InterMat Staff

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The second-ranked University of Iowa wrestling team won eight of 10 bouts to defeat 11th-ranked Rutgers, 29-6, on Thursday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes (8-0, 2-0) recorded three wins by bonus points and scored a pair of upsets at 157 and 285. Edwin Cooper, Jr. scored a takedown off the opening whistle and built up 1:27 riding time to defeat No. 17 Richie Lewis, 6-4, and Sam Stoll scored on a counter 20 seconds into overtime to defeat No. 6 Billy Smith, 3-1. "I've had a couple of tough loses against some other ranked opponents," said Cooper, who won for the first time in four nationally-ranked matches. "Getting this one and getting it done right will help in the future." Stoll has won seven straight matches since dropping the season opener to No. 4 Austin Marsden. He's pinned four opponents during that stretch, and he now has a top 10 win under his belt. "It's good because it's my first ranked win, but I know there is more I could have done in that match," said Stoll. "Brands talks all the time that just because he's a ranked opponent, it doesn't have to be close. I have to believe that and I think I did some good things, but there is definitely more to improve." Stoll's win put the lid on a dual that saw Iowa hold a 31-7 advantage in takedowns and a 98-44 lead in match points. The Hawkeyes scored 56 points in the third period. "We had two wins over ranked opponents, but we are still finding some things out," said UI head coach Tom Brands. "As long as they get better every time out we have a chance. And we have to compete. We still have a lot of work to do." The Hawkeyes opened the dual with a technical fall by Thomas Gilman at 125 and a major decision from Cory Clark at 133. Both wins were against ranked opponents. "The results are what (other) guys see, and it's going to scare them," said Gilman. "He may have had close matches with tough opponents or other ranked guys, but when I go out and tech fall him it sends a message. I'm out here on a mission." Gilman's win was his second of the season against a ranked opponent, and his eighth win overall -- all by bonus points. Rutgers got on the board at 141 when third-ranked Anthony Ashnault used a four-point tilt in the opening period for the difference in an 8-4 win against Topher Carton. "It was a missed opportunity," said Carton, who was making his first dual appearance of the season. "I told coach I wanted to go and he gave me a shot. I had a chance to make a statement for the Carver crowd and I didn't. There are no moral victories. I know I can beat that guy and any other guy in the country. But I have to go out and do it." Brandon Sorensen used nine takedowns to earn a 21-6 technical fall at 149, and after No. 12 Anthony Perrotti won 8-7 at 165 against Patrick Rhoads, the Hawkeyes closed the dual with four consecutive wins. Alex Meyer won 8-3 at 174, Sammy Brooks scored eight of the final nine points to rally for an 11-5 win at 184, and Nathan Burak won 6-1 with 2:20 riding time at 197. Stoll closed the dual with the overtime decision. The Hawkeyes return to the mat Dec. 29-30 at the Midlands Championships in Evanston, Illinois. The next home dual is Jan. 22 against Purdue at 7 p.m. (CT). NOTES: Attendance was 6,791... Gilman improved to 8-0 with all eight wins by bonus points... Carton lost for the first time in five Carver-Hawkeye Arena appearances... Edwin Cooper, Jr., and Sam Stoll earned their first career wins over ranked opponent... Alex Meyer improved to 11-0 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Results: 125 - #2 Thomas Gilman (IA) tech. fall #18 Sean McCabe (R), 21-6; 5-0 133 - #2 Cory Clark (IA) major dec. #17 Anthony Giraldo (R), 11-2; 9-0 141 - #3 Anthony Ashnault (R) dec. Topher Carton (IA), 8-4; 9-3 149 - #2 Brandon Sorensen (IA) tech. fall Tyson Dippery (R), 21-6; 14-3 157 - Edwin Cooper, Jr. (IA) dec. #17 Richie Lewis (R), 6-4; 17-3 165 - #12 Anthony Perrotti (R) dec. Patrick Rhoads (IA), 8-7; 17-6 174 - #3 Alex Meyer (IA) dec. Phil Bakuckas (R), 8-3; 20-6 184 - #8 Sammy Brooks (IA) dec. Nichalas Gravina (R), 11-5; 23-6 197 - #4 Nathan Burak (IA) dec. Hayden Hrymack (R), 6-1; 26-6 285 - Sam Stoll (IA) dec. #6 Billy Smith (R), 3-1 (OT); 29-6

