CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The competition was at a high level at the 2011 USA Wrestling Preseason Folkstyle Nationals held at the UNI-Dome on Saturday, with numerous nationally ranked wrestlers competing in all of the divisions. There were 1,650 athletes who pre-registered to compete in this annual kickoff to the scholastic wrestling season.

The highlight of the event was the high school division, which featured numerous wrestlers who have been very successful on the national level in folkstyle as well as in USA Wrestling’s freestyle and Greco-Roman events.

Claiming a Preseason Nationals title for the second straight year was Colton Adams of Panhandle Xtreme of Nebraska, who won the 120-pound title with a victory over Johnny Jimenez of Team Overtime of Illinois, 3-1. Adams was the champion last year at 112 pounds, while Jimenez was the runner-up last year at 103 pounds. Adams was seventh in the 2011 Cadet Nationals in freestyle.

Also winning for the second straight year was Taylor McGiffen of the Alton Redbirds of Illinois, who stopped Aaron Rothwell of the Askren Wrestling Academy of Wisconsin, 7-3 in the finals at 182 lbs. McGiffen was the champion at 215 pounds last year.  Rothwell was fourth at the Cadet Nationals in both freestyle and Greco-Roman last summer. McGiffen was fifth in the 2010 Cadet Nationals in freestyle.

The Perry Meridian Wrestling Club of Indiana had three individual champions: Brandon James at 113 pounds, Jared McKinley at 132 pounds and Donte Winfield at 285 pounds.  James was eighth in the 2011 Cadet Nationals in freestyle. McKinley was fifth in the Junior Nationals last summer in freestyle. 

Capturing the title at 152 lbs. pounds was Nick Becker of Hartford Union of Wisconsin, who edged Peter Galli of St. Pauls of Maryland in overtime, 5-3. Becker was seventh at last year’s Preseason Nationals at 145 pounds, while Galli was a runner-up last year at 140 pounds.Becker was seventh in Junior Nationals in both freestyle and Greco-Roman last year.

The champion at 170 pounds was Dylan Reel of the Kenny Powers Wrestling Club of Illinois, who stopped Nick Fuller of the Indee Mat Club of Iowa by pin in 4:44. Reel was third in the 2011 Junior Nationals in Greco-Roman and eighth in freestyle.

The champion at 138 pounds was Grant LaMont of the Champions Wrestling Club of Utah, who won by pin over Logan Mulnix of the Cedar Hawk Wrestling Club of Iowa in 3:20. Lamont third in Cadet Nationals last year in both freestyle and Greco-Roman.

Other individual champions were Paul Mascarenas of the Cleveland Storm of New Mexico at 106 pounds, Zach Synon of Team Overtime of Illinois at 126 poundsBo Nickal of Best Trained of Texas at 145 pounds, Dan Rowland of Willowbrook High School of Illinois at 160 pounds, Jared Bartel of the Sebolt Wrestling Academy of Iowa at 195 pounds and Alex Bambic (Team Arizona in Arizona at 220 pounds.

In the Middle School division, nine of the champions were repeat winners from last year. Five of them won the Middle School title for the second straight year: Pat Walker of Gomez Wrestling Academy at 77 lbs., Austin Gomez of Gomez Wrestling Academy at 84 lbs., Griffin Parriott of Barbarian at 120 lbs., Nick Reenan of Best Trained at 128 lbs. and Brandon Fleishmann of X-Factor Elite at 144 pounds.

Four of the repeat champions in the Middle School division were champions last year in the 5th-6th grade division and successfully moved up in age-group to win again: Drew West of Trojan WC at 98 lbs., Bryce West of Trojan WC at 105 lbs., Ashton Seely of Champions WC at 136 lbs. and Samuel Grove of Tech Team WC at 160 lbs.

Three champions in the 5th-6th grade divisions were repeat champions: Jeron Matson of Pinnacle at 60 lbs., Fidel Mayora of Izzy Style Wrestling at 70 lbs. and Juan Bazaldua of Martinez Fox Valley Elite at 75 lbs. All three were champions last year in the 3rd-4th grade division.

