The 2017 U.S. Open contains multitudes. One of the most anticipated components of the big wrestling bash going down in Vegas this weekend is the UWW Junior Freestyle Nationals.

We know that 55kg is going to be pure insanity. We also have have a run down of all the potential match ups we can't wait to see. Now it's time for a full preview of all the weight classes.

There will be no shortage of junior age action, as some weights have over 40 entries. Prelims are scheduled to start Friday, April 28 at 9:00AM PT and continue all day long. Semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, April 29 at 12:00PM PT with the finals following soon after at 1:00PM PT.

All the matches will be streamed live. Follow the juniors and every other division with Flo's top to bottom coverage of the Open.

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The stakes are high as eight qualification spots at the World Team Trials in Lincoln, NE this June are on the line. Additionally, U.S. Open champions will receive a bye to the finals of the Trials.

There will be 11 total junior weight classes at the U.S. Open, however, only eight will be contested at the trials and the UWW world championships, which are being held August 1-6 in Tampere, Finland.

50kg

The lightest weight class is also the lightest in registered wrestlers. Malik Heinselman repped the USA at 46kg in Tblisisi, Gerogia at the 2016 Cadet World Championships, finishing 12th. He is the No. 1 ranked 106 pounder on the high school board.

2016 junior world gold medalist Spencer Lee is still recovering from the injury he suffered at the end of his high school season, so we'll have to wait until the team trials to see if he will be defending his 50kg title.

2016 cadet 42kg world champion Kurt McHenry told us last week that he was planning on competing at the Journeymen Freestyle World Classic and Duals but so far he has not registered.

Registered Contenders
Malik Heinselman (No. 1 HS 106)
Dack Punke (No. 14 HS 120)
Brandon Kaylor (No. 11 HS 113)
Cevion Severado (2016 Cadet PanAm Silver) 

55kg

This is going to be a huge one, starting with the returning junior world bronze medalist at this weight, Daton Fix.

The future Oklahoma State Cowboy will have plenty of competition, as top twenty wrestlers from at least four different high school weight classes are registered.

The second most decorated entrant would likely be Gavin Teasdale, the rising high school senior from Pennsylvania who finished runner up to Fix at last year's U.S. Open.

Registered Contenders
Daton Fix (No. 1 2017 HS Big Board)
Danny Vegas (No. 45 2016 HS Big Board)
Gavin Teasdale (No. 2 HS 126)
Patrick McKee (No. 6 HS 120)
Dylan D'Emilio (No. 7 HS 113)
Brandon Courtney (No. 11 HS 126)
Andrew Alirez (No. 13 HS 126)
Drew Mattin (No. 17 HS 126)
Brock Bergelin (2016 8th JR Nationals 113)

60kg

Minnesota true freshman Mitch McKee started at 133 for the Golden Gophers and faced off against just about every top 20 wrestler in the country, often more than once. That experience makes him one of the top contenders at 60kg.

McKee will see competition from several of college students coming off their redshirt year, such as NC State's Tariq Wilson, Lehigh's Nick Farro, and Virginia's Micky Phillippi.

Registered Contenders
Mitch McKee (Round of 12 2017 NCAA 133)
Micky Phillippi (No. 16 2016 HS Big Board)
Tariq Wilson (No. 66 2016 HS Big Board)
Zach Sherman (No. 6 HS 132)
Gary Joint (No. 15 HS 132
Nick Farro (Lehigh RS)

63kg

This weight class won't be used at the UWW World Championship, however, a couple college headliners entered, adding some heft to the top part of this bracket.

Penn State faithful have high hopes for Nick Lee, who will likely step up and start at 141 for the Lions next year as four time NCAA qualifier James Gulibon graduates.

Also entered is Ohio State's NCAA qualifier Luke Pletcher. Pletcher made it to the round of the 16 at the 2017 NCAA championships in St. Louis before being eliminated by Gulibon.

Registered Contenders
Nick Lee (No. 4 2017 HS Big Board)
Luke Pletcher (Round of 16 2017 NCAA 141)
Kaden Gfeller (No. 4 HS 138)

66kg

Well see a mix of high school stars, college redshirts and NCAA qualifiers at this weight class. More than 40 competitors are registered for this eagerly anticipated bracket.

Yianni Diakomihalis already has two cadet world championship titles to his name. The open is his first step to adding a junior world medal to his trophy case.

Edinboro's Patricio Lugo has plenty of DI experience, receiving a No. 8 seed at this year's NCAA Tournament.

Iowa State's Kanen Storr had quite a redshirt year, giving Cyclone fans lots to be excited about, notching wins over NCAA qualifiers Colton McCrystal, Luke Pletcher and Russell Rohlfing.

Northwestern's Ryan Deakin also had a tremendous redshirt year, finishing third at the always stacked Midlands tournament at 149 pounds.

Registered Contenders
Yianni Diakomihalis (2X Cadet World Gold)
Kanen Storr (No. 32 2016 HS Big Board)
Carter Happel (No. 34 2016 HS Big Board)
Requir Van Der Merwe (No. 80 2016 HS Big Board)
Ryan Deakin (No. 97 2016 HS Big Board)
Alex Lloyd (No. 15 HS 145)
Ian Parker (2016 1st JR Nationals 132)
Patricio Lugo (2017 NCAA Qualifier)
Cole Martin (2017 NCAA Qualifier)

70kg

This is another weight that we won't see in Finland at the UWW World Championships, but again, that hasn't stopped some big time hammers from pencilling their names in for bracketing.

David Carr makes the jump up from cadets, where he was a 2016 bronze medalists at 69kg. He'll have to contend with Purdue's Griffin Parriott, who's coming off an impressive redshirt season for the Boilermakers.

