Articles: Articleshttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/page/15/?d=1Articles: ArticlesenBeast of the East set for December 19-20https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/beast-of-the-east-set-for-december-19-20-r71196/
The 2009 TGIFriday’s Beast will feature nine returning champions: Grey, Silver, Villalonga, Simon Kitzis, Ormsbee, Anthony Baldasaro, Marshall Peppelman, Evans, and Bobby Telford. Villalonga and Peppelman look to become just the 5th and 6th three time Beast of the East Champions! Tickets, tournament information, and archived results are available online at http://www.beastwrestling.com.

All proceeds benefit scholarships to our Delaware wrestlers who meet criteria in the fields of academics, sportsmanship, and community service. We have awarded over $495,000 from the proceeds of the previous 16 tournaments. Anyone seeking information on our efforts to "preserve the sport" or the TGIFriday’s Beast of the East can contact tournament director, Bob Shaw.]]>71196Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:10:16 +0000Blair Academy's Grey choosing his own pathhttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/blair-academys-grey-choosing-his-own-path-r70740/Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

-Robert Frost

On this particular day, thick snowflakes blanket the woods around Blair Academy, nestled in the foothills of northwestern New Jersey.

Mark Grey is a three-time Cadet Nationals champion in Fargo, North Dakota
(Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)
But there's only one road that Mark Grey is currently walking on, the path that winds through the prep school's gorgeous sprawling campus to the brand spanking new wrestling and basketball facility.

It's a path he might not have followed had his older brother Mike not first blazed his own trail in the state of New Jersey. Now an All-American wrestler at Cornell, the 141-pound junior went 157-2 at Delbarton School, becoming the first four-time New Jersey state champion in the process.

Mark knew that comparisons to his brother's career would be inevitable were he to also attend Delbarton. But he'd been tagging along with Mike to informal sessions at Blair in junior high, and had gotten to known legendary Bucs wrestling coach Jeff Buxton. Once he did well on the entrance exam, Mark decided to trade a green and gray singlet for a navy one instead.

"I didn't want to take the same route that my brother did," Mark said. "I wanted to do my own thing, so I went to Blair."

No disrespect to Delbarton, but going to Blair upped the ante in terms of competition. Mark's first tournament was the Walsh Ironman; his second, Beast of the East. Talk about putting your feet to the fire.

"I think by coming to Blair, it kind of put (the comparisons to Mike) to rest," Coach Buxton said. "He's going about it in a little bit different way (by) wrestling at a school that has a more competitive schedule, so he's in a very different environment than Mike was on a daily basis ... He's set his own accolades and already raised the bar pretty high."

It goes without saying that New Jersey has some of the fiercest high school wrestling competition in the country, so the bulls-eye would have been squarely on Mark's back from day one.

"With Mike winning four state titles, Mark got to see firsthand the pressure and everything that goes with wrestling in New Jersey," his older brother John Grey Jr. said. "Going to Blair means he's not putting all his eggs into one basket. The schedule is so diverse. There are so many major tournaments that it gives him the opportunity to create his own path and set other goals."

Mark Grey
Of course, you don't start at a place like Blair as a freshman without coming in highly touted. As the 2008-09 school year began, Mark was fresh off winning a double Cadet national championship in freestyle and Greco-Roman in his first trip to Fargo. In his corner for the tournament were his brother Mike and fellow Pascack Hills alum Cody Cooperman.

A vaunted wrestling club in Northern New Jersey whose famed alumni includes current and former All-Americans like Grey, Cooperman, Kurt Backes and Steve Mocco, the Pascack Hills Cowboys were Mark's first introduction to wrestling. He would follow Mike to practice and imitate his moves. Mark finally joined at age four, and wound up winning his first AAU Eastern National championship by five.

And he hasn't stopped winning ever since, claiming everything from six Northeast Regional championships to a USA Wrestling Kids Triple Crown. After being a double champion at Fargo, he went 38-1 as a nationally-ranked freshman, winning titles at the prestigious Beast of the East tournament and a National Prep Title at 103 pounds.

His only loss came in the finals of his first major tournament, the Walsh Ironman. There he fell by a narrow 6-3 decision to Nick Brascetta of St. Paris Graham. Mark would finish the season ranked No. 2 in the country at 103 pounds by InterMat, second only to Brascetta.

Mark Grey won his second Cadet Nationals Greco-Roman title this past summer
(Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)
Now the No. 6-ranked sophomore in the country by InterMat, Mark says his loss was one of inexperience, and he's ready for a rematch.

"It was my first major tournament and I was nervous," Mark admits. "I messed up with a dumb headlock in the first period. I really didn't wrestle the way I can."

It was that headlock that cost him the match, as Brascetta countered him for an easy takedown, then controlled on top the rest of the match.

"He prepares really well, we prepared for this particular kid and he got out of the game plan," Coach Buxton said. "This happens (occasionally) with young kids when they get nervous in the finals of a big tournament, and I think being able to find his groove and stay calm for those big matches will be key down the road."

Of course, times have changed and a rematch might not be in the works. Mark bulked up over the summer, wrestled at 112 pounds at Fargo, and is unsure at this point whether he'll move up to wrestle at 119 or 125 for the Bucs this season. He guessed that he might wrestle at 135 by senior year, then eventually end up at 141 or 149 in college.

"He's a stronger wrestler physically," said Blair 112-pounder Evan Silver, Mark's teammate and training partner. "We're lifting now and he's really powerful with his takedowns."

But with the new season and the added weight will also come additional challenges in the form of better, more experienced competition.

"As he moves into 119 or 125, instead of hitting ninth graders, now he's going to be hitting seniors," Coach Buxton said. "That's going to be the biggest adjustment. He's going to hit better guys at those weights because that's where the best guys in the country usually are -- between 119 and 140 pounds."

It's said that the transformation from freshman year to sophomore year at Blair is a substantial jump, and a recent practice confirms that. To see Mark Grey practice reveals a focused, confident wrestler who has filled out and looks nothing like the nervous freshman of a year ago.

Mark Grey (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)
"He's become a lot more explosive," Coach Buxton said. "I'm really excited to watch him wrestle in December because I think he's made such big jumps this year."

One thing Mark will not lack in is support. With brother Mike rooting him on from Ithaca and older brother John Jr. on the Bucs coaching staff, there are plenty of people to make sure he stays the course.

Not that he needs it. His stated goal since the age of five has been to wrestle in the Olympics, and that has not changed. But for a 16-year-old, Mark Grey has a maturity and patience that belies his years. He understands that it's a long process, a journey that requires discipline and consistent, if not dramatic, improvement on a daily basis.

Suffice it to say, the sophomore will experience some growing pains, as the road to wrestling glory is never easy. But when descriptive nouns like "the total package" and "a juggernaut" are thrown around to describe a wrestler still realizing his potential, bright lights wouldn't seem to be too far off.]]>70740Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:14:33 +00002009 Super 32 Challenge Previewhttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/2009-super-32-challenge-preview-r70922/
The one-day preseason wrestling tournament will bring over 1,200 wrestlers from at least 30 states to one venue. For the 2008 event, over 50 collegiate coaches were in attendance to see an event whose field produced approximately 175 state champions by season’s end.

Five champions from the 2008 event will return to defend their belts. They include Alex Cisneros (Selma, CA), who is scheduled to compete at 112 pounds, Devin Carter (Christiansburg, VA), scheduled to compete at 125 pounds, Jackson Morse (Lowell, MI), scheduled to compete at 152 pounds, Marshall Peppelman (Central Dauphin, PA), scheduled to compete at 160 pounds, and Antonio Giorgio (Warwick, PA), scheduled to compete at 189 pounds.

Below is a brief background into some of the key wrestlers tentatively scheduled to compete in each weight class.

103:

Heaviest Hitters:
Jered Cortez (Marmion Academy, IL)
Cadet Nationals freestyle runner-up, FILA Cadet Nationals freestyle third place, ranked first in the Class of 2014 by InterMat

Joey Dance (Christiansburg, VA)
Cadet Nationals double finalist (freestyle champion), FILA Cadet Nationals freestyle champion, ranked ninth in the Class of 2013

Nick Roberts (North Star, PA)
Two-time Cadet Nationals double champion, state high school champion, ranked 27th in the Class of 2012

Freddie Rodriguez (Holt, MI)
FILA Cadet Nationals double All-American (freestyle champion), state champion, ranked 47th in the Class of 2012

Next Group:
Mike Dauterive (Boyd, TX)
Junior Nationals double third place

Kevin Devoy (Burlington Township, NJ)
State tournament third place

George DiCamillo (St. Ignatius, OH)
Walsh Ironman placewinner, state tournament seventh place

Tyson Dippery (Central Dauphin, PA)
Cadet Nationals freestyle sixth place, ranked 11th in the Class of 2013

Jacob Schmitt (St. John’s, MI)
Cadet Nationals double third place

Jake Smith (Robinson, VA)
Super 32 Challenge sixth place, NHSCA Freshman Nationals runner-up, state runner-up

More to Watch:
Anthony Ashnault (South Plainfield, NJ)
Cole Gallagher (Archbishop Spaulding, MD)
Nathan Giorgio (Schuykill Valley, PA)
Joey McKenna (NJ)
Darshawn Sharp (Valdosta, GA)
Shayne Tucker (Bella Vista, CA)

112:

Heaviest Hitters:
Alex Cisneros (Selma, CA)
Super 32 Challenge champion, state high school champion, ranked third in the Class of 2012 by InterMat, finished 2008-09 ranked third at 103 pounds

Jerome Robinson (St. Ignatius, OH)
Super 32 Challenge third place, state champion, ranked 32nd in the Class of 2010, finished 2008-09 ranked fifth at 112 pounds

Vince Rodriguez (Clovis North, CA)
State tournament third place, ranked 43rd in the Class of 2011, finished 2008-09 ranked 16th at 112 pounds

Next Group:
Terry Dawson (Brandon, FL)
Super 32 Challenge seventh place, state high school runner-up in 2008

John Fahy (Trinity, KY)
Super 32 Challenge third place, state champion, ranked 44th in the Class of 2012, finished 2008-09 ranked 16th at 103 pounds

Brandon Jeske (St. Christopher’s, VA)
Super 32 Challenge seventh place, FILA Cadet Nationals Greco-Roman champion, Cadet Nationals Greco-Roman third place, ranked fifth in the Class of 2013

Nathan Kraisser (Centennial, MD)
Super 32 Challenge eighth place, FILA Cadet Nationals double All-American, Cadet Nationals Greco-Roman seventh place, state champion, ranked 39th in the Class of 2012, finished 2008-09 ranked 15th at 103 pounds

Caleb Richardson (Cox, VA)
Junior Nationals freestyle third place, state champion

Matt Sausman (Camden Catholic, NJ)
State tournament third place

Chuck Zeisloft (Gateway, NJ)
NHSCA Junior Nationals third place, state tournament third place

Young Guns Blazing:
Bryce Brill (Marmion Academy, IL)
Ranked third in the Class of 2014

Jack Clark (St. Michael’s, NJ)
Ranked fourth in the Class of 2014

Solomon Chisko (Penn Trafford, PA)
Ranked sixth in the Class of 2014

More to Watch:
Evan Link (Penn Cambria, PA)
Josh Polacek (Westmont-Hilltop, PA)
Brian Realbuto (Somers, NY)
Skylar Wood (Park Hill, MO)

119:

Heaviest Hitters:
Sean Dolan (St. Mark’s, DE)
Former Super 32 Challenge placewinner, state high school champion, ranked 80th in the Class of 2010 by InterMat

Ben Whitford (Marmion Academy, IL)
Cadet Nationals double finalist (freestyle champion), ranked first in the Class of 2013

Conor Youtsey (Mason, MI)
State champion, ranked 19th in the Class of 2011, finished 2008-09 ranked 18th at 119 pounds

Next Group:
Nick Brascetta (Graham, OH)
FILA Cadet Nationals freestyle third place, state high school champion, ranked 42nd in the Class of 2011, finished 2008-09 ranked first at 103 pounds

Rossi Bruno (Brandon, FL)
Junior Nationals Greco-Roman third place, FILA Cadet Nationals double All-American, state champion, ranked 18th in the Class of 2012

Eric Devos (Waverly Shell-Rock, IA)
Cadet Nationals freestyle third place, FILA Cadet Nationals freestyle fifth place, state runner-up, ranked 20th in the Class of 2012

Josh Fisher (Roane County, WV)
Super 32 Challenge sixth place, NHSCA Sophomore Nationals champion, state champion

Brandon Jones (West Des Moines Valley, IA)
State champion

Tanner Moon (Oak Mountain, AL)
Junior Nationals double All-American, state runner-up

Alec Mooradian (Detroit Catholic Central, MI)
Cadet Nationals freestyle fifth place, FILA Cadet Nationals freestyle fifth place, state champion, ranked 34th in the Class of 2012

Kevin Norstrem (Brandon, FL)
Cadet Nationals double All-American, FILA Cadet Nationals Greco-Roman third place, state champion, ranked sixth in the Class of 2013

Brian St. James (Centennial, GA)
Super 32 Challenge fifth place, state champion, finished 2008-09 ranked 15th at 112 pounds

Nick Smith (Ida, MI)
Two-time state champion

Bryan Whitt (Cox, VA)
Super 32 Challenge third place, National Prep runner-up, finished 2008-09 ranked 17th at 112 pounds

More to Watch:
Eric Friedman (St. Paul’s, MD)
Grant Greene (St. Anthony’s, NY)
Anthony Hawkins (Crown Point, IN)
Brandon Nelsen (Lawrence North, IN)
Joe Orecchio (Don Bosco Prep, NJ)
Arthur Walsh (Juniata, PA)

125:

Heaviest Hitters:
Nick Arujau (Syosset, NY)
State high school champion, ranked 46th in the Class of 2010 by InterMat, finished 2008-09 ranked 20th at 125 pounds

Devin Carter (Christiansburg, VA)
Super 32 Challenge champion, Junior Nationals freestyle runner-up, state champion, ranked 13th in the Class of 2010, finished 2008-09 ranked first at 112 pounds

Mitchell Port (Bellefonte, PA)
Super 32 Challenge eighth place, NHSCA Junior Nationals champion, state tournament third place, ranked 71st in the Class of 2010, finished 2008-09 ranked 17th at 119 pounds

Brandon Wright (Warren Central, IN)
Three-time state finalist (state champ in 2008), NHSCA Junior Nationals third place, ranked 29th in the Class of 2010, finished 2008-09 ranked ninth at 119 pounds

Next Group:
Sean Boylan (St. Mark’s, DE)
Former Super 32 Challenge champion, Junior Nationals freestyle All-American in 2008, state high school champion, ranked 83rd in the Class of 2010 by InterMat, finished 2008-09 ranked sixth at 112 pounds

Tyrone Eatmon (Riverside, NC)
NHSCA Junior Nationals fifth place, state champion

Justin Flamio (Mahopac, NY)
Two-time state runner-up, NHSCA Junior Nationals seventh place

Shane McGough (Desert Mountain, AZ)
Junior Nationals freestyle fifth place, state champion

T.J. Mitchell (Collins Hill, GA)
Former Super 32 Challenge placewinner, NHSCA Junior Nationals third place, state champion

Patrick Myers (Penn Cambria, PA)
State qualifier, Junior Nationals double All-American

AJ Schopp (Tyrone, PA)
Super 32 Challenge fifth place, NHSCA Junior Nationals sixth place, two-time state finalist (champion in 2007/runner-up in 2009)

More to Watch:
Jacob Crawford (Millbrook, VA)
Johnni DiJulius (Walsh Jesuit, OH)
Tyler Liberatore (Brandon, FL)
Rusty Maness (Point Pleasant, WV)
Lou Mascola (Seton Hall Prep, NJ)
Mike Rhone (Benton, PA)
Aaron Runzo (Kellam, VA)
Darius Wass (Swan Valley, MI)

130:

Heaviest Hitters:
Frank Cagnina (Queen of Peace, NJ)
Super 32 Challenge runner-up, state high school champion, ranked 18th in the Class of 2010 by InterMat, finished 2008-09 ranked ninth at 125 pounds

Jason Tsirtsis (Crown Point, IN)
FILA Cadet Nationals freestyle champion, Cadet Nationals freestyle runner-up, state champion, ranked fifth in the Class of 2012, finished 2008-09 ranked 17th at 125 pounds

Next Group:
Tyler Buckman (Central Dauphin, PA)
State tournament fifth place, Disney Duals silver medalist

Joe Denova (Columbus, GA)
Junior Nationals Greco-Roman third place, state high school champion

Adam Krop (Urbana, MD)
NHSCA Junior Nationals fifth place, state champion

Nick Pena (Selma, CA)
Super 32 Challenge sixth place, state tournament third place, ranked 28th in the Class of 2011

Chad Stroh (Holyoke, CO)
NHSCA Junior Nationals seventh place, state champion

Keith Surber (O’Fallon, IL)
NHSCA Junior Nationals third place, two-time state tournament third place, ranked 98th in the Class of 2010

More to Watch:
Scott Festejo (Long Branch, NJ)
Case Garrison (Texas)
Erik Galloway (State College, PA)
Chance Marsteller (Middletown, PA)
Quinton Murphy (St. Anthony’s, NY)
Daniel Ownbey (Enka, NC)
Joe Spisak (Boiling Springs, PA)
Terrel Wilbourn (Francis Howell Central, MO)
B.J. Young (Jackson Memorial, NJ)

135:

Heaviest Hitters:
Josh Dziewa (Council Rock South, PA)
Super 32 Challenge third place (also was champion in 2007), Junior Nationals freestyle champion, FILA Cadet Nationals freestyle third place, ranked 33rd in the Class of 2010 by InterMat

Ryan Nieman (Bullock Creek, MI)
Junior Nationals freestyle third place, Disney Duals gold medalist, state high school champion, ranked 35th in the Class of 2010

Next Group:
Jordan Beverly (Point Pleasant Boro, NJ)
State high school runner-up

Jake Briggs (Bella Vista, CA)
State tournament third place

Shawn Fayette (Miamisburg, OH)
State champion, Disney Duals silver medalist, finished 2008-09 ranked 18th at 130 pounds

Stephen Robertson (Montini Catholic, IL)
State champion, ranked 34th in the Class of 2011

Roger Wildmo (Durand, MI)
Two-time state finalist (state champ in 2008), ranked 35th in the Class of 2011

More to Watch:
Tyler Askey (Northgate, GA)
Brent Fickel (Padua, OH)
James Green (Willingboro, NJ)
Blake Kastl (Gilroy, CA)
Joe Locksmith (Osceola, FL)
Alex Pellicciotti (Boyertown, PA)
Roman Perryman (Robinson, VA)
Joey Rizzolino (Easton, PA)
Troy Silver (Texas)
Nate Skonieczny (Walsh Jesuit, OH)
Mike Tully (Peddie School, NJ)

140:

Heaviest Hitters:
Stephen Dutton (Rocky Point, NY)
Super 32 Challenge sixth place, NHSCA Junior Nationals runner-up, state high school champion, ranked 75th in the Class of 2010 by InterMat

Kaleb Friedley (Park Hill, MO)
Junior Nationals freestyle third place, state tournament third place (champion in 2008), ranked 63rd in the Class of 2010

Josh Kindig (Blue Mountain, PA)
Super 32 Challenge runner-up, Junior Nationals double All-American, state champion, ranked sixth in the Class of 2010, finished 2008-09 ranked third at 135 pounds

Next Group:
Zac Brunson (Churchill, OR)
Cadet Nationals double All-American, state high school champion, ranked 25th in the Class of 2010

Henry Carlson (Vestavia Hills, AL)
Junior Nationals freestyle eighth place, NHSCA Sophomore Nationals runner-up, state champion, ranked 27th in the Class of 2011

Ryne Cokeley (St. James Academy, KS)
FILA Cadet Nationals Greco-Roman third place, state champion, ranked 21st in the Class of 2011

Mark Hartenstine (Easton, PA)
Super 32 Challenge fifth place, NHSCA Junior Nationals third place, state tournament eighth place

Andrew Lenzi (Fordham Prep, NY)
Two-time state finalist (champion in 2008)

Jordan Rich (Central Mountain, PA)
Walsh Ironman placewinner, two-time state tournament third place

Robert Shepherd (Mason, OH)
State champion

Joel Smith (Collins Hill, GA)
NHSCA Junior Nationals sixth place, state champion

More to Watch:
Lex Ozias (Southern Garrett, MD)
Eric Roach (Crown Point, IN)
Josh Clark (Matoaca, VA)

145:

Heaviest Hitters:
Greg Amos (Holt, MO)
NHSCA Junior Nationals third place, state high school champion

Ben Dorsay (Cox, VA)
Super 32 Challenge third place, NHSCA Junior Nationals sixth place, state champion, ranked 100th in the Class of 2010 by InterMat

Ryan Dunphy (Passaic Valley, NJ)
Super 32 Challenge fifth place, NHSCA Junior Nationals runner-up, state tournament third place

Colin Shober (Schuykill Valley, PA)
Super 32 Challenge seventh place, Junior Nationals freestyle third place, NHSCA Junior Nationals third place, state champion, ranked 55th in the Class of 2010

Taylor Walsh (Camden Catholic, NJ)
Super 32 Challenge sixth place, NHSCA Junior Nationals third place, state champion, ranked 69th in the Class of 2010, finished 2008-09 ranked 16th at 135 pounds

Next Group:
Gabriel Bird (Osecola, FL)
Junior Nationals freestyle third place (in 2008), state tournament third place

Cody Caldwell (Waverly Shell-Rock, IA)
State high school champion, ranked 32nd in the Class of 2011

Codey Combs (Sussex Central, DE)
Super 32 Challenge sixth place, state champion, ranked 46th in the Class of 2011

Blake Roulo (Matoaca, VA)
Super 32 Challenge seventh place, NHSCA Sophomore Nationals champion, Junior Nationals Greco-Roman third place, state runner-up, ranked 25th in the Class of 2011

Max Schneider (Chicago Lane Tech, IL)
State runner-up, ranked 11th in the Class of 2012

More to Watch:
Brian Brill (Central Mountain, PA)
Clark Glass (Brandon, FL)
Andrew Morse (Lowell, MI)
Garrett Schaner (Big Rapids, MI)
Cody Swim (Indianola, IA)
Jordan Wohlfert (St. John’s, MI)

152:

Heaviest Hitters:
Joe Cozart (Brandon, FL)
Super 32 Challenge third place, Junior Nationals double All-American, state high school champion, ranked 28th in the Class of 2010 by InterMat, finished 2008-09 ranked ninth at 145 pounds

David Habat (St. Ignatius, OH)
Super 32 Challenge third place, state champion, ranked 56th in the Class of 2010, finished 2008-09 ranked 13th at 145 pounds

Taylor Massa (St. John’s, MI)
Super 32 Challenge runner-up, Cadet Nationals double champion, FILA Cadet Nationals freestyle champion, state champion, ranked first in the Class of 2012, finished 2008-09 ranked 2nd at 145 pounds

Jackson Morse (Lowell, MI)
Super 32 Challenge champion, state champion, ranked 24th in the Class of 2010, finished 2008-09 ranked fifth at 152 pounds

Brandon Wilbourn (Francis Howell Central, MO)
Junior Nationals freestyle third place, three-time state placewinner (runner-up in 2008), ranked 59th in the Class of 2010

Next Group:
Cody Allala (Hopewell, VA)
Cadet Nationals freestyle fifth place, state high school champion, ranked 23rd in the Class of 2012

Bo Candelaria (Middletown, PA)
State tournament third place

John Guzzo (High Point, NJ)
Junior Nationals freestyle eighth place, state qualifier, ranked 33rd in the Class of 2011

Tyler Hain (Warrior Run, PA)
Two-time state runner-up

Harrison Hightower (University School, OH)
Super 32 Challenge eighth place, state champion

More to Watch:
Kenny Boyles (Smyrna, DE)
Colin Hewitt (Franklin, NJ)
Giuseppi Lanzi (Amsterdam, NY)
Matt Stephens (Graham, OH)
Ben Villaret (Monsignor Farrell, NY)
Jayshon Wilson (Carlisle, PA)

160:

Heaviest Hitters:
Marshall Peppelman (Central Dauphin, PA)
Super 32 Challenge champion, state high school champion, Disney Duals gold medalist, ranked fourth in the Class of 2010 by InterMat, finished 2008-09 ranked second at 152 pounds

Nick Visicaro (Long Branch, NJ)
NHSCA Junior Nationals champion, Junior Nationals freestyle sixth place, state champion, ranked 53rd in the Class of 2010

Next Group:
Derek Felton (Corona del Sol, AZ)
State high school champion

Travis Gallegos (Foothill PC, CA)
State tournament runner-up, ranked 93rd in the Class of 2010

Eric Hess (Benton, PA)
NHSCA Junior Nationals third place, state champion, ranked 78th in the Class of 2010

Dominic Kastl (Gilroy, CA)
NHSCA Junior Nationals eighth place, state tournament seventh place

Joe Latham (Bismarck, ND)
NHSCA Junior Nationals fifth place, state champion

Chris Moon (Wyoming Seminary, PA)
Super 32 Challenge seventh place, state runner-up (in Virginia)

Jordan Thomas (Greenville, MI)
Cadet Nationals freestyle third place, state runner-up, ranked seventh in the Class of 2010, finished 2008-09 ranked 12th at 145 pounds

Jake Waste (Apple Valley, MN)
Cadet Nationals double champion, former state tournament placewinner, ranked 24th in the Class of 2011

More to Watch:
Sam Brooks (Oak Park River Forest, IL)
Matt Colvard (Cary, NC)
Frank Cousins (St. Cloud, FL)
Alan Gigolaev (Peachtree Ridge, GA)
Nick Moore (Parkway North, MO)
Kyle Ryan (Graham, OH)
Evan Thompson (Cabell Midland, WV)

171:

Heaviest Hitters:
Kenny Courts (Central Dauphin, PA)
Super 32 Challenge runner-up in 2007, state high school runner-up, ranked seventh in the Class of 2011 by InterMat, finished 2008-09 ranked 14th at 160 pounds

Andre Petroski (Springfield Delco, PA)
NHSCA Junior Nationals third place, state tournament third place

Next Group:
Ethan Blackstock (Alexander, GA)
State high school champion, former Cadet Nationals double All-American

Levi Clemons (Osceola, FL)
FILA Cadet Nationals double All-American, former Cadet Nationals Greco-Roman champion, state champion

Jake Dorulla (Rockford, MI)
State champion

Clint Morrison (Cedar Cliff, PA)
State runner-up

Tristan Warner (Cumberland Valley, PA)
Super 32 Challenge sixth place, state qualifier

Jamie Westwood (Queen of Peace, NJ)
NHSCA Junior Nationals seventh place, Super 32 Challenge sixth place, state tournament seventh place

More to Watch:
Billy Coggins (Rocky Point, NY)
Tylan Coleman (Mayfield, OH)
Todd Gaydosh (Padua, OH)
Joey Grainger (Great Bridge, VA)
Ian Korb (Elder, OH)

189:

Heaviest Hitters:
Jamie Callender (Council Rock North, PA)
NHSCA Junior Nationals runner-up, state high school runner-up

Antonio Giorgio (Warwick, PA)
Super 32 Challenge champion, state tournament fifth place, ranked 64th in the Class of 2010 by InterMat, finished 2008-09 ranked 11th at 215 pounds

Angelo Malvestuto (Niagara-Wheatfield, NY)
NHSCA Junior Nationals runner-up, state tournament third place, ranked 79th in the Class of 2010 by InterMat

Next Group:
Ben Brooks (Oak Park River Forest, IL)
FILA Cadet Nationals double All-American (Greco-Roman champion), state high school tournament qualifier

Austin Fallon (Westfield, VA)
NHSCA Junior Nationals fifth place, state champion

Michael Kennedy (Blackman, TN)
NHSCA Sophomore Nationals champion, state runner-up

Timmy McCall (South View, NC)
NHSCA Junior Nationals seventh place, state champion

Stephen McPeek (Texas)
Junior Nationals Greco-Roman third place, NHSCA Junior Nationals seventh place, state champion

More to Watch:
Jared Holliday (Burlington Township, NJ)
AJ Mott (DePaul Catholic, NJ)
Jay Taylor (Oviedo, FL)
Mike Wagner (South Plainfield, NJ)

215:

Heaviest Hitters:
Nate Gaffney (Connellsville, PA)
State high school champion

Nick McDiarmid (Hartland, MI)
Super 32 Challenge third place, Disney Duals silver medalist, state champion

Alex Polizzi (Beloit Memorial, WI)
Junior Nationals double All-American, state runner-up, ranked 89th in the Class of 2010 by InterMat

Next Group:
Hayden Bock (Park Hill, MO)
State high school runner-up

CJ Collins (Collins Hill, GA)
NHSCA Junior Nationals eighth place, state runner-up

Harrison Honeycutt (Lake Norman, NC)
Junior Nationals Greco-Roman fifth place, FILA Cadet Nationals freestyle fifth place, Super 32 Challenge sixth place, state champion

Donald McNeil (Wyoming Seminary, PA)
National Prep third place

285:

Heaviest Hitters:
Henry Chirino (Brandon, FL)
NHSCA Junior Nationals runner-up, state high school champion

Tyler Demott (Benton, PA)
NHSCA Junior Nationals champion, former Cadet Nationals freestyle champion, state runner-up

Lance Moore (Lackawanna Trail, PA)
NHSCA Junior Nationals third place, state tournament third place

Next Group:
Donovan Green (Timber Creek, FL)
Junior Nationals Greco-Roman runner-up, FILA Cadet Nationals double champion, state high school tournament qualifier

Zeal McGrew (Burnt Hills-Ballston, NY)
NHSCA Junior Nationals sixth place, state tournament third place]]>70922Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:26:37 +0000Wrestling 49: Ohiohttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/wrestling-49-ohio-r70888/As the wrestling season's start is fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. Between now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce you to the top senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and from Maine to California, you will gain exposure to the potential stars of future NCAA Championships.

Did you miss a Wrestling 49 article? Check out the archives.

Ohio is one of the nation's top high school wrestling states in terms of talent ... right there with Pennsylvania and New Jersey on a year in and year out basis. This year is no different as Ohio is coming off the 2009 Junior National Freestyle Duals in Oklahoma in which they were crowned champions. Ohio returns a heavily talented recruiting class for 2010 that is second only to Pennsylvania in terms of InterMat Top 50 recruits. The anchor of this talented class is none other than Logan Stieber, who was third at U.S. Nationals in freestyle in April as only a junior in high school.

Logan Stieber (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)
1. Logan Stieber

School: Monroeville
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 125
Projected College Weight Class: 125/133

Scouting Report: Stieber, who is ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the country by InterMat, is looking to be a seven-time state champion this year (three junior high state titles, four high school state titles). Should Stieber do this, he will join only David Taylor and Collin Palmer with such an accomplishment. Stieber qualified this past summer for the U.S. World Team Trials at 121 pounds and should make an immediate impact at Ohio State in 2010-11. An Ohio State verbal commit since the summer of 2008, Stieber should continue to have no true challenges this year during the high school wrestling season. He will take a 129-1 record into this season ... and look to win his second Ironman title in dominating fashion.

2. Jamie Clark

School: Lakewood St. Edward
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 130
Projected College Weight Class: 133

Scouting Report: Clark is a very explosive wrestler who will be gunning for his third state title this year. If not for an ultimate tiebreak loss in the finals his freshman year to Sam White (now wrestling at Illinois), he would be going for his fourth. Clark finished last season as the top-ranked wrestler at 119 pounds, and is a candidate to start the season in the same position this year at 130 pounds. Last season, he claimed his first Ironman title as part of an undefeated season. Clark will continue his college career at Illinois.

3. Max Thomusseit

School: St. Paris Graham
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 189
Projected College Weight Class: 197

Scouting Report: Thomusseit is about as big and strong as they come for the 189-pound weight class and will enter the season as one of the top wrestlers in this weight. Thomusseit had a breakout year last year. He was runner-up the Ironman, losing to Blair Academy's Max Huntley in the finals. He then won a “rubber matchup” with rival Nick Mills for the state title; having beaten Mills in the semifinals at Ironman, but falling short in the finals at Top Gun. This summer he went an outstanding 9-1 at the Junior National Duals in Oklahoma, losing only to Huntley in a pair of 1-1 periods. Thomusseit will continue his college career with his brother, Zac, at Pittsburgh.

4. Nick Sulzer

School: Lakewood St. Edward
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160
Projected College Weight Class: 165

Nick Sulzer
Scouting Report: Sulzer probably had the biggest summer from a standpoint of boosting his stock in recruiting and rankings. Yet to win a state title, Sulzer has finished second, third and second in the state tournament. But this past offseason he won the NHSCA Junior Nationals at 152 pounds and was fifth at Junior Nationals in Fargo at 160 pounds. Sulzer is looking to join his older brothers, Aaron and Keith, as state champions this season. Sulzer has committed to wrestle at Virginia, joining former Eagle teammates Shawn Harris and Dan Gonsor in Charlottesville.

5. Josh Demas

School: Westerville North
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160/171
Projected College Weight Class: 174

Scouting Report: Demas avenged his only loss of the season -- ultimate tiebreak in the finals at Medina -- when he beat Nick Sulzer for the state title with an exploding takedown in the last minute of the match. Demas is a very athletic wrestler and will be very hard to defeat in whatever weight he ends up at this year. Seeking a second state title this year, if he competes at 160, he could see Sulzer right out of the gate at Ironman. Demas will continue his career at Ohio State, wrestling for Coach Tom Ryan and company next year.

Ty Mitch won a Junior Nationals freestyle title in Fargo at 119 pounds (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)
6. Ty Mitch

School: Aurora
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 119
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Scouting Report: Mitch was relatively unknown outside of Ohio until he climbed to the top of the podium this past summer at Junior Nationals, claiming the freestyle title at 119 pounds. Mitch comes in this year as a two-time state champion and will be gunning for his third state title this year. Mitch will look to win his first titles at Ironman and Brecksville this year, but will face very stiff competition from all angles, much of it from in-state competition as well. Mitch recently gave a verbal commitment to Virginia Tech.

7. Jerome Robinson

School: Cleveland St. Ignatius
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 112
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Scouting Report: Robinson had a stellar junior season after being plagued by injuries the year before. It was a season in which he finally captured a state title, after taking third his freshman year, losing only to Jamie Clark, 3-2, in the quarterfinals. Robinson returns back to 112 pounds this year and looks to win his first Ironman and Brecksville titles as well. Robinson recently committed to wrestle for Old Dominion.

8. David Habat

School: Cleveland St. Ignatius
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 152/160
Projected College Weight Class: 157

Scouting Report: The very talented Habat finally broke through and won his first state title last year at 145 pounds. If he is to do so again he will have just as many challenges; either having to navigate through Pierce Harger if at 152 pounds, or having to battle Sulzer and possibly Demas in the 160-pound class. Habat is one of two Ohio wrestlers listed in the Top 10 who has not yet committed to a college.

Pierce Harger
9. Pierce Harger

School: Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 152
Projected College Weight Class: 157/165

Scouting Report: Harger is the best wrestler in Ohio that has yet to make a state finals appearance. He has been close in years past, including taking third, losing only to Habat in the state semifinals, 9-6, this past season. During the offseason, he was a finalist in both styles at the Western Junior Regionals (champion in Greco-Roman) and part of Team Ohio that won the Junior National Freestyle Duals in Oklahoma. Harger is a very dangerous wrestler and will score points in bunches. Harger has committed to wrestle at Northwestern and projects at 157/165 pounds.

10. Gus Sako

School: Lakewood St. Edward
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 125
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Scouting Report: Sako is the third member of the talented St. Edward squad inside the Top 10 recruits for the state. Sako is a two-time state finalist and was an overtime period away (against Robinson) last year from winning his second state title. Sako looks to move up two weight classes to 125 pounds, where he would be the early favorite right now to win the state title. Sako has not yet committed to a college, but his five official visits were to Cornell, Penn, Minnesota, Cal Poly, and Virginia.]]>70888Mon, 12 Oct 2009 06:29:50 +0000Wrestling 49: Vermonthttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/wrestling-49-vermont-r70878/As the wrestling season's start is fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. Between now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce you to the top senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and from Maine to California, you will gain exposure to the potential stars of future NCAA Championships.

Did you miss a Wrestling 49 article? Check out the archives.

The 2009-2010 seniors in Vermont bring different levels of experience to the table. The wrestling depth of this class is not as strong as the last two years ... although there is some tremendous upside and potential for all of these kids to perform at the college level. Many of these kids did a lot of offseason wrestling with clubs and at local and regional tournaments. A few have branched out and wrestled on the national level.

1. Mike Bradley

School: Mt. Anthony
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 112/119
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Scouting Report: Bradley is a two-time state finalist, winning a championship in 2008 at 103 and finishing second in 2009 at 112. He placed fourth in the New England Championships at 112 pounds. He finished the season with a 52-9 record and has recorded 140 career wins in high school. He is the only senior from Vermont who placed in the New England Championships. Bradley is a devoted wrestler who puts in his time in the offseason, wrestling about 80 matches. He competed in the Brute Scholastic Showcase and many regional tournaments.

2. Steven Rich

School: Spaulding
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160/171
Projected College Weight Class: 165

Scouting Report: Rich has been in the state finals three straight years. He is a two-time state runner-up (2007 and 2008). Rich broke through for his first state championship in 2009 at 160 pounds, where he turned in an outstanding season that saw him win numerous outstanding wrestler awards at tournaments. A season record of 46-5 saw him just come up short of placing at the New England Championships. Rich is a standout football player on his high school football team. He also has over 100 career victories ... and is on pace to be one of Spaulding's top wrestlers in school history.

3. Zach Weinfurt

School: Mt. Anthony
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145/152
Projected College Weight Class: 149/157

Scouting Report: Weinfurt came on late last season to place third in the State Championships at 145 pounds -- a key reason his team was able to win its 21st straight state championship. A scholar athlete, Weinfurt has tremendous upside. He did not begin wrestling until high school and has worked very hard at improving his game. A solid offseason which saw him compete at the Brute Scholastic Showcase for underclassmen and many wrestling camps should provide him with the edge to move up the ranks on the New England level. Weinfurt finished 47-15 last season.

4. Damian Mason

School: Spaulding
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 130
Projected College Weight Class: 133

Scouting Report: Mason came out on nowhere last season to help Spaulding seriously challenge for a state championship. A short, powerful wrestler, Mason finished second in the state while compiling a 36-17 season record. Tremendous upside for Smith, who is poised to have an outstanding senior season.

5. Mike Smith

School: Rutland
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 140
Projected College Weight Class: 141

Scouting Report: Smith has placed third in the last two State Wrestling Championships. An injury slowed him down this offseason. Smith is a tough, hardnosed wrestler who does not get rattled when competing. He has his eyes set on standing at the top of the podium this season in a very competitive weight class. Smith tallied a 33-11 record last season.

6. Matt Simpson

School: Randolph
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 130
Projected College Weight Class: 133

Scouting Report: Simpson is a standout on a very small Randolph squad hurt by the lack of practice partners. He is a three-time state place finisher, coming in third last season at 125 pounds. Simpson compiled a 30-11 season record in 2009.

7. Paschal Perrotte

School: Mt. Mansfield
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160
Projected College Weight Class: 165

Scouting Report: Parrott gave Steve Rich all he could handle in the semifinals of the State Championship last season. A powerful catch wrestler, he put together a strong run late last season. He finished the year with a 25-12 record.

8. Brad Sawyer

School: Mt. Anthony
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 189
Projected College Weight Class: 184

Scouting Report: Sawyer placed fifth in the State Championships. A season of offseason wrestling and weight room work will put him in the running for a state title. One highlight for Sawyer last season was finishing third in the tough Heart of Dixie Wrestling Classic held at Vestavia High School in Alabama. Competing in many regional tournaments and the Brute Scholastic Underclassmen Duals should also add to his resume of experience. Sawyer will have over 100 career wins and finished last season with 44 wins.

9. Justin Felion

School: Fair Haven
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160
Projected College Weight Class: 157

Scouting Report: Felion had and up and down junior season. At times he was dominant. He hopes to improve upon his fifth-place showing at 152 pounds. Felion finished last season with a 38-10 record.

10. Sam Webster

School: Mt. Anthony
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 285
Projected College Weight Class: 285

Scouting Report: Webster becomes an interesting Top 10 pick. He has wrestled JV for three years behind two-time state champion Ethan Furlon, who graduated. Webster is a three-time JV state champion and has waited for his turn. If he was not behind Furlon last season, he would have been one of the state's top heavyweights. Webster has put in a lot of offseason work on the mat, and in the weight room. He is a starting offensive lineman on his football team. Webster is a hard worker with tremendous upside.

Honorable Mention:
Ricky Sawyer (Mt. Mansfield)
Charlie Kline (Essex)
Devon Sandon (Essex)
Patrick Infurna (Fair Haven)
Evan Bilodeau (Spaulding)
Simon Flynn (Vergennes)
Evan Bathalon (Otter Valley)]]>70878Fri, 09 Oct 2009 08:02:35 +0000Wrestling 49: Minnesotahttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/wrestling-49-minnesota-r70868/As the wrestling season's start is fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. Between now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce you to the top senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and from Maine to California, you will gain exposure to the potential stars of future NCAA Championships.

Did you miss a Wrestling 49 article? Check out the archives.

The 2009-2010 Minnesota high school wrestling season begins in a little less than two months. This season's crop of seniors may lack the total number of blue-chip Division I wrestlers of the last two senior classes, but it does have very good depth. Dylan Ness may be the only clear blue-chip wrestler in the class. However, there are several wrestlers in this class that will make meaningful impacts on college teams in the next few years. The Top 10 wrestlers in the Class of 2010 all have great upside, but I feel that Zak Coates, Blaine Miller, and Jake Long are the most likely wrestlers to have their stock skyrocket this season. During the time between now and the end of the next Greco-Roman and freestyle season, I expect that we will see a couple of other wrestlers on the list make a bid for blue-chip status.

