Gonzaga Prep's Austin Schield wins Greco-Roman title at U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals wrestling tournament

On the heels of a successful freshman campaign and his first Mat Classic title, Austin Schield has now made his mark at the national level.

Schield claimed the 16U 138-pound Greco-Roman championship at the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals wrestling tournament on Wednesday in Fargo, North Dakota.

Schield, wrestling for Team Washington, topped Wisconsin’s Aspen Tritz in an 8-3 decision to claim the title. Schield won via technical fall in his five matches leading up to the final.

Schield nearly made it two titles during the week, but the incoming Bullpups sophomore fell to Oklahoma’s Bryar Hooks in a 5-3 decision in Sunday’s 16U 138-pound Freestyle championship match.

With the title and second-place finish, Schield earned All-American honors. But he was not the only Spokane-area wrestler to earn that honor.

Gonzaga Prep teammates Ryder Owen and Miro Parr-Coffin, along with Mead’s Duane Leslie – all of whom are also soon-to-be sophomores – also were named All-Americans after placing in the top eight of their brackets.

Owen took fourth in 132-pound 16U Greco-Roman and seventh in 132 16U Freestyle. Parr-Coffin – a Mat Classic champion in February – was fifth at 106 pounds in the 16U Greco-Roman event and Leslie – also a Mat Classic winner – finished second at 190 pounds in 16U Freestyle and sixth in 190 16U Greco-Roman.

Team Washington 16U coach Brian Owen said that around 20 wrestlers from the Spokane area were at the event, giving the wrestlers confidence going into the upcoming high school season.

“It’s really fun to watch them accept higher expectations,” Brian Owen said. “Some of these guys have had success locally and are getting their hand raised all the time and always having success, but what our guys are doing right now is challenging themselves and believing that they are ready to win the national championship.”

Team Washington also finished in the top 10 in Freestyle and Greco-Roman at the event.

The U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals concludes Saturday with the girls Freestyle.