From 3,200 wrestlers, to the final four, Brandon Bickerton, Jaxon Joy reach Fargo semis
FARGO — When you get to the second day of the 16U and Junior Freestyle National Championships in Fargo, N.D., it’s all about the want to.
Wrestlers from 49 states have shrunk two tournament fields totaling almost 3,200 athletes down to the semifinals, plus those left in consolation.
That makes the margin for error razor thin.
Incoming Highland freshman Brandon Bickerton (88 pounds) found his way to the semifinals Tuesday in the 16U bracket and already has All-America status.
Wadsworth senior Jaxon Joy (145) did it at the Junior level and is now a two-time Fargo All-American.
Perry’s Liston Seibert (106) and Barberton’s Jackson Phillips (220) are one win away from All-America status at 16U.
Jackson’s Ethan Dimos (106), Buckeye’s Colyn Limbert (113), Aurora’s Johnny Green (113) and Brecksville’s Brock Herman (152) are one away from the same honor at the Junior level.
USMC Freestyle National Championships: Frantic Fargo is all about finding inner peace in a field of 3,192 national wrestlers
“Today was a big day,” Bickerton said. “It takes a lot of sacrifice to be here. Right now I’m in the semifinals and looking forward to winning. I remember last year watching this tournament and wanting to be there. I’ve been working hard, and now it’s paying off. I want to make a name for myself early on.”
Highland's Brandon Bickerton is national name as incoming freshman
Bickerton has been doing that a lot as a three-time OAC state champion and U15 U.S. Open champion.
A 6-3 win over Pennsylvania’s Eli Herrig pushed him into the quarterfinals, where he beat Northern Plains regional champ Eric Bice of Nevada.
The top-seeded Bickerton has two-time Northern Plains regional placer Niko Odiotti of Illinois in the semifinals and is one match away from the big stage Wednesday evening.
“I’m going to have to rethink things and watch some film,” Bickerton said. “I’m not going to study too much or get too nervous. I’ll watch what I can do and look for a weakness.”
Wadsworth's Jaxon Joy aims for his first Fargo national title
Joy is no stranger to the spotlight as a two-time state champ, one-time runner-up and returning Fargo All-American.
Wednesday will be his first semifinal in the FargoDome after another impressive showing.
“We're all at the top level at what we do,” Joy said. “I think the difference right now is just a little bit more mental. Just trying to stay positive throughout the day. It's a long day. A lot of kids are cutting weight tonight. You just try to stay positive through it all and focus on one match at a time, while having fun.”
Joy did a ton of that and has yet to go the full six minutes at Fargo.
He shut out and won by technical fall over four-time state placer and Northwestern commit Kolby McClain of Missouri.
He won by technical fall over two-time state champ, state runner-up and Folkstyle All-American Brady Collins of Colorado.
He shut out and won by technical fall over state champ, two-time runner-up and Southeast Regional champ Layton Schneider of Oklahoma.
He’ll have U20 Pan-Am gold medalist, 2021 Fargo champion and three-time state champion Kannon Webster of Illinois in the semifinals.
“The semifinals are probably just as important as the first round,” Joy said. “It’s no different because the ultimate goal is to win it. I’m just one step closer. For me it's just all kind of the same.”
Contact Brad Bournival at bbournival@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @bbournival
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Highland's Brandon Bickerton, Wadsworth's Jaxon Joy reach Fargo semis
