InterMat Staff

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -- The Lock Haven University wrestling team (3-3, 2-1 EWL) won six of 10 bouts and downed local-rival Bloomsburg University (3-6, 0-2 EWL) 27-12 in the battle of Interstate-80. The win was LHU's third straight over Bloomsburg and pushed Lock Haven to 2-1 in Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) action. Jake Field (South Elgin, Ill./Marmion Academy), Ronnie Perry (Christiana, Pa./Solanco), Kyle Shoop (Boiling Springs, Pa./Boiling Springs), Jared Siegrist (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central), Tristan Sponseller (East Berlin, Pa./Bermudian Springs) and Thomas Haines (Quarryville, Pa./Ohio State) all won for the Bald Eagles, who picked up their second straight dual win. LHU is back to .500 on the season and sits at 3-3 overall. Field got the Bald Eagles rolling with a hard-fought 9-6 win at 125 pounds. Field took Bloomsburg's Willy Girard down three times in the first period and led 6-2 after one period. Field controlled the second period as well despite an escape point from Girard and led 6-3 after two. Both wrestlers managed to score third-period takedowns, but Field held on for the 9-6 decision, which put Lock Haven up 3-0. Bloomsburg tied the match at 3-3 after Matt Noble posted a victory at 133. Noble edged Lewis Williams (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia) 5-3 in a tightly-contested bout. Lewis, a Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania native was competing in dual action for the first time since November 20. At 141, Perry, who is ranked as high as No. 13 in some national polls, pulled ranked on Bloomsburg's Grant Bond in a dominating tech fall victory. Perry led 6-0 after one period and extended it to a 9-0 lead after two. Perry's dominance continued in the third and his tech fall put Lock Haven back in front, 8-3. The win was Perry's 11th straight. At 149, Shoop grinded out a 6-3 decision over Kevin Laubach. The two were tied 3-3 after two periods, but Shoop gained the upper hand with a quick third period takedown, before tacking on a riding-time point in the 6-3 win. Shoop's win extended the LHU lead to 11-3. After two straight LHU wins at 141 and 149, Bloomsburg got back on the board with a win at 157. Brendon Colbert slipped by Kyle Hammond (Nottingham, Pa./Solanco) 3-1, winning on a third-period takedown. At 165, Siegrist turned it up a notch in the third and picked up a big win and valuable team points. His 10-0 major decision put the Bald Eagles up 15-6. Siegrist led 1-0 after two periods thanks to an escape in the second. He started the third on top and quickly went to work, racking up eight near-fall points in all. The Huskies added a win at 174 after Trevor Allard downed Tyler Wood (West Chester, Pa./West Chester-Rustin) 7-3. Allard tallied three takedowns. Bloomsburg made it two straight after Kyle Murphy downed Adam Mackie (Bechtelsville, Pa./Brandywine Heights) 3-1 at 184 pounds. Despite Bloomsburg wins at 174 and 184, LHU held a 15-12 lead after eight bouts. A Huskie forfeit at 197 put Lock Haven up 21-12 heading into the final bout. At 285, Haines put it away in thrilling fashion. He led 6-0 after the first period, but quickly put his former high school teammate Bo Spiller on this back in the second and worked toward a pin, one he would get with 36 seconds left in the second. It marked the eighth straight win for Haines and his fourth pin in the last five bouts. The Bald Eagles are set to host the Lock Haven Classic on Thursday, December 29 at 9:30 a.m. More information is available at www.GoLHU.com. Results: 125: Jake Field (LHU) dec. Willy Girard (BU) 9-6; LHU leads 3-0 133: Matt Noble (BU) dec. Lewis Williams (LHU) 5-3; Tied 3-3 141: Ronnie Perry (LHU) tech fall Grant Bond (BU) 15-0 (7:00); LHU leads 8-3 149: Kyle Shoop (LHU) dec. Kevin Laubach (BU) 6-3; LHU leads 11-3 157: Brendon Colbert (BU) dec. Kyle Hammond (LHU) 3-1; LHU leads 11-6 165: Jared Siegrist (LHU) major dec. Reid Stanley (BU) 10-0; LHU leads 15-6 174: Trevor Allard (BU) dec. Tyler Wood (LHU) 7-3; LHU leads 15-9 184: Kyler Murphy (BU) dec. Adam Mackie (LHU) 3-1; LHU leads 15-12 197: Tristan Sponseller (LHU) wins by forfeit; LHU leads 21-12 295: Thomas Haines (LHU) pinned Bo Spiller (BU) 4:24: LHU wins 27-12

Live Blog Oklahoma State at Cornell

If you were wondering -- or if four NCAA titles weren't enough to sway your opinion -- Logan Stieber is the man. The Ohio State graduate added a senior level world championship to his medal stand last weekend after securing the 61-kilogram gold in Budapest with an 8-4 win in the finals. Stieber's performance in the finals was nearly anticlimactic given that he won back-to-back matches in the quarterfinals and semifinals with last-second takedowns. While the action on the mats was impressive, the buzz surrounding Stieber was almost more notable. After his quarterfinal win over the Russian many people in the arena (including staff) were cued into his semifinal match against Iran. As time ran down the majority of workers, delegates and staff were biting fingernails, arms crossed and staring at Logan to see if he could pull off another upset. He did, and those people (maybe less likely to root for Americans than other nations) began a raucous applause of respect and bewilderment. He was technical, aggressive and savvy -- everything European fans of wrestling enjoy watching on the mat. Burroughs has his double leg, Snyder his stamina, but Stieber showcased something unique for an American wrestler -- creativity and adaptation. He was unique in finding turns, persistent in creating angles and aggressive from whistle to whistle. When the Iranian tied up his lead arm, Stieber adapted. To me that signaled a potential for another true American wrestling legend -- to be able to wrestler a European style, but with a distinctly American flare for the dramatic. I'm not ashamed to say I cheered out loud for Stieber, something I try my best to limit while on the job. But in the end it was all too impressive and too important. A great day for Logan Stieber and all of USA Wrestling. To your questions … Brandon Eggum coaching at the NWCA All-Star Classic (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Q: Minnesota has kept it together pretty well despite missing some key starters who are suspended. The Gophers had a strong performance in Las Vegas, and have started the season 3-1 in dual meets, which includes wins over South Dakota State and Michigan. Thoughts on the job Brandon Eggum has done so far leading Minnesota? -- Mike C. Foley: Brandon Eggum has been in the Gopher wrestling family for more than 20 years. He learned to wrestler under J Rob, lead under J Rob and refine his coaching under J Rob. From the outside, it's little surprise that he's been successful in delivering equal results through stability and accountability. We aren't in the room, but based on these results the wrestlers are adjusting to whatever quirks he may have, but their practices, techniques, lifts and culture are consistent with what J Rob provided for 30 years. As a note, that win over Michigan showed me that the Gophers have the potential to head back to the top ten in the next two years, and could even be a team to consider for a top-three finish at the National Duals. Q: I am wondering how Kyle Snyder can be enrolled in school and be out of the country wrestling instead of attending class. -- John R. Foley: I think that Snyder has limited overseas travel this semester. He's not living or training out of the country, just taking weeklong sojourns to compete against large Eastern European men with obscene amounts of back hair. Snyder took off the first semester in 2015 for his Olympic redshirt, but was back in school the second semester in early 2016. From what he told me at the time they had to petition the professors to be a little more lenient, but once they saw his level of commitment to academics they were willing to accommodate his needs. All's well. Q: I heard Cael tried to enter Mark Hall in the Midlands, but was told the field was full. Don't you think they could have made room for Hall? Is there some friction between the Midlands organizers and Cael? -- Mike C. Foley: No friction. The Northwestern wrestling program has been helping run the Midlands for decades. The tournament is historic, popular and delivers dependably deep brackets. While I think that you can be disappointed in not seeing Mark Hall compete at the tournament, the explanation for his absence is straightforward and devoid of controversy: registration was closed. According the Northwestern wrestling staff, Coach Cael contacted them this week about adding Hall. The staff had been turning down extra entries for more than five weeks and they felt it was unfair to allow Hall to enter while simultaneously turning down other requests. Being equitable and consistent is a reasonable and admirable position. I know that when I was a youngster I'd wanted to compete in that tournament, and was honored when I was accepted. Can only imagine that were I denied a late entry, but another late entry was granted access, I'd be ... well, pissed. Good on these guys for making the right decision. Hopefully Hall will be in next year's tournament. Q: Who was the most impressive wrestler at the World Championships last weekend? -- Mike C. Foley: Hard to argue against Mayu Mukaida (Japan), who posted 43 points on her four opponents while only giving up 2 points. I mean, Japanese or not, that's next-level stuff. In the finals Mukuaida tech falled a three-time word finalist who she'd only beaten 5-1 earlier in the year at the Klippan Ladies Open. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Mayu Mukaida (Japan) with her gold medal performance Logan Stieber's gold-medal match Aaron Pico been liftin', huh? Aaron Pico with J.D. Hawkins and Patrick Pico Q: Let's be honest, the non-Olympic weight World Championships in Hungary was essentially a junior varsity tournament. It was only open to those athletes who did not compete in the 2016 Olympics, which made it a tournament composed of second stringers. Why is it that UWW decided to adopt this model for World Championships? In the Olympic years of 2008 and 2012 the World Championships was held for women's freestyle for ALL the weight classes, even those that were included in the Olympic program. I assume this was done because similar to this year not all the weight classes were included in the Olympics. I get that having a tournament with all weight classes for all the styles would be costly, but it makes no sense to exclude athletes who did compete in the Olympics. Bringing in those athletes would raise the level of competition and bring about exciting matchups. Who wouldn't want to see a Haji Aliyev vs Logan Stieber matchup? Likewise it could have opened up the possibility of seeing Odunayo Adekuoroye bump up to 55 kilograms and attempt to become the first African to win a gold medal in women's freestyle. Obviously, there would be no need to have a World Championships in the same year as the Olympics, but until all the weight classes are included in the Olympic program we will likely see some event that includes those weights that are excluded. Let's hope that in 2020 UWW decides to open up the field and ensure that it is open to any athlete that is designated by their national governing body for the competition instead of this year's format. Not doing so will leave us with the same event that we had this year, a junior varsity tournament. -- Jacob R. Foley: Rubbish. I like your hot takes, but there is nothing JV about the lineups brought by some of these countries. The fact that Olympians were restricted from competing had no influence on the tournament quality since a tournament held together with all 24 weights would have been similarly restrictive. The only difference I saw was in representation from South America. Since the tournament was announced after the first of the year many of these countries lacked the budget. Missing out on a Cuban certainly took a bit away from the tournament, but it wouldn't be a competitive demerit large enough to knock down the prestige of a world title. Q: This week USA Wrestling announced the 2017 Freestyle World Team Trials will be held in Lincoln, Nebraska. Any thoughts on that selection? -- Mike C. Foley: USA Wrestling wants to draw an audience and heading to the home of what could be two world team members with ties to the University of Nebraska is certainly a smart play. In today's Internet-first world, venue is not that important to 99 percent of wrestling fans who will only ever see the event through their computer screen. Like you, I tend to enjoy the action a touch more knowing there is a full house, but as long as there is streaming, archives and some discussion before and after the event I'm happy, as are the majority of fans. That said, I'm certain that the University of Nebraska would love to see a full house so they can turn a profit off the event. Buy some tickets, people! Make a pilgrimage! Q: Allowing wrestlers to roll across/expose their own back to the mat while neutral in folkstyle is hurting our guys' defense internationally, IMO. We've talked about the need for a pushout point, but what about the need for a rule to help folkstyle more closely reflect freestyle in this area, namely, back exposure rules? What kinds of rules could we include in folkstyle to keep guys from doing this without completely switching to freestyle? -- Timmy B. Foley: I've been mulling this over for a few days and think I've found a few solutions to the epidemic of self-exposure in college wrestling. Let us first straighten out a few problem areas with the rampant scrambling seen in high school and college wrestling. The issue with a broadening of funky technique is that referees are given an immense amount of leeway from interpretation of control. With the funk becoming more technical with each scramble the length and complexity leaves the referees in a difficult, no-win decision to interpret control as given enough time the temporarily subdued wrestler will have time to gain a more neutral position. Referees' tolerance for scrambling is a change from ten years ago when wrestlers (like me in my first-round NCAA matchup with Alex Tirappelle) were considered taken down after being on the ankle for only a few seconds. This leniency has increased to the point where the wrestlers keep flopping around and the referee refuses to cite control, thinking the outcome could change given another second or two. The solution could be to permit only two back exposures in any given scramble. Once you've tried for the funk, been countered and re-countered it's time to get your chests flat to the mat and find a new way to score. The other option could be to call back points without any control. The referee would not need to signal a takedown to add up some points. Once a back in exposed for one second a count starts and once there is a second swipes (roughly three seconds total) the other wrestlers I awarded two points. Once the wrestler receives a fifth swipe it's considered a takedown and four back points. The sport has grown and while I think that it resembles grappling more than freestyle, I don't think it's directly hurting the United States' freestyle performance. I think pushouts and preventing back exposure may be helpful for the young folkstylers in their development, but unless the NCAA adopts freestyle rules it's really just trying to split the baby. Q: Thoughts on Ed Ruth's potential as an MMA fighter? Here is a link to watch his latest victory. -- Mike C. Foley: Monster performance. With a touch more self-promotion I can see Ruth with a title shot in the next 18 months.

