Perry's Caige Horak three wins away from Fargo Greco-Roman National Championship title

FARGO, N.D. –—Repetitiveness breeds success. Especially if you’re a wrestler.

If anyone questions that, all they need to do is look at Perry’s Caige Horak .

The sophomore reached the quarterfinals of the 16U Greco-Roman National Championships at 165 pounds on Friday and is one match away from All-America status.

Most of that came from sheer will, some of it came from a just-missed opportunity in freestyle earlier in the week. In that tournament, Horak reached the round of 16, lost and then fell again in the blood round to just miss placing.

“I knew losing that match last time just made winning tougher,” Horak said.  “I wrestled hard to make sure I won it, so I don’t have as many matches moving from the round of 16.”

If the returning state placer has it his way, it’ll come in the finals.

A 7-1 win over a Utah state placer put him into the quarterfinals, but by no means was Horak putting the cart before the horse.

He’s set to meet two-time national champion Aaron Stewart of Illinois in the round of eight and will come in focused.

“Obviously, the first match is against the top seed in the quarters,” Horak said. “I have to be 100 percent mentally and physically because it’s going to be against a tough wrestler.”

Three area athletes still alive in the consolation rounds at Fargo

Xander Horak (190) , who also lost in the freestyle blood round, fell in the round of 16 to Georgia’s Ronan An.

He joins teammate Sam Adams (94) and Brecksville’s Cole Speer in the bottom bracket with the hope of placing on the final day in Fargo, N.D.

Ohio wrestlers still alive for a USMC Greco-Roman National Championships

• 16u Greco-Roman Tournament: 100 – Loc Webber, Dublin Coffman; 120 – Weston Borgers, Coffman; 157 – Eli Esguerra, Coffman; Louden Dixon, West Holmes; 165 – Caige Horak, Perry; 215 – Alex Taylor, Mount Vernon; Danny Zmorowski, Lake Catholic
• Junior Greco-Roman Tournament: 113 – Konner Blaney, Marengo Highland; 138 – Dmytro Chubenko, Columbus Worthington; 144 – Maksym Chubinko, Worthington; 175 – Jonathan Sims, Brush; 285 – Mustafa Woodi, Shaker Heights

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Perry's Caige Horak three wins away from Fargo Greco-Roman National Championship title