Walsh Ironman 2024: Top Wrestlers and Teams to Watch at High School Wrestling's Toughest Tournament

Explore the key contenders and matchups at the 2024 Walsh Ironman, featuring top-ranked wrestlers from Faith Christian Academy, Bishop McCort, and more

Faith Christian's Joey Bachmann (120), who won the 106-pound crown at last year's Walsh Ironman, and his brother Fred (113) are both top seeds at the 2024 Walsh Ironman, as is teammate Adam Waters (190). / Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Walsh Ironman will take place on Friday and Saturday at Walsh Jesuit High School in Ohio. While it doesn’t appear as deep and difficult as in recent years, the gauntlet is still not going to be easy to traverse. The studs at the top will likely shine, but that is the beauty of this, and any sport, the favorites don’t always win.

We are not going to go crazy deep with this preview. We could easily write one page for each weight class. We will touch on the likely finals and notate other interesting things. Going too deep with projections is a fool’s errand anyway, as there are always upsets at Ironman that no one sees coming. Even minor upsets will shake up the seeds and eventually the rankings.

Our No. 2 team in the National Rankings, Pennsylvania’s Faith Christian Academy, leads the way with three wrestlers seeded No. 1. The Bachmann Brothers, Fred at 113 and Joe at 120, plus Adam Waters at 190.

Joe Bachman is a defending champion, who captured the 106lb crown last year and comes in ranked sixth in the nation. His likely finals opponent should be No. 3 Domenic Munaretto (St. Charles East, IL), who was an Ironman champ as a freshman. Munaretto is up from 113lbs. At the U17 World Championships, the junior beat Joe’s brother Fred, 3-1, in the gold medal bout.

Fred is ranked No. 1 at 113 and captured a Super 32 belt in the fall. He could face No. 4 Ignacio Villasenor (Stillwater, OK) in the finals. Villasenor was fifth at S32 this year and placed third here at 106lbs last year. Waters is favored to win the crown as the No. 2 guy in the country at 190lbs. Waters’ finals opponent should be either No. 5 Lane Foard (Benedictine Prep, VA) or No. 6 De’ Alcapon Veazy (Ponderosa, CO), who are probable semi final opponents. 

Another Pennsylvania squad, No. 4 Bishop McCort, has two top seeds on their roster and both are No. 1 in the country at their respective weights, Jax Forrest (132) and Bo Bassett (144).

Bassett will be going for his third Ironman title in three trips. The junior is heavily favored to run the gauntlet as the next highest ranked competitor at 144 is No. 9 Carlos Stanton (Sunnyside, AZ), who is the No. 2 seed. Stanton could face No. 11 Tyler Traves (Mountain View, VA) in the semis.

Forrest is also a junior and unbelievably has never won an Ironman championship despite his overall record of dominance. The two-time runner-up is a Fargo and Super 32 Champ. At Fargo, Forrest beat the No. 2 seed, who is also No. 2 in the national rankings Jake Hockaday (Brownsburg, IN). Hockaday could face a wrestler he beat at Fargo in the semis, No. 3 Matthew Botello (Wyoming Seminary, PA).

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2024-25 National High School Wrestling Rankings: Adjustments, Ironman Seeds, and Missing Stars (12/5/2024)

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Speaking of No. 1 Wyoming Seminary. Last year, the Pennsylvania powerhouse dominated the field and had numerous top seeds. This year, though, they only have two, Nathan Desmond (126) and Jude Correa (215).

Correa (No. 1) is a defending champ at 215 and could see last year’s 190lb champ, No. 3 Cade Ziola (Skutt Catholic, NE) in the finals. Ziola will likely need to get by No. 6 Noah Weaver of Rossville, Indiana in the semis. Weaver defeated Ziola at Super 32 this year. Weaver lost to Angelo Posada (Poway, CA) in the S32 finals, and Ziola owns two wins over Posada, which is why Ziola holds the higher ranking over Weaver.

No. 5 Desmond has been third in the last two years at Ironman. If he reached the finals, the senior would probably get the winner of No. 6 Keanu Dillard (Bethlehem Catholic, PA) and No. 7 Lincoln Sledzianowski (S. John Neumann, FL). Dillard beat Sledzianowski at the US Open in Freestyle.

Another team that typically has a slew of top-seeded guys, No. 8 Blair Academy of New Jersey, has just one top dog this year in No. 2 William Henckel at 175lbs. Henckel is slated to see No. 7 Emmitt Sherlock of Gilman, MD, a Double National Champ at the US Open, in the semis. Henckel beat Sherlock, who was fifth in the world in FS, at last year’s Ironman.

