Who’s No. 1 Boys Wrestling Preview: 13 Nationally Ranked Matchups to Watch

Another chapter in FloWrestling’s Who’s No. 1 history will be written Saturday at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

The concept is simple: Whenever possible, put the top two wrestlers in the country against each other. The matchups don’t always fall exactly that way, but the event consistently brings together many of the best high school wrestlers in the nation.

The girls take the mat at 2 p.m. CT, followed by the boys at 5:30 p.m. CT. The action can be streamed live on FloWrestling (subscription required).

Here is a look at the 13 boys matches.

World Medalists Step Into the Spotlight

While the girls card features three current world champions, the boys counter with former world champions along with silver and bronze medalists from this year’s World Championships.

California’s Sammy Sanchez (Esperanza) is a two-time U17 World champion, winning titles in 2024 and 2025. He moved into the U20 ranks this spring but finished sixth at the U.S. Open before rebounding to capture the 126-pound Junior freestyle championship at Fargo.

Sanchez’s opponent at 126 is No. 1 Landon Sidun (Norwin, Pennsylvania), who had a relatively quiet summer and stayed out of the national spotlight.

Sidun sits ahead of Sanchez in our rankings in part because of their results against recently graduated Rocklin Zinkin. Sidun defeated Zinkin 13-4 at last year’s Who’s No. 1, while Sanchez lost to Zinkin 5-2 in the California state final.

At 132, two former U17 World medalists collide when 2025 bronze medalist Grey Burnett (Perrysburg, Ohio) faces former world champion Paul Kenny (Christian Brothers Academy, New Jersey).

They have recent history. Burnett defeated Kenny 6-1 at the U20 World Team Trials and also won their highly contested Ironman final, 4-2.

Back From the World Stage

Salah Tsarni, a Maryland native who transferred to Blair Academy in New Jersey ahead of his junior season, has flourished on the international stage.

Tsarni won U17 Pan American gold before capturing a silver medal at the 2026 U17 World Championships.

A familiar opponent awaits him at 190 pounds.

California’s Mario Carini (Poway), who finished second to Zack Aquila (Brecksville, Ohio) at Fargo at 175 pounds, defeated Tsarni in last year’s Super 32 third-place match.

Tsarni suffered two pins on the second day of that tournament. The other came against Jayden O’Farrill (State College, Pennsylvania).

O’Farrill missed the high school season because of injury but returned at the U.S. Open and captured the U17 championship at 80 kilograms to earn a spot on the World Team.

Now back at 175 pounds, O’Farrill faces Aquila in a matchup between the U.S. Open champion and Fargo champion. They occupy the top two spots in our rankings.

Another 2026 World medalist competing Saturday is Jimmy Mastny (Marian Central Catholic, Illinois), who captured U17 bronze this summer.

Mastny, a 2025 Super 32 champion, could forgo his senior high school season to enroll in college early. He remains eligible for Who’s No. 1 and will face Mick Moylan (Poway, California) at 215 pounds.

Moylan finished second at Fargo to Sam Howard (Boonville, Indiana).

No. 1 Pound-for-Pound Melvin Miller Takes on Camryn Howard

Melvin Miller (Bishop McCort, Pennsylvania) sits atop the High School On SI Boys Wrestling Pound-for-Pound rankings.

His 165-pound opponent, Camryn Howard (Bellport, New York), is not currently in our Pound-for-Pound Top 10, giving Howard an opportunity to make a major statement Saturday.

Miller won another Fargo championship this summer and finished second to 2026 NCAA champion Landon Robideau at the U20 World Team Trials.

Howard remained in the U17 division and took advantage, winning a national championship and earning a spot on the World Team. He swept Pennsylvania’s Jason Dube in the U.S. Open finals before coming up short of a medal at the World Championships.

Seven members of our Pound-for-Pound Top 10 will compete at Who’s No. 1. The three missing are Michael Boyle (Bishop Watterson, Ohio), Ariah Mills (Buford, Georgia) and Hayden Schwab (Don Bosco, Iowa).

St. John Bosco Trio Set to Represent

National powerhouse St. John Bosco will send three wrestlers to Who’s No. 1: Luke Loren at 106 pounds, Jesse Grajeda at 144 and Michael Romero at 157.

Loren faces No. 1 Kooper Deputy (Chestnut Ridge, Pennsylvania), who placed fifth at the U17 World Championships at 48 kilograms and appears to be making one final appearance at 106 pounds.

Deputy is registered at 113 for Super 32.

He finished second to Mills at 106 at last year’s Super 32, while Loren placed fourth in the same bracket.

