For the first time in two years we'll have a Cadet World Team, and we'll know who's on it at the end of the weekend. While we can expect great action in both Greco and Freestyle in Cadets, U15s and Futures, this preview focuses on Cadet Freestyle, the team that has traditionally brought home the most hardware at Cadet Worlds.

Watch Cadet, U15, & Futures Nationals LIVE on FloWrestling

Friday-Sunday, April 23-25, 2021

45 kg

Contenders

Bo Bassett, Young Guns (PA)

Mack Mauger, Team Idaho (ID)

Dru Ayala, Sebolt Wrestling Academy (IA)

Javaan Yarbrough, Arsenal Wrestling Club (OH)

Bo Bassett is as talked about a prospect as wrestling has seen in recent years. The Pennsylvania seventh grader will look to make a Cadet World team, but he’ll have plenty of solid competitors in the field.

Mack Mauger, Dru Ayala, and Javaan Yarbrough are all solid up-and-comers from strong wrestling backgrounds who will look to add to their resumes in Wisconsin.

World Team Prediction: Bo Basset

48 kg

Contenders

#2 Aden Valencia, Greco-Roman Development (CA)

#7 Luke Lilledahl, BullTrained Wrestling (MO)

Nathan Desmond (PA)

Sam Herring (PA)

This weight class is headlined by Aden Valencia who currently sits at #2 in the country and Luke Lilledahl who's #7. While that ranking might seem to make these two obvious picks to make the finals, they’ll be joined by a couple of Junior High studs who would likely be ranked or close to it if they were in high school.

Both Sam Herring and Nathan Desmond have thrown their hats in the ring and could provide a serious test for Valencia. We’ll learn a lot about these future stars this weekend.

World Team Prediction: Aden Valencia

51 kg

Contenders

#1 Marc-Anthony McGowan, Blairstown Wrestling Club (NJ)

#3 Nathanael Jesuroga, Sebolt Wrestling Academy (IA)

#3 Kaedyn Williams, Lancaster Alliance Wrestling Club (LAW) (PA)

#7 Vincent Kilkeary, Young Guns (PA)

#9 Alan Koehler, Pinnacle Wrestling Club (MN)

#17 Drew Heethuis (MI)

#19 Nick Treaster, Newton Wrestling Club (KS)

Logan Swensen, Wayzata Youth Wrestling (MN)

Paul Kelly, Poway High School Wrestling (CA)

Dalton Perry (PA)

Marcello Milani (MI)

Kolby Warren, Xtreme Training (MO)

In one of the deeper brackets of the weekend, we’ll see some of the top 106 and 113-pounders meet in a super bracket. Cadet World champ Marc-Anthony McGowan is #1 for a reason, and he’ll look to make a run at his second World title.

The top contenders to McGowan are Super 32 champ Vinny Kilkeary and 3^rd place finisher Nate Jesuroga. Kilkeary is a high flyer who isn’t afraid to go for broke while Jesuroga hand fights and attacks like you’d expect a top Sebolt guy to.

The top three guys will all have landmines to navigate with a number of ranked or bubble guys who have proven capable of winning against just about anyone.

World Team Prediction: Marc-Anthony McGowan

55 kg

Contenders

#5 Spencer Moore, Kentucky Extreme Wrestling Club (KY)

#5 Mason Gibson (PA)

#6 Kamdyn Williams, Lancaster Alliance Wrestling Club (LAW) (PA)

#7 Cory Land, Ironclad Wrestling Club (AL)

#9 Zan Fugitt (MO)

#11 Sergio Lemley, Region Wrestling Academy (IN)

#12 Kannon Webster (IL)

#14 Cael Hughes, Cowboy Wrestling Club (OK)

Adrian Meza (AZ)

Clayton Giddens, Bixby Freestyle/Greco (OK)

Gable Porter, Powerhouse Wrestling Club (IA)

Grigor Cholakyan, Sunkist Kids/Monster Garage (CA)

Kael Lauridsen, Nebraska Boyz (NE)

The contender list is long here, but you’ll have that in a 64-man bracket. Moore, Gibson, Williams, Land, and Fugitt are all top ten in their respective weight classes which creates the opportunity for chaos.

