Jax Forrest defeats former NCAA champ for U.S. Open wrestling crown

High School On SI National Champ shocks the world with 61 kg title in Las Vegas

Bishop McCort junior Jax Forrest, who won a PIAA state AA wrestling championships in March, captured a U.S. Open national title, defeating former NCAA national champion Seth Gross in the 61-kilograms final. / Harrison Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On Saturday and Sunday, Freestyle wrestling took over the Expo in Las Vegas for the U.S. Open with the Senior Division finals being contested on Saturday night and the U17 and U20 champions being crowned Sunday afternoon.

No. 1 Jax Forrest surprised the wrestling world on Saturday by claiming the crown at 61-kilograms over former NCAA Champion and World Team member, Seth Gross, 19-8. Gross held an early lead over Forrest, who is just a junior in high school at Pennsylvania’s Biship McCort, before watching his foe take over the match and earn the technical fall at the 5:35 mark.

Forrest won three of his other four matches on techs, only going the distance with Illinois’ Ben Davino before winning 4-0. In the quarters, Nashon Garrett was disposed of with a 10-0 tech in 2:32. Two other shutout techs preceded that win, 10-0 (2:52) and 13-0 (:50). Ohio’s Marcus Blaze (No. 1 at 138) placed third at this weight beating Davino in the consolation final, 7-0.

Forrest, who will face Vito Arujau at Final X on June 14th for the World Team spot, has been regularly challenging himself at levels above where he could stay within his age group finishing second at the U20 World Team Trials a year ago along with a bronze medal showing at the Senior World Team Trials. Forrest failed to place in the U20 Division last year at the U.S. Open, losing to Illinois’ Seth Mendoza, 12-1, then forfeiting in the consolation rounds.

Oklahoma’s Ladarion Lockett won his third consecutive U.S. Open Title and second versus U20 competition with a 5-2 comeback win over Joe Sealey (NLWC) at 74-kilograms. Two notable wins were accrued on the path to the finals, 14-4 over Wisconsin’s No. 16 Danny Heiser and 12-2 over Illinois’ No. 3 Will Denny. Denny came back to take third. Lockett’s three additional wins all came on technical falls.  

Stillwater's Ladarion Lockett, the nation's top-ranked wrestler at 165-pounds in 2024-25, won the U20 bracket at 74-kilograms at last week's U.S. Open. / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Lockett, a senior who is top-rated at 165-pounds in High School on SI’s National Rankings, is in search of his second World Championship and first at the U20 level. As a sophomore, Lockett claimed the U17 U. S. Open and World Championship titles. His first U20 National Title led to a runner-up finish at the U20 Worlds last summer.

Another U20 repeat titlist was New York’s PJ Duke (No. 1 at 157-pounds), who held off Pennsylvania’s No. 3 Melvin Miller, 8-5, to claim the gold at 70-kilograms. Duke placed third at the U20 World Championships a year ago. Miller was fifth in the world in the U17 age grouping. Duke handled No. 2 Landon Robideau of Minnesota, 8-3, in the semis and No. 5 Collin Gaj (Pennsylvania) in the quarters by tech, 10-0 (1:33). Two techs and a pin comprised Duke’s other victories.

Minisink Valley's PJ Duke won the U20 U.S. Open creown at 157-pounds. / John Meore/The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Miller’s teammate at Bishop McCort, No. 1 Bo Bassett also came up short in his title quest, tasting defeat for one of the few times in recent years when Luke Stanich, the eventual champion, beat him, 5-2, in the 65-kilogram semis. Bassett came back to throttle No. 5 Noah Nininger (Virginia), 12-2 (1:26), in the consolation finals.

Another Crusher, Sam Herring (No. 9 at 138) reached the finals at 61-kilograms before having his title hopes dashed by Kyler Larkin, 10-5. Herring took out No. 10 Elijah Cortez (California) and No. 11 Kellen Wolbert (Wisconsin) on his way to the finals.

Two guys who got it done after failing to do so at previous U.S. Opens were Anthony Knox (57-kilograms) and William Henckel (79-kilograms). Both New Jersey grapplers are top ranked at their weights in our national poll.

Knox was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the U20 Division based on his six tech falls including, 12-2 in 3:50, versus No. 11 Antonio Mills (Georgia) in the finals. Knox also teched No. 5 Ronnie Ramiez (California), 14-4, in the semis. Mills’ run to the finals was unexpected and started with a 13-0 tech of top-seeded, No. 8 Dom Munaretto of Illinois and included an 11-0 tech of No. 2 Christian Castillo of Arizona. Both Castillo and Munaretto are former World Champs.