OREM, Utah -- The Utah Valley University wrestling team won five of the last six bouts to claim a 17-16 come-from-behind victory over the five-time defending Pac-12 Champion Oregon State Beavers by criteria on Thursday night at UVU's newly named Lockhart Arena. Both teams won five matches apiece on the evening to send the contest into a 16-16 tie after all 10 bouts. The dual meet then headed to criteria, which Utah Valley (2-2, 0-0 Big 12) held the tiebreaker due to scoring the most individual match points on the night, 78-72, to record the victory over Beavers (1-3, 0-0 Pac-12) for the second consecutive season. Raider Lofthouse (157 pounds), Koy Wilkinson (165), Kimball Bastian (174), Will Sumner (184) and Tanner Orndorff (197) reeled off five straight individual victories for the Wolverines to help UVU pull out the upset victory over Oregon State, who is currently just outside of the USA Today/NWCA Top 25 Poll and ranked 23rd by Intermat. "We knew that Oregon State had three really tough guys, but we also knew that a number of the other matches would be battles tonight. If we could keep it close, we knew that we had a chance," head coach Greg Williams said. "Tanner (Orndorff), Kimball (Bastian) and Will (Sumner) all came through huge for us. I'm very proud of the way that Tanner finished his match against a ranked opponent. He's truly a workhorse and is going to do some great things in his career." With Oregon State holding to a 13-0 lead after winning the first four matches, sophomore 157-pounder Lofthouse got the Wolverines on the board thanks to a 13-8 come-from-behind win over OSU's Bryce Parson. With Parson ahead 6-0 in the opening period, Lofthouse managed to turn things around with a reversal followed by a takedown to trail by just three after the first period (7-4). The Wolverine sophomore then followed that up with a stall point to cut the deficit to two and completed the comeback with a pair of four-point nearfalls to seal the victory. The true freshman Wilkinson then followed with his 11th victory of the season thanks to earning 8-4 decision over OSU's Abraham Rodriguez to pull the Wolverines to within 13-6 on the team score. Wilkinson pulled out the victory thanks to scoring a trio of takedowns along with an escape point and a riding time point. Redshirt freshman Bastian then brought Utah Valley to within striking distance, at 13-10, by picking up a much-needed 11-3 major decision victory over Weston Dobler. With the bout tied up at 3-3 after two periods, Bastian managed to reel off an eight-point final stanza to earn the bonus-point victory. The UVU 174-pounder picked up an escape, a takedown, a late four-point nearfall, and an additional riding time point to record the 11-3 win. Sophomore 184-pounder Sumner followed with a 13-7 decision over Bob Coleman to tie the dual meet at 13-13. The UVU sophomore jumped out to an early 4-1 lead, but OSU's Coleman came back to take a 7-6 third-period advantage. Sumner then responded late with a last-second takedown and a four-point nearfall, as well as a riding time point to take the bout and tie the team score. In what might have been the biggest match of the evening, Orndorff then gave the Wolverines a 16-13 lead thanks to an 8-4 upset victory over the 2016 NCAA qualifier and 14th-ranked Corey Griego. Griego pulled out to an early 4-1 lead, but back answered Orndorff with an escape point and a late first-period takedown to tie the match at 4-4. The UVU redshirt freshman then took a 5-4 lead in the second stanza thanks to capitalizing on a stall call before sealing the upset victory with a final-period escape and a takedown to defeat the ranked Beaver and give UVU its first lead of the night. Oregon State then finally put an end to UVU's five-match winning streak when OSU heavyweight managed to pull out a tightly contested 2-1 victory over UVU's reigning Big 12 Wrestler of the Week Dustin Dennison to end the dual in a 16-16 tie. The winner of the dual meet was then determined by criteria for the first time in Utah Valley program history. With the win UVU not only moves to 1-1 on the season against Pac-12 foes, but it also evens up its all-time series history against Oregon State at 2-2. The Wolverines will now return to the road to close the calendar year at the Reno Tournament of Champion on Sunday (Dec. 18). The all-day tournament, which is dubbed the "toughest tournament in the USA" will begin at 10 a.m. MT/9 a.m. PT and will be streamed live on FloWrestling.com. Results: 125 – Kegan Calkins (OSU) Dec. Mitch Brown (UVU), 7–5 133 – Devan Turner (OSU) Dec. Jarod Maynes (UVU), 6-5 141 – #19 Joey Palmer (OSU) Maj. Dec. Chase Call (UVU), 23-11 149 – #19 Joey Delgado (OSU) Dec. Grant LaMont (UVU), 8-3 157 – Raider Lofthouse (UVU) Dec. Bryce Parson (OSU), 13-8 165 – Koy Wilkinson (UVU) Dec. Abraham Rodriguez (OSU), 8-4 174 – Kimball Bastian (UVU) Maj. Dec. Weston Dobler (OSU), 11-3 184 – Will Sumner (UVU) Dec. Bob Coleman (OSU), 13-7 197 – Tanner Orndorff (UVU) Dec. #14 Corey Griego (OSU), 8-4 285 – Cody Crawford (OSU) Dec. Dustin Dennison (UVU), 2-1