This weekend marks the 22nd edition of the Walsh Ironman, an event that has been rated as the best regular season scholastic wrestling tournament in the nation by multiple outlets (including InterMat) over recent years. The field for this year's event reflects that distinction. Wrestling starts on Friday afternoon at 1 p.m. ET with competitors coming from approximately 90 schools, which have sent either full or partial squads to just southeast of Cleveland for the tournament. Wrestling on Friday will pare the field down to 16 wrestlers per weight class, with the quarterfinals as the first championship round to be wrestled on Saturday. The morning session on Saturday starts at 10 a.m. with the quarterfinals to be immediately followed by the semifinals, consolation matches will be wrestled concurrently, through the consolation semifinals and matches for seventh place. The finals matches for first, third, and fifth place will be wrestled on Saturday evening at 6 p.m. Only four teams have ever won an Ironman championship. The host school, Walsh Jesuit, won the first edition; Blair Academy (N.J.) has won the event 12 times; St. Edward (Ohio) has won it five times, none since the 2006-07 season; with St. Paris Graham (Ohio) taking home three titles, including the one last year. This year's event features just three wrestlers seeking to win a second Walsh Ironman title actually on the brackets: Tyler Warner (Claymont), Mitch Moore (St. Paris Graham), and Alex Marinelli (St. Paris Graham); two-time champion Spencer Lee (Franklin Regional, Pa.), Cade Olivas (St. John Bosco, Calif.), Isaiah White (Oak Park River Forest, Ill.), and Kevin Vough (Elyria, Ohio) are all not competing in the event due to various injuries. In fact, for many of the 15 nationally ranked teams, missing key contributors is part of the narrative. The following is a summary of "impact wrestlers" not competing for Fab 50 teams. No. 1 Blair Academy -- No. 10 Requir van der Merwe (132) No. 2 Wyoming Seminary, Pa. -- Chris Weiler (170), a top 20 in the nation senior No. 7 Oak Park River Forest, Ill. -- No. 10 Jason Renteria (120), No. 1 Isaiah White (152), and state qualifier Allen Stallings (220) No. 17 Elyria, Ohio -- No. 3 Kevin Vough (285) and state placer Mikah Price (160) No. 22 Washington, Ill. -- two-time state champion Randy Meneweather (170) No. 24 Delta, Ohio -- three-time state placer Dustin Marteney (138/145) No. 28 Bakersfield, Calif. -- with only bringing four wrestlers, five other state qualifiers are staying home; that includes two-time participant Antonio Gutierrez (182), who was one match short of the podium at last year's state tournament No. 48 San Marino, Calif. -- state placer Zander Silva (126) With all of that being said, the team race remains wide open between Blair Academy, Wyoming Seminary, and No. 4 St. Paris Graham (the defending national champions); while No. 10 St. Edward and No. 11 Marmion Academy (Ill.) seek to make a charge from the outside rail. The stars will for sure shine with four national No. 1 ranked wrestlers slated to compete: Jack Mueller (Trinity Christian Academy, Texas) at 120, Jarod Verkleeren (Belle Vernon Area, Pa.) at 145, Alex Marinelli (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) at 160, and Nick Reenan (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) at 182. In addition, four more wrestlers ranked No. 2 in the country are in the field: Dylan D'Emilio (Genoa, Ohio) at 106, Drew Mattin (Delta, Ohio) at 113, Mason Manville (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) at 152, and Brandon Dallavia (Blair Academy, N.J.) at 170. Nationally ranked teams and wrestlers slated to compete Teams: No. 1 Blair Academy, No. 2 Wyoming Seminary, No. 4 St. Paris Graham, No. 7 Oak Park River Forest, No. 10 St. Edward, No. 11 Marmion Academy, No. 17 Elyria, No. 18 Belle Vernon, No. 22 Washington, No. 24 Delta, No. 26 Malvern Prep, No. 28 Bakersfield, No. 40 Montini Catholic (Ill.), No. 47 Brecksville (Ohio), and No. 48 San Marino 106 (6 total): No. 2 Dylan D'Emilio (Genoa), No. 11 Joey Melendez (Montini Catholic), No. 12 Elijah Palacio (Calvary Chapel, Calif.), No. 14 Christian Nunez (St. John Bosco), No. 16 Peter Ogunsanya (Oak Park River Forest), and No. 17 Michael Colaiocco (Blair Academy) 113 (4): No. 2 Drew Mattin (Delta), No. 4 Real Woods (Montini Catholic), No. 12 Jordan Decatur (CVCA), and No. 17 Tommy Hoskins (Dayton Christian, Ohio) 120 (4): No. 1 Jack Mueller (Trinity Christian Academy), No. 8 Tyler Warner (Claymont), No. 11 Noah Baughman (Wadsworth, Ohio), and No. 18 Zach Sherman (Blair Academy) 126 (4): No. 8 Alex Mackall (Walsh Jesuit), No. 14 Mitch Moore (St. Paris Graham), No. 20 Tariq Wilson (Steubenville, Ohio), and No. 17 (at 120) Mario Guillen (Perrysburg, Ohio) 132 (5): No. 6 Dylan Duncan (Montini Catholic), No. 11 Gus Solomon (Franklin Regional), No. 12 Navonte Demison (Bakersfield), No. 17 Gabe Townsell (Oak Park River Forest), and No. 18 Trent Olson (Wyoming Seminary) 138 (6): No. 4 Brent Moore (St. Paris Graham), No. 5 Hunter Ladnier (St. Edward), No. 6 Julian Flores (San Marino), No. 11 Ryan Deakin (Legacy, Colo.), No. 18 A.J. Jaffe (Marmion Academy), and No. 20 Grant Aronoff (St. Thomas Aquinas, Fla.) 145 (5): No. 1 Jarod Verkleeren (Belle Vernon Area), No. 3 David Carr (Massillon Perry, Ohio), No. 6 Zander Wick (San Marino, Calif.), No. 12 Rocky Jordan (St. Paris Graham), and No. 16 Josiah Rider (Grand Junction, Colo.) 152 (7): No. 2 Mason Manville (Wyoming Seminary), No. 5 Eric Hong (Kiski Prep, Pa.), No. 6 Luke Troy (Martin Luther King, Calif.), No. 7 Evan Wick (San Marino), No. 12 Trace Carello (Marmion Academy), No. 16 Georgio Poullas (Canfield), and No. 19 Max Wohlabaugh (Winter Springs, Fla.) 160 (5): No. 1 Alex Marinelli (St. Paris Graham), No. 10 Wyatt Sheets (Stilwell, Okla.), No. 13 Justin Thomas (Calvary Chapel), No. 14 Riley DeMoss (Marmion Academy), and No. 19 Ryan Karoly (Blair Academy) 170 (4): No. 2 Brandon Dallavia (Blair Academy), No. 7 Jeremy Thomas (Calvary Chapel), No. 9 Austin Bell (Belle Vernon Area), and No. 18 James Handwerk (Lutheran West, Ohio) 182 (5): No. 1 Nick Reenan (Wyoming Seminary), No. 4 Nathan Traxler (Marmion Academy) No. 6 Jacob Warner (Washington), No. 12 Michael Beard (Malvern Prep), and No. 20 Chasen Blair (Rancho Bernardo, Calif.) 195 (7): No. 4 Ben Darmstadt (Elyria), No. 5 Chase Singletary (Blair Academy), No. 10 Jack Harris (Urbana, Ohio), No. 11 Christian Dietrich (Wyoming Seminary), No. 13 Wyatt Koelling (Davis, Utah), No. 17 Kevin Snyder (Good Counsel, Md.), and No. 19 Tyler Frankrone (Trinity, Ky.) 220 (4): No. 3 Matt Stencel (Oregon Clay, Ohio), No. 10 Seth Janney (Malvern Prep), No. 13 Zane Black (The Phelps School, Pa.), and No. 17 Cohlton Schultz (Ponderosa, Colo.) 285 (2): No. 9 (at 220) Will Hilliard (Wyoming Seminary) and No. 15 Hunter Mullins (Orting, Wash.) In all, the field features 68 nationally ranked wrestlers. The most being the seven at 152 and 195, the least being just a pair at 285 (all other weights have four-plus). Weight class breakdowns Please note that every weight class will most likely have some sort of change between now and first whistle on Friday afternoon, whether it be due to a weight change or a scratch of a core wrestler. Given that premise, to sit here and dissect the seeds for potential key matchups and the like is silly. The analysis presented here is based on participants in the field and in weight classes through Wednesday evening. 106: The opening weight class is always one in which non-seeded wrestlers make a dent on the proceedings, as the structure for seeding is based on a points criteria for accomplishments such as state placement, Ironman placement, and Fargo freestyle placement. Fitting this description are freshman Shane Hanson-Ashworth (Malvern Prep), Beau Bayless (Reynolds, Pa.), Bryce Andonian (St. Edward), Josh Decatur (CVCA), and Coltan Yapoujian (Pomona, Colo.); as well as NHSCA Sophomore Nationals runner-up Jacob Dunlop (Belle Vernon). Among the non-ranked wrestlers, a couple to keep an eye on are freshman Jordan Crace (St. Paris Graham), Cadet freestyle All-American Gabriel Tagg (Brecksville), state champion Josh Venia (Toledo Central Catholic, Ohio), and Cadet Triple Crown winner Mosha Schwartz (Ponderosa, Colo.) The overall dynamic of this weight class is such that Dylan D'Emilio is a slight favorite over what is a wide open field between the nationally ranked wrestlers, and those just outside of the rankings. Top eight seeds at present (14 total): D'Emilio, Ogunsanya, Crace, Palacio, Colaiocco, Nunez, Lucas Byrd (Cincinnati LaSalle, Ohio), and Tagg Predicted placers: D'Emilio, Nunez, Melendez, Palacio, Ogunsanya, Colaiocco, Crace, Schwartz 113: Even though this is not the opening weight, there's always talk about younger impact wrestlers. There are some here outside the seeds in freshmen Logan Heil (Brunswick, Ohio), Justin Pacheco (Pomona), and Colton Camacho (Franklin Regional). While these wrestlers may or may not place, they will pose a nuisance along the way. Speaking of high impact freshman, watch for Chris Cannon (Blair Academy), who is ranked No. 16 in the Class of 2019 at present, to make a real presence. This is one of the softer weights overall in the tournament. Outside of the four weight class ranked wrestlers, keep an eye on Cannon as well as Roberto Campos (Oak Park River Forest), who has been stuck behind Renteria the last two seasons. General perception in this weight class would be that it is Mattin's to lose, as the highest ranked wrestler, a UWW Cadet and Junior National freestyle runner-up, and Ironman runner-up. However, the three other ranked wrestlers in this weight class could all knock off Mattin; on an Ohio note, Hoskins and Mattin are in the same division, so this match could provide a "hint" for one or the other to move up a weight class. Top eight seeds at present (14 total): Mattin, Hoskins, Woods, Tyler Lawley (Broken Arrow, Okla.), Jarrod Bronstrup (Brecksville), Decatur, Caleb Yates (Anthony Wayne, Ohio), and Alex Cruz (Orting) Predicted placers: Mattin, Woods, Decatur, Hoskins, Cannon, Campos, Camacho, and Lawley. 120: With just the four ranked wrestlers, and a few others on the fringe of a ranking, this is not one of the mega-weights of the Ironman this year. Most will view this weight as Mueller, and then the field; Muller being a three-time National Prep champion and two-time Fargo champion (2014 Junior, 2013 Cadet). Warner and Baughman, both of whom are past Super 32 Challenge runners-up, would seem to be next in line to contend; Warner is a 2013 Walsh Ironman champion and a three-time state champion, while Baughman is a 2014 state champion and a Junior freestyle All-American this summer. Sherman would seem to align more with the wrestlers outside of the rankings. Those include two-time National Prep champion Joey Prata (St. Christopher's, Va.), NHSCA Junior runner-up Justin Stickley (St. Paris Graham), three-time state placer Seth Beard (Napoleon, Ohio), and No. 13 overall freshman Theorius Robinson (Pomona). Outside of the seeded group, the wrestler to watch is Malcom Robinson (St. John's College, D.C.), a National Prep placer and NHSCA Freshman Nationals champion. Top eight seeds at present (15 total): Mueller, Warner, Prata, Sherman, Baughman, Stickley, Beard, and Tony Decesare (Padua, Ohio) Predicted placers: Mueller, Warner, Baughman, Sherman, Prata, Beard, M. Robinson, and Stickley 126: The sophomore Moore burst onto the scene last year with his assault through Saturday at the Walsh Ironman, dominating Devin Brown and Jason Renteria in the semifinal and final, having upended Prata in the round of 16 on Friday. He is one of four nationally ranked wresters in this weight, all from Ohio, the highest of which is Mackall from the host school. Mackall is a three-time placer in the tournament, finishing fourth as a freshman before taking sixth and seventh the last two years; not only is he obviously seeking a first title at the Ironman, but Mackall has lost at the quarterfinal stage each of the last three years. These two wrestlers would be characterized as joint favorites. However, there is a solid challenge pack featuring the other two weight class ranked wrestlers in this field, along with multiple others. Those would include NHSCA Junior Nationals champion Devan Turner (Dixon, Calif.), state champion Allan Hart (St. Edward), Cadet National freestyle runner-up Anthony Madrigal (Oak Park River Forest), and Preseason Nationals champion Jimmy Pawleski (Montini Catholic). Outside the top eight seeds -- at present -- a name to watch is state champion Cole Matthews (Reynolds); while outside the overall seeds, two names to watch are state placer Jake Donahue (Massillon, Ohio) and 2014 state placer Zack Donathan (Mason, Ohio). Top eight seeds at present (14 total): Mackall, Moore, Turner, Hart, Guillen, Madrigal, Wilson, and Pawleski Predicted placers: Mackall, Moore, Wilson, Turner, Guillen, Hart, Madrigal, and Pawleski 132: Overall this is a rather deep weight class with five nationally ranked wrestlers, and other very solid wrestlers just outside the rankings. Junior National freestyle All-Americans in Duncan and Demison, along with returning Walsh Ironman placer Solomon, stand a slight bit above the rest of the field. Nationally ranked wrestlers Townsell and Olson are part of a next tier of wrestlers that all outside the rankings: multi-time Fargo All-American Corey Shie (Cincinnati LaSalle, Ohio), nationally ranked sophomore Ryan Thomas (St. Paris Graham), and returning Ironman placer and state runner-up Jaden Mattox (Central Crossing, Ohio) being most notable. Five other multi-time state medalists are worth keeping an eye on as well: Jake Spiess (Delta), Lane Peters (Claymont), Hunter Bray (Franklin, Ohio), Keegan Duncan (Trinity), and Dylan Thurston (Washington). Also to note is returning state runner-up Anthony Cheloni (Marmion Academy). Top eight seeds at present (14 total): Demison, D. Dunan, Mattox, Townsell, Spiess, Olson, Bray, and Shie Predicted placers: D. Duncan, Solomon, Demison, Mattox, Thomas, Shie, Olson, and Townsell 138: Four of the nation's top eleven wrestlers in this weight class are at present the top four seeds, and encompass the upper tier of this weight class. Moore, Flores, and Ladnier all placed in last year's edition of the Walsh Ironman, while it is a tournament debut for Deakin, who placed at the Super32 Challenge last month and is a multi-time Fargo All-American. The other two ranked wrestlers in this weight class, Jaffe and Aronoff, headline a solid second tier of wrestlers that will fight for placement positions. That group includes returning Ironman placer Ryan Ford (Covington, Ohio), as well as returning state placers J.J. Figueroa (Bakersfield) and Jamie Hernandez (Oak Park River Forest) among the top eight seeds. Lower seeds in this challenge group include two-time state placers Seth Hogue (Reynolds) and Moises Lewan (Perrysburg), Cadet freestyle All-American Will Lewan (Montini Catholic), and state champion Job Greenwood (Poudre, Colo.). Notable non-seeds include three-time National Prep placer Matt Lattanze (Malvern Prep), two-time National Prep placer Quinn Devaney (McDonogh, Md.), and state placer James Wimer (Central Crossing), who was one match short of placement at the Super 32 Challenge. Top eight seeds at present (14 total): Moore, Flores, Ladnier, Deakin, Ford, Figueroa, Jaffe, and Hernandez Predicted placers: Moore, Ladnier, Flores, Deakin, Jaffe, Aronoff, Greenwood, and Hernandez 145: One of the deeper weight classes overall nationally is also a rather deep weight class in this tournament, which is anchored by five nationally ranked wrestlers; this includes the top ranked wrestler in Verkleeren, along with the third and sixth ranked wrestlers in Carr and Zander Wick. Also among the nationally ranked wrestlers is returning Ironman runner-up Jordan. Outside the nationally ranked wrestlers, it is a large second tier that will battle for lower-half placement positions. Among the seeded wrestlers in this group is three-time National Prep runner-up Kevin Budock (Good Counsel), three-time state champion Ben Anderson (Pleasant Grove, Utah), state champion Adam Lewis (Tampa Jesuit, Fla.), two-time state placers Justin Demicco (Brecksville) and Greg Brusco (Delaware Hayes, Ohio), three-time state placer Josh Heil (Brunswick), and two-time National Prep placer Tyler Megonigal (James Madison, Va.). A couple of non-seeded wrestlers in this tier would be two-time National Prep placer Sam Martino (McDonogh) and Cadet double All-American Andrew Merola (Blair Academy). Top eight seeds at present (14 total): Verkleeren, Wick, Carr, Jordan, Budock, Anderson, Lewis, and Heil Predicted placers: Verkleeren, Carr, Wick, Jordan, Rider, Budock, Demicco, and Heil 152: With five nationally ranked wrestlers, including four of the top seven, this weight could shape up to be the tournament's strongest overall. Leading the way here is three-time Walsh Ironman runner-up Manville, who somewhat ironically is the No. 2-ranked wrestler in the country. Evan Wick, Troy, and Hong join Manville in what is the first tier of this weight class. The other three nationally ranked wrestlers anchor a deep second tier. Outside the nationally ranked wrestlers, those to watch include three-time state placers Nick Vestal (Dayton Christian), Nick Monico (Saegertown, Pa.), and Jacoby Ward (Cincinnati Moeller); two-time state placer Jason Romero (Pomona); state champions John Manning (Blair Academy) and Julian Ramirez (Tampa Jesuit); along with state third place finisher Jack Conway (St. Edward). One non-seed to watch would be Flo Nationals placer Dakotah Goff (Steubenville). Top eight seeds at present (14 total): Manville, Wick, Troy, Hong, Carello, Vestal, Monico, and Conway Predicted placers: Manville, Troy, Hong, Wick, Carello, Poullas, Wohlabaugh, and Ward 160: Like Manville, Marinelli is seeking a fourth straight finals appearance at the Ironman; however, Marinelli beat Manville last year in the final to win that elusive championship, and is the No. 1 ranked wrestler nationally in this weight class. The Iowa bound wrestler is a strong favorite to repeat as champion. The second tier in this weight class is the other four ranked wrestlers, which are led by top 100 seniors in Sheets and Justin Thomas. Kind of blending into this second group, and vying for mid-to-low placement are the following seeded wrestlers: two-time state placers Nick Kiussis (Brunswick), Austin Hiles (Brecksville), and Jesse Beverly (Delta); three-time state placer Hudson Heidorf (Trinity); and three-time National Prep placer Will Verallis (Wyoming Seminary). One wrestler to watch outside the seeded group is Mitch Hartman (Belle Vernon), who missed the state tournament by one match last year. Top eight seeds at present (14 total): Marinelli, Sheets, Thomas, Beverly, Kiussis, Hiles, DeMoss, and Verallis. Predicted placers: Marinelli, Sheets, Thomas, DeMoss, Karoly, Kiussis, Hiles, and Verallis 170: The loss of Chris Weiler from the field in this weight class is going to be felt in terms of the overall quality here, as well as on Wyoming Seminary in the team standings. He was the clear favorite in this weight class that now features just four ranked wrestlers, tied for the least of any weight class other than 285 pounds. The tier of wrestlers behind those ranked is also not as robust as in some other weight classes in the Walsh Ironman. Two-time Ironman placer and this summer a Junior freestyle All-American, Dallavia is the favorite in this weight class. The other weight class ranked wrestlers are pretty even, top 100 seniors Thomas and Bell, as well as top 50 junior Handwerk. Seeded wrestlers to watch outside the weight class rankings include state runners-up Tyler Wiederholt (Bellbrook, Ohio), Robbie Bowers (Defiance, Ohio), and Brian Buser (Tampa Jesuit); state champion Koy Wilkinson (Pleasant Grove); along with state placers Garrett Jordan (St. Paris Graham) and Sam Loera (Bakersfield). A couple of unseeded sophomores to watch are Nate Jimenez (Marmion Academy) and Cody Mulligan (Saegertown); also to note is returning National Prep placer Cole Williams (Trinity Christian Academy). Top eight seeds at present (15 total): Dallavia, Handwerk, Thomas, Bell, Jordan, Wiederholt, Bowers, and Wilkinson Predicted placers: Dallavia, Thomas, Bell, Handwerk, Wiederholt, Jimenez, Jordan, and Wilkinson 182: Even with four of the nation's top 12 wrestlers in this weight class present, along with a fifth in the national rankings, this is an overall shallow weight in terms of depth and quantity (just 27 wrestlers registered). Leading the way here is the nation's top ranked wrestler Reenan, a Junior National double champion this summer. The pair of Illinois wrestlers, Traxler and Warner, have robust folkstyle and freestyle resumes; while the sophomore Beard wrestled Reenan to a 3-2 loss this past weekend. Outside of the nationally ranked five, the field here is not overly robust. Those to watch from the seeded group include two-time state placer Tre Campbell (Wauseon, Ohio), state placers Isaiah Page (Broken Arrow) and J.T. Brown (Elyria), National Prep placer Brian Hennessey (St. John's College), and state qualifier Milton Kobaly (Belle Vernon). Outside the seeds, some names to eye are juniors Kaden Russell (St. Ignatius, Ohio) and Tyler Stepic (St. Edward), as well as sophomores Sam Wyche (Cincinnati Moeller) and Dominic Cooper (Canfield). Top eight seeds at present (14 total): Reenan, Traxler, Warner, Beard, Campbell, Blair, Brown, and Page Predicted placers: Reenan, Traxler, Warner, Beard, Blair, Page, Brown, and Hennessey 195: Seven nationally ranked wrestlers are present in this weight class, and it also happens to be a weight class that is very strong nationally in terms of quality through the ranked group, so the battle for the title and through the mid-placement level should be fierce. The joint favorites here would be Darmstadt and Singletary, both of whom rank in the top five nationally, placing last year in the Ironman at 182 pounds. Joining Darmstadt as a Junior freestyle All-American are Koelling and Harris; joining Darmstadt as a placer at the Super 32 Challenge are Harris, Dietrich, and Snyder. The other nationally ranked wrestler is NHSCA Junior Nationals champion Frankrone. Outside the nationally ranked wrestlers, and among the seeds, the following wrestlers should be worth a follow for this tournament: Danny Salas (St. John Bosco), state placer and Cadet double All-American; National Prep placer Rashon Lusane (Malvern Prep); state placer Gary Traub (Sycamore, Ohio), who was undefeated prior to the state tournament last season; as well as state qualifiers Kanan Sarver (Graham), one match away from placement at the Super 32 Challenge, and Aaron Naples (Brunswick). A notable name among the non-seeds, especially in years to come, is freshman Jameel Coles (The Phelps School). Top eight seeds at present (14 total): Darmstadt, Harris, Koelling, Dietrich, Singletary, Frankrone, Snyder, and Salas Predicted placers: Darmstadt, Harris, Singletary, Dietrich, Koelling, Snyder, Frankrone, and Sarver 220: Four nationally ranked wrestlers are the clear anchors in this weight class, with the senior Stencel as the favorite; last year he was runner-up in the Ironman at 195, and since then has won a state title, been a Junior National double All-American, and earned runner-up honors at the Super 32 Challenge. The other three ranked wrestlers are underclassmen: state runner-up Janney, National Prep placer Janney, and freshman phenom Schultz. Outside the ranked wrestlers, other underclass seeded wrestlers to watch include: state champions Nick Mosco (Blair Academy) and Brady Daniel (Good Counsel), state runners-up Brandon Closson (Pleasant Grove) and Jared Campbell (St. Edward), along with state placers Jack Meyer (Moeller) and Cole Rickert (Reynolds). Along with the above underclassmen, these senior seeded wrestlers are in the hunt for an Ironman placement: state placers Jacob Esarco (Canfield) and Jerek Cropper (Manchester, Ohio) as well as two-time state placers Kordell Cheney (Sandusky Perkins, Ohio) and Devon Richard (Delta). An unseeded wrestler to watch, especially in future years, is freshman Johnny Shafer (St. Paris Graham) Top eight seeds at present (14 total): Stencel, Meyer, Black, Mosco, Daniel, Janney, Schultz, Cheney Predicted placers: Stencel, Janney, Black, Schultz, Daniel, Campbell, Mosco, and Esarco 285: The absence of defending champion Kevin Vough (Elyria), ranked No. 3 nationally, is going to be felt for Elyria in the team race as well as making this weight class rather open in terms of projected champion. Only two nationally ranked wrestlers reside in this weight class, including Hilliard, who is a bumped up 220-pound wrestler; Wyoming Seminary seeking to maximize team points. Notable contenders among those outside the national rankings include Ironman placers in Chance Veller (Delta), Trenton Lieurance (Broken Arrow), and Gene Ringer (Reynolds); Veller a state champion last season, the other two state medalists. In addition, it is two-time National Prep placer Neil Putnam (Blair Academy), Super 32 Challenge placer Mansur Abdul-Malik (St. Vincent Pallotti, Md.), state placer Jonathan Floyd (Springboro, Ohio), and state qualifier Kameron Teacher (Central Crossing); of note is that Teacher was undefeated headed into his DNP at the state tournament. Top eight seeds at present (14 total): Veller, Mullins, Putnam, Lieurance, Ringer, Hilliard, Abdul-Malik, and Floyd Predicted placers: Hilliard, Lieurance, Mullins, Abdul-Malik, Teacher, Veller, Putnam, and Floyd