1. Dylan Ness

School: Bloomington Kennedy
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145
Projected College Weight Class: 149/157

Dylan Ness (Photo/The Guillotine)
Scouting Report: Ness is a three-time high school state medalist, 2008 USA Wrestling Triple Crown winner, and brings a 148-19 high school record into the 2009-2010 season. Ness finished the 2009 Greco-Roman and freestyle season earning All-American honors in both styles at Junior Nationals in Fargo. During the past two seasons, Ness has been pitted against other nationally-ranked wrestlers at the state tournament and could not capture a championship. Ness has committed to the University of Minnesota, where his older brother, Jayson, is a three-time All-American.

2. Drew Fleming

School: Watertown-Mayer
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 119
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Drew Fleming (Photo/The Guillotine)
Scouting Report: Fleming is a two-time Minnesota Class AA state champion and 2008 freestyle and folkstyle All-American. He has amassed a 112-15 record in three seasons as a starter. Eight of Fleming's 15 losses came during his freshman season while wrestling in the 112-pound weight class when he didn't need to cut to make 103. He is favored to win his third state championship in 2009-2010 and has not decided yet where he will wrestle in college.

3. Joel Bauman

School: Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunberg
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 189
Projected College Weight Class: 197

Scouting Report: Bauman is the most athletically-gifted wrestler in this year's senior class. He possesses quickness and strength not often seen in the higher weights in high school. Bauman is the 2009 Class A state champion, placed third in 2008, and battled injuries in 2007 when he did not place. Bauman has proven to be one of the premier Greco-Roman wrestlers in his class being a former national champ (2007) and All-American in 2008 and 2009. In 2008-2009, Bauman played a key role in Kerhoven-Murdock-Sundberg's state champion football and wrestling teams. He is attracting the interest of many Division I wrestling and football programs, but it's not clear if he will wrestle in college.

4. Drew Lexvold

Drew Lexvold (Photo/The Guillotine)
School: Kenyon-Wanamingo
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135
Projected College Weight Class: 141/149

Scouting Report: Lexvold's freshman and sophomore seasons ended in disappointment when he did not place at state, but he redeemed himself last season, winning a Class A state championship at 125 pounds. He also earned All-American honors at the 2009 Folkstyle Nationals and 2008 NHSCA Sophomore Nationals ... in addition to folkstyle and Greco-Roman national titles in 2008. While competing at The Clash National Duals, Lexvold tallied a 4-2 record.

5. Zak Coates

School: Henry Sibley
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 171
Projected College Weight Class: 174/184

Scouting Report: Coates won his first high school state title last season with his victory over highly-rated senior Brendan Eichmann, who was considered the clear favorite at the beginning of the season. He also beat Eichmann in the section finals. Coates was a 2008 All-American in both Greco-Roman and freestyle, but did not have the same level of success in 2009. Two of his four losses in 2009 were to highly-rated senior Carter Adams (who he beat once during the season) and another loss was to Joe Latham of Bismarck, North Dakota.

6. Jordan Campa

School: St. Michael-Albertville
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160
Projected College Weight Class: 165

Scouting Report: Campa was the 2009 state champion in Class AA and 2009 folkstyle All-American. Campa has made three state tournament appearances, placing twice (third in 2008). His other appearance was at 152 pounds as a freshman. St. Michael-Albertville competed at The Clash National Duals in Minnesota, where Campa went 5-1 with a win over Devin Peterson of Wisconsin, a 2009 USA Wrestling Cadet Triple Crown winner.

7. Blaine Miller

School: Plainview-Elgin-Millville
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160
Projected College Weight Class: 165/174

Blaine Miller (Photo/The Guillotine)
Scouting Report: Miller has racked up 155 career wins going into his senior season ... with 200 for his career possible. In 2009, Miller captured his first state championship, defeating the previous year's state champion, Kevin O'Brien, who now wrestles at West Point. His two previous seasons ended at state without reaching the medal rounds. However, due to Minnesota's policy of not seeding the tournament, he may have done better if not matched up against two state champions in the early rounds. Miller went 5-0 at the Clash National Duals, recording wins over Tyler Miles (seventh in Virginia), Chris Kipp (No. 5 in Wisconsin), and Eric Vanevenhoven (Wisconsin state champion).

8. Tony Vaske

School: River Valley
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 140
Projected College Weight Class: 149

Scouting Report: Vaske is a three-time medal winner at the state tournament with a career record of 147-19. He placed second at the NHSCA Junior Nationals, losing a close match to Arizona State recruit Louis Trujillo, who is currently ranked as the No. 15 senior in the country by InterMat. Vaske has shown that he can wrestle with best in Minnesota and some of the best in the country. Over the last three seasons, Vaske has been considered one of the favorites to take home the state championship. This could be the year it happens.

9. Jake Long

School: West Central Area
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145
Projected College Weight Class: 157

Jake Long (Photo/The Guillotine)
Scouting Report: Long spent his freshmen and sophomore years just trying to break into the state bracket. In 2006, Long faced off with the eventual third and fourth-place winners at state just to try to qualify for state. In 2007, Long faced off against two wrestlers who eventually became the state champion and third-place winners. Finally, in 2008, he was able to qualify for state ... and in 2009, Long took home a state championship. While Long may not have the total number of achievements that some of the others on this list do, he has made large and steady improvements each year. He has taken advantage of the summer wrestling season and it should show on the mat when the high school wrestling season begins.

10. Tucker Freeman

School: Jackson County Central
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 171
Projected College Weight Class: 174

Scouting Report: Freeman is a three-time state medal winner who should make his fourth appearance at the state tournament in 2010. He placed second last year, losing to Mr. Minnesota and University of Minnesota recruit Kevin Steinhaus in the finals. He has been a familiar face at the state tournament ... with his first appearance coming in 2005 as a seventh-grader. Though Freeman has an impressive number of career wins (he could pass 200 this year), he has been considered an underdog to win the state championship. 2009-2010 will be different.

Honorable Mention:
Dalton Henderson (Owatonna)
Tommy Glenn (Simley)
Kyle Leduc (Thief River Falls)
Ryan Thompson (Benson)
Jordan Bendson (Staples-Motley)
Jordan Linn (Foley)
Andrew Youngblom (Mora)
Kevin Nelson (Forest Lake)
Tyler Rohr (Hastings)
Kraig Schumm (St. Michael-Albertville)
Mitch Hrovat (Centennial)
Brandon Haluptzok (Centennial)
Michael Hirsch (Austin)
Mason Young (Henry Sibley)
Jeff Nielsen (Zimmerman)]]>70868Mon, 05 Oct 2009 07:19:10 +0000Wrestling 49: New Yorkhttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/wrestling-49-new-york-r70859/As the wrestling season's start is fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. Between now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce you to the top senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and from Maine to California, you will gain exposure to the potential stars of future NCAA Championships.

Did you miss a Wrestling 49 article? Check out the archives.

A year removed from what aficionados were hailing as one of the best group of seniors (10 InterMat top 100 recruits) in Empire State history, the Class of 2010 is out to prove that when it comes to wrestling, New York does not rebuild, it reloads! And, if past team performances at events such as the NHSCA National tournament are any indication, it is no exaggeration to say that the current senior class may very well equal, if not surpass, the accomplishments enjoyed by their brethren that have come before them.

In three trips to Virginia Beach, the young men from New York have never finished out of the medals, finishing third as juniors in 2009, second in 2008, and winning the team title as freshmen. During this time span, they have accounted for eight individual national titles, six national runner-up finishes, and 44 total NHSCA All-Americans. Among the 30 wrestlers who have combined to earn this impressive figure, only 14 are current or former NYS DI or DII state champions. Looking to complete the sweep (All-American honors all four years) is a quartet of the state's top 10 wrestlers: Tyler Beckwith, Stephen Dutton, Angelo Malvestuto, and Anthony Volpe. All four have already made appearances in the national finals, with three of them earning at least one title.

On the state level, New York welcomes back nine returning state champions (Mike Soria, Kyle McGregor, Nick Arujau, Nick Wilcox, Vinny Digravio, Stephen Dutton, Andy Rodriguez, Tyler Beckwith, and Kyle Colling), as well as four former state champions (Ken Collado, Kyle Crisaulli, Andrew Lenzi, and Cody Ruggirello). In fact, so deep was the Empire State this season that selecting a top 10 proved to be a very daunting task that witnessed me going back and forth on several occasions regarding who should occupy the spots on the list. Five current or former champs did not make the cut.

Nick Arujau (TheMatSlap.com)
Two wrestlers who will be seeking their third state title in 2010 are Syosset High School's Nick Arujau and Greene High School's Nick Wilcox. While both are three-time finalists, their paths to the titles have been as different as night and day. Arujau, after losing in the state finals as a freshman to Cody Ruggirello, has rebounded in extremely strong fashion, winning the hardware the last two years (including what many considered to be the most stacked weight class in 2009, the DI 125-pound weight class). Wilcox, on the other hand, tasted his first sip of victory as an eighth-grader when he parlayed a shocking semifinal victory over Ian Paddock into an eventual title effort. However, it would be two years before Wilcox would succeed in returning to the top, losing in the state finals to Paddock as a freshman and then failing to qualify as a sophomore.

Looking to join Arujau and Wilcox in a rare club of four-time state finalists is Central Valley's Cody Ruggirello. If the name sounds familiar, it should. Cody is the younger brother of current Hofstra University superstar and former three-time NYS champion/2006 NHSCA Senior Nationals champion Lou Ruggirello. When Cody pinned Arujau in the 2007 state finals, he became the third member of his family to hoist the crown, following in the footsteps of his aforementioned brother and his father, Lou Sr., a state titlist in 1989. Similar to Wilcox, Ruggirello would return to the championship match a year later, but would have to endure the agony of watching his opponent (and future college teammate) Steve Bonanno celebrate after dropping a hard fought decision in double overtime. Heartbreak would strike Ruggirello again in 2009, as a shocked audience in Albany watched as eventual state runner-up Joe Grippi (lost to Digravio in the finals) hit a five-point move in the last 10 seconds to upset the heavily-favored Ruggirello in a semifinal bout. Ruggirello would wrestle his way back to claim third place honors.

While undecided on where he will compete at as a senior (either 135 or 140), Ruggirello can expect to be challenged by a fellow top 10 wrestler at whichever weight class that he ends up. If he elects to move up one weight class from last season to 135 pounds, it is believed that he would be on a collision course with 2008 NYS champion/2009 state runner-up Andrew Lenzi from Fordham Prep. If Ruggirello bumps all of the way up to 140, he will likely be met by the young man who defeated Lenzi for the 135-pound state title last season, Rocky Point's Stephen Dutton. Dutton is himself no stranger to disappointment. As a freshman, Dutton was leading the 119-pound state finals 2-0 before a Devon Brown cement mixer put an end to his title hopes. As a sophomore, Dutton was again the victim of a stroke of bad luck as he inadvertently pinned himself in a first round match that he was leading by a significant margin. He would respond by outscoring his opponents 63-1 to secure a third-place finish. Last season's title performance was said to be the ultimate characteristic of a new and mentally tougher Dutton.

Despite combining for only three DII finals appearances between them, two wrestlers who find themselves in the top 6 of the list are Tyler Beckwith and Kyle Colling. While separated by approximately 40 pounds, if one were to compare the junior seasons of these two young men, you would find that they are marked by similarity. Both winners of their first state titles in 2009, neither Beckwith nor Colling were content to rest on their laurels. Instead, they headed to Virginia Beach with a mission of further solidifying their respecting wrestling resumes. Mission accomplished ... as each would go on to win Junior National titles by besting former NHSCA champions in the finals (Beckwith over NY teammate Malvestuto; Colling over Pennsylvania's Spencer Myers). Malvestuto, himself a three-time NYS and multiple-time NHSCA placewinner, joins Beckwith as member of the state's top 10.

Andy Rodriguez (TheMatSlap.com)
Rounding out the list are a pair of native Long Islanders in the persons of Anthony Volpe and Andy Rodriguez. Volpe, who is still seeking his first state title, made this list by virtue of the success that he has enjoyed nationally. As both a former Cadet Greco-Roman and a three-time returning NHSCA Nationals All-American, Volpe's place on this list was locked up when he received an outpouring of support from the college coaches that I spoke to prior to penning this article. Likewise, when it came time to make my final selections, Rodriguez was someone who found himself on a short list of five wrestlers who I could not decide if they belonged as the final member of the top-10, or if they were better classified as honorable mention selections. Ultimately, what ended up being the deciding factor for me was the fact that Rodriguez was the only one who was both a state champion and a person who lived in my part of the state, thus allowing me to see/evaluate by me on numerous occasions.

Because I very much want to recognize the immense accomplishments of those not chosen, allow me to list their names now: Kyle McGregor (2009 NYS DII champion, 2009 NHSCA Junior Nationals All-American), Justis Flamio (two-time state runner-up, 2009 NHSCA Junior Nationals All-American), Vinny Digravio (2009 NYS champion, former NHSCA Nationals All-American), Giuseppe Lanzi (2009 NYS third place, two-time NHSCA Nationals All-American, 2007 NHSCA Freshman Nationals champion), and Matt Loew (2009 NYS runner-up, two-time NHSCA Nationals All-American, 2009 FILA Cadet Nationals freestyle champion/third in Greco-Roman).

One thing is for certain, 2010 should be another exciting and fun filled year for anyone who calls themselves a New York wrestling enthusiast.

1. Tyler Beckwith

School: Greene
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 189
Projected College Weight Class: 174/184

Tyler Beckwith (TheMatSlap.com)
Scouting Report: The most versatile wrestler in New York State this season, Beckwith, is a true three-style competitor. The winner of his first DII state title in 2009, Beckwith has been flourishing on the national stage since his freshman year. Already a three-time NHSCA National champion, the multi-sport athlete at Greene High School has a chance to make history in 2010 by becoming the first scholastic wrestler ever to win an NHSCA title at every grade level (he could be joined by New Mexico's Louis Trujillo who also heads into this season as a three-time champion). In the international styles, the native of Syracuse has been every bit as good, earning double Junior All-American honors this past year in Fargo (second in Greco-Roman, eighth in freestyle).

Rated as the No. 11 recruit in the nation by InterMat, the three-time NYS DII placewinner (second in 2008 at 171, fifth in 2007 at 145) will be reunited with his Shamrock Wrestling Club coach, Scott Green, next fall as he gave a verbal commitment to Binghamton University back in July.

2. Nick Arujau

School: Syosset
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 125
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Scouting Report: The son of former two-time World Freestyle champion/1992 Olympic Bronze Medalist, Vougar Oroujov, winning is in the blood of Nick Arujau. A state runner-up as a freshman in 2007, Arujau has not tasted defeat the past two years, winning state crowns at 112 and 125 pounds respectively. He enters his senior season with a career record of 148-7 as well as an 85-match winning streak. Considered small for the weight last season, the three-time Nassau County champion has confirmed that it is his intention to compete at 125 again this season.

While small on quantity, Arujau's national resume is high on quality. In 2008 was a NHSCA Sophomore Nationals runner-up, finishing third with his only loss coming at the hands of eventual champion, California's Jesse Delgado. That same year, Arujau earned All-American honors in Fargo, finishing seventh at the Cadet National Freestyle tournament.

Pursued by a number of institutions, Arujau narrowed down his list to a trio of schools -- American, Lehigh, and Hofstra -- before ultimately deciding to continue his career at the latter.
Having spent considerable time training in Russia this summer, it will be exciting to see how much the No. 46 national recruit has progressed from one year to the next.

3. Stephen Dutton

School: Rocky Point
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 140
Projected College Weight Class: 141

Stephen Dutton (TheMatSlap.com)
Scouting Report: Heading into his junior season, many considered Dutton to be the best wrestler in NYS without a title (second in 2007, third in 2008). This is a tag that fortunately will not follow him into his grand finale. In 2009, Dutton practically ran over everybody in his path. Going undefeated along the way, the 2007 NHSCA Freshman Nationals champion (fourth in 2008, National runner-up in 2009) claimed his first state title in high fashion by defeating defending state champion/fellow top 10 honoree Andrew Lenzi by major decision in the finals. Earlier in the season, he defeated former two-time NYS champion Paul Liquori in a dual meet.

In addition to being a three-time NHSCA All-American, Dutton really solidified his name on the national scene last November when he finished a respectable sixth in a stacked 135-pound class at the Super 32 tournament. In doing so, Dutton defeated a pair of Virginia state champions (Both current DI wrestlers) in the persons of Andrew Williams and Ian Squires.

With another year of working alongside former Hofstra University two-time All-American Charles Griffin (an assistant coach at Rocky Point), available to him, there is no telling how developed he will be when he heads off to college. Having given Coach Pat Santoro a verbal commitment in July, Dutton is Bethlehem, PA bound, as he will continue his athletic/academic career at perennial EIWA powerhouse Lehigh University. Dutton is the No. 68 ranked recruit in the nation.

4. Nick Wilcox

School: Greene
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 130
Projected College Weight Class: 125/133

Scouting Report: Already a two-time Junior Greco-Roman All-American in Fargo, it might be easy to brand Wilcox a Greco-Roman specialist and overlook his folkstyle skills. Doing so would be very bad for any potential opponents. Despite being slightly overshadowed by his teammate, Beckwith, it will actually be Wilcox who will take to the mat in 2010 as his school's most accomplished in-state wrestler. A two-time DII state champion (2006 and 2009), Wilcox finished as the runner-up in 2007.

Another member of the famed Shamrock Wrestling Club, if Wilcox is able to have even half of the success enjoyed by former Shamrock lightweight, 2009 NCAA champion Troy Nickerson, he will make Bloomsburg (where he recently committed) very happy.

5. Kyle Colling

School: Pioneer
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 215
Projected College Weight Class: 285

Scouting Report: The brother of 2008 NHSCA Senior Nationals runner-up (at 285), Randy Colling, Kyle is following a similar path as his older brother. The only difference is that last season, Kyle was able to secure the DII state title that eluded the grasp of his big brother. Expected to compete at 215 for the second consecutive year, Colling has to be considered a sizeable (no pun intended) favorite to repeat his 2009 success.

Nationally, Colling has been equally impressive. As a junior, he followed up his hardware winning performance in Albany by winning the NHSCA Junior Nationals title, defeating Pennsylvania state runner-up/recent Maryland committee Spencer Myers by injury default in the title match. This was the second All-American finish for Colling, who previously finished fourth as a freshman.

Originally, Colling was not as high up on this list as he currently stands. However, in speaking with several college coaches in the New York area, I was surprised to learn how much respect he had garnered. Considered a definitive top 5 wrestler in state, the plethora of support that Colling received was enough for me to give him a second look and reconsider my original list.

As of today, Colling, who like his big brother is a two-sport athlete, remains on the open market. If the response from the coaches I spoke to are any indication, this young man will have more than his fair share of programs to choose from when he decides to do so.

6. Angelo Malvestuto

School: Niagara-Wheatfield
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 189
Projected College Weight Class: 174/184

Scouting Report: If Dutton was the best wrestler in NYS without a title in 2009, the honor has to belong to Malvestuto this season. A three-time NHSCA All-American, the Niagara Wheatfield senior has never failed to finish out the money in Virginia Beach. As a freshman, he won the 160-pound national title. The following season, he finished third in a very strong weight class eventually won by Beckwith. Malvestuto would split the difference as a junior, finishing as the national runner-up with his only coming at the hands of Beckwith.

As impressive as he has been on the national scene, Malvestuto has been no slouch statewide either. He comes into his senior season with the opportunity to be a four-time NYS DI placewinner. This is not too shabby when you consider that he began his scholastic career at a weight usually populated by upperclassmen. In 2007, he finished fourth at160. The last two years must have had a certain “Groundhog Day” feeling to it as Malvestuto has found himself as the third-place finisher back-to-back years at 171. If he is to succeed in finding himself on the top step of the podium this season, it is likely that he will have to best returning state finalist Matt Loew.

The No. 79-rated recruit in the country, Malvestuto has been very private regarding his future collegiate plans. However, with a resume like his, one would have to think that colleges/universities are in the process of beating down his door.

7. Cody Ruggirello

School: Valley Central
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135/140
Projected College Weight Class: 141

Cody Ruggirello
Scouting Report: While not regarded as the flashiest of wrestlers, Cody Ruggirello is something of a cerebral assassin. He is excellent at studying his opponents, learning their shot patterns, and than using those patterns against them to score. Much like older brother Lou (three-time NYS champion, 2006 NHSCA Senior Nationals champion, three-time CAA champion/NCAA qualifier), Ruggirello's length can be something of a problem for his shorter foes. The similarities do not end there. As was the case with his older brother, Cody is a beast on the mat, utilizing the now famous “Ruggirello double bars” to put away many an opponent. As a junior last season, Ruggirello established a sectional record for victories in a single season with 54. He will be looking to equal or break that record this coming season.

As freshman, Ruggirello appeared that he would be well on his way toward becoming a four-time NYS champion. In fact, he earned his only state title up to this point in 2007 when he pinned Arujau in the 103-pound championship bout. The last two years have not been as fortunate for Ruggirello as he has had to settle for runner-up (2008 at119) and third place (2009 at 130) honors. If he succeeds in placing in 2010, which barring injury should be a near certainty, Ruggirello will join a very exclusive club of wrestlers who finish their careers as five time state placewinners (third in 2006, first in 2007, second in 2008, third in 2009).

Demonstrating that he far from a big fish in a little pond, Ruggirello won over the respect of a lot of non-NYers this past March when he placed fourth at the NHSCA Junior National tournament. While not able to pull off the upset, one of the things that caught the eyes of most spectators was how hard Ruggirello was able to push New Mexico's three-time NHSCA Nationals champion, Louis Trujillo, in their quarterfinal bout.

In July, Ruggirello announced that he would be joining his brother at Hofstra University. While it is too early to know for sure, the speculation is that Cody will compete as a true freshman so as to allow the brothers one season to wrestle together. Starting for the same team is something that they have not done since 2006 at Central Valley High School.

8. Andrew Lenzi

School: Fordham Prep
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135
Projected College Weight Class: 141

Scouting Report: A state champion in 2008, Lenzi might have the highest level of untapped potential of anyone on this list. A product of the predominantly weak Catholic League, it is likely that the two-time NYS finalist (runner-up last season at 135) has not been exposed to the same caliber of workout partner as has been other members of this top 10. However, despite not having a steady person in the Rams' wrestling room to push him, Lenzi has continually gotten the job done when it mattered most. He possesses an amazing sweep single that has at times seemed to be unstoppable. He is also an above average rider who when given the opportunity has showcased a talent for tilting his opponent.

A 2008 NHSCA Sophomore Nationals All-American (finishing sixth at135), it is the opinion of many CHSAA fans that heading into his senior season, Lenzi has the potential to become the greatest wrestler ever to represent the New York Catholic League. A state title in 2010 will make him the only wrestler in league history to be a multiple-time champion. A third finals appearance will tie him with former University of Iowa wrestler/NCAA qualifier Lucas Magnani, who accomplished the feat for St. Anthony's from 2000-2002.

As gifted in the classroom as he is on the wrestling mat, the two-time Catholic state tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler has drawn the attention of most Ivy League institutions. In speaking with him recently, I have learned that he has narrowed down his college choices to the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University.

9. Anthony Volpe

School: Rocky Point
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 152/160
Projected College Weight Class: 157

Anthony Volpe (TheMatSlap.com)
Scouting Report: Only the second wrestler on this list to not have won at least one NYS title, Volpe's inclusion on this list is a combination of his strong national performances along with the incredible amount of praise that he received from the college coaches that I polled. A third-place finisher in his only appearance at the DI tournament in 2009, it is quite possible that the Rocky Point wrestler could have a state champion if not for a person named Zach Clemente. Clemente, a two-time NYS champion, who is currently on scholarship at the University of Virginia, was the only wrestler to defeat Volpe at the state tournament last season.

Competing on the national level, Volpe joins his high school teammate Dutton as well as Beckwith and Malvestuto as wrestlers who find themselves in a position to go 4-for-4 in placing at the NHSCA national tournament. A national runner-up in 2007 (lost to Dutton in NHSCA Freshman National finals), Volpe has made a solid showing of himself the past two seasons, finishing third and seventh respectively in 2008 and 2009.

In addition, while not altogether pursued, Volpe has shown a slight talent in the international styles, finishing seventh in Greco-Roman at the 2007 National Cadet Nationals.
In late July, Volpe announced that he had given a verbal commitment to Scott Goodale's quickly emerging Rutgers program.

10. Andy Rodriguez

School: Central Islip
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145
Projected College Weight Class: 149

Scouting Report: The 2009 NYS DI champion at 140 pounds, Rodriguez has been considered a phenom since his schoolboy days. As an eighth-grader, Rodriguez was a Schoolboy Nationals champion while competing as a part of the well respected Sayville Youth Wrestling Program. While he has not compiled as distinguished a national resume as his fellow members on this list, statewide Rodriguez has been about as good as one could ask.

A three-time Suffolk County (considered one of the hotbeds of Long Island wrestling) finalist, Rodriguez would likely have been a three-time state qualifier had the wildcard system been in place when he was a freshman. Instead, he had to stay home and watch as Dutton, who defeated him in the sectional finals, went on to place second at the state tournament. Transferring from Sayville to Central Islip between his freshman and sophomore seasons, Rodriguez made the most of it when presented with the opportunity to compete in the 2008 state tournament, finishing fourth behind three wrestlers who would all go on to compete on the Division I level. This past season, all of his potential was realized when he defeated Nick Terdick (Honorable Mention) not once, but twice on his way to his second Suffolk title and his first NYS title.

Blessed with great explosiveness and athleticism, Rodriguez should make the transition to collegiate wrestling rather smoothly. However, where his career will continue remains unknown at this time.

Honorable Mention:
Mike Soria (Kings Park)*
Max Soria (Kings Park) **
Damon McQueen (Huntington)
Colton Dalberth (Marion)**
Kenny Collado (Hauppauge)*
Kyle McGregor (Tonawanda***
Kyle Crisafulli (Phoenix)*
Justis Flamio (Mahopac)**
Adam Troy (Walt Whitman)**
Vinny Digravio (Wayne)***
Bucky Hendrickson (Letchworth)
Giuseppi Lanzi (Amsterdam)**
Nick Terdick (John Glenn)**
Ryan Tompkins (Beacon)
Paul Morabito (Spencerport)**
Billy Coggins (Rocky Point)**
Ryan Darch (Batavia)**
Vinny Gallo (Schalmont)
Matt Loew (Wantagh)**
Zeal McGrew (Burnt Hills)**
Elijah Graham (Corcoran)

* Former/Returning New York state champion (DI & DII)
** Former NHSCA or Junior/Cadet Nationals All-American
*** Both Former/Current New York state champion & NHSCA or Junior/Cadet Nationals All-American]]>70859Fri, 02 Oct 2009 07:49:27 +0000Wrestling 49: Washingtonhttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/wrestling-49-washington-r70851/As the wrestling season's start is fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. Between now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce you to the top senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and from Maine to California, you will gain exposure to the potential stars of future NCAA Championships.

Did you miss a Wrestling 49 article? Check out the archives.

The 2009-2010 wrestling season will be a rebuilding year for some of Washington’s top high school programs. At the 4A level, Lake Stevens has won the last three state championships. This year they return one champion (Josh Heinzer), and three placewinners, but will face tough competition coming from Tahoma, University (Spokane), Kelso, and Auburn. In 3A, returning champion Enumclaw brings back three placewinners from last year’s Mat Classic. They will be challenged by Yelm, who returns seven placewinners for this season, mostly in the lighter weights, Bonney Lake, East Valley (Spokane), and Auburn Mountainview. In 2A, Deer Park is projected to again take the top podium spot in the team competition. In the 1A division, Orting only lost 1 of its 11 state placewinners and should easily repeat as state champion.

Washington is also supplying some great wrestlers to the college recruiting pool. Ranked nationally as the No. 1 152-pound wrestler, Sedro-Woolley’s Derek Garcia may be as good a wrestler as the state has ever produced. Taylor Meeks of Orting is the No. 54-ranked wrestler in the country by InterMat. Efrain Aguilar is the No. 85-ranked grappler out of Graham-Kapowsin.

Although a few select teams travel outside of our region to seek out national competition, the biggest gauge of our area’s talent will be seen once again this year at the Tri-State Classic taking place in Coeur d’Alene the third weekend of December, and the Pac Coast Championship held in Vancouver, WA the first weekend of January.

Below is a look at the top 10 high school senior recruits from Washington’s Class of 2010.

1. Derek Garcia

School: Sedro-Woolley
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160
Projected College Weight Class: 149/157

Derek Garcia won a Junior Nationals freestyle title in Fargo this past summer at 152 pounds
(Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)
Scouting Report: Garcia is coming off an unusual high school junior year. He fulfilled his academic requirements for graduation from his high school last winter and has been taking college classes online for some time. After winning a third high school championship in February, Garcia became a resident of the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Coached by Bill Zadick, Garcia returned to the top step in Fargo, garnering a Junior National freestyle Championship at 152 pounds. Garcia zipped through the field without a significant challenge. He added that stop sign to a previous Cadet Nationals championship in 2007, along with two other All-American performances in 2007 and 2008. Garcia will wrestle this season for a fourth Washington championship ... joining only five others that have accomplished the feat. He recently committed to The Ohio State University, where he will join Logan Stieber, this year's No. 1-ranked recruit, wrestling for Buckeye coach Tom Ryan.

2. Taylor Meeks

Taylor Meeks is Washington's top upper weight senior recruit this year
(Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)
School: Orting
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 189
Projected College Weight Class: 184/197

Scouting Report: Taylor is the best of the upper weight seniors coming out of Washington this year. He is a former Cadet All-American, finishing fourth at Cadet Nationals in freestyle. He was third in state as a freshman, and has won the championship the last two years. He finished third at the NHSCA Junior Nationals, losing 4-3 to No. 1-ranked Tyler Beckwith of New York and beat No. 3-ranked Tyler Lehman of Minnesota. He was fifth at the Western Regionals in 2008. He is also Tri-State champion. He carries an overall record of 110-5, including 72-1 over the last two years. Meeks has already given a verbal commitment to Oregon State.

Efrain Aguilar has gone 83-1 over the past two seasons (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)
3. Efrain Aguilar

School: Graham-Kapowsin
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 125
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Scouting Report: Aguilar is a two-time regional champ, two-time Pac Cost champ, and two-time 4A state champ. His combined record for his sophomore and junior years was 83-1. Aguilar wrestles for a high school that starts at the 10th grade level, so he was not eligible to wrestle during his freshman year. Aguilar has been a Cadet All-American four times, including a third, fifth, eighth and second ... losing to Alan Waters of Missouri in the finals in Greco-Roman in 2007. Nicknamed "El Gato," Aguilar is quick and has excellent technical skills in all styles. For college, he is considering Arizona State, Penn State, Oklahoma, and Iowa.

Nick Bayer has a career record of 99-14
(Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)
4. Nick Bayer

School: Tahoma
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 171
Projected College Weight Class: 174

Scouting Report: Bayer carries a 3.367 grade point average and is a two-time state champion. He is also Pac Coast champion and two-time placewinner at Tri-State. His combined high school record is 99-14. He is looking at Boise State and Wyoming for college.

Josh Heinzer is a two-time state champion, winning titles at 103 pounds and 112 pounds
(Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)
5. Josh Heinzer

School: Lake Stevens
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 119
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Scouting Report: Heinzer is a two-time state champion, winning titles at 103 and 112. During his freshman year, two of his teammates finished first and second in the state at 103, keeping him out of the competition. He is a two-time Tri-State placewinner, including a first in 2008. He was second at the El Cajon Invitational in 2008.

6. Jacob Trotter

Jacob Trotter is a looking for a Division I program where he can utilize his academic standing
(Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)
School: Mead
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 215
Projected College Weight Class: 197

Scouting Report: Trotter, who carries a 4.0 grade point average, was the 2009 215-pound state champion in folkstyle, freestyle, and Greco-Roman. Took third at Tri-State. Had a record of 41-4 as a junior. Was a freestyle state championship as a cadet. He went 10-2 at the Junior Duals. He is fulfilling Eagle Scout requirements and will have award in November. He is also captain of the varsity football team and was voted best defensive player as a junior. He is a looking for a Division I program where he can utilize his academic standing.

7. Garrett Mann

Garrett Mann is a two-time state champion (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)
School: Orting
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135/140
Projected College Weight Class: 133/141

Scouting Report: Mann is a two-time state champion. As a freshman, Mann won the state title at 103. As a sophomore, he placed third at 119. He added his second state title last season at 130. He was also a cadet state freestyle champion in 2008. He is looking at South Dakota State, Great Falls, and Cal State Bakersfield, but is very interested in the U.S. Air Force Academy.

8. Tyler Lamb

Tyler Lamb is a three-time state placewinner (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)
School: Tahoma
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 140/145
Projected College Weight Class: 141/149

Scouting Report: Lamb, who carries a 3.369 grade point average, is a three-time state placewinner. He was second in state at 135 pounds last season. He won titles at Pac Coast, Spud Walley, Tahoma Mat Classic, and Matman. He was also a Tri-State finalist. He is looking at Cal State Bakersfield, Boise State, and Wyoming.

9. Ryan Zumwalt

Ryan Zumwalt finished second in the state last season at 145 pounds (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)
School: University
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145/152
Projected College Weight Class: 149

Scouting Report: Zumwalt was sixth in state as freshman at 130, fifth in state as sophomore at 140, and second as a junior at 145. He won titles at the Pacific Open, Rocky Mountain, and Pacific Northwest. He is a three-time regional finalist and one-time time regional champ. He is a two-time Greco-Roman state runner-up and placed fourth at the Northwest Regionals. He is looking at Cal Poly and Cal State Bakersfield.

10. Drew Acorn

Drew Acorn is a two-time state champion (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)
School: Deer Park
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 125
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Scouting Report: Acorn was a state champion at 119 in 2009, state champion at 103 in 2008, and placed third at 103 in 2007. He was second at the Rocky Mountain Rumble as a sophomore. He is also a Tri-State and Pac Coast placewinner.

Honorable Mention:
Jacob Mason (University)
Chris Tripplet (East Valley)
Konner Knudtsen (Tahoma)
Mitchell Steed (Emerald Ridge)
Ryn Rollins (Republic)
Tyler Metcalf (Graham-Kapowsin)
Micah Morrill (Snohomish)
Nathan Brown (North Central)
Branden Yeik (Olympic)
Alec Bird (Everett)
Blake Adams (Deer Park)
Quinn Gannon (West Valley)
Jeremy Holdaas (Blaine)
Sam Chapman (Vashon)
Tyler King (Auburn Mountainview)
Marques Ford (River Ridge)]]>70851Thu, 01 Oct 2009 01:49:50 +0000Wrestling 49: Illinoishttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/wrestling-49-illinois-r70831/As the wrestling season's start is fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. Between now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce you to the top senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and from Maine to California, you will gain exposure to the potential stars of future NCAA Championships.

Did you miss a Wrestling 49 article? Check out the archives.

The Illinois 2010 class has plenty left to prove before the next level begins. At first glance the 2010 class is not an imposing group, especially considering the classes that preceded them.

Since the Class of 2005, Illinois wrestling seniors have stepped up their game each year and produced some of the top wrestling classes in the country. The Class of 2010 features its own share of All-Americans and state champions that want to make their mark as well.

Led by Lee Munster and Nick Dardanes, the top seniors in Illinois boast six current or former high school All-Americans in the top 10. In addition, the 2010 class returns three state champions and three runner-ups. While the Class of 2010 may not be as deep as past years, there are plenty of talented wrestlers who have unfinished business to take care of before heading off to college.

1. Lee Munster

School: Fox Lake Grant
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 189
Projected College Weight Class: 184

Scouting Report: Munster entered the Illinois high school scene in 2006-07 under a lot of hype and fanfare. The quiet and unassuming Munster has not failed to deliver as is evident by his 120-6 career record. He is a returning state champ and the only multiple-time champ ... also with a title at 119 pounds as a freshman. Munster completed his junior season with a sparkling 47-0 record and the title at 171.

Lee Munster
A solid freestyler, Munster is a two-time Illinois freestyle state champion and three-time All American. The Illinois champion finished second at the Asics Junior Nationals at 171 pounds this summer. Munster has been part of the Illinois State Freestyle Team competing at the junior level since his freshman year and was able to contribute to the state's unprecedented historic run of three consecutive National Dual team titles.

Munster set the all-time Grant High School record for number of pins in a single season his junior year. He was the high school team Co-MVP and was selected as the Outstanding Wrestler in every tournament he competed in 2009.

A seven-time National Judo champion and a six-time International Judo champion as rated by the United Stated Judo Association, Munster has shown future Olympic potential.

Munster is ranked as the No. 8 recruit in the country by InterMat. Academically, he has been recognized as an All-Academic athlete each season. Combine solid academics with rock solid wrestling skills and Munster has college champion potential.

Munster verbally committed to Northwestern University during his junior season and will sign during the November early signing period.

2. Nick Dardanes

School: Oak Park-River Forest
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 140
Projected College Weight Class: 133

Nick Dardanes
Scouting Report: Dardanes and his twin brother, Chris, transferred to Oak Park-River Forest following their sophomore season. Dardanes parlayed that into an individual championship for himself while leading the Huskies to Illinois (AAA) big school team title along with his brother.

The 2009 returning state champion and Asics Junior Nationals finalist, Dardanes is ranked No. 20 nationally by InterMat. A very physical wrestler Dardanes, a two-time All-American, combines strength, speed and technique into a very dominating style of wrestling.

Dardanes is considering Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri.

3. Keith Surber

School: O'Fallon
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135
Projected College Weight Class: 133

Keith Surber
Scouting Report: Surber, a two-time All American is a hard-working, quick learner, who always looks for a way to get better. A proven winner on the folkstyle national level, the NHSCA National finalist in 2008 is ranked as the No. 98 recruit in the country by InterMat. In addition, he is one of two returning three-time All State wrestlers, the only one in AAA.

Surber, who has 140 career wins, is always looking to wrestle the best competition in tough matches and brackets. His 32 on the ACT indicates that he takes his academics seriously.

Surber is looking at Arizona State, Nebraska, Northwestern, U.S. Naval Academy, and Oklahoma.

4. Nick Proctor

School: Neuqua Valley
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160
Projected College Weight Class: 165

Nick Proctor
Scouting Report: Proctor, who is ranked as the No. 67 recruit in the country by InterMat, uses an aggressive offensive style, mixing single and double leg attacks. Proctor would prefer a tech fall over a pin.

Proctor is a two-time All-State middleweight who has also garnered All American honors three times, including a runner-up finish in 2009 (160). He was a FILA Cadet finalist in 2009 as well.

A diversified wrestler, Proctor is a B student with a 25 ACT and NCAA Division I skills.

Proctor is considering Michigan State, Old Dominion, Missouri, Nebraska, and Illinois.

5. Chris Dardanes

School: Oak Park-River Forest
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135
Projected College Weight Class: 133

Scouting Report: Transferring with his brother from Fenwick, Dardanes helped lead the Huskies to their first AAA state title in 2009. Dardanes loves the pressure of the big matches.

Chris Dardanes
A three-time All-State wrestler, Dardanes has done well on the national mat, reaching the FILA Cadet finals in 2008 and becoming an Asics All American in 2009.

He has the heavy hands of a brawler that all coaches seek. His style of wrestling is reminiscent of the 'Iowa Style.' Dardanes is very focused on wrestling and is a tireless worker, constantly improving with a tremendous upside.

Dardanes is considering Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois.

6. Jake Miller

School: Murphysboro
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145
Projected College Weight Class: 141/149

Scouting Report: Miller won the state title in Class A as a freshman at 103 pounds. The lone Class A (small school) representative in the top 10, Miller is as solid as his big school peers. He is very good on his feet and his single leg attack is virtually unstoppable.

Jake Miller
Along with Surber, Miller returns seeking his fourth All State medal while entering his senior year with a sparkling 118-4 record.

Mill also carries a solid 3.94 grade point average, is ranked 15th in his class, and has a NCAA Division I qualifying ACT score as well.

Miller is looking at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, Cornell, and Wyoming.

7. Matt Dwyer

School: Hononegah
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 189
Projected College Weight Class: 184/197

Matt Dwyer
Scouting Report: Dwyer, a two-time All-State wrestler with a sparkling 139-19 record, is currently in transition as he competes for that state title one more time in 2010. A counter wrestler, Dwyer is becoming more of an attack wrestler with some grind and pounding mixed in.

His two older brothers, Stephen and David, are successful collegiate wrestlers. Stephen is a Division I All-American at Nebraska, while David was an NJCAA All-American at Lincoln College who has transferred to McKendree.

Dwyer's drive and determination are what will make him a collegiate wrestler.

Dwyer is deciding between Nebraska and Northern Illinois.

8. Zach Smith

School: Boyland
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 215
Projected College Weight Class: 197

Zach Smith
Scouting Report: Using an aggressive style, Smith (106-12) likes to wrestle on his feet and get as many takedowns as possible. A constant well set up attack has become extremely efficient for Smith en-route to the 2009 state title.

He is seldom out of position and this sound position enables him to neutralize a wide variety of opponents and set his attacks from a variety of situations.

He is considering Illinois State, Western Illinois, Eastern Illinois, and North Dakota State for football, but is open to wrestling in college.

9. Sterling Hecox

School: Harlem
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 215
Projected College Weight Class: 197

Sterling Hecox
Scouting Report: Much like Munster, Hecox entered high school with lots of predictions of greatness. His 117-17 record indicates that he is one of the best as does his qualifying for state three times. In 2009, Hecox reached the podium for his first All State accolades.

Hecox uses a Greco-based upper body style. Often his unorthodox but very technical attack poses many problems for the competition.

The 26 ACT and 4.27/4.0 grade point average assure that there will be no classroom issues with Hecox. With plans to be a pharmacist, Hecox has the grades.

Hecox is looking at Northern Illinois, Northwestern, Illinois, Iowa, Princeton, Brown, and Harvard.

10. Colton Rasche

School: Montini Catholic
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135
Projected College Weight Class: 133

Scouting Report: The state runner-up at 130, Rasche features a lot of offensive takedowns and an attack style of wrestling. Typical of his Montini teammates' all-out style, he would prefer a tech fall to a pin.

Well versed in freestyle as well, Rasche followed up his 2009 FILA Cadet All-American status by becoming an Asics USA All-American in 2009.

Colton Rasche
Rasch, a three-time All-Stater, is a hard worker in the practice room, willing to help anyone while pushing himself to the limit to be a champion.

