InterMat Staff

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Maryland 197-pound senior Hudson Taylor, who finished his collegiate career as the Terrapins' first ever three-time wrestling All-American, has been voted the 2009-10 Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestler of the Year by the league's head coaches. Steven Bell, Alex Krom, Kyle John and Josh Asper joined Taylor as Maryland wrestlers to be named All-ACC performers. The honor is the second for Taylor, who was also voted ACC Wrestler of the Year as a sophomore in 2008. Taylor, a four-time ACC Wrestler of the Week during the regular season, was voted the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the ACC Championships on March 6. Taylor then earned All-America honors for the third straight year with a fourth-place finish in last weekend's NCAA Championships at Omaha, Neb. A native of Pennington, N.J., Taylor finished the season 42-4, tying for the most wins in the nation, and leaves Maryland as the school's all-time winningest wrestler with a 165-28 career record. His 24 pins this season set a school single-season record and also led the country.

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio -- The first-ever FloNationals wrestled to their completion on Sunday afternoon at Walsh Jesuit High School, just outside of Cleveland, Ohio. It was a great showcase for underclass wrestlers and also a close to the scholastic-style wrestling season. Of the 14 weight class champions, only two were seniors, eight were juniors, and four sophomores won FloNationals championships. In post-match interviews with the champions, all but three stated their intention of competing in freestyle and/or Greco-Roman heading towards Fargo in July. Michigan underclassmen, and a few seniors, traveled to this event in droves -- and it turned into a showcase for many of their prominent underclassmen. Foremost among those is the No. 1 sophomore in the nation Taylor Massa (152) from St John's, MI. Massa -- third nationally in his weight -- won two matches by fall on Saturday heading into a Sunday where he would face two ranked opponents. He outlasted Steven Keogh (Apple Valley, MN) in the semifinals by a 7-5 score, which set up a match of the top two sophomores in the nation -- and the last match of the first annual FloNationals. In that match, Jason Luster (Pittsburgh Wrestling Club/Kiski Prep, PA) -- ranked sixth nationally in the weight class -- opened up like a ball of fire with two early takedowns to take a 4-2 lead after the end of one period. However, Massa was able to weather that storm, as he almost scored a takedown right at the end of the first period, but time had run out. Luster opened the second period with an escape, but Massa countered with a takedown after Luster had been warned for his first stalling. A Luster escape before the end of the period gave him a 6-4 lead through two periods. However, the third period would be the "Taylor Massa Show." Massa scored an early escape, a penalty point when Luster was hit for a second stalling, and then got a takedown with around one minute to go. After Luster's second injury time, Massa chose down, and scored a late escape to make the final score 9-6 in favor of Massa. "I just kept it going, and thought that I could win the match if I continued to press the pace," commented Massa. "Though we had been in many of the same tournaments, we had never wrestled each other before." Fellow sophomore Freddie Rodriguez (Holt, MI) bookended his scholastic-style season with major tournament titles at 103 pounds, having also won the preseason Super 32 in this weight class. However, Rodriguez wrestled the in-season at 112 pounds. "My coach wanted to get a teammate into the lineup at 103 pounds," said Rodriguez. "However, towards the end of the year, I was planning to make the cut down to 103, but I was wrestling much better than I expected at 112, so it was like why bother (cutting weight)." Rodriguez won matches by technical fall and a pair of pins on Saturday. In the morning semifinal round on Sunday, Rodriguez defeated 18th-ranked Kevon Powell (Montini Catholic, IL) by 15-6 major decision. Then in the championship final, Rodriguez won a key scramble to score the opening takedown, and the dominance started from there against the number one ranked Cody Phillips (Union County, IN). Already ahead by enough to score a major decision, Rodriguez secured the fall in 5:10. "I always want to pound, pound, pound; attack, attack, attack; no matter the score," commented Rodriguez about his exciting and dynamic style of wrestling. A pair of junior two-time state champions from Michigan also won weight class titles -- Connor Youtsey (119) from Mason and Devin Pommerenke (285) of Rogers City. Youtsey avenged a loss to fellow