The first weekend of December is gone, the second weekend is here, and with that brings more wrestling events to the landscape. National team rankings Before previewing the upcoming weekend, let's look at how the national rankings evolved this week. Dropping down three spots after a tighter than the rankings would suggest victory at the Gardner Edgerton (Kansas) Invitational is Southeast Polk, Iowa; the Rams move from No. 9 to No. 12 nationally Mt. Carmel, Ill., moves up six spots from No. 36 to No. 30 after a 38-22 dual meet victory over Montini Catholic, Ill; the Broncos drop six spots from No. 34 to No. 40 A runner-up finish to Southeast Polk at the Gardner Edgerton (Kansas) Invitational earns Platte County, Mo. a debut appearance into the rankings at No. 41 Kiski Area, Pa., makes their debut into the rankings at No. 43 after winning the Eastern Area Tournament. The Cavaliers out-pointed North Allegheny (Pa.), who dropped out of the rankings after being positioned at No. 44 last week. Kasson-Mantorville, Minn., makes a debut appearance in the rankings at No. 45 after a narrow runner-up finish to No. 35 Apple Valley, Minn., at the Winona (Minn.) Invitational. The Komets won six weight classes, while the tournament champion Eagles won seven; the Eagles moved up four spots in the rankings from No. 39 Colonial Forge, Va. drops down to No. 49 from No. 30 after a pair of ties last week. In dual meet action on Wednesday, the Eagles lost on criteria against Battlefield, Va. with the score tied at 32-32; while they shared the championship on Saturday at the Skyline (Va.) Elite Opener. It should be noted they were without state placer Jared Lough (152/160). Also making their rankings debut is Post Falls (Idaho), who comes in at No. 50 after winning a tournament in Sidney, Montana. The team returns four state finalists, including two state champions. Additional teams to move out of the rankings were Evansville Mater Dei (Ind.), Dakota (Ill.), and Stratford (Wis.) Walsh Ironman The major event this coming weekend is the Walsh Ironman in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. A comprehensive preview for that tournament will be posted on Thursday. However, it should be noted that six of the nation's top eleven teams are in the field, and either full or partial entries from nine other Fab 50 teams. Many of those squads will be short-handed for the event this weekend, but the field is still loaded with a capital L. King of the Mountain The next biggest tournament on the docket for this weekend is the King of the Mountain, which is hosted by Central Mountain, Pa. The field features a pair of nationally ranked teams in No. 6 Bethlehem Catholic, Pa. and No. 34 Boyertown, Pa. Additional notable teams in the 30-plus team field include include Council Rock South (Pa.), Greater Latrobe (Pa.), Nazareth (Pa.), North Allegheny (Pa.), and Parkersburg South (W.Va.) Sixteen nationally ranked wrestlers from eight weight class feature in the field, including four whom are ranked No. 2 nationally. Luke Pletcher (Greater Latrobe), ranked second at 132 pounds, anchors what is the tournament's feature weight class, as he is potentially joined by three other ranked wrestlers: No. 9 Sammy Sasso (Nazareth), No. 16 Zach Trampe (Council Rock South), and No. 19 Wade Cummings (Downington East, Pa.). Also present are two-time state placer Brett Kulp (Exeter Township, Pa.), 2014 state placer Joey Gould (Bethlehem Catholic), and returning state placer Lucas Miller (Boyertown). Also ranked second nationally is Jordan Wood (Boyertown), who competes at 220 pounds, a weight class in this tournament that features three other nationally ranked competitors. Those would be No. 15 Cole Nye (Bishop McDevitt, Pa.), No. 18 Jacob Robb (Armstrong, Pa.), and No. 20 Francis Duggan (North Allegheny). Luke Karam (Bethlehem Catholic) is ranked No. 2 at 126 pounds, a weight class that in this tournament also features No. 9 Ethan McCoy (Greater Latrobe), along with another pair of returning state placers in John Pipa (Bishop McDevitt) and Derek Wilson (South-Western). Rounding out the No. 2 ranked wrestlers is Cameron Coy (Penn Trafford, Pa.) at 145 pounds. His weight classes features two other state placers, Stephen Maloney (Bethlehem Catholic) and Colin Edsell (Wyalusing, Pa.) The other weight class in this tournament to feature multiple ranked wrestlers is 152 pounds, with No. 4 Hayden Hidlay (Mifflin County, Pa.) and No. 10 Jonathan Ross (Northern York, Pa.). Also in that field is state chamion Branden Lamey (Sanford Del.). Rounding out the ranked wrestlers are No. 9 Austin DeSanto (Exeter Township), No. 9 Michael Labriola (Bethlehem Catholic), and No. 20 Jacob Oliver (Huntingdon, Pa.) Additional state champions in this tournament field are Tyson Klump (Nazareth) at 113 pounds and Justin Allman (Parkersburg South, W.Va.) at 195. Despite no nationally ranked wrestlers projected to be present, the tournament's most robust weight class may be at 138 pounds, where there are seven returning and/or previous state placers in the field. That group is led (in terms of credentials) by a pair of two-time state runners-up in Cole Wetzel (Boiling Springs, Pa.) and Luke McDonogh (Sanford). Also present are 2013/2014 state placer Colin Glorioso (Huntingdon), 2014 state placer Riley Palmer (Council Rock South), Jake Hinkson (North Allegheny, Pa.), Brock Port (Bellefonte), and Matt Schmall (Northern Lehigh). Council Bluffs Wrestling Classic Another event this weekend that features a pair of nationally ranked teams is the Council Bluffs Wrestling Classic, which is being held at the Mid-American Center in Iowa. Anchoring the field are No. 27 Fort Dodge, Iowa and No. 35 Apple Valley, Minn. Other notable teams include three of the top five teams from last year's Nebraska big-school state tournament (Grand Island, Kearney, and Creighton Prep), state runners-up from the two biggest divisions in the Kansas state tournament (Olathe North and St. James Academy), three other teams ranked in the preseason top ten for their state classification in Iowa (Waukee, Glenwood, and Underwood), along with a team ranked in the top ten for their state classification in Minnesota (Totino-Grace). The field features a 34-team field and uses a pool-to-bracket format. The first day of the tournament involves pools of either four or five wrestlers, the top two of which will advance to an upper bracket on day two; it is a 16-man bracket in which losers in the first two rounds can compete for fifth. Seven nationally ranked wrestlers anchor the field, including a pair of grapplers at 170 pounds, No. 1 Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.) and No. 19 Marcus Coleman (Ames, Iowa). It could become a showcase weight, as the field also may feature state champion Clay Lautt (St. James Academy, Kansas) and two-time Cadet double All-American Anthony Sherry (Glenwood, Iowa). Also among the ranked wrestlers is national No. 1 Gable Steveson (Apple Valley, Minn.) at 220 pounds. At 113 pounds, it is No. 19 Brody Teske (Fort Dodge, Iowa); also in his weight class could be state champion Jake Stogdill (Millard North, Neb.) and Super 32 placer Kyle Biscgolia (Waukee, Iowa). At 120 pounds, it is No. 13 Alex Thomsen (Underwood, Iowa); while also in his weight class could be two-time state runner-up Jakob Allison (Waukee, Iowa). At 152 pounds, it is No. 11 Colton Clingenpeel (Council Bluffs Jefferson, Iowa); while state placer Matt Malcolm (Glenwood, Iowa) could also be in the weight class. Lastly at 195 pounds, it is No. 12 Sam Cook (Fort Dodge, Iowa); while state placer Jared Florell (Totino-Grace, Minn.) could appear. Two other potential juicy weight classes are 106 and 126 pounds. At 106, it is Drew Bennett (Fort Dodge, Iowa), Cade Devos (Waukee, Iowa), and Jace Koelzer (Olathe South, Kansas); while the 126 pound weight class features four returning state runners-up, two of whom were state champions in 2014; the former state champions are Corbin Nirschl (Basehor-Linwood, Kansas) and Kaleb Poppelwell (Maysville, Mo.), and the others are two-time state placer Bryden Curry (Sgt. Bluff-Luton, Iowa) along with Triston Lara (Fort Dodge, Iowa). Jim Graves Invitational Nationally ranked Lake Highland Prep, Fla. (No. 16 overall) anchors a solid multi-state field of teams coming to Brandon, Fla. for the Jim Graves Invitational this Friday and Saturday. Other teams to watch include the host school, Camden County (Ga.), and South Dade (Fla.). Six nationally ranked wrestlers are present in the field, including a pair at 126 pounds in No. 5 Kyle Norstrem (Brandon) and No. 10 Joey Silva (Lake Highland Prep). Also in this weight class is a third state champion in Brevin Balmaceda (South Dade). Mason Wohltman (Lake Highland Prep), ranked No. 20 at 113 pounds, will be competing in a weight class that also features state champion Alex Victor (Braddock, Fla.) and state placer Abe Guariello (Fort LeBoeuf, Pa.). Jake Brindley (Lake Highland Prep), ranked No. 19 at 138 pounds is likely to be at 145 this weekend, with his drop down coming in the next tournament; his likely challengers include two-time state champion Ozzy Lugo (South Dade) and state champion John Hayden Hill (Vestavia Hills, Ala.). Also up a weight this weekend is Elijah Cleary (Lake Highland Prep), ranked No. 12 at 160 pounds, but expected to be at 170. Last among the ranked wrestlers is No. 14 Dante Jiovanetta (Coral Shores, Fla.), who competes at 285 pounds; that weight class is also expected to feature returning state runner-up Kyron Taylor (South Dade). Arguably the deepest weight of this event is going to be at 138 pounds, which features four notable wrestlers: 2014 state champion Frankie Bruno (Brandon), Super 32 placer and state runner-up Denton Spencer (Camden County), state champion Matthew Pugh (Vestavia Hills), and state placer Jarrette Carter (Fort LeBoeuf).

Most states have seen their first weekend of competition pass by, and we move onto the next week, one in which there are more major events across the country. The following are schedules of competition for Fab 50 teams from Dec. 9 through Dec. 15. No. 1 Blair Academy, N.J. -- travel to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio for the Walsh Jesuit Ironman on Friday and Saturday No. 2 Wyoming Seminary, Pa. -- travel to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio for the Walsh Jesuit Ironman on Friday and Saturday No. 4 St. Paris Graham, Ohio -- travel to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio for the Walsh Jesuit Ironman on Friday and Saturday No. 5 Clovis, Calif. -- travel to Madera South, Calif. for the Chuckchansi Invitational on Friday and Saturday No. 6 Bethlehem Catholic, Pa. -- travel to Pocono Mountain West, Pa. for a dual meet tonight, travel to Central Mountain, Pa. for the King of the Mountain Tournament on Friday and Saturday No. 7 Oak Park River Forest, Ill. -- host Proviso West, Ill. in a dual meet tonight, travel to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio for the Walsh Jesuit Ironman on Friday and Saturday No. 8 Buchanan, Calif. -- split squad between the Chuckchansi Tournament at Madera South, Calif. on Friday and Saturday, along with the Curt Mettler Invitational at Elk Grove, Calif. on Saturday No. 9 Carl Sandburg, Ill. -- host Lincoln-Way Central, Ill. tomorrow night in a dual meet; travel to Joliet West, Ill. for a dual meet on Friday; travel to the Wheeling (Ill.) Quad on Saturday No. 10 St. Edward, Ohio -- travel to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio for the Walsh Jesuit Ironman on Friday and Saturday No. 11 Marmion Academy, Ill. -- travel to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio for the Walsh Jesuit Ironman on Friday and Saturday No. 12 Southeast Polk, Iowa -- host Dowling Catholic, Iowa and Marshalltown, Iowa in dual meets tomorrow night No. 13 Archer, Ga. -- travel to Kingsport, Tenn. For the Dobbins Bennett Invitational on Friday and Saturday No. 14 St. Michael-Albertville, Minn. -- host Montiecello, Minn. in a dual meet tomorrow, compete in the Prior Lake (Minn.) Duals on Saturday No. 15 Tuttle, Okla. -- host Piedmont, Okla. in a dual meet tomorrow, travel to Perry, Okla. for a dual meet on Tuesday 12/15 No. 16 Lake Highland Prep, Fla. -- travel to Brandon, Fla. for the Graves Invitational on Friday and Saturday No. 17 Elyria, Ohio -- travel to Milan Edison, Ohio for a double dual tonight, travel to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio for the Walsh Jesuit Ironman on Friday and Saturday No. 18 Belle Vernon, Pa. -- travel to Connellsville, Pa. for a dual meet tonight, travel to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio for the Walsh Jesuit Ironman on Friday and Saturday No. 19 Neosho, Mo. -- travel to Jefferson City for the Missouri Duals on Friday and Saturday No. 20 Lowell, Mich. -- compete in the Allegan (Mich.) Southwest Classic on Saturday No. 21 Poway, Calif. -- travel to the Clovis West (Calif.) Shootout on Saturday No. 22 Washington, Ill. -- compete in tri-meet at Canton, Ill. with Limestone, Ill.; travel to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio for the Walsh Jesuit Ironman on Friday and Saturday No. 23 Allen, Texas -- compete in the Barstow (Okla.) Invitational on Friday and Saturday No. 24 Delta, Ohio -- travel to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio for the Walsh Jesuit Ironman on Friday and Saturday No. 25 Warren Central, Ill. -- travel to Greenfield Central, Ind. for a dual meet tonight No. 26 Malvern Prep, Pa. -- host St. Joseph's Prep, Pa. in a dual meet tonight, travel to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio for the Walsh Jesuit Ironman on Friday and Saturday No. 27 Fort Dodge, Iowa -- travel to Ankeny, Iowa for a double dual tomorrow; compete in the Council Bluffs (Iowa) Classic on Friday and Saturday No. 28 Bakersfield, Calif. -- split of varsity squad for the Clovis West (Calif.) Shootout on Saturday, and a trip to the Walsh Jesuit Ironman in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio on Friday and Saturday No. 29 Monroe Woodbury, N.Y. -- host Valley Central, N.Y. in a dual meet tonight, travel to North Rockland, N.Y. for the Jerry McGuire duals on Saturday, and compete in the Section IX duals on 12/15 and 12/16 No. 30 Mt. Carmel, Ill. -- host St. Rita, Ill. in a dual meet on Friday, compete in the Downers Grove North (Ill.) Invitational on Saturday No. 32 Dundee, Mich. -- travel to Oxford, Mich. for a dual meet tonight, compete in tournament at Howell, Mich. on Saturday No. 34 Boyertown, Pa. -- travel to Central Mountain, Pa. for the King of the Mountain Tournament on Friday and Saturday No. 35 Apple Valley, Minn. -- host Eastview, Minn. in a dual meet tomorrow, compete in the Council Bluffs (Iowa) Classic on Friday and Saturday No. 36 Sand Springs, Okla. -- host Owosso, Okla. in a dual meet tomorrow, travel to the Perry (Okla.) Tournament on Friday and Saturday No. 37 Mesa Mountain View, Ariz. -- compete in tri-meet at Hamilton, Ariz. tonight No. 38 Hartland, Mich. -- travel to Rochester, Mich. for a tri-meet tonight, host tournament on Saturday No. 39 Olentangy Liberty, Ohio -- host the Liberty Classic on Saturday No. 40 Montini Catholic, Ill. -- travel to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio for the Walsh Jesuit Ironman on Friday and Saturday No. 41 Platte County, Mo. -- travel to Polo, Mo. for a tournament on Saturday No. 42 Crook County, Ore. -- travel to North Bend, Ore. for the Coast Classic Tournament on Friday and Saturday No. 43 Kiski Area, Pa. -- travel to North Hills, Pa. for multi-team dual meet event on Saturday, travel to Gateway, Pa. for dual meet on Tuesday (12/15) No. 45 Kasson-Mantorville, Minn. -- host Triton, Minn. for a dual meet on Friday, host K-M Invitational on Saturday No. 46 Father Ryan, Tenn. -- travel to Cleveland, Tenn. for a dual meet on Friday, compete in the Cleveland (Tenn.) Duals on Saturday No. 47 Brecksville, Ohio -- travel to North Royalton, Ohio for double dual tomorrow, travel to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio for the Walsh Jesuit Ironman on Friday and Saturday No. 48 San Marino, Calif. -- travel to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio for the Walsh Jesuit Ironman on Friday and Saturday No. 49 Colonial Forge, Va. -- travel to Hermitage, Va. for the Richmond Invitational on Friday and Saturday No. 50 Post Falls, Idaho -- host Lakeland, Idaho for dual meet tomorrow, travel to Hermiston (Ore.) Duals on Saturday