Registered Contenders
Griffin Parriott (No. 7 2016 HS Big Board)
Austin Kraisser (No. 27 2016 HS Big Board)
David Carr (No. 6 HS 152)
Philip Conigliaro (No. 11 HS 145)
Joe Lee (No. 13 HS 152)
Shayne Oster (Northwestern RS)

74kg

The weight class that's hogging all the hype at the senior level is not without intrigue at the junior level either.

It would be difficult for any junior competitor to top the credentials earned by Penn State's Mark Hall. Hall is a 2014 cadet world champ, and 2016 junior world champ, and a 2017 NCAA national champ. Mark Hall wins a lot, and will be the favorite in this stacked bracket.

Virginia Tech's David McFadden also entered with an NCAA All-American honor to his name. McFadden placed sixth for the Hokies in 2016 at 165 pounds, and just completed a successful redshirt season in Blacksburg.

Redshirt studs Alex Marinelli of Iowa and Evan Wick of Wisconsin add depth to the weight class, as does 2017 ACC champ Taleb Rahmani of Pitt.

Pretty much the entire list of competitors warrants a mention, so my apologies in advance for leaving anyone out.

Registered Contender
Mark Hall (2016 Junior World Gold)
David McFadden (6th 2016 NCAA 165)
Alex Marinelli (No. 3 2016 HS Big Board)
Hayden Hidlay (No. 6 2016 HS Big Board)
Evan Wick (No. 25 2016 HS Big Board)
Brandon Dallavia (No. 44 2016 HS Big Board)
Trent Hidlay (No. 3 HS 160)
Jake Allar (No. 5 HS 170)
Andrew Merola (No. 10 HS 160)
Taleb Rahmani (2017 NCAA Qualifier)
Thomas Bullard (2017 NCAA Qualifier)

79kg

Our final non-UWW sanctioned weight class is a little less crazy than the weight classes on either side of it, but it nonetheless has a surfeit of talent to recommend.

NCAA qualifier Drew Hughes of Michigan State headlines the division. He'll see stout competition from Maryland's Josh Ugalde, Rutgers Joe Grello, and Iowa's Kaleb Young, among many others.

Registered Contenders
Drew Hughes (Round of 12 2017 NCAA 165)
Kaleb Young (No. 21 2016 HS Big Board)
Joe Grello (No. 60 2016 HS Big Board)
AJ Pedro (No. 13 HS 182)
Josh Ugalde (Maryland Starter)
Jarrell Ebed (Drexel Starter)
Nicholas Knutson (ND State Redshirt)

84kg

Zahid Valencia will headline this monstrous collection of terrors. Zahid placed third at the 2017 NCAA tournament at 174 pounds representing the Arizona State Sun Devils. He's also the returning 84kg rep for Team USA. He finished seventh last year in Macon, France at the 2016 junior world championships.

Valencia will be challenged by a diverse group of collegiate and high school students.

Jelani Embree and Garrett Hoffman are both ranked in the top 5 nationally in their respective high school weight classes.

Some of the best college wrestling rooms in the nation are also sending their best young athletes. Keegan Moore and Andrew Marsden will represent Oklahoma State, future Cornell grappler Max Dean will be there, as will Hawkeye freshman Cade Brownlee

Registered Contenders
Zahid Valencia (3rd 2017 NCAA 174)
Nick Reenan (No. 4 2016 HS Big Board)
Max Dean (No. 74 2016 HS Big Board)
Jelani Embree (No. 4 HS 182)
Keegan Moore (No. 48 2016 HS Big Board)
Hunter Ritter (2017 NCAA Qualifier)
Andrew Marsden (Oklahoma State)
Jeremiah Imonode (Army West Point)
Kevin Parker (Princeton Starter)
Cade Brownlee (Iowa Redshirt)
Garrett Hofman (Bucknell Redshirt)

96kg

It's hard to imagine that Kyle Snyder was competing at this weight just three short years ago. There will be a host of wrestlers in Vegas looking to carry on the tradition of excellence set by the Olympic Champ, one of whom happens to by Kyle's younger brother Kevin.

Other names to look out for are future Cornellian Ben Darmstadt, current Cyclone Sammy Colbray, Cornhusker Eric Schultz and Wolverine Jackson Striggow.

Registered Contenders
Chase Singletary (No. 1 HS 220)
Noah Adams (No. 2 HS 220)
Sammy Colbray (No. 23 2016 HS Big Board)
Nathan Traxler (No. 31 2016 HS Big Board)
Eric Schultz (No. 35 2016 HS Big Board)
Ben Darmstadt (No. 38 2016 HS Big Board)
Christian Brunner (2017 NCAA Qualifier)
Jackson Striggow (Michigan Starter)
Kevin Snyder (Ohio State Redshirt)

120kg

The battle of the junior heavies will likely come down to Gabel Steveson and Jordan Wood.

Lehigh's Wood was the junior team trials winner last year, placing 11th at the world championship last year in France. Future Minnesota Gopher Gable Steveson won the 100kg weight class at the cadet World Championship in both 2015 and 2016.

Looking to throw a monkey wrench in both of their plans are Andrew Dunn, AJ Nevills and Gannon Gremmel.

Registered Contenders
Gable Steveson (2X Cadet World Gold)
Jordan Wood (No. 20 2016 HS Big Board)
AJ Nevills (No. 47 2016 HS Big Board)
Gannon Gremmel (No. 67 2016 HS Big Board)
Andrew Dunn (Virginia Tech Redshirt)
Rylee Streifel (Minnesota)
Ben Stone (Wisconsin)

Did we miss anybody? I'm sure we must have. Let us know in the comments and then join us this weekend as it all goes down in Vegas!

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