Fini

Thirteen Louisiana wrestlers made the trip to Fargo, North Dakota, for the USMC/WUSA Nationals in freestyle and Greco Roman.  Two came back as All-Americans.

At 138 lbs. in the Greco-Roman tournament, St. Paul's Jared Thieler won his first three matches in the Junior championship bracket before losing his first match.  In the consolation rounds Thieler won one match and lost the next two for a 4-3 record.  That was good enough for eighth-place, and All-American status is granted to the top eight wrestlers in a weight class.

All-American Jared Thieler and Coach Matt Pinero	All-American Jared Thieler with coaches Matt Pinero and John Kent	Jared Thieler - 8th-place - to the right of the marine	Jared Thieler (far left) on the All-American podium

In the 170 lbs. freestyle tournament, Josh Ramirez won four matches in the Junior championship brackets before hitting a road-block relegating him to the consolation bracket.  There, Ramirez won his first match but lost the final three to record a 5-3 record.  Like Thieler, Ramirez placed eighth and was recognized as an All-American.

Josh Ramirez gets instructions from Coach Jon Orillion	Younger brother Jacob Ramirez gets instructions from coaches	Dinner after the wrestling	Josh Ramirez (far left) on the All-American podium

The coaches for Team Louisiana were Jon Orillion, Sheridan Moran (freestyle), John Kent (Greco-Roman), Matt Pinero and Dylan Azinger.

Aside from Thieler and Ramirez, only one other wrestler posted a winning record.  That was Jake Rando, who was 2-2 in Greco-Roman competition and 5-2 in the freestyle event.  Rando left Fargo with a record of 7-4.

Raven Guidry of Acadiana High School, and when college starts, Oklahoma City University, posted a 2-2 record in the Women's Freestyle Nationals

Winning at Fargo Oklahoma City University Letter of Intent signing [Anything I write here will just get me in trouble later - Editor]

"Two and two was definitely not the plan, but I didn't perform like I should have.  I am still trying to get over it, but I have to just look to the future.  On to bigger things!"

 The records of the other participants for Team Louisiana are listed below:

* Fisher wrestled 170 lbs. in the Greco-Roman competition and at 160 in the freestyle competition.

This was the last Team Louisiana that will be coached by Rummel coach Jon Orillion, who is moving to Iowa to coach at Loras College.

Back to Top