Wolverine Wrestling Club finds podium often at Yona Championships

Wolverine Wrestling Club athletes scored a number of podium finishes at Saturday’s YONA Youth Wrestling Championship in Cherokee, helping WWC take third overall in the team standings.

Wolverine Wrestling Club also competed Sunday in the Yona Dual Championships, earning fifth place in the event open to wrestlers in grades K-8, and had several wrestlers compete in the Yona Rookie Championships on Sunday.

More than 60 teams competed in Saturday’s event at Harrah`s Cherokee Casino Convention Center in Cherokee. Haywood Elite easily won the team title, with Combat Athletics taking second and WWC placing third.

Leading the way for WWC with class championships were Efrain Rivera, Evan McCraw and Styler Blackwell. Rivera took top honors in the Middle School 98 division, with McCraw taking the top spot at Middle School 120 and Blackwell sweeping to the win in Middle School 152.

WWC’s Dominic Ramirez claimed second in 6U 40 while Felix Montiel placed second in High School 182.

A number of wrestlers grabbed third-place spots, including Boaz Wilson (8U 85/HWT), Eric Ramirez (10U 65), Frankie Montiel (10U 120/HWT), Connor Ahlert (Middle School 13) and Jadyn Virgil (High School 182).

On Sunday, Dominic Ramirez swept through the 6U 40 division to take first place while Jace Williams earned a third place at 12U 98/106.

YONA Youth Wrestling Championship 2023
Wolverine Wrestling Club results
6U 40
Round 1 – Lincoln Benfield (Believe to Achieve) d. Dominic Ramirez (Wolverine Wrestling Club), 5-0
Round 2 – Dominic Ramirez p. Zion Brown (Team Chaos) (Fall 0:53)
Round 3 – Dominic Ramirez by forfeit Nash Polly (Stars & Stripes Wrestling Acad)
Round 4 – Dominic Ramirez maj. dec. Grayson Patton (Port City Pirates), 11-0
Round 5 – Dominic Ramirez p. Jacob Samuels (Port City Pirates)

6U 50
Round 1 – Abel Welch (Smoky Mountain Youth Wrestling) p. Zeke Wilson (Wolverine Wrestling Club)
Round 2 – Nick Johnson (Port City Pirates) p. Zeke Wilson
Round 4 – Brayden Willard (Combat Athletics) p. Zeke Wilson
Round 5 – Zeke Wilson (Wolverine Wrestling Club) d. Teigan Smith (DeHart Wrestling Academy), 12-5
Round 6 – Zeke Wilson (Wolverine Wrestling Club) by forfeit Dawson Gregg (Haywood Elite)
Round 7 – Asa Wilson (Wolverine Wrestling Club) by forfeit Zeke Wilson

6U 50
Round 1 – Nick Johnson (Port City Pirates) p. Asa Wilson (Wolverine Wrestling Club)
Round 2 – Brayden Willard (Combat Athletics) p. Asa Wilson
Round 3 – Abel Welch (Smoky Mountain Youth Wrestling) p. Asa Wilson
Round 4 – Asa Wilson p. Dawson Gregg (Haywood Elite) (Fall 1:05)
Round 6 – Asa Wilson d. Teigan Smith (DeHart Wrestling Academy), 9-5
Round 7 – Asa Wilson by forfeit Zeke Wilson (Wolverine Wrestling Club)

8U 60
Round 2 – Kash Mitchell (Wolverine Wrestling Club) d. Willy Murdock (PowerCross), 11-7
Round 3 – Kash Mitchell p. Timothy Parker (Team Chaos) (Fall 1:48)
Round 5 – Badin Athey (Believe to Achieve) p. Kash Mitchell
3rd Place Match – Kree Stephenson (DeHart Wrestling Academy) p. Kash Mitchell