Patrick Glory won a Super 32 Challenge belt in the fall (Photo/Rob Preston) This Saturday and Sunday marks the 24th edition of the Beast of the East. No. 1 Blair Academy (N.J.) is prohibitively favored to win its 21st title in this tournament, which would be a 17th consecutive championship in the event. Wrestling starts at 8:30 a.m. ET on Saturday with the round of 16 slated for about 6:30 p.m. on that day. The second day of competition starts at 8:30 a.m. with the quarterfinals, semifinals slated for around 11:15 a.m., and the top eight placement matches scheduled for 3:15 p.m. Joining the top in the nation Buccaneers in the 90-plus team field are eight other nationally ranked teams: No. 7 Bergen Catholic (N.J.), No. 8 Bethlehem Catholic (Pa.), No. 9 Malvern Prep (Pa.), No. 12 Nazareth (Pa.), No. 15 Elyria (Ohio), No. 27 Brecksville (Ohio), No. 45 North Allegheny (Pa.), and No. 46 Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) In terms of the team standings, a number of the key teams will be competing short-handed. Bergen Catholic is expected to be missing No. 20 Josh McKenzie (195), a returning state placer; Nazareth is absent returning Beast champion Sammy Sasso (145), ranked No. 3 nationally at that weight class; and Elyria is without Ironman placer Mick Burnett (106) and Super 32 placer Tristan Brady (160). Four returning Beast of the East champions headline the field, as do eight competitors who finished second in the tournament last year. Two wrestlers ranked first in the country, along with six ranked second nationally are in the field as well. In total, 47 nationally ranked wrestlers populate the field, led by the six at 120 pounds. Below is a weight-by-weight overview of the field. 106: Five nationally ranked wrestlers populate this opening weight class, led by UWW Cadet World champion Kurt McHenry (St. Pauls, Md.), who was runner-up last year in this weight class as a very undersized wrestler. No. 5 Julian Tagg (Brecksville, Ohio) was a Cadet National freestyle champion this summer in Fargo, and won the Walsh Ironman this past weekend. Other nationally ranked wrestlers include a trio of freshmen from New Jersey: No. 14 Anthony Clark (Delbarton), Cadet freestyle runner-up Justin Bierdumpfel (Don Bosco Prep), and Walsh Ironman placer No. 19 Nick Incontera (Blair Academy). 113: Three nationally ranked wrestlers sit atop the field, including defending Beast of the East champion Michael Colaiocco (Blair Academy, N.J.); he is the top seed and ranked No. 9 in the nation. No. 10 Gabe Tagg (Brecksville, Ohio) is the second seed after his Walsh Ironman title this past weekend; while the freshman phenom Robert Howard (Bergen Catholic, N.J.) is ranked No. 2 in the nation after his Super 32 Challenge runner-up finish, but is the third seed in this weight class. Additional wrestlers to watch include National Prep runner-up Shane Hanson-Ashworth (Malvern Prep, Pa.), returning Beast placer Kyle Kaiser (Paramus, N.J.), and Cadet freestyle All-American (Elyria, Ohio). Also among the field are at least five other state champions. 120: Six wrestlers that are nationally ranked appear in this weight class, though two are ranked down at 113 pounds. Leading the way here is returning champion Patrick Glory (Delbarton, N.J.), who is ranked No. 3 nationally and the tournament's top seed. The next two seeds are No. 4 Matthew Parker (Pennridge, Pa.) and No. 13 Ryan Anderson (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.); Parker is a two-time state placer, including his runner-up finish this past season, while Super 32 placer Anderson was runner-up at the Ironman. Also ranked are 2015 Super 32 Challenge runner-up JoJo Aragona (Pope John, N.J.), who is No. 7 nationally at 113; Super 32 placer Jakob Camacho (Danbury, Ct.), No. 15 in the country at this weight class; along with Logan Macri (Canon-McMillan, Pa.), a Super 32 placer down at 113 and No. 13 nationally in that weight class. Other stars in the field include Junior National freestyle All-American Mike Madara (Blair Academy, N.J.), Super 32 placer Killian Cardinale (Brentsville, Va.), multi-time state placer Chris Wright (Central Dauphin, Pa.), Ironman placer Ryan O'Grady (Nazareth, Pa.), and freshman phenom Connor O'Neill (DePaul Catholic, N.J.). At least another pair of state champions are present in this field. Not among the seeds would be state medalist Lucas Revano (Camden Catholic, N.J.), though it is only a guess that he would be in this weight class. 126: Five wrestlers that are nationally ranked, including the top four seeds, are present in the field. Leading the way is two-time Cadet National double champion Nick Raimo (Hanover Park, N.J.), who is ranked No. 5 nationally; rounding out the top four seeds are No. 16 Chris Cannon (Blair Academy, N.J.), a National Prep champion; No. 12 Julian Chlebove (Northampton, Pa.), state champ as a freshman; and No. 15 Daniel Planta (St. Paul's, Md.), a three-time National Prep placer. Also ranked nationally is Connor McGonagle (Timberlane, N.H.), a Super 32 placer down at 120 who is ranked No. 16 in the country at that weight class. Others to watch include two-time state placer Carmen Ferrante (Bergen Catholic, N.J.); at least three multi-time state champions, a group led by Colin Gerardi (Powhatan, Va.); at least three other state champions, led by Levi Englman (Colonial Forge, Va.); as well as state medalist Daniel Percelay (DePaul Catholic, N.J.). Not seeded but worth a watch, if in this weight class, is NHSCA Junior Nationals placer Jake Cherry (Central Dauphin, Pa.). 132: Three nationally ranked wrestlers are present in this weight class, led by No. 6 Zach Sherman (Blair Academy, N.J.), the tournament's top seed and a Junior National freestyle All-American. Other ranked wrestlers include No. 16 Quinn Kinner (Kingsway Regional, N.J.), a two-time state placer and two-time Flo Nationals placer; along with No. 19 Andrew Wert (Central Dauphin, Pa.), a 2015 state placer and 2015 Super 32 placer. Additional wrestlers to watch in this weight class are Flo Nationals placer Marshall Keller (Christiansburg, Va.), Super 32 placer K.J. Fenstermacher (Northampton, Pa.), UWW Cadet freestyle All-American Marco Regalbuto (Brecksville, Ohio), along with at least four other state champions. 138: The lone nationally ranked wrestler in this weight is No. 13 Gerard Angelo (Bergen Catholic, N.J.), the tournament's top seed and a runner-up last year in the 120 pound weight class at this event. Others to note in this weight class include two-time National Prep placers Malcolm Robinson (Blair Academy, N.J.) and Nathan Thacker (Gonzaga, D.C.), three-time state placer Dan Moran (Northampton, Pa.), National Prep placer P.J. Crane (Malvern Prep, Pa.), and 2015 state placer Trace Kinner (Kingsway Regional, N.J.). 145: The absence of No. 3 Sammy Sasso (Nazareth, Pa.), the defending champion at 138 pounds, certainly opens up the field in this weight class. Though seeded second, the lone wrestler ranked nationally in this weight is No. 17 (at 152) Phil Conigliaro (Belmont Hill, Mass.); the Junior National freestyle All-American is a two-time National Prep placer. The top seed in this weight class is returning Beast of the East runner-up Nicholas Santos (St. Peter's Prep), also a New Jersey state placer. Other contenders include two-time state placer Jake Hinkson (North Allegheny, Pa.), three-time National Prep placer Quinn Devaney (McDonogh, Md.), National Prep placer Ethan Krause (Georgetown Prep, Md.), two-time state champion Chase Archangelo (Smyrna, Del.), Cadet freestyle All-American Brian Meyer (Phillipsburg, N.J.), and two-time National Prep placer Josh Wyland (Benedictine Prep, Va.). 152: A trio of nationally ranked wrestlers is led by returning Beast of the East champion David Carr (Massillon Perry, Ohio), who is ranked second nationally. Two-time New Jersey state champion Shane Griffith (Bergen Catholic) is ranked No. 7 nationally and the second seed, while No. 8 Julian Ramirez (Blair Academy, N.J.) is the fifth seed; Ramirez lost a 15-9 decision to Carr in the Ironman semifinal, squandering an 8-2 second period lead in the process. Other contenders include state runner-up Brock Wilson (Nazareth, Pa.), National Prep placers John Manning (Villanova, Ontario) and Bailey Thomas (Bood Counsel, Md.), three-time state qualifier Will Kaldes (Cumberland Valley, Pa.), freshman phenom Gerrit Nijenhuis (Canon-McMillan, Pa.), along with at least three additional state champions. 160: The top seed in this weight class is returning Beast of the East champion Chris Foca (Bergen Catholic, N.J.), who won the title down four weight classes; this fall he placed fifth in this weight class at the Super 32. Three wrestlers in this weight class are nationally ranked, and the next three seeds on the ladder: No. 7 Hunter Bolen (Christiansburg, Va.), a runner-up at this tournament last year; No. 5 Kyle Cochran (Paramus, N.J.), who won the Super 32 title at 160 pounds; and No. 11 Andrew Merola (Blair Academy, N.J.), a National Prep champion and last weekend a runner-up at the Ironman. Other contenders include NHSCA Sophomore Nationals champion Josh Stillings (Pennridge, Pa.), 2015 state placer Joe Koontz (Massillon Perry, Ohio), two-time state placer Jared Lough (Colonial Forge, Va.), state qualifier Quentin Milliken (Cumberland Valley, Pa.), Super 32 placer Skitch Light (Central Dauphin, Pa.), along with at least three other state champions. 170: The top two seeds in this weight class were both runners-up at the Beast of the East last year, No. 2 Michael Labriola (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.) and No. 5 Ryan Karoly (Malvern Prep, Pa.); they also met in the finals at the Walsh Ironman this past week, with Labriola winning a 6-3 decision victory. Two others are nationally ranked in this weight class, No. 13 Bryan McLaughlin (Woodbridge, N.J.) and Emil Soehnlen (Massillon Perry, Ohio); the pair of Super 32 placers are seeded fifth and sixth. Other contenders include multi-time state placer Dom Mandarino (Don Bosco Prep, N.J.) and Leo Tarantino (Blair Academy, N.J.), National Prep runner-up Dale Tiongson (St. Paul's, Md.), along with a pair of 2015 state champions including Michael Battista (Broad Run, Va.). 182: Four nationally ranked wrestlers headline the field in this weight class, including the pair of wrestlers that met in the Ironman final this past weekend, No. 1 Michael Beard (Malvern Prep, Pa.) and No. 5 Travis Stefanik (Nazareth, Pa.); Beard, a runner-up last year at the Beast, won that match by 17-9 major decision. Also ranked nationally in this weight class are No. 8 A.J. Pedro (Phillips Exeter, N.J.), a Junior National freestyle All-American, and a Super 32 placer in No. 14 Drew Peck (Chambersburg, Pa.). Others to watch include two-time state placer J.T. Brown (Elyria, Ohio); state placers Zack Blackiston (Massillon Perry, Ohio) and L.J. Castellano (Delbarton, N.J.); National Prep placers David Schultz (Mt. St. Joseph's, Md.) and Carter Davis (St. Christopher's, Va.); along with state champion Stanley Smeltzer (Smithfield, Va.). 195: Three nationally ranked wrestlers populate the field in this weight class, led by No. 3 Brandon Kui (DePaul Catholic, N.J.), the tournament's top seed. Seeded third is No. 4 John Borst (Sherando, Va.), a Super 32 champion and Junior National freestyle runner-up, while No. 11 Jake Woodley (North Allegheny, Pa.) is seeded fourth. The second seed is three-time state placer Nick Mosco (Blair Academy, N.J.), last year's National Prep runner-up at 220 pounds. Others to watch include Junior National double All-American Miles Lee (New Philadelphia, Pa.), state placer Colin McCracken (Waynesburg, Pa.), a pair of Delaware state champions, 2015 National Prep placer Brian Hennessey (St. John's, D.C.), and state runner-up Robert Henesey (Poquoson, Va.). 220: Three wrestlers are nationally ranked in what is an overall robust weight at the Beast of the East, especially for an upper-weight. The top two seeds are No. 1 Chase Singletary (Blair Academy, N.J.), champion at the Ironman last week and runner-up at the Beast of the East last year; along with No. 20 Jeffrey Allen (Amherst County, Va.), a Junior National double All-American this summer. Seeded fifth is No. 8 Francis Duggan (Cedar Cliff, Pa.), a two-time lower placer at state and a Junior National freestyle All-American this past summer. Other contenders include National Prep placer Brady Daniel (Good Counsel, Md.), two-time state placer Robet Melise (Phillipsburg, N.J.), Super 32 placers Joe Soreco (DePaul Catholic, N.J.) and Peter Acciardi (Don Bosco Prep, N.J.), along with state placer Devin Fontznez (Saucon Valley, Pa.). 285: Four nationally ranked wrestlers feature in this weight class led by Ironman champion Niko Camacho (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.), the tournament's top seed and the No. 7 wrestler in the country. Rounding out the top four seeds are No. 12 Eric Chakonis (Don Bosco Prep, N.J.), No. 8 Kevin Vough (Elyria, Ohio), and No. 17 Seth Janney (Malvern Prep, Pa.). Other contenders include National Prep placer P.J. Mustipher (McDonogh, Md.) and Super 32 champion Brendan Furman (Canon-McMillan, Pa.).

FULTON, Mo. -- "Pin to win" could well be the Blue Jays new battle cry when Westminster College introduces the first NCAA Division III collegiate women's and men's wrestling programs in Missouri next year, it was announced today. The wrestling teams were announced by college President Dr. Benjamin Ola. Akande, Athletic Director Tracey Braden, and Coaches Tony and Mike Eierman. "We are excited to be adding NCAA Division III wrestling to our outstanding athletics program here at Westminster College," Akande said. "And, we're equally proud of the fact our Lady Blue Jay's wrestling team will be only one of 10 women's wrestling teams at private colleges and universities in the country." Akande said wrestling is a growing collegiate sport, especially in the Midwest. In Missouri alone, he said, there are 6,800 high school male wrestlers, "but no Division III collegiate wrestling programs in the state, where they can continue to pursue their passion for wrestling." Women's wrestling also is taking off, with more than 13,400 high school female wrestlers competing at state championships in six states, Braden said, adding that there are 31 collegiate women's wrestling teams on large and small campuses across the U.S. The Eierman brothers will provide Olympic quality coaching for Westminster wrestlers. Both coaches are well known throughout the Midwest for their competitive wrestling program based in Fulton, and especially for training and coaching wrestling champions, including Olympic Bronze medalist J'den Cox. Before coming to Mid-Missouri in 2003, Mike was a resident athlete for more than three years at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado, and over his 30-year involvement with the sport, he has trained in many other countries with some of the world's best wrestlers. Braden, the coaches, and Vice President of Enrollment Bobby Andrews will lead the development of Blue Jay wrestling into a nationally acclaimed NCAA Division III program, Akande said. The new teams will start competing against rival colleges for the 2017 wrestling season. "We are excited about the prospects of bringing this high quality athletic program to our campus, and are confident our new wrestling program will help establish a national platform for Blue Jay athletics," Akande said.