Rasche is considering the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S. Air Force Academy having secured the necessary Congressional recommendation.]]>70831Tue, 29 Sep 2009 06:04:08 +0000Wrestling 49: Nevadahttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/wrestling-49-nevada-r70834/As the wrestling season's start is fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. Between now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce you to the top senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and from Maine to California, you will gain exposure to the potential stars of future NCAA Championships.

Did you miss a Wrestling 49 article? Check out the archives.

Below is a look at the top 10 high school senior recruits from Nevada's Class of 2010.

Steven Hernandez (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)
1. Steven Hernandez

School: Bishop Gorman
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 152
Projected College Weight Class: 157

Scouting Report: Hernandez was an NHSCA Sophomore and Junior Nationals champion. He was also a Fargo All-American in both freestyle and Greco-Roman.

2. Johnny Field

School: Bishop Gorman
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 171
Projected College Weight Class: 174

Scouting Report: Field was the 4A state champion and finished fourth at the Reno Tournament of Champions. The only problem is that Field is also a very good baseball player, so there is no telling what he will do in college.

3. Nick Wooden

School: Spring Creek
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145
Projected College Weight Class: 144

Scouting Report: Wooden is a three-time state champion and winner of the Sierra Nevada Classic. His only two losses last year came at the Reno Tournament of Champions, where he placed seventh.

4. Jordan Cronin

School: Incline
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 285
Projected College Weight Class: 285

Scouting Report: Cronin is a three-time state champion and placed fourth at the Reno Tournament of Champions, where he lost to Brian Soloman of El Reno twice. Cronin has not lost to a wrestler from Nevada since he was a freshman.

5. Allen Haines

School: Boulder City
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135
Projected College Weight Class: 144

Scouting Report: Haines is the defending 3A state champion and placed third in the Las Vegas Holiday Classic.

6. Skyler Bleck

School: Lowry
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 152
Projected College Weight Class: 157

Scouting Report: Bleck is a two-time defending 3A state champion looking to win his third.

7. Kasey Jones

School: Battle Mountain High School
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 152
Projected College Weight Class: 157

Scouting Report: Jones is a two-time defending A/2A state champion.

8. Aaron Garcia

School: Cimarron-Memorial High School
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 189
Projected College Weight Class: 184

Scouting Report: Garcia was third in the 4A State Championships. He also finished second in the El Cajon Invitational and second in the Las Vegas Holiday Classic. Garcia is also a very good football player.

9. Clayton Souza

School: Eureka High School
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 189
Projected College Weight Class: 197

Scouting Report: Souza is the A/2A defending state champion. He is also a very accomplished football player.

10. Cody Serfoss

School: Tonopah High School
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 152
Projected College Weight Class: 157

Scouting Report: Serfoss is the defending A/2A state champion. He was third the year before. He is also a very good baseball pitcher.]]>70834Mon, 28 Sep 2009 01:51:04 +0000Wrestling 49: Georgiahttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/wrestling-49-georgia-r70825/As the wrestling season's start is fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. Between now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce you to the top senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and from Maine to California, you will gain exposure to the potential stars of future NCAA Championships.

Did you miss a Wrestling 49 article? Check out the archives.

Below is a look at the top 10 high school senior recruits from Georgia's Class of 2010.

1. Joel Smith

Joel Smith
School: Collins Hill High School
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145
Projected College Weight Class: 141/149

Scouting Report: Smith really began to establish himself as Georgia's top recruit during his impressive run through Collins Hills' 08-09 campaign. Smith placed second at the Toshiba Midwest Classic (his only loss of the year) and torched the competition at The Clash, making the All-Tournament Team. After running through all comers in Georgia's 5A classification, Smith finished his season with an impressive seventh-place finish at NHSCA Junior Nationals.

2. T.J. Mitchell

School: Collins Hill High School
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 125
Projected College Weight Class: 125/133

Scouting Report: I once heard a great wrestler say, “God blessed me as a winner," and I'm not sure that any quote could fit Mitchell any better. This guy is at his best when the lights come on and he finds himself in a big match. He's not flashy but as I mentioned earlier the kid just wins ... and wins a lot. He's one of the most decorated youth wrestlers in Georgia's history and has continued his success with two state championships in high school and multiple All-American finishes. If he finds a way to move his match intensity into the practice room, he'd easily move up to No. 1.

3. Acton Pifer

School: Lassiter High School
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 130
Projected College Weight Class: 133/141

Scouting Report: I'm sure that if I compiled this list four years ago, Pifer would not be found anywhere near the top. The fact that you find him here is a testament to this wrestler's two best attributes. The first being his tremendous work ethic. Acton will out work 99% the room day in and day out. The second being he is an incredibly smart wrestler. When you put those two qualities in one person, it's a recipe for dramatic improvement. The amazing thing about Acton is that he doesn't show any sign of stopping. He has a very impressive goal list, and I only expect to see great things from him in the future.

4. Joe Denova

School: Harris County High School
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135
Projected College Weight Class: 133/141

Scouting Report: It's hard not to like Mr. Denova. You never hear him complain, he's always ready to work, and he brings home All-American certificates like it's his job. In his two most recent trips out to Fargo, Denova has come home with three All-American honors. This South Georgia resident doesn't lack collegiate wrestling skills either. He has multiple state championships medals hanging with those All-American certificates, and is hoping to bring home Georgia's first Super 32 belt.

5. Derrick Laney

School: Lakeview-Ft. Oglethorpe
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 215
Projected College Weight Class: 197

Scouting Report: Laney's state tournament ticker tape reads "First Match: Fall 0:39, Second Match: TF 17-2, Third Match: Fall 0:35, Finals Match: Fall 0:52." He shows that much dominance and I had to live with some criticism for ranking Laney so high last year. Luckily for me, he decided to show he was one of the premier big men in the Southeast by placing higher than any other Georgia wrestler at NHSCA Junior Nationals (fiftth). For lack of a better description, Laney is bigger, faster, and stronger than just about anyone that steps on the mat with him. The two time state champion is so powerful that less than ten percent of his matches have gone the distance, and I would be willing to wager a month's salary (as small as that is with our furlough days) that he's not going to let up on that percentage anytime soon.

6. Ethan Blackstock

Ethan Blackstock
School: Alexander High School
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 189
Projected College Weight Class: 174/184

Scouting Report: If you like physical wrestling, this is your guy. Blackstock clubs, bangs, and smashes his way through all comers and has racked up two state championships doing it. He's no slouch leaving the Georgia borders behind either. This four-time Fargo All-American is an absolute monster in the Olympic styles. His explosive style has turned him into a crowd favorite no matter where he wrestles. Ethan's natural gifts are not wasted on someone lacking work ethic. He might be the biggest “mat rat” in Georgia and is constantly looking to better himself no matter the season. If there was a way to track the hours our athletes spent on the mat I would bet the name Ethan Blackstock would show up somewhere near the top.

7. Brian St. James

School: Centennial High School
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 119
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Scouting Report: BSJ, as he's referred to in Georgia, is what I like to refer to as a sleeper. He's not going to impress you with lots of flashy motion or by piling up double digit point totals every match. Due to this “grind it out” mentality it's easy to overlook St. James when compiling a list such as this. But that's exactly what this Centennial wrestler wants you to do. BSJ has made a career of staying out of the limelight and doing what he does best -- win wrestling matches. His most impressive display of this attitude came from his team's annual trip up to Spencerport, New York. St. James was in a brutal 112 bracket where, just as always, people counted him out. At the end of the day, there was BSJ smiling as the top of the podium leaving everyone wondering, “How does that guy do it?”

8. Stephen Spadlin

Stephen Spadlin
School: Camden County High School
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 119
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Scouting Report: The Spradlin family is synonymous with South Georgia wrestling, and Stephen definitely fits the billing. He's a hard wrestler to forget due to his fast pace style and crazy curly locks. But no matter if its wrestling or hair style that leaves the impression, you won't be disappointed by catching one of his matches. Spadlin could quite possibly be the most physically imposing light weight in Georgia. He has remarkably heavy hands for his lanky build and uses them extremely well to wear down opponents. His possible matchup with the afore mentioned St. James is one of the most anticipated matchups of the year.

9. Kevin Ulmer

School: Parkview High School
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 119/125
Projected College Weight Class: 125/133

Scouting Report: Ulmer is as hard a worker as anyone else in the state. He has a hunger to improve himself each practice and that hunger is evident when he steps on the mat to compete. His goal is to be the hardest worker in the state and believes winning will be a byproduct of that goal. He has some tough challenges ahead of him this year moving up a classification, but preparing for that jump will not be a problem for Ulmer. Rest assured when he steps onto the mat come February he will have put in the time to be successful at that level, and when the time comes to transition his work ethic over to a college room he handle tackle that obstacle with the same ferocity as he does all others.

10. Matt Schneider

School: Milton High School
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145
Projected College Weight Class: 141

Scouting Report: Mr. Schneider's only loss last season came to the No. 1 wrestler on this list in the state finals. That's not a bad season for the final entry. Schneider is another one of those guys that is easy to forget about due to his quiet demeanor, but he's all business when he steps on the mat. Schneider separates himself from his competition due to his prowess on top. He's extremely comfortable in his crab ride and has begun to really rack up the points from that position. If he notches a few more big wins in his belt, don't be surprised to see his name rising up some coaches recruiting list.]]>70825Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:03:59 +0000Wrestling 49: Californiahttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/wrestling-49-california-r70820/As the wrestling season's start is fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. Between now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce you to the top senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and from Maine to California, you will gain exposure to the potential stars of future NCAA Championships.

Did you miss a Wrestling 49 article? Check out the archives.

The Class of 2010 is loaded with a very competitive group of seniors, perhaps one of the more talented to set foot on the mat in first decade of the new millennium. At the national level, this group has performed very well among the elite states at the Cadet & Junior Nationals in Fargo and the NHSCA Nationals, producing 19 All-Americans overall. Two wrestlers enter the season with three state medals vying for their fourth ... and six are in position to earn their third. Once again, the Central Valley is well represented with the Clovis/Fresno area claiming nine of the 14 returning state medals in the section. In addition, the Central Valley also produces six of the top 10 preseason teams in the state, which include Clovis, Clovis West, Buchanan of Clovis, Bakersfield, and Selma. Other teams to watch include, defending state team champions Poway (San Diego Section), Gilroy , Oakdale , Lemoore , and Calvary Chapel of Santa Ana. I look forward to this season not only for the individual talent, but the team race too.

Leading this talented group of seniors is returning state champion Jesse Delgado from Gilroy High School in the Central Coast Section. Along with his state title, he has placed third twice and is in position to earn a rare fourth California state medal, a feat that has only been accomplished by nineteen other wrestlers since 1973. Moreover, Delgado has earned All-American honors twice at Fargo and is an NHSCA Nationals champion.

Following Delgado is Ohio product Tucker Armstrong (Corona Del Mar High School), a returning Ohio state champion, two-time Cadet and NHSCA Junior Nationals All-American. Tucker enters the season rated among the top wrestlers in the country and will challenge for a title in California.

Next is returning state champion Cody Rodebaugh from Felton's San Lorenzo Valley High School in the Central Coast Section. With the potential to be rated among the top light middleweights in the country this year, Rodebaugh opened a lot of eyes last season when he defeated nationally ranked Vlad Dombrovskyy of Natomas in the semifinals at state. If Armstrong and Rodebaugh happen to be in the same weight come state, it would be worth the price of admission to see this match-up.

The most decorated middleweight in California is three-time state medalist and NHSCA Nationals champion James Cook from Madera High School in the Central Valley. Along with Delgado, Cook is in position to earn a rare fourth state medal and will challenge for his first state title. Other talented middleweights include returning state finalist Martin Fabbian of Buchanan, Vacaville's Adam Delagarza (returning state medalist and NHSCA Nationals champion), and Foothill's Travis Gallegos, a returning state medalist and NHSCA All-American.

The final three of the top ten seniors in California include Zach Zimmer (Clovis West), Drew Muelman (St. Francis-Mountain View), and Bryan Grubbs from La Costa Canyon in Carlsbad. Rated among the top lightweights in California and the country, Zimmer enters this season in pursuit of his third state medal and has great potential to win it all. In addition to his achievements at state, he is a two-time Cadet and NHSCA Nationals All-American. Leading the heavyweights is two-time state placer and three-time All-American Drew Muelman of St. Francis High School in Mountain View. Moving up to heavyweight from 215 pounds last year, he is the favorite to win the state title. Returning to California after winning the Texas State Championships is Bryan Grubbs from La Costa Canyon. Prior to moving to Texas for a season, Grubbs placed third at California state his sophomore year and earned NHSCA Nationals All-American honors. With his return, the 125-pound weight group has become even tougher.

On a final note, I expect the California State Championships to be a barnburner this season and am confident that our top seniors in California will do very well on the national stage, which include the high-caliber tournaments such as Walsh Ironman, Reno TOC, and post season NHSCA Nationals.

While compiling this list, it was very difficult for me to pick the top 10 in California because many of wrestlers listed below are very close in talent. In my opinion, many of the kids listed in the honorable mention section are just as talented and are more than capable of being in the top ten. In short, there is a great deal of depth this season and the road to the top podium in California will be a hard fought battle to say the least.

1. Jesse Delgado

School: Gilroy
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 125
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Jesse Delgado (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)
Scouting Report: Delgado is one of two California wrestlers in position this season to earn a rare fourth California state medal. A returning state champion, Delgado has earned titles at prestigious tournaments, such as the Reno TOC and Five Counties and is expected to have a highly competitive schedule this season. In addition, he is rated among the top lightweights in the country and with some physical growth has a lot of potential to excel at the collegiate level. The road to another California title will not come easy since the 125-pound division may size up to be among the toughest in the state with the likes of Bryan Grubbs and Zach Zimmer possibly competing within.

2. Tucker Armstrong

School: Corona Del Mar-Newport Beach
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 140
Projected College Weight Class: 141

Tucker Armstrong (Photo/Peter Wine)
Scouting Report: A native of Ohio, Armstrong moved to the Golden State last year and wrestled for a majority of that season, but was not able to compete beyond the league meet which qualifies to the postseason tournaments (sub-sections, Masters Meet) that lead to the prestigious California state meet. During his sophomore year at St. Paris Graham, he earned a state title in one of the toughest states in the country. In addition, he is a two-time Cadet Nationals All-American and earned All-American honors last year at the NHSCA Junior Nationals. Having seen him compete, it's not difficult to surmise that he will challenge for the California title and take his skills to the next level in college. He will be very tough to beat.

3. Cody Rodebaugh

School: San Lorenzo Valley-Felton
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145
Projected College Weight Class: 141/149

Cody Rodebaugh (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)
Scouting Report: Ranked in the top five in California for a majority of last season, Rodebaugh set himself above all in the state when he defeated nationally-ranked Vlad Dombrovskyy of Natomas in the semifinals at state and earned his first state title. He then added to his stellar performance by earning All-American honors at the NHSCA Junior Nationals. A very tough and determined wrestler, Rodebaugh has all the tools to establish his mark in the collegiate ranks. Keep an eye on this kid. He is a good one.

4. James Cook

School: Madera
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 171
Projected College Weight Class: 174

James Cook (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)
Scouting Report: Since his freshman season, Cook has been a fixture in the top tier of the middleweight division. Along with Jesse Delgado, Cook is in position to earn a rare fourth California state medal, a feat that has only been achieved by 19 other wrestlers in nearly 40 years. Earning a birth in the state finals and winning the NHSCA Nationals his sophomore year, I expect Cook to improve upon his fourth-place medal last season and challenge for the state title this year.

5. Bryan Grubbs

School: La Costa Canyon-Carlsbad
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 125
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Bryan Grubbs (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)
Scouting Report: After completing a successful sophomore season in California by placing third in a very deep weight at state and earning All-American honors at the NHSCA Nationals, Grubbs moved out of the state for a year and tested his skills in the Lone Star State. The state of Texas is on the rise with talent, but does not have the depth that California has with over 800 competitive programs and a one division state tournament. At the Texas state meet, Grubbs dominated his competition to win the state title at 119 pounds. This season he returns back to the Golden State with potential to win it, but will likely have to face a meat grinder to earn the top of the podium in Bakersfield. The 125-pound weight group will likely have standouts such as Jesse Delgado, Zach Zimmer, and several other returning state placers competing in it with the potential of eight wrestlers having All-American honors to their credit. With his dedicated work ethic and determination on the mat, I am confident that Grubbs will challenge for the state title and do very well in college.

6. Zach Zimmer

School: Clovis West
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 119/125
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Zach Zimmer (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)
Scouting Report: A state finalist in 2008, Zimmer enters the 2009-10 season in pursuit of his first state title and third medal. With a lot of national-level experience (two-time Cadet Nationals All-American/NHSCA Nationals All-American), Zimmer has the potential to win it all, but will have to bring his best game since the 125-pound weight group is likely to be the toughest in the state with many returning state and national All-Americans competing. Zimmer is a competitor and will be tough to beat this season.

7. Drew Meulman

Drew Meulman (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)
School: Saint Francis-Mountain View
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 285
Projected College Weight Class: 285

Scouting Report: Entering this season up a weight from last year, Meulman is the top-returning heavyweight in California. Depending on whether the six returning state placers at the 215-pound division move up to heavyweight or not, Meulman could possibly have around nine returning state medalists battling him for a spot on the top podium. With two state medals and three All-American honors to his credit, Meulman will be tough to beat at this weight and in time he'll grow into a solid heavyweight that has a great deal of potential to take it to the next level in college.

8. Travis Gallegos

School: Foothill-Palo Cedro
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160
Projected College Weight Class: 157

Travis Gallegos (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)
Scouting Report:Gallegos first entered my radar when he earned All-American honors at the NHSCA Sophomore Nationals in 2008. Then last year, he had a solid preseason performance by placing at the Walsh Ironman in Ohio, hands down the toughest high school tournament in the country. He then finished the postseason with a third-place victory at state over NHSCA Sophomore Nationals champion Bryce Hammond of Bakersfield, in a weight group that featured five All-Americans. Gallegos has all the tools to excel at the next level and will be among the favorites to win it all this year.

9. Martin Fabbian

School: Buchanan-Clovis
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160
Projected College Weight Class: 157

Martin Fabian (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)
Scouting Report: Not rated very high during the regular season last year, Fabbian brought his game to the state meet and made the championship finals in a highly competitive weight that had five of the eight placers with All-American credentials. This season, I expect Fabbian to challenge for the state title ... but it will not come easy. He will likely face some stiff competition from Travis Gallegos of Palo Cedro's Foothill to reach that potential.

10. Adam Delagarza

School: Vacaville
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 171
Projected College Weight Class: 174

Adam Delagarza (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)
Scouting Report: Delagarza finished his freshman year with a national title at the NHSCA Freshman Nationals and capped his junior season with a solid third-place finish and convincing win over three-time state placer James Cook of Madera in the consolation finals. Delagarza enters this season among the top middleweight in the state and will challenge for the state title.

Honorable Mention
Jake Briggs (Bella Vista-Fair Oaks, SJ)*
Tommy Burriel (Clovis, C)
Nick Corona-Zamarripa (Hanford West, C)
Alec Dieter (Clovis, C)
JT Felix (Centennial-Corona, S)
Mathew Galas (Central Catholic-Modesto, SJ)
Daniel Gusev (Center-Antelope, SJ)
Andrew Hudson (Redlands East Valley, S)
Dominic Kastl (Gilroy, CC)*
Kevin Maelfeyt (Trinity-Weaverville, N)*
Chris Martinez (Clovis West, C)
Frank Martinez (Northview-Covina, S)*
Clinton McAlester (Clovis, C)
Vinny Moita (De La Salle-Concord, NC)*
Bobby Morales (Laguna Hills, S)
Austin Morehead (Sutter Union, N)*
Cody Pack (Quincy, N)***
Kyle Papendorf (Buchanan-Clovis, C)*
Desmond Rios (Pleasant Valley-Chico, N)
Brian Schoene (Bakersfield, C)**
Nicholas Sierra (Lemoore, C)*
Sean Silva (Barstow, S)**
Jesse Stafford (Del Oro-Loomis, SJ)
Rodolfo Juarez (Central-Fresno, C)
AJ Valles (Sanger, C)
Rykeem Yates (Edison-Fresno, C)

*All-American honor (Cadet/Junior/NHSCA)]]>70820Thu, 24 Sep 2009 06:41:41 +0000Wrestling 49: Coloradohttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/wrestling-49-colorado-r70809/As the wrestling season's start is fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. Between now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce you to the top senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and from Maine to California, you will gain exposure to the potential stars of future NCAA Championships.

Did you miss a Wrestling 49 article? Check out the archives.

Below is a look at the top 10 high school senior recruits from Colorado's Class of 2010.

Jake Snider (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)
1. Jake Snider
School: Ponderosa
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145
Projected College Weight Class: 141

Scouting Report: Was first at Reno TOC and didn't lose a match in the Clash (in MN) both in 2008 and 2009. Will be working towards his fourth state title this year. Split matches with Max Ortega of Rio Rancho (defeated by three then lost by two).

2. Matthew Gurule

School: Grand Junction Central
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 112
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Scouting Report: Went undefeated this past year and was only contested really one time, which was in the state finals (against another undefeated kid). Was a Junior Nationals freestyle All-American in 2008.

3. Matt Addington

School: Florence
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 171
Projected College Weight Class: 174

Scouting Report: Has an 84-match win streak in Colorado with two state titles under his belt. Pinned or won by technical fall in 43 of 48 matches.

4. Robert Pickerell

School: Northridge
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 152
Projected College Weight Class: 149

Scouting Report: A very deceiving-looking kid who won't overpower you, but will frustrate you with his on-mat skills. He was a Cadet Nationals All-American in freestyle in 2008.

5. Cahlen Keys

School: Centauri
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 140
Projected College Weight Class: 141

Scouting Report: Is known as a heavy weight cutter, so he could be down one weight this year. 47-1 last year and state runner-up in 2008. Was part of state championship team in 2009. He is a very deceiving wrestler who is very slick on his feet. He defeated a two-time Fargo All-American, 4-0 in overtime, at year's end.

6. Jerry Huff

School: Broomfield
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 125
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Scouting Report: Consider his high school career one of hard luck, having never won a state title but still a very, very tough kid. Was a Cadet Nationals All-American in 2007 ... and was recently a Junior Nationals All-American in both freestyle and Greco-Roman.

7. Jeremy Schmitt

School: Rocky Mountain
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 119
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Scouting Report: Is a two-time state champion who is very tough to beat when he is on a roll. Lost all of his matches last year at 119 ... but won title at 112. Loves to wrestle and will be
one of the strongest small guys in the room.

8. Vicente Gallegos

School: Arvada West
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 130
Projected College Weight Class: 133

Scouting Report: Won first state title last year for Arrupe Jesuit but transferred to Arvada West this year. He wrestled a 5A schedule last year so will transition fine. Is very skilled and will end his career as a four-time medalist.

9. Casey Lynn

School: Cortez
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 130
Projected College Weight Class: 133

Scouting Report: Another kid who hasn't won a state title but has been second, third, and fourth. Was in the toughest weight class in the state last year. Very slick on his feet. Not being pushed in the room might be the ONLY downside for him to capture his first state title.

10. Chad Stroh

School: Holyoke
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 125
Projected College Weight Class: 133

Scouting Report: His only loss in 2009 was to a three-time state champion from Nebraska. Don't let his 2A schedule scare you. Holyoke wrestles a very good schedule. Should win his third high school title this year (was second one year). He is 110-8 in his career. Was one match away from NHSCA Sophomore Nationals All-American in 2008.]]>70809Tue, 22 Sep 2009 06:36:55 +0000Wrestling 49: Massachusettshttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/wrestling-49-massachusetts-r70792/As the wrestling season's start is fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. Between now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce you to the top senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and from Maine to California, you will gain exposure to the potential stars of future NCAA Championships.

Did you miss a Wrestling 49 article? Check out the archives.

The Class of 2010 is the strongest class Massachusetts has seen in years. This class is so strong that a New England champion and two All-State champions are listed merely as honorable mention. Moreover, this class includes two-time Prep School All-American and Junior Nationals freestyle All American Derek Papagianopoulos, four New England champions (Isaiah Williams, Dan Telhada, Corey Melo and Mike Wrin
Wrin) and four All-State champions (Williams, Derek Golner, Nick Flannery and Sam Shames).

Derek Papagianopoulos
1. Derek Papagianopoulos

School: Buckingham Browne and Nichol
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 285
Projected College Weight Class: 285

Scouting Report: Papagianopoulos has been attending and placing at national tournaments since he was in the sixth grade. Papagianopoulos has always been one of the bigger (189 as a freshman) and stronger wrestlers around. As a result of his hard work. he has perfected a top-notch technique. Although he is moving up to heavyweight for his senior year, Papagianopoulos wrestles more like a 160 or 171-pounder, always attacking and pushing the pace. He has also played varsity football since eighth grade (starting on both sides of the ball) and is already a college recruiting favorite. Further, his honors grades will make him a great addition to any college wrestling program.

2. Isaiah Williams

School: Haverhill
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160
Projected College Weight Class: 165

Scouting Report: Williams ended a disappointing sophomore year without placing at states. Since that time he has worked non-stop to make himself a great wrestler. His junior year he came back with a vengeance finishing the year with a 50-0 record and with wins at States, All-States and New Englands at 160 pounds. He also beat most of the top wrestlers at 171 during the season. Williams' unbelievable athleticism and great work ethic should make him very successful at the college level.

3. Dan Telhada

School: Franklin
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 140
Projected College Weight Class: 141

Scouting Report: Telhada hasn't wrestled as long as most people on this list, but he is a quick learner. He is a very solid wrestler in every position. A year-round wrestler who made a huge improvement from third at states as a sophomore to New England champ as a junior. He also posted great performances at Disney Duals and Brute Scholastic duals proving that Telhada can wrestle with the best.

Kevin Barrucci
4. Kevin Barrucci

School: Burlington
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145
Projected College Weight Class: 149

Scouting Report: Barrucci first stepped on the wrestling mat at age five and never looked back. With a great work ethic and grinder style of wrestling Barrucci has excelled at the sport. Even with such tremendous success Barrucci's drive and determination remains strong. He will be an excellent addition to any college program.

5. Matt Donohoe

School: Tyngsboro
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 171
Projected College Weight Class: 165

Scouting Report: Donohoe has a fast-paced and exciting style and he can score big points from anywhere. Donohoe's off season out of state success as well has his Eastern States finish proves he can wrestle with anyone. Not to mention the fact that he is also an outstanding football player.

6. Derek Golner

School: Tyngsboro
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160
Projected College Weight Class: 157/165

Scouting Report: Golner won a state title as a freshman starting an annual tradition. Next year he is looking to become only the eighth Massachusetts wrestler to win his fourth state title. He is very slick and an absolute beast on top. Golner is not one to shy away from top competition.

7. Alex Najjar

School: Shawsheen Tech
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 189
Projected College Weight Class: 184

Scouting Report: Najjar put it together his junior year winning his first state title. But his true potential has become evident in the offseason, which has included wins at every tournament he has attended. Najjar is a dominant neutral wrestler with a huge arsenal of offense. With a 5-2 record at Junior Nationals, Najjar fell one win shy of the podium in Fargo ... but showed he is one of the top upperweights in the country.

8. Matt Denhey

School: Dracut
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 152
Projected College Weight Class: 157

Scouting Report: Denhey stepped up his game when it mattered most, after a disappointing sixth-place finish at All-States and a first-round loss at New Englands, Denhey reeled off six wins, including the final three in overtime to capture third place at New Englands. He has not slowed down in the offseason with strong performances all over the East Coast.

Matt Sherman
9. Matt Sherman

School: Burlington
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135
Projected College Weight Class: 133

Scouting Report: A smart and determined wrestler, Sherman continues to win with a unique style of wrestling making him a terrible match up for many great wrestlers. A very strong top wrestler, Sherman will be looking for his third state title this year. He is also a high honors student, which gives him a wide variety of college options.

10. Corey Melo

School: New Bedford
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 119
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Scouting Report: Melo's funk and counter wrestling have won him a New England and state title this past season. Melo's style and work ethic should help him excel at the college level as well as it did on the high school level.

Honorable Mention:
Eric Harrison
Mike Wrin
Nick Flannery
Josh Gerry
Sam Shames
Alex Giampapa
Jake Sherman
Jordan Michelson
Kyle Senechal
John Coukos]]>70792Mon, 21 Sep 2009 07:05:28 +0000Wrestling 49: North Carolinahttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/wrestling-49-north-carolina-r70790/As the wrestling season's start is fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. Between now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce you to the top senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and from Maine to California, you will gain exposure to the potential stars of future NCAA Championships.

Did you miss a Wrestling 49 article? Check out the archives.

As the high school wrestling season approaches, North Carolina wrestling fans will see a lot of changes. The new NCHSAA realignment has changed many school classifications for the 2009-10 season. This will put some of the traditional state powerhouse schools and top individuals on a collision course for state championship honors.

Cary (4A) and Parkland (3A) have won the state dual team and individual tournament team championships the last three years. This season both schools will compete in the 4A division. Two-time 2A state champion Orange and last season’s 4A dual team runner-up Robinson have moved to 3A.

Individually, North Carolina has two senior wrestlers projected in the same weight class vying for bragging rights as the state’s top recruit. Last year one of these brought home his first state championship in the 3A division while the other repeated as champion in the 4A division. Their styles of wrestling are vastly different, but wrestling fans would love to see these two match up sometime during the upcoming season. Even though both are in different state classification divisions it is possible they will be competing in the same weight class this season. The last two years Tyrone Eatmon has won the tournament championship at one of North Carolina’s premier invitational tournaments, the WRAL. He won at 112 pounds in 2007 and 119 pounds last year. Daniel Owenby also has two WRAL championships. Owenby won at 119 pounds in 2007 and at 125 pounds last year. Could these two match up at the WRAL on December 19 or will they be at different weight classes again this season? Five of the top ten wrestlers on this list are former WRAL champions while another is a two-time runner-up.

1. Daniel Owenby

School: Enka
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 130
Projected College Weight Class: 133

Daniel Owenby
Scouting Report: Owenby is technical wrestler who adds a large dose of funk to his wrestling style. What surprises Owenby’s opponents the most though is his strength. Owenby doesn’t possess the weightlifter-type physique. He has what old timers call "farm boy strength." Growing up in the mountains outside of Asheville, North Carolina helped Owenby develop his raw strength. This combined that with his funky style has elevated Owenby to be North Carolina’s top recruit starting out for the 2009-10 season. Owenby was a state runner-up as a sophomore and a undefeated 3A state champion last season. In 2008, he earned NHSCA All-American honors by placing third at the NHSCA National Open. Last July, Owenby won the National Open and was voted as the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler. Owenby is also a four-time NCUSA National Team member. At the USA Southeast Regional he placed first in Greco-Roman and third in freestyle. Even though Owenby had beaten three former Fargo All-Americans this past spring at various tournaments, he came up short in July. At Fargo he was 3-2 in both Greco and freestyle. In Owenby’s last freestyle competition he lost a one-point match in the third period to national standout David Klingsheim of California by giving up a turn in the final seconds of the match.

2. Tyrone Eatmon

School: Durham Riverside
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 130
Projected College Weight Class: 133

Scouting Report: Take cat-like quickness, great balance, and combine this with solid wrestling technique and you have Tyrone Eatmon. This seems to be the mold used for making multiple state champions produced from state powerhouse Riverside High School. Eatmon appears to be the latest one cast from it. He burst on the North Carolina wrestling scene as a freshman placing third at the state tournament. From there Eatmon went on to win the 4A state championship his sophomore and junior seasons. The last two springs Eatmon has also made his mark nationally by earning NHSCA All-American honors twice. He placed sixth in the 2008 Sophomore Nationals and fifth last spring in the Junior Nationals. Last summer, Eatmon was a copper medalist at the Disney Duals.

3. Marciano Ali

School: Parkland
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160
Projected College Weight Class: 165

Scouting Report: The name reminds you of the sensation computer fight in the early 1970’s between two of boxing’s greatest champions. Last year if you were at one of Parkland’s tournament final matches chances were you heard the chant “Ali, Ali, Bomaye." No that wasn’t for Muhammad Ali, it was for North Carolina’s most dominating middleweight wrestler last season, Marciano Ali. Ali did not start wrestling until he was a freshman in high school. He proved to be a quick learner. By his sophomore season the explosive Ali placed fourth in the state tournament. Last season, Ali was a WRAL champion and a 3A undefeated state champion. He compiled a 65-0 record and led his team to their third consecutive 3A dual team and individual tournament state championships. Ali is a very quick, strong, and possibly the best natural athlete wrestling in North Carolina. This year Ali and Parkland will compete in the 4A division.

4. Dominic Parisi

School: Concord Robinson
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 119
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Dominic Parisi
Scouting Report: Parisi comes from a solid wrestling background and is coached at Robinson High School by his father, Dave. He placed third in the state tournament competing at 103 pounds as a freshman. His sophomore season he was a WRAL champion and he won his first state championship (112 pounds) going undefeated at (58-0). Last season he won his second state championship finishing the season with an undefeated (59-0) record. At the state tournament he dominated his 119-pound weight class scoring a technical fall, a pin and, two major decisions where his opponents was unable to score any points. Parisi enters the season as North Carolina's consecutive wins leader with 117 consecutive wins. At the Disney Duals, Parisi was a silver medalist, finishing with a 12-1 record. Robinson High School drops to the 3A division this season and like Parisi, the team is considered by many wrestling fans to be a favorite to win a state championship in February.

5. Tim McCall

School: South View
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 189
Projected College Weight Class: 197

Scouting Report: McCall was another freshman prodigy ... placing third his freshman season. That spring he lost a one-point decision to New Jersey’s Scott Winston at the NHSCA National Duals. McCall is also a football standout. He tore the ACL in his knee during football and did not wrestle his sophomore season. Last year his only loss was in the regional final to Kevin Radford of Pine Forest. McCall avenged this loss in the state finals defeating Radford in a close decision to win his first state championship. Last spring, McCall won All-American honors by placing seventh at the NHSCA Junior Nationals. During the summer McCall was a silver medalist at the Disney Duals.

6. Joe DeAngelo

School: Southern Alamance
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 119
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Scouting Report: DeAngelo was a state runner-up as a freshman and a state third-place winner last season. Both of the close losses he has had in the state tournaments the last two seasons were against graduated two-time state champion Timdarius Thurston. In 2009, DeAngelo was a NCUSA national team member. Last Spring he won USA All-American honors by placing third at FILA Cadet’s in freestyle. DeAngelo went on to win the USA Southeast Regional in freestyle last May. He competed in freestyle only at Fargo, where he finished with a 3-2 record. DeAngelo is another wrestler with a family wrestling tradition. He wrestles at Southern Alamance for his coach and father, Randy.

7. Kyle Narburgh

School: Jack Britt
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 119
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Scouting Report: Narburgh is a skilled wrestler with quickness and good technical skills. He was the tournament champion at North Carolina’s top invitationals -- the WRAL and the Tiger Holiday Tournament. Narburgh won his first state championship last season wrestling at 112 pounds. He followed this up by winning the Ohio Tournament of Champions last April. Last May Narburgh was the USA Southeast Region Greco-Roman champion and freestyle runner-up having lost to Joe DeAngelo. Narburgh was a NCUSA National Team member last summer at Fargo.


8. Matt Colvard

School: Cary
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160
Projected College Weight Class: 157/165

Scouting Report: Colvard placed fifth in the state tournament as a sophomore and won his first state championship last season. In March, Colvard won All-American honors by placing seventh at the NHSCA Junior Nationals. He was a NCUSA National team member in 2008, but broke his wrist last May at the USA Southeast Regional. He has helped Cary win the 4A state dual team and tournament championships the last three seasons. With Parkland moving up to 4A this season, wrestling fans look forward to a couple of great matchups, wrestling powers Cary vs. Parkland and individuals Matt “Wizard” Colvard vs. the “Dominating” Ali!

9. Marcus Cain

School: Parkland
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145
Projected College Weight Class: 149

Marcus Cain
Scouting Report: Here is another wrestler that only started wrestling his freshman season. Cain is a tall and lean wrestler who uses his length with devastating cradles. He is a two-time WRAL runner-up and with a 4.0 GPA and one of the top students at Parkland. Last year after wrestling at 135 pounds all season, Cain bumped up two weight classes to give a deserving senior a shot at a state championship. That senior placed second. Cain went on to place fifth in a very competitive 145-pound weight class in the 3A division. Last March, Cain wrestled his weight class at the NHSCA Junior Nationals and won All-American honors by placing sixth in the 135-pound weight class. After a spring and summer of growing, Cain could win his first state championship this season at a now natural weight of 145 pounds.

10. Zoi Ouellette

School: Hibriten
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 215
Projected College Weight Class: 197

Scouting Report: Ouellette is in the top five academically at Hibriten. He plans to wrestle in college and major in biology. After college he hopes to enter medical school and become a doctor. Ouellette placed third as a sophomore and won his first state championship as a junior competing in the state's 2A division. The past two seasons he has been a very quick and skilled 215-pounder and will compete at this weight class again this season. For 2009-10, Hibriten has moved up to the 3A division. This should not matter as Ouellette is on pace to win a second state championship.

Honorable Mention:
DeSean Gromes (Parkland)
Tylor Sigmon (Dudley)]]>70790Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:32:24 +0000Wrestling 49: Kansashttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/wrestling-49-kansas-r70783/As the wrestling season's start is fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. Between now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce you to the top senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and from Maine to California, you will gain exposure to the potential stars of future NCAA Championships.

Did you miss a Wrestling 49 article? Check out the archives.

Kansas saw nine seniors move on to Division I programs last year. This year's top 10 features seven returning state champions, including a former double Fargo champion in Kyle Caylor of Wichita Northwest and a three-time state champion in Colt Rogers of Smith Center. It is reloading time for Kansas, but as always the depth is impressive.

1. Kyle Caylor

School: Wichita Northwest
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 215
Projected College Weight Class: 197

Kyle Caylor
Scouting Report: With a 102-10 career high school record, Caylor heads into the 2009-10 season looking for his third 6A state title. As a freshman he was a state finalist at 189 before winning the last two years at 215. Caylor took home a double national championship from Fargo in 2007 as a cadet and attained All-American status last year as a junior in the Greco-Roman 215 bracket at Fargo. He was also a FILA Cadet All-American in 2007. Kyle is extremely athletic and passes the "look" test with an impressive physique. He has contributed in many national dual events for Kansas and his courageous attitude has been contagious to his teammates.

2. Parker Madl

School: Blue Valley
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160/171
Projected College Weight Class: 157/165

Parker Madl
Scouting Report: Madl begins the 2009-10 season having come off of a breakout year. He stands at 113-17 through three years that have included two state placings and a 2009 6A state championship. Parker was a 2008 Fargo freestyle All-American, placing fifth. He also placed third at the 2008 USA Wrestling Nationals. As a member of the Junior Nationals Dual Team in 2009, he finished 6-1. This past year at Fargo was a special time for this beast from Blue Valley, finishing 5-2 and one match away from placing in the loaded Junior Nationals 152 bracket. Prior to beating Steven Kelly from Colorado, Madl pinned the newly-crowned Greco-Roman national champion and Purdue signee, Kendrick Sanders from Florida, in 30 seconds!

3. Chase Nitcher

School: Valley Center
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135
Projected College Weight Class: 133/141

Scouting Report: Nitcher is 135-7 after finishing with a Kansas state record 50-0 season as a junior. His only losses as a freshman and sophomore in the state bracket were to nationally-ranked Jordan Keller. He is a three-time state placer, including his state championship from 2009. He was a five-time Kansas kids state champion and a key member of the middle school and cadet dual teams.

4. Colt Rogers

School: Smith Center
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 130
Projected College Weight Class: 133

Scouting Report: Rogers has become a legend in a town that has made a habit of growing legends. He is 108-3 after a 70-0 start in high school. Rogers is a three-time state champion. He was the 2007 Brute Nationals runner-up, losing in overtime to nationally-ranked Alan Waters of Missouri. Rogers is also a multi-sport star with 2800 rushing yards for the state championship football team. He is a three-time state medalist in the pole vault and 300-meter hurdles while running a leg on the 4x400 state championship relay team. He is an honor student with a bright future ahead of him.

5. Cade Blair

School: Valley Center
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 152
Projected College Weight Class: 149

Cade Blair
Scouting Report: Blair is 108-13 and took home his second Kansas state 5A title in 2009. He wrestles for a highly competitive team at Valley Center and actually wrestled on the junior varsity team the majority of his freshman year, yet has still compiled 108 victories, including a 49-1 junior season. He was a five-time kids state champion and also a member of the Kansas National Middle School Team.

6. Lucas Vincent

School: Olathe North
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 285
Projected College Weight Class: 285 (Football)

Scouting Report: Vincent has a decision to make between wrestling and football. He is a star dual-sport athlete and has been know to accept an occasional foot race! Vincent is 102-13 through three years. He was the 2009 6A state champion and is a three-time state placer at 285. He has won three kids state titles and is a former Liberty Nationals champion and Outstanding Wrestler in 2005/06. He was named Olathe, Kansas Wrestler of the Year in 2008 and 2009. He was also a member of the Kansas Cadet National Dual Team. Vincent has signed to play football at the University of Missouri.

Tyler Anderson
7. Tyler Anderson

School: Clay Center
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 140
Projected College Weight Class: 141

Scouting Report: Anderson is currently 98-18 and a three-time Kansas 4A state placer. He was a two-time Brute Adidas Nationals champion as well as a runner-up in 2008. A key member of the 2007 and 2008 state championship teams of Clay Center, Anderson finished 38-1 in 2009 with his only loss by decision to nationally-ranked and Nebraska recruit C.J. Napier.

8. Mark Kolmer

School: Emporia
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 215
Projected College Weight Class: 197 (Football)

Scouting Report: Kolmer is a three-time state placer with a 91-15 career record. He is a former kids state champion and won Liberty Nationals in 2006. He was an undefeated member of the Middle School National Dual Team. Mark is also a three-sport athlete, as a varsity running back for Emporia as well as a three-time state placer in the javelin.