junior Josh Fisher (Roane County, WV) at the preseason Super 32 Challenge in the FloNationals final with a 3-2 victory, which was keyed by a first period takedown. "I learned a little bit about his style and what to expect," said Youtsey when asked about his prior match with Fisher. Pommerenke capped off a tournament in which he pinned all three of his opponents with a second period fall over Jeff Tarley (Bethlehem Center, PA) off of a big throw. "I normally work off of a high single leg, which I learned from wrestling at Jeff Jordan's camps," commented Pommerenke. "However, when the big throws are there, my Greco-Roman experience and big shoulders make me confident and comfortable in the upper-body ties." The Pittsburgh Wrestling Club traveled a very strong delegation to the FloNationals, from approximately two hours to the east. Three of its wrestlers won championships -- Jimmy Gulibon (112) and Travis Shaffer (135) from Derry Area, as well as Tyler Wilps (171) from Chartiers Valley. Gulibon, a sophomore and two-time state champion, is ranked second in the nation at 112 pounds. Prior to the finals, he won by a 17-0 technical fall and three matches by major decision. In the final against 18th ranked Joey Dance (Christiansburg, VA) -- Gulibon secured a first period takedown and second period reversal to score enough points for a 4-2 victory. "I was a little bit nervous, but Joey really wrestled a great match against me," Gulibon commented. "I battled hard to win the match, and I'll keep working hard and continue practicing during the off-season." The junior Shaffer, coming off a fourth place finish in the Pennsylvania state tournament scored two victories against state champion wrestlers ranked nationally in the top ten on Sunday at the FloNationals. That came after a Saturday evening 5-1 quarterfinal victory against last year's NHSCA Junior National champion Vinny Fava (Elmwood Park, NJ). Shaffer opened the semifinal against fourth-ranked Jake Sueflohn (Arrowhead, WI) with a takedown and then had a barrage of tilts to take a 13-0 lead after one period. A takedown early in the second period secured a 15-0 technical fall victory. In the final against eight-ranked Chris Dardanes (Oak Park River Forest, IL) -- Shaffer scored a second period takedown and early third period takedown to take a 4-0 lead. After a Dardanes escape and takedown, Shaffer was cut loose and fended off a very deep shot by Dardanes to secure the 5-3 decision. "I didn't get much respect, but I didn't always wrestle my best," stated Shaffer about where he stood coming into the tournament. "I worked on the little things to get better; also I wrestled the opponent and the match instead of the name and credential." One of two seniors to win a FloNationals championship was the University of Pittsburgh bound Wilps, who upended top seed Ryan Olep (Lowell, MI) 5-2 on Saturday night to advance to the semifinal round against Jackson Bratcher (Eastbrook, IN). In that semifinal match, Wilps used a third period rideout -- along with a second period escape -- to score a 2-0 victory when adding in the point for accruing a greater than one minute riding time advantage. Trailing 3-2 in the third period against two-time state runner-up Devin Peterson (Wisconsin Rapids, WI), Wilps was able to score a takedown relatively early in the period. He then rode Peterson out until the last few seconds of the match, and used the riding time advantage point for a 5-4 victory. "That's usually how it happens when I ride my opponents for a significant length of time," Wilps observed when asked about his tendency to let opponents based up to their feet, and then taking them back down to the mat. "My opponent gets more tired and frustrated, and then it just becomes easier for me." Another pair of teammates also emerged as champions at the inaugural FloNationals. Jason Tsirtsis (130) and Eric Roach (145) both won titles from Crown Point, IN. Tsirtsis won a finals matchup involving a pair of sophomores, which was one of the four matches placing nationally ranked wrestlers head-to-head. The sixth-ranked Tsirtsis, a two-time state champion, had won one match by technical fall and three matches by major decision prior to the final against 17th ranked Nate Skonieczny (Walsh Jesuit, OH). Tsirtsis won by 2-1 decision, with a second period penalty point while Skonieczny was riding in the top position serving as the difference. However, he had to fend off a very deep single-leg attack from Skonieczny that led to a prolonged scramble -- one in which Skonieczny had multiple chances to score -- and ended in a stalemate with under 20 seconds left. "I just had to keep scrambling, or probably lose the match," observed Tsirtsis. "It was an intense and nerve-wracking situation." The pair of teammates has been