Mason Gibson is probably the favorite. He was a Super 32 finalist in 2020 and a champ in 2019 with a win over Cory Land in the finals. He has the tools to be successful against just about everyone, but he hasn’t been unscathed this year.

The unranked guys at this weight are not far off. Don’t be surprised to see Meza, Giddens, Porter, Cholakyan, or Lauridsen go on a run. They’ve won at this level before, and they just might do it again.

World Team Prediction: Mason Gibson

Mason Gibson's battle with Kael Lauridsen at the Ultimate Club Duals

Unlock this video, live events, and more with a subscription!

Sign Up

Already a subscriber? Log In

60 kg

Contenders

#13 Ryder Block, Sebolt Wrestling Academy (IA)

#15 Mac Church, Team PA Wrestling Inc. (PA)

#17 Beau Mantanona (CA)

Tyler Kasak, Team PA (PA)

Jace Roller, Bixby Freestyle/Greco (OK)

JJ McComas-Rogers, Cowboy Wrestling Club (OK)

Emilio Jr Ysaguirre (AZ)

Brock Bobzien, Poway High School Wrestling (CA)

Ayson Rice, Legends of Gold (SD)

Q'veli Quintanilla, Inland Northwest Wrestling Training Center (WA)

Dylan Gilcher (MI)

Kyler Larkin, Thorobred Wrestling Club (AZ)

This weight is tough to predict as it’s packed with tough guys who all take losses from time to time. Tyler Kasak and Mac Church are both coming off PIAA titles and are certainly capable of making this team.

Ryder Block just had an outstanding weekend at the Ultimate Club Duals and split matches with #1 Drake Ayala this year. Emilio Ysaguirre took out Jordan Titus at Super 32 in the fall while JJ McComas and Jace Roller have been making incredible gains in Oklahoma.

To make a long story short, this bracket could play out a lot of different ways, and a whole bunch of guys could end up with that ticket to Budapest in July.

World Team Prediction: Ryder Block

65 kg

Contenders

#8 Meyer Shapiro (MD)

#9 Kyle Dutton, Victory Wrestling (MO)

Jude Swisher, M2 Training Center (PA)

Angelo Ferrari, Cowboy Wrestling Club (OK)

Joseph Blaze (OH)

Pierson Manville (PA)

Daschle Lamer, Mat Sense Wrestling (OR)

Kael Voinovich, Seasons Freestyle Club (OH)

Cody Goebel, Askren Wrestling Academy Lake Country (WI)

Meyer Shapiro and Kyle Dutton are likely to be on opposite sides of the bracket, and they’re the favorites to make the finals. They’ve proven to be reliable throughout their high school careers, so don’t be surprised to see them square off in the best of three series.

They certainly aren’t guaranteed to make the finals as the group right behind them is comprised of bubble guys who have been in and out of the rankings and are capable of winning here.

Angelo Ferrari is coming back down to a more natural weight for him after wrestling 152 this season while Jude Swisher and Pierson Manville are moving up in weight a bit after wrestling at 132 this year. Those three, along with Lamer, Blaze, Voinovich, and Goebel will make strong pushes to get on this World Team.

World Team Prediction: Kyle Dutton

71 kg

Contenders

#8 Antrell Taylor, MWC Wrestling Academy (NE)

#9 Levi Haines, M2 Training Center (PA)

#12 Joshua Barr, Team Donahoe (MI)

#13 Aiden Riggins, Sebolt Wrestling Academy (IA)

Joseph Sealey, Darkhorse Wrestling (NC)

Holden Garcia (NJ)

Thor Michaelson, NWWC (WA)

Enzo Morlacci, Pennsylvania RTC (PA)

This bracket will bring the best from a number of weights together for action we wouldn’t have seen this season. Four guys stand at the top of 71 kg. Antrell Taylor has been smashing people in Nebraska and will look to do the same here. Josh Barr is a gritty Team Donahoe guy who makes life tough on his opponents. Levi Haines is up at this weight after making the Super 32 finals at 138 and winning a PIAA title at 145, and Aiden Riggins who won an Iowa state title at 152.