9. Danny Floyd

School: Osborne
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135/140
Projected College Weight Class: 141

Scouting Report: Floyd is 91-8 and is a two-time Kansas 321A state champion and three-time state placer. He just completed his second straight undefeated campaign, going 66-0 on his way to two straight state championships. He is a two-time Brute Adidas All-American. He was born in Honduras and is of Mayan descent. Floyd also plays on the varsity football team and has reached the rank of Eagle Scout.

10. Bryce Hood

School: Louisburg
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135
Projected College Weight Class: 133/141

Scouting Report: Hood is 73-12 and is a two-time Kansas 4A state placer. He was a two-time kids state champion and a member of the Kansas Cadet National Dual Team. He has some outstanding wins over nationally-ranked wrestlers, Cody Tyler (Missouri), Drew Lexvold (Minnesota), Tony James (Missouri) and Keith Surber (Illinois).

Honorable Mention:
Benny Armstrong (Andale)
Tank Burns (Columbus)
Jace Campbell (Oakley)
Joey Dozier (Garden City)
BJ Finney (Andale)
John Hambleton (Labette County)
Garrett Jones (Arkansas City)
Trey Page (Wichita Northwest)
Isaac Ruiz (Junction City)
Lorenzo Serna (Emporia)
Logan Singular (Clay Center)
Blaine Smith (Salina South)
Zac Sparr (Rose Hill)
Jake Walker (St. Thomas Aquinas)
Derrick Weller (Piper)]]>70783Thu, 17 Sep 2009 07:05:30 +0000Wrestling 49: Pennsylvaniahttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/wrestling-49-pennsylvania-r70770/As the wrestling season's start is fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. Between now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce you to the top senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and from Maine to California, you will gain exposure to the potential stars of future NCAA Championships.

Did you miss a Wrestling 49 article? Check out the archives.

Fresh off of the 2009 victory at the Dapper Dan Event, Pennsylvania's 2010 senior class appears to have set the tone for a repeat victory against Team USA next March. This group of seniors has been tagged since early 2007 as the best ever to come out of Pennsylvania. Only time will tell if that's the case, but it's hard to argue with all the accomplishments these kids have earned to date.

The buzz of the class comes from twins that compete for Central Mountain High School -- Dylan and Andrew Alton. The brothers won Junior Nationals in Fargo this summer and have given verbal commitments to Penn State. Marshall Peppelman from Central Dauphin has only seen the state finals so far in his career, a runner-up finisher as a freshman, Marshall looks to three-peat in 2010.

The Alton twins, Dylan and Andrew, won titles at Junior Nationals this summer in Fargo, North Dakota (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)
1a. Andrew Alton

School: Central Mountain
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 140
Projected College Weight Class: 141

Scouting Report: Andrew, who verbally committed to Penn State, capped his perfect season last March with a first-period fall in the state finals. Anticipation is building in the Keystone State for a matchup with No. 4 Josh Kindig. This battle began this past offseason with these two in freestyle and the finale will come next March!

1b. Dylan Alton

School: Central Mountain
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145
Projected College Weight Class: 149

Scouting Report: Dylan, like twin brother Andrew, gave a verbal commitment to Penn State. Dylan is one up on his twin with two PIAA state championships. His second title this past March was one of his toughest tests of the year ... beating returning state champion Joey Napoli.

1c. Marshall Peppelman

School: Central Dauphin
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 152
Projected College Weight Class: 157

Scouting Report: Peppelman has more gold than Fort Knox. His team has won three consecutive state duals championships, won the team title at the individual states, and are the early favorites to win it all again in Pennsylvania. He is considering Cornell, Ohio State, and Virginia for college.

Josh Kindig finished runner-up to Andrew Alton this summer at Junior Nationals (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)
4. Josh Kindig

School: Blue Mountain High School (130-11)
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135/140
Projected College Weight Class: 141

Scouting Report: Kindig didn't have far to travel during his career for the best competition. He's a District 11 product. His 2008 state runner-up finish was to highly talented Jordan Oliver, who now competes at Oklahoma State. The road to Hershey meant for Kindig to win gold he would have had to have beaten Oliver in three consecutive weeks. Kindig's senior campaign will have him battling Andrew Alton based on projected weight classes.

5. Dirk Cowburn

School: Coudersport
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160
Projected College Weight Class: 165

Scouting Report: Cowburn battled a football injury that occurred late in the season. He missed most of December. Cowburn competes in the small school division and is looking for his third state championship this season.

6. Sam Sherlock

School: West Mifflin
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 130
Projected College Weight Class:133

Scouting Report: Sherlock has given a verbal commitment to Penn State and he's not backing down from the competition. He is looking to avenge an overtime loss to Chris Villalonga and bring home a Beast title this December. He'll get tested throughout the season while competing in the powerhouse WPIAL.

7. Simon Kitzsis

School: Wyoming Seminary
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135/140
Projected College Weight Class: 141

Scouting Report: Kitzsis will take to the big stage early as Wyoming Seminary has a schedule that is brutal during the first half of the season. Kitzsis took home a Beast title as the No. 9 seed last season, which caused his stock to go up. He's hoping to bring home more hardware in 2010. He's considering Maryland, Virginia, Northwestern, Lehigh, North Carolina, Binghamton, and Boston for college.

8. Evan Craig

School: Abington Heights
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 285
Projected College Weight Class: 285

Scouting Report: Craig jumped into the mix as a freshman competing at heavyweight, which is unheard of in Pennsylvania. He took home gold as a Fargo Cadet Nationals champion in 2008, and then followed up with his first state championship as a junior.

Josh Dziewa won a Junior Nationals title this summer in freestyle, but comes in at No. 9 in a deep Pennsylvania senior class (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)
9. Josh Dziewa

School: Council Rock South
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135
Projected College Weight Class: 141

Scouting Report: Well known, but viewed only from off-season events in 2009, Dziewa (pronounced Jevva) made his presence known in Fargo with a Junior Nationals title this summer. Council Rock South has improved its schedule and will travel to the Ironman in December. Dziewa has dropped some heartbreakers in the championship brackets at the PA states. He's looking for that title in 2010.

10. Mike McMullen

School: Wyoming Seminary
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 285
Projected College Weight Class: 285

Scouting Report: Like Kitzsis, McMullen's team will travel to all the major events early in the season. He has his sights on gold at Ironman and the Beast in December. He will likely play football in college ... but he's leaving his options open. He's looking at Harvard, Penn, Columbia, Virginia, Penn State, Army, and Northwestern.

Honorable Mention:
Colin Shober (Schuylkill Valley)
Matt Cunningham (Shady Side Academy)
Nate Gaffney (Connellsville)
Spencer Myers (Selinsgrove)
Antonio Giorgio (Warwick)
Tyler Rauenzahn (Blue Mountain)
Clint Morrison (Cedar Cliff)
Jamie Callendar (Council Rock North)
A.J. Schopp (Tyrone)
Jordan Moss (Sharon)
Eric Hess (Benton)
Tyler Demott (Benton)]]>70770Wed, 16 Sep 2009 07:11:10 +0000Participation numbers increase at high school levelhttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/participation-numbers-increase-at-high-school-level-r70768/
The total number of participants in 2009 is the highest number that wrestling has seen since 1980, when participation statistics were listed at 273,326 by the NFHS. As a whole, wrestling participation at the high school level has been seeing substantial growth in numbers over the past decade.

The number of schools sponsoring boys wrestling is also at an all-time high with 10,311 schools.

In 2008-09, Arkansas became the 49th state to sanction high school wrestling. The state recorded 1,975 participants in its inaugural year. Arkansas can credit much of the their growth and success to businessman Greg Hatcher, Agency Owner of the Hatcher Agency, in Little Rock, who was instrumental in getting the Arkansas Activities Association to sponsor wrestling.

Mississippi remains the lone state which does not sponsor wrestling.

Girls' wrestling also continues to grow each year. Girls' wrestling is at an all-time high with 6,025 participants. Texas and California continue to have the strongest girls wrestling presence on the high school level.

"These high school participation numbers are great for the sport of wrestling, as the overall youth numbers throughout the country are also on a steady uphill climb," said Mike Moyer, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Coaches Association. "We attribute a lot of this growth to the incredible generosity (funding and otherwise) of wrestling alumni, business professionals, and wrestling organizations/clubs throughout the country."

"It is also important to note that a growing number of wrestling coaches are dedicating more time to improving the recruitment and retention of wrestlers at all levels," said Moyer. "While growing the overall participation numbers across America is very important (i.e. increasing the number of teams), we must also make sure we are growing the average roster size of each individual team. What is important to remember with these growing numbers is the importance of ongoing coaching education as it relates to the retention of the student-athlete once they start participating in the sport."

For more information on wrestling participation numbers since 1971 please visit the links below:

* Boys Participation (PDF)
* Boys Participation State by State (PDF)
* Girls Participation (PDF)

For more information on the NFHS participation numbers you can visit the NFHS Web site.]]>70768Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:24:31 +0000Wrestling 49: Indianahttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/wrestling-49-indiana-r70750/As the wrestling season's start is fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. Between now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce you to the top senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and from Maine to California, you will gain exposure to the potential stars of future NCAA Championships.

Did you miss a Wrestling 49 article? Check out the archives.

With the graduation of 10 former state champions in 2009, it opens up a new class of seniors itching for a spot on top of the podium. This year features five returning champions, including two-time champion Sean McMurray of Portage and one-time champion and three-time finalist Brandon Wright of Warren Central. Frankie Porras, Michael Duckworth and Anthony Hawkins round out the other returning champions. Two wrestlers in the top ten have already committed to wrestling at the next level after graduation. Braden Atwood has committed to Purdue and Sean McMurray has committed to wrestle for Michigan State.

1a. Sean McMurray

School: Portage
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160
Projected College Weight Class: 165

Scouting Report: McMurray heads into the 2009-10 season looking to finish off one of the greatest careers in Indiana history. After finishing seventh at 112 in 2007, McMurray captured state titles at 135 in 2008 and at 152 in 2009. In 2009-10 he looks to join the likes of recent Indiana products Andrew Howe and Reece Humphrey as a three-time IHSAA state champion. McMurray has just verbally committed to wrestle for Michigan State next year.

1b. Brandon Wright

Brandon Wright
School: Warren Central
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 125
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Scouting Report: Wright will begin the 2009-10 season in a new environment this year after his transfer from Indianapolis Cathedral to Warren Central. The former Cadet National freestyle champion will look to finish off his career with a second state title. He has been runner-up at 103 in 2007, champion at 112 in 2008, and runner-up at 119 in 2009. Ironically, all three of his previous state championship match appearances came against Purdue recruit Camden Eppert. He is also the son of four-time Division II national champion Tim Wright.

3. Frankie Porras

School: Hobart
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 140
Projected College Weight Class: 141

Scouting Report: Porras has been a consistent performer starting early on. He qualified for state as a freshman and then finished second as a sophomore to three-time champion Josh Harper before capturing his first title last year at 130 pounds. Last summer saw Porras finish eighth at Cadet Nationals in freestyle while, this spring he finished fifth at the NHSCA Junior Nationals and also went 7-1 at the Brute Scholastic Duals.

4. Michael Duckworth

School: Union County
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 189
Projected College Weight Class: 184

Scouting Report: As a sophomore, Duckworth had a monumental challenge in the state finals. That challenge was now NCAA runner-up Andrew Howe. While Duckworth did not win that match, he was the only wrestler that day that Howe did not tech fall or pin. This year at state Duckworth had to fend off landmines everywhere from Braden Atwood in the quarterfinals to avenging a loss to Bryce Grimes in the finals. This spring Duckworth also placed fifth at the NHSCA Junior Nationals.

5. Ryan Stahl

School: Mishawaka
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 152
Projected College Weight Class: 157

Scouting Report: Stahl had a great spring and summer of wrestling after his runner-up finish this year. He first finished eighth at the NHSCA Junior Nationals. Then he came one match from placing in Junior Greco and proceeded to place eighth in an absolutely loaded weight class in freestyle. Among his wins was a pin of highly touted Destin McCauley of Minnesota.

6. Anthony Hawkins

School: Crown Point
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 125
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Scouting Report: Hawkins has steadily improved each year at state, from being a qualifier as a freshman, to fourth place as a sophomore, to state champion as a junior.

7. Sammy Bennett

School: Anderson Highland
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 152
Projected College Weight Class: 157

Scouting Report: Bennett will be looking for the ever-elusive state title this year. His freshman year he was a state qualifier at 140 pounds and as a sophomore he lost in the state finals at 145 pounds. This past season he lost to eventual state champion, Daniel Young, in the semifinals and finished third. This spring he placed fifth at the NHSCA Junior Nationals.

8. Christian Lentz

School: Mishawaka
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 215
Projected College Weight Class: 285

Scouting Report: Lentz took full advantage of his first full year of varsity action by placing second in the state this past season. He went 4-2 at the Junior Duals wrestling heavyweight, but will be back down to 215 pounds this season.

9. Brandon Nelsen

School: Lawrence North
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 119
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Scouting Report: Nelsen has finished in the top four of the state all three years so far, but never reached the finals. As a freshman he finished fourth and as a sophomore and junior brought home third-place medals. He has also placed fourth in Junior Nationals in freestyle at 105 pounds in 2008 and sixth at the NHSCA Junior Nationals.

10. Braden Atwood

School: Delphi
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 189
Projected College Weight Class: 184

Scouting Report: Atwood finished fourth and fifth in the state the past two years. He also finished fifth in Cadet Freestyle in 2008 at 171 pounds. He went 6-1 at the Brute Scholastic Duals, including avenging his quarterfinal loss to Michael Duckworth. His only loss was to Jahwon Akui of Illinois. Atwood has verbally committed to wrestle for Purdue next season.

Honorable Mention:
Brock Norton (Fort Wayne Carroll)
Nathan Cleveland (Lowell)
Derek Bevans (Yorktown)
Zach Stevens (Merrillville)
Mason Berryman (Anderson Highland)
Tony Lovejoy (Fort Wayne Bishop Luers)
Zach Corpe (Elkhart Memorial)
James Travis (Merrillville)
Alex Surma (Munster)
Michael Johnson-Jones (Warren Central)]]>70750Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:19:36 +0000Wrestling 49: Michiganhttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/wrestling-49-michigan-r70735/As the wrestling season's start is fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. Between now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce you to the top senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and from Maine to California, you will gain exposure to the potential stars of future NCAA Championships.

Did you miss a Wrestling 49 article? Check out the archives.

This year is yet another strong year for recruiting in Michigan. However, true to form, the state of Michigan only has a few guys who have received significant amounts national recognition.

Jackson Morse and Ryan Nieman appear to be the obvious top two recruits based on their performances at national tournaments. Morse won the Super 32's last fall and he and Nieman both went undefeated at the Disney Duals this summer. Nieman then went on to take third at the Junior Nationals, beating a handful of nationally-ranked wrestlers. Morse is ranked as the No. 24 senior recruit in the country by InterMat, while Nieman is ranked No. 35.

Jake Dorulla, the No. 3 recruit on our list, was ranked as the No. 52 recruit by InterMat in the spring. However, he has fallen out of the top 100. Dorulla, Nick McDiarmid, and Mike Curby are the other guys to have placed high at major national events. However, there are a lot of other wrestlers in this class who have gotten out nationally and scored some big wins, but failed to place at Fargo, or gain a great deal of national notoriety.

A bit of advice to up and coming high school wrestlers looking to be noticed: Register early and get into the Super 32s and/or start training for Fargo immediately after the high school season. While there is debate over whether Fargo is still the mecca of high school wrestling it once was, most college coaches and wrestling publications will agree that placing in Fargo remains the fastest route to national recognition. Ryan Nieman is a great example of this. Prior to his Fargo performance, the verdict was still out. However, following his third-place finish he will likely be breaking into the national rankings this fall.

The Disney Duals are doing great things for gaining exposure to Michigan's best high school wrestlers and competing against top tier competition. However, the Duals still aren't getting the kind of exposure that Fargo, Super 32s, and the NHSCA Senior/Junior/Sophomore Nationals receive. Therefore, a lot of great Disney performances are going unnoticed by the people who do national rankings and those same rankers are focusing heavily on the NHSCA Junior & Sophomore Nationals, which in case you forgot wrestlers from the state of Michigan are not allowed to attend (per the MHSAA). Therefore, some of Michigan's best kids remain to go unnoticed until late into their senior seasons.

Below you will find everything you need to know about the wrestlers who we believe are the Top 10 recruits heading into the early signing period, which begins in November.

1. Jackson Morse

School: Lowell
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160
Projected College Weight Class: 157/165

Jackson Morse
Scouting Report: Morse first established himself during his sophomore season when he knocked off then nationally-ranked senior and soon-to-be four-time state champ Mark Weber of Goodrich. Since then, all he has done is win. He won an impressive state title his sophomore year downing Senior National All-American and current Old Dominion sophomore Brennan Brumley in a dominant finals match. He then officially sealed his deal as one of the top recruits in the country last fall with an amazing day of wrestling at the Super 32 Challenge in North Carolina. In one day, Morse knocked off three nationally-ranked wrestlers including Junior Freestyle National runner-up and three-time Florida state champ Joe Cozart, Junior National champ and No. 1-ranked Dylan Alton of Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania State champ Joey Napoli. The only hiccup in the past few years for Morse was his one point loss to Taylor Massa at last year's team state finals, a match that was somewhat controversial and a battle of the state's top middleweights.

This summer he further proved himself nationally with an undefeated performance at the Disney Duals. He is well put together with a long, muscular frame and he wrestles well from all positions. The best thing about Morse is that he seems to compete the same in big matches when the lights are on, so don't expect him to get caught off guard his first year or two at Illinois. He should be ready to compete right away. Morse is ranked as the No. 21 recruit in the country by InterMat and there is no doubt that he will live up to that ranking and make a huge impact in the Big Ten and the NCAA. Too bad we couldn't keep him in Michigan!

2. Ryan Nieman

School: Bullock Creek
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135
Projected College Weight Class: 141/149

Scouting Report: There were some question marks about Nieman heading into this summer regarding his ability to compete on the national stage. However, he has officially erased all those question marks with one heck of a summer that has seen him dominate the Disney Duals and finish third in a stacked weight in Fargo wrestling in his first national freestyle tournament. His third-place finish in Fargo officially put him on the map as Nieman downed two top 100 recruits, three nationally ranked wrestlers, and the only wrestler to win a period against him was eventual champ Josh Dziewa of Pennsylvania, who Nieman tech-falled in the first period. This kid is the prototypical college 141 or 149-pounder in that he is strong, athletic, and has that in-your-face style that a coach loves. He has great attacks on his feet and is always pushing the pace. However, he also has an innate ability to stay in good position and come out on top of scrambles. With two state titles under his belt, it was already evident that Nieman was tough. However, his performances in Disney and Fargo have launched him into the forefront of the recruiting world and he should begin to get some serious looks from the nation's top programs.

3. Jake Dorulla

School: Rockford
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 171
Projected College Weight Class: 174

Scouting Report: Dorulla finally got the monkey off his back last year by winning his first state title after losing in the D1 state finals his first two high school seasons. He has also proven himself nationally with a big win over Iowa state champ Kyven Gadsen in last fall's Preseason National finals. He flies under many recruiting radars because he doesn't wrestle summer freestyle events. However, Dorulla is without doubt one of the most talented kids coming out of Michigan this year and he has all the physical tools to be a great college wrestler. He is very athletic for his size and much like most Rockford greats, Dorulla can ride and turn on top with the best of them. His Disney Duals performance was solid, but not great, so really the only thing separating him from the top two here is breakout success on the national level. He will most likely graduate as a four-time state finalist and two-time state champ. His stock could go up even more if he chooses to wrestle at the Super 32s or Senior Nationals this year.

4. Mike Curby

School: Hillsdale
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 171
Projected College Weight Class: 174

Scouting Report: When it comes to national experience, at Fargo in particular, Curby is without a doubt the most accomplished kid in this group. Most of his success has come in Greco-Roman and while some people would argue that Greco-Roman success does not say a lot for a college future, winning is winning, and his experience should leave him as prepared as anyone for the grind of college. He is already committed to Eastern Michigan and he is a big pick up for EMU. Curby is a quiet, humble kid who is a hard worker and much like many "Greco Guys,” he is a grinder who just keeps coming. While his Greco-Roman success is impressive, keep in mind that he also won a high school state title last year over John Rizgallah, who is a top recruit as well and he upended Oklahoma standout Ronnie Balfour in freestlye at Fargo. He has already committed to Eastern Michigan and having David Bolyard to work out with every day should be a nice fit for him.

5. Josh Houldsworth

School: Holly
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 152
Projected College Weight Class: 149/157

Scouting Report: The past six months have really pushed Houldsworth towards the top of the conversation regarding this year's top recruits. He was pretty dominant in winning the Division 1 state championship and he wrestled well in Fargo, finishing just short of placing with both his losses coming to nationally-ranked guys. In Fargo, he scored possibly the biggest win of his career when he upended No. 9-ranked Luke Vaith of Minnesota. Houldsworth is built well for college. He is strong, wrestles from good position, and really has very little weaknesses -- good takedowns, good on top, defends well … you get the picture. Houldsworth does not have a ton of national exposure. However, he could be a steal for some college coaches out there looking for a solid middleweight.

6. Nick McDiarmid

School: Fowlerville
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 215
Projected College Weight Class: 197

Nick McDiarmid
Scouting Report: McDiarmid is without a doubt the most highly-touted upperweight in this year's group. He was an undefeated state champion last year at 215 pounds and his only loss at the Disney Duals was to the No. 1-ranked wrestler in the country, Orlando Scales. In his loss to Scales, McDiarmid was leading much of the match and gave up controversial nearfall points in the third period that cost him the match. His close loss to Scales, as well as a win over Dallas Brown, who was third in the state of Pennsylvania, further solidified McDiarmid as a big time recruit. He was also third at the Super 32s, losing only to highly-ranked Antonio Giorgio of Pennsylvania in another close match. He is already committed to Michigan State and while McDiarmid is strong and athletic for a big guy, his best quality appears to be his ability to compete with the nation's best. In his matches with Scales and Giorgio he was competitive and wrestled to win, which is what he will need to do when he arrives at MSU and has to do battle with those Big Ten 197-pounders.

7. B.J. Suitor

School: Swan Valley
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 119
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Scouting Report: Suitor is the only guy in this class with a shot at being a four-time state champ. Last year, in his first year not at 103, he dominated all the 112 pounders in Division 3 en route to his third title. An injury kept Suitor out of Disney this year, which did not help his recruiting value. He has not had the most national experience. However, last summer he did very well in Disney and scored a huge win over Ohio state champ Ty Mitch, who won in Fargo this year. His three state titles, the win over Mitch, and the fact that Suitor will likely be a 125-pounder for life in college definitely make a strong case for him as one of the top recruits in this class. Throwing in the fact that he has good grades (3.6 GPA/ 29 on the ACTs) is the icing on the cake.

8. Nick Smith

School: Ida
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 125
Projected College Weight Class: 125/133

Scouting Report: Smith came out of nowhere in 2008 to win his first state title. However, he showed that it was no fluke by repeating last year with a 7-2 win over Darius Wass in the finals. This summer he went to Disney, and while he lost four times, all of his losses were to pretty tough kids, including a 9-6 loss to No. 3-ranked Shane Young of Pennsylvania. He also scored wins over Ohio state runner-up David Bolger and Illinois state placewinner Chris Williams. Smith has little national level experience and he still has room to improve. However, he has been getting better and better throughout his career as he was 37-19 as a freshman. Smith has been 119 his whole career so he shouldn't get too much bigger, but with his stocky build leads one to believe he will end up around 133 in college.

9. Tyler Keselring

School: Greenville
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 125
Projected College Weight Class: 133

Scouting Report: Entering last season you could argue Keselring as one of the top five wrestlers in this class, and he still has the tools to remain in that argument. He suffered a setback as the two0time state champ did not place at this year's state tournament. However, weight issues seemed to take a heavy toll on Keselring as he was undefeated all year up to the regional tournament and scored big wins all year long including a win over Wass (No. 10) and the eventual champ in his weight, Conor Youtsey. While his state tournament was disappointing, he appeared drained and did not look like the same wrestler. That bad weekend does not change the fact that this kid is one of the most talented wrestlers in the state of Michigan. He is slick on his feet and has an array of setups and shots in his arsenal. He has gotten out as much as anyone nationally and while he has failed to place in Fargo or score any breakout wins, he has been right in the mix with many of the nation's top wrestlers. Last fall he finished third at the Preseason Nationals, with his only loss coming in way of a 4-3 barnburner to Jesse Thielke of Wisconsin, who is currently ranked 18th in the country by InterMat. His state tournament performance may have raised some question marks. However, Keselring's past success and track record of being competitive with the nation's best should still sustain his status as one of the top prospects in this class.

10. Darius Wass

School: Swan Valley
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 130
Projected College Weight Class: 141

Darius Wass
Scouting Report: Wass' track record is strikingly similar to that of former Swan Valley teammate Jared Germaine, who entered his senior year as the No. 10 recruit as well. Wass, like Germaine a year ago, is arguably the best wrestler in the state never to have won a state title. Also like Germaine, he has made up for his lack of Palace success with a lot of national experience and there is no doubt that he is one of the most talented athletes in this group. This summer in Disney he continued to thrive on the national stage with a big win over Tyler Razauhan of Pennsyvania, who is currently the No. 16-ranked wrestler in the country at 119 pounds by InterMat. He also lost a close 2-0 match to Fargo champ Ty Mitch of Ohio.

While he has not won a state title, Wass has lost only three times in the past two years of high school wrestling: this year's state finals to Smith (No. 8), the Goodrich finals to Keselring (No. 9), and last year's state finals by way of a third-period comeback to Roger Wildmo (No. 1-ranked junior). He may be the most dangerous wrestler in the state as he is the kind of kid who will try anything against anybody. He is also very strong for his size. Whether he ends up winning his first state title this year or not, Wass will be a good pickup for somebody.]]>70735Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:11:39 +0000Wrestling 49: Washingtonhttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/wrestling-49-washington-r70677/As the wrestling season's start is fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. From early August until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce fans to the top senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and from Maine to California, fans will gain exposure to the potential stars of future NCAA Championships. The rankings within this article do not necessarily reflect those done by InterMat. Did you a miss a Wrestling 49 feature? Visit Wrestling 49 archives.

This is a list I have compiled of the Top 10 senior recruits in Washington, plus 10 honorable mention honorees. There are many more great wrestlers but we had to limit to 20, so this is it.

All of these wrestlers have proven themselves on the mat and all should have great seasons. As in every season, some will have great joy at the end of the season and others will feel the sting of what might have been. We salute all the wrestlers whose past deeds have earned them a position on this list of honor and we also salute the thousands of wrestlers not listed here that will go out and give their all on the mat.

Although a few select teams travel outside of the region to seek out national competition, the biggest gauge of Washington's area's talent will be seen once again this year at the Tri-State Classic taking place in Coeur d'Alene the third weekend of December, and the Pac Coast Championship held in Vancouver, Washington the first weekend of January.

Below is a look at the Top 10 high school senior recruits from Washington's Class of 2010-11.

Chris Castillo (Photo/Dave Jedlicka, jedicheetah.com)
1. Chris Castillo
School: Zillah
Projected 2010-11 High School Weight Class: 160
Projected College Weight Class: 149

Analysis: The No. 1-ranked senior is Chris Castillo. Castillo is a three-time state champion who is looking to join the elite fraternity of Washington four-time state champions. Only five wrestlers have won four titles in Washington. Castillo has also proven himself on the national level by going to Schoolboy Duals and dominating along with placing in Fargo as both a Cadet and Junior.

2. Ruben Navejas
School: Kentwood
Projected 2010-11 High School Weight Class: 112
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Analysis: Navejas won the state 4A 103 title in 2009 after placing fifth in state as a freshman. He followed that up by winning the USAW Junior National freestyle title in Fargo in the 98-pound weight class. In 2010 he was defeated in the state final by Steven Hopkins, who has also placed at Nationals. They split four matches between them last year. Navejas went back to Fargo in 2010 and took second in the Junior 105 weight class.

3. Scotty Bacon
School: Republic
Projected 2010-11 High School Weight Class: 152
Projected College Weight Class: 149

Analysis: Bacon is a two-time state champ in the B Division, the smallest division in the state. However, Bacon has proven himself by winning the Tri-State tournament in Idaho as both a sophomore and a junior. He was voted the Outstanding Wrestler at Tri-State in 2010. He went back to the NHSCA Junior Nationals in Virginia in March of 2010 and took third place.

Note: I have been informed that Bacon has moved to California for his senior year. More details to follow.

Antonio Brown (Photo/Dave Jedlicka, jedicheetah.com)
4. Antonio Brown
School: Orting
Projected 2010-11 High School Weight Class: 130
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Analysis: With a third-place finish as a freshman, and runner-up finishes as a sophomore and junior, Brown looks to finally add the title of state champion 1A in 2010-11. He was champion at the prestigious Tri-State tournament in Idaho.

5. Dylan Rutledge
School: Auburn
Projected 2010-11 High School Weight Class: 189
Projected College Weight Class: 184

Analysis: Rutledge was the 4A state champion at 171 in 2010 and placed third as a sophomore in 2009 at 160. He also placed first at the Tri-State tournament and at the Pac-Coast tournament.

Josh Lauderdale (Photo/Dave Jedlicka, jedicheetah.com)
6. Josh Lauderdale
School: Lakeside in Spokane
Projected 2010-11 High School Weight Class: 140
Projected College Weight Class: 141

Analysis: Tough kid who is just a couple of moves away from going for a third title this year, but instead he will be looking to capture his first state title as a senior. Lauderdale competes in 1A and has taken second, third and second the past three seasons. Each time he was defeated in close matches by a multiple-time state champs. This year looks to be his turn. He also has a 4.0 GPA, which should be of interest to many college coaches. He is the younger brother of a three-timer who is currently wrestling at Oregon State University.

7. Nikko Veltri
School: Orting
Projected 2010-11 High School Weight Class: 152
Projected College Weight Class: 149

Analysis: Orting competes in 1A, but goes with the big boys in many larger tournaments during the season … and has great success. The program has a Top 10 senior recruit almost every season and has two this season. Veltri placed third as a sophomore and was the 1A state champion last season at 145.

8. Brian Chamberlain
School: Moses Lake
Projected 2010-11 High School Weight Class: 215
Projected College Weight Class: 197

Analysis: Moses Lake has been producing champions for decades and this season looks to be a big one for Chamberlain. He placed sixth as a freshman, but didn't place as a sophomore. Last season he was the 4A 215 champion and plans on returning to claim a second title. His practice partner is the returning 4A state champion at 285 and steel always sharpens steel.

Dylan Hyder (Photo/Dave Jedlicka, jedicheetah.com)
9. Dylan Hyder
School: Yelm
Projected 2010-11 High School Weight Class: 125
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Analysis: Hyder flirted with a state title in his first two trips to the Mat Classic, taking second as a freshman and third as a sophomore. Last season he won the 3A title at 119 and looks to see if he can gain a second straight title and a fourth state medal.

10. Josh Musick
School: Enumclaw
Projected 2010-11 High School Weight Class: 160
Projected College Weight Class: 157

Analysis: Another tough brother from a family of wrestlers who has his sights set on winning his first state title. He competes in 3A and took third and second in state over the past two seasons. He comes from a school with a long tradition of winning.

Honorable Mention:
Bryce Evans (Rogers)
Hunter File (Enumclaw)
Chris Mayolo (LaCenter)
Billy Rhoads (Deer Park)
Amando Deleon (Othello)
Easton Hargrave (Tumwater)
Caleb Thornhill (Yelm)
Manny Ybarra (Quincy)
Kabe Fluaitt (Moses Lake)
Cameron Wade (Archbishop Murphy)]]>70677Wed, 19 Aug 2009 08:40:12 +0000Top high schools converge in Salisbury, Marylandhttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/top-high-schools-converge-in-salisbury-maryland-r70355/
This scholastic-style team event will include a total of 108 teams and will be contested for wrestlers in three age groups: the High School Division (grades 9-12), which will feature a field of 62 teams; the Middle School Division (grades 6-8), which will feature a field of 27 teams; and the Elementary Division (grades 4-6), which will feature a field of 19 teams. Participants on the top four teams in each division will be officially declared All-American Team Members.

“This is the top wrestling team event in the country, and you will be seeing many state champs from the East Coast competing. One team will emerge as the TOP CLUB TEAM. There will be college coaches from all over the country at this event scouting high school kids in hopes of finding the next NCAA champion.” Says Bob Ferraro, Executive Director of the NHSCA.

Times and dates for tournament:

Saturday May 23rd, 2009
• 9am wrestling matches

Sunday May 24th, 2009
• 9am wrestling continues

Monday May 25th, 2009
• 9am completion of matches, consolations
• 10:30am quarter finals
• 12pm Semi Finals
• 2pm championship and consolation]]>70355Thu, 21 May 2009 17:46:03 +0000Ard named TDR High School Wrestler of the Monthhttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/ard-named-tdr-high-school-wrestler-of-the-month-r70312/
Brendan won the 171 pound State Title in Atlantic City March 7-8, completing the season with a 37-0 record, while amassing a 139-11 career record. During the entire season, only one opponent scored a single takedown against him.

He began wrestling as a Freshman, where he competed at 171 pounds, despite weighing 155 pounds. Exemplifying undeniable teamwork and exhibiting amazing strength, he accepted the weigh class as both the 152 pound and 160 pound classes were occupied by top performing team mates, including a State Champion. He wrestled mostly heavier and older opponents, winning the District 12 title in 2006. "Brendan's deep love for wrestling really kicked in during his Sophomore year, pushing other athletic pursuits like football and lacrosse aside", described Watchung Hills High School Wrestling Coach Danny Smith. Brendan finished third in the state at 160 pounds his Sophomore year.

Throughout his life Brendan has been surrounded by athletic greatness. His father is NFL football legend Billy Ard, an All Century Team Member of the New York Giants, and a Super Bowl XXI starter in the game where the Giants won their first Super Bowl title. His fathers legacy and relationships in football allowed Brendan to work on conditioning with collegiate football standouts and certain NFL draft picks Lydon Murtha (Nebraska) and Joel Bell (Furman). "Brendan's strength is amazing. He's in the weight room at least three times a week, and does some very heavy lifting", offered his father. Billy Ard is alumni of Watchung Hills High School himself, and father and son attended the same same elementary school as well.

The road to Brendan's victorious record is paved with training at two particular elite institutions. He trained for years with Ernie Monaco at the Edge Wrestling School. He's also logged unimaginable hours at Test Sports Performance, where his father helps college football players as they prepare for their migration toward the NFL drafts. Both schools are located in Martinsville, NJ.

Solid and dedicated academic preparation secured Brendan a wrestling scholarship to the University of Wisconsin, where he starts next Fall. He finishes high school with a graduating class of over 500 students, where his humility regarding both athletics and academics is symbolic of many successful wrestlers. He will most likely start at the 174 pound weight class at Wisconsin.

Since finishing the season as State Champ, he competed in the National High School Coaches Senior Tournament in Virginia Beach, VA., regularly hits the gym with diverse training regimens, and is learning Brazilian Jujitsu. He also won the New Jersey Courier News Wrestler of the Year Award.

TakeDown Radio, and all of the award sponsors, are very proud to select Brendan as April's recipient. We know our award is an honor among many for this remarkable young man.

TakeDown Radio would like to thank the sponsors of the High School Wrestler of the Month Award. Without Resilite, W.I.N. Magazine, Brute adidas, Intermat, and Sunflower Wrestling Supply, the award would not be possible. We are all very pleased to place our support in some of the nation's most promising youth.]]>70312Mon, 04 May 2009 18:35:06 +0000A review of the final 2008-09 high school rankingshttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/a-review-of-the-final-2008-09-high-school-rankings-r70316/
The high school rankings feature the top twenty wrestlers in each weight class for the 2008-09 season, based on the weight that wrestlers competed in their respective 2009 state-level championship. The rankings reflect results and outcomes through the first weekend of April (NHSCA grade-level Nationals, USAW Cadet/Junior Folkstyle Nationals). There are many common trends between this year and those of the past.

Leading the way with the most nationally ranked wrestlers is the Keystone State; Pennsylvania has 35 wrestlers in the top twenty of their given weight class. Not too far behind are New Jersey (28) and Ohio (27). These three states also dominate the top spot in each weight class -- as native sons occupy the top spot in ten of the fourteen weight classes (Ohio with 4, Pennsylvania with 3, and New Jersey with 3).

While InterMat does not provide national high school team rankings, the team thought to be best in the nation this year -- Blair Academy NJ -- has eight of its starting wrestlers nationally ranked. In fact seven of these wrestlers, half of the lineup, are ranked inside the top five at their respective weight class. A pair of wrestlers -- Chris Villalonga (130) and Ed Ruth (171) -- occupied the top ranking at their weight class. The Bucs won their 29th consecutive National Prep Wrestling Championships title, along with dominant titles at the Walsh Ironman and Beast of the East.

Nick Brascetta of Graham (Ohio) was the No. 1 103-pounder in the country this past season (Photo/BuckeyeWrestling.com)
After a banner season, which culminated with an Ohio record seven state titles, Graham (runners-up at the Walsh Ironman) was perceived by many as the second-best team nationally. Six of these competitors are ranked inside the nation's top twenty. This includes the top overall senior in David Taylor, who also is tops in the nation at 135 pounds. Taylor won a second Super32 title, became the first to win four Ironman titles, and took home a fourth state title. Fellow Falcon Nick Brascetta (103) also occupied the top spot in the nation at his weight.

With a dominant title at The Clash Duals, and yet another sweep in Minnesota's big-school state tournament (dual meet and individual), Apple Valley made a compelling case for being the third-best wrestling squad in the United States this year. They also had five wrestlers appear in the individual rankings.

Two teams from the Keystone State had four wrestlers in the individual rankings: Central Dauphin and Wyoming Seminary. For a second straight year, Central Dauphin swept the dual meet and individual big-school state tournament titles. The Rams were champions at Powerade and third at Beast of the East. Wyoming Seminary finished as runners-up at National Preps and Beast of the East to Blair, were champions at Mount Mat Madness, and finished second at Escape the Rock.

Another pair of teams -- both happening to be from Ohio -- had four wrestlers in the individual national rankings. However, neither St Edward nor Monroeville was particularly strong behind their respective big four grouping. St Edward lost seven dual meets during this past season, which included a pair to in-state rival Wadsworth. However, the Eagles still won their thirteenth straight big-school state title with all four of these young men making the final (three champions). All four of Monroeville's ranked wrestlers ascended to the top of the podium this year, and remain on pace to be four-time state champions. However, the team finished second in the small-school state tournament. By early March 2011, this program will have 16 state champions; one that prior to 2007 had only a lone state finalist in its history.

These two teams represent part of why InterMat does not compile national high school team rankings.

Logan Stieber (middle), who is the No. 1 wrestler from the Class of 2010, recently competed on the senior level and finished third at the 2009 U.S. Nationals at 121 pounds (Photo/BuckeyeWrestling.com)
Three absolutely elite prospects -- David Taylor (135); Eric Grajales (135), Brandon FL; and Chris Perry (189), Stillwater OK -- top the 2009 class, which many do not consider to be as strong as last year's group or next year's group. A total of seven seniors top their respective weight class in individual national rankings -- Taylor; Ruth; Perry; Trent Weatherman (152), Ballard Huxley IA; Jake Kemerer (160), Hempfield PA; Glenn Carson (215), Southern Regional NJ; and Eloheim Palma (285), Cary NC.

More similar to the 2008 class is this year's class of juniors, next year's seniors (Class of 2010). Six of these wrestlers earned top spots in the national rankings -- Villalonga, Devin Carter (112), Christiansburg VA; Jamie Clark (119), St. Edward, OH; Logan Stieber (125), Monroeville, OH; as well as Andrew (140) and Dylan (145) Alton, Central Mountain, PA. Clark, Stieber, Villalonga, and the Alton twins are part of a group of nine potential star prospects. The group also includes Marshall Peppelman (152), Central Dauphin, PA; Anthony Baldosaro (140), Eastern Regional, NJ; Lee Munster (171), Fox Lake Grant, IL; and Josh Kindig (135), Blue Mountain, PA. In the midst of this great group, Stieber is clearly at the top. Three times a state champion, and three times a Fargo freestyle champion, he finished third at 121 pounds at the senior level of the recently-contested U.S. Nationals in Las Vegas.

A sophomore group (Class of 2011) that has the potential to be similarly impressive is topped by a quartet of upper-weight stars in Chris Phillips (171), Monroeville, OH; Andrew Campolattano (189), Bound Brook, NJ; Morgan McIntosh (171), Calvary Chapel, CA; and Kenny Courts (160), Central Dauphin, PA. Phillips leads this pack with two Cadet National freestyle championships, as well as two state titles; and has a two-year record of 100-1, only losing 3-2 to Ed Ruth at the December 2008 Walsh Ironman.

Topping the freshman class is Taylor Massa (145), St John's MI, a double Cadet National champion this past summer; Massa was also an undefeated state champion this past season, and finished runner-up in the preseason Super32 tournament. Among junior high wrestlers, Pennsylvania native Eric Morris is the top wrestler.

In the coming months and years, InterMat looks forward to providing thorough and comprehensive coverage of high school wrestling across the nation.]]>70316Thu, 30 Apr 2009 09:54:09 +0000Wrestling 49: Nevadahttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/wrestling-49-nevada-r70283/With the high school wrestling season's start fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. From now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce fans to the top high school senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and Maine to California, fans will gain exposure to future college and senior level stars.

Although Nevada does not produce the same number of All-Americans that states like California, Ohio, and Pennsylvania do, but Nevada produces some very good wrestlers every year. Nevada had six wrestlers that earned All-American honors in Fargo, and also a FILA Cadet National champion. Last year multi-time Fargo All-American Napoleon Aniciete (Las Vegas) signed with Utah Valley University. Some of the past Nevada standout wrestlers include NCAA Division I runner-up Chase Pami from Cal Poly (Cimmeron-Memorial, two-time 4A state champion), two-time Division I All-American Bryce Saddoris of the Naval Academy (Spring Creek, four-time 3A state champion). Also included in this list are current UFC stars Ryan Bader (McQueen, two-time 4A state champion) and Frank Mir (Bonanza, 4A state champion). Nevada has 105 high schools that are divided into three divisions for wrestling. The main population centers are Las Vegas and Reno, with the rest being mostly rural areas.

