Timmy Hands of 5 Point Move runs down everything you need to know about the U23 Greco-Roman world team trials.

Could this be the year?

We are entering the third World Team selection process for U23, an age group which on paper, would seem to present the US program’s biggest strength: experienced former youth athletes who have logged just enough Senior miles to be dangerous. 

But getting that perceived strength to fully reveal itself at U23 has been a quizzical challenge. Considering the allotment of high-profile, clearly talented, and experienced Greco wrestlers the US has to offer in this age range, it is almost difficult to believe that the first two World Championships ended without a single appearance in the medal rounds. Unfortunately, that’s the reality, though there is every reason to feel confidently hopeful the tide is about to turn. 

The first reason is simple -- unlike the Cadets, turnover is not a major issue. Most of the U23 World Team Trials champs from a year ago are back, and right with them are many of 2018’s top contenders. In addition, a decent number of the newer arrivals are wrestlers who may have sidestepped Greco competition for a fair minute, but possess way too much upside not to be considered threatening. That’s what we need more of in America; folkstyle/freestyle crossovers with enough prior experience to push the full-timers at events just like this one. 

Will the 2019 US U23 World Team yet again wind up stuffed with a heavy presence of athletes from Northern Michigan’s Olympic Training Site? The small sample size to go on suggests that could be the case. How many wrestlers who populate any one of the emerging regional training centers will find themselves in a best-of-three final? If you peer at the entry list, it’s easy to imagine several in that proverbial boat. 

For the moment, the most important item on the agenda centers around the spark that U23 in America carries. The majority of the better-known athletes in Akron are considered big pieces of the Greco program’s future, both long-term and short. With the Olympic Year now right around the corner, that future better start now. And it very well might at the 2019 U23 World Team Trials.

*Returning world team member

55 kilograms 

*Dalton Duffield (NYAC/OTS) -- Duffield is coming off of consecutive runner-up performances at the US Open and Senior Trials Challenge Tournament, respectively. If you recall, it was at this tournament last year when the native Oklahoman came back to Greco after originally opting for collegiate folkstyle. And he won the thing. Duffield is a year older, wiser, and this is his only style of wrestling. Make of that what you will. 

Gabriel Townsell (CARTC) -- Originally a member of Oak Park, Illinois’ standout high school program, Townsell cut his teeth in Greco by winning Fargo titles as a Cadet and Junior before breaking west for Stanford University, where he is entering his senior year. It has been a little while, true. But he’s way too good, way too explosive, way too savvy to overlook his capability here. Let’s see what happens from par terre.

Sean Sesnan (Williams Baptist) -- Sesnan scored a couple of nice wins at Schultz back in January but has struggled a bit since, with his last solid victory coming at the expense of Jemone Carter (Marines) in the consolation bracket at the Senior Trials. He needs a fast start here to drive his confidence.  

Cevion Severado (MO) -- Operating as a three-style wrestler isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it has likely hurt Severado if only because his weight class (even at Junior) has increasingly filled up with full-timers. The 2017 Junior World silver still has those double overhooks; and his footwork and instincts are undeniable strengths. Problem is not enough willing participants are biting the bait. 

Anthony Molton (Colt) -- Third at Fargo as a Cadet in 2016 and a Cadet Trials runner-up a year later following a memorable series with Lucas Byrd, Molton’s upside was hard to miss. Forget his obvious physical gifts, the kid has some fight in him. Molton might find the sledding a little rough here given age/maturity, but the fact he’s set to compete is a win for the style. 

60 kilograms

*Randon Miranda (NYAC/OTS) -- Fresh off of an appearance in the Senior Trial finals is Miranda, who keeps trading wins and losses with ‘18 World Team member Dalton Roberts, and is now apparently doing the same with Taylor LaMont. He likes being a slick, counter-happy type of Greco wrestler. But in order for that to work long-term, more aggression is necessary. If he wants to win in Akron, becoming a little more assertive might do the trick. 

