The 2022 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational will take place December 2-3 and is one of the season’s top college tournaments. Check out the article below for a breakdown of the biggest stories before this incredible tournament ends.
2022 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational
Who will come out on top at 133?
CKLV’s 133 is full of talent. Including 6 wrestlers ranked in the top 12, potential he has 17 ranked wrestlers on the field!#3 Vito Arujau is leading the pack, with his 133 He has only fought one match in his career. #16 He is 17-6 major against Taylor LaMont. In Vegas, Aljaw will be tested by #5 Michael McGee, #6 Dylan Ragusin, #7 Chris Cannon, #9 Sam Ratona and #12 Jesse Mendes. If Aljaw has successfully won this division, the next question is how close he is to his RBY and Daton Fix.
Aljaw’s victory over Dylan Ragsin at the 2020 Senior Nationals:
With so many top tiers, it’s very difficult to predict who will come out on top, and there will almost certainly be multiple upsets. A true freshman Mendes would be the frontrunner to secure some of these big upsets. He opened the year by upset two-time All-American Lucas Byrd, but lost to Latona a week later. The young Buckeye has a solid chance to retake the rankings this weekend in Vegas.
Mendes beats two-time All-American Lucas Bird at the 2022 MSU Open:
Then there are the established vets – McGee, Ragusin, Cannon, and Latona. All but Ragsin are past All-Americans (although Ragsin beats Maggie and Cannon), and they all have the potential to gain this weight if they’re doing their best. Quarterfinal fights at this weight are insane, and wild results are sure to diminish.
Will chaos continue in 149?
149 was the most chaotic division of the season. His three-time NCAA champion Yianni Diacomiharis lost to Austin Gomez, true freshman Caleb Henson defeated Sammy Sasso, and freshman Panillo Johnson defeated Austin Gomez. This weight is ready for the madness to continue in Vegas, with 12 of his wrestlers potentially ranked on the field, and the top 10 includes four of his. #3 Jonathan Milner, #4 Kyle Parco, #5 Sammy Sasso, #7 Yahya Thomas, but #12 Colin Rialbut, #15 Dom Demus and #18 Jackson Arlington will challenge.
Sasso, Parco, and Milner are all two-time All-Americans, while Yahya Thomas is a one-time All-American. Any one of these four could come out on top, but it’s worth looking at past history to give context to CKLV’s bracket. Of these Big 4, Sammy Sasso is 6-0 on aggregate against his three other wrestlers. 1-0 against Parco, 2-0 against Milner, 3-0 against Thomas. Parco beat Milner in college while he’s 2-1, but in recent games Milner won his NCAA Tournament last year. Yahya Thomas never faced Parco or Milner in college, but over the summer he defeated Milner in two straight freestyle matches at the U23 Nationals.
Sasso’s victory over Milner in the 2022 NCAA Tournament:
Then there are dark horses in Realbuto, Demas, and Arrington. Of that group, Demus is clearly the most dangerous. Because past All-American and career wins over Klay Carlson, Chad Redd, Nick Lee, and Kaid Bullock. If Demus is fighting at his best, he’s absolutely capable of making it to the finals or even winning the entire tournament.
Jackson Arlington’s recent National Qualifier victory over Jonny Lovett:
157 = NCAA Finals Preview?
Like the 133 and 149, the 157 is an incredibly deep field featuring multiple NCAA title contenders and All-American threats. Will Lewan, Peyton Robb and Bryce Andonian are all in the NCAA title contender group and will be fascinating to watch in Vegas. Lewan, who finished fourth in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, most recently defeated Bryce Andonian in the 2022 NWCA All-Star Classic, and Payton has his second win over Rob. Thanks to that history, Lewan will be the No. 1 seed in Vegas and will be well-prepared for the Finals.
Ruwan’s victory over Bryce Andonian in the NWCA All-Star Classic:
Peyton Robb and Bryce Andonian should put on a show in a potential semi-final match. Both wrestle with an exciting style and aren’t afraid to light up the scoreboard with their big moves. American has never met in his college career, making it all the more intriguing in what should be an incredible match.
In addition to the Big 3, #11 Kendall Coleman, #12 Ed Scott, #19 Derek Horschlag, #23 Paten Keller, #24 Trevor Chambry and HM Paddy Gallagher are all in the £157 bracket. With so many quality opponents, there are definitely upsets across this stacked weight.
#2 Mekhi Lewis vs #3 Mikey Labriola
Mekhi Lewis and Mikey Labriola are the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in Vegas at £174 respectively. They will be challenged by #5 Demetrius Romero and #6 Ethan Smith, but Lewis and Labriola would love to meet in the finals.
This potential final could be the best of the tournament. Lewis is his two-time NCAA Finalist, in 2019 he is the NCAA Champion, and Labriola is his three-time All-American. Beyond that, the two have never wrestled in their college careers, making a head-to-head matchup all the more intriguing. , which could very well be a preview of a semifinal matchup at the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
Mikey Labriola’s overtime win over Ethan Smith in last year’s CKLV Finals:
#2 Parker Kekkeisen vs #3 Trent Hidley
Parker Kekkeisen and Trent Hidley last met in the semifinals of the 2022 NCAA Tournament. Kekkeisen swept his 7-5 overtime win. Like the Lewis vs. Labriola game, Kekkeisen and Hidley are likely to meet in the NCAA semifinals, where he is currently ranked No. 2 and his No. 3 in the nation.
It’s also worth noting that both Hidlay and Keckeisen will be challenged en route to the final. If the pre-seed holds, Kekkeisen will face #6 Trey in the quarter with either Muñoz He wrestles or #7 Jonathan Lowe, while Hidley will wrestle #4 Caleb He Romero or #8 Hunter Bohlen. Any of these challengers have the potential to throw a big wrench at this weight and dive into title contenders this weekend and beyond.
#1 Coulton Schultz vs #3 Mason Paris
Oh baby! The last time Coulton Schultz and Mason Paris faced each other was in the quarterfinals of the 2022 NCAA Tournament, where Schultz won by his 6-5 decision. In that match, Paris took an early lead on the first takedown and carried a 3-1 lead to his third. However, Schultz pressured Paris with an underhook, forcing Wolverine to make two takedowns and an errant shot in the third that secured the come-from-behind victory. After that game, Schultz advanced to his NCAA Finals, and Mason his Paris finished in his fifth place.
The implications of this potential match are huge for both wrestlers, and the result will absolutely affect their seeding in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. I won’t be wrestling with either Kirkfleet or 4th place Tony Cassioppi. So if Schultz beats Paris in his CKLV, he’ll be perfectly positioned to go undefeated and claim the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament in 2023.
Coulton Schultz’s victory over Mason Paris in last year’s NCAA Tournament:
CKLV has many other big stories. You can see them all in the CKLV preview.