8U 85/HWT
Round 1 – Lachlan Smith (Port City Pirates) p. Boaz Wilson (Wolverine Wrestling Club)
Round 2 – Boaz Wilson d. Zyrus Flores (Haywood Elite), 10-3
Round 3 – Boaz Wilson p. Carter Norris (Qualla Clans)
Round 5 – Landon Reed (Combat Athletics) won in sudden victory – 1 over Boaz Wilson, SV-1 7-5

10U 65
Round 1 – Eric Ramirez (Wolverine Wrestling Club) p. Graham Surface (Wolverine Wrestling Club)
Round 2 – Eric Ramirez d. Jameson White (Burke Avengers), 4-0
Round 4 – Eric Ramirez d. Jack Simon (Haywood Elite), 4-0
Round 5 – Eric Ramirez d. Camdyn Gash (Blue Devils Wrestling Club), 8-2
Round 6 – Jensen Cross (TNWA) won in sudden victory – 1 over Eric Ramirez, SV-1 5-0
Round 7 – Dawson Grady (Believe to Achieve) maj. dec. Eric Ramirez, 10-0

10U 65
Round 1 – Eric Ramirez (Wolverine Wrestling Club) p. Graham Surface (Wolverine Wrestling Club)
Round 2 – Jensen Cross (TNWA) d. Graham Surface, 5-0
Round 3 – Dawson Grady (Believe to Achieve) p. Graham Surface
Round 4 – Graham Surface d. Camdyn Gash (Blue Devils Wrestling Club), 5-2
Round 5 – Jack Simon (Haywood Elite) maj. dec. Graham Surface, 10-2
Round 6 – Jameson White (Burke Avengers) d. Graham Surface, 8-2

10U 75
Round 2 – Alexander Fine (Wolverine Wrestling Club) p. Mason Murdock
Round 3 – Alexander Fine d. Christopher Harrison, 8-2
Round 4 – Gauge Young (KLAW) p. Alexander Fine
Round 5 – Alexander Fine p. Kedron Hyatt (Qualla Clans)
3rd Place Match – Cooper Phillips (PowerCross) p. Alexander Fine

10U 120/HHWT
Round 1 – Kolt Clevinger (Lost Boyz) p. Frankie Montiel (Wolverine Wrestling Club)
Round 2 – Frankie Montiel p. Marijane Tafoya (Qualla Clans)
Round 3 – Job Hensley (Haywood Elite) tech fall Frankie Montiel, 17-0

12U 83
Round 1 – Brooks Deitz (Unaffiliated) d. Gavin Waldbillig (Wolverine Wrestling Club), 10-3
Round 3 – Gavin Waldbillig d. Josiah Grady (Believe to Achieve), 10-4
Round 5 – Gavin Waldbillig p. Valentina Walker (Smoky Mountain Youth Wrestling)
3rd Place Match – Nolan Petit (Mooresville Wrestling Club) p. Gavin Waldbillig

12U 106/113
Round 1 – Isaac Young (Haywood Elite) p. Jace Williams (Wolverine Wrestling Club)
Round 2 – Karsen Whitt (Unattached) p. Jace Williams
Round 3 – Tristan Eziekiel Queen (Blue Devils Wrestling Club) p. Jace Williams

Middle School 98
Champ. Round 1 – Efrain Rivera (Wolverine Wrestling Club) tech fall Walker Henline (Haywood Elite), 16-0
Quarterfinal – Efrain Rivera p. Christian Piccioli (Stars & Stripes Wrestling Acad)
Semifinal – Efrain Rivera won by medical forfeit over Hope McGee (Baynard Trained) (MFF)
1st Place Match – Efrain Rivera d. Landry Webb (Haywood Elite), 5-1

Middle School 113
Champ. Round 1 – Conner Ahlert (Wolverine Wrestling Club) p. Chase Beasley (Misfit Wrestling)
Quarterfinal – Conner Ahlert d. Logan Hudson (East side youth), 7-1
Semifinal – Alexander Cecil (Madison Wrestling Club) maj. dec. Conner Ahlert, 11-2
Cons. Semi – Conner Ahlert p. Tristan Eziekiel Queen (Blue Devils Wrestling Club)
3rd Place Match – Conner Ahlert d. Morrison Murphy (Darkhorse Wrestling), 4-3

