Chance Marsteller finished as an undefeated four-time state champion (Photo/Bill Rudick)State tournaments across the country came to an end just over one month ago, and in some cases close to two months ago. Even so the last few weeks were pretty stock full of high-level competition with all-star matches and the various postseason national tournaments. With all of that in the books, the 2013-14 season/cycle has come to an end, and it's time to wrap things up with a pretty little bow.
InterMat does so by naming its All-American team, a listing of the top-ranked wrestler at each weight class, along with the selection of the High School Wrestler of the Year. It marks the fourth such year of this end of season presentation format for InterMat.
2014 InterMat High School Wrestler of the Year
Chance Marsteller (Kennard-Dale, Pa.), 170 Pounds, Senior
Many words have been written about this young man since he competed in a college open while in seventh grade, and actually won a match in the event. While in eighth grade, Marsteller was one match away from placing at the Super 32 Challenge in the 130 pound weight class. This would set up one of the seminal high school careers in Keystone State history.
When all was said and done, Marsteller would finish 166-0 over four seasons, including a 41-0 mark during his senior campaign. It was a campaign in which only three matches would go the distance: an 8-1 decision in the final of the POWERade, a 14-2 major decision victory over that same wrestler (Kyle Coniker) in the state final, and a 16-5 major decision victory in the South Central regional final.
InterMat Wrestler of the Year Winners
2014: Chance Marsteller (Pennsylvania)
2013: Kyle Snyder (Maryland)
2012: Jason Tsirtsis (Indiana)
2011: Morgan McIntosh (California)
When Marsteller won the title at POWERade, he became a four-time champion in that event. In the preseason, he dominated through a solid field at the Super 32 Challenge on the way to a second such title with a pin, two technical falls, major decisions against an Ohio and New York state champion, and then a decisive 9-3 decision over No. 13 Taylor Lujan in the championship bout.
2014: Chance Marsteller (Pennsylvania)
2013: Kyle Snyder (Maryland)
2012: Jason Tsirtsis (Indiana)
2011: Morgan McIntosh (California)
During his sixteen match state tournament career at the GIANT Center, only the semifinal and final match from his freshman year were not bonus point outcomes: a 9-2 decision over Lorenzo Thomas and a 9-4 decision over Mark Havers. Elevating the quality of the accomplishment was the fact he beat defending state champions by major decision in the state final during his sophomore and junior seasons -- Brian Brill (Central Mountain) and Garrett Peppelman (Central Dauphin), both of those coming at 160 pounds. Marsteller will be wrestling at Oklahoma State University in the fall.
Rounding out the All-American Team …
106: Yianni Diakomihalis, Hilton (N.Y.), Freshman
Diakomihalis won major national tournaments in the preseason (Super 32 Challenge) and postseason (FloNationals). In between, he capped off an undefeated scholastic season with three major decisions and a technical fall on the way to his second state title in as many seasons; Diakomihalis won state as an eighth-grader in New York State's 99-pound weight class.
113: Spencer Lee, Franklin Regional (Pa.), Freshman
It would probably be easier to list what Lee did not accomplish during this cycle than what he did accomplish. Noneth less, let's list the c.v. for this freshman phenom: FILA Cadet National freestyle champion at 110 pounds, Disney Duals All-Star Division gold medalist at 106 (+5), Super 32 Challenge champion at 113, Walsh ronman champion at 113, POWERade champion at 113, and was state champion at 113 to cap off an undefeated 49-0 freshman campaign.
Lee was named the Outstanding Wrestler at both the Super 32 Challenge and Walsh Ironman this past season. In fact his dominance was so profound that 48 of 49 victories came by bonus points, and 44 were either pins, forfeits (three total), or technical falls. He was one of two runners-up for InterMat High School Wrestler of the Year, along with Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), a senior at 170 pounds.
120: Nick Piccininni, Ward Mellville (N.Y.), Junior
This past season added a third straight state title for Piccininni, with this one coming via an undefeated season that reflected profound levels of dominance. During the state tournament, Piccinnini gave up two points from four matches in amassing a pair of technical fall victories and a pair of 3-0 decisions. Then in the postseason, he would upend previous No. 1 Luke Pletcher (Greater Latrobe, Pa.) by 10-2 major decision in the FloNationals final. This was a second such win for Piccininni during the cycle, as he had defeated Pletcher at the Disney Duals on the way to a gold medal in the 113 (+5) weight class this summer.
126: Stevan Micic, Hanover Central (Ind.), Senior
When Micic won his third straight state title in late February at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, it finalized a 138 consecutive match winning streak that started after a loss in the state semifinals as a freshman. The future Northwestern Wildcat would end his career with an overall record of 180-5, and added to that with a 13-4 major decision victory in the Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic. Additional accomplishments for Micic include a Cadet National freestyle title and a FILA Cadet National freestyle title.
