Nick Roberts of Pennsylvania was fifth at the 2010 Junior World Championships at 50 kg and is entered in the 2011 FILA Junior Nationals in Cleveland.

For the second year in a row, USA Wrestling will be hosting the Men’s FILA Junior National Championships in Cleveland, Ohio next to the U.S. Open Wrestling Championships, April 7-10 at Public Hall – Cleveland Convention Center.

Competition for FILA Junior Greco-Roman wrestlers will be held on Thursday, April 7. The FILA Junior Freestyle competition will be held Sunday, April 10.

The Junior age group consists of 17-20 year olds, featuring some of the nation’s top wrestlers, as well as underclassmen from the college level.

The champions will earn the No. 1 position for the FILA Junior World Team Trials in Franklin, Ind. May 19-20.

There are five World Team members that are still eligible to compete in this year’s competition including Ellis Coleman, a 2010 Greco-Roman Junior World bronze medalist at 145 pounds. Coleman is also nationally ranked on the Senior level.

Coleman will not compete at the FILA Junior Nationals due to injury.

2010 FILA Junior Freestyle World Team members able to compete are Nick Roberts at 110 pounds, Ryak Finch at 121 pounds and Jeremy Johnson at 264.5 pounds, along with Junior Greco-Roman World Team member Jesse Thielke at 121 pounds. 

2010 FILA Junior Greco-Roman National champions that can compete this year are Coleman and Thielke, plus Tyler Sheridan at 154 pounds, Micah Kullman at 174 pounds, and Mark Stenberg at 185 pounds can also return. 

Greco-Roman runners-up who are still able to compete are Justin LaValle at 132 pounds, Joe Shindel at 154 pounds, and Trevor Rupp at 211.5 pounds.

2010 FILA Junior Freestyle National champions that are eligible for the tournament include Roberts, plus Steven Keith at 121 pounds, Nick Dardanes at 132 pounds, Taylor Massa at 154 pounds, Ethan Lofthouse at 163 pounds, Lee Munster at 185 pounds and Derrick Brolie at 211.5 pounds. Dardanes and Massa won their titles as high school athletes, defeating many college wrestlers along the way.

This is also the qualifying event for the FILA Junior Freestyle World Cup set for Plaven, Germany Mat 27-28. This is a new event developed by FILA, which offers U.S. athletes a chance for additional international experience.

Some of the athletes who compete at the FILA Junior Nationals may also enter the U.S. Open to test themselves on the Senior level.

2010 FILA JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS

Freestyle Gold-medal matches

110 – Nick Roberts (Young Guns) pin Andrew Brackins (Team Michigan), 0-7, 1:44

121 - Steven Keith (Gold Medal WC) dec. Anthony Zanetta (Pittsburgh WC), 4-3, 1-3, 3-1

132 - Nick Dardanes (Team Overtime) dec. David Thorn (Minnesota Storm), 6-0, 3-2

138.75 - Nate Moore (Hawkeye Wrestling Club) dec. Josh Dziewa (Attack), 3-0, 3-0

145.5 - Danny Zilverberg (Minnesota Storm) dec. Andrew Alton (New York AC), 7-1, 2-0

154 - Taylor Massa (Michigan Grappler) dec. R.J. Pena (Orange Crush), 7-0, 6-1

163 - Ethen Lofthouse (Hawkeye WC) dec. Chris Spangler (Iowa St.), 1-1, 4-0

174 - Conrad Polz (Illini WC) dec. P.J. Tasser (Pittsburgh WC), 2-1, 1-2, 4-0

185 - Lee Munster (Team Overtime) won by decision over Grant Gambrall (Hawkeye WC), 2-1, 3-2

211.5 - Derrick Borlie (Badger WC) dec. Joe Kennedy (Lehigh Valley AC), 2-0, 1-0

264.5 - Steve Andrus (Michigan WC) dec. Jeremy Johnson (Bobcat WC), 2-0, 1-3, 2-0

Greco-Roman Gold-medal matches

110 – Max Nowry (New York AC) tech. fall over Nick Roberts (Young Guns), 7-0, 6-0

121 - Jesse Thielke (Ringers) dec. Tyler Cox (Gator WC), 6-3, 6-0

132 - Jimmy Chase (New York AC) dec. Justin LaValle (ODU - Unattached), 2-1, 3-3

138.75 - Daniel Osterman (Michigan WC) dec. Vicente Gallegos (Denver All Stars), 8-0, 1-0

145.5 - Ellis Coleman (New York AC) dec. Tanner Andrews (USOEC), 3-0, 1-0

154 - Tyler Sheridan (Columbia Lions) won by tech. fall over Joe Schindel (Grizzly WC), 7-0, 7-0

163 - Alec Ortiz (Minnesota Storm) dec. Corey Hope (USOEC), 0-1, 3-0, 8-0

174 - Micah Kullman (Samurai) dec. James Fleming (Clarion WC), 3-0, 2-2

185 - Mark Stenberg (USOEC) dec. Ben Provisor (Sunkist Kids), 1-0, 1-0

211.5 - Robert Barbour (Sunkist Kids) dec. Trevor Rupp (New York AC), 2-0, 0-1, 1-0

264.5 - Steve Andrus (Michigan WC) dec. Ben Apland (Michigan WC), 5-0, 2-0