1. Ray Waters (Spring Valley)
Projected 2011-12 High School Weight Class: 170
Projected College Weight Class: 174

Ray Waters
Analysis: Waters is a senior from Las Vegas. He lost in the 4A state finals to Fargo All-American Napoleon Aniciete. This was a battle of All-Americans because Waters was also an All-American in Fargo in 2010. You have to give Waters a lot of credit. He was wrestling and winning everything at 160, and he dropped down to 152 just so he could wrestle Aniciete. Waters finished the season with a record of 56-2. He won many large tournaments last year, including the Las Vegas Holiday Classic.

2. Jace Billingsley (Lowry)
Projected 2011-12 High School Weight Class: 160
Projected College Weight Class: 165

Analysis: Billingsley is a three-time 3A state champion out of Winnemucca. Winnemucca is a medium -sized town in the northern rural area of the state. Billingsley placed second in the Sierra Nevada Classic and won it the previous season. He is also a standout running back during football season and a pitcher for the baseball team.

3. Bronson Ashjian (Cimmeron-Memorial)
Projected 2011-12 High School Weight Class: 138
Projected College Weight Class: 141

Analysis: Ashjian, who wrestles for perennial Nevada power Cimmeron-Memorial in Las Vegas, finished this past season with a record of 59-3. He is a two-time 4A state champion.

4. Steven Elicegui (Wooster)
Projected 2011-12 High School Weight Class: 171
Projected College Weight Class: 174

Analysis: Elicegui is the defending two-time 4A state champion out of Wooster High School in Reno. He placed first at the 2011 West Junior Regional in both freestyle and Greco-Roman.

5. Broc Westlake (Reed)
Projected 2011-12 High School Weight Class: 195
Projected College Weight Class: 197

Analysis: Westlake, who wrestles for Reed High School in Reno, is the defending 4A state champion. He finished the season with a record of 37-6. He also placed fourth in the Sierra Nevada Classic.

6. Gus Duncan (Lowry)
Projected 2011-12 High School Weight Class: 145
Projected College Weight Class: 149/157

Analysis: Duncan was the 3A state champion at 140 in 2011 and the 3A state champion at 130 his sophomore year. He is going for the lucky No. 3 this year.

7. Marcus Judd (Palo Verde)
Projected 2011-12 High School Weight Class: 182
Projected College Weight Class: 184

Analysis: Judd finished the 2011 season with a record of 47-5. He won the Las Vegas Holiday Classic and finished third in the 4A state tournament. Palo Verde High School is located in Las Vegas.

8. Curtis Lampert (Spanish Springs)
Projected 2011-12 High School Weight Class: 120
Projected College Weight Class: 125

Analysis: Lampert wrestles out of Reno. He finished third in 2010 and second in 2011. Hopefully with some hard work he will make his way to the top of the podium in 2012. His season record for 2011 was 40-8.

9. Dakota Sargent (Indian Springs)
Projected 2011-12 High School Weight Class: 152
Projected College Weight Class: 157

Analysis: Sargent, who wrestles for Indian Springs, is the defending 2A state champion. Starting Sargent's sophomore season, he started working on only wrestling and has improved tremendously.

10. Ryan Nelson (Lowry)
Projected 2011-12 High School Weight Class: 182
Projected College Weight Class: 184

Analysis: Nelson wrestles for 3A power Lowry. He is the defending 3A state champion and finished second in 2010.]]>70283Sun, 19 Apr 2009 07:15:00 +0000Nominate a wrestler High School Wrestler of the Monthhttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/nominate-a-wrestler-high-school-wrestler-of-the-month-r70235/
Awards were presented across much of the country, included a wealth of diversity and experience, and ultimately served to enrich the lives and improve the prospects for the future for these gifted athletes, students, and citizens. Each month, the qualifications set forth for the award were clearly evident within each recipient and were based on the pillars of athletics, academics, and community.

Our beginning roster of national award recipients and model citizens went to;

* Marshall Peppleman- Central Dauphin High School- Harrisburg, PA (September 2008)
* Dallas Bailey- Catoosa High School- Catoosa, OK (October 2008)
* Jordan Jones- North/Hoover High School- Des Moines, IA (November 2008)
* Jacob Eisheid- Waukee High School- Waukee, IA (December 2008)
* Josh Chang- Mingus High School- Cottonwood, AZ (January 2009)
* Anna Cummings- Onondaga High School- Nedrow, NY (February 2009)
* Christian Schuler- Bentonville High School- Bentonville, AR

In addition to the recognition and visibility generated through wrestling media for award winners, TakeDown Radio would like to thank the program sponsors for the physical awards (e.g. apparel, gift certificates, exclusive premiums, magazine subscriptions) presented to each recipient. Without Resilite, Brute adidas, Sunflower Wrestling Supply, W.I.N. Magazine, and Intermat, none of this would have been possible.

We look forward to continuing what has now become tradition well into the future. We want to encourage all wrestling coaches, families, and fans to submit information on deserving high school wrestlers they know. There are several ways to do so.

Printable PDF versions of the application are available at the W.I.N. Magazine and Intermat web sites. Link are provided here.

http://www.win-magazine.com/JRIC%20sub%20pages/TDRwrestofmonth.html

http://www.intermatwrestle.com/tdr_wotm.pdf

Applications can be completed and mailed to:

TakeDown Radio
2822 Beaver Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50310

Answers to questions on the application, as well as essay submissions are acceptable and can be emailed to TakeDown Radio at:

chris@takedownradio.com

Please feel free to call the program administrator at any time with questions or input regarding the program.

Chris Arns
(515) 274-0849

We feel truly privileged to have come to know each of these exceptional young men and women. It continues to prove to us that personal improvements that are a result of wrestling go way beyond the mat.

Best Regards,

The TakeDown Radio Staff]]>70235Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:51:00 +0000Walsh Ironman and Beast of the East Recaphttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/walsh-ironman-and-beast-of-the-east-recap-r69752/
103 Pounds
Top-seeded Nick Brascetta of St. Paris Graham held off freshman sensation Mark Grey, 4-3, to win the championship at 103. Brascetta countered an early takedown and added two escapes to win the first of several titles for the Graham Falcons. However, Grey bounced back with a vengeance, winning the Beast of the East over Cadet Nationals runner-up Joe Orecchio of Don Bosco Prep (New Jersey), 8-0. Grey scored a big five-point move early and later added another takedown later in the match. Dominic Malone of Wyoming Seminary also placed in both tournaments as well.

112 Pounds
National rankings in this weight class are certain to change after these two tournaments. Devin Carter of Christiansburg (Virginia) dominated defending Ironman champ Hunter Stieber of Monroeville (Ohio), 9-2, to win the Ironman. Carter demonstrated powerful leg attacks in beating Stieber. Carter was unable to win both tournaments though as he was knocked off in the finals by sleeper Evan Silver of Blair Academy (New Jersey). Silver defeated Cadet Nationals champ Zach Horan of Nazareth (Pennsylvania), 9-3, and defending Beast champ Sean Boylan, 3-2, before edging Carter, 3-2.

119 Pounds
Jaime Clark of St. Edward(Ohio) finally has earned an Ironman crown. After two years of being a placewinner, Clark edged Sean Boyle of Blair Academy (New Jersey), 6-4. Despite surrendering the first takedown, Clark remained composed and scored on a late takedown to break a deadlocked match. Boyle, rebounded by defending his 2007 Beast championship by winning the tournament again. Boyle was not challenged throughout the tournament, defeating Shane Gentry of Colonial Forge (Virginia) who placed fourth and second in the Ironman and Beast respectively.

125 Pounds
Sam White of Massillon Perry (Ohio) defeated Zach Neibert of St. Paris Graham in a wild overtime match to win the Ironman title at 125. White trailed until late in the second period when he scored on a double leg takedown. A controversial stalling call on White sent the match into overtime, where White scored soon after. Simon Kitzis of Wyoming Seminary seeded ninth was the champion at the Beast. Kitzis, who was knocked out of the Ironman, beat defending champ, Andrew Garafalo of Colonial Forge (Virginia) in the first of three over-time bouts on the day. Kitzis defeated Pat Owens of Germantown Academy (Pennsylvania) to win the championship. Garrett Frey of Blair Academy (New Jersey) placed third and sixth in the Ironman and Beast respectively.

130 Pounds
Chris Villalonga of Blair Academy (New Jersey) showed why he is among the nation's best wrestlers in winning both tournaments. Villalonga went through an incredible weight class at Ironman beating freshman sensation Felipe Martinez of St. Paris Graham in the finals. Martinez had knocked off previously No. 1-ranked Tony Ramos of Glenbard North (Illinois) in the semifinals. Villalonga went on to later defend his Beast championship, winning a double overtime decision over Sam Sherlock of West Mifflin (Pennsylvania). Sherlock struck first with an early takedown, but Villalonga escaped in double overtime and rode Sherlock in the final 30 seconds for the win.

135 Pounds
David Taylor of St. Paris Graham proved the doubters wrong. Taylor moved up four weight classes and still became the first four-time Ironman champ. There was a first round scare, but after that Taylor cruised to the championship majoring sleeper finalist Joe Waltko of North Allegheny (Pennsylvania). Junior National finalist Josh Kindig of Blue Mountain (Pennsylvania) was upset in the quarters, but wrestled back to third. Austin Ormsbee finished fourth at the Ironman, but rebounded to win the Beast. In the finals he met a familiar foe, Nicky Gordon of Wyoming Seminary (Pennsylvania). Ormsbee had defeated Gordon in two close bouts at the Ironman; the Beast final was not as close with Ormsbee winning, 6-2.

140 Pounds
Andrew Alton of Central Mountain (Pennsylvania) showed why he is the best at 140 pounds. Alton controlled defending champ Colin Palmer of St. Edward (Ohio). Alton dominated on his feet scoring numerous takedowns, and avoided Palmer's trademark power half. This was one of the premier matches at the Ironman. New Jersey state champ Anthony Baldasarro of Eastern Regional, a Beast Runner-up in 2007, moved up one spot this year. Baldasarro scored a late takedown to win the championship over Ryan Kemmerer of Boyertown (Pennsylvania).

145 Pounds
Dylan Alton of Central Mountain (Pennsylvania) was the champion at Ironman, defeating Brian Stephens of St. Paris Graham (Ohio). Alton was in control early, but Stephens score a late takedown to make it close. Joey Napoli of Cumberland Valley (Pennsylvania) was the Beast champ, but not without some drama. In the semifinals, Napoli scored a takedown over Cadet National finalist Blake Roulo of Motoaca (Virginia) with two seconds to win the bout. In the finals, unseeded finalist Bo Candelaria of Middletown (Pennsylvania) almost reversed Napoli, but referees said time had expired first thus giving Napoli the title.

152 Pounds
Brandon Rolnick of Lawrenville (New Jersey) was the champ at Ironman. Rolnick went through freshman sensation Jason Luster of Woodbury Forest (Virginia) in the semifinals before defeating Nick Sulzer of St. Edward(Ohio) in a close final bout. Rolnick scored a first period takedown, and added another one in the third to clinic the final. Marshall Peppleman of Central Dauphin (Pennsylvania) repeated as a Beast champ. Peppleman dominated on top with Central Dauphin's trademark Dauphin tilt. Adam Hogue of Blair Academy (New Jersey) wrestled Peppleman very tough, losing 3-2 in the finals. Peppleman scored on an early attack, and added a late escape. For those wondering who would win between the Beast and Ironman champ, Peppleman defeated Rolnick in the finals of Super 32.

160 Pounds
Ohio State Champion Zach Toal of Troy Christian (Ohio) won a wild finals match against Kyle Lang of Brecksville (Ohio). This bout was highly entertaining with numerous scrambles. Toal trailed early but pulled away late in the match. Dallas Bailey of Catoosa (OK) won the Beast championship and OW in a deep 160 weight class with numerous nationally ranked wrestlers. Bailey went though Pennsylvania state placewinner Jimmy Sheptock of Northampton (Pennsylvania) before he too faced Kyle Lang of Brecksville (Ohio). Lang upset defending champ Kenny Courts of Central Dauphin (Pennsylvania) in the semifinals.

171 Pounds
Ed Ruth of Blair Academy (New Jersey) won arguably the best weight class at the Ironman. Ruth defeated defending Ironman champion Chris Phillips of Monroeville (Ohio), 3-2, before beating Junior Nationals champion Ethan Lofthouse of Mountain Crest (Utah). In the finals, Ruth scored numerous takedowns proving he is one of the best in the nation. At the Beast, Ruth lost early. In the first round, he was up 10-0 before getting pinned. Ruth wrestled back to third, spoiling a chance for fans to see Ruth wrestle Beast champion Mike Evans of Cumberland Valley (Pennsylvania). Evans dominated from the top position scoring numerous near fall points in the finals against Mason Bailey of East Fairmont (WV).

189 Pounds
Max Huntley of Blair Academy accomplished the rare feat of winning both tournaments. After wrestling at Colonial Forge (Virginia) last season, Huntley enrolled at Blair, and it appears to be the difference-maker. Huntley defeated Max Thomusseit of St. Paris Graham (Ohio) to win the Ironman. Huntley scored from the neutral position in the first and final period. At the Beast, Huntley got a tough test from Joe Piro of Northampton (Pennsylvania) before rallying for the victory. In the finals, Huntley defeated Tony Dallago of Central Dauphin (Pennsylvania), 4-3, for the victory.

215Pounds
Joe McMullan of Wyoming Seminary (Pennsylvania) was the champion at the Ironman. McMullan defeated Ben Krakower of Blair Academy to win the title. At the Beast, however, Krakower returned the favor scoring a last second takedown to upset McMullan in the semifinals. Jon Weber of Christiansburg (Virginia) was the sleeper of the weight class as he defeated Krakower in the final. Weber scored a takedown with under five seconds to win the title.

285 Pounds
Jeremy Johnson of Brecksville (Ohio) had four falls on the way to winning the Ironman title. In the finals, he pinned Zach Cori of Central Mountain (Pennsylvania) in the first period to win the championship. However, at the Beast both Johnson and No. 1-ranked Andrew Miller of Bassett (Virginia) were upset. The final was fifth-seeded Karl Green of Mt. St. Josephs (Maryland) against 11th-seeded Bobby Telford of St. Marks (Delaware). In traditional heavyweight fashion, this bout was exciting and came down to the final seconds where Telford secured the victory.]]>69752Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:36:00 +0000Beast of the East set for December 20-21https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/beast-of-the-east-set-for-december-20-21-r69690/
The 2008 TGIFriday's Beast will feature seven returning champions, Boyle, Villalonga, Sean Boylan, Michael Garafalo, Kenny Courts, Marshall Peppelman, and Glenn Carson. Tickets, tournament information, and archived results are available online at http://www.beastwrestling.com.

Official press conference is scheduled for 6 P.M. on Thursday, December 11th at the Embassy Suites in Newark, De.

All proceeds benefit scholarships to our Delaware wrestlers who meet criteria in the fields of academics, sportsmanship, and community service. We have awarded over $425,000 from the proceeds of the previous 15 tournaments. Anyone seeking information on our efforts to "preserve the sport" or the TGIFriday's Beast of the East can contact tournament director, Bob Shaw.]]>69690Tue, 09 Dec 2008 19:42:00 +00002008 Asics Walsh Ironman Previewhttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/2008-asics-walsh-ironman-preview-r69661/
103 Pounds
Leading the pack is top seed Nick Brascetta of St. Paris Graham (Ohio), who placed sixth in last year's Ironman. Right behind him is Fargo double national champion, super-frosh Mark Grey of Blair Academy (New Jersey). These two stand out as the front-runners in the first of several possible match-ups between Graham and Blair. Also, keep an eye on Cadet All-American Kevon Powell of Montini Catholic (Illinois).

Those you know: Brascetta, Grey and Powell.

Those you don't know: Corey Keener of Blue Mountain (Pennsylvania), Dominic Malone of Wyoming Seminary (Pennsylvania), and Mitch Baran of Brecksville Broadview-Heights (Ohio).

Predicted championship match: Brascetta vs. Grey

Hunter Stieber (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)
112 Pounds
This is the first of several outstanding weight classes at the Ironman. If defending champion Hunter Stieber of Monroeville (Ohio) wants to be champion again, he will definitely earn it. Standing in his way is second-seeded, Cadet All-American Devin Carter of Christiansburg (Virginia), third seeded Gus Sako of traditional powerhouse St. Edward (Ohio) and Cadet All-American Evan Silver of Blair Academy. Pennsylvania state runner-up Mason Beckman of Reynolds (Pennsylvania) is a tough draw as the No. 7 seed.

Those you know: Stieber, Carter, Sako, Carter and Beckman

Those you don't know: Jerome Robinson of St. Ignatius (Ohio), Geoff Alexander of Shady Side Academy (Pennsylvania) and Kegan Squire of Wadsworth (Ohio)

Predicted championship match: Stieber vs. Beckman

119 Pounds
Traditionally a strong weight class with several ranked wrestlers, 119 does not disappoint. Leading the field is Ohio state champion Jamie Clark of St. Edward (Ohio). Closely behind him … National Prep champion Sean Boyle of Blair Academy (New Jersey), and Cadet All-American Jesse Delgado of Gilroy (California). After those three, the depth drops off, but keep an eye on Oklahoma state runner-up Derek Steeley of Broken Arrow (Oklahoma), who is a dangerous draw at the No. 8 seed.

Those you know: Clark, Boyle, Delgado, Steeley

Those you don't know: Shane Gentry of Colonial Forge (Virginia), Gabe Gomez of Broomfield (Colorado), and James Ingrham of University School (Ohio)

Predicted championship match: Clark vs. Boyle

125 Pounds
This weight class lost some of its thunder with Logan Stieber of Monroeville (Ohio) and Martin Gonzalez of Gilroy (California) both out with injuries, but there are still several nationally-ranked wrestlers competing. Sam White of Massillon Perry (Ohio) and Zach Neibert of St. Paris Graham (Ohio) are the clear favorites. White defeated Neibert during last year's tournament, so this gives something fans can look forward to. Simon Kitzis of Wyoming Seminary (Pennsylvania) is an entertaining wrestler and should test Neibert in the semifinals.

Those you know: White, Neibert and Kitzis

Those you don't know: Pat Owens of Germantown Academy (Pennsylvania), Brandon Westerman of McEachern (Georgia) and Garrett Frey of Blair Academy (New Jersey)

Predicted championship match: White vs. Neibert

130 Pounds
What a weight class! At the top is 2006 Ironman champion Tony Ramos of Glenbard North (Illinois). Close behind is 2007 Ironman champion Chris Villalonga of Blair Academy (New Jersey) and Luke Goettl of Mingus (Arizona). For Ramos to reach the final, he may have to go through AAA Pennsylvania state champion Cort Choate of Blue Mountain (Pennsylvania), only a No. 8 seed, and super-frosh Felipe Martinez of St. Paris Graham (Ohio), who is the No. 13 seed. Villalonga could see Cadet-All American Cam Tessari of Monroeville (Ohio) in the quarters as well.

Those you know: Villalonga, Ramos, Goettl, and Choate

Those you don't know: Martinez, Frank Martellotti of Shady Side Academy (Pennsylvania), and Devon Brown of Wyoming Seminary (Pennsylvania)

Predicted championship match: Villalonga vs. Ramos

135 Pounds
Another brutal weight class which shows why Ironman is the premier high school folkstyle tournament. The top seed is three-time Ironman champion David Taylor of St. Paris Graham (Ohio), who has moved up four weight classes from last season. Seeded No. 2 is Josh Kindig of Blue Mountain (Pennsylvania), who lost to Taylor 1-0 in the finals of Super 32 last month. Jimmy Chase of Glenbard North (Illinois) is also looking to capitalize on his fourth-place finish the 2008 U.S. Olympic Tea Trials (Greco-Roman). In this weight class, there will be plenty of interesting early matchups. National Prep champ Austin Ormsbee of Blair Academy (New Jersey) is a tough draw as the No. 10 seed.

Those you know: Taylor, Kindig, and Chase

Those you don't know: Andrew Williams of Tabb (Virginia), Josh Chang of Mingus (AZ), and Zac Hancock of Troy Christian (Ohio)

Predicted championship match: Taylor vs. Kindig

140 Pounds
Fans everywhere are looking forward to seeing Collin Palmer of St. Edward (Ohio) and Andrew Alton of Central Mountain (Pennsylvania), but there are two other wrestlers who may have a say. Vlad Dombrovsky of Natomis (California) is a California state champion … and Dane Johnson of Shady Side Academy (Pennsylvania) is a two-time Pennsylvania state champion. The semfinals of this weight class should be exciting. Keep an eye on California state runner-up Kyle West of Oak Ridge (California), who will be a sleeper at the No. 10 seed.

Those you know: Palmer, Alton, Dombrovsky, and Johnson

Those you don't know: West, Raider Lofthouse of Mountain Crest (UT), and Jordan Thome of Troy Christian (Ohio)

Predicted championship match: Palmer vs. Alton

Brad Squire (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)
145 Pounds
Dylan Alton of Central Mountain (Pennsylvania) is a clear favorite here at 145. Seth Horner of Massillon Perry (Ohio) and Brad Squire of Wadsworth (Ohio) will make things interesting, but Alton is the class of this weight class.

Those you know: Alton, Horner Squire

Those you don't know: Brian Stephens of St. Paris Graham (Ohio), Pierce Harger of Archbishop Moeller (Ohio) and Weston Lymangrover of Mingus (Arizona).

Predicted championship match: Alton vs. Squire

152 Pounds
This is one of the few weight classes without a clear favorite. Leading the pack is top-seeded David Habat of St. Ignatius (Ohio). Next is Fargo champion Brandon Rolnick of Lawrenceville (New Jersey) and Cadet All-American Zach Skates of Broken Arrow (Oklahoma). Keep an eye on super-frosh Jason Luster of Woodbury Forest (Virginia), who may surprise people as the No. 11 seed.

Those you know: Habat, Rolnick, and Skates

Those you don't know: Luster, Adam Hogue of Blair Academy (New Jersey) and Isiah Meade of Caesar Rodney (DE)

Predicted championship match: Habat vs. Skates

160 Pounds
Again, another weight class that is totally up for grabs. Kyle Lang of Brecksville-Broadview Heights (Ohio) is the top seed, but Zach Toal of Troy Christian (Ohio) and Riley Kilroy of Padua Franciscan (Ohio) will challenge him for the title. Keep an eye on No. 11 seed Jesse Shanaman of Blair Academy (New Jersey) and No. 12 seed Justin Armstrong of Bishop Lynch (TX). Both will make runs at this weight.

Those you know: Kilroy, Lang, and Toal
Those you don't know: Shanaman, Armstrong, and Kyle Ryan of St. Paris Graham (Ohio)

Predicted championship match: Armstrong vs. Toal

Chris Phillips (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)
171 Pounds
Arguably the most interesting weight class of the tournament. Many remember Chris Phillips of Monroeville (Ohio) stealing the show by winning the tournament last year as a freshman at this weight. If he is to repeat, he must go through Ed Ruth of Blair Academy (New Jersey) and Ethan Lofthouse of Mountain Crest (Utah). Fourth-seeded Nick Hefflin of Massillon Perry (Ohio) could also be a sleeper at this weight.

Those you know: Ruth, Phillips, Lofthouse

Those you don't know: Hefflin, James Mannier of St. Paris Graham (Ohio), and Michael Harvey of Germantown Academy (Pennsylvania)

Predicted championship match: Lofthouse vs. Ruth.

189 Pounds
Max Huntley of Blair Academy (New Jersey) and Max Thomusseit of St. Paris Graham (Ohio) lead the pack here. Nick Mills of University School (Ohio) should test Thomusseit in the semfinals, but look for a potential Graham-Blair final in what should have a huge impact on the team race. Keep an eye on unseeded, Virginia state runner-up Billy Curling of Great Bridge (Virginia), who could surprise some people in the early rounds.

Those you know: Mills, Huntley, Thomusseit

Those you don't know: Curling, Roman SanDoval of Shady Side Academy (Pennsylvania) and Carl Foreside of Montini Catholic (Illinois)

Predicted championship match: Huntley vs. Thomusseit

215 Pounds
Joe McMullen of Wyoming Seminary (Pennsylvania) is the favorite here. Oklahoma state runner-up Terry Williamson of Broken Arrow (Oklahoma) is another wrestler to keep an eye on. Ryan Nelisse of Elyria (Ohio) could also make be a threat to win this weight class.

Those you know: McMullen, Williamson, Nelisse

Those you don't know: Mike Green of St. Edward (Ohio), Grant Goebel of Montini Catholic (Illinois), and Ben Krakower of Blair Academy (New Jersey)

Predicted championship match: McMullen vs. Williamson

285 Pounds
Jeremy Johnson of Brecksville-Broadview Heights (Ohio) is the clear favorite here. Will Ringer of Reynolds (Pennsylvania) and James Meder of Valley Forge (Ohio) will try to stand in Johnson's way.

Those you know: Johnson, Ringer and Meder

Those you don't know: Michael McMullen of Wyoming Seminary (Pennsylvania), Zack Corl of Central Mountain (Pennsylvania), and Zach Hanson Parkersburg South (West Virginia)

Predicted championship match: Johnson vs. Ringer

Team race: In a close race, look for Blair Academy to overtake St. Paris Graham to re-claim their spot as the No. 1 team in the nation. Keep an eye on steadily improving Wadsworth, who should have a good showing as well.]]>69661Thu, 04 Dec 2008 05:03:00 +0000Welch named nation's top high school wrestlerhttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/welch-named-nations-top-high-school-wrestler-r69137/
Welch was only the 13th wrestler in the state of California to win three championships. He ended his high school season on a 142-match winning streak and a 194-7 career record.

The Junior Dan Hodge Trophy is presented by Wrestling International Newsmagazine and the Amateur Athletic Union. It is named after the former Oklahoma national champion and is presented to the nation's top high school wrestler.]]>69137Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:51:00 +0000A look back at the Ironman and Beast of the Easthttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/a-look-back-at-the-ironman-and-beast-of-the-east-r68598/
103 Pounds:

Hunter Stieber of Monroeville (Ohio) and Sean Boylan of St. Marks (Delaware) showed why they are two of the best in the nation at this weight class. Stieber showed poised and dominated from the neutral position in winning the Ironman. His semifinal win over Gus Sako of St. Edwards (Ohio) was a classic battle. Boylan meanwhile scored the majority of his points from the top position in winning the Beast. Despite falling behind early, he rallied in the quart-finals to defeat Evan Silver of Blair Academy (New Jersey). A match-up between these two is not expected, but who wouldn't love to these two go at it.

112 Pounds:

David Taylor proved why he is the best in the nation at this weight and why this writer will never pick against him. At all positions Taylor is just smooth, and always looking to score. His 7-1 win in the finals over Jamie Clark of St. Edwards (Ohio) was not as close as it looks. Meanwhile, Sean Boyle of Blair Academy (New Jersey) improved on his third place finish at the Ironman by winning the Beast. Boyle was really not tested throughout the tournament, and should give Taylor a match when Blair and Graham meet in February.

119 Pounds:

Logan Stieber, another member of that dynamic Monroeville (Ohio) squad picked up his first Ironman title. Stieber like his younger brother dominated from the neutral position and just was unbelievable when on top. Michael Garafalo of Colonial Forge (Virginia) rebounded from last weeks 4th place at the Ironman by defeating Nick Schenk of McDonogh (Maryland) in the finals. Garafalo was able to score a couple late takedowns to give Schenk his first high school loss.

125 Pounds:

Let me just say up front, Chris Villalonga of Blair Academy (New Jersey) is highly underrated. Two weeks in a row we picked him to finish runner-up and he proved us wrong both times. Villalonga won both tournaments by dominating from the top position and scoring when possible. He defeated two Junior National All-Americans at the Beast, Patrick Hunter of St. Benedicts (New Jersey) and Joe Trause of Bergen Catholic (New Jersey). Villalonga belongs with the elite at 125.

130 Pounds:

Brad Squire of Wadsworth (Ohio), an Ohio State Champion as a freshman last year has officially broke onto the national scene. Squire was very physical and just wrestled at a higher pace than anyone in that weight class at Ironman. This wrestler has a bright future. Andrew Grabfelder of Germantown Academy (Pennsylvania) rebounded from the previous week finish at Ironman to upset Anthony Valles of Blair Academy (New Jersey). Valles scored a late takedown in the third period looking to send the match into overtime, when Grabfelder hit a Peterson roll to win the match. One of the more entertaining matches at the Beast.

135 Pounds:

What else can you say about Collin Palmer? He is incredibly tough on top with the powerhalf, which helped him to finally secure his first Ironman title. Hats off to freshman Austin Ormsbee who wrestled Palmer 2-1 in the second round of the tournament. Also, it was rewarding to see the hometown kid Chase Skonieczny of Walsh Jesuit (Ohio) score one of the bigger upsets of the tournament in defeating No. 1 ranked Collin Johnston of Canon-McMillan (Pennsylvania).

Winning the Beast was Ken Courts of Central Dauphin (Pennsylvania). For those who have not seen this kid, it is a close resemblance to watching Teyon Ware. Courts has incredible speed and is relentless on top with Central Dauphin's trademark hazard tilt series. Courts sustained a knee injury in the finals of the Beast but should be back before the season's over.

140 Pounds:

Pennsylvania state champion Jordan Shields of Burrell (Pennsylvania) came from the No. 4 seed to win the Ironman. Shields displayed solid fundamental skills and was tough to score on from all positions.

Marshall Peppelman, another member of Central Dauphin (Pennsylvania) used their trademark hazard tilt series to dismantle the competition. NJ State place-winner Anthony Baldasarro of Delsea Regional (New Jersey) had a solid tournament, but just could not stop the younger Peppleman once he got on top.

145 Pounds:

Jon Burns of Cardinal Gibbons (North Carolina) scored the upset of the tournament when he defeated No. 1- ranked Mario Mason of Blair Academy (New Jersey). Mason, competing with an injury did his best but hats off to Burns who then defeated two-time Ohio state champ Ben Jordan of St. Paris Graham (Ohio) in the finals.

Peter Yates of Salem (Georgia) ended Central Dauphin's hopes of a team championship when he defeated Walter Peppleman of Central Dauphin (Pennsylvania). After a scoreless first, Peppleman chose top, yes that's right top only to have Yates reverse him. Yates added another takedown late to seal the victory and move himself up in the rankings.

152 Pounds:

Alex Meade in winning both the Ironman and Beast showed fans that he is a complete wrestler. He showed mat savvy and grit in defeating Coby Boyd of St. Paris Graham (Ohio) in an overtime thriller to win the Ironman. He then showed total dominance from the neutral position. He scored numerous takedowns in his semifinal bout at the Beast over Brandon Rolnick of Lawrenceville (New Jersey) before defeating Ocean Township's Nick Menditto in the final.

160 Pounds:

Josh Condon of Harrison (Georgia) scored another huge upset at Ironman defeating Eric Cubberly of Pemberville Eastwood (Ohio) in the semifinals. He then defeated Alex Munoz of Bishop Lynch (TX) who upset several nationally ranked wrestlers on his way to the finals.

Winning the Beast was Scott Winston of Jackson Memorial (New Jersey). Winston is unbelievable from the neutral position. He posses tremendous speed and ability. It is very rare to find an upper weight wrestler who wrestles like a light-weight.

171 Pounds:

Chris Phillips and Quentin Wright were the winners at Ironman and Beast. Phillips the freshman out of Monroeville (Ohio) was entertaining to watch. Not since Damion Hahn has their been a freshman upper-weight with this talent. Phillips has a funky style that enables him to score at will from neutral. His final win over Brian Roddy of St. Edwards (Ohio) was arguably the best final match at Ironman.

Quentin Wright of Bald Eagle Area (Pennsylvania) is just on another level. Wright dominated the competition at Beast. His final win over Corey Peltier of Blair Academy (New Jersey) was expected, but Peltier a defending Beast champ could not match up to Wright. Penn State has a future star on their hands.

189 Pounds:

Joe Budi of Kuakuana (Wisconsin) came into Ironman a relative unknown to fans but left a fan favorite after his major decision win in the finals over Cody Magrum of Oak Harbor (Ohio). Budi had wins by fall and 2 wins by major decision.

Erich Schmidtke of Aberdeen (Washington) made to the trip to the Beast looking to make a name for himself, and that he did. A state champion in Washington, Schmidtke proved himself to be among the elite at 189 by way of his 3-2 victory over New Jersey state champion Mac Mancuso of Holy Spirit (New Jersey).

215 Pounds:

Matt Fisher of Sandusky Perkins (Ohio) and Glen Carson of Southern Regional (New Jersey) were the champions at Ironman and Beast. Fisher dominated the field early in the tournament eventually defeated Matt Lindamood of Parkersburg (West Virginia) 3-2 in the finals.

Glen Carson meanwhile continues to rise in the national rankings. Carson, a state runner-up from New Jersey dominated from the neutral position to win. Carson and Fisher are not your usual 215 pound wrestlers.

285 Pounds:

Garrett Goebel of Montini Catholic (Illinois) is going the football route next year, but this year it is all business on the mat. Goebel used a series of throws to pin thru the early rounds. Hats off James Meder who came from the No. 7 to make the final before losing to Goebel 3-1.

Nick Cook of Fauquier (Virginia) rebounded from a third- place finish at the Ironman to win the Beast. Cook defeated nationally ranked John Hiles of S. Francis DeSales (Ohio) in sudden victory to win the championship.]]>68598Thu, 03 Jan 2008 11:01:00 +0000Beast of the East seeds releasedhttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/beast-of-the-east-seeds-released-r68548/103
1. Sean Boylan St Mark's
2. Devin Carter Christiansburg
3. Tyler Biscaha Jackson Memorial
4. Cam Sullivan Timberlane
5. Robert Deutsch Eastern Regional
6. Dan Dortone Springfield
7. Rob Jillard Delsea Regional
8. Jerry Pasquale Boardman
9. Evan Silver Blair
10. Brandon Davis Caravel Academy
11. Ryan Hunsberger Fauquier
12. Zach Horan Nazareth
13. Joe Orrechio Don Bosco Prep

112
1. Sean Boyle Blair Academy
2. Shane Gentry Colonial Forge
3. Sean Dolan St Mark's
4. Jordan Glykas Essex
5. Frank Goodwin Mt St Joe's
6. Jordan Grey Essex
7. Simon Rice Central Dauphin
8. Hunter Wood East Fairmont
9. Kyle Johnson Wyoming Seminary
10. Tucker Miller Western Branch
11. Chris Witte Hodsgon VoTech
12. Zach Huxford Jackson Memorial

119
1. Nick Schenk McDonogh
2. Matt Snyder Lewistown
3. Michael Garofalo Colonial Forge
4. Pat Owens Germantown
5. Andrew Bannister Bishop McNamara
6. Simon Kitzis Wyoming Seminary
7. Chris Kochinksy Middletown
8. Vinny Fava Don Bosco Prep
9. Kenny Knapp David Brearley
10. Tony Buxton Blair
11. Andrew Robertson Christiansburg
12. Colton McFatridge Hodgson VoTech

125
1. Joe Trause Bergen Catholic
2. Chris Villanlonga Blair Academy
3. Patrick Hunter St Benedicts Preps
4. Andrew Williams Tabb
5. Mike Holcomb Kellam
6. Justin "Nick" Shields Brother Martin
7. Derik Russel Jackson Memorial
8. Jake Longley Noble
9. Tyler Scarinzi Archbishop Curley
10. Trevor Dearden Salem NH
11. Wyatt Ray Roy
12. Chris Alexander Cardinal OHara

130
1. Anthony Valles Blair Academy
2. Zac Coulas Ocean Township
3. Andrew Grabfelder Germantown
4. Nicky Gordon Wyoming Seminary
5. Luke Fedechko Delsea
6. Ian Squires Colonial Forge
7. Mike Crowley Eastern
8. Kenny Stank Central Dauphin
9. Drew Jenkins East Fairmont
10. Bryan Anderson Noble
11. Jared Anongos James River
12. Benny Schaufele Mount St Joes

135
1. Cullen Isenberg Wyoming Seminary
2. Austin Ormsbee Blair
3. Joe Pantaleo Colonial Forge
4. Andrew VanDyke Ocean Township
5. Kenny Courts Central Dauphin
6. Albert Woody McDonogh
7. Joe Lospinoso David Brearley
8. Ben Dorsay Cox
9. John Renardo Kingsway
10. Hank Stinson Eastern
11. Alex Pittera Salem NH
12. Cody Carbine Smyrna

140
1. Marshall Peppelman Central Dauphin
2. Kyle Lang Brecksville
3. Bryan Peace Ryle
4. John Guzzo Blair Academy
5. Louis Johnson Great Bridge
6. Anthony Baldosaro Delsea
7. Matt Spatero Bergen Catholic
8. Josh Fitch McDonogh
9. Drew Squires Colonial Forge
10. Matt Dugan DeMatha
11. Dave Clemons Timberlane
12. Ricky Anderson Western Branch

145
1. Walter Peppelman Central Dauphin
2. Peter Yates Salem GA
3. Joey Napoli Cumberland Valley
4. Peter Bronder Noble
5. Nick Tiberi Hodgson VoTech
6. Eric Morris East Fairmont
7. Curtis Holmes McDonogh
8. Jackson Brady Camden Catholic
9. Jarad Smith Timberlane
10. Joey Grainger Great Bridge
11. Rich Bushby Kingsway
12. Justin Martinez Wyoming Seminary

152
1. Alex Meade Caesar Rodney
2. Nick Menditto Ocean Township
3. Mallie Shuster Big Spring
4. Sean Byrnes Jackson Memorial
5. Brandon Rohlnick Lawrenceville
6. Shane Millam McDonogh
7. Jonathon Weibel Quakertown
8. Preston Kieffer Eastern
9. Jimmy Sheptock Northampton
10. Brandon Hazel Sussex Central
11. Montrell Barbine Western Branch
12. Carter Lorant Blair Academy

160
1. Scott Winston Jackson Memorial
2. Tony Dallago Central Dauphin
3. Jared King Great Bridge
4. Keith Hynson William Penn
5. Sam Rakes Christiansburg
6. Ethen Rakes Mountain Crest
7. Kramer Whitelaw McDonogh
8. Jesse Shanaman Blair Academy
9. Mike Wechsler Northampton
10. Sean Abrams Kellam
11. Kevin Dufresne St Benedicts Prep
12. Umar Taramov David Brearley

171
1. Quinten Wright Bald Eagle Area
2. Corey Peltier Blair Academy
3. Bagna Tovuujav St Benedicts Prep
4. Mason Reid Ryle
5. Michael Harvey Germantown
6. Braden Carter Christiansburg
7. Peter Huntley Colonial Forge
8. Brock Budesheim Sussex Central
9. Colin Lenhardt Gloucester
10. Pat Murphy East Fairmont
11. Owen Smith Calvert Hall College
12. Jimmy Starr Cardinal OHara

189
1. Erich Schmidtke Aberdeen
2. Mac Mancuso Holy Spirit
3. Vinnie Ranauto Caravel
4. Max Huntley Colonial Forge
5. Jonathon Becker Bergen Catholic
6. Mike Aguggia DeMatha
7. Michael McMullen Wyoming Seminary
8. Zach Benzio Connellsville
9. Morgan Murphy East Fairmont
10. Ben Krakower Blair
11. Alex Pagnotta McDonogh
12. Alex Thomas Sussex Tech

215
1. Joe McMullan Wyoming Seminary
2. Glenn Carson Southern Regional
3. Jesse Boyden David Brearley
4. Lukasz Stala Don Bosco Prep
5. Steve Hanzlik Blair
6. Felton Banks Colonial Forge
7. Jon Weber Christiansburg
8. Jamar Beckett Sussex Tech
9. Ace Callwood Western Branch
10. Corey Olsen St Marks
11. Aaron Chamberlain Northampton
12. Jamie Reitzy Middletown

285
1. John Hiles St Francis DeSales
2. Nick Cook Fauquier
3. Justin Haines Connellsville
4. Brian Nicholl Timberlane
5. Jack Burbank Cox
6. Jeremy Johnson Brecksville
7. Kyle Hanson Blair Academy
8. Tim Watson Bald Eagle Area
9. Jared Bennett Upper Perkiomen
10. Lane Clelland McDonogh
11. Trey Dillon Christiansburg
12. Kris Deichert Eastern Regional]]>68548Fri, 14 Dec 2007 13:09:00 +00002007 Beast of the East Previewhttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/2007-beast-of-the-east-preview-r68544/
103 Pounds

In a weight class traditionally dominated by freshman, sophomores Devin Carter of Christiansburg (Virginia) and Sean Boylan of Sr. Marks (Delaware) lead the pack. Boylan defeated Carter earlier this year, but Carter is coming off a solid performance at the Ironman. Anything short of a re-match here will be an upset. Keep an eye on Tyler Biscaha of Jackson Memorial (New Jersey) who wrestled Boylan tough at Super 32.

The favorites: Devin Carter, Sean Boylan and Evan Silver of Blair Academy (New Jersey)

The ones you may not know: Zachary Horan of Nazareth (Pennsylvania), Robert Deutsch of Eastern Regional (New Jersey) and Clayton Youtz of Central Dauphin (Pennsylvania)

Predicted Final: Boylan over Carter

112 Pounds

Sean Boyle of Blair Academy (New Jersey) came back strong after an early round upset last week to finish third at the Ironman. Look for him to carry that momentum into this week. Shane Gentry of Colonial Forge (Virginia) and Sean Dolan of St Marks (Delaware) could challenge.

The favorites: Sean Boyle, Shane Gentry and Sean Dolan

The ones you may not know: Hunter Wood of East Fairmont (West Virginia), Kyle Johnson of Wyoming Seminary (Pennsylvania) and Zach Huxford of Jackson Memorial (New Jersey)

Predicted Final: Boyle over Gentry

119 Pounds

Returning Beast champ and Fargo All-American Nick Schenk of McDonogh School (Maryland) moves up two weight classes this year. To repeat, he will have to go through Michael Garafalo of Colonial Forge (Virginia) and Matt Snyder of Lewistown (Pennsylvania). Also keep an eye on Ken Knapp of David Brearley (New Jersey), who finished third in the New Jersey States last year.