A Wrestling Life, Four Days to Glory and Vision Quest are among the many wrestling books available Whether you're seeking a special gift for a youngster just strapping on the headgear for the first time, someone who hasn't stepped onto the mat in many years, or a diehard fan of any age, books about their favorite sport -- wrestling -- are winning gift ideas. Here are some titles which have come off the presses in the past couple years. (To order a specific book -- or for more information -- click on the book's title.) Fiction To Be The Best: Overtime "To Be The Best: Overtime" -- just released -- is the third in a series of young adult novels by H.L. Hertel that follows the Castle brothers through the peaks and valleys of their high school wrestling careers. All three "To Be The Best" novels provide thrilling plot twists that will keep readers turning the pages to see what happens next ... along with well-crafted, incredibly realistic descriptions of what goes on in the wrestling practice room as well as in actual matches. Each book is available individually, or as a three-part set with special price savings. Dogs Don't Talk At the heart of "Dogs Don't Talk" -- a young adult novel by wrestler mom Nancy May -- is a high school wrestler, Benjamin McDowell, a 16-year-old who is also an honor student and an avid reader. All he wants is "a reasonably hot-looking girlfriend" (to quote the book) which he thinks will help him fit in with his wrestling teammates, and the overall student body. "Fitting in" is also an issue at home for Benjamin, as he lives with an older brother who is autistic, a younger sister who has challenges of her own as she tries to find her place in the world, a demanding father who expects him to maintain his grades and win a state title to help him land a scholarship at a good college, and a mother who converses with the family dog Rosie -- the genesis for the book's title. Real-life stories Leon Bailey: The Dream Leon Bailey is one of the pioneers of amateur wrestling in the U.S. who opened the door to other athletes of color in the sport. He was the first African-American to wrestle for the U.S. Navy at Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island in the mid-1960s who then became a Navy coach... and became the first black to win an individual title at the AAU New England Six-State Championships in 1964. The Baltimore native shares his life story in his inspiring new "Leon Bailey - The Dream" book that's uplifting and informative for readers of all ages. Dale Anderson's A Spartan Journey Dale Anderson is blessed to have been coached by three all-time great legends of wrestling -- Bob Siddens at Waterloo West High School in Iowa, and Grady Peninger and the late Doug Blubaugh at Michigan State -- as well as being life-long friends with Dan Gable. In his "A Spartan Journey: Michigan State's 1967 Miracle on the Mat" Anderson writes what he described as a "travelogue of my (wrestling) life" that culminates with the MSU Spartans becoming the first Big Ten mat program to win an NCAA team title nearly 50 years ago after having been cellar-dwellers just three years earlier. Jim Kalin's Mustang When naming the storied high school wrestling programs in the U.S., 2009 Dellinger Award-winning Amateur Wrestling News writer and second-generation Ohio State wrestler Jim Kalin makes a powerful case in his book "Mustang" that Maple Heights High School in suburban Cleveland and its head wrestling coach Mike Milkovich should be included in any list of all-time legacy mat programs. You don't have to be a Clevelander to enjoy "Mustang"; Kalin weaves together threads that connect a number of big names in wrestling who never set foot in Maple Heights but are instantly recognizable to just about any fan of the sport. Rollie Peterkin's The Cage Most wrestler memoirs tend to take readers on a journey of sorts -- a journey that traces the subject's life, from the first time he/she took up the sport, and usually ending triumphantly with a national title or Olympic medal. Former Penn wrestler Rollie Peterkin's new book "The Cage: Escaping the American Dream" takes readers on his own life journey that is something of a globe-hopping adventure tale, starting at the NCAAs in Philadelphia and concluding in Spain, with stops along the way at Wall Street, MMA fights in Peru, the Amazon River, Great Britain and Paris, with a steady stream of mind-blowing experiences along the way. Matt Brown's Mission: Accomplished Penn State's Matt Brown has accomplished much in his young life. Three Utah high school state titles. Three Big Ten championships. Three-time NCAA All-American. 2015 NCAA 174-pound championship. Army ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) member. A bachelor's and master's degree from Penn State. Numerous academic awards. If that weren't enough, Matt Brown took two years out of his college career to serve on a mission in Africa for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Oh, and he got married. He shares his impressive, inspirational and varied life story in his book "Mission: Accomplished: Reflections of an NCAA National Champion." Dan Russell's Finish Strong "How do wrestlers navigate their lives after wrestling?" Those are the words of Dan Russell, who, after achieving great things as a wrestler -- as a four-time high school state champ, four-time NCAA Division II champ, and two-time U.S. Olympic alternate in Greco-Roman -- found himself with thoughts of "What more is there?" To deal with those feelings, Russell wrote "Finish Strong: The Dan Russell Story," a wrestler memoir addressing deeper, more philosophical matters that will resonate with anyone who's lived life, even if they've never pulled on a singlet. Buried in the Maple Leaves Harry Geris was a three-time Olympic wrestler, stepping onto the mat for his adopted country, Canada ... as well as heavyweight wrestler for Oklahoma State. He was also something of a Forrest Gump or Zelig -- an individual whose life intersected with so many other significant individuals and events in wrestling in the U.S. and beyond... with a number of these encounters that opened doors for new opportunities in his life and career. "Buried in the Maple Leaves: The Untold Story of North American Wrestling Legend Harry Geris" by Shawn Geris, Harry's son, tells a compelling story of perseverance, of never giving up, of taking the extra mile to pursue dreams. Carl Adams' Think It. Believe It. Do It. Carl Adams has done it all: a two-time NCAA champ at Iowa State, two-time national freestyle titlist, a college coaching career of nearly four decades, and an entrepreneur who has developed unique products to help make wrestlers -- and the sport -- better. Now Adams shares his life story -- and his secrets to help anyone find success in any endeavor -- in his new book "Think It, Believe It. Do It." Part memoir but mostly a guidebook for readers to achieve their own brand of success, Adams shares his inspiring stories of how he overcame the odds to achieve greatness, offering ideas and guidance that readers will find motivational and practicable. Inspirational Wrestle Like a Girl In 1989, the first U.S. women's World wrestling team consisted of two wrestlers and one coach. Contrast that early start with the tremendous growth in women's wrestling, and recent successes such as Helen Maroulis becoming the first U.S. woman to win a gold medal at this summer's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. "Wrestle Like a Girl" by esteemed wrestling writers Craig Sesker and Jamie Moffatt shares the stories of women who overcame stereotypes, discrimination and other obstacles to make their mark in the sport. To order, visit www.wrestlelikeagirl.org; all proceeds go to support this organization. Michael Fessler's The Wrestler Former Missouri high school state champ and Minnesota state finalist Michael Fessler has just completed his third book, "The Wrestler: A Life of Passion and the Pursuit of Greatness", which he has described as being "today's me talking to my younger self" ... all with the idea of helping today's wrestlers gain thoughtful perspective on their careers while they're still competing. Fessler, who in addition to authoring two books relating to faith and wrestling, has been writing a blog for MissouriWrestling.com which has been well-received throughout the nation ... and while it serves as the inspiration for "The Wrestler", most of the new book's thoughts and reflections on the sport are new, not contained in his blog, nor in his previous two books. Michael Fessler's They're Just Not Interested A couple years after writing his incredibly popular "Faith and Wrestling" book, former wrestler and graduate of theology Michael Fessler crafted a follow-up book geared to a wider audience -- yet still very applicable for the wrestling community -- titled "They're Just Not Interested: Rediscovering Our Faith and Approaching Non-Believers with the Faith of a Wrestler." As Fessler told InterMat, "I wanted to explore how churches reach out to others -- and how they wrestle with issues in connecting with those who aren't part of the church ... Fifteen percent of Americans consider themselves to be 'spiritual' but don't consider themselves to be Christian. They want to know 'How does spirituality impact my life?'" Wrestling with Business There are powerful parallels between the world of business and the sport of wrestling. The elements that mean success on the wrestling mat -- hard work, tenacity, self-control, self-discipline, commitment, drive -- also translate to success in business at all levels, whether as a sales rep or a CEO. Jeff Spain, former NCAA wrestler and now successful life insurance sales and marketing executive, shares his experience, observations and insights into the aspects that make individuals winners in athletics and in business in his book, "Wrestling With Business: How Success on the Mat Leads to Success in Business." While Spain's book offers inspiration to former wrestlers now in the business world, its lessons are applicable to young athletes still in the sport. Must-Read Reference Pennsylvania Wrestling Handbook, 2016-2017 Compiled by award-winning wrestling writer Tom Elling and updated each year, "Pennsylvania Wrestling Handbook" is the go-to source for the sport in the Keystone State. Features every PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association) returning wrestler who was in PIAA or PIAST series tournaments, including won-loss records, weight, graduation year and tournament placement. In addition, you'll find every PIAA placer from 1938-2016, as well as placer results for major tournaments featuring Pennsylvania wrestlers. The History of Collegiate Wrestling First published in 2005, "The History of Collegiate Wrestling: A Century of Wrestling Excellence" was late wrestling historian Jay Hammond's definitive book covering the first 100 years of intercollegiate wrestling. The original 380-page hardback provides a season-by-season analysis, along with feature articles including profiles of significant wrestlers, coaches and programs, analysis of rules changes, and other elements to add to a reader's understanding of college wrestling through the years. This edition has been updated to provide coverage through the 2016 college season. This hardcover edition (including 2006-2016 addendum) is now available for just $19.95 each through Thursday, Dec. 8. In addition, an updated e-book version is also available. Legends of Michigan: Cliff Keen Mention the name Cliff Keen and large numbers of wrestlers and fans will immediately think of the company that provides wrestling gear. However, the man Cliff Keen is much more than an entrepreneur who launched that business. Keen was head coach of the University of Michigan wrestling program for 45 years, the longest tenure of any head coach at the Ann Arbor school ... and an assistant football coach for the Wolverines for 33 years, the longest-serving football coach at Michigan. This monumental book, written by Dave Taylor, is rich with detail on the Michigan wrestling program and is a book no fan of Wolverine sports should be without. Historical stocking stuffers The National Wrestling Hall of Fame offers a number of compact, quick-read books on historical aspects of the oldest and greatest sport that make unbeatable stocking stuffers for wrestlers and fans of all ages. Among the titles now available: "The Wrestling Presidents: From Pins to Patriots" ... "Family Ties: An American Wrestling Tradition" (which documents 138 families that have immediate family members who were NCAA Division I All-Americans, Senior World Tem members, or Olympic Team members) ... "The African-American Wrestling Experience" ... and "The Native American Wrestling Experience." Classics Foxcatcher In "Foxcatcher: The True Story of My Brother's Murder, John du Pont's Madness, and the Quest for Olympic Gold," 1984 Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler Mark Schultz's memoir, reveals the real story behind why he and his brother Dave Schultz came to the Foxcatcher Farms wrestling training facility owned by multimillionaire John du Pont, heir to the du Pont chemical fortune. Mark Schultz's book served as the basis for the 2014 movie of the same name, starring Channing Tatum as Mark Schultz, Mark Ruffalo as Dave, and Steve Carell as du Pont. A Wrestling Life: The Inspiring Stories of Dan Gable As a high school student, Scott Schulte first met Dan Gable at a wrestling clinic in Connecticut decades ago, serving as a "dummy" for the iconic wrestler and coach to demonstrate a move. The writer reconnected with Gable in 2012, with the idea of writing a new kind of biography on the Iowa State wrestler and University of Iowa coach who won the gold medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics. The two spent considerable time together, with Schulte gathering stories which are shared in "A Wrestling Life: The Inspiring Stories of Dan Gable." A Season on the Mat Nolan Zavoral's classic "year in the life" book chronicles the dramatic 1996-97 season of the Iowa Hawkeyes, in which Dan Gable led his team -- far from his most talented -- to the national title. "Season on the Mat" takes readers behind the scenes to provide an incredible perspective into how a top collegiate wrestling program works ... along with insights into the legendary coach and how he managed to get the most from his athletes. Four Days to Glory In "Four Days To Glory: Wrestling With The Soul Of The American Heartland", Mark Kreidler tells the stories of Jay Borschel and Dan LeClere as they work toward their fourth Iowa high school state wrestling championship. This incredibly well-crafted book reveals the forces that drive young men through a grueling routine of early-morning and late-night workouts, social isolation, and making weight. Vision Quest You've seen the 1985 movie "Vision Quest" dozens of times, and worn out multiple copies of its popular soundtrack. But ... have you ever read the book? Terry Davis' "Vision Quest" is a classic coming-of-age novel well worth reading, as it serves up surprises and rewards for readers who can recite lines from the movie in their sleep. Copies sold by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame have been autographed by the author. For fans of "Vision Quest" novel/movie, here's a gift idea that will wear well: unique T-shirts featuring iconic images of Brian Shute, the undefeated state champion wrestler who was Louden Swain's nemesis, sold by the man who brought Shute to life in the film, Frank Jasper. Visit www.shuteshirts.com.

BOONE, N.C. -- Senior 125-pounder Vito Pasone (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./E.L. Meyers) upset Campbell's No. 11 wrestler en route to Appalachian State University wrestling's impressive 24-13 win over the Camels on Wednesday night at Varsity Gym. Pasone came out of the gates quickly, controlling the tempo and forcing his will from the very beginning against Campbell's Nathan Kraisser. Once the momentum was on the senior's side, Pasone never let up, eventually taking the weight class with a 9-3 decision. The Mountaineers (6-1, 2-0 Southern Conference) won five of the last six bouts to seal the victory over the Camels (3-3, 0-1 SoCon), beginning with an all-out barnburner at the 197-pound weight class between sophomore Randall Diabe (Greensboro, N.C./James B. Dudley) and Campbell's Willie Bivens III. Diabe used a quick start to put Bivens on his heels, however, the Camel would battle back toward the end to force the sudden death round at the end of three periods. Once in the overtime period, Diabe got caught in a bind early but made his way out of it without giving up points before returning the favor with a two-point takedown to get the 9-7 sudden victory and bring the Mountaineers within one, 8-9. Senior No. 8 heavyweight Denzel Dejournette (Winston-Salem, N.C./R.J. Reynolds) carried the momentum forward to put Appalachian up on the team score, taking down Jere Heino in a quick 7-2 decision, to give App the 11-9 lead. After Pasone's match, freshman Colby Smith (Wentzville, Mo./Holt) continued his impressive year at the 133-pound weight class. Facing Jonathan Ryan, the two battled tough for 6:06 before Smith got the decisive pin. Sophomore No. 20 149-pounder Matt Zovistoski (Paramus, N.J./St. Joseph Regional) sealed the win for the Mountaineers in the final bout of the evening against Benjamin Barton. After a close first period, Zovistoski took over the match and recorded the 13-3 major decision to get the win. Appalachian had to battle back from losing three of its first four matches of the day as things got off to a sluggish start. A shining part of the first half of play came when junior Nick Kee (Laurinburg, N.C./Scotland) made a furious start to the 174-pound match, getting takedown after takedown and a few near-falls. Kee would end up getting the 17-2 technical fall victory over Alexander Herringshaw. The Black and Gold only dropped a total of four matches all night, as freshman Gavin Londoff (St. Louis, Mo./Holt) and senior Forrest Przybysz (Jefferson, Ga./Jefferson) fell in decisions decided by less than five points each. Junior David Peters-Logue (Hillsborough, N.C./Orange) fell by just three points off a late takedown while Irvin Enriquez (Aberdeen, N.C./Pinecrest) fell 16-6 in a major decision. Appalachian State wrestling now heads on the road for the next three weeks, traveling to wrestle SIUE in Edwardsville, Ill. on Sunday, Dec. 18 at 5 p.m. and Missouri at Columbia, Mo. on Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 2 p.m. The Mountaineers then start of 2017 on New Year's Day when they head to the Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Apps will return home on Sunday, Jan. 8 when they host The Citadel and Clarion in Varsity Gym. Action will begin at 2 p.m. Results: 157: Austin Kraisser (CAM) def. Gavin Londoff (APP), 4-1 dec. 165: Quentin Perez (CAM) def. Forrest Przybysz (APP), 9-4 dec. 174: Nick Kee (APP) def. Alexander Herringshaw (CAM), 17-2 TF 184: Ville Heino (CAM) def. David Peters-Logue (APP), 8-5 dec. 197: Randall Diabe (APP) def. Willie Bivens III (CAM), 9-7/S-V - 8-9 HWT: #8 Denzel Dejournette (APP) def. Jere Heino (CAM), 7-2 dec. -11-9 125: Vito Pasone (APP) def. #11 Nathan Kraisser (CAM), 9-3 dec. - 14-9 133: Colby Smith (APP) def. Jonathan Ryan (CAM), pinned (6:06) - 20-9 141: Joshua Heil (CAM) def. Irvin Enriquez (APP), 16-6 maj dec. - 20-13 149: #20 Matt Zovistoski (APP) def. Benjamin Barton (CAM), 13-3 maj dec.