Henckel was third at the Open last year and second at the last two Senior World Team Trials. In his final’s bout, Henckel took out 2023 World Bronze Medalist Brock Mantanona of California, 12-8, in a back-and-forth match.

No. 2 Dreshaun Ross of Iowa took the No. 1 ranking from California’s Coby Merrill with a 3-2 semifinal win to gain a birth in the finals where he fell to Cole Mirasola of Wisconsin, 7-5. Ross will have one more shot to make the World Team at the U20 World Team Trials. A year ago, he won a world team spot as the U17 92-kiolgram champ but was injured at Fargo and unable to participate at Worlds.

The World Team Trials for the U20 wrestlers will be in Geneva, Ohio on May 30th-June 1st. The winners here will sit out the bracketed competition and meet those winners in a best of three finals to determine the team members.

The U17 grapplers had their best of three showdowns in Vegas so the winners walked out the door as U17 World Team Members. As they did in Greco Roman, California led the way with three champions (four in Greco), Samuel Sanchez (51-kilograms), Ashton Besmer (60-kilograms), and Arseni Kikiniou (65-kilograms).

Sanchez is reliving the experience for the second year in a row as he won a U17 Freestyle World Title as an eighth grader and has put himself in position to do so again as the fourth rated 113-pounder in the nation. The freshman downed Iowa’s No. 8 Hayden Schwab, 9-0 and 6-0, and teched all four opponents he faced en route to the finals.

Besmer (No. 8) has never been on the world stage but defeated a wrestler who has been through it all before in 2023 U17 Freestyle World Champion, New Jersey’s Paul Kenny (No. 2 at 120), 6-1 and 12-0 (2:34). Besmer was a 16U Fargo Freestyle silver medalist in 2024. 

Kikiniou captured the U17 Greco title and will be the World Team’s rep in Freestyle as well after battling back versus Illinois’ Rocco Cassioppi in the finals. Cassioppi won their first match 5-4, then Kikiniou edged him 2-1, before cruising to a 10-4 win in the rubber match.

Ohio had a Double Champion that was named the Outstanding Wrestler of these brackets, No. 6 Alex Taylor (110-kilograms). Taylor rallied from deficits in each bout with No. 21 Josh Hoffer of Illinois to collect consecutive pins, 3:32 and 1:57. Taylor also faced Hoffer in Greco, where he lost the first encounter before winning the last two. 

A second Ohio wrestler joined Taylor on the world team as No. 6 Grey Burnett used a series of upsets to reach the finals at 55-kilograms where he took care of Texas’ Izayiah Chavez in two straight, 10-0 and 12-5. Burnett beat No. 3 Ignacio Villasenor (Oklahoma), 3-3, in the semis (in the Olympic Styles, ties are broken by criteria, there is no overtime). In the quarters, Burnett got by No. 4 Nikade Zinkin (California), 6-5. Zinkin defeated Villasenor, 8-7, in the third-place match.

Georgia’s No. 1 Ariah Mills is the third wrestler to win crowns in both disciplines as he added the 48-kilogram Freestyle gold to his resume with wins of 2-1 and 8-2 against No. 6 Chase Karenbauer (Pennsylvania). Mills posted techs in his four previous wins that encompassed a 12-1 tally in 1:41 over No. 4 Turner Ross (Oklahoma) in the semifinals.

Mills was second at the U.S. Open in 2024, falling to Keegan Bassett in the U15 41-kilogram finals. Bassett repeated as champion up a weight and age group this year. Locking down the U17 45-kilogram gold with a 17-6 tech and 10-4 decision of fellow Keystone State grappler, Kooper Deputy. Bassett was a U15 Double Champ last year and also captured the 16U 94-pound Freestyle title at Fargo. Mills was an 88-pound 16U Freestyle champ last year at Fargo and also took the 94-pound Greco Title.

New Jersey’s No. 1 Jayden James placed third in the U17 slate a year ago and improved upon that finish with a gold medal run at 71-kilograms that ended with a 10-0 tech and a 3-1 decision over No. 23 Justus Heeg (Illinois). Three techs and a pin delivered James to the finals, one of which came against Florida’s Lucas Boe (No. 11 at 157), 10-0. James is a junior who has won 16U Freestyle golds at Fargo as a freshman and sophomore.

Tanner Hodgins (92-kilograms) brought another title back to the Garden State as he blanked Brady Brown (Pennsylvania), 8-0 and 10-0, in the finals. Hodgins (No. 21 at 190) had a close match with Indiana’s Sam Howard (No. 23 at 215), 6-2, in the quarters.

