Mendez Takes 2nd at 2025 US Open in Las Vegas

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Junior Jesse Mendez took second place at the 2025 US Open in Las Vegas Saturday to lead the Buckeyes to four Top 5 finishes at the event.
 
Mendez faced former Buckeye Joey McKenna in the championship match in the senior men’s freestyle 65kg bracket.
 
Mendez scored first and led 1-0 after the first of two periods. McKenna went up 2-1 early in the second with a takedown and added a point before Mendez ended the scoring with a pushout to fall 3-2.
 
Brendan McCrone (57kg), Ben Davino (61Kg) and Carson Kharchla (79kg) all took fourth place in the senior men’s freestyle competition.
 
Freshman Cayaen Smith remains alive in the U20 freestyle bracket with a chance for a third place finish.
 
Buckeyes at the 2025 US Open
 
TJ Schierl (Sr. Greco-Roman, 77kg)

 
Brendan McCrone (Sr. FS, 57kg/4^th)

• Champ. Round 2: Brendan McCrone, ORTM over Beric Jordan, ORTC (TF 10-0 (1:06) )
• Quarters: Luke Lilledahl, NLTM over Brendan McCrone, ORTM (TF 10-0 (3:00) )
• Cons. Round 4: Brendan McCrone, ORTM over Britain Longmire, TAWC (TF 10-0 (1:17) )
• Cons. Round 5: Brendan McCrone, ORTM over Dalton Henderson, VIRG (TF 15-4 (2:06) )
• Cons. Semis: Brendan McCrone, ORTM over Daniel DeShazer, GWC (FF)
• 3rd Place Match: Nico Provo, CRTC over Brendan McCrone, ORTM (TF 13-2 (2:04) )

 
Ben Davino (Sr. FS, 61kg/4^th)

• Champ. Round 2: Ben Davino, ORTM over Clay Gates, WWC (TF 10-0 (0:26) )
• Champ. Round 3: Ben Davino, ORTM over Nico Megaludis, PWTM (Dec 3-1 )
• Quarters: Ben Davino, ORTM over Daton Fix, CRTM (ID 0:33 )
• Semis: Jax Forrest, CRTM over Ben Davino, ORTM (Dec 4-0 )
• Cons. Semis: Ben Davino, ORTM over Austin DeSanto, HWTM (Dec 6-4 )
• 3rd Place Match: Marcus Blaze, TMWC over Benjamin Davino, ORTM (Dec 7-0 )

 
Nic Bouzakis (Sr. FS, 61kg)

 
Jesse Mendez (Sr. FS, 65kg/2^nd)

 
Carson Kharchla (Sr. FS, 79kg/4^th)

• Champ. Round 2: Carson Kharchla, ORTM over Efren Mozqueda, LVWC (TF 10-0 (0:24) )
• Champ. Round 3: Carson Kharchla, ORTM over Ty Raines, NEYO (TF 12-2 (1:48) )
• Quarters: Simon Ruiz, SCRT over Carson Kharchla, ORTM (Dec 3-2 )
• Cons. Round 6: Carson Kharchla, ORTM over Sam Beckett, NLWC (TF 10-0 (0:57) )
• Cons. Round 7: Carson Kharchla, ORTM over Ethan Riddle, MIRT (TF 13-3 (4:19) )
• Cons. Semis: Carson Kharchla, ORTM over Kennedy Monday, NJRT (F 2:23 )
• 3rd Place Match: Simon Ruiz, SCRT over Carson Kharchla, ORTM (Dec 7-7 )

 
Nick Feldman (Sr. FS, 125kg)

 
Vinny Kilkeary (U20 FS, 57kg)

 
Daxton Chase (U20 FS, 70kg)

• Champ. Round 1: Mason Petersen, UWC over Daxton Chase, ORTM (F 5:44 )
• Cons. Round 1: Daxton Chase, ORTM over Anthony Ruggiero, PWC (TF 12-0 (0:41) )
• Cons. Round 2: Daxton Chase, ORTM over Beau Priest, DWC (FF)
• Cons. Round 3: Daxton Chase, ORTM over Cade Gilbert, ARRT (TF 10-0 (2:29) )
• Cons. Round 4: Tanner Frothinger, BRUV over Daxton Chase, ORTM (Dec 10-6 )

 
Cayaen Smith (U20 FS, 86kg)

 

 #GoBucks