FARGO, N.D. - The match official approached, glanced down at the bout sheet in his hand and then looked up at the towering figure standing right in front of him.

"Are you Tyrell?" the official asked.

"Yes sir, I'm Tyrell."

Sixteen-year-old Tyrell Fortune is a wrestler who really needs no introduction in Fargo. The double Cadet champion in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling from Portland, Ore., is back to defend the two national titles he won in this same arena in 2005.

"This tournament has come up real fast," Fortune said. "It just seems like yesterday that I was up here wrestling. I love wrestling up here with the great atmosphere and everything. There are a lot of people here and they help you get pumped up and get excited to wrestle. I feel real comfortable here."

The burly Fortune opened the Accelerade Cadet Nationals in style Saturday afternoon at the FargoDome, wasting little time in recording a second-period fall over Dan McSweeney of Illinois in his first-round Greco-Roman match at 215 pounds.

Fortune charged out strong in the first period, executing a sweet arm-drag maneuver and following with a spectacular five-point lift and turn to win the first period by technical fall. He fell behind 2-0 in the second period when he slipped on a throw attempt, but the powerful, chiseled Fortune quickly regrouped to overpower McSweeney and gain the fall.

Fortune's toughest competition likely will come from returning Cadet All-Americans Oney Snyder of Ohio and Atticus Disney of Kansas. Snyder placed sixth in Greco-Roman last year at 215 and Disney was eighth in the same weight class.

"Tyrell is the one of the best I've ever seen and I've been doing this for 35 years," said Cleve Thompson, one of the coaches for Team Oregon. "He keeps in great body position, he has tremendous strength and is a very committed, dedicated kid. He's a good listener and he's really improved his technique. He's a very nice young man and very polite. I think Tyrell can go as far in this sport as he wants to go if he goes on to the international level."

Fortune is looking to pull off a double-double this week by winning both styles again for the second straight year. He said he will never forget what happened in 2005.

"That was the best experience of my life," Fortune said. "It's a little different coming back here as the defending champion, but I'm even more comfortable this year because I know exactly what I need to do to get it done again."

Fortune began wrestling at the Peninsula Wrestling Club in North Portland when he was 7 years old. The club is run by head coach Roy Pittman, who co-founded the club in 1971.

Fortune, who placed second this year in the Oregon state tournament while competing for Parkrose High School, also is a standout lineman in football. He may have his choice of sports in college. Oregon and Oregon State already have shown interest in him for wrestling even though he still has two years of high school left.

"It's too early to tell what I'm going to do," Fortune said. "I will take some time and weigh all my options. I really like both sports a lot. I'm kind of leaning toward football right now, but we'll see what happens."