Forty excellent teams from primarily the Midwest and Great Plains will convent at Hale Arena for the Kansas City (Mo.) Stampede on Friday and Saturday. Wrestling starts at 2:00 p.m. Central Time on Friday afternoon, while action continues on Saturday with sessions at 8:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Among those in the field are four teams ranked in this week's edition of the InterMat Fab50: No. 17 Sand Springs (Okla.), No. 21 Tuttle (Okla.), No. 25 Goddard (Kansas), and No. 44 Park Hill (Mo.) Below is a list of wrestlers to watch in the field by projected weight class. 106 - Cevion Severado (CBC, Mo.), Trey Crawford (Park Hill, Mo.), Cale Johnson (Tuttle, Okla.), Riley Wier (Sans Springs, Okla.), Dylan Avery (Perry, Okla.), Sam Latona (Thompson, Ala.) 113 - Kelvin Eblen (Park Hill, Mo.), Cody Phippen (Platte County, Mo.), Kai Orrine (Seckman, Mo.), Logan Ashton (Buford, Ga.), Caleb Tanner (Collinsville, Okla.), Jonathan Ortegron (Canyon Randall, Texas) 120 - No. 9 Paxton Rosen (Edmond North, Okla.), No. 11 Malik Johnson (CBC, Mo.), Clayton Singh (Kearney, Mo.), Rhett Golowenski (Tuttle, Okla.), Cameron Fusco (Seckman, Mo.), Austin Kolvek (Park Hill, Mo.), Cale Betchan (Perry, Okla.) 126 - No. 18 Weston DiBlasi (Park Hill, Mo.), Joshua Saunders (CBC, Mo.), Marcus Robinson (Arkansas City, Kansas), Korbin Meink (Skutt Catholic, Neb.), Blake Sargent (Sand Springs, Okla.), Xavier Torres (Canyon Randall, Texas), Will Spexarth (Goddard, Kansas), Gabe Hixenbaugh (Thompson, Ala.) 132 - No. 1 Daton Fox (Sand Springs, Okla.), Conner Ward (Mill Valley, Kansas), Jake Watters (Dowling Catholic, Iowa), Dustin Plott (Tuttle, Okla.), Bailer Thompson (Canyon Randall, Texas), Kaj Perez (Garden City, Kansas), Lane Glover (Goddard, Kansas), Josh Steele (Park Hill, Mo.), Eli Larrivierre (Jesuit, La.) 138 - No. 5 Tanner Litterell (Tuttle, Okla.), Nate Keim (Collinsville, Okla.), Alex Rivera (Smithville, Mo.), Kruz Simons (Edmond North, Okla.), Cade Lindsey (Derby, Kansas), Jack Karstetter (Sand Springs, Okla.), Jake Beeson (Arkansas City, Kansas) 145 - No. 18 Brik Filippo (Tuttle, Okla.), Garrett Lange (Goddard, Kansas), Beau Bratcher (Sand Springs, Okla.), Kendon Lee (Stillwater, Okla.) 152 - Mason Reiniche (Baylor School, Tenn.), Elijah Tanner (Collinsville, Okla.), Kameron Frame (Goddard, Kansas), Trent Ferguson (Buford, Ga.), Thomas Lisher (Park Hill, Mo.), Xavery Washington (Hayfield, Va.) 160 - No. 13 Emille Shannon (CBC, Mo.), Billy Higgins (Skutt Catholic, Neb.), Kendall Frame (Goddard, Kansas), Drew Nicholson (Christian Brothers, Tenn.) 170 - Sammy Cokeley (St. James Academy, Kansas), Devin Winston (Park Hill, Mo.), Christian Bahl (Stillwater, Okla.), Tanner Johnson (Tuttle, Okla.), Thomas Brackett (Christian Brothers, Tenn.), Jesse Nunez (Garden City, Kansas), Troy Fisher (Goddard, Kansas) 182 - No. 9 Chase Shiltz (Creston, Iowa), No. 12 Clay Lautt (St. James Academy, Kansas), No. 18 Khamari Whimper (Baylor School, Tenn.), Austin Andres (Goddard, Kansas) 195 - No. 9 Jake Boyd (Smithville, Mo.), No. 19 Zach Elam (Staley, Mo.), Cale Davidson (Goddard, Kansas), Kaden Sauer (Dowling Catholic, Iowa), Austin Sharp (Park Hill, Mo.) 220 - No. 7 Quinn Miller (Archer, Ga.), Kadon Hulett (Creston, Iowa), Adrian Hitchcock (Neosho, Mo.), Casey Jumps (Platte County, Mo.) 285 - No. 5 Brey Walker (Southmoore, Okla.), Tyler Shannon (Arkansas City, Kansas), Corey Dublin (Jesuit, La.), Trey Mason (Tuttle, Okla.)

There was a time about 20 years ago during the early years of the Reno Tournament of Champions that it was regarded as THE high school wrestling tournament of the regular season. However, that is no longer the case. That being said, it is still an excellent tournament with many talented teams an individuals. Even with three-time defending champion Poway (Calif.), which is ranked No. 14 nationally, not returning; the field is not lacking for oomph. There are five nationally ranked teams present: No. 16 Allen (Texas), No. 19 Choctaw (Okla.), No. 34 Pomona (Colo.), No. 38 Roseburg (Ore.), and No. 50 Wasatch (Utah). It should be noted that Allen and Pomona will be without multiple wrestlers due to their schools' success in football. Allen will be missing 2015 state champion Juwan Robinson (152) and returning state champion Evan Hackett (170/182), while freshman sensation A.J. Ferrari will be double-entered at 160 pounds along with No. 20 Braeden Redlin. Pomona will reportedly be without No. 15 Theorius Robison (138) and four other wrestlers with state tournament experience. The following is a list of wrestlers to watch by weight class in this tournament: 106 - No. 4 Brandon Kaylor (Bonney Lake, Wash.), Hunter Sparks (Roseburg, Ore.), Brenden Chaowanapibool (Bonney Lake, Wash.), Wyatt Yapoujian (Pomona, Colo.) 113 - Colt Newton (Choctaw, Okla.), Ty Smith (Virgin Valley, Nev.), Garrett Ricks (Box Elder, Utah), Dalton Stutzman (Layton, Utah), Justin Pacheco (Pomona, Colo.) 120 - No. 5 Ian Timmins (Wooster, Nev.), Coltan Yapoujian (Pomona, Colo.), Brandon Meikel (Kearns, Utah), Logan Brown (Allen, Texas), Izaak Olejnik (Bakersfield, Calif.), Enrique Landeros (Orland, Calif.), Bennett Moudy (Coweta, Okla.), Legend Lamer (Crescent Valley, Ore.), Cameron Thompson (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 126 - Jet Taylor (Sallisaw, Okla.), Jaxon Cole (North Summit, Utah), Yonathan Esquivel (Orland, Calif.), Hunter Matney (Ponderosa, Colo.), Reece Witcraft (Coweta, Okla.), Patrick Ramirez (De La Salle, Calif.) 132 - No. 15 Gary Joint (Lemoore, Calif.), Conner Holman (Choctaw, Okla.), Orion Gutierrez (Rio Rancho, N.M.), Bennett Mesa (Roseburg, Ore.), Zak Kohler (Wasatch, Utah), Jacob Baird (Virgin Valley, Nev.) 138 - No. 7 J.J. Figueroa (Bakersfield, Calif.), Jaxen Gilmore (Yukon, Okla.) 145 - No. 4 Navonte Demison (Bakersfield, Calif.), Ryan Rochford (Rio Rancho, N.M.), Corbin Smith (Wasatch, Utah), Logan Jensen (Herriman, Utah), Jed Loveless (Payson, Utah), Peyton Omania (De La Salle, Calif.), Gabe Fisher (Grundy, Va.) 152 - No. 13 Brock Hardy (Box Elder, Utah), Jason Romero (Pomona, Colo.), James Fisher (Centennial, Idaho), Chase Vincent (Yukon, Okla.), McKay Foy (Altamont, Utah), Jacob McNutt (Grundy, Va.), Taten Ringel (North Summitt, Utah) 160 - No. 3 Layne van Anrooy (Roseburg, Ore.), No. 14 Jaron Chavez (Centennial, Idaho), No. 20 Braeden Redlin (Allen, Texas), A.J. Ferrari (Allen, Texas), Jaryn Curry (Choctaw, Okla.), Matt Goings (Churchill County, Nev.), Ryan Hansen (Maple Mountain, Utah) 170 - No. 14 Andrew Berreyesa (Reno, Nev.), No. 18 Hayden Hastings (Sheridan, Wyo.), Zane Coleman (Choctaw, Okla.), Sam Loera (Bakersfield, Calif.), Drake Engelking (Longmont, Colo.), Wyatt Jessen (Altamont, Utah), Cole Moody (Bingham, Utah), Jakob Discher (Wasatch, Utah) 182 - Owen Pentz (Morgan, Utah), Ryan Reyes (Clovis West, Calif.), Easton Rendleman (Choctaw, Okla.), Drake McAdow (Damonte Ranch, Nev.), Ritchie Heywood (Wasatch, Utah) 195 - Chayce Loveless (Payson, Utah), Ashton Seely (Juab, Utah), Adrian Godinez (Foothill, Calif.), Mark Inglehart (Allen, Texas), Joey Miller (McQueen, Nev.), D.J. Cohen (Wasatch, Utah), Angel Solis (Lemoore, Calif.) 220 - No. 2 Cohlton Schultz (Ponderosa, Colo.), No. 17 Darryl Aiello (De La Salle, Calif.), Haydn Maley (Roseburg, Ore.), Bear Hughes (Coweta, Okla.), Brandon Closson (Pleasant Grove, Utah), Nico Manzonelli (Allen, Texas), Chase Trussell (Morgan, Utah), Tommy Mommer (Cibola, Ariz.), Zach Heese (Battle Mountain, Nev.), Randin Pentz (North Summitt, Utah) 285 - Mason Watt (Broomfield, Colo.), Brett Walker (Delta, Utah), Brandon Kuipper (Columbia, Idaho)