Keep an eye on Garcia, Michaelson, Morlacci, and Sealey. They aren’t quite as credentialed as the top four, but they can do damage here.

World Team Prediction: Antrell Taylor

Antrell Taylor's 2021 state championship victory over Joshua Licking

Unlock this video, live events, and more with a subscription!

Sign Up

Already a subscriber? Log In

80 kg

Contenders

#2 Gabriel Arnold, Level Up Wrestling Center (GA)

#7 James Rowley, Mat Sense Wrestling (OR)

#10 Hayden Walters, Mat Sense Wrestling (OR)

#17 Tate Naaktgeboren, Big Game Wrestling Club (IA)

#20 Remy Cotton, Team Donahoe (MI)

Ryder Rogotzke, Pinnacle Wrestling Club (MN)

Cole Mirasola, Askren Wrestling Academy Lake Country (WI)

Connor Mirasola, Askren Wrestling Academy Lake Country (WI)

Gabe Arnold is the highest ranked guy here, and his incredible positioning and dynamic offensive options make him the favorite. The rest of the field is loaded though as James Rowley and Hayden Walters are also top ten guys who do a lot of winning.

Tate Naaktgeboren has proven to be a honey badger this year, and Remy Cotton announced himself this season when he knocked off Super 32 champ Manny Rojas this season.

Don’t sleep on Cole and Connor Mirasola who will be competing in their home state. These twins haven’t had a ton of national level wins just yet, but those wins are coming.

World Team Prediction: Gabe Arnold

92 kg

Contenders

#4 PJ Casale (NJ)

#5 Gavin Nelson, Simley Wrestling Club (MN)

#12 Ben Kueter, Sebolt Wrestling Academy (IA)

Max Vanadia, Seasons Freestyle Club (OH)

Max Ramberg, Baldwin Woodville Wrestling Club (WI)

Noah Wenzel, Izzy Style Wrestling (IL)

PJ Casale and Gavin Nelson are the #4 and #5 ranked 220-pounders in the country respectively, and they’re the favorites to make the finals. Casale, like Jim Mullen at 110 kg, opted to compete for this Cadet World Team spot instead of wrestling at the New Jersey State Championships this weekend. He’s all in.

Ben Kueter might be one of the most dangerous guys in the whole country right now. He’s coming off a Folkstyle Nationals title and an impressive weekend at the Ultimate Club Duals in which he pinned Christian Carroll to give Team Sebolt a shot against eventual champions, the M2 Magicians.

Wenzel, Vanadia, and Ramberg are excellent as well and could make life hard on some of the top guys.

World Team Prediction: Gavin Nelson

110 kg

Contenders

#3 Jim Mullen (NJ)

Koy Hopke (WI)

The big men here are plenty capable of representing Team USA well at Cadet Worlds. The two front runners are Jim Mullen from New Jersey and Koy Hopke from Wisconsin. Both guys win just about everywhere they go.

Mullen is the favorite. He was a New Jersey state champion as a freshmen, a feat he won’t be able to replicate this year because he opted to wrestle at Cadets instead of the New Jersey State Championships which are also this weekend. He pinned #1 Chase Horne earlier this year, but the matchup with Koy Hopke is interesting. Hopke is one of Wisconsin’s finest, and he’ll look to pull the upset.

World Team Prediction: Jim Mullen

Jim Mullen's victory over Gavin Layton from the King of the Ring Duals

Unlock this video, live events, and more with a subscription!

Sign Up

Already a subscriber? Log In