At 144, Grajeda is quite familiar with Braylon Reynolds (Brownsburg, Indiana). They met in the Junior Fargo final this summer, with Grajeda rolling to an 11-0 technical fall.

Romero owns a 5-3 victory over Mac Crosson (Indianola, Iowa) from the 2025 Junior National Duals, but Crosson has built a stronger recent body of work.

Crosson finished second at Fargo to recently graduated Charlie DeSena (Lake Highland Prep, Florida) and defeated Camryn Howard 9-2 at the World Team Trials. Romero did not place at the U.S. Open and has competed less frequently since his win over Crosson.

That sets up their rematch at 157 pounds.

Time to Run It Back

Several other matches feature opponents with previous history.

Clinton Shepherd (Crown Point, Indiana) returns to high school-level competition at 150 pounds after announcing that he planned to skip his senior season.

Shepherd is not included in our current rankings. If he were, he would slot just behind his Saturday opponent, No. 1 Jason Dube (Spire Academy, Ohio).

Dube edged Shepherd 7-6 at Fargo and went on to finish second, while Shepherd missed the podium.

Another Fargo rematch comes at 120 pounds, where No. 2 Brayden Wenrich (Northampton, Pennsylvania) faces No. 3 Michael Batista (Blair Academy, New Jersey).

Wenrich won their most recent meeting emphatically, defeating Batista 14-2 in the Fargo final.

Batista, however, owns two earlier victories in the series. He defeated Wenrich 16-5 in the Phil Portuese Northeast Regional final and 19-8 at the 2025 U.S. Open.

At 138 pounds, Gavin Mangano (Shoreham-Wading River, New York) returns to a weight class he has rarely occupied since last preseason to face Dean Anderson (Valiant Prep, Arizona).

Mangano defeated Anderson 1-0 in the third-place match at last year’s Super 32.

Analu Woode Puts No. 1 Ranking on the Line

Hawaii’s Analu Woode (Nanakuli) captured the 113-pound Junior championship at Fargo and enters the new season ranked No. 1 by High School On SI.

Woode will travel from Hawaii to face No. 2 Evan Restivo (State College, Pennsylvania).

Restivo finished second to Ariah Mills at the U17 U.S. Open. When Mills was unable to compete at the World Championships, Restivo took his place on the U.S. team but did not medal.

Saturday gives Restivo an immediate opportunity to challenge Woode for the top spot in the national rankings.

Who’s No. 1 Boys Wrestling Match Order

Here are the 13 bouts in their scheduled order, along with each wrestler’s position in the latest High School On SI Boys National Wrestling Rankings:

113 pounds: No. 1 Analu Woode (Nanakuli, Hawaii) vs. No. 2 Evan Restivo (State College, Pennsylvania)

144 pounds: No. 1 Jesse Grajeda (St. John Bosco, California) vs. No. 6 Braylon Reynolds (Brownsburg, Indiana)

215 pounds: No. 2 Jimmy Mastny (Marian Central Catholic, Illinois) vs. No. 4 Mick Moylan (Poway, California)

120 pounds: No. 2 Brayden Wenrich (Northampton, Pennsylvania) vs. No. 3 Michael Batista (Blair Academy, New Jersey)

106 pounds: No. 1 Kooper Deputy (Chestnut Ridge, Pennsylvania) vs. No. 2 Luke Loren (St. John Bosco, California)

138 pounds: No. 1 Gavin Mangano (Shoreham-Wading River, New York) vs. No. 2 Dean Anderson (Valiant Prep, Arizona)

150 pounds: No. 1 Jason Dube (Spire Academy, Ohio) vs. Clinton Shepherd (Crown Point, Indiana)

190 pounds: No. 1 Mario Carini (Poway, California) vs. No. 2 Salah Tsarni (Blair Academy, New Jersey)

157 pounds: No. 1 Mac Crosson (Indianola, Iowa) vs. No. 2 Michael Romero (St. John Bosco, California)

175 pounds: No. 1 Jayden O’Farrill (State College, Pennsylvania) vs. No. 2 Zack Aquila (Brecksville, Ohio)

132 pounds: No. 1 Grey Burnett (Perrysburg, Ohio) vs. No. 2 Paul Kenny (Christian Brothers Academy, New Jersey)

126 pounds: No. 1 Landon Sidun (Norwin, Pennsylvania) vs. No. 2 Sammy Sanchez (Esperanza, California)

165 pounds: No. 1 Melvin Miller (Bishop McCort, Pennsylvania) vs. Camryn Howard (Bellport, New York)

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