Assuming Henckel repeats that win, he should see the winner of No. 4 Aaron Stewart (Warren Township, IL) and No. 5 Asher Cunningham (State College, PA). Stewart, an Ironman runner-up last year and Fargo 16U Double Champ as a freshman and sophomore, handled Cunningham at last year's edition of this dance. Two years ago, Stewart defeated Sherlock in both disciplines at Fargo.

Oklahoma has two wrestlers seeded atop their brackets, Edmond North’s Kody Routledge (157) and Stillwater’s Ladarion Lockett (165). Routledge was second here last year and beat No. 1 Will Denny (Marist, IL) at Super 32 two years ago. Denny won Super 32 this year, while Routledge sat it out. Denny beat Melvin Miller (Bishop McCort) at Super 32 this year after Miller beat Routledge at Fargo over the summer.

Surprisingly, Lockett, an U17 World Champ and U20 World silver medalist, has never won an Ironman crown, finishing third in the last two seasons. It is probable that Lockett faces Fargo Champ, No. 4 Miller, who was also third here last year, in the finals.

No. 1 Marcus Blaze (138) is another wrestler that is shocking to learn has never tasted the fruits of victory at Ironman, placing third and second the last two campaigns. Blaze, who beat Purdue’s Matt Ramos at last year’s Clarion Open, was an U17 World Champ in FS two years ago and captured a bronze medal at the U20 Worlds this year.

Blaze, a senior, could see Fargo and Super 32 titlist, No. 2 Sergio Vega (Sunnyside), in the finals. The top three seeds are also the top three guys in our national rankings at 138 as No. 3 Seth Mendoza (Mt. Carmel, IL) just made the move up from 132 and will probably square off with Vega in the semis.

The number four and five seeds at 138 met at Super 32 where No. 7 Sam Herring (Bishop McCort) beat No. 8 Jayce Paridon (Lake Highland Prep, FL). The winner of their quarter final will get the honor of facing Blaze in the semis.

Another World Champion holds the top spot at heavyweight, No. 6 Michael Mocco (Cardinal Gibbons, FL). Mocco won his U17 gold in FS this year and has spilt with Dean Bechtold (Owen J. Roberts, PA), winning at the US Open and losing in the Super 32 finals.

That tidbit is relevant even though Bechtold is not in attendance because No. 4 Alex Taylor (Mount Vernon, OH) owns multiple wins over Bechtold. Taylor is seeded fifth and will get fourth seeded, No. 14 Travyn Boger (South Summit, UT), in the quarters. Because of the wins over Bechtold, Taylor is ranked higher than Mocco, and therefore in our view, favored to reach the finals.

No. 10 Mark Effendian (Faith Christian Academy) is the number two seed with No. 11 Jacob Levy (Lake Highland Prep) coming in as the three seed. Effendian beat Levy at the US Open and Super 32 and lost to Bechtold at S32.

Super 32 champion, No. 1 Caleb Noble of Warren Township, was fourth here last year. No. 8 Turner Ross (Edmond North) is the fourth seed and will see No. 13 Keegan Bassett (Bishop McCort) in his quarter final.

No. 5 Brayden Wenrich (Northampton, PA) is the three seed and has two wins against Ross. Wenrich also beat Noble at the US Open in FS, so this could be an explosive final if it comes to pass. To reach the final, Wenrich will get any of these three in the semis, No. 6 Justin Farnsworth (Malvern Prep, PA), who is seeded second, No. 10 Cruzer Dominguez (Creighton Prep, NE), and No. 16 Loc Webber (Dublin Coffman, OH).

Dominguez is seeded tenth, while Webber is the number seven guy. The winner of that match will see Farnsworth. Webber handed Farnsworth a loss at the US Open. All of this craziness tells you 106 is one of the more wide-open weights at Ironman.

The final top seed is No. 5 Noah Nininger (Staunton River, VA) at 150lbs. Lake Highland Prep’s No. 8 Zeno Moore is Nininger’s probable semi final matchup. On the bottom, there is second seeded No. 7 Joseph Jeter (Edmond North), who is a Greco Roman national champ that placed fifth at the U17 World Championships. Jeter draws a tough quarter final opponent in No. 21 Noah Bull (Layton, UT), who is a sleeper to cause damage in this bracket. No. 11 Wyatt Medlin (Washington, IL) is seeded third at 150.