The toughest individual bracket tournament to be held this year in the state of Minnesota will be this Friday and Saturday at the Rochester Community and Technical College. Competing for one championship will be 11 of the top 12 teams in Minnesota's big-school division (Class 3A) per The Guillotine, along with four of the top five in Class 2A, and two top five teams in Class 1A. Furthering the field are the top two teams from North Dakota, a returning runner-up from Illinois Class 2A (medium school), the top team in Division 1 and Division 2 from Wisconsin, and the returning state runners-up from Division 1 (big-school) in Arizona. From that group, four teams are ranked among the InterMat Fab50, all are from Minnesota: No. 29 Kasson-Mantroville, No. 32 Shakopee, No. 33 Anoka, and No. 36 Apple Valley. Below is a list of individuals to watch by weight class (Minnesota unless noted): 106 - Max Crowe (Shakopee), Ryan Sokol (Simley) 113 - No. 3 Travis Ford-Melton (Marian Catholic, Ill.), No. 6 Aaron Cashman (Shakopee), Colby Njos (Anoka), Trayton Anderson (Farmington), Jake Svihel (Totino-Grace), Justin Sampson (Waseca) 120 - No. 18 Patrick McKee (St. Michael-Albertville), Israel Navarro (Willmar), Carson Manville (Shakopee), Garrett Vos (Waconia), Dylan Droegemueller (Anoka), Ryan Ripplinger (Bismarck, N.D.), Justin Harms (West Fargo, N.D.) 126 - No. 2 Roman Bravo-Young (Sunnyside, Ariz.), Jake Gliva (Simley), Carlos Champagne (Marian Catholic, Ill.), Curtis LeMair (Prior Lake) 132 - No. 11 Brent Jones (Shakopee), Sam Stuhl (Ellsworth, Wis.), Donnell Washington (Marian Catholic, Ill.), Tanner Cole (Owatonna), Adam McSorley (Hastings), Sebas Swiggum (Apple Valley), Cael Carlson (Willmar), Jackson Stauffacher (Scott West) 138 - No. 6 Jake Bergeland (Centennial), Peyton Robb (Owatonna), Garrett Aldrich (Albert Lea), Tyler Eischens (Anoka), Trent Leon (Kaukauna, Wis.), Keaton Schorr (Kasson-Mantorville) 145 - Tyler Shilson (Centennial), Calvin Germinaro (Anoka), Alex Crowe (Shakopee), Jared Franek (West Fargo, N.D.), Teddy Pierce (St. Francis), Nate Larson (Apple Valley), Garrett Wagener (Waconia), David Salazar (Sunnyside, Ariz.) 152 - No. 15 Alex Lloyd (Shakopee), Zach Lee (Kaukauna, Wis.), Josh Jones (Marian Catholic, Ill.), Mason Hall (St. Francis) 160 - No. 1 Brady Berge (Kasson-Mantorville), No. 2 Jake Allar (St. Michael-Albertville), Tony Struntz (St. Francis), Michael Foy (Crete-Monee, Ill.) 170 - Kenny O'Neil (Prior Lake), Patrick Kennedy (Kasson-Mantorville), Grant Parrish (Forest Lake) 182 - No. 19 Kendall Norfleet (Marian Catholic, Ill.), Jesse Shearer (West Fargo, N.D.), Trey Rogers (Hastings), Tyler Buesgens (Scott West), Caden Steffen (Zumbrotta-Mazeppa), Jared Florell (Totino-Grace), Sebastian Mordecai (Sunnyside, Ariz.) 195 - No. 10 Daniel Kerkvleit (Simley), No. 13 Brandon Moen (Owatonna), No. 18 Sam Grove (Moorhead), Noah Ryan (Kasson-Mantorville), Chase Teiken (West Fargo, N.D.), Justin Bergquist (Bismarck, N.D.), Mike Delich (Eastview) 220 - Evan Foster (St. Michael-Albertville), Jackson Schichel (Hastings) 285 - No. 1 Gable Steveson (Apple Valley), No. 4 Brandon Metz (West Fargo, N.D.), Brady Reigstad (Willmar), Keaton Kluever (Kaukauna, Wis.), Aaron Moore (Minnetonka), Luke Zaiser (Simley)

Despite the lack of a nationally ranked team within the field at the King of the Mountain Tournament this weekend, there will be many excellent teams and wrestlers present at the event hosted by Central Mountain High School, which is in Lock Haven (Pa.) Five teams each finished within the top fifteen at the Pennsylvania State Wrestling Championships in Class AAA and Class AA respectively. Those in the big-school division include Mifflin County, Council Rock South, Boyertown (also runners-up in the dual meet tournament), Greater Latrobe, and Exeter Township; while those in the small-school division include Huntingdon, Boiling Springs (fourth in the dual meet event), Bishop McDevitt, Chestnut Ridge, and Fort LeBoeuf. Wrestling starts on Friday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time and continues on Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. with the quarterfinal round. The championship final - along with medal matches for third, fifth, and seventh place - will occur at 4:45 p.m. Ten wrestlers in the field are nationally ranked, led by a trio ranked within the top three at their weight class nationally. Below is a list of wrestlers to watch per weight class: 106 - Kaden Cassidy (Bishop McCort) 113 - Dalton Rohrbaugh (Spring Grove), Geo Barzona (Central Mountain), Chase Shields (Bishop McDevitt) 120 - No. 14 Jakob Campbell (Boyertown), Louis Newell (Seneca Valley), Vincent DiStefanis (Hempfield Area) 126 - No. 9 Austin DeSanto (Exeter Township), Kollin Meyers (Boiling Springs), David Campbell (Boyertown), Noah Myers (Mifflin County) 132 - Jalin Hankerson (Boiling Springs), Ethan Kelly (Bishop McCort), Job Chishko (Penn Trafford) 138 - No. 16 Colin Cronin (Upper Darby), Zach Trampe (Council Rock South), Luke Kemerer (Hempfield Area), Jared McGill (Chestnut Ridge), Carnell Andrews (Bishop McCort), Josh Haley (Wyalusing) 145 - No. 2 Jarod Verkleeren (Hempfield Area), John Pipa (Bishop McDevitt), Brock Port (Bellefonte), Justin McCoy (Chestnut Ridge), Creighton Edsell (Wyalusing) 152 - No. 3 Cameron Coy (Penn Trafford), Riley Palmer (Council Rock South), Seth Baney (Huntingdon) 160 - No. 6 Trent Hidlay (Mifflin County), Morgan Deremer (Chestnut Ridge) 170 - No. 10 Jacob Oliver (Huntingdon), Ty Bagoly (Exeter Township) 182 - No. 3 Nino Bonaccorsi (Bethel Park), Anthony Walters (Bishop McCort), Cody Mulligan (Saegertown), Luke Funck (Northern Lebanon), Julian Gorring (Fort LeBoeuf) 195 - No. 14 Cole Nye (Bishop McDevitt), Blake Barrick (Big Spring) 220 - No. 18 Brian Kennerly (Upper Darby), Josiah Jones (Bishop McCort), Joe Doyle (Council Rock South) 285 - Dawson Otis (Wyalusing)Oscar Daniels (Exeter Township)

With New Jersey teams taking to the mats this weekend, everyone is now into wrestling season. That being said, this weekend is also the Alaska state wrestling championships. The following is a list of the Fab 50 teams updated as of Wednesday, Dec. 14 and their competitions through Christmas (the next Fab 50 update will be Monday 12/26). No. 1 Blair Academy, N.J. -- compete in the Beast of the East at Newark (Del.) on Saturday and Sunday No. 2 Buchanan, Calif. -- host Zinkin Classic on Friday and Saturday No. 3 St. Edward, Ohio -- compete in the Franklin Regional (Pa.) duals on Saturday, host St. Ignatius (Ohio) in dual meet on 12/22 No. 4 Lake Highland Prep, Fla. -- compete in the Bill Scott Memorial Tournament at Lyman (Fla.) on Friday and Saturday No. 5 St. Paris Graham, Ohio -- compete in the Firebird Classic at Kettering Fairmont (Ohio) on Saturday No. 6 Clovis, Calif. -- compete in the Zinkin Classic at Buchanan (Calif.) on Friday and Saturday No. 7 Bergen Catholic, N.J. -- compete in the Beast of the East at Newark (Del.) on Saturday and Sunday No. 8 Bethlehem Catholic, Pa. -- host Pocono Mountain West (Pa.) in dual meet tonight, travel to East Stroudsburg North (Pa.) for dual meet tomorrow, compete in the Beast of the East at Newark (Del.) on Saturday and Sunday, host Freedom (Pa.) in dual meet on 12/21, host Emmaus (Pa.) in dual meet on 12/22 No. 9 Malvern Prep, Pa. -- compete in the Beast of the East at Newark (Del.) on Saturday and Sunday No. 10 Olentangy Liberty, Ohio -- host the Liberty Classic on Friday and Saturday No. 11 Detroit Catholic Central, Mich. -- travel to Lake Fenton (Mich.) for double dual against the hosts and Brighton (Mich.) No. 12 Nazareth, Pa. -- host Bethlehem Liberty (Pa.) in dual meet tonight, travel to William Allen (Pa.) for dual meet tomorrow, compete in the Beast of the East at Newark (Del.) on Saturday and Sunday, host Allentown Central Catholic (Pa.) in dual meet on 12/21 No. 13 Wyoming Seminary, Pa. -- host Flo X-Calibur Tournament at Wilkes (Pa.) University on Friday and Saturday No. 14 Poway, Calif. -- compete in the Las Vegas (Nev.) Holiday Classic on Friday and Saturday No. 15 Elyria, Ohio -- compete in the Beast of the East at Newark (Del.) on Saturday and Sunday No. 16 Allen, Texas -- compete in Reno (Nev.) Tournament of Champions on Friday and Saturday, compete in the Mike Tomona Invitational at Modesto (Calif.) on 12/20 and 12/21 No. 17 Sand Springs, Okla. -- compete in the Kansas City (Mo.) Stampede at Hale Arena on Friday and Saturday No. 18 Lockport, Ill. -- travel to Friend (Ill.) for dual meet on Thursday, travel to Carl Sandburg (Ill.) for dual meet on Friday, host DeKalb (Ill.) in dual meet on 12/22, host Rockford (Ill.) Stagg in dual meet on 12/23 No. 19 Choctaw, Okla. -- compete in Reno (Nev.) Tournament of Champions on Friday and Saturday No. 20 Oak Park River Forest, Ill. -- host Glenbard West (Ill.) in dual meet tonight, compete in Rex Whitlach Invitational at Hinsdale Central (ll.) on Friday and Saturday, travel to No. 23 Washington (Ill.) for dual meet on 12/23 No. 21 Tuttle, Okla. -- compete in the Kansas City (Mo.) Stampede at Hale Arena on Friday and Saturday No. 22 Brownsburg, Ind. -- compete in Hendricks County Tournament at Danville (Ind.) on Saturday, compete in IHSWCA Team State Duals at Fort Wayne (Ind.) on 12/23 No. 23 Washington, Ill. -- compete at Yorkville (Ill.) on Saturday, host tri-meet against Limestone (Ill.) and Canton (Ill.) on Saturday, host No. 20 Oak Park River Forest, Ill. in dual meet on 12/23 No. 24 Pueblo County, Colo. -- compete in the Northern Coloado Christmas Tournament at Loveland (Colo.) on Friday and Saturday No. 25 Goddard, Kansas -- compete in the Kansas City (Mo.) Stampede at Hale Arena on Friday and Saturday No. 26 Montini Catholic, Ill. -- host tri-meet against Marmion Academy (Ill.) and Kaneland (Ill.) on Friday No. 27 Brecksville, Ohio -- compete in the Beast of the East at Newark (Del.) on Saturday and Sunday No. 28 Gilroy, Calif. -- compete in the Zinkin Classic at Buchanan (Calif.) on Friday and Saturday No. 29 Kasson-Mantorville, Minn. -- compete in the Minnesota Christmas Tournament at RCTC on Friday and Saturday, host tri-meet against Triton (Minn.) and Byron (Minn.) on 12/20 No. 30 Camden County, Ga. -- compete in the Coastal Clash at Charleston (S.C.) on 12/22 and 12/23 No. 31 Long Beach, N.Y. -- host dual meet against McArthur (N.Y.) tonight, compete in Garden City (N.Y.) Duals on Saturday No. 32 Shakopee, Minn. -- travel to Lakeville North (Minn.) for dual meet tomorrow, compete in the Minnesota Christmas Tournament at RCTC on Friday and Saturday No. 33 Anoka, Minn. -- compete in the Minnesota Christmas Tournament at RCTC on Friday and Saturday No. 34 Pomona, Colo. -- travel to Bear Creek (Colo.) for dual meet tonight, compete in Reno (Nev.) Tournament of Champions on Friday and Saturday No. 35 Southeast Polk, Iowa -- travel to Ankeny Centennial (Iowa) for dual meet tomorrow, host Red Owens Holiday Classic on Saturday No. 36 Apple Valley, Minn. -- compete in the Minnesota Christmas Tournament at RCTC on Friday and Saturday No. 37 West Des Moines Valley, Iowa -- travel to Ames (Iowa) for dual meet tomorrow, compete in the Battle of Waterloo (Iowa) at Young Arena on Friday and Saturday No. 38 Roseburg, Ore. -- compete in the Reno (Nev.) Tournament of Champions on Friday and Saturday host Douglas County Invitational on 12/21 No. 39 New Hampton, Iowa -- travel to Charles City (Iowa) for dual meet tomorrow, compete in the Battle of Waterloo (Iowa) at Young Arena on Friday and Saturday No. 40 Mount Carmel, Ill. -- host quad meet on Saturday against Marmion Academy (Ill.), DePaul (Ill.), and Huntley (Ill.); compete in the Dvorak Memorial at Machesney Park Harlem (Ill.) on 12/22 and 12/23 No. 41 Kiski Area, Pa. -- host Gateway Regional (Pa.) in dual meet tonight, compete in the North Hills (Pa.) Duals on Saturday, travel to Plum (Pa.) for dual meet on 12/21, host Canon-McMillan (Pa.) in dual meet on 12/22 No. 42 Fort Dodge, Iowa -- travel to Urbandale (Iowa) for dual meet tomorrow, host Fort Dodge Invitational on Saturday, host dual meet against Johnston (Iowa) on 12/22 No. 43 Hilton, N.Y. -- host Rush Henrietta (N.Y.) in dual meet tonight, compete in Monroe County Tournament at Webster Schroder (N.Y.) on Friday and Saturday, travel to Penfield (N.Y.) for dual meet on 12/21 No. 44 Park Hill, Mo. -- compete in the Kansas City (Mo.) Stampede at Hale Arena on Friday and Saturday No. 45 North Allegheny, Pa. -- host Indiana (Pa.) in dual meet tonight, compete in the Beast of the East at Newark (Del.) on Saturday and Sunday, travel to Fox Chapel (Pa.) for dual meet on 12/21 No. 46 Don Bosco Prep, N.J. -- compete in the Beast of the East at Newark (Del.) on Saturday and Sunday, host Paramus Catholic (N.J.) in dual meet on 12/21, compete in Kingsway Regional (N.J.) Duals on 12/23 No. 47 Lowell, Mich. -- compete in Kent County Classic at Davenport University (Mich.) on Saturday, host Ottawa Hills (Mich.) in dual meet on 12/21 No. 49 Delsea Regional, N.J. -- compete in Southern Regional (N.J.) Tournament on Saturday, compete in Kingsway Regional (N.J.) Duals on 12/23 No. 50 Wasatch, Utah -- host Maple Mountain (Utah) in dual meet tonight, compete in the Reno (Nev.) Tournament of Champions on Friday and Saturday

