Matt Vines

North DeSoto Wrestling Academy’s Chase Smart earned All-American status at the USA Wrestling 16U Folkstyle Nationals this past weekend in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Smart advanced to the quarterfinals of his 150-pound weight class, falling in a heartbreaker 7-6 decision to Jais Rose of Wyoming.

Smart won two matches in the championship bracket of the national competition, taking down Grayson Gonzales (Frisco Wakel) with a fall at 3:143 and Liam Fox (Bear Cave Wrestling) with a 9-8 decision.

Smart placed sixth in his weight class after maneuvering through the consolation bracket.

He disposed of D. Hollenbeck (8-7 decision) and J. Clark (7-6 decision) to reach the fifth-place match, where he lost 13-2 to C. Gray.

The junior won a Division II Louisiana state championship in the LHSAA ranks in the 157-pound class.

NDWA dominates Louisiana USA Wrestling State Championships

The North DeSoto Wrestling Academy dominated the Louisiana USA Wrestling State Championships held this past weekend at the Baton Rouge River Center.

The NDWA produced 13 state champions and 27 other top-four finishers across the board.

Age divisions included 8U, 10U, 14U, 16U and Open on the boys side with three girls divisions.

State champions included Wyatt Goodson, Carson Otto, Kolby Moore, Braxton Morris, Nicholas Griffith, Baker Brogden, Louden Moon, Jayden Otto, Eli Brogden, Jacob Kershaw, Jeremiah Yearby, Caiden Burns and Elainah Davis.

State runner-ups include Nolan Gray, Sage Stoute, Lyncoln Morris, Bruce Vanderhoeven, Conner Gandee, Coleman Morgan, Colton Risinger-Burton, L’Lijah Williams, Michael Washington, Brynn Brogden and Annaliah Molinas.

Third-place finishers include Oaklen Williams, Levi Medaries, Aaron Newton, Kade Tinsley, AJ Rogers, Coleson Cogar, Sy Stoute, Brantley Moore, Xzavier Molinas and Liliana Mendez-Rabinowitz.

Fourth-place finishers were Paul Vanderhoeven, Collin Gandee, Easton Twigg, Jaxon Morgan and Addelyn Compton.