Jahwon Akui of Illinois battled back from an early loss to reach the Junior Nationals freestyle finals on Friday. John Sachs photo.

FARGO, N.D. – Illinois teammates Nkosi Moody and Jahwon Akui moved within one victory of winning USA Wrestling Junior Nationals Triple Crowns on Friday at the FargoDome.

Moody (98 pounds) and Akui (189) both advanced to the finals of the Junior Nationals freestyle finals on Friday.

Moody and Akui won Junior Nationals Folkstyle titles in April in Cedar Falls, Iowa before capturing Junior Nationals Greco-Roman titles on Tuesday in Fargo.

Akui was named Outstanding Wrestler of the Junior Nationals Greco tournament at 171. The Iowa Central recruit has bumped up to 189 for the freestyle event here in Fargo. Akui will battle Wisconsin’s Devin Peterson, who won a Junior Greco title at 189, in the freestyle finals.

The Junior Nationals freestyle finals have been rescheduled for Saturday and will start at 10 a.m.

Past Junior Nationals freestyle champions Matt Garelli of Illinois (105), Alex Dieringer of Wisconsin (160) and Morgan McIntosh of California (215) advanced to the Junior Nationals finals in freestyle.

Dieringer, an Oklahoma State recruit, won a Junior Nationals Greco-Roman title three days ago.

Junior Greco-Roman champion Ben Whitford of Michigan has a chance for a Fargo double after reaching the freestyle finals at 135.

Minnesota’s Jake Short (140) and Iowa’s Cody Krumwiede (285) also reached the freestyle finals. Short and Krumwiede won Junior Nationals Folkstyle titles earlier this year.

Washington’s Jordan Rogers, a double Cadet Nationals champion in 2010, reached the Junior freestyle finals at 171.

Past Cadet and FILA Cadet Nationals champion Thomas Gilman of Nebraska turned in an impressive day to reach the freestyle finals at 119. Gilman will face Hawaii’s David Terao in the finals.

Gilman outlasted prized college prospect Cory Clark of Iowa in three periods before sweeping 2010 Cadet Nationals champion Jered Cortez of Illinois. Terao pulled out a last-second win over Michigan’s Timothy Lambert to reach the finals.

Past Cadet Nationals champion Connor Medbery of Colorado reached the Junior freestyle finals at 285. Medbery is a Wisconsin recruit.

The finale of the eight-day Junior and Cadet Nationals will be Saturday in Fargo.

98 POUNDS
Nkosi Moody (Illinois) vs. Tommy Pawelski (Illinois)

105 POUNDS
Johnson Mai (California) vs. Matt Garelli (Illinois)

112 POUNDS
Nathan Tomasello (Ohio) vs. Jarred Brooks (Indiana)

119 POUNDS
David Terao (Hawaii) vs. Thomas Gilman (Nebraska)

125 POUNDS
Joseph Palmer (Washington) vs. Joey Dance (Virginia)

130 POUNDS
Brandon Jeske (Virginia) vs. Zane Richards (Illinois)

135 POUNDS
Ben Whitford (Michigan) vs. Ty Davis (Ohio)

140 POUNDS
Jake Short (Minnesota) vs. Jason Tsirtsis (Indiana)

145 POUNDS
Brian Murphy (Illinois) vs. Brian Realbuto (New York)

152 POUNDS
Zachary Brunson (Oregon) vs. Edwin Cooper (Illinois)

160 POUNDS
Alex Dieringer (Wisconsin) vs. Zac Skates (Oklahoma)

171 POUNDS
Jordan Rogers (Washington) vs. Pat Downey (Florida)

189 POUNDS
Devin Peterson (Wisconsin) vs. Jahwon Akui (Illinois)

215 POUNDS
Morgan McIntosh (California) vs. Blaize Cabell (Iowa)

285 POUNDS
Cody Krumwiede (Iowa) vs. Connor Medbery (Colorado)