Dalton Roberts (NYAC/OTS) -- 2018 was a major breakthrough for Roberts. He won both the Senior Open and Trials, and collected a few notable international medals along the way. This season has told a different story. In Vegas he took third; at the Challenge Tournament two weeks ago, he snared fourth after dropping bouts to Miranda and LaMont in that order. There’s no way motivation will be a problem heading into this event. If there is one thing Roberts loves as much as wrestling itself, it is shutting up ill-informed doubters. 

Taylor LaMont (Sunkist) -- LaMont should be feeling pretty confident these days after earning his first spot on the National Team in Raleigh thanks in large part to his wins over the two guys mentioned above. This is good news. You want to see LaMont clicking. He can be positively nasty in tie-ups when he’s demonstrating assertion and not hesitation. These top-three guys, they’re so close in terms of skill and experience at this juncture that it’s hard to determine the line of demarcation. Maybe there isn’t one that’s tangible. That means it comes down to attitude. Right now, it appears LaMont has one that’s working for him. 

Dylan Koontz (TMWC/Ohio RTC) -- Twin brother Brady owns the spotlight, but Dylan owns all the same tools. His 0-2 ledger at the Senior Open needs to be dismissed. Right out of the gate he fell to Miranda, and that was pretty much that. Koontz will not get a great seed in Akron, so it’ll be an uphill climb. But let him get his arms around someone first before you knock his chances. 

Delon Kanari (NMU/OTS) -- Not considered a top contender just yet, but he’s still just a teenager for crying out loud. Kanari continues to volunteer for every available opportunity to compete, and given he’s on the fast track, that’ll only help him. 

David Stepanian (NMU/OTS) -- Another of NMU’s super youths, Stepanian is in the same boat as Kanari. He has some lankiness to him. Hasn’t grown into his body just yet and that might take a minute. But Stepanian knows how to wrestle and can’t be taken lightly by crossovers. 

63 kilograms

Dylan Gregerson (UVRTC) -- The only way Gregerson could have impressed more at the Senior Trials was if he somehow went on to shock the entire country by making the finals. Instead, he took a second-round loss to Final X entrant Xavier Johnson (Marines) and then plowed through the consolation bracket to come up with a huge win over Travis Rice (IRTC) before falling to Sammy Jones (NYAC/OTS) in the true-third bout. This is a wrestler who was second at the Junior Trials a year ago, so he made quite the jump. He’s just starting to shine. Gregerson is also a seriously strong and intense competitor who should absolutely be seen as the favorite here. 

Nate Cervantez (CYC) -- Perhaps no other athlete who entered the US Open “without a name” received as much love as Cervantez. He is deserving of all of it. A product of the same program that brought us Robby Smith, Luke Sheridan, and Peyton Omania, Cervantez (for some reason) boasts an approach that offers even more of an old-school kind of feel. He’s had great coaching but he is also a natural. If Cervantez gets on top, he can go lift, collapse-gut, whatever he wants, since his technique appears locked down. The only downside is that he’s just getting back into Greco. That aside, a must-see crowd-pleasing athlete. 

Austin Almaguer (Takedown Express) -- If you saw him Almaguer rip through Fargo Juniors last July, then you know what kind of power he wields. He checks all the boxes. There is not as much of a classical vibe to how he does battle, Almaguer is much more interested in asserting himself in the tie-ups and then looking for scores. One advantage he might have at this weight is there are not a ton of full-timers to bang heads with. A very interesting and dynamic wrestler, could be a finalist. 

67 kilograms

*Nolan Baker (NIRTC) -- Baker placed third at the Senior Trials, and out of his five wins, only one opponent made it to the final whistle. That’s why he was the darling of the tournament. Now when you dial it back to his triumph at the U23 Trials last year, the result is even more frightening. Between Akron 2018 and the Senior Trials last month, Baker has competed in 11 matches with a record of 9-2. Eight of those wins were stoppages. Six of them were pins. When Baker puts people on their backs, they don’t get up. That being said, the book could be out on him. Dom Demas is in town, as is Benji Peak. Both athletes know what it’s like to be on the wrong end of a Baker beatdown, therefore adjustments should be expected. 

