Fargo Nationals 16U Day 3 Freestyle recap

Fargo Nationals Day 3 Recap: 16U Placement Day Highlights

The dust has finally settled on Day 3 of the Fargo Nationals, and the 16U placement rounds did not disappoint. From lightning-fast pins to heartbreaking battles in the notorious blood round, these elite young athletes left everything they had on the mats.

Whether you are looking to track the rise of dominant new national champions, celebrate the gritty performances of the All-Americans who battled back through the consolation brackets, or break down the tough luck of those who finished just one win shy of the podium, we have you covered.

Top-Seeded / Unbeaten Tournament Champions

Kade Splinter (Stoughton) – 16U 215 lbs

• Day 3 Record: 3-0 | Tournament Record: 7-0

• Placement: 16U National Champion

• Recap: Splinter put on a masterclass of absolute dominance, tearing through the 215-lb bracket. Impressively, he spent a grand total of just 5 minutes and 29 seconds on the mat across all 7 of his tournament matches. On his way to the national title, he picked up major wins over the Iowa freestyle state 3rd-place finisher and the eventual 5th-place finisher (who was also the Southern Plains Regional Champ). In the finals, Splinter capped off his historic run by defeating the eventual runner-up from Pennsylvania, a returning 2025 Fargo 16U All-American.

Wrestlers with One Loss (Tournament Finalists & High Placers)

Easton Kammerud (Mt. Horeb / Barneveld) – 16U 165 lbs

• Day 3 Record: 2-1 | Tournament Record: 6-1

• Placement: 16U National Runner-Up

• Recap: Kammerud put together a phenomenal tournament run to reach the grand stage. His path to the finals included strong victories over the California Northwest Regional Freestyle Champion and an eventual 6th-place finisher from Iowa. He fought hard in the finals but ultimately dropped the match to the eventual National Champion, a 1A Georgia High School State Champ.

Leland Havens (Mt. Horeb / Barneveld) – 16U 285 lbs

• Day 3 Record: 2-1 | Tournament Record: 5-1

• Placement: 16U National Runner-Up

• Recap: Havens proved to be one of the top heavyweights in the country with an outstanding run to the finals. Along the way, he picked up massive wins over a Class 3 Missouri state 4th-place finisher and the eventual 3rd-place finisher from Pennsylvania. In the championship bout, Havens fell just short in a tight 3-6 battle against the eventual National Champion, a AA Minnesota state 4th-place finisher.

Wrestlers with Multiple Losses Still Alive/Placed (Consolation Bracket)

Liam Crandall (Evansville) – 16U 150 lbs

• Day 3 Record: 3-2 | Tournament Record: 7-2

• Placement: 4th Place (All-American)

• Recap: Crandall showed incredible grit on Placement Day, navigating a grueling schedule to finish 4th in the nation. His tournament losses came only to elite competition: the eventual tournament runner-up (a 3A Virginia state champ) and the eventual 3rd-place finisher (a D4 Arizona state champ). Crandall racked up high-quality wins along the way, beating the Northwest Regional runner-up, the eventual 8th-placer (Ohio Central Regional Champ), and the eventual 6th-placer (Indiana Central Regional Champ).

Collin Hamm (Weyauwega-Fremont) – 16U 165 lbs

• Day 3 Record: 2-2 | Tournament Record: 6-2

• Placement: 5th Place (All-American)

• Recap: Hamm battled through a highly competitive 165-lb bracket to secure a 5th-place finish. He earned strong victories over a 5A Nevada state runner-up and defeated the eventual 6th-place finisher from Iowa to secure his spot. Hamm’s only defeats of the tournament came at the hands of the eventual National Champion from Georgia and the eventual 3rd-place finisher from Ohio.