Hodgins was third at Fargo last year in the 16U Division with a loss to Connecticut’s No. 19 Maximus Konopka, who placed third here. Konopka lost to honorable mention Ronan An (Georgia) in the quarters and An fell to Brown in the semis, 6-0.

The final at 80-kilograms featured a two-time Fargo Double Champ, No. 13 Aaron Stewart of Illinois, taking on the less decorated No. 6 Salah Tsarni of Maryland. Stewart took some losses at Ironman that dropped him down the rankings then a loss in the Junior Finals at USA Wrestling’s Folkstyle Nationals to an unranked foe (Indiana’s Xavier Smith, who is now ranked).

Meanwhile, Tsarni has been showing vast improvement, picking up wins over ranked opponents at every turn. The sophomore was third in Freestyle and fifth in Greco at Fargo in 16U last year, third at Super 32, second at the Beast of the East and National Prep Tournaments, an NHSCA National Champ, and second at the Journeymen World Cassic.

That flow looked like it would continue as Tsarni won the opener with Stewart, 3-1. Another close battle was next, with Stewart taking that one, 5-4, setting up a winner take all third bout in which Stewart would prevail, 4-1.

U17 MEN’S FREESTYLE WORLD TEAM TRIALS

45 kg

1st - Keegan Bassett (Bishop McCort High School Wrestling) dec. Kooper Deputy (Orchard Wrestling Club), two matches to none

Bout One – Bassett tech fall Deputy, 17-6 (2:56)

Bout Two – Bassett tech fall Deputy, 10-4

3rd - Shiloh Joyce (New Jersey) Dec. Hudson Chittum (Tennessee), 8-8

5th - Thales Silva (Izzy Style Wrestling) Dec. Lincoln Valdez (Pomona Wrestling Club Colorado), 5-0

7th - Carter Smith (Burnett Trained Wrestling) T.F. Wyatt Dannegger (Team Missouri Select), 14-4 (3:54)

48 kg

1st - Ariah Mills (Roundtree Wrestling Academy) dec. Chase Karenbauer (Bad Karma Wrestling Club), two matches to none

Bout One – Mills dec. Karenbauer, 2-1

Bout Two – Mills dec. Karenbauer, 8-2

3rd - Turner Ross (Oklahoma) T.F. Thiago Silva (Izzy Style Wrestling), 11-0 (2:30)

5th - Cruz Gannon (Sebolt Wrestling Academy) Dec. Connor Maddox (Maurer Coughlin Wrestling Club), 4-4

7th - Anthony Curlo (New Jersey) T.F. Shaefer Hoffman (Steller Trained Wrestling), 11-1 (3:16)

51 kg

1st - Samuel Sanchez (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) dec. Hayden Schwab (Immortal Athletics WC), two matches to none

Bout One – Sanchez dec. Schwab, 9-0

Bout Two – Sanchez dec. Schwab, 6-0

3rd - Michael Batista (New Jersey) Dec. Carter Shin (Palm Wrestling Academy), 5-0

5th - Cruzer Dominguez (MWC Wrestling Academy) T.F. Jackson Shipley (3F Wrestling), 10-0 (1:25)

7th - Justin Farnsworth (Steller Trained Wrestling) Dec. Sean Kenny (New Jersey), 6-0

55 kg

1st - Grey Burnett (Burnett Trained Wrestling) dec. Izayiah Chavez (Best Trained Wrestling), two matches to none

Bout One – Burnett tech. fall Chavez, 10-0 (3:25)

Bout Two – Burnett dec. Chavez, 12-5

3rd - Rocklin Zinkin (California) Dec. Ignacio Villasenor (Cowboy Wrestling Club), 8-7

5th - Shamus Regan (Pennsylvania) Dec. Miklo Hernandez (Gun Smoke Wrestling Club), 10-3

7th - Maximus Hay (Askren Wrestling Academy) Dec. Tommy Wurster (Beast Mode Wrestling), 6-0

60 kg

1st - Ashton Besmer (Dethrone Wrestling Club) dec. Paul Kenny (New Jersey), two matches to none

Bout One – Besmer dec. Kenny, 6-1

Bout Two – Besmer tech. fall Kenney, 12-0 (2:34)

3rd - Dale Corbin (Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory High School Wrestling) F. Nicholas Sorrow (Simmons Academy Of Wrestling), 3:43

5th - Stephen Myers (Olympia Wrestling Club) F. Deven Lopez (La Gente Wrestling Club), 3:27

7th - Brenden Jorden Agcaoili (Gold Rush Wrestling) Dec. Vincent Anello (New Jersey), 2-1