The favorites: Nick Schenk, Matt Snyder, and Michael Garafalo

The ones you may not know: Simon Kitzis of Wyoming Seminary (Pennsylvania), Andrew Bannister of Bishop McNamara (Virginia) and Colton McFatridge of Sussex Vo-Tech (Delaware)

Predicted Final: Garafalo over Fava

125 Pounds

Definitely one of the deepest weights in the tournament with three studs from New Jersey: Two-Time State Champ Joe Trause of Bergen Catholic, Ironman Champ Chris Villalonga of Blair Academy and Patrick Hunter of St. Benedicts.

The favorites: Joe Trause, Chris Villalonga and Patrick Hunter

The ones you may not know: Derrick Russell of Jackson Memorial (New Jersey), Trevor Dearden of Salem (NH) and Mike Holcomb of Kellam (Virginia)

Predicted Final: Trause over Hunter

130 Pounds

In a wide open weight class, Anthony Valles of Blair Academy appears to be the front runner, but any number of wrestlers could win this weight class. Keep an eye on Mike Crowley of Eastern Regional (New Jersey) who could make a run out of the 7 seed.

The favorites: Anthony Valles, Zac Coulas of Ocean Township (New Jersey), and Nick Gordon of Wyoming Seminary (Pennsylvania)

The ones you may not know: Luke Fedecko of Delsea Regional (New Jersey), Mike Crowley of Eastern Regional (New Jersey) and Ben Schaufele of Mt. St. Joes (Maryland)

Predicted Final: Valles over Coulas

135 Pounds

Another weight class with no clear favorite, look for two freshmen to make a run at the title: Austin Ormsbee of Blair Academy (New Jersey) and Ken Courts of Central Dauphin (Pennsylvania). Top Seeded Cullen Isenberg of Wyoming Seminary (Pennsylvania) should make it through the top bracket and see the finals.

The favorites: Cullen Isenberg, Austin Ormsbee and Ken Courts

The ones you may not know: John Renard of Kingsway Regional (New Jersey), Joe Lospinoso of David Brearley (New Jersey) and Ben Dorsay of Cox (Virginia)

Predicted Final: Courts over Isenberg

140 Pounds

One of the deeper weight classes now that Kyle Lang of Brecksville (Ohio) has moved up. Top seeded Marshall Peppleman of Central Dauphin (Pennsylvania) should meet up with John Guzzo of Blair Academy (New Jersey) in one of the more anticipated semifinals.

The favorites: Marshall Peppleman, John Guzzo and Kyle Lang

The ones you may not know: Anthony Baldasarro of Delsea Regional (New Jersey), Matt Spataro of Bergen Catholic (New Jersey) and Louis Johnson of Great Bridge (Virginia)

Predicted Final: Baldasarro over Guzzo

145 Pounds

Walter Peppeleman of Central Dauphin (Pennsylvania) is the clear front-runner here. Although expect Peter Yates of Salem (Georgia) to give him a match in the championship final.

The favorites: Walter Peppelman, Peter Yates and Joey Napoli of Cumberland Valley (Pennsylvania)

The ones you may not know: Jackson Brady of Camden Catholic (New Jersey), Rich Bushby of Kingsway Regional (New Jersey) and Joey Grainger of Great Bridge (Virginia)

Predicted Final: Peppelman over Yates

152 Pounds

Hands down, the deepest weight class in the tournament. Leading the pack is defending champ Alex Meade of Caesar Rodney (Delaware) and Nick Menditto of Ocean Township (New Jersey). Mallie Shuster of Big Spring (Pennsylvania) and Sean Byrnes of Jackson Memorial (New Jersey) round the top 4 seeded wrestlers.

The favorites: Alex Meade, Nick Menditto, Mallie Shuster

The ones you may not know: Brandon Rolnick of Lawrenceville (New Jersey), Preston Keiffer of Eastern Regional (New Jersey) and Jonathan Weibel of Quakertown (Pennsylvania)

Predicted Final: Meade over Shuster

160 Pounds

Although he suffered an out of season loss at Super 32, Scott Winston of Jackson Memorial (New Jersey) is a clear favorite here. The kid is the real deal and should keep his unbeaten streak going. Look for Keith Hynson of William Penn (Delaware) to give Winston a match in the semifinals.

The favorites: Scott Winston, Keith Hynson and Tony Dallago of Central Dauphin (Pennsylvania)

The ones you may not know: Jesse Shanman of Blair Academy (New Jersey), Sam Rakes of Christiansburg (Virginia) and Jared King of Great Bridge (Virginia)

Predicted Final: Winston over Dallago

171 Pounds

Similar to 160 pounds, there is one standout, Quentin Wright of Bald Eagle Area (Pennsylvania). Defending Beast champ Corey Peltier of Blair Academy (New Jersey) should make it interesting should they meet but Wright is definitely one of the nation's elite.

The favorites: Corey Peltier and Quentin Wright

The ones you may not know: Bagna Tovuujav of St. Benedicts, Michael Harvey of Germantown Prep (Pennsylvania) and Pat Murphy of East Fairmont (West Virginia)

Predicted Final: Wright over Peltier

189 Pounds

It is rare that a weight this high is so competitive, but this weight is flat out stacked with several nationally ranked kids. Leading the pack is Erich Schmidtke of Aberdeen (Washington) and Mac Mancuso of Holy Spirit (New Jersey).

The favorites: Erich Schmidtke, Mac Mancuso and Max Huntley of Colonial Forge (Virginia).

The ones you may not know: Jonathan Becker of Bergen Catholic (New Jersey), Vinnie Ranauto of Caravel Academy (Delaware) and Michael McMullen of Wyoming Seminary (Pennsylvania)

Predicted Final: Mancuso over Schmidtke

215 Pounds

Although Joe McMullen of Wyoming Seminary (Pennsylvania) is the top seed, should make it to the finals, look for the winner of the Carson/ Boyden match to win this bracket. There should be some interesting matches in the earlier rounds

The favorites: Joe McMullen, Glen Carson of Southern Regional (New Jersey) and Jesse Boyden of David Brearley (New Jersey)

The ones you may not know: Jon Weber of Christiansburg (Virginia), Corey Olsen of St. Marks (Delaware) and Steve Hanzlik of Blair Academy (New Jersey)

Predicted Final: Carson over McMullen

285 Pounds

In typical fashion, HWT features a couple favorites in John Hiles and Nick Cook who should get to the final, although with this weight class upsets certainly can happen. Keep an eye on Kyle Hanson of Blair Academy who had a strong performance at the Ironman last week.

The favorites: John Hiles of St. Francis DeSales (Ohio), Nick Cook Fauquier (Virginia), and Kyle Hanson of Blair Academy (New Jersey)

The ones you may not know: Justin Haines of Connellsville (Pennsylvania), and Jack Burbank of Cox (Virginia)

Predicted Final: Hiles over Cook

Team: Look for Blair Academy to rebound from last week's performance at the Ironman and win the team race over Northampton and Central Dauphin.]]>68544Fri, 14 Dec 2007 10:25:00 +00002007 Walsh Ironman Previewhttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/2007-walsh-ironman-preview-r68506/
103 Pounds:

One of the more exciting classes usually, but will definitely not match to the huge final that occurred here last between Logan Stieber of Monroeville (Ohio) and David Taylor of St. Paris Graham (Ohio). Traditionally a wide open weight class, this year there is a clear favorite in Hunter Stieber the freshman out of Monroeville (Ohio).

The favorites: Hunter Stieber of Monroeville (Ohio), Sam Brody Montini of Catholic (Illinois), Devin Carter of Christiansburg (Virginia), and Gus Sako of St. Edwards (Ohio).

The ones you may not know: Evan Silver of Blair Academy (New Jersey), Chris Mears of Bishop Lynch (Texas), Johnni DiJulius of Walsh Jesuit (Ohio), and Courtland Hacker of Broomfield (Colorado).

Predicted Final: Stieber over Silver

112 Pounds:

This weight class is shaping up to be one of the deepest in the tournament. Everyone is chasing David Taylor, the junior out of St. Paris Graham. Can anyone close the gap?

The favorites: David Taylor of St. Paris Graham (Ohio), Steve Mitcheff of Elyria (Ohio), Sam White of Massilon Perry (Ohio), and Jamie Clark of St. Edwards (Ohio).

The ones you may not know: Sean Boyle of Blair Academy (New Jersey), Shane Gentry of Colonial Forge (Virginia), Cam Tessari of Monroeville (Ohio), and Chris Keech of Caesar Rodney (Delaware).

Predicted Final: Boyle over White

119 Pounds:

The exciting continues at 119 with again many notable names. Look for many quality matchups early in the tournament.

The favorites: Logan Stieber of Monroeville (Ohio), Ben Sergent of Troy Christian (Ohio), Michael Garafalo of Colonial Forge (Virginia), and David Klingsham of Brentwood Liberty (California).

The ones you may not know: Derek Steeley of Broken Arrow (Oklahoma), Zach Neibert of St. Paris Graham (Ohio), Travis McKillop of Burrell (Pennsylvania), and Tony Buxton of Blair Academy (New Jersey).

Predicted Final: Stieber over Garafalo

125 Pounds:

This weight class is like many others have several nationally ranked wrestlers. Leading the pack is defending Ironman and First-Team Asics All American Tony Ramos. He will definitely have a long road in defending his crown this year.

The favorites: Tony Ramos of Glenbard North (Illinois), Chris Villalonga of Blair Academy (New Jersey), Dan Genetin of Massillon Perry (Ohio), and Andrew Williams of Tabb (Virginia).

The ones you may not know: Caleb Vallotton of Palo Cedro Foothill (California), Drew Partain of Broken Arrow (Oklahoma), Riley Adamson of Bishop Lynch (Texas), and Cody Kelly of Reynolds (Pennsylvania).

Predicted Final: Ramos over Villalonga

130 Pounds:

The first of several weight classes with no major front runners. There are more than seven wrestlers capable of winning this championship, and do not be surprised if several upsets occur early.

The favorites: Anthony Valles of Blair Academy (New Jersey), Brian Stephens of St.Paris Graham (Ohio), Brad Squire of Wadsworth (Ohio) and Ian Squires of Colonial Forge (Virginia).

The ones you may not know: Andrew Grabfelder of Germantown Academy (Pennsylvania), Troy Silver of Bishop Lynch (Texas), Jake Gregerson of Montini Catholic (Illinois), and David Yost of Fauquier (Virginia).

Predicted Final: Squire over Valles

135 Pounds:

What else can you say about this weight class but WOW!!!! Getting to the finals will definitely not be easy, but if St. Edwards' Collin Palmer and Canon McMillan's Collin Johnston can reach the finals, fans will certainly be in for a treat.

The favorites: Collin Palmer of St.Edwards (Ohio), Collin Johnston of Canon McMillan (Pennsylvania), Daniel Kolodzik of Miami Valley (Ohio), and Matt Bryan of Broken Arrow (Oklahoma).

The ones you may not know: Jacob Earp of Watagua (NC), Joe Pantaleo of Colonial Forge (Virginia), Austin Ormsbee of Blair Academy (New Jersey), and Trey Adamson of Bishop Lynch (Texas).

Predicted Final: Palmer over Johnston

140 Pounds:

Like 130, this weight class is truly wide open and any wrestler who gets during the tournament we can expect to see in the finals.

The favorites: Dak Adamson of Bishop Lynch (Texas), Neil Birt of St.Edwards (Ohio), Richard Spicel of Brunswick (Ohio) and Jordan Shields of Burrell (Pennsylvania).

The ones you may not know: John Guzzo of Blair Academy (New Jersey), Drew Squires of Colonial Forge (Virginia), Matt Stephens of St. Paris Graham (Ohio), and Isiah Meade of Caesar Rodney (Delaware).

Predicted Final: Adamson over Shields

145 Pounds:

Rev's No. 1 high school wrestler Mario Mason of Blair Academy looks to defend his Ironman crown, but the road is not easy as 145 has turned out to be one of the deeper weight classes in the tournament.

The favorites: Mario Mason Blair Academy (New Jersey), Ben Jordan of St. Paris Graham (Ohio), David Habat of St. Ignatius (Ohio) and Richie Dehenz of Palmetto Ridge (Florida).

The ones you may not know: Tanner Eitel of Bishop Lynch (Texas), Vince Ramos of Glenbard North (Illinois), Jon Burns of Cardinal Gibbons (North Carolina), and Zach Toal of Troy Christian (Ohio).

Predicted Final: Mason over Jordan

152 Pounds:

This is one weight class you do not want to miss. While Coby Boyd and Alex Meade are the front-runners, the quarters and semifinals of this weight class should be outstanding.

The favorites: Alex Meade of Caesar Rodney (Delaware), Coby Boyd of St.Paris Graham (Ohio), Brandon Rolnick, of Lawrenceville Prep (New Jersey), and Zac Cibula of Luxemburg-Casco (Wisconsin).

The ones you may not know: David Rios of Liberty-Brentwood (California), Jesse Shanaman of Blair Academy (New Jersey), Zack Mastro of Palmetto Ridge (Florida), and Cory Casady of Broomfield (Colorado).

Predicted Final: Boyd over Meade

160 Pounds:

Eric Cubberly, Riley Kilroy and Josh Condon lead the charge in this weight class where after them, the rest of the place finishers are really up for grabs.

The favorites: Eric Cubberly of Pemberville Eastwood (Ohio), Riley Kilroy of Padua Franciscan (Ohio), Sam Rakes of Christiansburg (Virginia), and Josh Condon of Harrison (Georgia).

The ones you may not know: Trey Edmunds of Damonte Ranch (NV), Jared King of Great Bridge (Virginia), Todd Koch of Caesar Rodney (Delaware), and Kyle McPeek of Parkersburg (West Virginia).

Predicted Final: Cubberly over Condon

171 Pounds:

Leading the charge at 171 is Brian Roddy of St. Edwards, who is looking for his first Ironman crown. Roddy figures to get a challenge from several contenders including Blair Academy's Corey Peltier who he faced twice last year.

The favorites: Brian Roddy of St. Edwards (Ohio), Corey Peltier of Blair Academy (New Jersey), Zac Thomusseit of St. Paris Graham (Ohio), and Keith Witt of Oak Harbor (Ohio).

The ones you may not know: Chris Phillips Monroeville (Ohio), Oscar Huntley Colonial Forge (Virginia), Justin Armstrong Bishop Lynch (Texas), and Noah Budi of Kaukauna (Wisconsin).

Predicted Final: Roddy over Peltier

189 Pounds:

Two names lead the pack here Cody Magrum of Oak Harbor and Joe Budi of Kaukauna. Like always, the upper-weights are always up in the air, fans do not be surprised if we see a few upsets along the way.

The favorites: Cody Magrum of Oak Harbor (Ohio), Joe Budi of Kaukauna (Wisconsin), Max Huntley of Colonial Forge (Virginia) and Jermey Foster of Pemberville Eastwood (Ohio).

The ones you may not know: Nick Lloyd of Luxemburg-Casco (Wisconsin), Ryan Neilsse of Elyria (Ohio), and Dan Grimes of Montini Catholic (Illinois).

Predicted Final: Magrum over Budi

215 Pounds:

This is another totally wide open weight class. Matt Fisher appears to be the favorite, but there are a lot of relative unknowns here.

The favorites: Matt Fisher of Sandusky Perkins (Ohio), Trever Spude of Luxemburg-Casco (Wisconsin), and Matt Lindamood of Parkersburg (West Virginia).

The ones you may not know: Jake Hanley of Bishop Lynch (Texas), Mike Green of St. Edwards (Ohio), and Nick Zissimos of Broomfield (Colorado).

Predicted Final: Fisher over Lindamood

285 Pounds:

In this class there appears to be a drop off after the top two seeds: Garret Goebel of Montini Catholic and Adam Walls of St. Paris Graham.

The favorites: Garret Goebel of Montini Catholic (Illinois) and Adam Walls of St. Paris Graham (Ohio).

The ones you may not know: Kyle Hanson of Blair Academy (New Jersey), Zach Nolan of Parkersburg (West Virginia), and Nick Cook of Fauquier (Virginia).

Predicted Final: Goebel over Walls

Team Championship: Look for Blair Academy on the strength of strong performances by its freshman class to hold off the challenge from St. Paris Graham. Keep an eye on Bishop Lynch who definitely has their most balanced team in quite some time.]]>68506Wed, 05 Dec 2007 19:46:00 +0000Dave Schultz High School Excellence winners namedhttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/dave-schultz-high-school-excellence-winners-named-r68062/
Among the winners selected from the 48 states that sponsor high school wrestling championships is the first female wrestler ever to win the Dave Schultz Award, Randolyn "Hoku" Nohara from Kamehameha School in Honolulu, Hawaii. Nohara recently won her fourth consecutive Hawaii State Wrestling Championship in the 220-pound girls division. A world-class power lifter, she also set 12 world records in the bench press and dead lift. She will attend the University of Hawaii next fall on a softball scholarship.

"I know that I have been given some ability and I try to honor that by working as hard as I can to make the most of it," Nohara said. "It is a great honor to be the first female to win this award."

The award, named in honor of Olympic and World Champion Dave Schultz, has recognized 482 wrestlers since its inception in 1996.

"A graduate of Palo Alto High School and the University of Oklahoma, Dave Schultz was one of the greatest and most well-liked high school, collegiate, and international wrestlers the United States has ever had," said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Regarded as a tireless competitor and supreme tactician on the mat, he was beloved throughout the world of amateur wrestling for his friendliness and eagerness to lend help or advice to teammates and opponents alike. Schultz was inducted into the sport's Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1997.

This year the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum will expand its Dave Schultz High School Excellence program to include a Leadership Camp for those individuals selected for the award.

"Thanks to a grant from a private foundation, we are pleased to expand this program and provide the winners of our Dave Schultz Award with the opportunity to attend an all-expense-paid Leadership Camp at the United States Olympic Training Center from June 18-21, in Colorado Springs, Colo.," Smith said.

The camp will be hosted and organized at the Olympic Training Center by USA Wrestling (USAW), the sport's governing body.

"USA Wrestling is equally excited to join the Hall of Fame in fulfilling the requirements of this program by providing a World Class program at the Olympic Training Center for the student-athletes chosen to participate in this camp," said Rich Bender, USAW Executive Director.

"The camp agenda will include instructional sessions with our freestyle and Greco Roman national coaches and wrestlers, and will also feature presentations on sport psychology, strength and conditioning, nutrition, leadership development, and public speaking presented by experts in the field."

Part of the foundation's funding criteria requires that, after the camp, the award winners speak to at-risk youth in their communities on the benefits of participating in extra curricular activities like athletics.

Smith said the leadership and public speaking sessions will help the student-athletes prepare to fulfill this responsibility. "These student-wrestlers are role models in their communities and have an opportunity to influence young people in a very meaningful way. Statistics show that both male and female students are more likely to stay in school, graduate, and become more productive citizens when they are involved in extra curricular activities and after school programs like sports, art, debate and music."

Five regional winners will be selected from the 48 state winners on April 23, and from that group, one individual will be selected as the national winner. The national winner will be invited to Honors Weekend, June 1-2, in Stillwater, Okla. to receive the award.

Following are the 2007 winners and their high school, listed by state:

Alabama / Derek Carmichael / Prattville High School
Alaska / Hollan Gravely / Colony High School
Arizona / Kyle DeBerry / Sunnyside High School
California / Boris Novachkov / Fremont High School
Colorado / Sonny Yohn / Alamosa
Connecticut / T.J. Hepburn / Ledyard High School
Delaware / Connor McDonald / Sussex Central Sr. High School
Florida / Brandon Hatchett / Oveido High School
Georgia / Dorian Henderson / Columbus High School
Hawaii / Randolyn "Hoku" Nohara / Kamehameha School
Idaho / Kirk Smith / Centennial High School
Illinois / Mike Benefiel / Montini High School
Indiana / Ian Henton / Mishawaka High School
Iowa / Jimmy Waters / Lewis Central High School
Kansas / Brett Bahe / Great Bend High School
Kentucky / Tyler Voth / Paul Dunbar High School
Louisiana / Kamron Johnston / Parkway High School
Maine / Doug Williams / Sanford High School
Maryland / Eren Civan / Walt Whitman High School
Massachusetts / Sean Bilodeau / Brooks High School
Michigan / Justin Zeerip / Hesperia High School
Minnesota / Zach Sanders / Wabasha-Kellogg High School
Missouri / Scott O'Donnell / Oak Park High School
Montana / Evan Hinebauch / Havre High School
Nebraska / Andy Pokorny / Bennington High School
Nevada / Kyle Barrett / Palo Verde High School
New Hampshire / D.J. Meagher / Bow High School
New Jersey / Kellen Russell / Blair Academy
New Mexico / Vicente Varela / Rio Rancho High School
New York / Corey Jantzen / Shoreham-Wading River High School
North Carolina / Chris Bullins / McMichael High School
North Dakota / Tyler Steinwand / Mandan High School
Ohio / Colt Sponseller / West Holmes High School
Oklahoma / Chris Hacker / El Reno High School
Oregon / Ryan Smith / Crook County High School
Pennsylvania / Zach Kemmerer / Upper Perkiomen High School
Rhode Island / Charlie Simone / Bishop Hendricken School
South Carolina / J.C. Oddo / Eastside High School
South Dakota / Sid Bice / Winner High School
Tennessee / Kelly Felix / Franklin High School
Texas / Luke Silver / Bishop Lynch High School
Utah / Shay Warren / Webber High School
Vermont / Ethan Raymond / Middlebury Union High School
Virginia / Cody Gardner / Christiansburg High School
Washington / Kelly Kubec / Lake Stevens High School
West Virginia / Dustin Haislip / Musselman High School
Wisconsin / T.J. Wunnicke / Dodgeville High School
Wyoming / Jeff Wood / Campbell County High School]]>68062Tue, 17 Apr 2007 22:14:00 +0000Taylor/Stieber showdown highlights Walsh Ironmanhttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/taylorstieber-showdown-highlights-walsh-ironman-r67232/This event preview was published with permission of OhioWrestlingSite.com, the premier source for Ohio wrestling information.

The following is a synopsis of what to expect at the Walsh Ironman this weekend. Really, the only problem with this amazing tournament that I have is there are too many great matches to watch at the same time! For Ohio wrestling fans, this is the highlight of the year until the state tournament. Give credit where credit is due -- Tournament Director Bob Preusse has put together the finest tournament in the nation.

The following are Ohio Wrestling Site's projections. Expect nationally ranked wrestlers to begin dropping like flies on Friday night. By way of explanation, wrestlers that I have designated as "darkhorse picks" are not necessarily those that are unknown, but rather the wrestlers in each weight that should significantly outperform their seeds.

103 LBS

SEEDED WRESTLERS
1. David Taylor
2. Logan Stieber (Monroeville)
3. Jamie Clark (Lakewood St. Edward)
4. Sam White (Massillon Perry)
5. Gabe Gomez
6. Cody Libengood (Troy Christian)
7. Tony Buxton
8. James Ingraham (University School)
10. Mike Scavuzzo (Revere)
13. Jerome Robinson (St. Ignatius)

Make no mistake- In spite of all the great match-ups of this tournament; from an Ohio perspective, Logan Stieber versus David Taylor is THE match of the tournament. This is a battle of two wrestler who are nearly a lock to become 4x state champions and will likely go down among the all-time Ohio greats.

David Taylor has not only dominated all comers in Ohio with the exception of the early-season loss to Sergent (avenged the next week) but has completely dominated Fargo for the past two years, with only a fluke touch fall (as he was nearing a tech) in the 2005 Greco Finals keeping him out of the exclusive group of four-time Cadet National Champions. Taylor won the Ironman and Beast of the East last year as a freshman, knocking off highly-rated wrestlers such as Fred Santaite, Boris Novachkov, and Ben Sergent. However, what was really impressive his freshman season is that Taylor won despite being a very small 103. Thinking about it this way: Taylor won Fargo at 91 lbs in the summer before his freshman year, and 98 lbs. in the summer after. If we figure that he grew an equal amount throughout the year that would put his ideal weight class last season at around 95 lbs. In other words, as a percentage of size, Taylor's season was the equivalent of a 140 wrestling 152. Despite being so drastically undersized, Taylor earned the #2 ranking in the nation. By the end of the season you could see a huge difference as Taylor had become a bigger (though still undersized) 103 and dominated a great field at state.

A non-stop attacker with a highly-creative style, Taylor overcame the size disadvantage by never letting up for an instant- in any flurry, he always has one more move and seemingly limitless energy. Taylor is also perhaps the best wrestler in the nation from the top position regardless of grade or weight. This year, Taylor will be wrestling guys his own size- and is a year older and more experienced. In my view there isn't a wrestler in the nation who is within eight points of Taylor this season………with one huge exception.

I forsee Logan Stieber- from tiny Monroeville Ohio- becoming the star that transcends Ohio wrestling over the latter part of this decade in much the way that Alan Fried and Dustin Schlatter did before him. Stieber is a machine who simply destroys top opponents in all phases of the sport- power, speed, and technique. Over the past year Stieber has made a virtual mockery of national competition. In the cadet national finals against a very tough Chris Villalonga, Stieber piled up fourteen unanswered points in less than three minutes of action. That would project to a score of 29-0 over a six minute match. But the thing is- it wasn't just that match- that's every match for Stieber, or should I say, every period of every match. Between FILA Cadet Nationals and Cadet Nationals Stieber scored a "tech" (six point advantage) or pin in every period of every match except one, when he beat the eventual third place finisher 6-0, 4-1. This was the only point allowed by Stieber between the two national tournaments- a run which saw Stieber outscore his opponents 101-1. Included in Stieber's great run was a 6-0,6-0 win over Junior National Runner-up Jon Morrison. There are never any guarantees- and I realize this is a bold prediction before he wrestles his first high school match- but it is my view that Stieber is headed toward becoming one of the all-time greats. This match is chapter one of what could become an epic rivalry.

Jamie Clark is a third cadet national champion here. Clark is almost a
forgotten national champion here with all the hype of the Taylor/Stieber final. Clark is an outstanding talent himself- in fact he went unscored upon in Fargo- but he is still a very light 103 just as Taylor was last year. At this point Sam White (4th place at Cadet Nationals at 105) may be the third best in the field.

Another wrestler to watch is Jerome Robinson of St. Ignatius. Robinson is much better than his #13 seed. A much bigger 103 than Clark, I could see him possibly placing as high as 3rd and no lower than 5th. Robinson took nationally ranked Mark Rappo into overtime at Super 32. Robinson will meet Sammy White on Friday night in the 2nd round.

OHIO WRESTLING SITE PROJECTION: LOGAN STIEBER OVER DAVID TAYLOR
DARKHORSE PICK: JEROME ROBINSON

112 LBS

SEEDED WRESTLERS
1. Ben Sergent (Troy Christian)
2. Steve Mitcheff (Elyria)
3. Bo Touris (Lakota West)
4. Dan Genetin (Massillon Perry)
5. Tony Ramos
6. Kyle Lang (Brecksville)
7. Kyle Matheny
8. Chris Keech
13. Zach Neibert (Graham)

This is easily the most wide-open weight class of the tournament. Consider that the #13 seed (Neibert) actually defeated the #1 (Sergent) seed less than two weeks ago.

The top ranked Ohio wrestler in Division I, Bo Touris, will face the equivalent of the state tournament in December on his side of the bracket. He'll be pitted against the dangerous Kyle Lang in the quarterfinals and most likely against state champ Steve Mitcheff in the semis (in theory- there are no sure things at this tournament). Mitcheff defeated Touris at state last year, avenging a prior loss at Brecksville.

It's my belief that Tony Ramos of Glenbard North, IL is the best wrestler in this weight class. Ramos placed only 5th at Cadet National freestyle last year- but that is very deceptive, as he was the third best in his weight but in the far tougher pool. However, Ramos looks to have the toughest draw of the tournament- he'll have to beat a Cadet National Finalist (Villalonga) just to reach the quarterfinals!

There are a number of wrestlers in this wide-open weight who could "shake up" the bracket. The first is #13 seed Zach Neibert of Graham. Ironically, Neibert actually defeated the #1 seeded Sergent in an All-Star match last weekend but earned the #13 seed. Neibert (who placed 6th at state) was a very light 103 this year but is now a full 112. The transfer to Graham has helped him gain David Taylor as a workout partner among others. Neibert's 2nd round match with state runner-up Danny Genetin of Masssillon Perry on Friday Night should be one of the highlights of Friday Nite.

Look for Chris Villalonga of Blair Academy to far outperform his #12 seed; in fact he is a threat to beat anyone at this weight. Villalonga dominated his pool in reaching the finals of Cadet Nationals- where he was Stieber's final victim. Unseeded freshman Nick Sulzer of St. Edward had a nice showing in Fargo and could be a surprise place-winner.

OWS PROJECTION: TONY RAMOS OVER BO TOURIS
DARKHORSE PICKS: ZACH NEIBERT, CHRIS VILLALONGA, NICK SULZER

119 LBS

SEEDED WRESTLERS
1. Nikko Triggas
2. Travis Coffey
3. Chris Sheetz
4. Ryan Fields (Lakota West)
5. Carson Beebe
6. Andrew Williams
7. Ian Squires
8. Joe Waltko
13. Pat Zamaria (Brecksville)

Ohio State bound Triggas is a huge favorite here. Triggas was possibly the most impressive wrestler of the tournament last year, handling the brilliant Collin Palmer. Crushingly powerful and tough in all phases, there is no one here who is much of a threat to him.

Ryan Fields of Lakota West could be the 2nd best guy here. Fields has a relatively clear path to the semifinals, where he will face Triggas. Fields, of course, lost badly to Palmer who lost badly to Triggas. However, look for this match to be closer than the "transitive property" might indicate.

The other side of the bracket features Junior National All-American ranked Travis Coffey and former PA "AAA" state champ Chris Sheetz. I see this one as a virtual tossup. Sheetz was a Pennsylvania state champ in 2005 but was crushed by Triggas in the Ironman semis last year.

Two guys to watch for in my view are Andrew Williams and Pat Zamaria Williams placed 3rd at Beast of the East and was a Virginia State Champion last year at 103. Williams could be a surprise finalist on the opposite side of Triggas. Despite being seeded only #13, look for the underrated Zamaria to crack the top eight.

OWS PROJECTION: TRIGGAS OVER COFFEY
DARKHORSE PICK: ANDREW WILLIAMS AND PAT ZAMARIA

125 LBS

SEEDED WRESTLERS
1. Boris Novachkov
2. Daniel Kolodzik
3. Collin Palmer
4. Anthony Valles
5. Troy Dolan
6. Colin Johnston
7. Seth Horner
8. David Prado
10. Brian Stephens
12. Brian Dean
13. Zack Hancock

I'll say this for the Ironman seeding process- with so many wrestlers having spectacular, yet difficult to compare credentials- there has to be a point system. I can't think of a better way to do it. However, sometimes the formula leads to strange results, as here. Novachkov and Kolodzik are at best the 5th and 6th best here in my view- yet have the top two seeds. This will make for some interesting matchups. Round by Round:

2nd Round: Seth Horner (#2 in Ohio Division I when the rankings get amended to reflect him being at 125) should face Brian Stephens (#1-Div.II) in one of the best matchups of the nite. Horner beat Stephens twice last year. However, Stephens had a great performance at Fargo over the summer and in my view will have the edge over Horner. Brian Dean (#2-Div.II) faces 2x Pennsylvania "AA" state champion Troy Dolan in this round as well. The "AA" divisiohn is much weaker than the "AAA" division in Pennsylvania and in my view the hard-working Dean could possibly pull off an upset here. By way of comparison, Ohio 3rd place finisher Jeremy Espinoza posted a convincing win over Dolan at the Tournament of Champions last spring. However, Dolan did win the Super 32 this fall and has to be viewed as the favorite.

Quarterfinals:
Ironically, we may have the de facto championship match in this round between Collin Palmer and Colin Johnston. Johnston was very dominant in winning the the "AAA" division of the Pennsylvania state tournament and placed 2nd in the cadet national freestyle 125 lb. class.
Daniel Kolodzik faces the winner of the Horner/Stephens battle. I look for Kolodzik to have the slightest of edges- really these three are a virtual tossup. I'm calling an "upset" here- in my view 8th seed David Prado, will beat top-seeded Novachkov. This is an interesting match-up for California fans in that Novachkov was the state champion at 103 and Prado was 4th at 125. Prado could likely surprise people- bear in mind that California has a single division of competition and lightweights that are second to none. Former 2x Cadet National Champion Anthony Valles (#12 in AWN) against Troy Dolan (#8 in AWN) is a virtual toss-up.

Semifinals:
The winner of the "Collins" (look for it to be Palmer) and winner of Valles/Dolan will be favored in their respective semifinals.

Finals:
Palmer majored Valles twice last year and there is no reason to believe Valles has closed the gap. I have a difficult time seeing Dolan beating Palmer either. Look for Palmer to be one of the most dominant wrestlers of the tournament.

OWS PROJECTION: COLLIN PALMER OVER ANTHONY VALLES.
DARKHORSE PICKS: DAVID PRADO/COLIN JOHNSTON

130 LBS

SEEDED WRESTLERS
1. Kellen Russell
2. Chase Skonieczny (Walsh Jesuit)
3. Brandon Wilson
4. Ben Canning
5. Derek Gillespie
6. Neil Birt (Lakewood St. Edward)
7. DJ Weightman
8. Chase Rinderknecht
11. Jordan Thome (Troy Christian)
12. Aaron Sulzer (Holy Name)

The 130 lb. weight class is hands-down the weakest "core" weight class in Ohio this year. The same holds true for the Ironman. Kellen Russell is a huge favorite here after winning Cadet and Junior National titles the past two summers. Chase Skonieczny (#1-Div.II, #20 Nationally www.revwrestling.com) is a solid #2 choice. Don't expect a barnburner here…..both Russell and Skonieczny tend to wrestle conservative matches against other elite opponents. I see it 5-3 Russell.

The parity here is remarkable- in fact the next ten guys are really about even. Frankly, I could see either #12 seed Aaron Sulzer or #13 seed Andrew Saunders of Illinois placing top four.

PROJECTED CHAMPION: KELLEN RUSSELL OVER CHASE SKONIECZNY
DARKHORSE PICKS: AARON SULZER/ANDREW SAUNDERS

135 LBS

SEEDED WRESTLERS
1. Max Shanaman
2. Ben Jordan (Graham)
3. Chris Diaz
4. Casey Thome (Troy Christian)
5. Travis Townsend
6. Ryan Kemmerer
7. Sidney Humphreys
8. Matt Nelson (#10 Rev)
9. Andrew Gasber (Lakewood St. Edward)
13. Ryan Sigurdson (Oak Harbor)

Here we have (on paper) a two-man battle between Shanaman and Jordan. Though it is frankly based on little more than a hunch- I'm calling the upset here and going with Jordan. Jordan has excellent defense and has the same great single his father (2x NCAA Champion) Jim Jordan had. Shanaman is not unbeatable, we saw Pat McLemore beat him at Ironman last year and Germaine Lindsey nearly did as well.

Matt Nelson is easily the third best here- and could possibly pull an upset. Though he has not yet put it together at the state tournament, he has compiled an outstanding career otherwise. Nelson defeated 2x Ohio state champion Kevin Hardy last year among others. Look for unseeded freshman David Habat to place if he receives a favorable draw.

OWS PROJECTION: JORDAN OVER SHANAMAN
DARKHORSE PICK: MATT NELSON/DAVID HABAT

140 LBS

SEEDED WRESTLERS
1. Mario Mason
2. Zack Kemmerer
3. Shawn Harris (St. Edward)
4. Nick Nelson
5. Vince Ramos
6. Germaine Lindsey (Cincinnati Moeller)
7. Cory Casady
8. Tim Miles
9. Zach Toal (Troy Christian)
14. Anthony Wills (Boardman)

This weight class features no less than six nationally ranked wrestlers. However, there is a clear "big three" and clear second tier. Zack Kemmerer is one of the best seniors in the nation in any weight class after a season that saw him win Ironman, Beast of the East, Pennsylvania's "AAA" division, and FILA Cadet Nationals. It says a lot, then, that two wrestlers in this division own records of 1-0 against Kemmerer- Mario Mason and Nick Nelson. Mason defeated Kemmerer in the summer of 2005 at the cadet freestyle national duals. Nelson defeated Kemmerer at state their sophomore seasons. Nelson and Kemmerer track for a rematch in what would be the biggest state final of the year nationwide. Kemmerer has seemingly stepped up his game since those (one-point) losses- most recently placing a very impressive 4th against the collegians at the Michigan State Open- so he is my choice.

Nelson has the dubious distinction of being the best wrestler in the country that has not yet won a state title- placing 3rd and 2nd as a middleweight in what may be the toughest state tournament in the nation. In the past two years Nelson has actually defeated three national champions (Kemmerer, Luke Ashmore, Bubba Jenkins). Both Kemmerer and Nelson are very much "control" wrestlers, I would look for a 3-2 or overtime final should they meet. However, I'm going with Mario Mason to defeat Nelson based on two things: first, this will be Mason's third time competing at the Ironman versus the first for Nelson- always an advantage in any major tournament. Second, Nelson will have a much tougher quarterfinal bout to win shortly before the semis. Obviously, this match-up is a virtual tossup if these are the factors that have swayed me. Mason is a 2005 cadet freestyle national champion, and a 2006 Junior National All-American. He is as smooth with "short offense" and counterattacks off his opponents shots as there is in the entire nation. He and Nelson have never met before to the best of my knowledge.

A huge quarterfinal takes place here in Shawn Harris versus Germaine Lindsey. Lindsey took two of three matches last year, with both wins being relatively decisive . However, Harris seemed to have really made great strides in nearly placing at Fargo, so he has probably closed the gap to a virtual tossup. This quarterfinal is in all likelihood a preview of the Division I state finals at this weight.

Finally, look for either (or both) of two outstanding yet unseeded wrestlers to place: Zach Goins (Elyria) and Joe Newland (Graham). Newland appears to be finally settling into the right spot in the Graham lineup and has the potential to pull off an early round upset should one of the "big guns" overlook him. Goins is an outstanding sophomore who placed at the very tough "Super 32 Challenge."

OWS PROJECTION: KEMMERER OVER MASON
DARKHORSE PICKS: ZACH GOINS AND JOE NEWLAND

145 LBS:

SEEDED WRESTLERS
1. Alex Meade
2. Jesse Snider
3. Coby Boyd (Graham)
4. Andrew Clement
5. Aaron Nestor
6. Dan Gonsor (St. Edward)
7. Thomas Windom (CVCA)
8. Nick Waldrup
9. Eric Gobin (Cincinnati Moeller)
13. Jesse Stevens (Lakota West)

One of the nation's best juniors towers over the field at this weight. Alex Meade of Ceaser Rodney returns after a year's absence (eligibility snafu due to transferring multiple times). Lightning-fast, two-time cadet national freestyle champion Meade is one guy that you want to make a point to watch this weekend. Meade won his cadet nationals this summer by handling Ohio Division I state runner-up Jedd Moore. He also pushed Lance Palmer hard at junior duals despite being significantly younger. Coby Boyd of Graham must have a relative on the seeding committee- he has as good of a draw as any wrestler in the tournament. The top three wrestlers in this weight other than Boyd in my estimation are Meade, Clement, and Nestor- all three ended up in the opposite bracket.

A key Ohio match-up takes place in the quarterfinals between Boyd and Dan Gonsor. This would be a rematch from last year's bout won easily by Boyd. I would not be stunned to see 7th seeded Thomas Windom of CVCA take out 2nd seed Jesse Snider. Finally, Jesse Stevens is better than his #13 seed and should place in the top eight.

OWS PROJECTION: ALEX MEADE OVER COBY BOYD
DARKHORSE PICK: JESSE STEVENS

152 LBS:

SEEDED WRESTLERS
1. Eric Medina
2. Thomas Straughn (Massillon Perry)
3. Sam Rakes
4. Michael Bressler
5. Dave Ebbott
6. Trey Edmunds
7. Tommy Weinkam (Cincinnati Moeller)
8. Travis Erdmann (University School)
11. Muhammad Abdur-Rahman (Cincinnati Princeton)
13. Jared Kusar (CVCA)
14. Robel Campbell (Troy Christian)

Like 125, this is a very interesting weight that merits a more thorough analysis. Consider: Travis Erdman of University School is seeded considerably higher than state 3rd place finishers Muhammad Abdur-Rahman and Jared Kusar (who just beat #2 seed Thomas Straughn at a preview match 13-8). With all due respect to Erdmann…….does anyone in this state (not on the University School staff or named "Erdmann" really favor him over either of these bona-fide studs? The fur is going to fly starting with the second round…..here is what to expect:

2nd Round: Key Matchups: I think Ohio pulls a clean-sweep here….I look for #11 seed Abdur-Rahman to defeat #6 Trey Edmunds Edmunds is a third place finisher in the Nevada state tournament and cadet national greco-roman champion. Similarly, I look for Jared Kusar- who appears ready to step up into the elite class of wrestlers in this state- to defeat National Prep runner-up Michael Bressler and either #5 seed David Ebbott or (more likely in my view) Bryan O'Connor, a 3rd place finisher in Illinois. The National Preps are probably no tougher than the Ohio Division II state tournament- and both Bressler and Ebbott had some losses last year to wrestlers that I can't see beating Kusar. Look for Weinkam to back up his #7 seed and win here, while Erdman's match to be a tossup. #14 seed Robel Campbell will be an underdog against a tough Sam Rakes.

Quarterfinals: Provided the prior predictions prove correct; Abdur-Rahman would match up with Sam Rakes. Rakes was 4th here last year and should be favored, though the talented Abdur-Rahman could pull an upset. In an important match for the Ohio rankings, #4 ranked (in Ohio) Weinkam should face #1 ranked Straughn. Look for Straughn to win a bout that will be closer than expected.

Semis: Straughn over Rakes in a very close bout. Eric Medina over Kusar by a decisive margin. The outstanding Medina can match Kusar's power and has more speed and ability to scramble.

Finals: 11 months ago Eric Medina was considered the top junior in the nation following dominating performances at the Ironman and Beast. Then, he was inexplicably dominated 15-4 in the National Prep Finals by an unheralded wrestler and failed to place at Fargo. However, Medina is strong, fast, a great scrambler, and tough on top. Look for him to return to form and dominate the field including Straughn.

