, Aden Attao and Koy Hopke are the clear top 2 heavyweights registered and it would be surprising to see either of them upset by any wrestler in the field. Attao and Hopke recently met at the U20 World Team Trials where Attao came out on top in a dominant 12-2 match. In that bout, Hopke got out to a 2-0 lead before Attao started rolling with stepouts taking a 4-2 lead into the break. Then in the second, Attao got two quick takedowns followed by two turns to end the match. Can Hopke make adjustments and get revenge or will Attao prove once again to be superior? Hopefully, we find out in Fargo!

Attao's win over Hopke at the U20 World Team Trials:

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Other ranked wrestlers at Jr 285

#7 Navarro Schunke, South Dakota
#16 Richard Thomas, Oklahoma

JR 160 - #2 William Henckel vs #4 Braeden Scoles

William Henckel and Braeden Scoles are two accomplished wrestlers who are hunting for their first Fargo title. Henckel placed 4th last year while Scoles finished 3rd in 2022 and 4th in 2021. On top of those results, Henckel is coming off a win over 2022 U17 world champ Joe Sealey putting him in a great position to earn a spot in Who’s Number 1. With 4 other ranked wrestlers currently in the field, 160 will be incredibly entertaining to watch from start to finish.

Henckel's recent win over Joe Sealey:

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Other ranked wrestlers at Jr 160:

#6 Charlie Millard, Wisconsin
#7 Ethan Birden, Ohio
#13 Nick Kunstek, Pennsylvania
#16 Collin Guffey, California

JR 195 - #1 Connor Mirasola vs #7 Joey Novak

Connor Mirasola and Joey Novak are the two of the top-ranked wrestlers entered at 195 and bring an impressive list of credentials with them to Fargo. Novak, who will be a freshman at Wyoming next year, is a Minnesota state champ who placed 5th at Super 32. Mirasola, a Penn State commit, recently took 2nd at the U20 world team trials and won his first Fargo title last year in a deep 182-pound bracket. The two have never met in competition however Novak lost a close, 5-2 decision last December to Connor’s twin brother Cole. Adding to this incredible matchup, as the current #1 ranked wrestler in the country, a spot at Who’s Number One is likely on the line for Connor Mirasola if he takes home gold in Fargo.

Cole Mirasola's win over Joey Novak:

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Other ranked wrestlers at Jr 195:

#10Jersey Robb, Oklahoma
#11 Tucker Hogan, Pennsylvania
#12 Payton Thomas, Oklahoma
#14 Karson Tompkins, Texas
#20 Thomas Dineen, Minnesota
#20 Kingsley Menifee, Virginia

JR 182 - #3 Tate Naaktgeboren vs #5 Jarrel Miller

Tate Naaktgeboren is heading into his freshman year at Iowa State but before he gets started in Ames he’s looking to end his high school career as a Fargo Champ. Naaktgeboren came close last summer when he placed 3rd in freestyle, losing only to Connor Mirasola. Naaktgeboren is in a loaded bracket with 8 other ranked wrestlers currently registered at 182. That means a number of guys could present a challenge to him but Jarrel Miller looks to be the most formidable opponent. Miller is coming off a recent win over #6 Ethan Riddle and also won a Fargo title last year in the U16 division. While Miller is just entering his junior year of high school, he’s certainly capable of pulling the upset and spoiling Naaktgeboren’s plan of ending his high school career on top.

Jarrel Miller's win in the Fargo finals last year:

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Other ranked wrestlers at Jr 182:

#8 Cole Han-Lindemyer, Minnesota
#9 George Rhodes, New Jersey
#10 Justin Rademacher, Oregon
#14 Wyatt Ingham, Wisconsin
#15 Orlando Cruz, Indiana
#16 De'Alcapon Veazy, Indiana
#17 Hoke Poe, Georgia

16U 106 - #3 Lincoln Sledzianowski vs #5 Grey Burnett

Lincoln Sledzianowski and Grey Burnett are two of the best young lightweights in the country and are forming a budding rivalry that could last for years to come. Sledzianowski recently took out Burnett twice at the 16U duals but prior to that Burnett defeated Sledzianowski at the U17 Trials in April. With only 1 other ranked wrestler currently registered in the field, it looks like another meeting between these two is imminent in Fargo.

Sledzianowski’s win over Burnett: