Brackets are up for UWW Juniors where the nation's top 18-20 year olds will take the first step towards representing the U.S.A. at the World Championships in Finland.

Winning this tournament puts the champion in the best-of-three finals at the Junior World Team Trials on June 9th in Omaha.

Tomorrow's Junior action kicks of from Las Vegas at 9AM PT/12 ET.

Below we write up are initial reactions to the brackets and list best early round match ups.

50kg - Bracket Reaction

Two-time Cadet World Team Member Malik Heinselman (CO) makes the transition to JR's and is the top seed. There are two wrestlers that made World Teams in Greco in the bracket. Jason Holmes (AZ) and Dack Punke (IL) are the #2 and #3 seeds, respectively.

Best Early Match: Brandon Kaylor (WA) vs. Heinselman - Quarterfinal
Though Heinselman earned the top seed, he faces a tough Kaylor whose only loss at Fargo last year was to Holmes.

55kg- Bracket Reaction

Two-time World medalist Daton Fix (OK) is your top seed. But the big news here is Gavin Teasdale (PA), who made Cadet World Teams in 2014 (5th) and 2015 (7th), missed weight by .3 kilos and has moved up to 60kg.That makes multiple-time Fargo Champ Danny Vega (AZ) your #2 seed. Brandon Courtney (AZ), who placed 3rd at Fargo last year, beating Vega along the way, is the #3 seed with former Cadet WTM, Dylan D'Amilio (OH) as the 6.

Best Early Match: Drew Mattin (OH) vs. Alex Thomsen (IA) - Quarterfinal
Both Mattin (at 120) and Thomsen (at 126) placed 4th at Fargo last year. 

60kg- Bracket Reaction

In the week leading up to the tournament, the most anticipated bout was probably Teasdale vs. Daton. Now Teasdale is in a meat grinder of a weight where last year's Trials runner-up, Mitch McKee (MN) is the top seed opposite 2016 Cadet World Silver Medalist Vito Arujau (NY), who is the #2. Teasdale checks in as the 3-seed. What makes this bracket really interesting are the several tough wrestlers that didn't have a lot/enough freestyle experience to warrant a seed; guys such as Mickey Phillippi (PA) and Gary Joint (CA) loom.

Best Early Match: Mickey Phillippi (PA) vs. Durbin Lloren (CA) - RD of 32
State Champs with little FS experience. Should be a fun bout.

66kg- Bracket Reaction

A World Champion the last two years in Cadet, Yianni Diakomihalis (NY) moves up to the JR level and is the top seed here. Kanen Storr (MI) who made the finals of the Senior-level Dave Schultz Memorial this year, is the #2 seed. There are several other Fargo finalists in the bracket - Ian Parker (MI), Pat Lugo (FL), Carter Happel (IA), and Navonte Demison (CA) among them.

Best Early Match: Jarrett Jacques (MO) vs. Navonte Demison (CA) - RD of 16
There are a ton of early round matches to look forward to in this bracket. But I like this one best. Jacques, who trains at Eireman, is certainly one to keep an eye on. He was 4th at Fargo last year. Demison also has, a round before this match, Jaron Jensen (UT), who beat Jacques last year. 
Other great early bouts are Alex Lloyd (MN) vs. Lugo in Round 1, Ian Parker-Ryan Deakin (CO) in Round 2, and a potential Lugo-Happel R16 bout.

74kg- Bracket Reaction

The only returning Junior World Champion in the field, Mark Hall (MI) is your top seed. Evan Wick (CA) who was a runner-up here last year to Michael Kemerer, is up top with Hall as the #4 seed.
Double Fargo finalist Hayden Hidlay (PA) is the 5.David McFadden (NJ), another Fargo finalist is the #2 down below with Alex Marinelli (OH), the 3. 

Best Early Match: Andrew Merola (NJ) vs. Jake Allar (MN) - RD of 16
Allar won Fargo JR's last year while Merola is a multiple time Fargo placer.

84kg- Bracket Reaction

Twice a member of the Junior World Team, Zahid Valencia (CA) is looking to make it three straight as the #1 seed. Up top with him are Hunter Ritter (WI), who made the Cadet World Team in 2014, and Keegan Moore (MN), who lost in Cadet Trials finals in 2015.Nick Reenan (TX), who has made two world teams in Greco, is your #2 seed. Jelani Embree (MI), who won the Cadet Trials in 2015 when he couldn't attend Worlds due to injury, is the #3 seed. 

Best Early Match: Gavin Hoffman (PA) vs. Jelani Embree (MI) - Quarterfinal
A really interesting (potential) match-up here. Hoffman was the Fargo Cadet Runner-Up at 220 last year. Thirty pounds lighter than that weight, he'll likely dwarf Embree, who always seems 'small'. About a month ago, Embree (182) and Hoffman (195) won back-to-back titles at FloNationals.

96kg- Bracket Reaction

Sammy Colbray (OR), a 10-time Fargo placer (most of which ended up on the big stage) is the top seed. The second seed is Chase Singletary (FL) who was the runner-up (to Kollin Moore) at last year's JR Trials. Nathan Traxler (IL)  is the 3 seed. Last year's Fargo Champ, Ben Darmstadt (OH), is the 4 seed.

Best Early Match: Nathan Traxler (IL) vs. Eric Schultz (IL) - Quarterfinal
There are actually a handful of nice early matchups despite the field being small-ish. Take your pick - Andrew Marsden (IL) vs. Christian Brunner (IL), Colbray vs. John Jakobsen (PA), and David Showunmi (NJ) vs. Darmstadt are all 1st round matchups.

120kg- Bracket Reaction

Like Yianni at 66kg, Gable Steveson (MN) is a two-time Cadet World Champion moving up to JR's. He's your top seed with two-time World Team Member Jordan Wood (PA) manning the 2 slot. Up top as the #4 seed is Brandon Metz (ND) who was 3rd in Fargo last year. Down below, Anthony Cassioppi (IL) is the 3 seed. 

Best Early Match: Gannon Gremmel (IA) vs. Gable Steveson (MN) - Round of 16
Gremmel can be hot or cold. Either way, you'll want to keep an eye on this early match. Gremmel was your Fargo Champ last year.

Related Links

Schedule
Junior FS Preview
Most Anticipated Bouts