OWS PROJECTION: ERIC MEDINA OVER THOMAS STRAUGHN
DARKHORSE PICKS: JARED KUSAR, MUHAMMED ABDUR-RAHMAN

160 LBS:

SEEDED WRESTLERS
1. Sean Nemec (Lakewood St. Edward)
2. Jason Welch
3. Mike Mahon (Cincinnati Moeller)
4. Patrick Armstrong
5. Matt Ryan
6. Daniel Tolbert
7. Brian Letters
8. Karl DeCiantis
9. Keith Witt (Oak Harbor)
11. Zac Thomusseit (Graham)
12. Matt Coleman (Massillon Perry)
13. Nick Mills (University School)

This match will be an interesting test for Ohio's top ranked senior, Sean Nemec. 17 months ago Nemec met #2 seed Jason Welch in the fifth place match at junior nationals. Welch bested him 11-2 that day. Do not look for a repeat of history here. First of all, Welch was absolutely "on fire" the entire tournament; second, strange results can happen in medal round matches once both wrestlers have wrestled about ten matches- guaranteed All-American status but are no longer in the title hunt. Last year Welch was flat-out destroyed by Medina at this tournament (in all fairness he had just come out of football). Nemec lost a very close match to Medina in their first meeting and won convincingly against him in their second. Welch is already a state champ and state runner-up as a middleweight in the very tough single division California state tournament and is only a junior. In contrast to Nemec's more controlled approach- Welch has a wide-open attacking style, so this match should come down to which wrestler is able to set the "pace" of the match.

If Nick Nelson is the best wrestler in the nation that has not won state, Brian Letters (cousin of NCAA Champ Troy) is by far the best that has not yet qualified for the state tournament. According to his Ironman biography, in his career thus far Letters has twice placed third in the very tough "Super 32 challenge" won the Powerade (one of the nation's top five tournaments), defeated a wrestler ranked #6 in the nation, beating the state Pennsylvania state runner-up and lost to the champion by a point, and placed 7th in Cadet Nationals. Letters also defeated 3x Illinois State Champion Mike Benefiel at Junior Duals last summer (sort of- Benefiel actually outscored Letters 10-3 but "lost" under the freestyle rules du jour). Letters is probably the third best here- unfortunately, his #7 seed pitts him against Jason Welch in the quarterfinals.

Mike Mahon of Cincinnati Moeller has got to like both his seed and his draw. Despite never having placed higher than 7th in the state tournament or placed in any nationally competition, Mahon is seeded #3- ahead of a NHSCA sophomore national champ, a Pennsylvania state runner-up, and Letters. He has the sophomore national champ (Danny Tolbert) in the quarterfinals, but that's a better quarterfinal opponent to draw than either Ryan or Letters in my view. Following a stellar preseason, look for sophomore Nick Mills of University School to be a surprise top eight finisher. Possibly the state's best upperweight freshman, Riley Kilroy of Padua, kicks off his career at this weight.

OWS PROJECTION: SEAN NEMEC OVER JASON WELCH
DARKHORSE PICKS: BRIAN LETTERS, NICK MILLS

171 LBS:

SEEDED WRESTLERS
1. Mike Benefiel
2. Brian Roddy (St. Edward)
3. Rob Waltko
4. Lawrence Beckman
5. David Thompson (Graham)
6. Cory Peltier
7. Cody Magrum (Oak Harbor)
8. Jared Rupp
9. Dean Gaier (Cincinnati Moeller)
11. Kurt Wolff (Genoa Area)

This is one of the deepest and most interesting fields of the tournament. You've got a very solid group wrestlers returning from last year mixed with a number of guys moving up from 152 or 160- making it very difficult to tell how they will match up.

The favorite has to be Mike Benefiel of Montini Catholic (IL). Benefiel is now a three-time state champion, growing from a 112 to a 171 in his career without missing a beat. To put it in perspective- Benefiel bumped up from 160 to 171 for the Illinois-Ohio match at junior duals last summer and outscored David Thompson 14-0. Two years ago Benefiel was champion of this tournament, winning a nailbiter over Sean Nemec in the finals (though Nemec has beaten Benefiel as well) Benefiel has to be the favorite here.

The one guy who could knock off Benefiel in my view would be Brian Roddy. The constantly attacking Roddy placed 5th at Junior Nationals last summer and should hold a significant strength advantage over Benefiel. The third contender is former cadet national champion Rob Waltko of North Allegheny (PA) High School. Waltko and Roddy willl be on a collision course for a rematch of one of the best bouts of Ironman last year. The slick Waltko jumped out to an early lead only to have Roddy mount a comeback and eventually pin Waltko in a very tight "near-side" cradle. Waltko can be very good- he actually technical falled state champion Cody Magrum in the consolation bracket last year.

To get to Waltko, Roddy will first have to get past state champion Magrum in the quarterfinals. Roddy handled Magrum fairly easily in their semifinal bout last year at Ironman. However, both have seemingly made great strides since that match.

A wrestler to match here is Cody Cheatham of Walsh Jesuit. Cheatham put together a great off-season of wrestling and looks to be one of the most improved wrestlers in the state despite moving up from 152 to 171. Look for Cheatham to possibly sneak into the top eight despite not receiving a seed. Other very good possibilities from Ohio to place in the top eight are Dean Gaier, Kurt Wolff, David Thompson, and possibly John Sinchok (CVCA).

OWS PROJECTION: MIKE BENEFIEL OVER BRIAN RODDY
DARKHORSE PICK: CODY CHEATHAM, CODY MAGRUM

189 LBS:

SEEDED WRESTLERS
1. John Weakley (CVCA)
2. Andy Thomas
3. Chris Honeycutt (Lakewood St. Edward)
4. David Marone
5. Nick Purdue (Genoa Area)
6. Scott Cust
7. Charles Weber
8. Mike Pushpak (Brecksville)
9. Rick Weatherholt (Lakota West)
10. Ryan Nelisse (Elyria)
12. Dustin Schilling (Massillon Perry)

Here we should have a rematch of one of the best matches of last season. Chris Honeycutt was the one wrestler who was able to defeat John Weakley last year. Honeycutt is a "gamer" but I would not look for him to repeat that win. Even in that match, Weakley scored three of the four takedowns in regulation, but was hampered by a series of mental miscues which resulted in penalty points for Honeycutt. I was very impressed with the poise and mental toughness Honeycutt showed in outlasting Weakley in overtime, however.

Honeycutt will have his hands full in the semifinals. Andy Thomas put together a very nice season as a freshman 160 capped by dominating the cadet nationals that summer. However, he was injured early last year and although he won his second state title he did not compete at Fargo either, meaning he has not competed against significant national competition since winning cadet nationals in July of 2005. It is very difficult to project how he compares to Honeycutt at this point.

OWS PROJECTION: JOHN WEAKLEY OVER CHRIS HONEYCUTT
DARKHORSE PICK: SCOTT CUST

215 LBS:

SEEDED WRESTLERS
1. Cody Gardner
2. Jared Platt
3. Jamey Srock (Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary)
4. Ethan Winel
5. Justin Powell (Youngstown Boardman)
6. Ryan Oddo (CVCA)
7. Gene Beatty
8. Sean Chichester
9. Jim Neumanitis (Brecksville)
10. Ben Rios (Lakewood St. Edward)
12. Ross Quehl (Cincinnati Moeller)

Outside of 103, there isn't a weight in the nation that has such a clearly defined top duo as 215. Cody Gardner is the only wrestler to beat Jared Platt in the past year, and Platt is the one guy that has pushed Gardner. This will be a rematch of the junior national finals from last summer won by Gardner.

Justin Powell is the third best here in my view. Jamey Srock is a tough wrestler but a very light 215.

OWS PROJECTION: CODY GARDNER OVER JARED PLATT
DARKHORSE PICK: JUSTIN POWELL

285 LBS:

SEEDED WRESTLERS
1. Ben Kuhar (Lakewood St. Edward)
2. Garrett Goebel
3. Frank Becker
4. Matthew Richardson
5. Adam Walls
6. Trey Dillon
7. Ira Winn
8. Zach Nolan
10. Aaron Simms (Holy Name)

The questions to be answered is whether Ben Kuhar will be back on track from his injury. Heading into Kuhar's junior season he was on pace to become one of the all-time great Ohio heavyweights. By that point he had finished 2nd in the state as a sophomore and won two cadet national freestyle titles. Then, a football injury wiped out his entire junior season. He returned for Fargo but was not the Kuhar of old, losing his first two matches to unheralded wrestlers. However, given that this is not a particularly strong field, Kuhar I think is as solid a choice as anyone. Garrett Goebel has placed 4th and 5th in the Illinois state tournament at 215 the past two years and could be the champion should Kuhar falter. The underrated Frank Becker (2nd last year) is one of three virtual co-favorites at this weight.

OWS PROJECTION: BEN KUHAR OVER GARRETT GOEBEL]]>67232Fri, 08 Dec 2006 07:17:00 +0000Ohio State to honor Ohio's past multiple high school state championshttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/ohio-state-to-honor-ohios-past-multiple-high-school-state-champions-r66897/
The match-up against the Tigers will be the Buckeyes' first home dual under the direction of first-year head coach Tom Ryan.

"Loyal wrestling fans in the state of Ohio can catch the incredible history of Ohio wrestling," Ryan said. "We want to remember and recognize the great success and sacrifice so many individuals have made throughout the course of Ohio wrestling history."]]>66897Wed, 26 Jul 2006 02:34:00 +0000Total of 14 rules revisions approved by National Federation of State High School Associations Wrestling Rules Committeehttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/total-of-14-rules-revisions-approved-by-national-federation-of-state-high-school-associations-wrestling-rules-committee-r66732/
A total of 14 rules revisions were approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Wrestling Rules Committee at its March 26-27 meeting in Indianapolis. The rules changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

After successful experimentation in several states last year, a potential of one additional minute was added to the overtime period. Beginning next season, if no score occurs in the sudden-victory period, two 30-second tiebreakers will take place. Scoring in these two tiebreakers will be conducted as in a regular match. If the score remains tied at the conclusion of the two tiebreakers, one additional 30-second period will be conducted, with the first person scoring declared the winner. If no points are scored, the offensive wrestler wins the match.

Previously, only one 30-second tiebreaker was conducted after the one-minute overtime period. The new rule provides for one additional 30-second tiebreaker and another 30-second period if the score remains tied after the tiebreakers.

For the first time since 1987, the limit on the heavyweight class was increased from 275 to 285 pounds. Jerry Diehl, assistant director of the NFHS and rules committee liaison, said student-athletes are bigger than they were when the limit of 275 pounds was established 19 years ago. He said the committee made the change to encourage additional high school athletes to compete in wrestling.

Dave Gannaway, assistant executive director of the Illinois High School Association and chair of the NFHS Wrestling Rules Committee, noted that the additional 10 pounds will provide larger athletes, particularly football players, an increased opportunity to wrestle.

In other rules revisions, the committee altered Rule 6-6 regarding the correction of errors. Beginning next season, any error (other than bad time and positioning) must be corrected prior to the start of the next period. For the correction to be made during the last period, it must be corrected prior to the wrestler/coach leaving the mat area. Previously, changes could be made after the match or within 30 minutes of the completion of a dual meet.

"Coaches and their scorekeepers have the responsibility to recognize scoring errors as they occur," Diehl said. "It is unfair to attempt a reconstruction of what transpired in a previous period, if it is questioned in the subsequent period."

The definition of when a match begins was revised in Rule 5-18-2. Beginning next season, a match (in dual matches) begins when the proper wrestler reports to the scorer's table. Previously, by definition, a match started with the action of the first period. Diehl said the committee made this change to support the current interpretation of penalizing a wrestler who reports to compete and is improperly equipped.

Following is a summary of other changes approved for high school wrestling next year:

* Head coaches and captains are required to meet with the referee prior to each dual meet.

* Technical violations and potentially dangerous holds added to the list of items that must be verbally communicated to the referee when an assistant referee system is used.

* When the referee and assistant referee meet to confer, they shall meet away from the scorer's table. (previously was in front of table)

* Restriction for garment extending below the singlet was modified.

* Decision on when to award additional near-fall points for acts by the defensive wrestler has been clarified.

* A wrestler who properly reports to the scorer's table for a dual match cannot be withdrawn or replaced without causing the individual to be disqualified and the weight class forfeited.

* Penalty for pulling back the fingers clarified to state the act of grasping is not an automatic violation.

* Hand(s) to the face and/or raking the eyes added to the list of illegal holds.

* The term "fleeing" has been added to Rule 7-3-2.

* An exception was added to note that a match will not be stopped to penalize the offensive wrestler for stalling when the defensive wrestler has come to the standing position.

These 14 rules revisions will take effect next season, along with the landmark weight-management guidelines approved last year by the committee for implementation in 2006-07. These guidelines were approved in an effort to discourage rapid-weight loss by student-athletes.

In addition, the following points of emphasis were developed by the Wrestling Rules Committee for the 2006-07 season: dealing with apparent concussions, unnecessary roughness and slams, weigh-in procedures, uniform requirements, and socks and use of other special equipment.

Wrestling is the sixth-most popular sport for boys at the high school level, with 243,009 participants during the 2004-05 season, according to the High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the NFHS. It ranks eighth in school sponsorship with 9,562 high schools nationwide conducting the sport. In addition, a total of 4,334 girls participated in high school wrestling in 2004-05.

NFHS 2006-07 WRESTLING RULE CHANGES

1-3-1 Each state association shall develop and utilize a weight-management program that includes a specific gravity not to exceed 1.025; a body fat assessment no lower than seven percent for males/12 percent for females and a monitored weekly weight loss plan not to exceed 1.5 percent a week.

3-1-4e Head coaches and captains are required to meet with the referee prior to each dual meet.

3-2-2a Technical violations and potentially dangerous holds have been added to the list of items that must be verbally communicated to the referee when an assistant referee system is used.

3-2-2f When the referee and assistant referee meet to confer, the meeting shall take place away from the scorer's table.

4-1-1c The restriction for a garment extending below the singlet has been modified to allow a tight-fitting, single-solid color, unadorned product that does not extend below the knee.

4-4-4 The 275-pound class has been increased to 285 pounds.

5-11-2f-i The determination of when to award additional near-fall points for acts by the defensive wrestler has been clarified.

5-18-2 A match begins when the proper wrestler reports to the scorer's table in dual matches.

6-2-2 A wrestler who properly reports to the scorer's table for a dual match cannot be withdrawn or replaced without causing the individual to be disqualified and the weight class forfeited.

6-6-4a1 &
6-6-5a1 Any error, other than bad time (Art. 1) or positioning (Art. 2), shall be corrected prior to the start of the next period, regulation or overtime. For the correction to be made during the last period, it must be corrected prior to the wrestler/coach leaving the mat area.
6-7-1 The Overtime shall consist of a one-minute Sudden Victory period; if no scoring occurs, two 30-second tiebreakers shall be utilized; and if the score remains tied a 30-second Ultimate Tiebreaker will be completed.

7-1-4 The penalty for pulling back the fingers has been clarified to indicate the act of grasping is not an automatic violation.

7-1-5 Hand(s) to the face and/or raking the eyes have been added to the listing of illegal holds.

7-3-2 The term "fleeing" has been added to the rule.

8-1-2c An exception has been added indicating that the match will not be stopped to penalize the offensive wrestler for stalling when the defensive wrestler has come to the standing position.

Points of Emphasis
1. Concussions
2. Unnecessary Roughness and Slams
3. Weigh-in Procedures
4. Uniform Requirements
5. Socks and Other Special Equipment Use]]>66732Wed, 12 Apr 2006 01:53:00 +0000Justin Kerr's High School Power Rankingshttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/justin-kerrs-high-school-power-rankings-r66725/window.location=' http://revwrestling.com/kerr.php';
]]>66725Mon, 10 Apr 2006 03:04:00 +0000Dave Schultz High School Excellence winners announcedhttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/dave-schultz-high-school-excellence-winners-announced-r66717/
The award, named in honor of Olympic and world champion Dave Schultz, has recognized 528 wrestlers since its inception in 1996.

"A graduate of Palo Alto High School and the University of Oklahoma, Dave Schultz was one of the greatest and most well-liked high school, collegiate, and international wrestlers the United States has ever had" said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Regarded as a tireless competitor and supreme tactician on the mat, he was beloved throughout the world of amateur wrestling for his friendliness and eagerness to lend help or advice to teammates and opponents alike. Schultz was inducted into the sport's Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1997.

State-by-state winners were selected from the 48 states that sponsor interscholastic high school wrestling championships. Five regional winners will be selected from the 48 state winners on April 14, and from that group, one individual will be selected as the national winner. The national winner will be invited to Honors Weekend, June 2-3, in Stillwater to receive his award.

Following are a list of the 2006 winners by state and school.

State/Winner's Name/High School

Alabama -- Forrest Millsap, Homewood
Alaska -- Eli Hutchison, Skyview
Arizona -- Anthony Robles, Mesa
California -- Billy Murphy, Hughson
Colorado -- Quinten Fuentes, Roosevelt
Connecticut -- Mike Powers, Loomis Chaffee
Delaware -- Andrew Bradley, St. Marks
Florida -- David Craig, Brandon
Georgia -- Nate Carr Jr., Jones County
Hawaii -- Brandon Low, St. Louis
Idaho -- Adam Hall, Bonners Ferry
Illinois -- Jim Kennedy, Grant Community
Indiana -- Paul Young, Bloomington South
Iowa -- T.J. Sebolt, Centerville
Kansas -- Jessie Strawn, Holton
Kentucky -- Jacob Murton, Lawrence County
Louisiana -- Mike Newberg, Parkway
Maine -- Josh Pelletier , Foxcroft Academy
Maryland -- Mack Lewnes, Mount St. Joseph
Massachusetts -- Brian Sheehan, Lowell
Michigan -- Jon Reader, Davison
Minnesota -- Mike Thorn, St. Michale
Missouri -- Zack Bailey, Oak Park
Monatana -- Cole Dallaserra, Butte
Nebraska -- Matt Vacanti, Papillion--La Vista
Nevada -- Bryce Saddoris, Spring Creek
New Hampshire -- Eric Morrill, Timberlane Regional
New Jersey -- Mike Grey, Delbarton
New Mexico -- John Paul Maynes, Silver
New York -- J.P. O'Connor, Oxford Academy
North Carolina -- Bryan Sigmon, Brandys
North Dakota -- Scott Glasser, Bismarck
Ohio -- Lance Palmer, St. Edward
Oklahoma -- Lance Thompson , Stillwater
Oregon -- Zach Giesen , North Valley
Pennsylvania -- Matt Dunn, Reynolds
Rhode Island -- Ted Coppa, North Kingston
South Carolina -- Matt Leach, Greenville Eastside
South Dakota -- Brett Jarman, Canton
Tennessee -- Corey Manson, Baylor
Texas -- Ben Ashmore, Bishop Lynch
Utah -- Levi Mele, Uintah
Vermont -- Corey Greene, Mount Anthony
Virginia -- Jordan Frishkorn, Great Bridge
Washington -- Brandon Sitch, Kelso
West Virginia -- Joey Lindamood, Parkersburg
Wisconsin -- Trevor Bradvold , River Falls
Wyoming -- Josh Sainz, Star Valley]]>66717Fri, 07 Apr 2006 04:28:00 +0000Hutchison becomes first girl to win state high school title while competing against boyshttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/hutchison-becomes-first-girl-to-win-state-high-school-title-while-competing-against-boys-r66335/
Hutchison won the final of the 103-pound weight class during Alaska's big school wrestling championships. The Skyview High sophomore entered the state tournament ranked No. 1 in her weight class.

Amid chants of "C'mon, Michaela" and "Girl power," Hutchison earned a 1-0 victory Saturday over Colony High School's Aaron Boss.

She scored an escape with 16 seconds left to beat Boss for the second time in two weeks. Family and friends mobbed Hutchison as she walked away from the mat with a bloody nose, while the crowd rose in a standing ovation.

"They were helping me," Hutchison told the Anchorage Daily News.

She finished the season with a 45-4 record that included 33 pins, one shy of the state single-season record. Hutchison is the third in her family of 10 children to win a state title, joining brothers Zeb and Eli.]]>66335Mon, 06 Feb 2006 14:01:00 +0000Architect of a Dynasty: A chat with Blair Academy coach Jeff Buxtonhttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/architect-of-a-dynasty-a-chat-with-blair-academy-coach-jeff-buxton-r66243/
Jeff Buxton
You just don't replace wrestlers like that, right? I thought for sure that Lakewood St. Edward's -- or perhaps another team -- would prevent Blair from winning their sixth straight national title. When the dust settled on Blair Academy's 37-18 win over St. Edward's on January 14 (which followed wins at the Ironman and Beast of the East), it was assured that Blair would collect their sixth straight national title.

I recently had the chance to speak with the architect of this dynasty, head coach Jeff Buxton. I was struck by Buxton's enthusiasm for his program, his school, his wrestlers, and the sport in general. We could have probably talked wrestling all night if we did not have other obligations to attend to!

Coach Buxton, first I'd like to ask you some background questions, how long have you been coaching at Blair?

Buxton: I've been there for 24 years.

Your recent win over St. Ed's guaranteed that you your sixth straight national title and eighth overall. What would you say has been the single biggest factor in your success?

Buxton: I've had very motivated kids that want to excel. It's fun to come to the practice room every day and see the kids give every thing they have. Every year, each team wants to top the previous team! At some point it's going to have to stop (string of national titles), some thought it would stop this year and some thought it would stop last year.

Can you talk a little bit about what your coaching philosophy?

Buxton: I try to prepare the kids for college, both in the classroom and on the wrestling mat. We get them ready for college as students and wrestlers. You know, at Blair it's a different environment because the kids are here 24 hours a day. They develop a different relationship with the faculty, eating lunch and dinner with them, and getting to know them. It's a lot like a college atmosphere -- only a lot more structured.

In the St. Ed's match, there were some surprising lineup moves that proved successful. Why did you decide to go with Victor Mocco at 160 rather than Adam Hogue?

Buxton: Just a feel. On that particular day, I wasn't sure if they were going to go with Swift or Tomasone. I wanted to go with a more physical kid on this particular day, which was Mocco.

How is Victor Mocco related to Steve Mocco?

Buxton: Victor Mocco is cousins with Steve Mocco.

The win over St. Ed's was surprisingly convincing, what was the key to the match in your mind?

Buxton: We had some "luck of the draw" starting at 130 pounds that played a big part in the match because we started in the heart of our lineup -- Russell, Shanaman, Mason, Blasco, Medina. Blasco winning 4-2 against Nemec gave us a lot of momentum. That match got Medina fired up and he went out and got a quick fall against Bertin, which gave Mocco momentum … and it just sort of snowballed.

Are the changes you made to your lineup for the St. Ed's dual permanent?

Buxton: We want to spread the wealth around. It's good sometimes to go with young kids. It shows that I am comfortable going with them, which is a confidence boost for the younger kids.

Going into this year, it seemed Blair had taken some pretty big hits to graduation, losing Adam Frey, Peterkin, Taylor, Gitomer, and Thurgood among others. Yet, you prevailed at Ironman, won Beast by a huge margin, and dominated St. Ed's in your recent dual. Have you been surprised by the way this year's team has responded?

Buxton: Absolutely. Going into Beast, I don't think we were the favorites. St. Ed's, they have a lot of horses, a very strong nucleus of kids. Talking to our team before the meet -- I told our team that this was going to be a tournament we were going to have to win through the consolations … if things don't go your way, you have to recover. That's basically what we did having nine place-winners.

Coach, what is a typical Blair practice like?

Buxton: It changes every day. Doing periodization is something I really work on. There are times we train really hard and times we don't train so hard. I have to pick and choose the days we go hard versus the days we focus on technique or strength training. Trying to get the right thing at the right is something that doesn't always happen, but it's something I'm working toward, getting the guys peaking and performing at the right time. I also go by feel -- seeing how the guys look on a particular day. I will say when I push them hard they respond to it!

The other thing I think we don well is prepare for certain teams. Certain teams have certain tendencies. You prepare for St. Ed's differently than you prepare for Easton or Upper Perkiomen, knowing how each team has different tendencies.

Could you provide an example of how your preparation differs?

Buxton: Sure. Ohio kids don't do a lot of mat wrestling. St. Ed's has worked really hard on getting their kids better in the top position, but against any Ohio team we try to take advantage on the mat. St. Ed's and St. Paris Graham are teams that have to put their hands on you (i.e. "tie-up"), so we work on hand-fighting and getting guys off our heads, They are very good penetrators and stay in position on their feet. Certainly we didn't do a good job with either Palmer, but both of those guys are exceptional competitors. Where I think we did a very good job (in the St. Ed's dual) was coming off the bottom.

Now, I have a tough question for you. If you had to pick who is the best wrestler you have coached, who would it be?

Buxton: (Laughs): You know I can't do that! There have been so many good ones for so many different reasons. How about I list the best in certain categories?

Okay, that works.

Buxton: Here goes…

Steve Mocco -- Hardest trainer. Came to practice every day with his lunch pail ready to work. One of the best competitors. You knew every time he was going to give it every thing he had. Impossible to score on, but his biggest thing was that he had huge lungs and could wrestle all day.

Cory Cooperman -- Greatest scrambler. His hips were so good he could score off anyone's shot. And he was also a great rider.

Zack Esposito -- Purest athlete. Speed, strength, and incredible coordination. He has an incredible mind for the sport. I could give him or Cooperman a tape of an international wrestler and they could come back with 14-15 new things. They could watch the tape and wrestle like the guy on the tape … oh man do they love the sport! They really pushed me as a coach -- to keep their minds always stimulated and learning.

Kurt Backes -- Physically strongest

In 2003, Mark Perry won the NHSCA Senior Nationals title at 160 while at Blair Academy and earned Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament in the process.
Mark Perry -- One of the greatest riders. And he could scramble with the best of them -- a tremendous competitor.

Matt Palmer -- Just so tough on top!

Damon Johnson -- A tremendous athlete. Teched one of the Hughes brothers at Junior Nationals and beat the other 11-0!

Ryan Davis, Rob Preston, and Max Meltzer deserve mention. Pat Santoro came in here as a post-grad -- it was rewarding seeing him go from a Pennsylvania state third-place finisher, to a four-time All-American and two-time NCAA champion!

There was a period of time where it was ridiculous what was going on in our room, every day was so fun to watch -- Esposito, Perry, Palmer, Davis…

Back to this year's team. Eric Medina had an outstanding freshman season, but was somewhat disappointing last year as a sophomore. He seems to have really improved this year. What would you say has been the key for him?

Buxton: He's a lot more focused, just about everything he's doing, and certainly confidence has played a big factor. Seeing how he went out against Bertin, and how he is practicing, he's got it going on! Both he and Blasco have more passion for the sport than last year. They're fired up about what they are doing. For Medina, I used the loss at Cadet Nationals (Medina was pinned in the semifinals and went on to take third, one year after dominating the Cadet Nationals) as something to work off of. He came into the season with specific goals. He wanted to dominate at 152 pounds … and he has done so. He is just a pure athlete -- great strength and speed, the flurries he can get into are unbelievable. Probably the biggest difference is maturity. He is in a good place.

Anthony Valles
A lot of people were surprised that Anthony Valles wrestled at 112 after winning Cadet Nationals last year at 98. Would you say he is sort of between weights this year?

Buxton: Well, it's always a big jump from 98 or 103 to 112. Not only is it a jump, but it's a jump technically. And he's a very technical kid. The hardest adjustment he's having is how physical Palmer was with him. He is on the small side at 112. It's an adjustment, and there's an adjustment to being away from home -- Blair's an adjustment. I think he's going to be okay. He's taken a few bumps this year. He's certainly not, to answer your question, a big 112.

Coach, 99.9% of teams have their most important competition at the end of the season. For Blair, the tournaments and duals that determine whether you are national champions, and your toughest competition, are in the beginning and middle of the year. Does this make the National Preps "anti-climactic" -- and how does it affect your training?

Buxton: At the end of the year, we have a lull. But we try to put the pedal to the metal at the end, even though the National Preps isn't the toughest tournament that we have, it is the last tournament of the year and it affects seeding for the next year. Plus, you don't want to go through this grueling schedule and not perform at the end of the year. You don't want to end with a letdown.

Coach Buxton, one last question. In your opinion, who is the best high school wrestler in the country, outside of your team?

Buxton: Two names come to mind. We haven't seen him this year -- but David Craig. He is good in all position and just a great competitor. I haven't seen Henry Cejudo in two years, but I hear he is really dominating, even with the senior-level guys.]]>66243Wed, 25 Jan 2006 04:25:00 +0000Justin Kerr's High School Power Rankingshttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/justin-kerrs-high-school-power-rankings-r66178/window.location=' http://revwrestling.com/kerr.php';
]]>66178Fri, 20 Jan 2006 06:00:00 +0000Beast of the East Recaphttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/beast-of-the-east-recap-r66003/
David Taylor (photo by Jon Malinowski)
103 -- In a battle of two very scrappy, yet undersized 103-pound wrestlers, freshman phenom David Taylor scored two reversals to prevail against Fred Santaite, the last coming in the final ten seconds to seal a 4-2 win. Taylor's romp to the finals included four falls (three of them in the first period) and a forfeit win over the No. 1 seeded Nico Cortese, who injury-defaulted out of the tournament after reaching the semi-finals. Santaite established himself as one of the best 103's in the nation, scoring a wild 11-10 win over schoolboy legend Riley Adamson in the semifinals, and a 9-0 blanking of eventual third place finisher Andrew Williams in the quarterfinals. Taylor has now claimed Ironman and Beast of the East titles in back-to-back weekends.

112 -- Perhaps after his disappointing loss in the Ironman finals, RevWrestling.com's No. 1 freshman, Colin Palmer, felt he needed to redeem himself. Something must have gotten this young wrestler's "inner-fire" going as he waltzed through six matches without allowing an offensive point. While he did have one close match, a 2-1 win over a very tough Bobby Ward, Palmer won his semifinals match by a score of 11-0 over eventual third place finisher Fred Rodgers to set up a rematch with two-time Cadet National Freestyle champion Anthony Valles -- whom he had beaten by a shocking score of 10-1 at the Ironman.

Perhaps the one thing no one expected was a more lopsided result in their second meeting. Yet that is exactly what transpired -- as Palmer scored an early takedown, threw the legs in and turned Valles with a power-half that must made older brother Lance proud. The second period was more of the same, as Palmer first took Valles down with a beautiful inside trip, and then turned him again for a 10-0 lead. Palmer closed out the scoring with another takedown in the third to win 12-0.

The No. 1 seed at this weight, Eric Olanowski, failed to place. Ward eliminated him in the placement round by a score of 3-1 and went on to take fourth.

119 -- Though not the flashiest, Ben Ashmore was clearly one of the top five wrestlers in this tournament. For the second straight year, Ashmore dominated the field, not yielding an offensive point -- in fact, he yielded only one escape the entire tournament. The great thing about Ashmore is, while he may not pile up points like some of the nation's elite, he is always in control and virtually impossible to score on or escape from -- truly great in all phases. His final against the surprising John Trumbetti (who emerged from his No. 6 seed by defeating Junior Nationals finalist Aaron Hart, 5-0) was not nearly as close as the 6-0 score. All three periods began with Ashmore either immediately taking down or reversing Trumbetti, and then riding him out for the remainder of the period with ease. No one can say that Oklahoma State Coach John Smith didn't know what he was doing when he recruited this kid! Hart came back to place third.

Kellen Russell (photo by Jon Malinowski)
125 -- The final was a chess match won by Kellen Russell -- who rode out Lewistown, Pennsylvania's Michael Robinson for the title, after each managed only an escape in regulation. However, the real fireworks of the weight class, and indeed the tournament, came in the semis, where Robinson stunned the wrestling world by defeating three-time state champion, Cadet and Junior National Freestyle champion Mike Grey of New Jersey by a score of 6-4. Let's put this upset in perspective: Grey had over 130 career wins and only one loss in his career, to since-graduated multiple-time national champion Franklin Gomez, and moreover, just defeated Jeremy Mendoza of Arizona State (ranked No. 10 in the RevWrestling.com All-Division Collegiate Rankings). Robinson, by contrast, has yet to place at state in Pennsylvania, and failed to even qualify in 2005. It seemed like it would be no contest. And it was, only it was Robinson who inexplicably dominated, scoring three takedowns versus four escapes for Grey in a 6-4 win.

His finals opponent, Kellen Russell, epitomizes the term "workman-like." His scores for the tournament included the double-overtime final, a 1-0 semi-final, a solid 7-4 quarterfinal win over Dak Adamson of Bishop Lynch, and qualifying round wins by scores of 2-0 and 3-1. Russell is very persistent and always in good position.

Jordan Frishkorn (photo by Jon Malinowski)
130 -- While Jordan Frishkorn claimed his first Beast of the East title, his finals opponent, Luke Silver, was the real story here. Silver, a junior from Bishop Lynch, emerged from his No. 6 seed to make the finals, where he pushed the much more heralded Frishkorn to the wire. Frishkorn claimed the winning takedown in the closing seconds of the bout. Look for great things from Silver in the next two seasons.

135 -- At the start of the season, this writer claimed that Junior Zack Kemmerer of Upper Perkiomen, Pennsylvania, was one of the best juniors in the nation despite not having placed higher than fifth in his own state tournament -- perhaps leading some to question my sanity. However, Kemmerer has backed up my confidence in his abilities with wins now at the Ironman and the Beast of the East, one of only four wrestlers to win both. Kemmerer is nearly impossible to take down or ride, and gets the key takedowns when he needs them. His finals win was against Junior Nationals All-American Max Shanaman of Blair Academy by a score of 6-3. Two third-period takedowns were the key to Kemmerer's victory.

140 -- Like his younger brother Collin, Lance Palmer flat-out came to wrestle at the Beast of the East. On the heels of a surprising loss to Matt Dunn of Reynoldsburg in last weekend's Ironman final, Palmer defeated Cadet National Freestyle champion Mario Mason by a score of 11-4 in the semifinals to face another Cadet Nationals champion, Luke Ashmore of Bishop Lynch, in his finals. It appeared that Ashmore (a junior who is Ben's younger brother) might have posed a legitimate challenge to Palmer's supremacy after he knocked off Pennsylvania state champion Ashtin Primus, 11-4, in his own semifinal. However, Palmer dominated the bout from start to finish, blowing through Ashmore with two powerful double-leg takedowns and riding him relentlessly throughout the match. Palmer finally cranked Ashmore over with his lethal power-half to score a fall late in the third period. Primus defeated Mason in a close bout for third place.

145 -- In the toughest weight in the tournament, No. 3 seed Bubba Jenkins defeated all comers and established himself as one of the nation's elite seniors. Jenkins defeated Tim Darling of Pennsylvania, the No. 6 junior in RevWrestling's.com Power Rankings, by a score of 10-7 in the semifinals. Meanwhile, the other semifinal saw Blair Academy's Travis Blasco reverse his Ironman loss to Sean Nemec of Lakewood St. Edward's with a 6-4 win. Blasco now leads their series 2-1. Blasco was simply no match for the slick, yet solid Jenkins, however, as Jenkins notched three takedowns and yielded just three escapes in a convincing 7-3 finals win. Matt Dunn rebounded from an early loss by fall to Quentin Wright to place fourth, falling to Darling for third. Dunn now has two nice feathers in his cap courtesy of St. Edward's, as he defeated Nemec by a scoring of 8-2. Nemec finished fifth.

152 -- Eric Medina of Blair Academy showed for the second straight week why he is rated by ReWrestling.com as the No. 1 junior in the nation by adding a Beast crown to last week's Ironman title. Simply put, Medina is the total package. He combines an explosive offense with superb counter-wrestling, and is devastating from the top position. His finals opponent, Phil Black, was simply outmatched in a 9-3 final that wasn't as close as the score. Medina has the look of a future NCAA champion in this writer's opinion.

160 -- Dave Rella avenged his Ironman loss to Mac Lewnes with a 3-1 final win. A first period takedown was the key to Rella victory, as the two rivals traded escapes thereafter. Rella and Lewnes have very similar styles, and probably the only thing that has been decided between their two matches this season is that they are about even. Unseeded and unheralded Chris Heinrich was brilliant here, placing third with wins over three-time state champion Matt Epperly of Christiansburg, Virginia, and highly regarded Brent Fiorito of Upper Perkiomen for third. Heinrich also gave Rella his only remotely close bout heading into the finals, falling 7-4 in the quarterfinals. Landis Wright, who had one of the finest pre-season's of any high school wrestler in the nation (placing fourth at the Penn State Open among other accomplishments), had an inexplicably disastrous weekend, getting tech falled by Epperly before being eliminated, 7-1, by Fiorito. Fiorito also eliminated Cadet Nationals champion Luke Rebertus of Maryland.

171 -- Pennsylvania state champion and No. 1 seed Mike Letts scored a workman-like 3-2 win over the No. 2 seed, Kyle Kiss, in the finals. Letts was much more impressive in scoring a technical fall in the semifinals against eventual third place finisher Nathan Murin.

Freshman Zach Benzio may be the best freshman upper-weight in the nation, scoring five straight consolation falls and six straight wins to rebound from a first period loss. Benzio may have just run out of gas as he then fell to eighth place. You will hear his name a lot in the future.

189 -- Jamelle Jones scored four takedowns in his 8-4 finals win over No. 3 seeded Matt Edmondson. Only a junior, Jones has as slick counter-offense as you will see in a high school upper-weight. Unseeded Jamey Srock of Akron St. Vincent rebounded from a second round loss to Jones (14-7) to score eight straight consolation round wins and place third against a tough field.

215 -- Junior Cody Gardner is simply the best 215 in the nation. Gardner's quickness and mobility are outstanding for a big man to say the least. Slick on his feet, Gardner can also wrestle on the mat -- which he showed in scoring a late fall against No. 2 seed Joey Lindamood in the finals to add a Beast title to his Ironman crown last weekend.

Hwt -- Looking more like a 215 than a heavyweight, Mike Ragone of Camden, New Jersey established himself as the class of this weight, taking a 3-0 win in the finals over Charlie Weber after registering a 15-3 semifinals win. No. 1 seed Brandon Kendzierski failed to place at this weight.

Team Race -- Blair Academy's dominance had to be the second most surprising story of the tourney (after Grey going down, of course). Blair outdistanced second place St. Edward's 255 to 178. St. Edwards was hampered by an injury to 171 Brian Roddy, but nonetheless, Blair made a statement. Christiansburg, Virginia, is laying claim to being the best public school program in the nation, as they finished in third place with 162 points.]]>66003Tue, 20 Dec 2005 14:54:00 +0000Walsh Ironman: The nation's best did not disappointhttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/walsh-ironman-the-nations-best-did-not-disappoint-r65961/
103 -- David Taylor used a third period takedown to prevail over Boris Novachkov of California in a battle of Cadet Nationals champion versus Junior Nationals champion. However, the real drama came in Taylor's semifinal win over Cadet Nationals runner-up Ben Sergent. Sergent opened that bout with a quick takedown and then added an escape in the second to extend his lead to 3-0 going into the third.

David Taylor of St. Paris Graham (Ohio) is the No. 1-ranked freshman in the Rev High School Power Rankings (photo by Jon Malinowski).
That's when Taylor turned it up a notch. After a quickly escaping and immediately scoring a takedown, Taylor kicked Sergent out, to trail 4-3 with about a minute remaining. Taylor was soon in on what appeared to be a routine takedown, albeit the go-ahead takedown. However, instead of settling for two points, Taylor converted his takedown into what might be described as a standing half nelson against the much taller Sergent. For a moment, it looked like a freshman mistake -- but Taylor exploded into the move and put Sergent onto his back, for a final tally of 8-4.

Sergent also came out on the wrong end of a great consolation semifinal bout against Danny Genetin of Massillon Perry. Leading and controlling the entire match, Sergent was overly aggressive in attempting a "barrel roll," and Genetin opportunistically stepped over him for the fall. Genetin would go on to take third with a fall over tough Steve Mitcheff

112 -- It happens at big tournaments without fail. There is one wrestler who the "buzz" is about all weekend long. You hear numerous fans in the bleachers talking about that one amazing wrestler. At the Ironman, that wrestler was the superb freshman from Lakewood St. Edward's, Collin Palmer. Palmer started his Saturday with a 10-1 win over two-time Cadet National Freestyle champion Anthony Valles. He followed that up with an 11-0 shellacking of defending Ironman champion Jayk Cobbs of Great Bridge. He had not allowed an offensive point. Suffice it to say that he was considered a lock by the crowd.

Nikko Triggas of California completely dominated the competition at the Walsh Ironman (photo by Jon Malinowski).
Perhaps no one noticed that in the other semifinal, powerful Nikko Triggas of California had just demolished Pennsylvania AAA state champ Chris Sheetz by a score of 14-3. In their final, Palmer gave up an early takedown. Seemingly trying to regain his invincible status, he then tried an unnecessarily risky move from the bottom and wound up giving up two back-points. Triggas then powered his way to a cradle and scored two more back-points. At this point, it seemed that the wheels came off for the freshman phenom from St. Ed's. Trying to make up points, he made increasingly risky attempts at a reversal -- and Triggas had an answer for each, wracking up several more near falls. The final tally was a shocking 13-2. In the end, it was the junior from California who served notice that he is the real deal. Look for Palmer to rebound at Beast of the East next week.

119 -- In what was perhaps the most dissatisfying final of the night, Aaron Hart of St. Paris Graham was awarded a highly-unpopular penalty point at the buzzer to prevail, 2-1, against Boris Novachkov, the same score he beat another California star, Caleb Flores, by in the semifinals. In the end, little was settled except that the top four guys at this weight- Hart, Novachkov, Mele (who lost 4-3 to Novachkov), and Flores were all about even.

