Jordan Kutler won a Beast of the East title (Photo/Rob Preston)The final step in the eight weekend gauntlet that is the regular season schedule for No. 3 Blair Academy, N.J., comes on Saturday night when they travel to No. 5 Wyoming Seminary, Pa., for a dual meet. The teams have been in one common tournament this season, the Walsh Ironman. The Buccaneers placed second scoring 189.5 points, which was obviously aided by Mason Manville's runner-up finish at 160; Manville is no longer on the roster. Conversely Wyoming Seminary was fourth in the standings with 134 points, though they were missing Nick Reenan at 170 (though he's been out all season), a top three finisher in all likelihood.
What appears to be a big gap based on the Ironman standings is actually one that is smaller in reality, and much smaller if accounting for Reenan. All that sets up what is a big dual meet to be held in Kingston. The teams met last year at the NHSCA Festival, splitting the weight classes seven apiece, but Blair Academy won the dual 27-24. Below are the projected weight-by-weight matchups for Saturday night.
106: Matthew Vinci (Blair) vs. Will Moss (Wyoming Seminary)
Neither wrestler placed at the Walsh Ironman in mid-December. However, Moss went 2-2, while Vinci was 1-2. In one of the weaker matchups across this dual meet, Moss is the favorite.
113: No. 15 Zach Sherman vs. Jack Davis
Sherman placed eighth at the Walsh Ironman, while Davis went two-and-out. Sherman was also a runner-up at National Preps, and is the clear favorite in this bout.
120: Requir van der Merwe vs. No. 6 Jack Mueller
Mueller placed third at the Walsh Ironman, while van der Merwe was one match short of placement. Last year at National Preps, Mueller was champion and van der Merwe third at 113 pounds.
126: Andrew Monohan vs. Trent Olson
Olson was a runner-up last year at National Preps to Mueller, when Mueller was at Trinity Christian Academy in Texas. Monohan did not start last year for Blair Academy. At the Walsh Ironman, Olson went 1-2, though the losses were to L.J. Bentley and Jose Rodriguez; while Blair teammate Andrew Merola went 2-2. This match is one that Olson would be favored to win.
132: No. 16 Charles Tucker vs. John Busiello
Tucker placed third at the Walsh Ironman, while Busiello was one match short of placement. Last year at National Preps, Tucker placed second at 120, while Busiello was fifth at 106. This is a match that Tucker is a clear favorite in.
138: No. 2 Matthew Kolodzik vs. Will Verallis
This match would be a rematch of the National Prep final that Kolodzik won last year. However, Wyoming Seminary could choose to bump Verallis up to 145, and place Patrick Munn into the lineup. At the Ironman, Kolodzik placed second, while Verallis was 2-2. Kolodzik wins regardless of opponent; however, if it's not Verallis, bonus is almost assured.
145: Michael Monica vs. Danny Boychuck
At the Walsh Ironman, Boychuck placed seventh, while Monica was one match away from placement. This matchup in and of itself would be a tossup; however, Boychuck did not compete for Wyoming Seminary at Eastern States. If Boychuck is not available, I would think they bump Verallis up to this weight (as he won't beat Kolodzik, while the Blue Knights' backup here won't beat Monica).
152: No. 3 Jordan Kutler vs. Jake Hendricks/Andrew Munn/Colin Toggas
Kutler placed third at the Walsh Ironman, while Toggas went 2-2 for the Blue Knights. Kutler has been on fire all season, and is looking at bonus points in this match.
160: Peter Bearse vs. No. 10 Chris Weiler
Bearse did not wrestle for Blair at the Ironman, but placed eighth at the Beast; while Weiler finished third at the Ironman, after finishing runner-up last year at National Preps.
170: No. 8 Brandon Dallavia vs. No. 6 Nick Reenan/Greg Kleinsmith
Reenan, runner-up last year to Mason Manville at National Preps, has been out of the lineup all season. However, it is possible he could be back for this dual meet. A very solid Greg Kleinsmith has been in the lineup all year, and went 2-2 at the Walsh Ironman. Dallavia placed third at the Ironman, and was fourth in this weight class – a loaded one – at National Preps last year.
182: No. 14 Chase Singletary vs. No. 11 Christian Dietrich
These two wrestlers met in the seventh place match at the Walsh Ironman, where Dietrich came through with a 5-2 victory. A similarly competitive match, where Dietrich is the likely winner, is the most feasible outcome. Dietrich was a New York state champion last year as a sophomore, while Singletary was third in Florida as a freshman after winning high school state titles in seventh and eighth grade.
195: Neil Putnam vs. Zane Black
The sophomore Black out-placed Putnam at the Walsh Ironman, placing sixth compared to seventh. As a freshman, Black made the Pennsylvania Class AA state tournament, while competing at Bishop McDevitt; Putnam placed fifth in National Preps as a sophomore. On paper, Black would be the slightest of favorites.
220: No. 8 David Showunmi vs. Cole Nye
These two wrestlers met in the quarterfinals at the Walsh Ironman, Showunmi winning a 7-1 decision the way to a championship, while Nye placed seventh. Last year, Showunmi missed National Preps due to injury, but was a Junior freestyle All-American; while Nye fell short of state qualification as a freshman at Bishop McDevitt, though he became a Cadet freestyle All-American in the summer.
285: Ian Day vs. Michael Rogers
This is the weakest weight class for Blair Academy, while Rogers placed fourth at the Walsh Ironman, and was a Junior National double All-American this summer.
The end game in this dual meet creates matchups were Wyoming Seminary is the favorite to win at least seven weight classes. As a result, it is Blair Academy that is going to have to create some matchups, some upsets, and have things go right for them. It is strange that Blair Academy matches up worse against Wyoming Seminary than they did against St. Paris Graham, though the Falcons are a clearly more talented team than the Blue Knights.
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