Oklahoma State wrestling: AJ Ferrari wins 2020 UWW Junior National title at 92 kilograms

Oklahoma State freshman AJ Ferrari defeated Missouri freshman Rocky Elam 6-1 to win the United World Wrestling Junior Nationals at 92 kilograms in men’s freestyle on Sunday in Omaha, Nebraska.

Ferrari scored a blast double-leg takedown 49 seconds into the first period to take a 2-0 lead at the break. He was put on the shot clock in the opening minute of the second and scored a push out 20 seconds later off a shot attempt for a 3-0 edge.

Ferrari then kept Elam from scoring on the shot clock for another point and added another blast double-leg takedown before Elam avoided the shutout with a push out.

Ferrari outscored his opponents 37-1 in the tournament, with Elam scoring the lone point with only seven seconds remaining in the final match. With the win, Ferrari earned a bid to the 2021 Junior World Team Trials.

Anthony Ferrari, a 2022 prospect who listed OSU in his top three schools list and is a younger brother of AJ Ferrari, defeated Cal Poly redshirt freshman Legend Lamer by first-period technical fall to claim third place at 65 kg. Anthony scored one push out and four takedowns to secure the win and finish the tournament 7-1 with his lone loss to Virginia Tech sophomore and eventual runner-up Bryce Andonian by tech fall in the quarterfinals.

OSU sophomore Reece Witcraft was 3-2 at 57 kg and did not place. He started the tournament with three wins by first-period tech fall then fell 9-8 to Columbia sophomore and eventual runner-up Angelo Rini in the quarterfinals and 8-6 to Michigan commit Chance Lamer in consolations.

Victor Voinovich, a 2021 signee, went 5-2 to take seventh place at 65 kg. The Brecksville, Ohio native had three tech falls before a 5-4 loss to Cameron Picklo of Mustang, Oklahoma. Voinovich responded with a 12-4 win against Iowa State freshman Cameron Robinson then suffered a 4-1 loss to Lamer. Iowa’s Cobe Siebrecht forfeited the seventh-place match to Voinovich.

Results

AJ Ferrari (92 kg) — 1st place

• Final: VPO1 6-1 vs. Rocky Elam (Tiger Style Wrestling Club)
• Semis: VSU 10-0 5:45 vs. Nicolas Willham (Indiana RTC)
• Quarters: VSU 10-0 :40 vs. Christopher Smith (Southeast RTC)
• Round of 16: VSU 11-0 2:43 vs. Denzel Mabry (San Francisco Wrestling Club)
• Round of 32: BYE

Anthony Ferrari (65 kg) — 3rd place

• 3rd place: VSU 11-1 2:26 vs. Legend Lamer (Central Coast RTC)
• Cons semis: VIN vs. Cameron Picklo
• Cons 4: VFO Cobe Siebrecht (Hawkeye Wrestling Club)
• Cons 8: VPO1 7-3 vs. Joshua Saunders (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club)
• Quarters: VSU1 12-2 1:45 loss vs. Bryce Andonian (Southeast RTC)
• Round of 16: VSU 11-0 2:31 vs. Jaden Le (New York City RTC)
• Round of 32: VSU 11-0 1:36 vs. Kyle Prewitt (Arkansas RTC)
• Round of 64: VSU 11-0 1:50 vs. Camden Baarda (Grand View Wrestling Club)

Victor Voinovich (65 kg) — 7th place

• Seventh place: VFO Cobe Siebrecht (Hawkeye Wrestling Club)
• Cons 4: VPO1 4-1 loss vs. Legend Lamer (Central Coast RTC)
• Cons 8: VPO1 12-4 vs. Cameron Robinson (Cyclone RTC)
• Quarters: VPO1 5-4 loss vs. Cameron Picklo
• Round of 16: VSU 10-0 1:38 vs. Ben Monroe (Cyclone RTC)
• Round 32: VSU 10-0 2:29 vs. Carson Sheets (Mustang Wrestling Club)
• Round of 64: VSU1 14-4 2:13 vs. Nicholas Stonecheck (Mat Town USA)

Reece Witcraft (57 kg) — DNP

• Cons 8: VFO 8-6 loss vs. Chance Lamer (Mat Sense Wrestling)
• Quarters: VPO1 9-8 loss vs. Angelo Rini (New York City RTC)
• Round of 16: VSU 10-0 2:38 vs. Nico Provo (South Side Wrestling Club)
• Round of 32: VSU1 12-2 2:10 vs. Gabe Whisenhunt (Mat Sense Wrestling)
• Round of 64: VSU 10-0 1:42 vs. Jacob Perez-Eli (Cyclone RTC)