Four-year-old Hines Rotriga has some strong allies in his corner as he battles cancer ... including the Wheeling Jesuit wrestling team and their fans. The WJU Cardinals lent their support for the Wheeling, W.Va. youngster first diagnosed with stage four Neuroblastoma in 2013 by raising funds for the Hope for Hines charity at their dual meet vs. Ohio Valley University early Sunday afternoon ... then, later that day, at the university's annual Christmas Concert. In addition, all money collected in admissions to the dual -- as well as profits from the concession stand, and sales from donated t-shirts -- will be shared with the charity for Hines Rotriga as well. Fans attending the first home dual of the season undoubtedly left the gym with a warm feeling, seeing their Cardinals shut out Ohio Valley, 44-0 ... and knowing their attendance helped a family in need. "Our team believes in the university's mission to be men in service to others, and we make that a part of our culture," said WJU head wrestling coach Sean Doyle, who has been at the helm since the school launched its NCAA Division II mat program in 2013. "We thought our home opener was a perfect time to undertake a service project that would make an impact in our community. Supporting Hope for Hines is a way to help a local family during the Christmas season." "One of the things within our Cardinal Culture which is kind of our mantra as a program is that we're going to be really involved with the community and always be willing to go out and give back," Doyle told WTRF-TV . "It's just a part of our program where we like to give back and charity work is a big thing for us," said team captain Dominick Nania. "It's honestly great that we have the chance to do that when there's somebody in our area as well." "I encourage our guys to follow his story and maybe at some time second semester when he's home he can be an honorary captain and sit on the bench with the guys," said Doyle, a Wheeling area native who wrestled at Cornell University. Hines David Rotriga was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma the day after Christmas 2013. The son of Kevin and Debbie Rotriga of Wheeling was named for Hines Ward, formerly of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The youngster's cancer returned in August; according to the Hope for Hines Facebook page, Hines Rotriga is currently in New York City for treatment at Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Wheeling Jesuit University announced it was adding an intercollegiate wrestling program just before Christmas 2012. The school is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic university located in the city of Wheeling in the West Virginia panhandle, between Pittsburgh and Columbus, Ohio. Founded as Wheeling College in 1954 by the Jesuits, the school now has approximately 1,300 undergraduate students.

Funeral services have been announced for Cullen Porter, Virginia high school wrestler who died during practice last week. Cullen PorterVisitation will take place Monday, Dec. 7 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Wright Funeral Home, 206 W 4th Ave, Franklin, VA 23851. The funeral will take place Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 11 a.m. at the funeral home, with Pastor Danny Dillon officiating. The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made in Cullen's name to the Ruth Camp Campbell Memorial Branch of the Blackwater Regional Library, 280 N. College Drive, Franklin, VA 23851. Porter died Thursday, Dec. 3. There are conflicting reports as to the circumstances surrounding his death. WAVY-TV reported Friday that the 17-year-old senior died during team physicals. However, according to the Tidewater News, Porter hit his head during wrestling practice, was transported to Southampton Memorial Hospital where he was soon pronounced dead, according to Capt. Tim Whitt of the Franklin Police Department. Franklin City Public Schools issued this statement: "The Franklin High School Family learned Thursday evening that one of the 12th grade students died at the local hospital. Our deepest sympathy goes out to the student's family. The student leaves behind a host of friends and classmates who will miss him dearly. As the Franklin High School family mourns the loss, the campus and Franklin City Public Schools are doing everything we can to provide comfort and assistance to the family and to our students and staff in this time of grief. Franklin City Public Schools has counselors available on the campus to address concerns from students and will provide continuing support for students and staff needing additional assistance." Cullen Joseph Porter, 17, a senior at Franklin High School, had been active in many school activities, according to his obituary. In addition to being a member of the Franklin wrestling team, Porter also participated in tennis, boys' soccer, and cross country, as well as the robotics team and drama club. Porter was a part-time employee at The Village at Woods Edge, working with the facility's elderly residents. He had joined the Navy this past summer, with plans to report for active duty this coming July after graduation. Porter is survived by his mother and stepfather, his father and his wife, a sister, a brother, two stepsisters, a stepbrother, and numerous other relatives.

ANDERSON, S.C. -- After 15 seasons at the helm of the Anderson University wrestling program, head coach Dock Kelly has stepped down to the become to the first-ever wrestling coach at Lourdes University in Sylvania, Ohio, announced by Director of Athletics Bill D'Andrea on Monday. “This has been an incredible 15 and a half year experience,” Kelly said. “We achieved every goal that we set out to accomplish. I am grateful to every student-athlete that I was blessed to coach along this journey. I am especially grateful to (former athletic director) Mr. Bobby Beville, who granted me the chance of a lifetime to launch my collegiate coaching career by hiring me. He not only hired me, but he provided me with the necessary resources to be successful that allowed me to compete annually for national championships. My time here at Anderson University has prepared me for the next challenge that awaits me in Ohio. I look forward to this next chapter in my coaching career.” Named the AU wrestling coach in June 2000, Kelly has led two Trojans to individual national titles, capped off by JJ Jackson's 2010 national title at 157 pounds. Before Jackson, Careef Roberson won a national title at 174 pounds in 2005 to bring home AU's first NCAA National Championship in any sport. Most recently, Kelly saw former standout Sean Turner place second at 157 pounds at the 2015 NCAA Championships, as Turner became the fourth All-American in program history. In addition to the All-Americans, Kelly guided 17 Trojans to the NCAA Championships, including current senior Zak Hale a season ago. Away from the mat, Kelly placed 12 wrestlers on the Division II Wrestling Coaches Academic All-America list during his tenure, as Turner and Daniel Telhada headlined the list a season ago. Both Turner and Telhada are currently on the coaching staff at Anderson. In 2009, Kelly's Anthony DiCarlo was the recipient of the NCAA, NCAA Division II and Conference Carolinas Sportsmanship Award. During his time at AU, Kelly has been active with the local school districts giving motivational speeches to students across the Upstate. Most recently, Kelly spent time at Pendleton Elementary where Kelly spoke on preventing bullying in schools. Also during the offseason, Kelly and his team volunteer at the third annual Father and Son Day at the Anderson Recreation Center. Kelly also spent some time as an adjunct professor within the Kinesiology program. Prior to coming to Electric City, Kelly was the Assistant Coach at his alma mater, UNC Greensboro, from 1996 to 2000. At UNCG, Kelly sent 15 Spartans to the NCAA Division I Championships and claimed a Southern Conference title in 1998. Kelly is a member of the Chowan College Hall of Fame (2008), UNCG Hall of Fame (2006), Pinecrest High School Hall of Fame (1999), NCAA Hall of Champions (2000) and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame (1997). As a collegiate wrestler, Kelly earned a spot in the Division I National Championships in 1996. Currently, Kelly is a member of the National Wrestling Coaches Association and served at the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Conference in 2008. “Dock has been a staple and leader in this athletic department,” D'Andrea said. “I am extremely grateful for Dock and his contributions and commitment to the Anderson wrestling program. He will be missed on campus and I wish him the very best in all of his future endeavors.” With Kelly's departure, D'Andrea has promoted Assistant Coach JJ Jackson as the team's head coach for the remainder of the season. Jackson joined Kelly's coaching in December of 2010. “Coach Jackson is the perfect person to lead the Anderson University wrestling program,” Kelly said. “He is not only an accomplished wrestler, but he has developed into one of the best up-and-coming coaches in collegiate wrestling.” Lourdes announced the addition of the wrestling program on Oct. 19, 2015 and will begin its first season next November. With the addition of wrestling, Lourdes, a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), will boast 21 varsity sports.

For many states, this past weekend was the opening weekend of competition in the 2015-16 regular season. Even though some would call it a bit of the "calm before the storm" and for some teams it seemed that more were missing than active, there were some developments worth discussing. Gardner Edgerton Invitational No. 9 Southeast Polk, Iowa did win the title at the Gardner Edgerton Invitational in Kansas. However, it was not as dominant a showing for the Rams as the ranking could suggest. They scored 221 points to outlast unranked Platte County, Mo. (210) and Broken Arrow, Okla. (204.5). Half of the team for Southeast Polk placed in the top three, with the lone weight class title coming from No. 4 Ethan Andersen at 220 pounds; runner-up finishes came from Adam Brown (120), Nathan Lendt (126), and Kameron Padavich (182) with third place finishes earned by Gauge Perrien (113), Zach Barnes (132), and Daniel Ramirez (285). Four other Rams wrestlers placed within the top five, two in fourth (which meant they won their preliminary pool) and two in fifth (won the mini-bracket for second place in the pool). Leading the way for Platte County were a trio of weight class champions in Cody Phippen (106), No. 12 (at 126) Matthew Schmitt (132), and No. 16 Ethan Karsten (145). Five other wrestlers placed within the top four -- Johnny Blankenship (160) finished second, Dakota Schmidt (182) and Casey Jumps (220) finished third, while Austin Kincaid (120) and Trey Dockery (126) took fourth. Only three other wrestlers fnished first or second in their pool, with those three finishing below fifth. Broken Arrow also had a trio of weight class champions in Tyler Lawley (113), Isaiah Page (182), and Trenton Lieurance (285). Other key placement winners were a trio taking third and a trio taking fifth. The other two schools with multiple champions were Skutt Catholic, Neb. and Cascia Hall, Okla. Champions for Skutt Catholic were Korbin Meink (120) and Brendon Wheeler (195), while Tanner (138) and Scout (152) Skidgel took gold for Cascia Hall. Archer dominates at Southern Slam No. 13 Archer, Ga., dominated a diverse field of teams from the southeastern United States in the Southern Slam hosted this past weekend hosted by Eastside, S.C. Even without nationally ranked 220 pound wrestler Quinn Miller, who is on his way back from the football season, the Tigers still amassed 300 points to overwhelm tournament runners-up Rock Hill, S.C. (177 points). The usual suspects did the work for Archer, as they got four championships, those coming from Vinny Artigues (126), Chris Diaz (145), No. 2 Thomas Bullard (160), No. 4 Daniel Bullard (170). Another quartet earned runner-up honors -- Gavin Smith (120), Peter Myndrescu (138), Brayden Forth (195), and Jacob Lill (285). Twelve wrestlers for the Tigers placed in total with the other placers being one in third, two in fifth, and one in sixth. The other two notable champions in the event were A.J. Leitten (Fort Mill, S.C.) at 132 pounds and Alan Salgado (Rock Hill, S.C.) at 285. Mount Carmel scores victory over higher ranked Montini Catholic As part of a quad hosted by Mount Carmel, Ill. on Saturday, the host Caravan (ranked No. 36 nationally) upended No. 34 Montini Catholic by a 38-22 score. Mount Carmel won six of the eleven contested weight classes, as well as earning three victories in forfeited bouts at 182, 195, and 220 pounds. Will Lewan won the dual meet's opening bout at 138 pounds by 8-5 decision for the Broncos, but by the time Matthew Reyes secured a 6-1 victory at 285, the Caravan had amassed a mathematically insurmountable 35-3 lead. In the back part of the dual meet, nationally ranked wrestlers No. 13 Joey Melendez (106), No. 6 (at 113) Real Woods (120), and No. 5 (at 138) Dylan Duncan (132) scored victories for the Broncos by either technical fall or pin; also late in the dual meet came a notable result, as Montini Catholic's Jimmy Pawleski upended Cadet freestyle All-American Yahya Thomas by 3-2 score at 126 pounds. Reloaded Apple Valley wins by narrow margin at Winona Invitational Despite significant losses to graduation, No. 39 Apple Valley, Minn. still has lots of talent and retained the winning touch at the Winona Invitational this past Saturday. The Eagles won seven of the fourteen weight classes on the way to scoring 269.5 points. Champions included Nate Larson (120), Kyle Rathman (132), Brock Morgan (145), Jalen Thul (152), No. 1 (at 170) Mark Hall (182), No. 1 Gable Steveson (220), and Tanyi Besong (285). Three others earned runner-up finishes. Tournament runners-up were a formidable team from Kasson-Mantorville, Minn. The Komets had nine finalists, and six champions, on the way to scoring 257 pounds. Weight class champions included Robby Horsman (106), Keaten Schorr (126), Isaac Haman (138), No. 5 Brady Berge (160), Andy Bigelow (170), and Noah Ryan (195). Kiski Area upsets North Allegheny at Eastern Area Tournament The opening weekend of wrestling for WPIAL teams offered a notable statement, as Kiski Area, Pa. out-pointed No. 44 North Allegheny, Pa. to win the Eastern Area Tournament at Gateway. The Cavaliers placed nine wrestlers, including six finalists on the way to 226 points. Leading the way were weight class champions Cam Connor (113) and Matt Siszka (126), while runner-up finishes were accrued by Darren Miller (106), Joe Blumer (138), Tom Starr (160), and Tyler Worthing (182). Chad Kuhn (220) placed third, Brad Nagy (170) took fourth, and Danny Starr (152) was sixth. The runner-up Tigers placed eleven on the podium, but had only three finalists, on the way to scoring 208.5 points. Like Kiski Area, they had a pair of champions, those titles being won by Jake Hinkson (138) and Sean Hoover (160). The runner-up finish came from No. 18 Francis Duggan at 220 pounds, who lost to returning state runner-up Jacob Robb of Armstrong, Pa. Another three wrestlers finished third, Jacob Downing (106), Sean Kalmeyer (152), and Jake Woodley (182); while it was two more in fifth and another two in sixth place. Other notable weight class champions included No. 1 (at 113) Gavin Teasdale (Jefferson Morgan) at 120, No. 2 Cameron Coy (Penn-Trafford) at 145, No. 14 Nino Bonaccorsi (Bethel Park) at 170, and No. 15 Drew Phipps (Norwin) at 195. The tournament's most interesting final came at 182 came at 182 pounds, where Bill Bowlen (Jefferson Morgan) beat Tyler Worthing (Kiski Area) 5-3 in the tiebreaker, the match pitting returning state placers against one another. Check out this one on Tuesday night Should be an interesting dual meet when No. 19 Neosho, Mo., travels south to take on Collinsville, Okla. Last year when the teams met, they split matches at seven apiece, but it was major bonus points that enabled Neosho to take home a 37-28 victory. It was five pins and a major decision for Neosho compared to two pins and a major for the Cardinals. This year, Neosho travels to take on a Collinsville team that features two returning state champions, two runners-up, and additional placer, and two other returning qualifiers.