Keilan Yang (Regis / Altoona) – 16U 113 lbs

• Day 3 Record: 1-3 | Tournament Record: 6-3

• Placement: 6th Place (All-American)

• Recap: Yang wrestled a brutal schedule on Day 3 to finish 6th in the nation. Highlighted by a victory over a AAA Minnesota high school state 5th-place finisher, Yang’s losses came strictly against the division’s absolute best. He fell to the eventual National Champion (a California US Open U17 All-American), the eventual 4th-placer from Pennsylvania, and the eventual 5th-placer from the Southeast Region.

Treyton Altuve (Hamilton) – 16U 190 lbs

• Day 3 Record: 2-2 | Tournament Record: 6-2

• Placement: 7th Place (All-American)

• Recap: Altuve bounced back perfectly in his placement matches to take home 7th place honors. He picked up solid wins against an Indiana state qualifier and clinched his podium spot by defeating the eventual 8th-place finisher, a Class 3 Missouri state runner-up. His two losses came against top-tier talent: an eventual finalist from Pennsylvania and the eventual 3rd-place finisher, a 2025 Fargo Greco All-American from California.

Cole Train Vanderwerff (Burlington) – 16U 88 lbs

• Day 3 Record: 1-3 | Tournament Record: 4-3

• Placement: 8th Place (All-American)

• Recap: Vanderwerff battled hard on Placement Day to secure All-American status with an 8th-place finish. He ran into a gauntlet of regional champions, dropping matches to the eventual tournament runner-up (Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Champ), the eventual 6th-placer (Central Regional runner-up), and the eventual 7th-placer (Western Regional Champ).

Wrestlers Eliminated on Day 3 (Heartbreak in the Blood Round)

Note: The following wrestlers were eliminated just one win shy of placing, widely known as the “Blood Round” (Top 12).

Mason Moody (Arrowhead) – 16U 120 lbs

• Day 3 Record: 0-2 | Tournament Record: 5-2

• Status: Eliminated in the Blood Round (Top 12)

• Recap: Moody put together a great tournament run but fell just short of the podium on Day 3. He faced elite gatekeepers in the consolation bracket, suffering losses to an eventual tournament finalist (an Indiana state 3rd-placer) and the eventual 7th-place finisher (a D1 New York High School State Champion).

Lincoln Swick (Oconomowoc) – 16U 120 lbs

• Day 3 Record: 1-1 | Tournament Record: 7-2

• Status: Eliminated in the Blood Round (Top 12)

• Recap: Swick had a massive 7-win tournament but faced heartbreak just before the medal rounds. He picked up a stellar Day 3 win over the California Western Regional 3rd-place finisher. However, his tournament came to an end against a familiar foe: a 3A Illinois state runner-up who handed Swick both of his losses in the bracket, with the second one coming in the blood round to the eventual 3rd-placer.

Jacob Penzkover (Aquinas) – 16U 157 lbs

• Day 3 Record: 0-2 | Tournament Record: 4-2

• Status: Eliminated in the Blood Round (Top 12)

• Recap: Penzkover put together a strong 4-win performance over the course of the tournament but drew an incredibly tough day 3 slate. He was eliminated in the blood round after dropping matches to an eventual tournament finalist (a D2 Ohio state runner-up) and the eventual 7th-place finisher (an Ohio freestyle state runner-up).

Nolan Ferrell (Arrowhead) – 16U 175 lbs

• Day 3 Record: 1-1 | Tournament Record: 5-2

• Status: Eliminated in the Blood Round (Top 12)

• Recap: Ferrell put together a highly respectable 5-2 tournament showing. On Day 3, he pushed deep into the consolation bracket but was ultimately knocked out in the blood round by the eventual 8th-place finisher, a 3A Iowa high school state 7th-place finisher.

Elias Green (Waukesha South) – 16U 190 lbs

• Day 3 Record: 0-2 | Tournament Record: 4-2

• Status: Eliminated in the Blood Round (Top 12)

• Recap: Green put on a great performance throughout the week to rack up 4 tournament wins. His run came to an end on Day 3 in the blood round after dropping tough matches to the eventual 6th-place finisher (an Oklahoma US Open All-American) and the eventual 8th-place finisher (a Class 3 Missouri state runner-up).