Photo: Aaron Nagao at 120 lbs. in the Junior freestyle Western Regional finals. Photo by: Robbert Wijtman.

Las Vegas, Nev. - The Western Junior freestyle competition concluded Saturday morning at The South Point Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Western Junior Regionals is an automatic qualifier for the Cadet/Junior National Championships in Fargo, N.D. on July 12-20.

Among those winners is double champion Drew Bennett of Iowa, who got a decision over Jack Huffman of Nebraska, 13-6. Bennett won the Western Regional Greco-Roman championships early in the week as part of the U.S. Open Championships.

“I knew that [Huffman] was pretty good at freestyle and Greco, I needed to score points every chance that I got, that’s how I would win my match, with my offense. I came out here and it was another stepping stone for me, now I want to get on that podium at Fargo,” said Bennett.

Returning freestyle champion Nelson Brands of Iowa put away Joe Roberts of Illinois with a fall at 1:13. Last year Brands was a double champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman.

“My goal was to compete and qualify for Fargo, and to then get ready for Fargo, that’s my next step, that’s why I came here,” said Brands.

Scoring technical falls in all his matches at 120 pounds with the exception of one injury default in the quarters was Aaron Nagao from California. Nagao secured his title after defeating Tariq Hornbuckle of Arizona, 12-2. He stopped Hornbuckle from achieving a double champion title as Hornbuckle was a Western Regional Greco champion.

“I went out there and wrestled, I did it thankfully, feels good. I knew he was a Greco guy, I wrestled my style and he wrestled his, he’s an excellent competitor,” said Nagao.

Six wrestlers claimed technical falls in their final bouts, among them were Jonathan Prata (113) and Kyle Parco (138) of California, Logan Meek of Oregon (152), Caleb Hopkins of Alaska (170) and Spencer Trenary of Iowa (285).

2017 WESTERN JUNIOR FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Las Vegas, Nev. April 27-28

Final Results

Junior 106 lbs. –
1st Place - Parker Avendano of Oklahoma
2nd Place - Charlie Boyle of Arizona
3rd Place - Dylan McChesney of Colorado
4th Place - Christian Her of California
Round 1
Charlie Boyle (Arizona) won by fall over Christian Her (California) (Fall 5:09)
Parker Avendano (Oklahoma) won by decision over Dylan McChesney (Colorado) (Dec 8-7)
Round 2
Dylan McChesney (Colorado) won by tech fall over Christian Her (California) (TF 12-1)
Parker Avendano (Oklahoma) won by tech fall over Charlie Boyle (Arizona) (TF 12-2)
Round 3
Parker Avendano (Oklahoma) won by tech fall over Christian Her (California) (TF 13-3)
Charlie Boyle (Arizona) won by tech fall over Dylan McChesney (Colorado) (TF 12-2)

Junior 113 lbs. –
1st Place - Jonathan Prata of California
2nd Place - Aedyn Concepcion of Alaska
3rd Place - Billy Sullivan of South Dakota
4th Place - Ryan Rowland of Florida
1st Place Match
Jonathan Prata (California) won by tech fall over Aedyn Concepcion (Alaska) (TF 12-2)
3rd Place Match
Billy Sullivan (South Dakota) won by decision over Ryan Rowland (Florida) (Dec 8-4)

Junior 120 lbs. –
1st Place - Aaron Nagao of California
2nd Place - Tariq Hornbuckle of Arizona
3rd Place - Haiden Drury of Washington
4th Place - Chris Strange of Oregon
1st Place Match
Aaron Nagao (California) won by tech fall over Tariq Hornbuckle (Arizona) (TF 12-2)
3rd Place Match
Haiden Drury (Washington) won by tech fall over Chris Strange (Oregon) (TF 10-0)

Junior 126 lbs. –
1st Place - Christopher Kelly of Arizona
2nd Place - William Edelblute of Idaho
3rd Place - Chase Tebbets of Washington
4th Place - Hunter Sparks of Oregon
1st Place Match
Christopher Kelly (Arizona) won by decision over William Edelblute (Idaho) (Dec 3-1)
3rd Place Match
Chase Tebbets (Washington) won by injury default over Hunter Sparks (Oregon) (Inj. 0:00)