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- USA Wrestling has announced that its most important domestic men's freestyle event of the year, the 2017 U.S. Freestyle World Team Trials, will be held at the Bob Devaney Center on the campus of the University of Nebraska, on Saturday, June 10. Held alongside the UWW Junior Freestyle World Team Trials, the event features top college and high school stars, and is set for Friday, June 9, also in the Devaney Center. The winners of the U.S. Freestyle World Team Trials in the eight World Championships weight classes will earn a spot on the U.S. World Team which will compete in the World Wrestling Championships in Paris, France, August 21-26, 2017. The winners of the UWW Junior Freestyle World Team Trials in the eight World Championships weight classes will earn spots on the U.S. Junior World Team which will compete in the UWW Junior World Wrestling Championships in Tampere, Finland, August 1-6, 2017. Tickets are now on sale for both events through huskers.com/tickets. The U.S. Freestyle World Team Trials tickets are $30 for general admission and $50 for VIP seating. There are group discounts for 10 or more tickets for $20 each. At the UWW Junior World Team Trials, general admission tickets are $20, with group discounts for 10 or more tickets for $ $10 each. The local organizing committee includes the Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau partnering with University of Nebraska facilities to host the event. Among the star athletes expected to compete at the U.S. Freestyle World Team Trials are Husker grads Jordan Burroughs, a 2012 Olympic champion and three-time World champion, and James Green, a 2015 World bronze medalist, both who train full-time in Lincoln with the Nebraska Wrestling Regional Training Center. Another top Husker star, T.J. Dudley, is also expected to try out for World Team. Husker wrestlers C.J. Red, Beau Breske, Eric Schultz and others are expected to compete at the UWW Junior World Team Trials, along with stars from other major Div. I wrestling programs and top high school programs. Other stars expected to compete are 2016 Olympic champion Kyle Snyder, 2016 Olympic bronze medalist J'den Cox, 2016 World champion Logan Stieber, 2016 U.S. Olympians Daniel Dennis, Frank Molinaro and many other top stars. "We are honored to be the host site for the 2017 U.S. Freestyle World Team Trials. Fans will be able to see local stars, four-time World and Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs and World medalist James Green, plus others like Olympic champion Kyle Snyder and World champion Logan Stieber. This is tremendous for our fan base and the entire wrestling community. Lincoln is very convenient to get to for wrestling fans. The Lincoln Convention and Visitor's Bureau has done a tremendous job organizing what will be a first-class competition," said Nebraska head wrestling coach and 2016 U.S. Olympic Team coach Mark Manning. The UWW Junior Freestyle World Team Trials will feature the best 17-20 year-old men's freestyle wrestlers in the nation, including talented college underclassmen and high school wrestlers from across the nation. Many of the top UWW Junior-level stars go on to win World and Olympic medals for the United States in future senior level competitions. There will be as many as 90 athletes competing in the Senior World Team Trials, and at least 80 athletes in the UWW Junior World Team Trials. Athletes must qualify for the event, meaning that these will be the best our nation has to offer. "The Senior and UWW Junior World Team Trials will feature great competition. The renovated Bob Devaney Center is where the Huskers wrestle and play volleyball and is a great venue for wrestling. There are big scoreboards and the facility is first-class in all ways. The accommodations will be great for both the fans and for the wrestlers," said Manning. USA Wrestling has hosted some of its major age-group national competitions in Lincoln in the past. The UWW Junior National Championships in both freestyle and Greco-Roman were hosted in Lincoln in 2000, 2001 and 2004. The Cadet National Championships in both styles were hosted there in 1995. The last time that the U.S. Freestyle World Team Trials was held by itself, without the other Olympic disciplines of Greco-Roman and women's freestyle, was in 1999, when the men's freestyle event was hosted in Seattle, Washington. UWW JUNIOR FREESTYLE WORLD TEAM TRIALS Friday, June 9 10 a.m.-3 p.m.Challenge Tournament (Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Consolations and Consolation Semifinals, and Finals) 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Best of Three Championships Series: Match #1, Match #2 and Match #3 (if needed), plus third-place matches U.S. FREESTYLE WORLD TEAM TRIALS Saturday, June 10 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Challenge Tournament (Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Consolations and Consolation Semifinals, and Finals) 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Best of Three Championships Series: Match #1, Match #2 and Match #3 (if needed), plus true second place matches from Challenge Tournament. Presentation of the 2017 USA World Championship Team at conclusion of Finals

The Colorado High School Activities Association is exploring the possibility of adding girls wrestling as a sanctioned sport, the association which governs high school athletics in the state announced this week. The CHSAA revealed that a handful of girls-only wrestling tournaments have been established around Colorado this season, with the first event scheduled for Frederick High School on Jan. 14. CHSAA said up to four other events are possible. Turnouts and other data from those tournaments will be used to determine if girls wrestling could become an officially sanctioned sport in the Centennial State. Additional girls-only tournaments could be held this season if more schools which already have wrestling programs decide to host events for girls. These initial events will help determine if "there are enough girls in the state that are interested in wrestling to make it feasible to add girls wrestling as a sanction sport," according a letter from wrestling committee chair Ernie Derrera. "We're really in an exploratory phase right now," said CHSAA assistant commissioner Harry Waterman, who is in charge of wrestling. "We're trying to gather more information, and this will help in that." According to the CHSAA, these girls-only tournaments will use the following guidelines: Any girls seeking to compete must be a current member of her high school team, and meet all eligibility requirements of student-athletes. These tournaments will use seven of the 14 weight classes in place in California: 101, 111, 121, 131, 143, 160 and 189 pounds. Girls who wrestle in a girls-only event cannot be "double-bracketed" into both the girls-only tournament and the concurring event. Matches in girls-only events will not count towards season records, and they may not be used for postseason seeding purposes. The girls-only tournaments will not count toward a team's 28-point limit. Currently, seven states have officially sanctioned girls-only wrestling at the high school level: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington.

"Jimbo" Elrod "Jimbo" Elrod, wrestler and football star at the University of Oklahoma in the early 1970s, was killed in a single-vehicle wreck early Monday morning on I-44 in his native Oklahoma. He was 62. Elrod lost control of his 2015 Lexus heading east on the Turner Turnpike -- the toll road linking Oklahoma City and Tulsa -- at 3:43 a.m., ran off the road, hit a guardrail, causing the car to roll end-over-end. Elrod, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected through the sunroof and was pronounced dead at the scene. Elrod's 61-year-old wife, Diana, was taken to an Oklahoma City hospital in serious condition, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Born in May 1954, James Whittington "Jimbo" Elrod wrestled and played football at East Central High School in Tulsa before graduating in 1972. The 6'1", 220-pound Elrod earned a dual scholarship at Oklahoma, where he was a member of the Sooner wrestling team that won the team title at the 1974 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Wrestling for head coach Stan Abel, Elrod was a two-time letterwinner for the Sooners in 1973 and 1974. "(Elrod) was the starter in '73 at 190 pounds but only an average wrestler," according to Ron Good, editor of Amateur Wrestling News. "Alex Macaluso of Oklahoma State pinned Elrod in the Bedlam match; and Al Nacin, Iowa State, beat him 8-1 in their February dual. Not sure why, but he lost his spot late in the season to Kevin Quigley, who finished third in the Big 8. Greg Strobel won nationals that year; Nacin (the 2 seed) was fifth." "In 1974 (Elrod) was on the team with Gary Breece, Rod Kilgore and Jeff Callard. He was again the starter at 190 pounds. He lost the Bedlam dual to Macaluso again, but only 6-5. Probably his two biggest moments of his career came in '74 as he drew Laurent Soucie of Wisconsin, 5-5 in a dual. Soucie was NCAA third in 1975. Biggest win came on Feb. 8 in Norman when he beat Rich Calderon of Washington, 6-5. Calderon was NCAA fourth the same year, 1974. But once again, Elrod lost his spot for the Big 8 tournament to Mark Mullins. Nacin beat Mullins in the Big 8 final." In addition to his wrestling career at Oklahoma, Elrod was also a key member of the OU national championship football teams of 1974 and 1975, where he earned consensus All-American honors. After graduating from Oklahoma with a degree in Public Relations and Business Administration, Elrod continued his football career in the NFL, playing for the Kansas City Chiefs for three seasons and the Houston Oilers for one season. Barry Switzer, Oklahoma head football coach while Elrod was a linebacker for the Sooners, said in a statement upon learning of his former player's death, "Great wrestler and a great football player. Wrestling is what made Jimbo such a great football player. It gave him great upper-body strength and quickness. He could really run. He was a tenacious player and a competitor. He was really good and he was a member of a great group at Oklahoma." "We are shocked and saddened at the loss of Jimbo Elrod, a former Sooner All-American, but more importantly a friend and member of our family," said Oklahoma Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione. "He made a point to attend countless Sooner events, bringing his ever-present enthusiasm supporting his University and its people. We are praying for Diana's recovery and the well-being of the entire Elrod family. This is certainly a heartbreaking day."