Middle School 113
Quarterfinal – Morrison Murphy (Darkhorse Wrestling) p. Jaxtyn Virgil (Wolverine Wrestling Club)
Cons. Round 2 – Jaxtyn Virgil p. Chase Beasley (Misfit Wrestling) (Fall 3:22)
Cons. Round 3 – Tristan Eziekiel Queen (Blue Devils Wrestling Club) d. Jaxtyn Virgil, 6-3

Middle School 120
Quarterfinal – Evan McCraw (Wolverine Wrestling Club) d. Lukas Allman (Darkhorse Wrestling), 0-5
Semifinal – Evan McCraw p. Nathan Martin (East Burke youth)
1st Place Match – Evan McCraw p. Jesse Ledford (Mat Masters)

Middle School 145
Champ. Round 1 – Chester Wilson (Wolverine Wrestling Club) p. Ethan Benoy (Stars & Stripes Wrestling Acad)
Quarterfinal – Tyson Mills (PowerCross) d. Chester Wilson, 8-6
Cons. Round 2 – Camden Yawn (Haywood Elite) maj. dec. Chester Wilson, 11-2

Middle School 145
Champ. Round 1 – Zach McCraw (Wolverine Wrestling Club) p. Jaxon Bates (Unattached)
Quarterfinal – Andrew Taylor p. Zach McCraw (Wolverine Wrestling Club)
Cons. Round 2 – Zach McCraw p. Samuel Curtis (Independent)
Cons. Round 3 – Jackson Gacono (Oakley Fight Club) d. Zach McCraw, 6-2

Middle School 152
Round 1 – Styler Blackwell p. Iker Ramirez (Haywood Elite)
Round 2 – Styler Blackwell d. Korbin Lanning (Combat Athletics), 7-3
Round 3 – Styler Blackwell p. Christopher Aparicio (Lost Boyz)
Round 4 – Styler Blackwell p. Knox Orr (Peak)
Round 5 – Styler Blackwell by forfeit Joseph McCoy (Peak)

High School 120
Quarterfinal – Kale Stephenson (DeHart Wrestling Academy) maj. dec. Carter Wade (Wolverine Wrestling Club), 9-0
Cons. Round 1 – Jayden Mondragon (Newport Wrestling Club) d. Carter Wade, 7-0

High School 138
Quarterfinal – Boedi Kirkland (Trojan Wrestling Club) maj. dec. Carson Bell (Wolverine Wrestling Club), 15-1
Cons. Round 3 – Brayden Hibbitts (Lost Boyz) p. Carson Bell

High School 160
Round 1 – Zalen McCraw (Wolverine Wrestling Club) p. Juan Mirafuentes (Smoky Mountain Youth Wrestling)
Round 2 – Zalen McCraw p. Jackson Yarborough (Mountaineer Wrecking Crew)
Round 3 – Brayden Helms (RS Central High) d. Zalen McCraw, 7-2
Round 4 – Zalen McCraw by forfeit Zachary Seay (Peak)
Round 5 – William Riddle (Peak) maj. dec. Zalen McCraw, 8-0
Cons. Semi – Nathaniel Guerrero (Wolverine Wrestling Club) d. Zalen McCraw, 5-4
7th Place Match – Zalen McCraw by forfeit Jackson Yarborough (Mountaineer Wrecking Crew)