Dom Demas (Oklahoma RTC) -- Demas has become more well-known for his folk/freestyle exploits, and that’s a shame because he is such an incredibly gifted Greco competitor with several age-group World Team appearances under his belt. He’s got super hips, which has led to swift level changes, throws, and scoring chances that most wrestlers lack the body awareness to even attempt. Baker looms large. So does Omania, who Demas lost to at Juniors last year. We want to see these match-ups because they matter, and because Demas shines brightest when pushed. 

Peyton Omania (Michigan State/CYC) -- As legit of a “Greco guy” as it gets, Omania has his sights set on preparing for the Junior World Championships but is confident he can make two Teams in the same year. That makes sense because he is absolutely an elite contender in this weight class. He and Peak combined for a fun series in Vegas, but Omania has yet to face off with Baker. The mind races when imagining what that might look like. If there is an edge Omania holds over this field, it’s that he is beholden to a complete arsenal. There’s nothing he can’t do or hasn’t seen up close. Going to be a tough out. 

Benji Peak (Sunkist/OTS) -- Peak has had a very busy 2019 with at least one tournament virtually every month thus far. He likes it that way. And because the Junior Trials didn’t work out, Peak has a second shot to get himself on a Team with these Trials. You know the deal. At 6’, we’re talking about a very tall but agile -- and at times, downright mean - competitor. If Peak can work towards his positions and successfully fight for underhooks, you’re at his mercy. And with an ever-improving top game, he has gained the ability to end matches early. Good luck with all that. 

72 kilograms

Lenny Merkin (NJRTC) -- After coming in fourth at the US Open, Merkin put in a 3-2 effort at the Senior Trials and looked suitably tough all the way through. He might be on the outside looking in at Senior, but U23 fits perfectly. Merkin has defeated several of the other top candidates here at one time or another, and with the ground he has gained in the actual mechanics of this style, one would think he’s in line for a huge performance in Akron. That’s where the signs are pointing, though a smooth road is anything but guaranteed when you catch a look at what the opposition has to offer. 

Tyler Eischens (CARTC) -- Once an age-group star in Minnesota, Eischens is now a student at Stanford University and in the process of sharpening up his skills in one style in effort to strengthen the other. You saw that with his run through the Junior Trials, which he later capped with an emotional victory over friend and former teammate Calvin Germinaro (Minnesota Storm). On the mat, Eischens is excellent everywhere. And given his lineage, top par terre can lead to matches wrapping up as soon as he gets his arms locked. 

Britton Holmes (NMU/OTS) -- An intense, mean athlete who is only getting better, Holmes is still searching for a World Team spot. Maybe it’s not his time just yet. But it could be very soon. He has dropped most of his matches due to one or two miscues. It’s an eventuality he cleans those up and further stamps down his place as a top competitor. 

Duncan Nelson (Williams Baptist) -- Nelson’s first tournament this season was the Junior Trials where he went 3-2 and wound up sixth. It had been a long road to recovery following knee surgery, and he wasn’t all the way there just yet. But it couldn’t have sat well with him. Nelson is a skilled wrestler who gets to the body on the feet -- and can explode with lifts from par terre. Even though the Junior event didn’t pan out too well, he might be in an even better position this time around. 

Anthony Artalona (PRTC) -- Artalona won Fargo as a Cadet in 2015 and followed up with a third in the Junior division a year later. Now he is a wrestler for the University of Pennsylvania and ticketed towards folkstyle stardom. That is not a bad thing. But we’d like to see what he is still capable of in Greco. A wonderful wrestling athlete who qualified for the NCAA Division I National tournament this past season, if Artalano can use some of that folkstyle grind to his advantage on Friday, would it be so crazy to see him in the best-of-three? Probably not. 

77 kilograms

*Jesse Porter (NYAC/OTS) -- A not-fantastic result at the Nationals and then a tough ending to the Senior Trials is where we leave off with Porter, the two-time reigning and defending champ of this weight class. Porter’s style -- equally explosive and unconventional -- is poison for newbies. They are like sitting ducks. That doesn’t mean he can fall asleep at the wheel and expect to win this tournament. After all, there are a couple of opponents here who’d love a crack at him. But Porter is too experienced and well-rounded for this bracket to play catch up with at the moment. 