65 kg

1st - Arseni Kikiniou (Poway Wrestling) dec. Rocco Cassioppi (Hononegah Wrestling Club), two matches to one

Bout One – Cassioppi dec. Kikiniou, 5-4

Bout Two – Kikiniou dec. Cassioppi, 2-1

Bout Three – Kikiniou dec. Cassioppi, 10-4

3rd - Matthew O'Neill (Malvern Wrestling Club) F. Austin Ellis (Sanderson Wrestling Academy), 3:34

5th - Austin Collins (Bear Cave Wrestling Club) Med. For. Noah Bull (Sanderson Wrestling Academy),

7th - Gabriel Ballard (Grit Mat Club) Med. For. Braylon Reynolds (Red Cobra Wrestling Academy),

71 kg

1st - Jayden James (KD Training Center) dec. Justus Heeg (Illinois), two matches to none

Bout One – James tech fall Heeg, 10-0 (1:18)

Bout Two – James dec. Heeg, 3-1

3rd - Justis Jesuroga (Sebolt Wrestling Academy) Dec. Maximus Fortier (Quest School Of Wrestling), 6-1

5th - Asher Bacon (X-Calibur Athletics Wrestling Club) Dec. Drake Morrison (East Idaho Elite Wrestling Club), 3-2

7th - Lucas Boe (Spartan RTC@LHP) T.F. Nathaniel Replogle (Steller Trained Wrestling), 11-0 (3:51)

80 kg

1st - Aaron Stewart (Toss Em Up Wrestling Academy) dec. Salah Tsarni (DMV RTC), two matches to one

Bout One – Tsarni dec. Stewart, 3-1

Bout Two – Stewart dec. Tsarni, 5-4

Bout Three – Stewart dec. Tsarni, 4-1

3rd - Isai Fernandez (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) Dec. Slava Shahbazyan (Birmingham Community Charter High School Wrestling), 6-4

5th - Kyle Scott (Pennsylvania) Dec. Zane Gerlach (Avalanche Wrestling Association), 9-7

7th - Mario Hutcherson (Young Guns Wrestling Club) T.F. Nicholas Singer (Steller Trained Wrestling), 13-2 (1:41)

92 kg

1st - Tanner Hodgins (Shore Thing Wrestling Club) dec. Brady Brown (All-American Wrestling Club), two matches to none

Bout One – Hodgins dec. Brown, 8-0

Bout Two – Hodgins tech fall Brown, 10-0 (1:44)

3rd - Maximus Konopka (Connecticut) Dec. Ronan An (Level Up Wrestling Center), 10-9

5th - Sam Howard (Maurer Coughlin Wrestling Club) Med. For. JT Smith (MWC Wrestling Academy),

7th - Michael White (Lawrence North Wrestling Club) T.F. Daniel Hoke (Ohio), 13-2 (0:55)

110 kg

1st - Alex Taylor (Beast Mode Wrestling) dec. Josh Hoffer (Dubtown Wrestling Club), two matches to none

Bout One – Taylor pin Hoffer, 3:32

Bout Two – Taylor pin Hoffer, 1:57

3rd - Ryder Smith (Rabbit Wrestling Club) Dec. Mateo Vinciguerra (Seagull Wrestling Club), 7-7

5th - Noah Mathis (Bobcat Wrestling Club) Dec. Eaghan Fleshman (Iowa), 11-2

7th - Makhi Rodgers (Askren Wrestling Academy) Dec. Luke Driedric (Askren Wrestling Academy), 15-10

Outstanding Wrestler – Alex Taylor (110 kg)

U20 Men’s Freestyle National Championships

Medal Match Results

57kg

1st - Anthony Knox (Spartan Combat RTC/ Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) T.F. Antonio Mills (Roundtree Wrestling Academy), 12-2 (3:50)

3rd - Mack Mauger (Tiger Style Wrestling Club) Dec. Ronnie Ramirez (Pounders WC), 5-3

5th - Christian Castillo (Cyclone Regional Training Center C-RTC) T.F. Davis Motyka (Pennsylvania RTC), 10-0 (3:36)

7th - Domenic Munaretto (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) Dec. Blake Beissel (Minnesota - RTC), 5-0

61 kg

1st - Kyler Larkin (Valiant) Dec. Sam Herring (Young Guns Wrestling Club), 10-5

3rd - Isaiah Cortez (Daniel Cormier Wrestling Club) Dec. Aaron Seidel (Steller Trained Wrestling), 6-1

5th - Elijah Cortez (Gilroy High School Wrestling) T.F. Nathan Desmond (X-Calibur Athletics Wrestling Club), 10-0 (1:13)

