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Holy Cross' two-time defending Division I state champion Jake Rando put together a 4-1 record in taking the runner-up spot at the USAW/Cliff Keen Nationals Juniors 145 lbs. competition on Friday and Saturday in Cedar Falls, Iowa.  After a first round bye, Rando defeated Minnesota's Tanner Day via a 13-3 major decision, and followed that with a tough 8-6 victory over Jackson Gallagher of Bettendorf, Iowa, who placed fifth in the Iowa 3A state championships.  In the quarterfinals Rando pinned Cole Klinkner of Minnesota in 2:52.  His semifinals match was against a Minnesota class 3A state runner-up, Tyler Shilson, which Rando won 11-7.  In the finals Rando faced the Minnesota 3A 145 lbs. state champion, Alex Lloyd, and lost a 10-7 match. Junior 145 lbs. Bracket

Five other Tigers, Michael Lundin, Jacob Spahn, Cole Clement, Joey Foret and Michael Benton, as well as Haynes Academy's Cameron Frost, represented the Bayou Elite Wrestling Club of New Orleans in the event. 

In the Cadet 106 lbs. weight class Lundin, who placed 6th in Division I last February, won his first match 8-2 before falling 7-2 in the second round to Utah Youth Super State champion Tyler Humphreys.  In his first consolation round match Lundin was knocked out of the event by the eventual seventh-place finisher Derek Gilcher of Michigan.

At the Cadet 113 lbs. division Haynes freshman Cameron Frost, who placed third at 113 lbs. in Division III in Bossier City, lost his first two matches by 8-3 and 7-3 decisions. 

Junior Jacob Spahn lost his first match via a fall, but in his next match he lasted the full six minutes in a 13-4 loss to Kansas' Drake Taysom, who placed third in the Kansas 6A/5A state championships. 

State champion Cole Clement went 2-2 in the event.  Clement lost his first match 10-5, but came back to score a fall in 0:24 in his first consolation match.  His next match was much closer as Clement needed a Sudden Victory score to win 8-6.  After that, however, he lost 8-2 to eventual fourth-place finisher Gabriel Townsell of Illinois, who placed third in the Illinois 3A state championships.

State champion Joey Foret won his first two matches by major decisions of 18-7 and 18-8, before falling 9-6 to Nebraska state champion Zemua Baptista.  He won his first consolation round match 9-6 over an Idaho state fourth-placer before falling to Minnesota's Joshua Bryant, who ended up placing 6th.

Michael Benton, who placed third at 160 lbs. in Bossier City, lost his two matches 7-2.  His first was against a third-place finisher in Iowa's Class 1A. 

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