132: Zahid Valencia, St. John Bosco (Calif.), Junior
Valencia has lost one match in three seasons of high school wrestling, that being a loss that came out of nowhere during the state semifinal his sophomore year. Other than that, it's one hundred percent perfect: two state titles and three Walsh Ironman titles the most notable of those accomplishments. Should Valencia win the Ironman this coming fall, he would join David Taylor (St. Paris Graham/Penn State) as the only four-time champions in the 20-year history of that prestigious event.
Valencia has won Junior National folkstyle titles the last two years, and was a FloNationals champion in 2011. He is also a two-time Cadet National freestyle champion, and was a Cadet Greco-Roman champion last summer.
138: Joey McKenna, Blair Academy (N.J.), Senior
Despite not competing at the National Prep Championships, which precluded McKenna the chance to be a four-time champion in the event, he still had a superlative senior campaign. The Stanford-bound wrestler was undefeated with titles at the Walsh Ironman, Beast of the East, and Escape the Rock tournaments. Last summer, McKenna earned his third Fargo Greco-Roman title (two coming at the Cadet level in 2010 and 2011) and a second straight runner-up in Junior freestyle.
145: Micah Jordan, St. Paris Graham (Ohio), Senior
Jordan became a four-time state champion this year; joining older brother Bo, father Jeff, and uncle Jim in achieving that distinction. Over the last two years, the Ohio State-bound wrestler went 99-1, losing only a 4-3 decision to Aaron Pico in the 2012 Walsh Ironman final along the way. Micah won the Ironman this year as part of a 48-0 campaign, which capped off a four-year career mark of 187-9.
152: Bryce Brill, Mt. Carmel (Ill.), Senior
Like Micic before, Brill finishes his high school career with a record of 180-5 and as a three-time state champion. Also like Micic, Brill will be attending Northwestern University in the fall, and also beat a Pennsylvania state champion in the Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic last month. After losing in the state final as a sophomore, Brill -- a 2012 Junior National freestyle champion -- ran off 94 straight wins to end his high school career.
160: Dylan Milonas, Blair Academy (N.J.), Senior
After missing all the second half of last season, Milonas bounced back with an undefeated senior season, even though he missed a one month stretch of competition from after the Massillon Perry dual meet until the Prep State tournament. While on the mat, Milonas would win titles at the Ironman and Beast of the East, something he also did during his sophomore season. In addition, Milonas would earn a National Prep championship to go with runner-up finishes from his freshman and sophomore seasons. The Lehigh-bound wrestler amassed seven wins over nationally ranked opponents during 2013-14.
182: Johnny Sebastian, Bergen Catholic (N.J.), Senior
Sebastian is the third of the trio of Northwestern-bound top-ranked wrestlers in their respective weight classes. During the last three years of his high school career, Sebastian amassed a record of 114-5 on the way to becoming a three-time state champion (placing fifth at state as a freshman). He also won a title at the Beast of the East in December, after placing second and third in the previous two seasons. Also on the resume are a FloNationals title from 2013, and a win at this fall's Who's Number One event over Junior National freestyle champion Michael Pixley (Blue Springs, Mo.)
195: Lance Benick, Totino-Grace (Minn.), Junior
Benick has gone 84-1 over the past two seasons. The nation's top-ranked Class of 2015 prospect compiled a 51-0 record this past season en route to winning his third state championship. He has swept Greco-Roman and freestyle titles at the Cadet Nationals each of the previous two summers, earned Folkstyle Nationals titles in 2012 (Cadet) and 2013 (Junior), and was a FILA Cadet National freestyle champion last year at 220 pounds.
220: Roy Nash, Taylorsville (Utah), Senior
The Utah Valley University-bound wrestler has been an undefeated state champion in each of the last two seasons, amassing a record of 88-0 along the way. In addition Nash was a Junior National double champion this past summer in Fargo, N.D. at 220 pounds; and also was a Cadet National double champion in the summer of 2012 at 220 pounds. He was also a FILA Cadet National double finalist at 220 pounds last spring, upending Benick in Greco-Roman, but falling short against Benick in freestyle.
285: Nick Nevills, Clovis (Calif.), Senior
The three-time state champion Nevills ended his career on a winning streak of 105 matches dating back to a state semifinal loss during his sophomore year, which came after he had already won a state title as a freshman. During his senior season, Nevills went 50-0 with 44 pins, 2 forfeits, 1 technical fall, and 3 major decisions. This would cap off a career in which the Penn State-bound wrestler went 200-5.
At the Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic, Nevills would upend No. 2 Thomas Haines (Solanco), a four-time Pennsylvania state champion 5-3. He also has a 2013 FloNationals title and a 2012 FloNationals runner-up finish on the resume.
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