PERRY ONE WIN SHY OF ALL-AMERICAN MEDAL

By Joe Walker

FARGO, ND- Central Mountain Wildcat Dalton Perry came one win shy of All-American status at the 2024 National Junior Freestyle Championships, as he dropped a tough 24-18 decision to #1 seeded Alex Braun of Minnesota in the second consolation round of 8 on Wednesday. 

Trailing 18-16 with 30 seconds to go in the match, Braun got a takedown and then went into a tilt series and rolled Perry thru three times for six more points and the 24-18 win. In freestyle wrestling you can just roll your opponent over and even though they roll through, you’ve exposed the shoulders and you get two points. You do not have to get the referee count before getting points awarded. 

As mentioned Tuesday, Braun was a two-time state champion and a four-time place winner in Minnesota and is headed to the University of Oklahoma to do his college wrestling. Braun finished his high school career ranked #4 in the country and had 256 career wins. 

Perry finished the tournament with a 5-2 record, while Griffin Walizer finished the junior freestyle division tournament with a 3-2 record. In the 16-Under division, Aiden Kunes finished with a 5-2 record, while Gavin Heverly was 1-2 and Patrick Tarantella went 0-2. In the girls freestyle division, Bucktails’ Kendall Wagner finished with a 4-2 record and as a whole the locals were a combined 18-12. 

Other Locals of note: Line Mountain state champ Brock Rothermel is in the finals of the junior freestyle 120 pound class. Austin Johnson (215) of Muncy, Pierson Manville (144) of State College and Maddox Shaw (150) of Thomas-Jefferson all placed third. Shaw is the wrestler who defeated Perry in the State finals this past winter. James Whitbred (144) of State College placed fifth in the 16-U division. 

Heading into the finals, Pennsylvania is dominating, as in the junior freestyle division they are in first place with 241 points, six wrestlers in the finals and 18 All-Americans. New Jersey is the closest at second place with 116 points, five finalists and 8 All-Americans. In the 16-U division, Pennsylvania leads the field again with 184 points, five finalists and 17 All-Americans, while Illinois is second with 126 points, three finalists and eight All-Americans. 

The men’s Greco-Roman Division will start Friday and finish Saturday, local participants are yet to be determined out of the Central Mountain Wildcat contingent.