partners going back to their days in youth wrestling. Tsirtsis commented that "they push each other, and help to make one another better." Outstanding Wrestler honors went to the champion of the 189-pound weight class, Morgan McIntosh from Calvary Chapel, CA. The two-time state champion is ranked third nationally in his weight class and third among all members of the Class of 2011 regardless of weight class. McIntosh won two matches by fall on Saturday before dominating his way to a 13-7 victory over state runner-up Gabe Dean (Lowell, MI) in the semifinal round. Then in the final, he turned it up even more for a match against state champ and three time state placer Nick Miller (Centerville, OH). McIntosh was on the verge of securing a technical fall when he pinned Miller off of a beautiful shot that set up a toss to the back. "My coaches prepared me great for the opponent, and the match was fun," McIntosh said in assessing the finals match. "It's awesome to be named Outstanding Wrestler (at the first ever FloNationals)." However, teammate Tank Knowles -- ranked eighth nationally -- was upset in the finals at 215 pounds by Nick Gwiazdowski (Duanesburg, NY). Gwiazdowski, who came into the tournament unranked secured two crucial "ride outs" in short time situations in order to win the match 4-3 in the tiebreaker. After Knowles scored a go-ahead reversal in the third period, Gwiazdowski responded with one of his own inside the last 30 seconds to go up 3-2. However, he was called for locking hands, which tied up the match. Gwiazdowski did not let Knowles escape late in the third, or in the tiebreaker after Gwiazdowski had escaped in the first portion of the :30-:30. "My goal was to come here and win it, to get some recognition in the rankings," commented Gwiazdowski about the tournament. "I just had it in my mind to get the job done." A pair of wrestlers from the Gopher State won titles at the FloNationals. Matt Kelliher (Apple Valley, MN) -- ranked 17th nationally - won the 125 pound weight class, as he dominated both of his matches on Sunday winning by fall against Jenkins Monzey (Georgetown Prep, MD) and Steven Rodrigues (Fox Lane, NY). "I got a better warm-up in today, my (older) brothers got me motivated today after watching yesterday's matches online," said Kelliher. "Other people were looking for a little more, and I tried to dominate today." The other senior to win a championship was Zak Coates (Henry Sibley, MN) -- who came back from a 9-4 deficit at the start of the third period against fellow senior Damien Perry (Mentor, OH). Coates scored two takedowns and a two-point near fall, along with an additional point for riding time advantage to tie the score at 11-11 heading into overtime. The two-time state champion, ranked 20th nationally, secured the overtime takedown to win 13-11. "I knew I had to stay confident," said Coates about the comeback. "I was in better shape, so I knew if I kept after it, I would be able to win the match." Rounding out the weight class champions was the winner of the opening match, one that paired nationally ranked junior wrestlers at 140 pounds against one another. James Green (Willingboro, NJ) -- ranked 10th nationally -- came back to beat No. 18 Pete Baldwin (Osceola, FL) by a 6-5 score. Trailing 3-2, and with his opponent having greater than one minute of riding time, Green rallied back to win the match with two blast double takedowns during the third period. "I work on that attack a lot in practice," said Green. "By repetition, I keep getting better at that attack. Precise practice makes perfect." Finals Results: 103: Freddie Rodriguez (Holt, MI) pinned No. 1 Cody Phillips (Union County, IN), 5:10 112: No. 2 Jimmy Gulibon (Pitt. WC/Derry Area, PA) dec. No. 18 Joey Dance (Christiansburg, VA), 4-2 119: Connor Youtsey (Mason, MI) dec. Josh Fisher (Roane County, WV), 5-2 125: No. 17 Matt Kelliher (Apple Valley, MN) tech. fall Steven Rodrigues (Fox Lane, NY), 15-0 130: No. 6 Jason Tsirtsis (Crown Point, IN) dec. No. 17 Nate Skonieczny (Walsh Jesuit, OH), 2-1 135: Travis Shaffer (Pitt. WC/Derry Area, PA) dec. No. 8 Chris Dardanes (Oak Park River Forest, IL), 5-3 140: No. 10 James Green (Willingboro, NJ) dec. No. 18 Pete Baldwin (Osceola, FL), 6-5 145: Eric Roach (Crown Point, IN) dec. Jordan Wohlfert (St. John's, MI), 3-1 152: No. 3 Taylor Massa (St. John's, MI) dec. No. 6 Jason Luster (Pitt. WC/Kiski Prep, PA), 9-6 160: No. 20 @ 171 Zak Coates (Henry Sibley, MN) dec. Damien Perry (Mentor, OH), 13-11 171: Ty Wilps (Pitt. WC/Chartiers Valley, PA) dec. Devin Peterson (Wisconsin Rapids, WI), 5-4 189: No. 3 Morgan McIntosh (Calvary Chapel, CA) pinned Nick Miller (Centerville, OH), 4:43 215: Nick Gwiazdowski (Duanesburg, NY) dec. No. 8 Tank Knowles (Calvary Chapel, CA), 5-3 285: Devin Pommerenke (Rogers City, MI) pinned Jeff Tarley (Bethlehem Center, PA), 3:29 View Brackets