Junior 132 lbs. –
1st Place - Drew Bennett of Iowa
2nd Place - Jack Huffman of Nebraska
3rd Place - Blake Haney of Washington
4th Place - Austin Almaguer of Washington
1st Place Match
Drew Bennett (Iowa) won by decision over Jack Huffman (Nebraska) (Dec 13-6)
3rd Place Match
Blake Haney (Washington) won by decision over Austin Almaguer (Washington) (Dec 5-4)

Junior 138 lbs. –
1st Place - Kyle Parco of California
2nd Place - Tanner Craig of Washington
3rd Place - Stockton O`Brien of Utah
4th Place - Bryce Nickel of Arizona
1st Place Match
Kyle Parco (California) won by tech fall over Tanner Craig (Washington) (TF 10-0)
3rd Place Match
Stockton O`Brien (Utah) won by tech fall over Bryce Nickel (Arizona) (TF 10-0)

Junior 145 lbs. –
1st Place - Cole Matthews of Pennsylvania
2nd Place - Danny Coles of Canada
3rd Place - Ezekial Williamson of Idaho
4th Place - Michael Weber of Montana
1st Place Match
Cole Matthews (Pennsylvania) won by decision over Danny Coles (Canada) (Dec 6-5)
3rd Place Match
Ezekial Williamson (Idaho) won by injury default over Michael Weber (Montana) (Inj. 0:00)

Junior 152 lbs. –
1st Place - Logan Meek of Oregon
2nd Place - Dayton Porsch of Kansas
3rd Place - Bubba Wilson of Kansas
4th Place - Sonny Santiago of California
1st Place Match
Logan Meek (Oregon) won by tech fall over Dayton Porsch (Kansas) (TF 10-0)
3rd Place Match
Bubba Wilson (Kansas) won by decision over Sonny Santiago (California) (Dec 10-8)

Junior 160 lbs. –
1st Place - Nelson Brands of Iowa
2nd Place - Joe Roberts of Illinois
3rd Place - Jace Luchau of California
4th Place - Sheldon Cole of Arizona
1st Place Match
Nelson Brands (Iowa) won by fall over Joe Roberts (Illinois) (Fall 1:13)
3rd Place Match
Jace Luchau (California) won by injury default over Sheldon Cole (Arizona) (Inj. 0:00)

Junior 182 lbs. –
1st Place - Ryan Neu of Wisconsin
2nd Place - Caden Gerlach of Alaska
3rd Place - Guillermo Escobedo of California
4th Place - Noah Clary of Ohio
1st Place Match
Ryan Neu (Wisconsin) won by decision over Caden Gerlach (Alaska) (Dec 14-13)
3rd Place Match
Guillermo Escobedo (California) won by injury default over Noah Clary (Ohio) (Inj. 0:00)

Junior 195 lbs. –
1st Place - Ryan Reyes of California
2nd Place - David Heath of Ohio
3rd Place - Kash Anderson of Idaho
4th Place - Cresent Crandall of Nevada
1st Place Match
Ryan Reyes (California) won by decision over David Heath (Ohio) (Dec 6-2)
3rd Place Match
Kash Anderson (Idaho) won by decision over Cresent Crandall (Nevada) (Dec 14-10)

Junior 220 lbs. –
1st Place - Cordel Duhart of Kansas
2nd Place - Joshua Heindselman of Oklahoma
3rd Place - Brady Fisher of Illinois
4th Place - Romaine Meinhard of Ohio
1st Place Match
Cordel Duhart (Kansas) won by decision over Joshua Heindselman (Oklahoma) (Dec 12-10)
3rd Place Match
Brady Fisher (Illinois) won by tech fall over Romaine Meinhard (Ohio) (TF 13-2)

Junior 285 lbs. –
1st Place - Spencer Trenary of Iowa
2nd Place - Jeremy Badgley of Canada
3rd Place - Brett Johnson of Arizona
4th Place - Tanner Karnes of Missouri
1st Place Match
Spencer Trenary (Iowa) won by tech fall over Jeremy Badgley (Canada) (TF 13-3)
3rd Place Match
Brett Johnson (Arizona) won by fall over Tanner Karnes (Missouri) (Fall 0:34)