Wrestling returns to Moorpark College after an eight-year absence, the two-year southern California school announced in a press release. The oldest and greatest sport will return to the mat at Moorpark in fall 2017, while one of the nation's newest sports, sand volleyball, will join the intercollegiate sports roster at the Ventura County community college in spring 2018. "It is an unbelievable feeling to reinstate wrestling for the student athletes and wrestling community in Ventura County," said Interim Athletic Director Vance Manakas. "Moorpark College will be providing an opportunity for many to continue wrestling and follow their dreams." "When wrestling was suspended, we certainly heard from hundreds of devastated community members. We hope and believe the same people, and many others, will be there to assist us in our fundraising efforts," Manakas said. "Since wrestling was suspended, we have received great on-campus support, developed corporate partnerships and enhanced community ties," Manakas added. "The loss of our programs at Moorpark College shocked many people. But, it also served to enlighten them to the need to become more involved in decisions being made on our campus. That has been, and will continue to be, the rainbow in this horrible storm, the pot of gold is the addition of sand volleyball." Wrestling and sand volleyball were added through Moorpark College's annual program planning process. "The state revenue generated from the added student athletes won't reach our campus for 18 months," said Manakas. "So, there will be a time gap between paying the bills and getting paid. Nonetheless, adding these sports is in the best interests of Moorpark College on many fronts, including financially." Recruiting for the reinstated wrestling program will begin as soon as a coach is hired. Founded in 1967, Moorpark College is a public, two-year community college in eastern Ventura County, located just north of Los Angeles County. The school has approximately 15,000 students.

Doug Schwab coaching at the NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Steve Hartle and Doug Schwab will be guests on this week's edition of the On the Mat wrestling broadcast on Wednesday, Dec. 14. Jeff Bradley will host this week's show, which will feature two guests with ties to the University of Northern Iowa wrestling program. Steve Hartle was an NCAA All-American for the UNI Panthers in 1991 and 1993. Doug Schwab has been head wrestling coach at University of Northern Iowa since 2010. Prior to coming to the Cedar Falls school, Schwab was an NCAA and Big Ten champ for the University of Iowa, and wrestled for Team USA in men's freestyle at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. On the Mat is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. The show can be heard live on the Internet at 1650thefan.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday at 5 p.m. Central on AM 1650, The Fan. A podcast of the show is available on mattalkonline.com.

Max Rohskopf defeated Michigan's Brian Murphy at the NWCA All-Star Classic (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens) RALEIGH, N.C. -- Max Rohskopf, a senior on the ninth-ranked NC State wrestling team, will miss the remainder of the 2016-17 season for medical reasons. Rohskopf is a two-time NCAA qualifier, and the ACC champion at 165 pounds in 2016. The Killbuck, Ohio native owns a 52-34 overall record at NC State. He had been wrestling at 157 pounds during the 2016-17 season with a 3-1 mark.

Luke Fickell is going from the Buckeyes to the Bearcats. Tom Ryan, Luke Fickell and Gene Smith (Photo/Jim Davidson)Fickell, long-time member of the Ohio State football coaching staff who was a three-time Ohio high school state wrestling champion, has been named head football coach at the University of Cincinnati, his new employer announced Saturday afternoon. Fickell and UC reached agreement on a six-year deal late Friday night to replace Bearcats head coach Tommy Tuberville, who resigned last Sunday after four seasons. Fickell's contract is pending approval from Cincinnati's board of trustees during a special meeting Sunday, ESPN.com reported. A former Ohio State defensive lineman, Fickell, 43, has coached at his alma mater since 2002, serving as Buckeyes defensive coordinator in some capacity in all but one season since 2005. In the early 1990s, the Columbus native went to high school at St. Francis DeSales, where he played football and wrestled. Fickell was a three-time Ohio state champ, winning the 189-pound title at the 1990 OHSAA (Ohio High School Athletic Association) wrestling championships. The next two years, Fickell won the heavyweight crown at the state tournament as a 6'4", 230-pound grappler, according to his bio at the St. Francis DeSales Athletic Hall of Fame where he was inducted in 2014. Fickell compiled a perfect 106-0 record as a wrestler at St. Francis DeSales. In his junior year, Fickell pinned 29 of his 31 wrestling opponents. He won his third state title by fall in just less than one minute. Pat Galbincea, long-time wrestling writer for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, described Fickell as "the best heavyweight high school wrestling champion Ohio has ever produced. Period." After graduating from St. Francis DeSales, Fickell hung up the headgear, focusing solely on football at Ohio State as player and coach ... and, now as head coach 100 miles southwest of his hometown, but remaining in his native Ohio. "It's with much pride and humility that I accept the awesome honor of becoming the head coach at the University of Cincinnati," Fickell said in a statement. "This city, this school and my family are all Ohio. It's a tough blue-collar state with hard-working, blue-collar people that respect an honest and complete effort. That's what they will get from me personally and what they should expect from this football program."

The top two teams in Oklahoma's big-school division, Class 6A, put on a show at this weekend's Perry Tournament of Champions. No. 19 Choctaw and No. 26 Sand Springs each placed wrestlers in eleven weight classes. However, the champion Sandites had all of those wrestlers appear in the championship or consolation final, with those competitors going 8-3 in the medal round. Daton FixA trio of champions anchored the effort for Sand Springs on the way to 238 points. Most notably, No. 1 Daton Fix struck gold at 132 pounds to become just the sixth wrestler to be a four-time champion at this tournament. He joins a list of wrestlers that includes Michael Lightner, Chris Perry, and Kaid Brock. Additional champions were Beau Bratcher (145) and Delvin Jordan (220). Runners-up for the Sandites were Michael Ritchey (120) and Zane Bosma (170), while winning consolation finals matches were Riley Weir (106), Tanner Ward (113), Jack Karstetter (138), Payton Scott (160), and Gage Fain (285). Tournament runner-up Choctaw also had three champions on the way to 211 points. Those ascending to the top of the podium were Colt Newton (113), Jaryn Curry (160), and Easton Rendleman (182); Zach Austin (285) finished as a runner-up; while Coner Holman (126) and Zane Coleman (170) finished third. Additional medalists were a pair in fourth, with single wrestlers taking fifth and sixth. Three other teams had a pair of champions: Lawton MacArthur, Perry, and Arkansas City (Kansas). Winning for Lawton MacArthur were Wyatt Adams (106) and Dakota Phillips (152), Cale Betcham (120) and Robert Speikers (195) won titles for Perry, with Marcus Robinson (126) and Jake Beeson (138) striking gold for Arkansas City. Rounding out the weight class champions were Austin Short (Claremore) and Dayne Thomason (Blackwell) at 170 and 285 pounds respectively.

For a second straight season, the opening weekend of wrestling in the WPIAL offered a tone-setting statement. Yet again Kiski Area, which entered the weekend not ranked nationally, upended nationally ranked North Allegheny for the championship at the Eastern Area Invitational Wrestling Tournament. The champion Cavaliers placed all but one wrestler within the top six on the way to scoring 298 points. The performance was anchored by four weight class champions: Cam Connor (138), Joey Blumer (145), Tom Starr (220), and Isaac Reid (285). They were joined by four other wrestlers that finished as runners-up: Darren Miller (113), Noah Levett (126), Nick Delp (152), and Brad Nagy (170). No. 40 North Allegheny was the tournament runner-up with 216.5 points. The Tigers placed seven wrestlers in total, even absent two-time state placer Jake Hinkson (145) and returning state qualifier A.J. Boeh (152/160). The status of No. 3 Eric Hong (160) is pending an appeal to the PIAA to overturn the ruling of the WPIAL that rendered him ineligible. Winning weight class titles for North Allegheny were Jacob Downing (113), Sean Hoover (170), and No. 11 Jake Woodley (195), while Luke Landefeld (132) and Zach Stedeford (138) finished in second place. Additional nationally ranked wrestlers to win weight class titles were No. 1 (at 120) Gavin Teasdale (Jefferson Morgan) at 126 pounds, No. 2 (at 152) Cameron Coy (Penn Trafford) at 160, and No. 3 Nino Bonaccorsi (Bethel Park) at 182. Rounding out the champions were Kurtis Phipps (106) of Norwin, Ed Scott (120) and Kolby Ho (132) of DuBois, along with Dom Davido (152) of Plum. Both Kiski Area and North Allegheny are Class AAA (big-school division), and will this season be battling most likely for the championship in the WPIAL in early February.

No. 41 Apple Valley, Minn. traveled south to the Council Bluffs Wrestling Classic in Iowa this past weekend. The Eagles amassed 622 points to dominate the tournament, with 12 wrestlers finishing among the top eight wrestlers in their respective weight class. Four finalists anchored the effort: Nate Larson (145) and No. 1 Gable Steveson (285) earned championships, while Kyle Rathman (138) and Tony Watts (160) finished as runners-up. In his championship match, Steveson dominated No. 15 Kayne Hutchison (Pittsburg, Kansas) to the tune of a 16-3 major decision. Taking second in the tournament was No. 42 Fort Dodge, Iowa with 449-1/2 points. Three wrestlers won weight class championships: Drew Bennett (113), No. 8 Brody Teske (120), and Triston Lara (138); Bennett upset No. 13 Kyle Biscoglia (Waukee, Iowa) 3-2 in the championship match, while Teske extended his consecutive matches won streak to over 100 to start his high school career. Finishing second was Cayd Lara (138), while Jeremy Ayala (106) placed third; however, only two other wrestlers finished inside the top eight. Other nationally ranked wrestlers to win their respective weight classes were No. 10 Alex Thomsen (Underwood, Iowa) at 126 pounds, No. 20 Nelson Brands (Iowa City West, Iowa) at 152, No. 9 Marcus Coleman (Ames, Iowa) at 170, and No. 12 Clay Lautt (St. James Academy, Kansas) at 160. Thomsen beat three-time state placer McGwire Midkiff (Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson, Iowa) 12-5 in the championship match to remain undefeated for his high school career; Brands outlasted two-time state placer Cayd Lara 9-7 in the final; Coleman beat Junior National freestyle All-American Sammy Cokeley (St. James Academy, Kansas) 12-9 in the final; while Lautt outlasted two-time state placer Anthony Sherry (Glenwood, Iowa) 7-6 in his final. Rounding out the weight class champions were Keegan Slyter (Olathe North, Kansas) at 106 pounds, Conner Ward (Mill Valley, Kansas) at 132, Mac Southard (Lewis Central, Iowa) at 160, Dylan Prince (Pittsburg, Kansas) at 195, and Tom Rief (Missouri Valley, Iowa) at 220.

Cael Sanderson isn't the only member of his family to head up a wrestling program these days. Cole SandersonCole Sanderson, like his younger brother Cael who is head coach at Penn State, is now at the helm of the wrestling program at Woods Cross High School in his native Utah. Until taking on the coaching job at Woods Cross, Cole Sanderson had coached at nearby TECH Wrestling Club, where some of the participating wrestlers were also on the Wood Cross Wildcat mat squad. When Cole saw that there was an opening at Woods Cross, he jumped at the opportunity to move into high school coaching. "[The wrestlers at TECH] were always very respectful and expressed gratitude for my help," he told the Davis Clipper. "When I found out that Woods Cross was losing their coach, I decided to take the position." Woods Cross, a 1,300-student public high school for grades 10-12, has three returning wrestlers who placed at the Utah state championships last year. Like his brothers Cael and Cody, Cole Sanderson wrestled at Iowa State, where he was a four-time NCAA qualifier. He was also a four-time placer at the Big 12 conference championships, placing third at 142 pounds in 1998, third at 149 in 1999, third at 157 in 2000, and runner-up at 157 as a senior in 2001. In addition to being a four-time letterwinner for the Cyclones, Cole was an Academic All-American.

Ryan Estrada, a wrestler at Saline High School in Michigan, died Saturday afternoon after he became unresponsive after school Friday. The junior was found unresponsive in a locker room while preparing for wrestling practice. His teammates contacted school staff. Emergency responders arrived at the school, then transported him to University of Michigan Hospital in nearby Ann Arbor. The cause of Estrada's death has not been made public. Estrada was a multi-sport athlete for the Saline Hornets. In addition to wrestling at heavyweight, he was also a defensive lineman on the football team, and a thrower for the men's track and field team. "Ryan will be remembered for his humor, his big smile, his love of University of Michigan athletics, and his gregarious personality," Saline Superintendent of Schools Scot Graden wrote in an email to Saline High parents Saturday. "Our hearts and thoughts go out to Ryan's family, friends and teachers." Athletic director Kirk Evenson wrote the following message on the school's athletics website: "He will be missed dearly by his friends, coaches and teammates," Evenson said. "Our thoughts are with his family! Ryan will forever be a Hornet!" Funeral arrangements had not yet been announced as of Saturday evening.