Fritz Schierl (TMWC/Ohio RTC) -- The best thing about Schierl is that we’ve seen a lot more of him in 2019 than we did throughout the entire season last year. The Wisconsin product had a couple of good matches in Vegas, and in Raleigh, he and Porter met up in a rematch of the ‘18 U23 Trials with the latter coming away with a 6-2 decision. Most expect Schierl to advance to the best-of-three due to his obvious improvement and increased rate of activity. 

Jake Hendricks (PRTC) -- Hendricks was a Cadet World Team member in ‘17 prior to starting college, and like his UPenn teammate Artalona, we haven’t seen what he can do in a big Greco tournament ever since. So you project. Hendricks is good in every area, and even if par terre defense is a weakness, he’ll hardly be alone. An excellent competitor doesn’t stop being an excellent competitor just because he or she switches styles. That’s the case here. 

82 kilograms

Andrew Berreyesa (NYAC/FLWC) -- 2018 Junior World silver Berreyesa had a very solid debut at the Senior Trials. He opened up with a win over primary domestic antagonist Tommy Brackett (NMU/OTS) and then downed US Open runner-up Spencer Woods (NYAC/OTS). Of course, Berreyesa and Brackett met again later in the tournament with the victory going in the other direction, but it all just speaks to how clogged up this weight class really is. Berreyesa is a fantastic positional battler whose hand-fighting and pummeling continue to develop into elite assets. His work is cut out for him here, but he’s used to that. 

Chandler Rogers (UA) -- To the surprise of practically no one, Rogers performed well at this tournament in ‘18, advancing to the semis and pushing Berreyesa in a close decision loss. When he came back out for Greco this spring, it was a third at the US Open (though part of that may have had to do with John Stefanowicz and Cheney Haight both bowing out of the consolation round). No, the Senior Trials didn’t usher in another ‘Wow!’ kind of result, but Rogers doesn’t need one anymore. He has proven himself already. All he needs in Akron is one win over any of the top guys here prior to the semis, and look out, because he might be onto something. 

Tommy Brackett (NMU/OTS) -- Before Brackett was even a senior in high school, he had been pegged as a can’t-miss prospect for the US program. While he has yet to make an age-group World Team, that sentiment hasn’t changed. Brackett and Berreyesa may mix like oil and water, but they also share some strengths despite their differences in body styles. Brackett is extremely adept at working towards underhooks, and has not been plagued by confusion negative wrestling calls thus far this season. Most figure there’s a good shot we’ll witness he and Berreyesa clash at some point in Akron, but if we do, hopefully it’s to decide the spot. 

Spencer Woods (NYAC/OTS) -- Like a bolt of lightning, Woods lit up the Senior Nationals by coming up with huge wins over Vlad Dombrovskiy (Army/WCAP) and Cheney Haight (NYAC) en-route to a finals appearance where he lost to teammate Kendrick Sanders (NYAC/OTS). But -- Berryessa clipped him in the first-round of the Senior Challenge Tournament and then Terrence Zaleski (Marines) ended his ride altogether. The silver lining? Woods is only 20. His was a great story in April, but it’s a story that has just begun. It was a this event a year ago when Woods first revealed a different level to his aggression. If he can couple that with some adjustments to deal with the top guys here, he’s an easy guy to tab as a potential finalist. 

87 kilograms

*George Sikes (NYAC/OTS) -- The reason why Sikes wins matches is not because he is especially skilled at this stage of his development. It has much more to do with his resolve. The more brutal and punishing the exchanges, the more Sikes hangs in the pocket to fight. He’s not a refined pummeler, although he does use his compact frame to busy his way into underhooks. Just a tough, super tough competitor -- plus, he’s refined some of his tools even more this season. 

