What a year for Team North Carolina in Fargo! 7 All-Americans! North Carolina is a definite stock up. This is the most All-Americans total since 2002 and the first time since 2010 that we had 3 AAs in the same style. 

 

We believe this is a start of something special for North Carolina. 6 of our 7 AAs return, our 16u group performed well in the dome, and our 14u group continues to prove that they are dangerous.

 

Fargo is one of the three pinnacle tournaments in High School in the current landscape. Right now, Fargo, Super 32 and U17 World Team Trials are the three toughest tournaments in the country. We know that North Carolina can perform at these tournaments. ​

 

We have said it over and over again, but we will say it again, there is nothing quite like being in Fargo and being Team North Carolina. No matter the battles that are had during the year, all these kids are rooting and supporting each other, and we feel that sense of comradery.Getting to spend this time around the athletes, coaches and families is a ton of fun and something we cherish about this trip. Getting to know everyone on a more personal level is our favorite part of the trip. ​We can't wait to be back in the Fargodome again next year! 

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North Carolina 'til the Grave! 

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Stock Up from Fargo:

 

Mia Pardo- Yes, she placed bu that isn't why her stock is up. She continues to improve with efficient leg attacks and deadly go behinds. At this rate of improvement she is going to be very difficult for anyone in the country to beat. 

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Iyanna Crawford- Along the way to AA status she had to get gritty in a way that I hadn't seen before. This impressed me and should impress you. 

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Rylynn Keziah- WHAT A PERFORMANCE! This performance is one that the NC wrestling community should talk about for decades to come. She loses first round to the two seed and then rolls off 7 straight to AA. Insane. Every college coach in the country should be recruiting Rylynn. She is that good and once she learns to trust her leg attacks, she is going to be darn near unbeatable. 

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Cam Johnson- An AA performance in Greco isn't why his stock is up. It is how he AA-ed. The grit he showed to win in the blood round was impressive. He was down 8-1 and chipped away until he won the match. His leg attacked are elite and he has a motor. I am very excited to see his high school career. 

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Devin Hord- The second kid in a row that hasn't even wrestled a high school match yet. The All-American performance was amazing. Along the way he turned out clutch performance after clutch performance. It happened too often not to notice and now know that Devin is just that guy. He is going to be absolute problems for the next four years. Good luck scoring on this guy. 

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Jake Amiott- The improvement over the past year is ridiculous but it isn't just out of thin air. Jake has worked hard and put himself in situations to grow. Much like Cam, he found himself down in the blood round match. He didn't panic and just kept wrestling. This calm demeanor, may be his greatest asset. Technique wise, his down block reattack was a difference maker. 

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Braylen Yates- One thing we don't see very often is Braylen having to defend an elite leg attack. We got to witness this many times over the course of the tournament and his elusiveness was soemnthing to behold. He is extremely hard to takedown and has solid offense from his 2 on 1. Braylen is going to be tough to beat as he continues to improve. If you didn't believe me about the hype before, I am sure you do now. 

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Mason Brown- Yes, the 1-2 freestyle performance wasn't his best. However, an adjustment here or there and he wins the close ones and probably finds himself on a deep run. To me the best part of his Fargo trip was when he wrestled Greco and performed well even though he isn't a greco guy. This response is exactly what you would like to see. Don't fool yourself, Mason is that guy. 

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Addison Gore- Even though she didn't reach her goals, she impressed me. She continues to improve in her freestyle savvy and is getting more used to how she needs to adjust her game to win matches. Her potential is truly unlimited and her character is second to none. Big things are ahead for Addison Gore. 

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Mac Johnson- Mac closed out matches that he lost a year ago at Fargo. That alone is a stock up performance. We know he has the offense to win any match but winning with head/hands defense and tactical making great decisions is what we needed to see. 

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Tye Johnson- While we know that Tye can score on anyone at almost anyone at any moment. His offense looked even more effective and efficient. He wasn't getting into scrambles or getting stuffed. He would take leg attacks and score. Thinking about Super 32 and beyond, this is a great sign. 

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Manny Kahsai- Manny stood out from a pure fearlessness standpoint. He is going to wrestle and wrestle hard. I don't know how anyone could watch this kid wrestle and not love it. I am a big fan of Manny and I am excited to see where his wrestling takes him. 

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Nash Mullis- When I think of Nash, I think toughness. Kid is super tough and won't back down from any situation. 

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Brianna Palmer- The best she has ever wrestled. She scored big wins against nationally ranked opponents. However, that isn't why her stock is up. It is her down block, go behinds. She has perfected this and it went a long way in the Fargodome. 

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Carson Raper- Everyone who meets this kid, loves him. I think that the whole coaching staff would agree with that statement. Carson just competes and competes hard every single time out. His pin over the Florida kid will live rent free in my head for a long time. This year he made day three and was two matches away from achieving All-American status. 

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Khiry Reese- One of the toughest moments of Fargo for me was watching this outstanding young lady lose in the blood round. Despite not winning that match, I came away from Fargo with an admiration for Khiry. She wrestles with a toughness and grit that few have. She has a single leg that in my opinion is deadly and she can takedown anyone with it. 

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Mitchell Rowland- This kid has national champion potential. That isn't my opinion, that was an opinion of a coach on staff. For the record, I believe that too. The way he wrestles is so fun to watch and doesn't back down from any challenges. He also might be the most respectful kid that I have ever met. 

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Aaron Ruiz-Angel- One match away from All-American status. This kid moves his feet so well and has great leg attacks. He is just starting to ascend to where he can be. 

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Peyton Smith- Sometimes it isn't just the wrestling that has your stock rising. That is the case for Peyton. Yes, she wrestles hard and wrestled well. However, she is a high character individual and that should get a ton of praise too. 

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Ella Taylor- Her debut at 207 didn't go the way that she planned. I walked away thinking that my opinion of her chances to AA are still about the same. She lost two matches that were very winnable with adjustments to her strategy. I am interested to see her progress between now and Super 32. 

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Laila Tellez- Once she learns how to win the close ones, she is going to be super dangerous. She has innate ability to score and score in bunches. Which is very dangerous in freestyle. 

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Alex Thompson- This kid has some serious potential. It was fun to watch him wrestle and compete. I really like the style that he has built for himself and the way he can attack legs. 

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Ahmet Zaggout- The movement of his feet stood out to me. He is able to create angles pretty seamlessly and that is gonna benefit him moving forward. 

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Bentley Sly- Bentley knows how Rhett and I feel about him. We made sure of that face to face in Fargo. It is college time now for the Cradle King. So, all I will say is this, I have been picking Bentley since day 1 of his freshman year. Nothing changes now. 

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