125 -- No one can dispute that Lakewood St. Ed's Keith Sulzer knows how to win. Sulzer trailed the entire match with No. 1-seeded Ian Moser in the semis, but scored a late takedown to pull out a 4-3 win. He then seemed to be outwrestled in his finals bout with Ben Jordan of St. Paris Graham, but in the end it was Sulzer who got his hand raised with a 2-1 victory. However, it was the sophomore Jordan who was the real story of the tournament at this weight. The son of former four-time state champion, two-time NCAA champion, and Ohio state representative Jim Jordan, the younger Jordan has mastered the same head inside single that his dad was noted for (he used to refer to it as the "angle knee drop" as I recall from wrestling camps as a youth). He showed an ability to penetrate the defenses of top upperclassman on his feet at will. First, he handled Cadet Nationals champion Kellen Russell of Blair Academy by a score of 9-3. Next, he scored the only two takedowns of the bout to beat a tough Quentin Keyes of Walsh Jesuit 5-3. In his final, trailing 2-1 going into the third period, his coach (his uncle Jeff Jordan) advised him to choose neutral. Perhaps Coach Jordan did not feel confident that his wrestler could escape from Sulzer, but against as solid a defensive wrestler as he was facing, it seemed like a strategic error. Young Jordan was never quite able to finish his single against the crafty Sulzer -- but look for big things from this young wrestler in the future.

Frishkorn pinned FILA Cadet Nationals champion Coby Boyd of St. Paris Graham in the quarterfinals, but lost to Californian Billy Murphy in the Walsh Ironman finals.
130 -- In a final of two of the highest ranked wrestlers in the Rev Power Rankings, Billy Murphy scored the only takedown against Jordan Frishkorn of Great Bridge to prevail, 3-2, in a final that was frankly somewhat disappointing. The real fireworks in this weight came in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. First, after a scoreless first period, Frishkorn stuck FILA Cadet Nationals champion Coby Boyd of St. Paris Graham. Boyd had previously pinned another elite Ohio sophomore, Chase Skonieczny of Walsh Jesuit, in the first period of their second round match-up. Murphy's match-up with former Ohio state champion Adam Kriwinsky (who was defeated in the finals by Jordan last year) was perhaps the best match of the day. Through the first two periods, Murphy looked like a hammer, scoring four takedowns and physically dominating to take an 8-4 lead late in the second period. At that point, Murphy got sloppy trying to extend his lead to 10-4, and instead Kriwinsky capitalized, scoring the takedown to cut the lead to 8-6. At this point there was a huge momentum shift -- as Kriwinsky seemed to realize he was not out of his league after all- and Murphy started wrestling not to lose. The final score was Murphy hanging on for a 10-9 win.

Kriwinsky later knocked off Boyd 5-4 to serve notice that his match with Murphy was not an aberration. However, he lost for third against Skonieczny (who Boyd had pinned).

135 -- Upper Perkiomen junior Zack Kemmerer, who has yet to place higher than fifth in the Pennsylvania State Tournament, knocked off three former Ohio state champions en route to the title. First, he knocked off Shawn Harris of St.Edward's with a late takedown in a 3-1 bout that was probably his toughest of the tournament. He then handled Pat McLemore by a score of 9-4. In the finals, he scored the only two takedowns in a 5-3 win over Kevin Lipp, the NHSCA Juniors Nationals champion. Junior National Freestyle All-American Max Shanaman was upset by Brian Martin of Montini and then beaten by McLemore. He then avenged his loss to Martin for fifth. Harris seemed to have shot his energy in his war with Kemmerer and was eliminated in the next round.

140 -- Outstanding Wrestler Matt Dunn was perhaps the biggest story of the tournament. Dunn first rallied to defeat Cadet National Freestyle champion Mario Mason in overtime in a superb quarterfinal bout. After defeating Matt Lerer in the semis, he was pitted against three-time state champion Lance Palmer of St. Ed's. This was probably the best bout of the finals. Dunn led 3-0 going into the third period after a Palmer attempt at a granby-type maneuver landed him on his back. Palmer quickly took Dunn down and turned him with his wicked power half for two back-points for a 4-3 lead.

With about thirty seconds to go, Palmer broke down Dunn and threw the legs in. The match appeared to be over as Dunn was flat on his stomach and Palmer working, or at least appearing to work for a power-half. And then the ref called a stalemate. With fifteen seconds to go, Dunn was given a fresh start. Whether this was the appropriate call or not, he made the most of his opportunity, and when Palmer tried to suck him back into a crab ride, Dunn reversed him to his back for the 7-4 win. Lest you think this was a fluke, remember that Dunn was within ten seconds of beating Adam Frey at last year's Ironman. Clearly, the kid is for real.

145 -- In one of the most impressive finals performances of the night, junior Sean Nemec of Lakewood St. Edward's dominated Travis Blasco of Blair, 6-2. Nemec scored all three takedowns with solid leg attacks and yielded just two escapes. This was a reversal of their match from the previous season, when Blasco defeated Nemec in the deciding match of the Blair/St. Ed's dual meet. Freshman Andrew Clement of Christianburg parlayed his funky style to a fourth place finish. Expect to hear his name a lot in the future.

152 -- Junior Eric Medina of Blair Academy was perhaps the most impressive wrestler of the tournament. In his semifinal, he went up against Jason Welch of California, the No. 1-rated sophomore in the Rev Power Rankings in the most anticipated semifinal of the day. Welch is very good on his feet with a funky style. However, at least on this day, Medina had an answer for everything Welch attempted. Medina took Welch down numerous times in scrambles, often to his back, and was approaching a technical fall when he finally stuck Welch. In the finals, Medina powered his way to a 9-6 win over Josh Rohler which was not nearly as close as the score. Rohler looked uncharacteristically sluggish.

160 -- The final was a dead-even struggle between two of the nation's best 160's, David Rella and Mac Lewnes. Adding to the drama was the fact that the tournament was held at Rella's home school, Walsh Jesuit. In the end, Lewnes spoiled the occasion with an 8-7 victory. Three-time state champion Matt Epperly of Christianburg finished a disappointing fifth place.

171 -- Unseeded Eric Cameron of Cincinnati Moeller established himself as one of the best 171's in the nation. First, he took out No. 1-seeded Ian Heinisch by a 12-6 score. He then shellacked Andrew Hoffer of Christianburg, 10-1, in the semis. His finals match with Brian Roddy of Lakewood St. Edward was one of the best of the night. Cameron scored the go-ahead escape to take a 10-9 lead with about 20 seconds left, forcing Roddy to try an unsuccessful desperation headlock, for a 12-9 final. Probably the best kid in this weight was Rob Waltko of North Allegheny. Waltko dominated the entire bout with Roddy, only to get cradled and pinned in the third period. He then came back and took third, winning by technical fall over tough sophomore Cody Mangrum, who had lost to Roddy, 8-5, in their semifinals, for third.

189 -- The unheralded John Weakley of Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy in Ohio put on a takedown clinic against highly-rated David Green of Oviedo in the finals, prevailing 14-5. As explosive as they come, look for big things from this junior.

215 -- Junior Cody Gardner of Christianburg cemented his claim to being the best 215 in the country by demolishing all comers, including a 14-4 finals win over Garrett Goebel in the finals. Goebel is only a sophomore and has a great future ahead of him.

Hwt -- Oviedo's No. 1-ranked heavyweight, Kenny Lester, did not disappoint. Lester scored four first-period falls in five matches, including the finals, en route to the title. Look for Sophomore John Hiles of Columbus St. Francis DeSales to become a household name in wrestling circles. Hiles suffered a one-point loss to Matt Richardson in the second round but stormed back for third, avenging his loss to Richardson and handling state champion/Cadet Nationals runner-up Cameron Wade by a score of 8-4.

Teams -- The race between St. Ed's and Blair was tight as expected. It came down to the 152-pound final between Blair Academy's Eric Medina and Josh Rohler. A Rohler win would have meant a tie for first place. However, Medina took it to Rohler and Blair maintained their status as the No. 1 team in the nation for now. A newcomer to the status to the elite teams in the nation is ever-improving Christianburg, Virginia. A public school, Christianburg finished fourth place. They will be even better next year as they only graduate three seniors.

In summary, those who are close to the Ironman should make the trip to see some of the finest high school wrestling in the nation. This year's tournament was better than ever!]]>65961Sun, 11 Dec 2005 21:46:00 +0000And so it begins: Walsh Ironman kicks off the season this weekend (Intro Story)https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/and-so-it-begins-walsh-ironman-kicks-off-the-season-this-weekend-intro-story-r65929/
David Taylor (photo by Wyatt Schultz)
103 -- Even with two-time Cadet National Freestyle champion Anthony Valles of Blair Academy moving unexpectedly to 112, this remains one of the most interesting weights. The No. 1 seed is Boris Novachkov of California. Novachkov has won both styles in Fargo the last two years, for a total of four national titles. Ironically, he has yet to place in the loaded California State Tournament -- as he has been too small for 103. Now apparently grown into a full 103, or at least close, he will be a force to be reckoned with. However, it is the No. 3 seed, David Taylor, who generates the most interest in this weight. Taylor is ranked as the No. 1 freshman in the Rev Wrestling High School Power Rankings. Simply put, Taylor is a schoolboy legend. He racked up three Ohio junior high state titles without going the distance. He also triumphed at the Cadet National Freestyle Championships this past summer, again without going the distance. However, that was at 91 pounds -- and at this point, Taylor is clearly a very small 103. Perhaps as a result, he tasted his first folkstyle defeat in years, in double overtime, against Cadet National runner-up Ben Sergent, just last weekend. Taylor is on a collision course for a rematch with Sergent (the No. 2 seed) in the semifinals this weekend. However, Taylor will have to beat returning fourth place state finisher Alex Weaver -- who is probably the best 103 in Ohio's big-school division -- just to make it that far. Meanwhile, the No. 4 seed at this weight, Steve Mitcheff, is very good, as evidenced by him recently splitting two bouts with two-time Cadet National Greco champion Eric Grajales.

RevWrestling.com.com Prediction: Taylor over Novachkov

112 -- The No. 1 seed might appear invincible at this weight. A sophomore, Valles has never tasted defeat in high school competition and is similarly undefeated in Fargo, winning two Cadet National titles. Not so fast. Valles won his most recent Cadet National title at 98 pounds (over Sergent), and was expected to be at 103 until this week. While he has apparently outgrown 103, the jump to 112 is huge and the bet here is that Valles will be a little undersized for this weight. The match to watch in the quarterfinals will be his donnybrook with Ohio super frosh Collin Palmer. Palmer, who is ranked as the No. 2 freshman in the Rev Wrestling Power Rankings, is the younger brother of three-time Ohio state champion Lance Palmer -- and is considered to be even better than Lance was at this point in his career. Meanwhile the other bracket will feature California's Nikko Triggas and Pennsylvania's Chris Sheetz. Triggas finished third in the always-loaded California State Tournament and third at the Cadet National Freestyle Championships. He will have a real fight on his hands in the quarterfinals, where he will likely face Ohio big-school state third place finisher Dante Rini. Sheetz was somewhat of an unexpected state champion in Pennsylvania's big-school division.

RevWrestling.com Prediction: Palmer over Triggas

Click here to read entire Walsh Ironman preview (Rev Gold)]]>65929Wed, 07 Dec 2005 16:51:00 +0000And so it begins: Walsh Ironman kicks off the season this weekendhttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/and-so-it-begins-walsh-ironman-kicks-off-the-season-this-weekend-r65928/
David Taylor (photo by Wyatt Schultz)
103 -- Even with two-time Cadet National Freestyle champion Anthony Valles of Blair Academy moving unexpectedly to 112, this remains one of the most interesting weights. The No. 1 seed is Boris Novachkov of California. Novachkov has won both styles in Fargo the last two years, for a total of four national titles. Ironically, he has yet to place in the loaded California State Tournament -- as he has been too small for 103. Now apparently grown into a full 103, or at least close, he will be a force to be reckoned with. However, it is the No. 3 seed, David Taylor, who generates the most interest in this weight. Taylor is ranked as the No. 1 freshman in the Rev Wrestling High School Power Rankings. Simply put, Taylor is a schoolboy legend. He racked up three Ohio junior high state titles without going the distance. He also triumphed at the Cadet National Freestyle Championships this past summer, again without going the distance. However, that was at 91 pounds -- and at this point, Taylor is clearly a very small 103. Perhaps as a result, he tasted his first folkstyle defeat in years, in double overtime, against Cadet National runner-up Ben Sergent, just last weekend. Taylor is on a collision course for a rematch with Sergent (the No. 2 seed) in the semifinals this weekend. However, Taylor will have to beat returning fourth place state finisher Alex Weaver -- who is probably the best 103 in Ohio's big-school division -- just to make it that far. Meanwhile, the No. 4 seed at this weight, Steve Mitcheff, is very good, as evidenced by him recently splitting two bouts with two-time Cadet National Greco champion Eric Grajales.

RevWrestling.com.com Prediction: Taylor over Novachkov

112 -- The No. 1 seed might appear invincible at this weight. A sophomore, Valles has never tasted defeat in high school competition and is similarly undefeated in Fargo, winning two Cadet National titles. Not so fast. Valles won his most recent Cadet National title at 98 pounds (over Sergent), and was expected to be at 103 until this week. While he has apparently outgrown 103, the jump to 112 is huge and the bet here is that Valles will be a little undersized for this weight. The match to watch in the quarterfinals will be his donnybrook with Ohio super frosh Collin Palmer. Palmer, who is ranked as the No. 2 freshman in the Rev Wrestling Power Rankings, is the younger brother of three-time Ohio state champion Lance Palmer -- and is considered to be even better than Lance was at this point in his career. Meanwhile the other bracket will feature California's Nikko Triggas and Pennsylvania's Chris Sheetz. Triggas finished third in the always-loaded California State Tournament and third at the Cadet National Freestyle Championships. He will have a real fight on his hands in the quarterfinals, where he will likely face Ohio big-school state third place finisher Dante Rini. Sheetz was somewhat of an unexpected state champion in Pennsylvania's big-school division.

RevWrestling.com Prediction: Palmer over Triggas

119 -- This is perhaps the most wide-open weight in the tournament. While there is not one clear superstar as in many weights, this weight is so deep that Darrin Boing, who has placed third and fourth the last two years in the Ohio State Tournament, is only seeded No. 10. No. 1 seed Aaron Hart might take exception to the analysis that this weight lacks superstars. Hart is a former Ohio state champion, two-time Cadet Freestyle All-American, and most recently, Junior National Freestyle runner-up. However, he can be inconsistent, as evidenced by his six losses last season (though it should be noted that this was wrestling on Graham's treacherous schedule). His stiffest competition may in the semifinals, against three-time California State place winner and NHSCA Junior National third placer Caleb Flores. The other bracket features another third place finisher from that event, Levi Mele, as well as Felipe Novachkov, the older brother of Boris. Novachkov is a former Bulgarian Cadet Nationals champion who placed second in California last year to Senior Nationals champion Brian Moreno.

RevWrestling.com Prediction: Hart over Novachkov

125 -- Like 119, this is a weight where any of the top eight stand a legitimate chance to win. No. 1 seed Ian Moser has placed as high as third at the Junior National Freestyle Championships. However, he faces a real test in the quarterfinals against Ben Jordan, who stunned Ohio wrestling fans by winning state as a freshman. Jordan is the son of four-time Ohio state champion, two-time NCAA champion, and current Ohio State Representative, Jim Jordan. The other bracket may be even more daunting, with defending Cadet National Freestyle champion Kellen Russell of Blair Academy and Keith Sulzer, who inexplicably was seeded sixth despite being a NHSCA Junior National champion and past Cadet Nationals runner-up.

RevWrestling.com Prediction: Sulzer over Moser

Jordan Frishkorn
130 -- The match of the night will take place here as the top two competitors in the nation at this weight square off: Jordan Frishkorn and Billy Murphy. The Ironman Finals will be nothing new to Junior National Freestyle runner-up Frishkorn, as he has split two matches with Ohio's Cameron Doggett there over the past two years in the Ironman finals. This will be the first chance for many fans east of the golden state to see California's Billy Murphy -- and they will be in for a real treat. Murphy utilizes a whirlwind style that annihilated the competition last spring at NHSCA Juniors as well as at California States. He and Frishkorn split two bouts as sophomores. Cadet Nationals champion Alex Meade would have made this weight even more interesting but apparently his eligibility is doubtful at this time due to an early fall move to Christianburg H.S. in Virginia followed by a subsequent move back to Caesar Rodney, Delaware.

RevWrestling.com Prediction: Murphy over Frishkorn

135 -- The dark horse here is No. 7 seed Zack Kemmerer of Upper Perkiomen, Pennsylvania. While Kemmerer has never placed higher than fifth in the Pennsylvania State Tournament, he defeated very-tough Pennsylvania state champion Ashtin Primus last season and was a one point loss to Mario Mason away from making the finals at Cadet Nationals. No. 1 seed Kevin Lipp won NHSCA Juniors last spring over the No. 6 seed Marcus Nelson. However, he will likely have to get past Junior National All-American Max Shanaman in the semifinals. Perhaps the most interesting competitor to watch will be former state champion Shawn Harris of Lakewood St. Edward's -- who is moving all the way up from 112 to 135. Harris is seeded second.

RevWrestling.com Prediction: Kemmerer over Shanaman

Mario Mason (photo by Wyatt Schultz)
140 -- If there is one prediction that this writer feels confident in, it is that Blair Academy's Mario Mason will out-perform his inexplicable No. 7 seed. Rated as the No. 4 sophomore in the nation in the Rev Wrestling Power Rankings, Mason features as smooth of a counter-offense as any wrestler in the nation. However, he will face a true test in the quarterfinals in Pennsylvania's Matt Dunn. While he has not won state since he was a freshman (he was upset in the finals last year), Dunn took all-everything Adam Frey to the wire in last year's Ironman finals as Frey needed a takedown in the last ten seconds to come from behind. Should young Mason pass that test, he will face an ever stiffer challenge in Ohio's Lance Palmer. Palmer lost only one bout at Junior Nationals last summer, a one-point loss to Cyler Sanderson. Along with Mike Grey, he is probably the best mat wrestler in the nation -- and certainly, the most punishing, with a brutal power-half.

RevWrestling.com Prediction: Palmer over Mason

145 -- This weight would have looked like a guaranteed rematch between Blair's Travis Blasco and Sean Nemec. Last season, these two Junior National Freestyle All-Americans squared off in the dual between their teams in the match-deciding last bout of the night. Nemec jumped out to an early lead before Blasco scored back points off a takedown to take control of the match and preserve Blair's status as the nation's top team. However, last week Blasco was defeated (for the second year in a row) by Matt Cathell of Ceaser Rodney, by a decisive 7-2 score. Cathell clearly has Blasco's number -- the bet here is that he will not have Nemec's. Perhaps the best match of the first night will be Cathell against Christianburg super frosh Andrew Clement. Clement had a superb preseason, finishing third at the Super 32 Challenge among other achievements, as is currently rated as the No. 5 freshman in the nation in the Rev Power Rankings.

RevWrestling.com.com Prediction: Blasco over Nemec

152 -- A week ago, this appeared to be the marquee weight of the tournament. However, defending champion Mike Benefiel of Illinois has apparently broken his hand and will not be competing. Even still, this weight features Cadet National Freestyle champion Eric Medina, NHSCA Junior National champion Josh Rohler, and Junior National All-American Jason Welch of California. Medina is seeded No. 1 and Welch is seeded No. 4, meaning they are headed for a semifinal showdown. This should be the match to watch of that round as Medina is an outstanding mat wrestler whereas Welch is a spectacular takedown artist. Welch is rated as the No. 1 sophomore in the nation in the Rev Wrestling Power Rankings. However, Medina has already handled the previously No. 1 ranked junior, Tim Darling, at the Lock Haven Fall Classic, by a 7-3 score. A Welch-Rohler would also be interesting as Rohler has outstanding defense.

RevWrestling.com Prediction: Welch over Rohler

160 -- Like 130, this is a weight that features a likely marquee match-up. Two-time Junior National Freestyle All-American David Rella may be the man to beat here after finishing third in Fargo last summer. However, No. 1 seed Mack Lewnes actually beat Rella last fall at the Beast of the East by a point. The No. 3 seed, Matt Epperly is a three-time state champion headed for Virginia Tech. The No. 4 seed is Junior National Greco-Roman champion Jesse Robbins of Florida. Robbins is perhaps the wildcard of this weight. While he failed to win state last spring, he defeated Rocky Cozart in Greco in Fargo and nearly defeated the mighty David Craig in a spring freestyle tournament. If he is on, Lewnes could be in trouble. No. 7 seed Brent Fiorito could also make some noise. Fiorito finished third in the Pennsylvania State Tournament last spring -- impressive considering the top two were Joey Eckloff and Donnie Jones.

RevWrestling.com Prediction: Rella over Lewnes

171 -- Like 119 and 125, this is a weight with great depth but no clear favorite.
The No. 1 seed, Ian Henisch, was runner-up at this tournament last fall and is a former Cadet National All-American. The No. 2 seed, Wenger, is a two-time state champion/and three-time finalist -- rare for an upper weight wrestler. Rob Waltko, a.k.a. "Superrob," is a former Cadet National Freestyle champion yet managed only the No. 3 seed, whereas fellow junior David Thompson, a former Cadet National Freestyle runner-up, was seeded fourth. RevWrestling.com.com would have picked Parkersburg super sophomore Andy Thomas, but he is not entered for reasons unknown at the time of this article.

RevWresting.com Prediction: Walko over Henisch

189 -- This weight appears to be essentially a two-man showdown between Oveido, Florida state champion David Green and two-time state champion Cody Norman of Parkersburg, West Virginia. Norman is a rare upper weight three-time state finalist. Green seems to be rapidly improving, going from a non-state placer in 2004 to a Junior National Greco All-American in 2005.

RevWrestling.com Prediction: Green over Norman

215 -- The nation's best 215, junior Cody Gardner of Parkersburg South, West Virginia, appears to be relatively unchallenged here. Gardner is already a two-time state champion and took third at the Junior National Freestyle Championships at this weight. Super sophomore Garrett Goebbel will battle Jared Platt of Blair Academy in a semifinal which will amount to a contest for second place.

RevWrestling.com Prediction: Gardner over Goebbel

275 -- Kenny Lester of Oviedo has to be the favorite here. Widely regarded as the best heavyweight in the nation, Lester has been both a double Junior National All-American and a double Cadet All-American. However, Lester faces a formidable challenge in Ohio state champion/Cadet National Freestyle runner-up Cameron Wade. He would have faced an even stiffer challenge in two-time Cadet National Freestyle champion Ben Kuhar, but apparently Kuhar is lost for the season due to a knee injury sustained in football.

RevWrestling.com Prediction: Lester over Wade

Teams Outlook -- This year is perhaps the first in many years that serious whispers of Blair Academy's vulnerability are being heard. Just consider: from last year's team they have graduated: Senior national champ/double Junior Nationals champion Adam Frey, Senior Nationals runner-up/Junior National Freestyle runner-up Ross Gitomer, Junior National Freestyle champion Rollie Peterkin, and Junior National All-American Hudson Taylor. By contrast, St. Edward's really graduated no one noteworthy.

However, then Ben Kuhar went down. It is probably safe to say that there was no single wrestler that would have been so hard to replace. They have gone from a guy who would have contended for a title to a complete unknown quantity at this weight. All other teams will be competing for third.

Rev Wrestling.com Prediction: Blair Academy

Stay Tuned for an Ironman wrap-up on Rev Wrestling.com on Sunday morning, Dec. 11.]]>65928Wed, 07 Dec 2005 16:28:00 +00002011 Super 32 Challenge Previewhttps://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/2011-super-32-challenge-preview-r65678/
This field includes 23 of the nation's Top 100 seniors, 19 of the Top 50 juniors, 18 of the Top 50 sophomores, and 10 of the Top 25 freshmen. Among that group is the nation's best senior in Taylor Massa (St. Johns, Mich.), the nation's best sophomore in Chance Marsteller (Kennard Dale, Pa.), along with number two ranked wrestlers in the senior, junior, and freshman classes -- Jason Tsirtsis (Crown Point, Indiana), Ben Whitford (St. Johns, Mich.), and Matthew Kolodzik (Miami Valley, Ohio).

Fifteen wrestlers that have made a Super 32 Challenge final over the years are among the anchor wrestlers of the field. It includes an impressive five of such wrestlers in the 126 pound weight class, the premier weight class of the tournament: defending champions Anthony Ashnault (South Plainfield, N.J.) and Nathan Kraisser (Centennial, Md.); along with runners-up in Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), 2009 champion Joey Dance (Christiansburg, Va.), and Rossi Bruno (Brandon, Fla.).

Two returning event champions also anchor the 182 pound weight class -- Cody Wiercioch (Canon McMillan, Pa.) and Brandon Griffin (Sprague, Ore.). Other weight classes with a pair of former finalists include 113, 132, and 138 pounds. The pair of finalists from 103 pounds last year, Darian Cruz (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.) and Nathan Tomasello (CVCA, Ohio) headline the 113 pound field; 2008 champion Alex Cisneros (Selma, Calif.) and last year's 130 pound runner-up Brandon Jeske (Cox, Va.) showcase at 132 pounds; while defending champion Steve Spearman (Erie McDowell, Pa.) and two-time runner-up Jason Tsirtsis are among the stars at 138 pounds.

Rounding out that cast of characters is 2008 runner-up Jacob Crawford (Millbrook, Va.) at 145 pounds along with 2008 and 2009 runner-up Taylor Massa.

The following is a breakdown of some of the (many) key wrestlers in each weight class, along with potential thoughts on what might happen over the two-day tournament.

106:
Even though this weight lacks a true "mega-star", there are still many highly credentialed wrestlers within this field -- seven are ranked in their respective graduating class, and eleven have earned All-American honors in Fargo (Junior and/or Cadet Nationals) at some point of their career. Leading this field is Nathan Boston (Indiana), who was undefeated during his freshman season of high school and a FloNationals runner-up in March 2011. A key feature of this opening weight class is impact freshmen, including Matthew Kolodzik (Miami Valley, Ohio), Dylan Lucas (Brandon, Fla.), Michael Kemerer (Franklin Regional, Pa.), A.C. Headlee (Waynesburg, Pa.), and Fredy Stroker (Bettendorf, Iowa). Other notables include state champions Sean Russell (Collins Hill, Ga.), Coy Ozias (Christiansburg, Va.), and Kyle Kelly (Chenango Forks, N.Y.); NHSCA Freshman Nationals champ Ryan Millhof (Collins Hill, Ga.); Junior National double All-American Jan Rosenberg (Morris Knolls, N.J.); and three-time Cadet National All-American Brent Fleetwood (Smyrna, Del.).

Finals Prediction: Nathan Boston over Matthew Kolodzik

113:
This is a very deep weight class that includes six returning Super 32 Challenge placers, along with ten additional wrestlers that have earned All-American honors in Fargo. Headline figures include last year's Super 32 finalists at 103 pounds -- Darian Cruz (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.) and Nathan Tomasello (CVCA, Ohio) - each also won a title in Fargo this past summer. Other returning place-winners are two-time state champion Ryan Diehl (Trinity, Pa.), three-time Cadet All-Americans Dalton Macri (Canon-McMillan, Pa.) and Zac Hall (St. Johns, Mich.), along with state champion Billy Rappo (Council Rock South, Pa.). Also in this weight are FILA Cadet freestyle champion Dalton Brady (Colo.), Junior National freestyle runner-up Jarred Brooks (Warsaw, Indiana), and Junior National double All-American Jordan Wigger (Summerville, S.C.). Additional notable wrestlers include state champions JR Wert (Christiansburg, Va.), Cassidy Oshiro (Maryknoll, Hawaii), James Flint (Brandon, Fla.), Braun Marquez (Canyon Randall, Texas), and Brendan Calas (Seton Hall Prep, N.J.).

Finals Prediction: Dalton Brady over Nathan Tomasello

120:
The three featured wrestlers in this weight placed in the top five of last year's absolute meat-grinder of a weight class at 112 pounds in the Super 32. George DiCamillo (St. Ignatius, Ohio) followed that up with a second Ironman title, along with initial state and FloNationals championships; Jacob Schmitt (St. Johns, Mich.) and Conner Schram (Canon-McMillan, Pa.) made their second state finals appearances in as many high school seasons, while Schmitt also placed second in freestyle at the FILA Cadet Nationals and was a Junior Greco-Roman All-American. Others of note in this weight class include state champions Austin Hood (Louisburg, Kansas), Eric Montoya (Volcano Vista, N.M.), Cody Hummer (Savannah, Mo.), and Kaleb LeMaire (Caesar Rodney, Del.). Also meriting attention are 2010 state champions Emilio Martinez (Greeley West, Colo.), Will Mason (Cape Henry Collegiate, Va.), Alec Dierna (Wayne, N.Y.), and Drew Ferguson-Mitchell (Collins Hill Ga.). In addition are National Prep placers Jacob Goodwin (Bishop Lynch, Texas) and Andrew Atkinson (Liberty Christian, Va.), FloNationals runner-up Cody Stainbrook (Walsh Jesuit, Ohio), and Junior National freestyle All-American Eli Hale (Miami, Okla.).

Finals Prediction: George DiCamillo over Jacob Schmitt

126:
As discussed in the lead portion of this article, the weight class is absolutely stacked with five returning Super 32 finalists. Those include three-time state champions Rossi Bruno (Brandon, Fla.) and Nathan Kraisser (Centennial, Md.), two-time state champions Anthony Ashnault (South Plainfield, N.J.) and Joey Dance (Christiansburg, Va.), along with 2010 state champion Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.). Yet those five don't even scratch the surface of the quality present in this weight class. Three other wrestlers placed in last year's Super 32 Challenge -- 2010 Junior freestyle All-American Eric Devos (Waverly-Shell Rock, Iowa), Russell Coleman (Park Hill, Mo.), and Chris Caton (Northside Christian, N.C.). Other multiple-time state champions in this weight include Brandon Brunner (The Baylor School, Tennessee), FloNationals champion Dean Heil (St. Edward, Ohio), David Jeffrey (Parkersburg South, West Va.), Ryan O'Boyle (Central Catholic, Massachusetts), 2010 FloNationals runner-up Cody Phillips (Union County, Indiana), Zach Watson (The Baylor School, Tennessee), Skyler Wood (Platte County, Mo.), and Garrison White (Robinson, N.C.). Yet other notable wrestlers are Cadet freestyle runner-up finishers Jonce Blaylock (Berryhill, Okla.) and Gary Wayne Harding (Collinsville, Okla.), along with two-time state finalists in Alex Calandrino (Howell, Mich.), Corey Keener (Blue Mountain, Pa.) Randy Cruz (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.), Dane Harlowe (Annandale, Va.), and Jake Smith (Newark Memorial, Calif.).

Finals Prediction: Rossi Bruno over Nathan Kraisser

132:
Three wrestlers in the top ten of their respective graduating classes stand out as the best in this weight class -- two-time Super 32 runner-up Brandon Jeske (Cox, Va.), 2008 Super 32 champion Alex Cisneros (Selma, Calif.), and Junior National Greco-Roman champion Kevin Norstrem (Brandon, Fla.). Three other former Super 32 placers feature in this weight class as well -- Shyheim Brown (Central Dauphin, Pa.), Tyson Dippery (Central Dauphin, Pa.), and John Fahy (Trinity, Kentucky). Also in this field are four additional Junior National Greco-Roman All-Americans in Laike Gardner (Biglerville, Pa.), Julian Purdy (Nevada Union, Calif.), Arty Walsh (Schuylkill Valley, Pa.), and Joey Ward (Moeller, Ohio); along with Junior National freestyle All-American Brant Schafer (St. Johns, Mich.). Additional state champions in this weight class include Davey Dolan (Berryhill, Okla.), Campbell Lewis (Soddy Daisy, Tennessee), and Neal Molloy (Danville, Indiana). Notable multi-time state placers include Colt Cotten (Benton, Pa.), Devon Jackson (Yorktown, Indiana), Brandon Keller (Timber Creek, N.J.), and Connor Melde (Bergen Catholic, N.J.).

Finals Prediction: Brandon Jeske over Alex Cisneros

138:
With the consolidation of middle-weight classes this year (last year's 125, 130, 135, 140, and 145 are shrunk into 126, 132, 138, and 145), there are going to be some weight classes in tournaments that are absolutely star-laden due to the lack of competitive options. This is one of those cases. The second-ranked senior and junior in the nation are both in this weight class -- two-time Super 32 runner-up Jason Tsirtsis (Crown Point, Indiana) and three-time Fargo double finalist Ben Whitford (St. Johns, Mich.). Additional stars in this weight class are FloNationals champion Nate Skonieczny (Walsh Jesuit, Ohio), a pair of FloNationals runners-up in Quentin Murphy (Holley Central, N.Y.) and Steve Spearman (Erie McDowell, Pa.), and two-time Super 32 placer Brent Fickel (Padua). Other state champions in this field are NHSCA Junior National runner-up Tony DeAngelo (Southern Alamance, N.C.), Nick Trimble (Sparta, Mich.), FloNationals placer Gabe Morse (Lowell, Mich.), and Brooks Martino (Robinson, Va.). Wrestlers that have finished second in the state include Josh Pennell (St. Johns, Mich.), Austin Matthews (Reynolds, Pa.), James Dekrone (John Glenn, N.Y.), and Mitch Newhouse (Massillon Perry, Ohio).

Finals Prediction: Jason Tsirtsis over Ben Whitford

145:
Leading the way in this weight class is three-time state champion, two-time state placer, and NHSCA Juniors champion Jacob Crawford (Millbrook, Va.). Three other InterMat Top 100 seniors anchor the weight class: two-time Junior National freestyle All-American Matt Cimato (LaSalle, Pa.), three-time state champion Alec Mooradian (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.), along with state champion and FloNationals placer Andrew Morse (Lowell, Mich.). Other very formidable seniors in this weight include FloNationals placer Kevin Moylan (Stagg, Ill.), NHSCA Junior Nationals champion Alenick Richardson (St. Peter's Prep, N.J.), Junior National Greco-Roman All-American Cody Ross (Springstead, Fla.), three-time state placers Zach Beitz (Juniata, Pa.) and Connor Mullins (New Castle, Indiana), state champion Joey Moon (Southern Alamance, N.C.), two-time National Prep placer Will Switzer (Archbishop Spalding, Md.), and three-time state runner-up Tanner Minder (Kearney, Mo.). Sophomore superstars include two-time Super 32 placer Solomon Chisko (Canon-McMillan, Pa.), National Prep runner-up Jack Clark (McDonogh, Md.), and Cadet freestyle All-American Jack Bass (Allen, Texas). Top juniors include state champion Cain Salas (Granite City, Ill.), along with state runner-up and Cadet double All-American Garrett Hammond (Chambersburg, Pa.).

Finals Prediction: Jacob Crawford over Matt Cimato

152:
Two years ago as an eighth-grader this young man competed in the Nittany Lion Open. Not only that, but he won a match, and was rather competitive in his two losses. Since then, the reputation of Chance Marsteller (Kennard Dale, Pa.) has only continued to grow. A dominant Cadet freestyle title last summer, an undefeated state championship season as a freshman in the Pennsylvania big-school division, and an absolutely dominant sweep of Greco-Roman and freestyle at the Cadet Duals and Cadet Nationals has transpired in the interim. Marsteller is clearly the best Class of 2014 wrestler in America, and some might argue the best overall high school wrestler in America.

While there is no realistic challenger to Marsteller within this field, any number of wrestlers will be battling for "best of the rest" honors. Notable sophomores in this group include state champion and Cadet freestyle All-American Josh Llopez (La Plata, Md.), state placer Garrett Peppelman (Central Dauphin, Pa.), along with state placer and FloNationals placer Jordan Cooks (Davison, Mich.). Additional state champions in this weight include Kyle Burns (Milan Edison, Ohio), Eric O'Neill (Winter Springs, Fla.), Nick Kee (Scotland, N.C.), Austin Scogg (Rockford, Mich.), Patrick Davis (Woodbridge, Del.), and Aaron Walker (Judson, Texas). Also meriting attention is FILA Cadet freestyle All-American Travis Curley (St. Johns, Mich.).

Finals Prediction: Chance Marsteller over Travis Curley

160:
For the lack of star power present in the prior weight, this group provides more than sufficient compensation with four InterMat Top 100 Class of 2012 recruits as a starting point. This group includes Ironman and Beast of the East champion Jason Luster (Pittsburgh Central Catholic, Pa.) -- a three-time state/National Prep finalist; Beast of the East runner-up Cody Allala (Hopewell, Va.), a three-time state champion; FloNationals and Junior National Greco-Roman champion Geordan Speiller (Pine Castle Christian, Fla.), a two-time state champion; along with Beast of the East champion Devon Gobbo (Delbarton, N.J.), a two-time state placer and Super 32 placer. Additional wrestlers to watch include FloNationals placers Tyler Askey (Northgate, Ga.) and Geno Morelli (DuBois, Pa.); Junior National Greco-Roman All-American Burke Paddock (Warsaw, N.Y.); state champions Jordan Wohlfert (St. Johns, Mich.), John Crowley (Regis, Colo.), and Zach Epperly (Christiansburg, Va.); NHSCA Junior placers Vincent Favia (Christian Brothers, N.J.), Ben Sullivan (Apple Valley, Minn.), and Justin Spyres (Green Run, Va.); along with state runners-up Victor Pereira (Newark Memorial, Calif.) and Adam Jackson (Rosemount, Minn.).

Finals Prediction: Jason Luster over Cody Allala

170:
Like the 152 pound weight anchored by the nation's top sophomore, this weight is anchored by one of the true elite wrestlers in America -- Taylor Massa (St. Johns, Mich.). Massa is seeking an elusive Super 32 title having finished third, second, second, and third in his prior attempts. The University of Mich. bound wrestler is ranked as the top recruit in the Class of 2012, has won three state titles, and is a two-time FILA Junior National freestyle champion. An additional similarity, is the lack of a bona fide challenger, though the contender group has some pretty solid wrestlers.

Other state champions in this weight class include Junior Greco-Roman All-American Kyle Koziel (Brandon, Fla.), Forrest Przybysz (Jefferson, Ga.), Tanner Tinsley (Hanover, Va.), Jacob Haydock (Brandon, Fla.), Jared Haught (Parkersburg, West Va.), Cadet freestyle runner-up Parker Vonegidy (Piedmont, N.C.), and NHSCA freshman champion Chip Ness (Buford, Ga.). Additional wrestlers meriting attention are state placers Elliott Riddick (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.), Connor Moran (Solanco, Pa.), and Austin Coniker (Pittsburgh Central Catholic, Pa.); along with National Prep placer Tyler Rill (Mt. St. Joseph, Md.), Super 32 placer Brian Dorsey (Bowie, Texas), and NHSCA Sophomore champion Nick Zak (Jackson Liberty, N.J.).

Finals Prediction: Taylor Massa over Kyle Koziel

182:
The other side of the consolidation of weight classes in the middle is the increase of classes in the upper weights. What used to be the three weight classes of 171, 189, and 215 is now a four weight stretch of 170, 182, 195, and 220. This weight class is similar to the 180 weight that had been contested in prior years in Texas, but is new for high school wrestling overall. Despite that, there is excellent quality present in this weight class with a pair of defending Super 32 champions in Brandon Griffin (Sprague, Ore.) and Cody Wiercioch (Canon-McMillan, Pa.). Other superstars in this weight include two-time Junior National freestyle All-American Jordan Thomas (Greenville, Mich.), state champions and returning Super 32 placers Chaz Gresham (Goshen, Ohio) and Jesse Doyle (Wheatmore, N.C.), NHSCA Junior Nationals champion Tim Dudley (Irmo, S.C.), as well as FloNationals and Junior Greco-Roman runner-up Kevin Beazley (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.). Others meriting attention include state champions Greg Wilson (Keller Central, Texas), Taylor Jackson (Citrus, Fla.), and Gray Jones (Camden County, Ga.); NHSCA Junior Nationals placers David Reck (Colonial Forge, Va.) and Victor Pozsonyi (Roselle Park, N.J.); along with Super 32 placer Jared Lux (North Allegheny, Pa.).

Finals Prediction: Jordan Thomas over Brandon Griffin

195:
This weight class and the next weight class are where the after-effects of the weight class change really show, both in terms of quality depth and quantity of participants. A pair of star juniors headlines the field in this weight -- two-time Cadet National double (Greco-Roman and freestyle) champion Mitch Sliga (Fishers, Indiana) and two-time state finalist, 2010 Cadet freestyle champion, Brooks Climmons (Pope, Ga.). Additional wrestlers to note include a trio of NHSCA Junior Nationals placers in Joe Jessen (Millbrook, Va.), Cameron King (Trinity, N.C.), and James Suvak (St. Edward, Ohio). Also present in the field are state champion Cody Davis (Pigeon Forge, Tennessee) along with state placers Payne Hayden (St. Johns, Mich.) and Matt McCutcheon (Kiski Area, Pa.).

Finals Prediction: Mitch Sliga over Brooks Climmons

220:
Winning a state championship as a freshman is a genuine accomplishment. Winning it in the Keystone State makes it all the more impressive. But to do it at 215 pounds, against 18 and 19 year old men, is all the more impressive. That is what Thomas Haines (Solanco, Pa.) did this past year. This sophomore, ranked No. 11 nationally, regardless of weight is a strong favorite to emerge with the belt on Sunday afternoon. Others to watch include state champion Chuckie Kerkesner (Cypress Lake, Fla.) along with state placers Ray Stone (Akron SVSM, Ohio), Trevor Stevens (Pope, Ga.), and Garrett Linton (Rootstown, Ohio).

Finals Prediction: Thomas Haines over Chuckie Kerkesner

285:
Last, and least in terms of participants in this tournament, is the heavyweights. None the less, there are a couple of high profile names in this field. First and foremost is Junior National double All-American Doug Vollaro (Pine Castle Christian, Fla.), who also was a FloNationals champion and earned second consecutive double runner-up honors at the FILA Cadet Nationals this spring. Joining Vollaro as an InterMat Top 100 senior in this weight is John Dreggors (Springstead, Fla.), a state runner-up who won titles at the NHSCA Junior National and FILA Cadet Greco-Roman tournaments this spring. Additional wrestlers in this weight class include National Prep runner-up Terrance Jean-Jacques (Haverhill, Massachusetts), Junior National freestyle All-American DaQuante Timbers (Freedom, Va.), state champion Lucas Ryan (Stonewall Jackson, Va.), and NHSCA Freshman champion Jesse Webb (Mt. Anthony Union, Vt.).

Finals Prediction: Doug Vollaro over John Dreggors]]>65678Mon, 07 Nov 2005 02:30:00 +0000