Barrett Hughes (UA) -- Hughes received a lot of attention when he made the Junior World Team in ‘18, but with that came some trepidation. Why? Because we just wanted to make sure he would stick around in this discipline. Thankfully, he has. Hughes finished out of the money at both the Senior Open and Trials, ate a close loss to Sikes, and won fairly wide over the man below. A hard-nosed athlete but one working to refine the Greco basics, Hughes is making better decisions the more he gets out there, and is absolutely worthy of being considered a premier candidate in Akron. 

Jimmy Stillerman (LAW) -- Stillerman was the runner-up to Sikes at the ‘18 U23 Trials, and fell in two straight matches. But they were close and competitive. You assume everyone is improved, you project that gaps have a way of closing. There’s no question Stillerman “gets” Greco, but has he made up enough ground to challenge Sikes? Or better yet, blow past him? Certainly he’d like to find out. 

Timothy Eubanks (Williams Baptist) -- He is edging closer and closer to seeing clicking, and when it happens, Eubanks has a real shot of turning into a viable Senior competitor. He’s hungry for it, even got himself across the Atlantic earlier this spring. A strong showing at this tournament would signal a nice step up for a very promising athlete. 

97 kilograms

*G’Angelo Hancock (Sunkist) -- You’d like to sell this weight class, if not the sport in general, as an “anything can happen” proposition, but to do so with 97 kilos drips with pretense. Hancock is on a different level than everyone here, and by a wide margin. The closest thing to an upset would be if he somehow doesn’t tech his way through the thing. 

Chad Porter (Sunkist) -- Your Junior World Team member from 2018 brings with him stout total wrestling ability along with solid youth experience that supplements his overall growth in this style. If the #3 ranked wrestler on the planet wasn’t in this weight class, his chances would be excellent. 

Roy Nash (NMU/OTS) -- Nash returned to Greco in 2018 following a multi-year hiatus and really acquitted himself well at both this tournament and even the Senior Trials three weeks later. This season hasn’t been quite as uplifting, but when healthy, brings a heaping dose of fight to the proceedings. 

Devon Amburgy (Williams Baptist) -- The book on Amburgy is that he is still way too green to actually pose a sincere threat at a tournament like this. But that’s okay; he and most of the WBU athletes are constantly gaining valuable experience. However, there is one thing Amburgy has going on most others don’t: he’s a natural thrower. The trick for him is getting into those positions, which is often easier said than done. 

Brad Wilton (Michigan State) -- It was really nice to see Wilton give Greco a try at the Junior tournament and he had himself a very solid tournament, going 2-2. Another good folkstyler, Wilton is compiling data for how to compete in this style, and at this level. Give him a little time, because it looks like he could figure it out. 

130 kilograms

Tate Orndorff (NYAC) -- Orndorff took second to Cohlton Schultz here in 2018, and then went ahead and made the Senior National Team in Tulsa. His next time out, the Utah Valley grappler advanced to the US Open finals where he lost to Jacob Mitchell (Army/WCAP). But that was supposed to be it, Orndorff was said to have bounced from Greco in favor of freestyle. Well, he’s on the entry list for Akron, therefore if he’s in the bracket, he is an automatic favorite. 

Haydn Maley (CARTC) -- Former Fargo stud Maley is as good at Senior as originally hoped. In two tournaments, he has lost to two guys -- Mitchell and Toby Erickson. Hardly anything for someone to hang their head about. Maley is just a superb athlete who understands what he needs to do to get guys to open up. Does he need a little polishing? Sure. But what you have so far is a fantastic prospect. 

Tommy Helton (Southern Illinois) -- Whereas a wrestler like Maley has been able to bring his age-group assets up to the big leagues, that hasn’t happened for Helton just yet. You have to think that it’s a matter of time. Helton possesses some serious skill, he just hasn’t had the easiest go of it against some of these larger bruisers. Greco needs him involved, too much to give, and eventually, that will look like wins in these marquee domestic tournaments. 

Max Darrah (Xtreme) -- Darrah did a good job at the Juniors, finishing fourth in what was a pretty tough heavyweight bracket. There is a learning curve to reconcile, but that’s not really news. Darrah needs to slug it out just a little bit more and have a go-to once he’s in par terre. The pieces might not fall in place on Friday though he could end up with another encouraging performance.