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HSOSI unveils our inaugural National High School Wrestling Team Rankings (11/27/2024)

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The brackets will be on Track Wrestling and all matches will be live on FloWrestling.

Ironman Schedule:  

FRIDAY - DECEMBER 6th, 2024
7 A.M - Door open - Side entrance (DOOR #19) only
8 A.M. - Weigh-In's/Skin Checks (In Fieldhouse)
9 A.M. - COACHES MEETING (In Theater)
9:30 A.M. - Officials' MEETING (In Locker Room)
10 A.M. - First Whistle - Championship and consolation brackets wrestled simultaneously each day.
We will wrestle the CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTERFINALS on FRIDAY EVENING barring injuries and overtimes.

SATURDAY - DECEMBER 7th, 2024
7 A.M - Door open - Side entrance (DOOR #19) only
8 A.M. - Weigh-In's/Skin Checks (In Fieldhouse)
10 A.M. - All consolations
11:45 A.M. - Championship Semifinals and consolations 
1:30 P.M. - Consolation & Consolation Quarterfinals 
3:00 P.M. - BREAK ALL MUST EXIT 'THE DOME'
4:00 P.M. - Parade of Champions' ALL FINALISTS enter 'THE DOME'
4:30-6:30 - Championship Finals and 3rd/5th place bouts on 3 mats
6:45 P.M. - Awards Ceremony

Seeds:

106

1. Caleb Noble - Warren Township, IL

2. Justin Farnsworth - Malvern Prep, PA

3. Brayden Wenrich - Northampton, PA

4. Turner Ross - Edmond North, OK

5. Keegan Bassett - Bishop McCort, PA

6. Antonio Quiroz - Slam Academy, NV

7. Loc Webber - Dublin Coffman, OH

8. Brock Humphrey - Linsly School, WV

9. Eddie George - Blair Academy, NJ

10. Cruzer Dominguez - Creighton Prep, NE

11. Treavon Ducking - Brownsburg, IN

12. Ethan Powell - Genoa Area, OH

13. Bodey Gibbs - Columbia, OH

14. Wyatt Stauffer - Wyoming Seminary, PA

15. Niko Odiotti - Loyola Academy, IL

16. Nico Emili - Bethlehem Catholic, PA

113

1. Fred Bachmann - Faith Christian Academy, PA

2. Ignacio Villasenor - Stillwater, OK

3. Ayden Dodd - Perrysburg, OH

4. Chris Swann - Baylor School, TN

5. Brandon Bickerton - Highland, OH

6. Liam Davis - Lake Highland Prep, FL

7. Malachi Stratton - Sussex Central, DE

8. Michael Bautista - Blair Academy, NJ  

9. Jake Goodin - Edmond North, OK

10. Liam McGettigan - Gilman School, MD

11. Connor Whitely - St. Edward, OH

12. Brendan Kelly - Malvern Prep, PA

13. Brighton Karvoski - Green Farms Academy, CT

14. Lincoln Rohr - Massillon Perry, OH

15. Case Bell - Brownsburg, IN

16. Eli Herring - Bishop McCort, PA

120

1. Joe Bachmann - Faith Christian Academy, PA

2. Dom Munaretto - St. Charles East, IL

3. Grey Burnett - Perrysburg, OH

4. Lukas Littleton-Mascaro - Malvern Prep, PA

5. Ayden Thomas - Stillwater, OK

6. Shamus Regan - Wyoming Seminary, PA 

7. Revin Dickman - Brownsburg, IN

8. Mikey Ruiz - Canyon Randall, TX

9. Isaiah Jones - Bixby, OK

10. Ethan Timar - St. Edward, OH

11. Liston Seibert - Massillon Perry, OH

12. Alex Rozas - Tuerlings Catholic, LA

13. Joseph Curry - Licking Valley, OH

14. Johnny Green - Aurora, OH

15.  Austin Bickerton - Highland, OH

16. Cole Welte - Skutt Catholic, NE

126

1. Nathan Desmond - Wyoming Seminary, PA

2. Keanu Dillard - Bethlehem Catholic, PA

3. Lincoln Sledzianowski - St. John Neumann, FL

4. Collin Martin - Staunton River, VA

5. Gauge Botero - Faith Christian Academy, PA

6. Karson Brown - St. Edward, OH

7. Sebastian Degennaro - Jensen Beach, FL 

8. Rocco Cassioppi - Hononegah, IL

9. Matt O’Neil - Malvern Prep, PA 

10. Mason Carlson - Syracuse, UT

11. Devon Miller - Edmond North, OK

12. Gavin Jendreas - Crown Point, IN 

13. Stephen Myers - Parkersburg, WV

14. Gabe Ballard - Northampton, PA

15. Vincenzo Anello - Blair Academy, NJ

16. Czar Quintanilla - University, WA

132

1. Jax Forrest - Bishop McCort, PA

2. Jake Hockaday - Brownsburg, IN

3. Matthew Botello - Wyoming Seminary, PA

4. Jayden Raney - Union County, KY

5. Zach Stewart - Marmion Academy, IL

6. Manuel Saldate - Slam Academy, NV

7. Stockton Allen - Stillwater, OK

8. Trey Wagner - Northampton, PA

9. Luke Satriano - Valley Central, NY

10. Phoenix Contos - Toledo Waite, OH

11. Nathan Attisano - Legacy Christian Academy, OH

12. Adyn Bostick - Sunnyside, AZ

13. LT Hawkins - Crown Point, IN

14. Deven Casey - IC Catholic Prep, IL

15. Tate Hisey - St. Mary’s Memorial, OH

16. Eddie Goss - Center Grove, IN

138

1. Marcus Blaze - Perrysburg, OH

2. Sergio Vega - Sunnyside, AZ

3. Seth Mendoza - Mount Carmel, IL

4. Sam Herring - Bishop McCort, PA

5. Jayce Paridon - Lake Highland Prep, FL

6. Gunner Andrick - Point Pleasant, WV

7. Thomas Verrette - Edmond North, OK

8. Geronimo Rivera - Layton, UT

9. Thomas Silva - Hononegah, IL

10. Israel Borge - Westlake, UT 

11. Kane Shawger - St. Xavier, OH 

12. Isaiah Schaefer - Mater Dei, IN

13. Donovan Allen - Marist, IL

14. Braylon Reynolds - Brownsburg, IN

15. Jason Torres - Malvern Prep, PA

16. Kolten Hmel - St. Edward, OH

144

1. Bo Bassett - Bishop McCort, PA

2. Carlos Stanton - Sunnyside, AZ

3. Tyler Traves - Mountain View, VA

4. Joseph Sanderfer - Massillon Perry, OH

5. Charlie Desena - Lake Highland Prep, FL

6. Adam Butler - St. Edward, OH

7. Evan Gosz -Fremd, IL

8. Maksim Mukhamedaliyev - Hersey, IL

9. Walker Turley - St. Christopher’s, VA

10. Mason Wagner - Faith Christian Academy, PA 

11. Colin Rutlin - Christian Brothers College, MO

12. Austin Ellis - Davis, UT

13. Ben Zuckerman - Green Farms Academy, CT

14. James Whitbred - State College, PA

15. Michahel Lopez, Jr - Ponderosa, CO

16. Danny Beckett - Buckeye, OH

150

1. Noah Nininger - Staunton River, VA

