Brandon Metz, Fargo Grec-Roman champion, is representing Team USA at 285 pounds (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)The Dream Team Classic, in its 20th edition, is being held this year at Elmhurst College just outside of Chicago, Illinois. Sponsored by Wrestling USA Magazine and presented by IKWF/IL-USAW, the event will be on Saturday night starting at 7 p.m. CT, featuring some of the nation's best seniors against those from the host state of Illinois. A live webcast will be provided by Trackwrestling. Below is an overview of the matches.
113: Jason Holmes (Chandler, Ariz.) vs. No. 16 (at 120) Dack Punke (Washington)
Holmes is a two-time Junior National freestyle champion, while earning All-American honors in Greco-Roman during both tournament weeks, those did come at 100 and 106 pounds during the last two summers. He competed at 120 during this regular season, but did not participate in the state tournament series. Punke is a two-time state champion, including this season at 120 pounds. He is also a two-time Junior National Greco-Roman champion and a two-time Cadet World Team member in Greco-Roman.
120: Esco Walker, Jr. (Hopewell, N.C.) vs. No. 4 Michael McGee (Plainfield East)
Walker never won a state title, third the last two years after a runner-up finish as a freshman. However, he was a NHSCA Junior Nationals champion and FloNationals placer last year, while also placing fifth at NHSCA Senior Nationals this year. McGee is a two-time state champion and three-time state finalist, including an undefeated senior campaign; he has a 116-5 mark over the last three seasons.
126: No. 7 (at 120) Connor Brown (Oak Grove, Mo.) vs. Zach Villarreal (Lyons Township)
Brown is a four-time state champion, going without a loss since midway through his freshman season. He competed the last two years at 120 pounds after going 106 the first two seasons, and placed third at Junior Folkstyle last spring. Villarreal is a two-time state placer, including a third place finish this season, as well as earning a runner-up finish at the Preseason Nationals this past fall.
132: No. 7 Brian Courtney (Athens, Pa.) vs. No. 8 Jason Renteria (Oak Park River Forest)
These wrestlers met in early October at the Journeymen Classic, with Courtney pulling out a 5-4 victory on that occasion. Courtney is a four-time state placer, including state titles each of the last two seasons. He also placed third at the Super 32 Challenge this fall, and is a three-time FloNationals placer, winning gold in 2016. Renteria is a four-time state finalist, including a pair of state titles the last two seasons. In the Olympic styles, Renteria was a Cadet National double All-American in 2015 as well as a UWW Cadet National double All-American last spring.
138: No. 4 Kaden Gfeller (Heritage Hall, Okla.) vs. Nolan Baker (Byron)
Gfeller is a four-time state champion and four-time Fargo All-American, including a third in Junior freestyle in 2015 and a Cadet freestyle title in 2013. He also is a three-time UWW Cadet National All-American in freestyle and in calendar year 2015 won the FloNationals while placing at the Super 32 Challenge. Baker is a four-time state placer and two-time state champion, including this year's title at 145 pounds. He also is a three-time Fargo All-American in Greco-Roman, including a fourth-place finish at the Junior level in 2015.
145: No. 7 Dominick Demas (Dublin Coffman, Ohio) vs. Gavin Sutton (Richmond-Burton)
Demas was a four-time state placer, three time state finalist, winning state titles in 2015 and 2017. He is also a two-time Cadet World Team member in Greco-Roman. Sutton placed at state three times, including finals appearances the last two years, winning state this past season. He also was a placer at the Preseason Nationals the last two years.
152: No. 4 Stephan Glasgow (Bound Brook, N.J.) vs. No. 6 Austin O'Connor (St. Rita)
Glasgow was a three-time state finalist in the Garden State, winning titles the last two years, including this season in a state champ vs. state champ showdown against two-time state champ Shane Griffith. He also placed third at the Super 32 Challenge in the fall, and made the finals all four years at the NHSCA grade-level nationals, winning as a freshman and senior. O'Connor is a four-time state champion, going undefeated each of the last two seasons, while amassing a career record of 181-4. He is also a two-time placer at the Super 32 Challenge, a 2015 Junior Greco-Roman runner-up, and a Cadet double All-American in 2014.
160: No. 14 Georgio Poullas (Canfield, Ohio) vs. Trevell Timmons (Lockport)
Poullas is a four-time state placer, winning state as a junior and finishing as runner-up this season. He was a champion of this season's Walsh Ironman, placed third at the NHSCA Senior Nationals and FloNationals after this current season, and placed at the Super 32 Challenge in 2015. Timmons is a three-time state placer, winning a state title this season; he also was a Cadet National freestyle champion in 2015, and is a two-time UWW Cadet freestyle All-American.
170: No. 6 (at 182) Bryce Rogers (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.) vs. David Riojas (Chicago Mt. Carmel)
Rogers is a three-time state champion, and in the last thirteen months has won three major out of season tournaments - NHSCA Junior Nationals, the Super 32 Challenge, and the NHSCA Senior Nationals. Riojas is a three-time state placer, including this season's state championship.
182: No. 3 Nino Bonaccorsi (Bethel Park, Pa.) vs. Cameron Caffey (Carbondale)
Bonaccorsi is a three-time state placer, finishing runner-up each of the last two years. He is also a two-time placer at both the Super 32 Challenge (runner-up in fall 2015) and FloNationals (champion in spring 2015). Caffey is a three-time state placer, including a state title this past season; he also placed fifth at the just completed Junior folkstyle tournament.
195: No. 8 Andrew Davison (Chesterton, Ind.) vs. No. 1 Jacob Warner (Washington)
Davison is a two-time state placer, including an undefeated state championship season this past year. In addition, he placed third at the Super 32 Challenge this past fall and was seventh in both styles at the Junior Nationals in Fargo this past summer. Warner is a three-time state champion, finishing runner-up as a freshman. He was a Cadet World bronze medalist in freestyle this past fall. In addition, Warner was a three-time UWW Cadet freestyle All-American and a 2015 Cadet National double champion.
220: No. 5 Jared Campbell (St. Edward, Ohio) vs. No. 5 (at 195) Patrick Brucki (Carl Sandburg)
Campbell is a three-time state finalist, winning a title this past season. He was a NHSCA Junior Nationals and FloNationals champion last spring. Brucki has finished top three at state each of the last three seasons, including his state title this season at 195 pounds. He also placed third in Junior freestyle this past summer.
Note: Warner and Brucki are both listed as 195 in the flyer posted online, so they could end up switching opposition.
285: No. 4 Brandon Metz (West Fargo, N.D.) vs. Zach Muller (Westmont)
Metz is a three-time state champion, and a five-time Fargo All-American. This includes a pair of titles in Greco-Roman (2016 at the Junior level, 2014 at the Cadet level) and a third place finish in Junior freestyle this past summer. Muller is a two-time state placer, including a state title this past season. He also placed third in the fall at the Super 32 Challenge and finished fifth in Junior freestyle this past summer.
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