LAS VEGAS, Nev. — North Dakota State freshman heavyweight Brandon Metz was a double All-American at the UWW Junior Nationals including a runner-up performance in Freestyle and third-place showing in Greco-Roman on April 26-28 at the South Point Hotel.
The Bison Wrestling Club RTC finished second in the UWW Junior Freestyle Nationals highlighted by the second place Metz and the third-place effort by redshirt freshman Paul Bianchi. Metz jumped out to an early lead in the 125 KG/275.5-pound championship match, but Gannon Gremmel of the Cyclone RTC rallied for a 16-8 win.
In the 130 KG/286.6 Greco-Roman division, Metz held off Thomas Helton of the Southern Illinois Training Center by the score of 4-1 in the third-place match. The West Fargo native went 8-2 over the weekend with 4-1 records in each discipline.
Bianchi, an NCAA qualifier during the winter, rebounded from a loss midway through the 57 KG/125.6 freestyle bracket and compiled a 6-1 record. He earned a 17-6 win in the third-place match over unattached Gavin Teasdale.
A pair of freshman, 61 KG/134.4 McGwire Midkiff (6-2) and 70 KG/154.3 Jaden Van Maanen (4-3), finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in the freestyle competition. Van Maanen had a key quarterfinal win over Penn State redshirt freshman and Cadet World Champion Jarod Verkleeren.
Former North Dakota State All-American Hayden Zillmer (3-1) was runner-up at 92 KG/202.8 in the US Open Senior Freestyle bracket, while Brent Fleetwood (5-3) placed sixth at 57 KG/125.6 pounds
NDSU volunteer assistant Chase Nelson (2-3) placed eighth in the 67 KG/147.9 US Open Senior Greco.
