Part One: Storylines to Watch at the 2021 Super 32 Challenge (106-152)
by Christopher Miller

Image courtesy of WrestlingTexas.com. 

As per usual, the Super 32 Challenge is showing signs of being an immensely competitive tournament once again in 2021.

Rankings don't guarantee Super 32 belts. That being said, there are north of 150 nationally-ranked wrestlers (including dozens of TOM-ranked wrestlers) in a talent-laden men's high school field. The men's high school tournament has over 1,600 competitors from 48 different states (only Arkansas and Mississippi will not have representation) Plus, both the U.S. and Canada will be represented.

All of whom will be competing inside the Greensboro Coliseum Special Events Center in Greensboro, North Carolina, October 23-24. 

Below you'll find the pre-seeds, brackets, a complete entry list, TOM's latest rankings from Colt Yinger, and finally, some storylines to watch out for.

We are one day away from the most challenging high school event in the nation. With more than 30 different colleges currently represented as future landing sports for these high school standouts, this is an action-packed two-day wrestling extravaganza you surely won't want to miss. 

 

TOM's What to Watch for at the 2021 Super 32 Challenge September 23-24. 

106: The lightest weight at the event, 106 pounds, is often one of the most fun weights to watch, given that the weight often sees some of its Super 32 champs become NCAA standouts and even future NCAA champs. Yianni Diakomihalis and Nick Suriano are recent evidence of this.  

Well, in 2021, we might see another future NCAA national champion take to the Super 32 mats in presumptive favorite Bo Bassett. Bo may only be in the eighth grade, but he is already a household name in the sport. The Bishop McCort Catholic middle schooler has a record-breaking summer. Bo was thought to be the youngest Cadet world champion wrestler in history. He also became the first eighth-grader to compete in (and win) FloWrestling's Who's No. 1 event over a very talented Seth Mendoza out of Illinois. Mendoza, a Fargo champ in his own right, is the No. 8 seed this weekend.

Due to some last-minute weight class maneuvering, it appears we won't be getting a showdown of Bassett and Graham's defending  state champ, Baric Jordan (Ohio), who is widely considered one of the the best 106-pounder in the country. Baric was a champion as a freshman in 2019 and took fifth last year at Super 32 at 106. He bumped up to 113 this weekend.

However, fellow Who's No. 1 winner Anthony Knox (New Jersey), did drop down to 106 this weekend. Should he and Bo meet, a No. 1 spot at the weight is on the line.

Outside of these two, PA boys Nathan Desmond (Fargo All-American) and 2021 PIAA state champ Louie Gill are names to watch.

113: Now that Baric Jordan has bumped up to this weight class, he certainly becomes a storyline in the bracket. That being said, you won't want to miss Latrobe's  Vinny Kilkeary as he tries to win his second straight Super 32 belt (2020 champ at 106). While Kilkeary is a proven star (PIAA 1st and 3rd) to his credit, he is one of a dozen or so genuine contenders at the weight. Luke Lilledahl, Missouri's Cadet World silver medalist, will be in the hunt along with a handful of other former Fargo placers that will look to dethrone a defending Super 32 champ. The 113-pounders could be one of the deeper brackets at the event.

120: This is another weight in the discussion for the deepest that the event has to offer. Leading the way in the field is TOM pound-for-pounder, Cadet World bronze medalist, and Hawkeye commit Nate Jesuroga, who hasn't lost a Folkstyle match since the 2020 Super 32. The bracket also features previous Super 32 champ Caden Horwath (Michigan), Fargo finalists Brock Mantanona (California), and Aiden Valencia (California). Plus, Nebraska's Kael Lauridsen, a returning Super 32 placer, Fargo All-American, and Cadet Trials finalist, is not a name to ignore. And, these are just some names within the top-10 seeds. This is a weight to watch all weekend.

126: Much like the previous three weights, 126 is also loaded. Fargo finalist Sergio Lemly is currently ranked No. 1 at 126. Behind Sergio, though, are Greco Cadet World silver medalist Cory Land, Fargo champ Kannon Webster, and Super 32 finalist PJ Duke. Also, Arizona's Adrian Meza will look to keep things rolling after taking out one of the nation's best in Mason Gibson (Pennsylvania) at Fargo 2021. That battle was one of the most electric matches inside the FargoDome earlier this summer.

132: Future Buckeye and TOM pound-for-pounder Nic Bouzakis is your guy to watch here. After a summer that saw his training primarily focused on the international styles, he looks to get back to his winning ways at an event he has shined at in the past. Per Willie Saylor of Mat Scouts, Nic is chasing history this weekend in Greensboro. Bouzakis is going for his third title and a fourth medal. Only Braxton Amos, Yianni, and Sam Krivus had three titles, but none finished their careers with four medals. In the process, Bouzakis will also look to avenge his Fargo loss to Arizona Emilio Ysaguirre, who went on to win Fargo just a few months ago.

138: Unfortunately, the weight lost a bit of momentum with the news that one of the nation's most coveted recruits in the Class of 2022, Jesse Mendez (Crown Point, Indiana), would not be competing. That said, I'm very excited to see if Joel Adams (Nebraska) can steal the spotlight just as he did earlier this summer after becoming a Fargo champ. Richard Fedalen (Maryland), Tyler Kasak (Pennsylvania), Beau Mantanona (California), and others will all be in contention for the coveted belt as well.

145: Top-seeded Cody Chittum (Tennessee), a TOM P4Per, and recent Who's No. 1 winner Jackson Arrington (Pennsylvania) are the frontrunners. Chittum spent significant time at the top of the 145-pound rankings in the past. This will be Arrington's first action since his dominating Who's No. 1 win over Hunter Garvin. Both Chittum and Arrington love to put up points and do so in a hurry. I give the advantage to the future Golden Gopher, Chittum, but this should be fun.

152: Unlike many of the other weights in the first half of the tournament, there is not a clear frontrunner or favorite, but rather many who could bring home a title if they have their best two days of wrestling in the Coliseum in Greensboro. The weight is up for grabs. The first five seeds are Michael Kilic (Georgia), Mitchell Mesenbrink (Wisconsin), Erik Gibson (Pennsylvania), Nicco Ruiz (California), and Zack Ryder (New York). All hope to live up to their seeding and win a belt. But many behind them in the seeds will have a chance, too. 



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