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- The Central Michigan wrestling team took care of business Sunday, rolling past in-state rival Michigan State, 33-0, in their home opener, a non-conference dual at McGuirk Arena. The 21st-ranked Chippewas (4-0) are 14-1 in the last 15 meetings with the Spartans (0-5). CMU has notched 30-plus point victories in two straight duals. The Chippewas downed Northern Illinois, 39-3, in the their Mid-American Conference opener last Thursday. Although pleased with the overall performance of the team this season, CMU coach Tom Borrelli said that there is plenty of room for improvement. "I just don't know if we initiated as much as I wanted us to today," Borrelli said. "I would have liked to have seen us score more points, I feel like we left points out there that we were capable of getting." Sophomore 125-pounder Brent Fleetwood started things off with a 3-2. Junior Corey Kenner (133) won by technical fall, 21-6, to run the score to 8-0. The Chippewas entered completion with five wrestlers ranked in the top 20 nationally by Amateur Wrestling News: Senior Zach Horan (141), No. 9; Colin Heffernan (149), No.10; Luke Smith (157), No. 13; Mike Ottinger (174), No. 9; and Austin Severn (184), No. 14. All five claimed decisions in the win. Severn, a junior, owns a 6-1 record and is ranked for the first time in his college career. "He is really starting to come on for us," Borrelli said. "He is starting to wrestle with a lot more confidence and he is a guy that I really think is turning the corner." CMU senior Jackson Lewis had an exciting victory 197. Trailing 4-3 heading into the third period, Lewis scored a takedown and several near-fall points to claim the match by a 13-5 major decision. "(Lewis) was real good on top today," Borrelli said. "He turned a guy twice with the legs and that's something new for him." Sunday's victory over the Spartans marks the last time Borrelli and the Chippewas will square off with longtime MSU coach Tom Minkel, who will retire at the end of the season after 25 years at the helm of the program. Minkel was a three-time All-American at CMU and was an assistant under head coach Chick Sherwood for the Chippewas. Minkel, Sherwood and wrestlers from the 1985-86 CMU squad, the first to win a Mid-American Conference championship, were honored before Sunday's meet. "He's a professional and very much a gentleman," said Borrelli. "Being in the Big Ten, they don't have to wrestle us, obviously its great for wrestling in the state, we have a good crowd in the stands when we wrestle them. "It's a good rivalry, and he doesn't have to (schedule CMU). There are other coaches that probably wouldn't put their teams in that situation, and he's never been that way." Minkel succeeded Sherwood as CMU's head coach and led the Chippewas from 1989-91 then left for MSU. Borrelli took over at CMU for Minkel. "He and coach Sherwood built this program - (Minkel) worked here for 13 years, coach Sherwood worked here for 25 years," Borrelli said. "They're the ones who gave me this opportunity and I don't know how you repay that." The Chippewas will return to the mat Dec. 20 as they take part in the Reno Tournament of Champions in Reno, Nev. Results: 125: Brent Fleetwood (CMU) dec. Mitch Rogaliner, 3-2 133: Corey Keener (CMU) tech. fall Patrick Blommel, 21-6 141: Zach Horan (CMU) dec. Garth Yenter, 4-3 149: Colin Heffernan (CMU) dec. Mark Bozzo, 4-1 157: Luke Smith (CMU) dec. Joe Johnson, 5-0 165: Jordan Atienza (CMU) dec. Travis Curley, 8-2 174: Mike Ottinger (CMU) dec. Shane Shadaia, 7-1 184: Austin Severn (CMU) dec. Schwan Shadaia, 8-2 197: Jackson Lewis (CMU) major dec. Jacob Cooper, 13-5 HWT: Newton Smerchek (CMU) dec. Dimitrus Renfroe, 2-0

STILLWATER -- Oklahoma State's wrestling team fell to 2-2 on the season after a back-and-forth dual against No. 13 North Carolina State, 19-15. With the Cowboys winning four matches, the dual came down to the heavyweight bout, where the Wolfpack was victorious. "The lineup is not good," Smith said. "That team that we put out today is going to have a hard time beating anyone. We started with Eddie (Klimara) scrapping out a win, and I also like the way (Dean) Heil wrestled. Unfortunately, Davey Dolan was not able to score a takedown in an important match. Of course, Dieringer did what we needed of him. I was expecting more out of Crutchmer from a standpoint of a major decision. Overall, it was an ugly match from our part. Chemistry-wise, something wasn't working with our team, so that is something that I am going to work on. I am going to have to make sure that people stepping out and wrestling hard recognize that today was unacceptable, and we just have to get better from it." The dual began with a nail-biter as No. 5 Eddie Klimara and Sean Fausz went into overtime at 125 pounds. Fausz gained a 3-1 lead, taking down the Cowboy with 37 seconds left in the match. Klimara scored a crucial reversal to send the match into overtime. Halfway through the sudden victory period, Klimara picked up his first takedown of the match to win, 5-3. The Wolfpack picked up a 4-0 bout at 133 pounds to tie the team score, 3-3. No. 1 Dean Heil took on No. 2 Kevin Jack in an exciting bout that saw five takedowns between the wrestlers. Jack struck first with a takedown but the bout was tied 3-3 at the end of the first period. Jack scored a reversal to start the second, while Heil responded with an escape and a takedown to carry a one-point lead into the final period. The Cowboy went on to pick up an escape and two more takedowns to defeat the Wolfpack All-American, 10-8. "All week I've pondered re-watching last year's match against him just to see if there was anything I wanted to work on and I ended up not watching it," Heil said. "It has been many months since then and we've both improved in certain areas. Instead I watched a few matches from this year so I had an idea from that and he did change. I knew where I could go in my offense and I pulled off three takedowns to get the win." The Cowboys suffered a 5-2 loss at 149 pounds as Davey Dolan stepped into the lineup. At 157 pounds, NC State took its first lead of the day in the team score, 10-6, as No. 8 Tommy Gantt picked up a major decision over redshirt freshman Chance Marsteller. The Cowboys regained the lead, 12-10, as top-ranked Alex Dieringer stuck Lee Davis in 29 seconds at 165 pounds to improve to 7-0. It was Dieringer's sixth bonus-point win of the season. "I'm always going for bonus points and obviously the pin is the best thing you can do," Dieringer said. "I went out there looking for a big throw and hit him with a hip toss and got the pin. I usually don't get them that quick, but I'm always on the attack and that's what our team needs to do. We didn't do it tonight and that's why we didn't get the win. We've got to go back to the drawing board and focus on the key word - attack." No. 2 Kyle Crutchmer helped separate the Pokes from the Wolfpack, earning a key 7-2 win over No. 8 Max Rohskopf. Crutchmer hit a double-leg takedown to hold a 2-1 advantage after the first period. Starting the second on bottom, Crutchmer notched an escape with 30 seconds left and grabbed another takedown to go up 5-1, leading into the final period. A third takedown for Crutchmer secured the win, 7-2. The Pokes dropped heartbreakers at 184 and 197 pounds, both separated by one point. Nolan Boyd stormed back from a 4-1 deficit to No. 16 Pete Renda, but it was not enough as he fell, 9-8. At 197 pounds, Austin Schafer battled No. 17 Michael Boykin in a 3-2 bout. With the Cowboys trailing 16-15, the dual came down to the heavyweight match. No. 4 Austin Marsden took on two-time NCAA champion Nick Gwiazdowski in their second meeting. Marsden was not able to overcome Gwiazdowski's three takedowns, falling 7-4. The Pokes return to action on Dec. 13 as they travel to Norman, Okla. to face the Sooners. Results: 125: No. 5 Eddie Klimara (OSU) dec. Sean Fausz (NCST), 5-3 SV1 133: Jamal Morris (NCST) dec. Brian Crutchmer (OSU), 4-0 141: No. 1 Dean Heil (OSU) dec. No. 2 Kevin Jack (NCST), 10-8 149: Sam Melikian (NCST) dec. Davey Dolan (OSU), 5-2 157: No. 8 Tommy Gantt (NCST) MD Chance Marsteller (OSU), 18-6 165: No. 1 Alex Dieringer (OSU) fall Lee Davis (NCST), 0:29 174: No. 2 Kyle Crutchmer (OSU) dec. No. 8 Max Rohskopf (NCST)*, 7-2 184: No. 16 Pete Renda (NCST) dec. No. 15 Nolan Boyd (OSU), 9-8 197: No. 17 Michael Boykin (NCST) dec. Austin Scahfer (OSU), 3-2 285: No. 1 Nick Gwiazdowski (NCST) dec. No. 4 Austin Marsden (OSU), 7-4

ERIE, Pa. -- The Edinboro wrestling team came into Saturday's PSAC Championships at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center seeking a fifth straight conference championship and 10th in the last 11 years. But the 2015 team barely resembled that which dominated the competition the last two years. It didn't matter. Despite featuring a lineup that had four true freshmen and three redshirt freshmen, Edinboro successfully defended its crown, even to the amazement of its veteran coach, Tim Flynn. "We weren't favored," Flynn pointed out after winning his 16th PSAC championship in 19 years. "I'm a pretty realistic guy. I thought we were in the top three mix. To get a win is rewarding. Last year, we had nine champions. We knew we were good. This one was earned." Edinboro would finish with 136.5 points to outdistance Lock Haven in the 12-team field. The Bald Eagles totaled 118 points, while Mercyhurst came in third with 108.5 points, the exact order of finish a year ago, as well. Clarion finished with 95 points and Pitt-Johnstown had 92. Pitt-Johnstown's Travis McKillop was named the Outstanding Wrestler after winning his second championship at 184 lbs. Six wrestlers won individual titles and eight wrestlers placed. Casey Fuller and Vince Pickett led the way as both won their second straight PSAC championships at 165 and 197 lbs., respectively. Fellow senior Patrick Jennings won his first crown at 174 lbs. The other three champions were freshmen, with redshirt freshmen Sean Russell (125 lbs.) and Billy Miller (hwt.) winning, along with true freshman Patricio Lugo at 149 lbs. In addition, two more true freshmen placed, with Spencer Nagy taking third place at 157 lbs. and Nate Hagan finishing fourth at 141 lbs. Russell, the number one seed at 125 lbs., got the finals started with a 7-3 decision over Pitt-Johnstown's Evan Link, the third seed. The redshirt freshman grabbed a 2-1 lead after one period thanks to a takedown, then added another for a 4-2 lead after two periods. He closed out the match with an escape and an insurance takedown with a minute left. While winning all four of his matches, Russell recorded 26 total takedowns. He improved to 12-2 on the season. After Hagan (12-9) took the mat and dropped a 13-3 major decision to Sam Hanau of Pitt-Johnstown to finish fourth at 141 lbs., Lugo continued his impressive freshman campaign as he won a 10-2 major decision over Mercyhurst's Jeremy Landowski at 157 lbs. in a battle of one- vs. two seeds. Lugo is now 15-0. He won four matches on Saturday, one by fall, one by technical fall, and two by major decision. Lugo grabbed a 2-0 lead after one period, then added a second takedown for a 4-1 lead after two periods. He would add an escape and two more takedowns in the final period for his major over Landowski, a Division II All-American. Nagy (15-8), yet another of the freshmen in the lineup, won his third place match by a 5-2 decision over Brendan Colbert of Bloomsburg. The win came after he had lost twice to Colbert in the last three days. Fuller made it back-to-back 165 lb. championships thanks to a hard-earned 3-2 decision over second-seeded Francis Mizia in a battle of undefeated wrestlers. Fuller, the top seed, would join Lugo at 15-0. He led 2-1 after one period, with a Mizia escape knotting the score after two periods. A quick escape to start the third period was the difference for Fuller. The 174 lb. final pitted Jennings, seeded third, against fourth-seeded Tyler Wood of Lock Haven. Jennings, now 10-4, prevailed via an 8-4 decision as he jumped out to a 6-1 lead after one period on a takedown and a four-point near fall move. Pickett and Miller closed out Edinboro's fifth straight championship with dominating performances at 197 and 285 lbs. Pickett, the top seed, won his second straight PSAC title on the strength of a 12-0 major decision over Brandon Clark of Kutztown, the fourth seed. Pickett is now 10-4 while earning bonus points in all three of his matches. After a tough 8-4 decision over Clarion's Zach Deluca in the semifinals, top-seeded Miller faced Pitt-Johnstown's Damon Sims, the third seed, in the finals. Sims was coming off a fall over second-seeded Andrew Welton of Mercyhurst, but Miller put an exclamation point on the day with a fall at 2:04 to improve to 13-1. It was his second fall of the day. Flynn was impressed with the performance of his entire team. "The guys are competing hard," he noted. "So far it's been nice. Even when they're losing they're fighting hard. They're high-level kids."