High School 160
Round 1 – Blake Powers (Unaffiliated) maj. dec. Nathaniel Guerrero (Wolverine Wrestling Club), 13-4
Round 2 – Nathaniel Guerrero p. Tanner Moore (Qualla Clans)
Round 3 – Nathaniel Guerrero maj. dec. Isaak Wesche (Newport Wrestling Club), 16-2
Round 4 – Marcus McCarson (East side youth) p. Nathaniel Guerrero
Round 5 – Carlos Rios (Mat militia) p. Nathaniel Guerrero
Cons. Semi – Nathaniel Guerrero d. Zalen McCraw (Wolverine Wrestling Club), 5-4
5th Place Match – Carlos Rios (Mat militia) won in tie breaker – 1 over Nathaniel Guerrero, TB-1 4-1

High School 182
Quarterfinal – Jadyn Virgil (Wolverine Wrestling Club) p. Koltt McCall (Blue Devils Wrestling Club)
Semifinal – Landon Pope (Haywood Elite) d. Jadyn Virgil, 7-0
Cons. Semi – Jadyn Virgil p. Noah Mcknight (Smoky Mountain Youth Wrestling)
3rd Place Match – Jadyn Virgil p. Koltt McCall (Blue Devils Wrestling Club)

High School 182
Champ. Round 1 – Felix Montiel (Wolverine Wrestling Club) maj. dec. Landon Flockhart (Newport Wrestling Club), 9-1
Quarterfinal – Felix Montiel p. Michel Gayosso (1)
Semifinal – Felix Montiel p. Kyler Branham (Peak)
1st Place Match – Landon Pope (Haywood Elite) maj. dec. Felix Montiel, 12-0

YONA Rookie Championship 2023
Wolverine Wrestling Club results
6U 40
Round 1 – Dominic Ramirez (Wolverine Wrestling Club) tech fall over Easton Lambert (Blue Devil Wrestling Club), 20-4
Round 2 – Dominic Ramirez p. Kaleb Griffith (Unattached)
Round 3 – Dominic Ramirez won by forfeit over Nash Polly (SSWA)
Round 4 – Dominic Ramirez p. Jacob Samuels (Port City Pirates)
Round 5 – Dominic Ramirez p. Gage Pilkington (Unaffiliated)
Round 6 – Dominic Ramirez injury default over Maddax Lyons (Smoky Mountain Youth Wrestling)
Round 7 – Dominic Ramirez d. Grayson Patton (Port City Pirates), 6-1

8U 60
Round 1 – Kash Mitchell (Wolverine Wrestling Club) p. Brayden Arch (Qualla Clans)
Round 2 – Kash Mitchell d. Jaxon Bullard (NC Pride Wrestling Club), 13-11
Round 3 – Kree Stephenson (DeHart Wrestling Academy) p. Kash Mitchell
Round 4 – Kash Mitchell p. Cooper Casteel (East Burke)
Round 5 – Bentley Glover (Team Chaos) p. Kash Mitchell
Cons. Semi – Cael Miller (Port City Pirates) d. Kash Mitchell, 7-4
7th Place Match – Kash Mitchell p. Willy Murdock (PowerCross)

12U 98/106
Round 1 – Calvin Russell (Blue Devil Wrestling Club) p. Jace Williams (Wolverine Wrestling Club)
Round 2 – Jace Williams p. Aiden Justice (Blue Devil Wrestling Club)
Round 3 – Karsen Whitt (Unaffiliated) p. Jace Williams

Middle School 120
Round 1 – Joe Ramirez (Ashe Youth Wrestling) maj. dec. Rocco Quoyle (Wolverine Wrestling Club), 15-2
Round 2 – Jason Phelps (Lee County) p. Rocco Quoyle
Round 3 – Erick Gutierrez (Lee County) p. Rocco Quoyle
Round 5 – Tate Willis (Combat Athletics) p. Rocco Quoyle
Round 6 – Rocco Quoyle d. Jaidyn Hill (SSWA), 6-4
Round 7 – Rocco Quoyle d. Nathan Martin (East Burke), 4-0
Round 8 – Braydon Middleton (Smoky Mountain Youth Wrestling) p. Rocco Quoyle

• Henry Spivey (Mountaineer Wrecking Crew) p. Rocco Quoyle