7th - Dean Anderson (Valiant Wrestling Club) Dec. Jackson Blum (Indiana RTC), 5-3

65 kg

1st - Luke Stanich (Lehigh Valley Wrestling RTC) Dec. Pierson Manville (Atreus Wrestling Club), 6-0

3rd - Bo Bassett (Bishop McCort HS) T.F. Noah Nininger (Staunton River Wrestling Club), 12-2 (1:26)

5th - Alex Braun (Oklahoma RTC) Dec. Drew Gorman (Teknique Wrestling), 18-15

7th - Ryan Kennedy (Spire Academy) For. Daniel Zepeda (Gilroy High School Wrestling),

70 kg

1st - PJ Duke (KDTC / Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) Dec. Melvin Miller (Bishop McCort HS), 8-5

3rd - Landon Robideau (Cowboy RTC) Dec. Jaxon Joy (Spartan Combat RTC/ Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)), 7-6

5th - Cross Wasilewski (Pennsylvania RTC) Dec. Kollin Rath (Steller Trained Wrestling), 10-1

7th - Vince Bouzakis (Team Greco) T.F. Wyatt Medlin (Illinois Regional Training Center/Illini WC), 11-1 (4:06)

74 kg

1st - Ladarion Lockett (Cowboy RTC/ Titan Mercury) Dec. Joseph Sealey (NLWC/TMWC), 5-2

3rd - William Denny (Marist High School) F. Daniel Heiser (Askren Wrestling Academy), 4:22

5th - Zach Hanson (Minnesota) Dec. Benjamin Weader (Integrity Wrestling Club), 4-4

7th - Chase Van Hoven (Legacy Dragons Wrestling) Med. For. Dominic Bambinelli (RWA),

79 kg

1st - William Henckel (Blairstown Wrestling Club) Dec. Brock Mantanona (Cliff Keen Wrestling Club), 12-8

3rd - Louie Cerchio (Spartan Combat RTC/ Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) Dec. Travis Grace (Daniel Cormier Wrestling Club), 11-7

5th - Collin Carrigan (Tar Heel Wrestling Club) T.F. Jasiah Queen (Dragon Wrestling Club), 11-1 (2:16)

7th - Mario Carini (Poway High School) T.F. Waylon Cressell (Warren Wrestling Academy), 14-3 (5:04)

86 kg

1st - Max McEnelly (Minnesota - RTC) Dec. Aeoden Sinclair (Tiger Style Wrestling Club), 5-3

3rd - Adam Waters (Steller Trained Wrestling) Dec. Nicholas Fox (Panther Wrestling Club RTC), 8-6

5th - Lane Foard (VA Team Predator) Dec. De'Alcapon Veazy (Black Fox Wrestling Academy), 8-1

7th - Anders Thompson (Oklahoma Regional Training Center) T.F. Jake Dailey (Tar Heel Wrestling Club), 17-6 (6:00)

92 kg

1st - Connor Mirasola (NLWC/TMWC) Dec. Cody Merrill (Cowboy RTC/ Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)), 5-1

3rd - Dillon Bechtold (Buffalo Valley Regional Training Center) T.F. Angelo Posada (Poway RTC), 11-0 (2:09)

5th - Sonny Sasso (Southeast RTC/ Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) F. Karson Tompkins (Texas), 0:51

7th - Tucker Hogan (Mat-Town USA) T.F. Brody Sampson (Hawkeye Wrestling Club), 10-0 (3:37)

97 kg

1st - Justin Rademacher (Beaver Dam Wrestling Regional Training Center) Dec. Camden McDanel (Nebraska Wrestling Training Center), 8-7

3rd - Cade Ziola (MWC Wrestling Academy) T.F. Quinlan Morgan (Jackrabbit Wrestling Club), 11-1 (4:41)

5th - Aiden Cooley (Best Trained Wrestling) T.F. Myron Mendez (Eagle Empire Wrestling), 10-0 (1:00)

7th - Garett Kawczynski (Askren Wrestling Academy) T.F. Soren Herzog (Colorado), 12-2 (2:39)

125 kg

1st - Cole Mirasola (NLWC/TMWC) Dec. Dreshaun Ross (Sebolt Wrestling Academy), 7-5

3rd - Koy Hopke (Minnesota - RTC) F. Rocco Dellagatta (NYAC), 2:07

5th - Michael Mocco (ATT/Mocco Wrestling Academy) For. Coby Merrill (John W. North High School Wrestling)

7th - Richard Thomas (Oklahoma Regional Training Center) Dec. Max Vanadia (Michigan Wrestling Club), 7-1