Live Blog North Carolina State at Oklahoma State

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Maryland secured seven victories, including the second pin in three matches for freshman Jaron Smith (184), as the Terrapins took care of Drexel University 24-10 Saturday evening. The Terps (3-4, 0-1 Big Ten) are now riding a two-match winning streak, while Drexel drops to 3-5 in head-to-head competition this season. I'm really excited, I think this was a great win for our guys,” said head coach Kerry McCoy. “They've been working really hard...our guys were fired up about it the whole week. It's great just to be back home and get a win, we had some really exciting matches.” Smith provided one of the most entertaining matches of the evening, earning a fall over Drexel sophomore Stephen Loiseau in the first 30-second overtime period. The Columbia, Md. native had control early on, but Louiseau managed to tie the match 4-4 and force overtime. Loiseau nearly clinched a decision on riding time, but came up just three tenths of a second short of the go ahead point. Neither wrestler threatened much through the first minute, before Smith came from the bottom to earn his second career fall and put the Terps up 9-0. A 6-2 decision for redshirt freshman Garrett Wesneski (197) had the hosts in front 12-0 through three weights, but Drexel hung around with a pair of decisions to make it 12-6 through five. No. 18 Tyler Goodwin (133) got off to a hot start in the first period of his match vs. redshirt junior David Pearce, using takedown and four point near fall to quickly go up 6-0. Pearce kept it close with a reversal in the third period, but Goodwin ultimately secured the 7-2 decision to move to 5-2 on the season. Redshirt-senior Lou Mascola (157) also pulled off an exciting victory, after going down 4-1 early to redshirt sophomore Ryan O'Connor. The two traded points back and forth throughout the match, before Mascola found himself down 7-8 in the closing seconds of the third period. The East Hanover, N.J. native came through with a clutch takedown just before the buzzer to clinch a 9-8 decision and the match over the Dragons. Josh Snook (175), Alfred Bannister (141) and Brendan Burnham (165) were also all victorious for the Terps to help the team win its first head-to-head dual match of the season at the XFINITY Center Pavilion. The Maryland wrestling program will be right back at it tomorrow when the team travels to the Nittany Lion Open in State College, Pa. The Terps will return to dual match action next Friday, December 11 when the team hosts its first Big Ten opponent of the season in Nebraska. Results: 174: Josh Snook (MD) decision over Nick Elmer (DREX), 5-4 (3-0) 184: Jaron Smith (MD) fall over Stephen Loiseau (DREX), 6-4 (9-0) 8:14 197: Garrett Wesneski (MD) decision over Nezar Haddad (DREX), 6-2 (12-0) 285: Joey Goodhart (DREX) decision over Youssif Hemida (MD), 5-3 (12-3) 125: Zack Fuentes (DREX) decision over Jhared Simmons (MD), 5-4 (12-6) 133: No. 18 Tyler Goodwin (MD) decision over David Pearce (DREX), 7-2 (15-6) 141: Alfred Bannister (MD) decision over Kevin Devoy Jr. (DREX), 8-7 (18-6) 149: No. 10 Matthew Cimato (DREX) major decision over Wade Hodges (MD) vs. (18-10) 157: Lou Mascola (MD) decision over Ryan O'Connor (DREX), 9-8 (21-10) 165: Brendan Burnham (MD) decision over Austin Rose (DREX), 4-2 (24-10)

PRINCETON, N.J. -- In its final action before the break for final exams, No. 12 Lehigh posted a pair of victories Saturday in New Jersey. The Mountain Hawks began the day with a 26-12 win over Rider at Alumni Gym, then rolled to a 34-3 triumph over No. 25 Princeton at Dillon Gym. Lehigh won 15 of 20 bouts on the day with the five losses coming by a combined eight points. The first four weights in Lehigh's lineup all went 2-0 on the day as did senior Nathaniel Brown at 184 and both Mountain Hawk heavyweights picked up victories as well. With the wins, Lehigh improves to 6-1 overall and 2-0 against EIWA opponents. "The difference between the first and second match was that we stayed intense the whole time," Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro said. "Princeton has a really good team. They had a couple starters out of their lineup which made a difference but our guys wrestled really hard in that match" The Rider match began with a forfeit to sophomore Darian Cruz at 125 before Lehigh won the first three contested bouts to take a 16-0 lead after 149. Senior Mason Beckman returned to action with a 6-0 decision over Zach Valcarce at 133, while junior Randy Cruz followed with the first of his two bonus wins on the day, a 14-2 major decision over Paul Kirchner at 141. Cruz led 2-0 after one and broke the bout open with a reversal and two four-point near falls in the second period. Junior Laike Gardner delivered the biggest upset of the day for Lehigh, knocking off returning All-American B.J. Clagon 9-7 at 149. Gardner trailed 2-1 in the first period when he used a modified cement mixer to score a takedown and four point near fall to go up 7-2. Escapes in the second and third periods provided cushion to hold off the 12th-ranked Bronc. Rider picked things up with three straight victories by a combined four points. At 157 Chad Walsh forced overtime with a late third period takedown and went on to upset junior Mitch Minotti 8-7 in the tiebreakers. Walsh tilted Minotti for two points in the first half of the tiebreaker before Minotti reversed, but a Walsh escape in the second half proved to be the difference. The Broncs' Conor Brennan moved to 9-0 on the season with a 6-5 win over freshman Ryan Preisch at 165. Wayne Stinson made it three straight for the home team with a 5-3 win over junior Elliot Riddick. Brown put Lehigh back on track with his first pin of the season. He built an 8-0 lead before using arm bars to pin Steven Nelson at 2:03. Rider posted another close win at 197 as Ryan Wolfe edged senior John Bolich 3-1 but senior Max Wessell closed the dual with an impressive 12-3 major decision win over Mauro Correnti. In its second dual of the day against Princeton, Lehigh won the first eight bouts, with two pins and a major decision, while taking advantage of the Tigers missing a pair of nationally-ranked starters. Darian Cruz started the dual with a 3-1 win over Pat D'Arcy before Beckman posted his first bonus win of the season, a 15-5 major decision over Trey Aslanian. At 141, Randy Cruz met Jordan Laster in a rematch of last year's EIWA finals. Laster scored the opening takedown to go up 2-0 but Cruz reversed Laster into a cradle late in the first period and secured the fall with just two seconds remaining. "He just kept wrestling," Santoro said. "Randy is never out of a match. He needs to move his feet more. Laster is really good on his feet but we have to get more leg attacks ourselves. We can't wait for a guy to shoot on you because that can be trouble." Wins by decision from Gardner, Minotti and Preisch extended Lehigh's lead to 22-0. Riddick bounced back from the earlier loss with a win by fall over Nick Maselli at 174. The bout was tied at 1-1 early in the third period before Riddick opened up with a pair of takedowns. A third takedown saw Riddick work Maselli to his back to record the fall in 6:16. Brown picked up his second win of the day, edging Abram Ayala in a matchup of top-15 ranked wrestlers at 184. Brown rode out the second period and was given a third period escape to account for the scoring, which put Lehigh up 31-0 in the dual. Princeton's lone win came at 197 as Brett Harner used a first period takedown to edge Bolich 3-1. Junior Doug Vollaro made his season debut a day earlier than expected after Wessell suffered a cut near his eye in his match against Correnti earlier in the day. Matched up against Ray O'Donnell, the bout went into sudden victory, where O'Donnell initiated a throw attempt but Vollaro ended up on top for the winning score in a 3-1 decision. "We've been close to having some outstanding performances as a full team, but we're not quite there yet," Santoro said. "As I said a few weeks ago, there's another level to this team, another gear we haven't hit yet. We have to keep plugging away. Now we're starting to get on legs but we're not finishing legs. Before we weren't even doing that so its one step at a time." The Mountain Hawks will now break for final exams and will close out 2015 when they travel to Norman, Okla. to face the No. 7-ranked Sooners on Sunday, Dec. 19 at 1 p.m. (ET). The match will be broadcast on WLVR (91.3 FM). No. 12 Lehigh 26, Rider 12 125 - Darian Cruz (Lehigh) won by forfeit 133 - Mason Beckman (Lehigh) dec. Zach Valcarce (Rider) 6-0 141 - Randy Cruz (Lehigh) major dec. Paul Kirchner (Rider) 14-2 149 - Laike Gardner (Lehigh) dec. B.J. Clagon (Rider) 9-7 157 - Chad Walsh (Rider) dec. Mitch Minotti (Lehigh) 8-7, tb 165 - Conor Brennan (Rider) dec. Ryan Preisch (Lehigh) 6-5 174 - Wayne Stinson (Rider) dec. Elliot Riddick (Lehigh) 5-3 184 - Nathaniel Brown (Lehigh) Fall Steven Nelson (Rider) 2:03 197 - Ryan Wolfe (Rider) dec. John Bolich (Lehigh) 5-3 285 - Max Wessell (Lehigh) major dec. Mauro Correnti (Rider) 12-3 No. 12 Lehigh 34, Princeton 3 125 - Darian Cruz (Lehigh) dec. Pat D'Arcy (Princeton) 3-1 133 - Mason Beckman (Lehigh) major dec. Trey Aslanian (Princeton) 15-5 141 - Randy Cruz (Lehigh) Fall Jordan Laster (Princeton) 2:58 149 - Laike Gardner (Lehigh) dec. Mike D'Angelo (Princeton) 6-3 157 - Mitch Minotti (Lehigh) dec. Francesco Fabozzi (Princeton) 4-2 165 - Ryan Preisch (Lehigh) dec. Judd Ziegler (Princeton) 9-4 174 - Elliot Riddick (Lehigh) Fall Nick Maselli (Princeton) 6:16 184 - Nathaniel Brown (Lehigh) dec. Abram Ayala (Princeton) 2-0 197 - Brett Harner (Princeton) dec. John Bolich (Lehigh) 3-1 285 - Doug Vollaro (Lehigh) dec. Ray O'Donnell (Princeton) 3-1, sv

Nathan Tomasello and Micah Jordan are bringing hardware back with them from Las Vegas, as they each won a pair of matches in the championship brackets at 125 and 141 pounds, respectively, to help the third-ranked Buckeyes finish fifth overall at the Cliff Keen Invitational. The CKLV Invitational is one of the nation's most competitive tournaments, featuring a total of 40 teams - five ranked in the top 10 - and nearly 40 percent of all of the nation's ranked wrestlers. THE SHORT STORY: 125 LBS. Tomasello's 125-pound title came with a 5-4 decision in the final over Virginia Tech's Joey Dance. Tied at 4-4 late in the third period, Dance was called for stalling and that proved to be the difference as Tomasello capped his weekend with his first-career CKLV title (he finished third last year). The sophomore from Parma, Ohio got the first takedown of the match and led 2-1 following the first period, and then went ahead 3-1 with a quick escape to begin the second period. Dance evened things up with a second-period takedown but the wrestlers then exchanged escapes to make the score 4-4. NOTING TOMASELLO'S TITLE In the semifinals, Tomasello (9-0) defeated 17th-ranked and 12th-seeded Ryan Milhoff of Oklahoma by decision, 11-3. Joey Dance is ranked No. 3 nationally in the latest InterMat poll. Tomasello is No. 1. Dance was the ACC champion last year and came into the match with a record of 11-0. He was an All-American in 2013. Six of Tomasello's nine wins this year by bonus points. The win over Dance was the 60th career victory for Tomasello (60-4). Tomasello ran his winning streak to 26 consecutive matches, dating back to last season His victory avenges a loss to Dance during a regular season dual meet last season. THE SHORT STORY: 141 LBS. Jordan had one of the biggest days of his young career on Saturday, getting a 5-2 victory over top-seeded Solomon Chishkov in the semifinals and then following that up with a 7-3 win in the finals against third-seeded Todd Preston of Harvard. In the finals, Jordan raced out to a 4-1 first-period lead thanks to a pair of takedowns. Preston made the score 4-1 to end the first stanza, but another Jordan takedown in the second extended his advantage to 6-2. Preston escaped towards the end of the second period, but was unable to get any closer (no points were scored in the third). Jordan tacked on an additional point for riding time. Jordan's semifinal win over top-seeded Solomon Chishkov was keyed by two first-period takedowns. Ahead 4-1, he allowed just one more escape at the beginning of the second period and fought off Chishkov's comeback attempt for a 5-2 decision. NOTING JORDAN'S TITLE Jordan's semifinal opponent, Solomon Chishko (Virginia Tech), was 11-0 on the year, ranked No. 8 in last week's InterMat poll and the No. 1 seed. It was Jordan's first win this year over a rankled wrestler. Todd Preston from Harvard was seeded third and ranked No. 13 nationally. Jordan ran his season record to 12-0, making him one of three starters who are still perfect thus far is 2015-16. Eight of his 12 wins have been by either fall, major decision or technical fall. He had two bonus point wins this past weekend. Ohio State has now had the winning wrestler at 141 lbs. at the CKLV Invitational for five straight years (Logan Stieber 2011-14, Jordan 2015). Ranked No. 16 in the latest InterMat poll, Jordan was the fifth seed. He has risen at least one spot in each of the last two weeks. In the consolation wrestlebacks, Nick Tavanello scored often in a 10-3 decision against Hofstra's Mike Hughes and then secured a fifth-place finish with his fall over Nick Gajdzik of NC State. Tavanello (11-2) is now tied for the team lead with five falls this season. Kenny Courts (10-2) also was a fifth-place finisher, winning three matches on Saturday, including his final match of the tournament by fall over Matthew Miller of Navy in 2:36. JUST THE HIGHLIGHTS Champions: Nathan Tomasello (125 lbs., 9-0), Micah Jordan (141 lbs., 12-0) Fifth place: Kenny Courts (184 lbs., 10-2), Nick Tavanello (285 lbs., 11-2) CLIFF KEEN LAS VEGAS INVITATIONAL HISTORY Ohio State has finished in the top-five of the CKLV Invitational standings for five consecutive years. The Buckeyes were second last year and won the title in both 2011 and 2012 The last time Ohio State had two CKLV champions was 2013 when Stieber (141) and Johnni DiJulius (133) claimed titles. UP NEXT Ohio State will meet ninth-ranked Missouri next Saturday, Dec. 12, in Columbia, Mo. The Tigers finished fourth overall at last year's NCAA Championships and feature junior J'Den Cox, ranked No. 2 at 197 lbs. and the 2014 NCAA champion. OSU and Missouri met last year at St. John Arena with the Tigers claiming a 20-19 victory based on the fourth tiebreak criteria.