Middle School (7th & 8th Grade) results

Grade School (5th & 6th Grade) results

Grade School (3rd & 4th Grade) results

Grade School (1st & 2nd Grade) results

2011 USA WRESTLING PRESEASON FOLKSTYLE NATIONALS
At Cedar Falls, Iowa,

High School (9th - 12th Grade) results

106 lbs.
1st - Paul Mascarenas (Cleveland Storm) won by pin over Dante` Rodriguez (Husker Elite/Grand Island) (Pin 4:39)
3rd - Tommy Pawelski (Izzy Style Wrestling) won by decision over Joseph Velliquette (nixa) (Dec 2-1)
5th - Weston Basler (Seckman High School) won by decision over Drew Romero (Brookfield High School) (Dec 7-3)
7th - Kaz Onoo (Sebolt Wrestling Academy) won by decision over Tristan Moran (Chandler) (Dec 5-0)

113 lbs.
1st - Brandon James (Perry Meridian Wrestling Club) won by tech fall over Jared Parvinmehr (Izzy Style Wrestling) (TF 15-0)
3rd - Joshua Alber (Team Overtime) won by decision over Mark Duda (Team F.I.T.) (Dec 3-2)
5th - Jordan Northrup (Harlem Huskies) won by injury default over Kyle Akins (martinez fox valley elite) (Inj.)
7th - Jordan Laster (Izzy Style Wrestling) won by decision over Alijah Jeffery (Linn Mar Lions) (Dec 4-3)

120 lbs.
1st - Colton Adams (Panhandle Xtreme) won by decision over Johnny Jimenez (Team Overtime) (Dec 3-1)
3rd - James Rothwell (Prairie View High School) won in overtime over Colby Knight (Excel Wrestling) (OT 3-1)
5th - Chris Walters (DC Elite) won by decision over Morgan Engbrecht (Sturgis Brown) (Dec 10-9)
7th  - Arrington Kemp (Purler Wrestling Academy) won by forfeit over KeVon Powell (Izzy Style Wrestling) (FF)

126 pounds
1st - Zach Synon (Team Overtime) won by decision over Austin Schoen (Gomez Wrestling Academy) (Dec 7-4)
3rd - Cody LeCount (Perry Meridian Wrestling Club) won by decision over Tate Robinson (Wave Wrestling Club) (Dec 2-1)
5th - Marcus Windsor (prodigy) won by decision over Madison Martin (TEAM HERITAGE) (Dec 13-6)
7th - Jonathon Stelling (broomfield) won by decision over Trey Blaha (DC Elite) (Dec 1-0)

132 lbs.
1st - Jared McKinley (Perry Meridian Wrestling Club) won by pin over Sal Annoreno (Gomez Wrestling Academy) (Pin 3:27)
3rd - Brandon Sorensen (Cedar Valley Mat Club) won by decision over Samuel Crane (Purler Wrestling Academy) (Dec 5-1)
5th - Taner Trembley (Unattached) won by decision over Joshua Morin (North Montana Wrestling) (Dec 7-0)
7th - Colston DiBlasi (Greater Heights Wrestling) won by pin over Logan Ryan (Bettendorf Wrestling Club) (Pin 3:49)

138 lbs.
1st - Grant LaMont (Champions Wrestling Club) won by pin over Logan Mulnix (Cedar Hawk Wrestling Club) (Pin 3:20)
3rd - Connor Ryan (Bettendorf Wrestling Club) won by decision over Jordan Roths (Chickasaw Wrestling Club) (Dec 7-4)
5th - Brody Fitzpatrick (Higher Level Wrestling) won by pin over Andrew Riedy (Grand Island) (Pin 6:59)
7th - Austin Roper (Kirksville Wrestling Club) won by decision over Marcus Peterson (Team Valley) (Dec 7-1)

