Behind 2 medalists, North Allegheny wrestling well-represented at Junior Nationals

By: John Grupp
Saturday, August 2, 2025 | 11:06 AM

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North Allegheny wrestlers Evan Schomburg and Joey Synan traveled 1,100 miles to North Dakota last month, and there was one stop sign in front of them.

The Tigers tandem placed in the top eight of their respective divisions at the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals on July 10-19 in Fargo, N.D., earning them All-American status and a “stop sign” plaque, one of the most coveted awards in high school wrestling.

“It’s in my room right now, on my wall,” said Synan, who placed sixth in the 100-pound junior freestyle bracket in his first trip to Fargo.

“Yesterday morning, I woke up and I looked at it. I was like, ‘Aw, that’s cool.’ ”

Schomburg also has his octagonal wooden Fargo plaque — which resembles a miniature stop sign — displayed prominently in his bedroom.

He placed eighth among 92 wrestlers in the 16U Greco- Roman 126-pound bracket in his Fargo debut.

“I was ecstatic,” said Schomburg, who will be a junior in the fall.

“It was an amazing experience. It’s good to know that all of the hard work paid off.”

Synan, a rising sophomore, and Schomburg were among five North Allegheny wrestlers who qualified for the world’s largest high school-age tournament.

Rising senior heavyweight Bradyn McConneha, who earned All-American honors last year, competed in junior freestyle and Greco-Roman.

Brody Barnhart (165), who will be a junior in the fall, and rising sophomore Dalton Stragand (120) wrestled in the 16U Greco-Roman tournament.

All told, nearly 40% of North Allegheny’s expected starting lineup for the 2025-26 high school season competed against the nation’s best in a tournament that attracted a record 8,531 entries.

“It was so proud of everybody who made it from NA,” said McConneha, who went 3-2 in freestyle and 2-2 in Greco-Roman.

“I skipped Greco practice to go watch Joey make All-American. I couldn’t have been prouder. Then seeing Evan make All-American, I was like, ‘I’m not alone (as an All-American).’ We will have a great team this year.”

The Tigers made the 18-hour trip to Fargo on chartered buses with their Team Pennsylvania teammates and stayed in the dorms at North Dakota State.

Synan, who won the USA Wrestling Northeast Regionals in May to qualify, won his first three Fargo matches by technical fall, beating wrestlers from Tennessee, Oklahoma and Washington.

Synan lost to Colorado’s Onofre Gonzales, the eventual runner-up, by tech fall in the quarterfinals but rebounded to rally past Oregon’s Jack Mulvahill, 19-14, in a thrilling blood-round match.

Synan, who went 26-15 as an NA freshman last season, overcame an early 8-0 deficit to assure himself of a top-eight finish.

Synan won his next match, before back-to-back losses placed him sixth in the 41-wrestler bracket.

He finished 5-3 in freestyle and 1-2 in Greco-Roman.

“It was cool being there with all of the top kids in the nation and being a part of that,” Synan said.

“It was just surreal. It is the best feeling in wrestling.”

Schomburg was the next Tiger to reach the podium.

He started wrestling Greco-Roman only two years ago, but he won the state title in mid-May at Penn State to qualify for nationals.

He marched into the Fargo quarterfinals with four straight victories, topping wrestlers from California, Tennessee, Utah and Colorado by a combined score of 40-9 with three tech falls.

He lost to Illinois’ Robert Ruscitti, the eventual national champ, by tech fall in the quarterfinals, but regrouped to win his first consolation match by tech fall and clinch All-American honors.

His tournament ended with losses to Alaska’s Trestin Houck, the eventual third-place finisher, in the consolation semifinals and Pennsylvania’s Jordan Manyette, 3-2, in the seventh-place match to finish 5-3 for the event.

“I wasn’t really sure what to expect,” said Schomburg, who went 28-12 for NA last season.

“I knew I was going up against the best competition in the country. I wanted to just go out there and wrestle hard, and whatever happens happens.”

One year after going 0-2 at Fargo, Barnhart beat wrestlers from California and Arkansas by fall to reach the Round 16.

He lost his next two matches, finishing 2-2.

Stragand, making his Fargo debut, went 1-2 in the Greco-Roman 16U 120-pound bracket, highlighted by a tech-fall victory over a wrestler from Oklahoma.

Barthart (11-15) and Stragand (14-21) both had losing records for North Allegheny last season, but the experiences from Fargo are prompting high expectations for the upcoming season.

“It was just a great look for the program, having so many guys there,” Synan said.

“I think we can make a great run for the team tournament and make it to Hershey.”

Tags: North Allegheny