LAS VEGAS -- Senior Nahshon Garrett became the fifth person to claim three Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational titles to start the night, upsetting the No. 1 ranked wrestler at 133 pounds to lead three Cornell champions as the Big Red finished second as a team. Juniors Brian Realbuto (174) and Gabe Dean (184) capped the night with dominant efforts in the finals as five Big Red wrestlers reached the podium at one of the nation's premier events. Garrett remained unbeaten since his move up to 133 pounds by knocking off undefeated defending national champion Corey Brewer of Oklahoma, the event's top seed. He rallied from an early 7-2 deficit for an impressive 14-9 victory to claim his third title, joining four-time champion Logan Stieber (Ohio State, 2011-14) and fellow three-time champions Ben Askren (Missouri, 2004-06), Andrew Howe (Oklahoma/Wisconsin, 2009-10, 13) and fellow Big Red great Mack Lewnes (Cornell, 2008-10). Dean will have a chance to join Garrett on that list a year from now after earning his second crown with a dominant 15-6 major decision victory over 12th-ranked Dominic Abounader of Michigan. That came after the morning's 3-2 triumph over No. 9 Willie Miklus of Missouri, Dean's first win of the year that didn't come with bonus points attached to it. He also extended his own personal win streak to 44 matches while avenging last season's fourth-place finish at Las Vegas. Rounding out the championship performances was a dominant 11-1 finals win by Realbuto over No. 15 Bryce Hammond of Cal-Bakersfield. He had the only takedown of the first period and tilted Hammond for four backpoints to end the first period up 6-0 and never looked back. After a tight two-point win over Andrew LaBrie in the first round, Realbuto ran through the field, including earning a 16-0 technical fall over No. 17 Jadean Bernstein of Navy in the semifinals. Missouri won the team title with 154 points with Cornell settling in as the runner-up with 113 points. Cornell won the 2010 title and has now finished in the top six in each of the last eight seasons and five times in the top three. The Big Red has won 17 individual titles dating back to 2004, including at least two in three straight years. After losing his semifinal match to third-ranked Isaac Jordan of Wisconsin at 165, Pickett dropped a narrow 4-3 decision to Daniel Lewis of Missouri before pinning Harvard's Devon Gobbo in the fifth-place match midway through the second period. Freshman heavyweight Jeramy Sweany earned a major decision over Virginia's Pat Gillen to begin the day, but fell short in consecutive matches to Ohio State's 18th-ranked Nick Tavanello and Cal Baptist's Joseph Fagiano to end the tournament in eighth place. Alive entering the day in the wrestlebacks, freshman Joe Galasso (149) and junior Chris Dowdy (157) lost decisions to open the day and end their tournament. LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Four Big Red wrestlers advanced to the semifinals and three more remain alive in the wrestlebacks after day one of the 2015 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Friday. Cornell finished the first two sessions of the two-day tournament in fourth place with 69 points. Senior Nahshon Garrett (133) and juniors Duke Pickett (165), Brian Realbuto (174) and Gabe Deam (184) each advanced to the semifinals and will compete for spots in tomorrow's championship round in session three. Also still alive for spots on the podium at one of the nation's most competitive tournaments will be freshmen Joe Galasso (149) and Jeramy Sweany (285) and junior Chris Dowdy (157), all of whom advanced to the quarterfinals. Despite only fielding nine wrestlers due to an injury to 125-pounder Dalton Macri, the Big Red still ended the first session with seven wrestlers into the quarterfinals and sitting in sixth place as a team. Once there, four reached the semis with three earning bonus point victories to get there. Garrett and Dean were especially dominant, with both earning bonus point wins in all three matches on the day. Garrett earned a tech fall and a fall before his major decision victory over No. 12 Josh Martinez of Air Force. Dean, who has won every match of the season with bonus points attached, earned a pair of high-scoring tech falls before dominating in a major decision victory over Navy's 19th-ranked Mathew Miller, 12-4. Realbuto continued to get better as the day went on at 174, pinning eighth-seeded Brian Harvey of Army in the second period of his quarterfinal match. Realbuto, the third top two seed with the No. 1 slot at 174 pounds, was victorious over a pair of Ivy wrestlers in his first two matches, including rallying from an early 4-2 deficit in an 8-6 triumph over Brown's Andrew LaBarie. Pickett took a hard road, needing to win four matches to advance to the semis at 165 pounds, and he did just that with a major and three regular decisions. The highlight was a 4-1 decision over No. 19 David McFadden of Virginia Tech. Freshman Jeramy Sweany earned two wins at heavyweight, including a 3-2 victory over ninth-seeded Brock Horwath of Wisconsin, and freshman Joe Galasso (149) and junior Chris Dowdy (157) joined the usual suspects in the round of eight. All three were impressive in tight losses in the quarters, including Sweany's 6-4 defeat to No. 2 Ty Walz of Virginia Tech. All three were done in by higher seeded wrestlers in the round and will look to earn valuable points in Saturday's wrestlebacks. Dylan Realbuto won three matches in the first session, including a pair in the wrestlebacks, but was topped by Army West Point's Logan Everett in the consolation fourth round, 6-1, in his fifth match of the morning. Cornell's 197-pounder Jake Taylor also dropped a pair of decisions, falling to No. 16 Mark Martin of Ohio State 8-5 before falling in sudden victory overtime to Oregon State's Cody Crawford.

LAS VEGAS -- Mizzou Wrestling will depart Las Vegas, Nev., as the 2015 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational team champions. The Tigers finished the tournament with 154 team points, 41 points ahead of second place Cornell. #Tigerstyle had seven wrestlers place in the top-four, headlined by individual championships from junior 197-pounder J'den Cox (Columbia, Mo.) and redshirt junior 149-pounder Lavion Mayes (Mascoutah, Ill.). Redshirt freshman 165-pounder Daniel Lewis (Blue Springs, Mo.) and redshirt senior 174-pounder Blaise Butler (Belvidere, Ill.) finished the tournament with third-place finishes. Lewis earned the "Most Falls in the Least Amount of Time" Award after posting five first-period pins over the tournament. "With a lot of new faces in the lineup, this was a good way to find out about where we are as a team," said Head Coach Brian Smith. "We had a lot of good wins and wrestled at or above our seeds in many matches. Extremely happy to come home with a team title. Most importantly, we found out a lot about our team and what improvements we need to make. Looking forward to next weekend and the big home-opening duals and to see all of our fans come out and support #TigerStyle." In a rematch of the Joe Parisi Open Championship two weekends ago, Cox defeated Jacob Smith of West Virginia by way of decision, 9-3, in the semifinals to advance to the finals. Cox defeated Brett Pfarr of Minnesota in the finals by way of decision, 4-1, to win the 197-pound championship. Cox scored a takedown in the first, an escape in the third, and a riding time point for the four points. Cox finished a perfect 5-0 on the weekend. Mayes defeated Davion Jeffries of Oklahoma by decision, 5-4, in the semifinals to advance to the finals. In the 149-pound Championship, Mayes beat Jake Short of Minnesota by decision, 8-6. Lewis began his day with his fifth first-period pin when he put Tyrel White of Columbia on his back at 2:20. Lewis picked up two more wins by decision to advance to the third-place match, where he bested Clark Glass of Oklahoma with an 8-2 decision. After dropping his semifinals match, Butler rebounded in the consolation semifinals, picking up an 18-3 technical fall on his way to the third-place match. Butler matched up with Jadaen Bernstein of Navy in the 174-pound third place match, where he came away with an 8-3 decision. Redshirt sophomore 125-pounder Barlow McGhee (Rock Island, Ill.), redshirt junior 141-pounder Matt Manley (Perry, Okla.), and redshirt sophomore 184-pounder Willie Miklus (Altoona, Iowa) all finished in fourth place in the tournament. For all the latest on Mizzou Wrestling, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (MizzouWrestling).

LAS VEGAS -- Missouri clinched the team title at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in Saturday's morning session. The Tigers have two finalists, Lavion Mayes (149) and J'den Cox (197), and seven placewinners. Two unranked wrestlers reached the finals, Minnesota's Jake Short (149) and Purdue's Chad Welch (165). Tonight's final session is scheduled at 3 p.m. PT. InterMat is continuing its live blog coverage. Note: InterMat rankings are included. Semifinal Results 125: No. 1 Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State) maj. dec. No. 17 Ryan Millhof (Oklahoma), 11-3 No. 3 Joey Dance (Virginia Tech) dec. No. 9 Ronnie Bresser (Oregon State), 7-2 133: No. 1 Cody Brewer (Oklahoma) dec. No. 7 Earl Hall (Iowa State), 12-5 No. 4 Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) dec. No. 9 George DiCamillo (Virginia), 11-5 141: No. 16 Micah Jordan (Ohio State) dec. No. 8 Solomon Chishko (Virginia Tech), 5-2 No. 13 Todd Preston (Harvard) dec. No. 9 Tommy Thorn (Minnesota), 5-4 149: No. 5 Lavion Mayes (Missouri) dec. No. 14 Davion Jeffries (Oklahoma), 5-4 Jake Short (Minnesota) dec. No. 9 Michael DePalma (Kent State), 10-6 157: No. 2 Ian Miller (Kent State) dec. Bryce Steiert (Northern Iowa), 8-4 No. 18 John Boyle (American) dec. No. 19 Russell Parsons (Army), 5-4 165: No. 3 Isaac Jordan (Wisconsin) dec. No. 11 Duke Pickett (Cornell), 8-1 Chad Welch (Purdue) dec. No. 9 Clark Glass (Oklahoma), 2-1 174: No. 1 Brian Realbuto (Cornell) tech. fall No. 17 Jadaen Bernstein (Navy), 15-0 No. 15 Bryce Hammond (CSU Bakersfield) dec. No. 5 Blaise Butler (Missouri), 10-7 184: No. 1 Gabe Dean (Cornell) dec. No. 9 Willie Miklus (Missouri), 3-2 No. 12 Domenic Abounader (Michigan) dec. Zack Zavatsky (Virginia Tech), 5-4 197: No. 2 J'den Cox (Missouri) dec. No. 7 Jake Smith (West Virginia), 9-3 No. 6 Brett Pfarr (Minnesota) maj. dec. No. 5 Max Huntley (Michigan), 13-3 285: No. 2 Ty Walz (Virginia Tech) dec. No. 8 Ross Larson (Oklahoma), 7-3 No. 9 Michael Kroells (Minnesota) dec. Tanner Hall (Arizona State), 2-1 TB2 Finals Pairings 125: No. 1 Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State) vs. No. 3 Joey Dance (Virginia Tech) 133: No. 1 Cody Brewer (Oklahoma) vs. No. 4 Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) 141: No. 13 Todd Preston (Harvard) vs. No. 16 Micah Jordan (Ohio State) 149: No. 5 Lavion Mayes (Missouri) vs. Jake Short (Minnesota) 157: No. 2 Ian Miller (Kent State) vs. No. 18 John Boyle (American) 165: No. 3 Isaac Jordan (Wisconsin) vs. Chad Welch (Purdue) 174: No. 1 Brian Realbuto (Cornell) vs. No. 15 Bryce Hammond (CSU Bakersfield) 184: No. 1 Gabe Dean (Cornell) vs. No. 12 Domenic Abounader (Michigan) 197: No. 2 J'den Cox (Missouri) vs. No. 6 Brett Pfarr (Minnesota) 285: No. 2 Ty Walz (Virginia Tech) vs. No. 9 Michael Kroells (Minnesota)

For wrestlers to take the first steps towards success on the mat, they need wrestling shoes. Sadly, not all wrestlers can afford the right footwear. That's where Wrestling for Life steps in to help fill a critical need throughout the nation. The Iowa-based organization is headed up by Jim Brown, who brings together the passion of a wrestling fan along with expertise gained as a successful direct marketing professional. Brown's Wrestling for Life helps provide opportunities for young people to be introduced to the sport in multiple ways, such as providing tickets so they can attend college wrestling events to experience the excitement of the sport from the stands, as well as by offering financial support to women's wrestling programs and urban wrestling organizations to open up additional opportunities for participation. Now Wrestling for Life is doing what it can to offer shoes for young wrestlers in need. "Providing wrestling shoes is a fledging effort," Brown told InterMat. "Quite coincidentally, I received three requests for help with shoes in November." "I did some preliminary investigation and found the inability to afford shoes to be more pervasive than I expected." In a recent email message to the wrestling community, Brown cited requests for help from Iowa, Ohio and Oklahoma, three of the nation's wrestling hotbeds. "Wrestling is not an expensive sport, but all over the country the inability of many parents to afford decent footwear stands as a roadblock to the participation of thousands of kids," Brown wrote. "Wrestling for Life has only recently begun supplying shoes as a part of our mission to 'get 'em on the mat and keep 'em on the mat.'" A $25 donation buys a decent pair of used shoes while $50 gets a young athlete new ones, according to Brown. Individuals within the wrestling community who wish to support Wrestling for Life's efforts to grow the sport by helping to provide wrestling shoes for young athletes in need may do so by making a secure donation online via credit card or PayPal at the organization's website ... or may mail a check to Jim Brown, Wrestling for Life, 130 24th St. NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402-4936. (Please write "Shoes" on the memo line of your check.)

Wrestling coaches shout instructions and encouragement to their athletes on the mat. Ellis Kempf misses out on those vocal cues from his coaches because he's deaf. Now the suburban Detroit wrestler is suing the Michigan High School Athletic Association for restricting his access to an interpreter during matches. Ellis KempfA lawsuit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on Kempf's behalf accuses the MHSAA of violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act and the Michigan Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act by preventing the deaf Royal Oak High School senior from seeing his coaches' instructions as presented by his sign language interpreter. During Kempf's junior year, the school provided him with an American Sign Language interpreter who was allowed to move about the edge of the mat to remain within visual contact of the wrestler, which improved his communication with coaches, the Jackson Citizen-Patriot and MLive.com reported Thursday. That alleged changed at Kempf's first MHSAA-sanctioned event, in which an official said the interpreter would have to sit with the coaches. The family's lawsuit alleges that decision not only negates the effectiveness of the interpreter, but also raises "serious safety concerns" and puts the 152-pounder at a competitive disadvantage. The suit seeks an emergency injunction to prevent the MHSAA from forcing the interpreter to remain seated next to Kempf's coach. Kempf has been deaf since age 2 due to meningitis. At 5, he underwent a successful cochlear implant that partially restored his hearing. For safety reasons, the implants are removed during contact sports, leaving Kempf completely deaf, according to the Detroit News. (Kempf also participates in football and track.) "We aren't seeking money, and he doesn't want an advantage," Kempf's mother, Elizabeth Kempf, said in a press release. "He just wants to continue using his interpreter so he can understand what his coach wants him to do during matches -- that's all." "The general rule here is that interpreters have always been allowed in regular season and tournament situations," MHSAA communications director John Johnson said Thursday. "In wrestling, the interpreter sits with the coaches in the corner. In basketball, the interpreter may stand, along with the head coach, in the coach's box. In football, the interpreter is allowed in the coach's box, that 3-yard belt that everyone else is supposed to stay out of. We have historically provided an accommodation for deaf student-athletes." "What the MHSAA is saying makes absolutely no sense," said Jason Turkish, the family's attorney. "They're saying that Ellis can have an interpreter, but an interpreter that he can't see. You have to be able to see a sign language interpreter in order to use it. What do they want him to do, to tell his opponent, 'Hang on one second, let me turn around and look at my sign language interpreter, don't come at me quite yet.' It's ridiculous. It makes no sense." What does Ellis Kempf have to say about the controversy? "I feel very frustrated," he told a reporter Thursday. "It's not fair."