2. Joseph Jeter - Edmond North, OK

3. Wyatt Medlin - Washington Community, IL

4. Zeno Moore - Lake Highland Prep, FL

5. Billy Greenwood - Poudre, CO

6. Max Stein - Faith Christian Academy, PA

7. Noah Bull - Layton, UT

8. Hunter Sturgill - Baylor School, TN

9. Cole Evans - Perrysburg, OH

10. Holden Huhn - La Salle, OH

11. Jake Miller - Broken Arrow, OK

12. Ryan Rios - Blair Academy, NJ

13. Londen Murphy - Archbishop Moeller, OH

14. Tyler Harrill - Skutt Catholic, NE

15. Carson Weber - Joliet West, IL

16. Marshall Geckler - Massillon Perry, OH

157

1. Kody Routledge - Edmond North, OK

2. William Denny- Marist, IL

3. Ishmael Guerrero - Stillwater, OK

4. Brogan Tucker - Graham, OH

5. Chase Van Hoven - Brooke Point, VA

6. Devon Magro - Bishop McCort, PA

7. Lucas Boe - Lake Highland Prep, FL

8. Anthony Evanitsky - Wyoming Seminary, PA

9. Chase Hontz - Faith Christian Academy, PA

10. Zack Aquila - Brecksville, OH

11. Jared Goldberg - St. Edward, OH

12. Charlie Scanlan - Bethlehem Catholic, PA

13. John Jurkovic - Gilman School, MD

14. Silas Stits, Center Grove, IN

15. Eli Esguerra - Dublin Coffman, OH

16. Barry Norman - Blair Academy, NJ

165

1. LaDarion Lockett - Stillwater, OK

2. Melvin Miller - Bishop McCort, PA

3. Cael Weidemoyer - Faith Christian Academy, PA

4. Liam Carlin - Greens Farms Academy, CT

5. Claudio Torres - Lake Highland Prep, FL

6. Luke James - Edison, OH

7. Brody Sendele - Hononegah, IL

8. Bradlee Farrer - Pleasant Grove, UT

9. Landen Johnson - Massillon Perry, OH

10. Keegan Ramsay - Notre Dame-Green Pond, PA

11. Nicholas Pina - Sunnyside, AZ

12. Riley Johnson - Skutt Catholic, NE

13. Shane McFillin - Bethlehem Catholic, PA

14. Anthony Gutierrez - St. Charles East, IL

15. Ayden King - Barnesville, OH

16. Ben Smith - South Summit, UT

175

1. William Henckel - Blair Academy, NJ

2. Aaron Stewart - Warren Township, IL

3. Asher Cunningham - State College, PA

4. Emmitt Sherlock - Gilman School, MD

5. Tyrel Miller - St. Edward, OH

6. Waylon Cressell - Warren Central, IN

7. Nick Singer - Faith Christian Academy, PA

8. Ethan Teague - Stillwater, OK

9. Maximus Norman - Baylor School, TN

10. Anthony Rinehart - Crown Point, IN

11. Carson Mize - Marysville, OH

12. Colin Wooldridge - La Salle, OH

13. Dominic Sumpolec - Notre Dame-Green Pond, PA

14. Brian Chamberlain - Wyoming Seminary, PA

15. Jack Hoffman - Springboro, OH

16. Andrew Barford - St. Francis DeSales, OH

190

1. Adam Waters - Faith Christian Academy, PA

2. Lane Foard - Benedictine College Prep, VA

3. De’Alcapon Veazy - Ponderosa, CO

4. Jarrel Miller - St. Edward, OH

5. Robert Kucharczk - Lake Highland Prep, FL

6. Matt Kowalski - Springboro, OH 

7. Peter Snyder - Blair Academy, NJ

8. Gunner Henry - Brownsburg, IN

9. Greyson Meak - Cold Spring Harbor, NY  

10. Adonis Bonar - Creighton Prep, NE

11. Jimmy Mastny - Marian Central Catholic, IL

12. Lincoln Shulaw - St. Francis DeSales, OH

13. Riley Ericksen - Marist, IL

14. Lucas Mata - Sunnyside, AZ

15. Josh Takats - Perrysburg, OH

16. Matthew Connolly - Malvern Prep, PA

215

1. Jude Correa - Wyoming Seminary, PA

2. Cade Ziola - Skutt Catholic, NE

3. Noah Weaver - Rossville, IN

4. Landon Jobber-Spence - Staunton River, VA

5. Cael Mielnik - Blair Academy, NJ

6. Jason Singer - Faith Christian Academy, PA

7. Alex Smith - Lake Highland Prep, FL

8. Wyatt Bush - Grundy, VA 

9. Leimana Fager - Corner Canyon, UT

10. Stosh Zalota - Malvern Prep, PA

11. Danny Zmorowski - Lake Catholic, OH

12. Riley McPherson - Brecksville, OH

13. Caden Brewer - Brownsburg, IN

14. Foley Calcagno - IC Catholic Prep, IL

15. Landen Ristoff - Massillon Perry, OH

16. Ethene Burns - Stillwater, OK

285

1. Michael Mocco - Cardinal Gibbons, FL

2. Mark Effendian - Faith Christian Academy, PA

3. Jacob Levy - Lake Highland Prep, FL

4. Travyn Boger - South Summit, UT

5. Alex Taylor - Mount Vernon, OH

6. Gunner Wilson - Broken Arrow, OK

7. Zane Candelaria - Sunnyside, AZ

8. Luke Cox - Lancaster, OH 

9. Caleb Rodriguez - Bishop McCort, PA

10. William Greenberg - Hawken, OH

11. Mike Millin - Massillon Perry, OH

12. Lukas Zalota - Malven Prep, PA

13. Gavin Grell - Northampton, PA

14. E.J. German - Brecksville, OH

15. Maximus Forrester - Brownsburg, IN

16. Redmond Lindsey - Bixby, OK