145 lbs.
1st - Bo Nickal (Best Trained) won by decision over Kaleb Baker (Wave Wrestling Club) (Dec 8-4)
3rd - Tim Noverini (Izzy Style Wrestling) won by decision over Takil Agnew (Kenny Powers Wrestling Club) (Dec 5-2)
5th - Jordan Henrickson (MATPAC) won by forfeit over Connor Bass (Team Overtime) (FF)
7th - Ryan Blees (MATPAC Wrestling - ND) won by major decision over Grant Steen (GK Grapplers) (Maj 12-0)

152 lbs.
1st - Nick Becker (Hartford Union) won in overtime over Peter Galli (St. Pauls) (OT 5-3)
3rd - Colin Holler (CS Eagles) won by decision over T.j. Fox (Stark County Wrestling Club) (Dec 1-0)
5th - Nick Babcock (broomfield) won by decision over Peyton Wagner (DC Elite) (Dec 7-0)
7th  - Robert Walker (High Altitude Wrestling Club) won by decision over Blake Meling (eastmarshall) (Dec 9-2)

160 lbs.
1st - Dan Rowland (Willowbrook High School) won by decision over Farai Sewera (lake park lancers) (Dec 5-2)
3rd - Zeb Wahle (Mavericks) won by decision over Justin Weber (IZZY STYLE WRESTLING) (Dec 9-3)
5th - Kirk Johnson (Perry Meridian Wrestling Club) won by pin over Toby Mosley (Sparta) (Pin 1:56)
7th - Trevor Powers (westside) won by major decision over Timothy Moore (rochester) (Maj 14-5)

170 lbs.
1st - Dylan Reel (Kenny Powers Wrestling Club) won by pin over Nick Fuller (Indee Mat Club) (Pin 4:44)
3rd - Jacob Morrissey (river city) won by pin over Trey Hable (MN Storm) (Pin 3:44)
5th - Colbey Vance (Bettendorf Bulldogs) won by decision over Marcos Peralta (Rhino Sports Gallery) (Dec 5-2)
7th - Jeremiah Starostka (Grand Island) won by injury default over Cameron Thomson (Old School Wrestling) (Inj.)

182 lbs.
1st - Taylor McGiffen (Alton Redbirds) won by decision over Aaron Rothwell (Askren Wrestling Academy) (Dec 7-3)
3rd - Brandon Larson (Express Wrestling Club) won by decision over Tanner Taylor (Okoboji) (Dec 9-5)
5th - Miles Hammerlund (pinnacle) won by decision over Matthew McClimens (Team MO. Select) (Dec 6-3)
7th - Nicholas Baranello (Pascack HIlls) won by pin over Michael Andrukaitis (Attrition Combat Training) (Pin 1:44)

195 lbs.
1st - Jared Bartel (Sebolt Wrestling Academy) won by decision over Spencer Randazzo (lincoln east) (Dec 9-3)
3rd - Spencer Raypole (Carroll Chargers) won by major decision over Luke McClimens (Team MO. Select) (Maj 10-0)
5th - William Van Sant (Mound Westonka) won by major decision over Francisco Mata (Higher Level Wrestling) (Maj 11-0)
7th - Joseph Casey Marnin (Se Polk Rams) won by pin over Noah Fleckenstein (York High School) (Pin 0:29)

220 lbs.
1st - Alex Bambic (Team Arizona) won by pin over Jordan Naughton (Perry Meridian Wrestling Club) (Pin 5:43)
3rd - Brandon Rivera (Team Overtime) won by injury default over Thomas Howell (Marist Red Hawks) (Inj.)
5th - Jack Kuck (MATPAC) won by major decision over Chad Pohlmeier (Porcelli) (Maj 17-5)
7th - Coyte Kuefner (Owatonna) won by pin over Theodore Robison (broomfield) (Pin 0:23)

285 lbs.
1st - Donte Winfield (Perry Meridian Wrestling Club) won by decision over Jessie Nelson (Stoughton Wrestling) (Dec 5-0)
3rd - Jake Marnin (Se Polk Rams) won by decision over Shawn Streck (nomadelite) (Dec 4-2)
5th - Zach Woodman (Husky Mat Club) won by forfeit over Tyson Toelkes (Thunderbirds) (FF)
7th - Kevin Orduna (Independent)