Funeral services were announced Thursday for Allen Brown, College Editor for amateur wrestling website WrestlingReport.com and popular, respected poster for various online amateur wrestling forums under the name "Stove Pipe." Visitation will take place Wednesday, Dec. 9, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at Collins Funeral Home, 500 University Boulevard West, Silver Spring, Md. The Mass of Christian Burial will take place Thursday, Dec. 10 at 11 a.m. at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 10103 Georgia Ave. in Silver Spring, Md. Brown will be interred at Gate of Heaven Cemetery. In honor of his spirit, Brown's family suggests a charitable contribution or donation of time may be made to charities that support people in need, a local blood center, or your local high school or college wrestling team. Brown passed away Tuesday, Dec. 1 after suffering a severe stroke the previous weekend. Allen Frederick Brown was born in 1947, growing up in Lock Haven, Pa. He attended the University of Maryland where he not only earned his bachelor degree, but also met his wife Nona. Brown later earned his JD law degree at Catholic University in Washington D.C. in the early 1970s. He then owned the restaurant Our Place on New Hampshire Ave. in the nation's capital before spending most of his professional career as a U.S. Government employee for the Civil Aeronautics Board and then the Department of Transportation. He had been retired for a decade. Allen was devoted to college wrestling, an interest he developed growing up in Pennsylvania. During retirement, Allen served as College Editor for www.WrestlingReport.com, the amateur wrestling website founded by Bruce Closson. His most popular segments on the website were the college wrestler rankings that he maintained and his 'Wrestler of the Week' column. He spent seven years as an enthusiastic commentator and web broadcaster for matches at American University, tournaments hosted by the Eastern Wrestling League, and occasionally at the National Invitational Dual meets. He is well known by the national wrestling community as an avid blogger and wrestling historian. Allen is scheduled to be inducted into the Eastern Wrestling League Hall of Fame along with Closson in March 2016. "In Pennsylvania and Maryland wrestling, he was an icon," wrestling writer Jamie Moffatt told InterMat. "He was very knowledgeable about college wrestling in that part of the country. He focused on college wrestling, especially Pennsylvania state schools such as Clarion and Lock Haven. He had a really good memory for matches." "Allen Brown was one of those guys who makes a mark on wrestling but whose wrestling background was sparse," said Tom Elling, a two-time NAIA championships placer for Lock Haven and author of "PA Wrestling Handbook" who now shares his insights into the sport in the Keystone State with his Pennsylvania Wrestling website http://pawrsl.com. "He dabbled on the mat somewhat when he was in junior high at Lock Haven. But it was at (then) Lock Haven State Teachers' College that he attended the college matches with his parents. His father was a professor at LHSTC, and it was the golden era of the small town wrestling. Fans would line up hours before the doors opened just to see the likes of Gray Simons, Jack Day, Fred Powell, Biff Walizer and many more wrestle against the Russ Houk-led Bloomsburg Huskies; Clyde 'Red' Witman's East Stroudsburg Warriors; and Frank Lignelli's Clarion Golden Eagles. "Allen and his family were so taken with the Lock Haven Bald Eagles that even after they moved to Maryland, they'd make the several-hour trip back to almost every home meet. "As a Lock Haven wrestler, I was aware of the Brown family, but I really didn't get to know him well until he brought Larry Nugent (then of USA Wrestling) to town to promote Larry's video- 'Legends of Pennsylvania Wrestling.' We traveled from Harrisburg to Wilkes-Barre to Erie to Clarion and other stops along the way. Allen amazed me with his knowledge of wrestlers. He seemed to know something about everyone we discussed. Just a name would spur a tale or two about matches he had seen them wrestle. He never seemed to forget a bout that he had witnessed. "Allen was never one to seek the limelight. He often came to wrestling banquets unannounced, stopped by to say 'hello' then head back to Silver Spring, Md., without any fanfare. It was hard to find a photo of him, as he most often shied away from such. "He became attached to Eastern Wrestling and the EWL. His rankings were well-thought out and accepted 'as good as any' by all of the coaches. He also did some broadcasting; it was his passion, and he didn't need a lot of notes. What he needed was in his head. "To say he will be missed would be an ill-conceived cliche. He never sought the spotlight, but his insight and brilliance helped shine his persona upon those who knew the sport. For someone who had no time on the mats, he certainly earned a spot in the annals of the sport. He was to have been inducted into the EWL Hall of Fame this spring. It is ironic that he will again be recognized for his contributions but will once again not appear in the limelight. Rest in Peace, Allen Brown." "Allen was one of the most passionate and knowledgeable wrestling fans I've ever known," said Stephen Stonebreaker, writer and radio co-host for TakedownWrestle.com. "I'd spend hours on the phone with him, talking wrestling. Tried to stump him on wrestling trivia, but never succeeded. A great man, and a great friend. The wrestling world lost a beautiful human being. He will be missed." Earl Smith, founder of d1wrestling.com, paid tribute to Brown at his website, writing, "As many people who read the various forums where he visited can attest, the man LOVED wrestling. Not just the best guys, not just the DI teams. I think that passion was evident in his posts. Even if you didn't know him personally you can feel it. "In my time in the 'media' side of the sport, I can honestly say I've never met someone who was so selfless and genuine in his love for the sport," Smith continued. "While he was very eager to assist and lend his expertise, he never wanted to take a dime for his services and didn't want recognition. Anything he did for my website was out of his love for the sport and friendship." Award-winning wrestling journalist Jason Bryant posted this tribute to Brown on Twitter: "Moment of silence for my friend, the late Allen Brown. Gruff as they come, but loved the sport of wrestling. He will be missed."

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Second-ranked University of Iowa wrestling (7-0, 1-0) used bonus points to put away South Dakota State, 28-15, on Mediacom Mat inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena Friday. A pair of pins by juniors Thomas Gilman and Sammy Brooks at 125 and 184, respectively, and an 8-0 major decision victory by sophomore Brandon Sorensen at 149 highlighted the dual. No. 2 Gilman opened the competition on a high note, pinning Kahlen Morris at 1:43. He dominated the match, tallying three takedowns and a nearfall before ending the bout to move to 7-0 on the season. "It was pretty quick, but I try to do that every time I wrestle," Gilman said. "Whether it's a pin, tech or a major decision, I want to get the fans fired up. That's my job being at 125 and the first guy out there. "I want to give them something to look forward to in the first match and get them fired up for the rest of my teammates." Two nationally ranked wrestlers squared off at 133, with No. 2 Cory Clark coming away with the 4-1 win over Brance Simms. Clark (7-0) recorded a take down to go up in the first period and held on through the final two win his seventh bout of the season. Following a loss at 141, the Hawkeyes rebounded with a major decision win at 149. Top-ranked Sorensen got aggressive after a scoreless first period, tallying three points in the second and tacking on five more in the third period for the 8-0 victory. He also remains undefeated, moving to 7-0 on the year. No. 3 Alex Meyer got Iowa back on track following a pair of losses at 157 and 165 with a hard-fought win in the 174 bout. After trailing 2-1 after the first period, Meyer (6-1) used an escape and a takedown to jump ahead in the second period. He put the bout in the books, 5-2, with a stall warning and 1:38 of riding time against David Kocer to remain undefeated in his career inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena (10-0). Eighth-ranked Brooks (7-0) made quick work of the 184 bout, pinning Brady Ayers in just 43 seconds to get the crowd of 7,226 on its feet. It is his fourth pin on the season and the fastest fall of his career. "I think he might have thought he was safe," Brooks said. "I didn't think I had him that tight to be honest, just because I was worried about keeping my foot in bounds. I could tell that it was starting to go that way, so I squeezed as hard as I could and it worked out. "There is definitely more for me to work on, I can pick up the pace of my wrestling, and when I am scoring points my position could be better. There is always ways to improve wrestling." After an Iowa forfeit at 197, redshirt freshman Sam Stoll (6-1) wrapped up the meet with a 5-0 disqualification win after Alex Macki was called for stalling five times in the heavyweight bout. The Jackrabbits did not record a takedown until its win at 157 and ended the night with three total in the meet. Iowa posted nine takedowns for the advantage. "Gilman started off bonus points," UI head coach Tom Brands said. "I saw good hustle awareness by Brooks, who added bonus points. Five stall calls will get you thrown out of a match, which we saw at heavyweight. "This was a team that came in and we knew what it was going to be about. I would say if you were going to grade us based on how we imposed our style against their style, we probably wouldn't get a very good grade." The Hawkeyes return to the mat Thursday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. (CT) when Rutgers visits Carver-Hawkeye Arena. "We have to be ready to go," Brands said. "The way the rest of the country is going to wrestle is very similar to what we saw tonight. There are certain places you will get called for stalling and everywhere else you'll be able to hold the mat and choose. We have to move our feet better, and right now I would say we have to be ready to go when Rutgers comes in. It's going to be similar and they believe in themselves as well." Results: 125 - #2 Thomas Gilman (IA) pinned Kahlen Morris (SDSU), 1:34; 6-0 133 - #2 Cory Clark (IA) dec. Brance Simms (SDSU), 4-1; 9-0 141 - Seth Gross (SDSU) dec. Logan Ryan (IA), 3-2; 9-3 149 - #1 Brandon Sorensen (IA) maj. dec. Alex Kocer (SDSU), 8-0; 13-3 157 - #6 Cody Pack (SDSU) dec. Edwin Cooper, Jr. (IA), 6-5; 13-6 165 - #20 Luke Zilverberg dec. Burke Paddock (IA), 4-2; 13-9 174 - #3 Alex Meyer (IA) dec. David Kocer (SDSU), 5-2; 16-9 184 - #8 Sammy Brooks (IA) pinned Brady Ayers (SDSU), 0:43; 22-9 197 - #12 Nate Rotert (SDSU) won by forfeit; 22-15 285 - Sam Stoll (IA) won by disqualification over Alex Macki (SDSU) in 4:07; 28-15 Notes: Attendance was 7,226… Alex Meyer remains undefeated in Carver-Hawkeye Arena (10-0)… Sammy Brooks recorded the fastest fall of his career with a pin in 43 seconds at 184.

LAS VEGAS -- Oklahoma had a strong opening day at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and leads the team race heading into Saturday. The Sooners went 5-1 in the quarterfinals. Missouri sits in second place, 3.5 points behind Oklahoma, followed by Minnesota. Returning NCAA champions Nathan Tomasello of Ohio State (125), Cody Brewer of Oklahoma (133) and Gabe Dean of Cornell (184) punched their tickets to the semifinals. Five unanked wrestlers, including two-time Junior World Team member Tanner Hall of Arizona State (285), earned spots in the semifinals. Wrestling resumes at 9 a.m. PT, with semifinals slated for 10 a.m. PT. InterMat will continue its live blog coverage starting at 8:30 a.m PT. Quarterfinal Results 125: No. 1 Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State) dec. No. 14 Paul Petrov (Bucknell), 9-4 No. 17 Ryan Millhof (Oklahoma) by injury default over No. 7 Dylan Peters (Northern Iowa) No. 9 Ronnie Bresser (Oregon State) dec. No. 6 David Terao (American), 5-2 No. 3 Joey Dance (Virginia Tech) dec. No. 13 Barlow McGhee (Missouri), 3-1 SV 133: No. 1 Cody Brewer (Oklahoma) maj. dec. No. 13 Mack McGuire (Kent State), 17-5 No. 7 Earl Hall (Iowa State) vs. Esteban Gomez-Rivera (American), 5-3 No. 9 George DiCamillo (Virginia) by medical forfeit over No. 5 Johnni DiJulius (Ohio State) No. 4 Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) maj. dec. No. 12 Josh Martinez (Air Force), 11-3 141: No. 8 Solomon Chishko (Virginia Tech) dec. Tyler Smith (Bucknell), 10-3 No. 16 Micah Jordan (Ohio State) dec. Robbie Mathers (Arizona State), 14-7 No. 13 Todd Preston (Harvard) dec. Ian Nickell (CSU Bakersfield), 8-3 No. 9 Tommy Thorn (Minnesota) dec. Matt Manley (Missouri), 6-5 149: No. 5 Lavion Mayes (Missouri) by disqualification over No. 18 Geo Martinez (Boise State) No. 14 Davion Jeffries (Oklahoma) dec. No. 15 Alec Pantaleo (Michigan), 8-1 Jake Short (Minnesota) pinned Joey Galasso (Cornell), 7:35 SV No. 9 Michael DePalma (Kent State) dec. No. 17 Matt Kraus (Arizona State), 9-2 157: No. 2 Ian Miller (Kent State) dec. John Staudenmayer (Brown), 11-5 Bryce Steiert (Northern Iowa) dec. No. 14 Dylan Cottrell (West Virginia), 8-3 No. 18 John Boyle (American) dec. Chris Dowdy (Cornell), 6-4 No. 19 Russell Parsons (Army) dec. No. 12 Doug Welch (Purdue), 6-4 165: No. 3 Isaac Jordan (Wisconsin) dec. No. 16 Garrett Sutton (Michigan), 1-0 No. 11 Duke Pickett (Cornell) dec. No. 19 David McFadden (Virginia Tech), 4-1 No. 9 Clark Glass (Oklahoma) dec. Tyrel White (Columbia), 6-3 Chad Welch (Purdue) pinned No. 4 Cooper Moore (Northern Iowa), 2:25 174: No. 1 Brian Realbuto (Cornell) pinned Brian Harvey (Army), 4:07 No. 17 Jadaen Bernstein (Navy) dec. No. 12 Matt Reed (Oklahoma), 3-1 SV No. 15 Bryce Hammond (CSU Bakersfield) dec. No. 11 Lelund Weatherspoon (Iowa State), 7-5 No. 5 Blaise Butler (Missouri) pinned No. 18 Ricky Robertson (Wisconsin), 0:54 184: No. 1 Gabe Dean (Cornell) maj. dec. No. 19 Mathew Miller (Navy), 12-4 No. 9 Willie Miklus (Missouri) dec. No. 5 Hayden Zilmer (North Dakota State), 3-2 No. 12 Domenic Abounader (Michigan) dec. No. 4 Kenny Courts (Ohio State), 3-0 Zack Zavatsky (Virginia Tech) dec. Ryan Christensen (Wisconsin), 7-1 197: No. 2 J'den Cox (Missouri) tech. fall No. 19 Derek Thomas (Utah Valley), 22-7 No. 7 Jake Smith (West Virginia) dec. Reuben Franklin (CSU Bakersfield), 2-1 No. 6 Brett Pfarr (Minnesota) dec. No. 13 Jared Haught (Virginia Tech), 4-1 No. 5 Max Huntley (Michigan) dec. Trent Noon (Northern Colorado), 7-2 285: No. 2 Ty Walz (Virginia Tech) dec. Jeramy Sweany (Cornell), 6-4 No. 8 Ross Larson (Oklahoma) dec. No. 18 Nick Tavanello (Ohio State), 5-2 Tanner Hall (Arizona State) dec. No. 6 Blaize Cabell (Northern Iowa), 4-1 No. 9 Michael Kroells (Minnesota) dec. Nicholas Gajdzik (Harvard), 2-0 Semifinal Pairings 125: No. 1 Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State) vs. No. 17 Ryan Millhof (Oklahoma) No. 3 Joey Dance (Virginia Tech) vs. No. 9 Ronnie Bresser (Oregon State) 133: No. 1 Cody Brewer (Oklahoma) vs. No. 7 Earl Hall (Iowa State) No. 4 Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) vs. No. 9 George DiCamillo (Virginia) 141: No. 8 Solomon Chishko (Virginia Tech) vs. No. 16 Micah Jordan (Ohio State) No. 9 Tommy Thorn (Minnesota) vs. No. 13 Todd Preston (Harvard) 149: No. 5 Lavion Mayes (Missouri) vs. No. 14 Davion Jeffries (Oklahoma) No. 9 Michael DePalma (Kent State) vs. Jake Short (Minnesota) 157: No. 2 Ian Miller (Kent State) vs. Bryce Steiert (Northern Iowa) No. 18 John Boyle (American) vs. No. 19 Russell Parsons (Army) 165: No. 3 Isaac Jordan (Wisconsin) vs. No. 11 Duke Pickett (Cornell) No. 9 Clark Glass (Oklahoma) vs. Chad Welch (Purdue) 174: No. 1 Brian Realbuto (Cornell) vs. No. 17 Jadaen Bernstein (Navy) No. 5 Blaise Butler (Missouri) vs. No. 15 Bryce Hammond (CSU Bakersfield) 184: No. 1 Gabe Dean (Cornell) vs. No. 9 Willie Miklus (Missouri) No. 12 Domenic Abounader (Michigan) vs. Zack Zavatsky (Virginia Tech) 197: No. 2 J'den Cox (Missouri) vs. No. 7 Jake Smith (West Virginia) No. 5 Max Huntley (Michigan) vs. No. 6 Brett Pfarr (Minnesota) 285: No. 2 Ty Walz (Virginia Tech) vs. No. 8 Ross Larson (Oklahoma) No. 9 Michael Kroells (Minnesota) vs. Tanner Hall (Arizona State)