InterMat high school analyst Josh Lowe spoke with one semifinalist in each weight class. 103: No. 12 George DiCamillo (St. Ignatius, OH) -Beat Nathan Tomasello (CVCA, OH) 3-2 in the quarterfinal round *On wrestling Tomasello many times in practice and through youth: "I go into every match to win, and I have to look past facing a friend when it's time to wrestle the match." 112: No. 2 Jimmy Gulibon (Pittsburgh WC/Derry Area, PA) -Beat Grant Greene (St Anthony's, NY) 10-2 in the quarterfinal round *On the goals and expectations of a two-time state champion, as well as what he focuses on at a tournament such as this one: "I come here to compete, get competition, and do my best. I always respect the competition, but I'm here to win matches." 119: Kyle Bauer (Wheeling Park, WV) -Beat Brandon Nelsen (Lawrence North, IN) 5-3 in the quarterfinal round *On how his match went against a state champion, and former Junior National freestyle All-American: "I started the match really strong with two early takedowns. Got slightly tired at the end, and had to fend off my opponent's attack." 125: No. 17 Matt Kelliher (Apple Valley, MN) -Beat Jimmy Nehls (Downers Grove North, IL) 11-7 in the quarterfinal round *On his great starts, and mid-to-late match struggles: "I wrestled very well to get out to a lead. However, I didn't worry as much about how I win -- just that I win." 130: No. 6 Jason Tsirtsis (Crown Point, IN) -Beat Nick Hannan (Massillon Perry, OH) 14-2 in the quarterfinal round *On his approach to early round matches: "I try to do the same thing in every match, get after it 100 percent of the time, wrestle six minutes hard without hesitation, and with constant pressure on the opponent." 135: No. 8 Chris Dardanes (Oak Park River Forest, IL) -Beat Matt Cimato (LaSalle, PA) 11-2 in the quarterfinal round *On his goals at FloNationals before competing at the University of Minnesota: "I want to dominate and have fun; it's a great learning experience to wrestle with (some of) the collegiate rules." 140: Duke Pickett (Woodberry Forest, VA) -Beat Brian Gibbs (Bedford, MI) 2-1 in the quarterfinal round *On receiving encouragement from his coaches: "My coaches guided me along, they encouraged me to push the pace, and it's much easier to wrestle when getting great encouragement." 145: Eric Roach (Crown Point, IN) -Beat Elijah Hull (Lewis County, WV) 9-3 in the quarterfinal round *On wrestling much better in the last two matches, after narrowly escaping in the tiebreakers his opening match: "I didn't get in that great a warm-up, but after that match, I kept it going. I'll be sure to get a much better warm-up before the semis tomorrow." 152: No. 6 Jason Luster (Pittsburgh WC/Kiski Prep, PA) -Beat Jordan Moss (Pittsburgh WC/Sharon, PA) 5-2 in the quarterfinal round *On having to battle a club member in the quarters, and tomorrow in the semifinal: "I've wrestled Moss a few times in practice, but that's it. I got two takedowns to win the match. I wrestled McKillop during the regular season, and beat him by 3 or 4 points." 160: Nick LeForce (Carlisle, OH) -Beat Rafael Rodriguez (Adrian, MI) 7-5 in the quarterfinal round *On finally being somewhat healthy after an injury laden career: "I broke my back in each of my first three years of high school, finally had surgery last year. This was my first full season since eighth grade, when I won a junior high state title. I do want to wrestle in college, though I'm not getting much attention yet. I'll be focusing on freestyle after this, with competing in Fargo as the goal." 171: Sam Wheeler (Copley, OH) -Beat Todd Gaydosh (Padua, OH) in the quarterfinal round *On making a profound leap from sophomore to junior year, and what it will take to do the same heading into his senior season: "Just keep doing what I did last summer -- working hard, getting lots of match experience (40 matches) with the freestyle, and lifting weights." 189: No. 3 Morgan McIntosh (Calvary Chapel, CA) -Pinned Nick Brown (Gahanna Lincoln, OH) in the quarterfinal round *On being teammates -- and classmates -- with Tank Knowles, the No. 8 ranked wrestler in the country: "Tank is the best training partner I could ever have, we push each other, and help each other get better." 215: Beau Wenger (Fairless, OH) -Beat No. 17 Cody Davis (The Woodlands, TX) 1-0 in the quarterfinal round *On competing at FloNationals after failing to place at state (Wenger was an Ironman runner-up): "I came in here with a chip on my shoulder, and hoping to build positive momentum heading into college. Just because I didn't win a state title doesn't mean I can't work my darndest to thrive in college." 285: Kyle Connors (Tecumseh, MI) -Beat Max Gladstone (Findlay, OH) 9-6 in the quarterfinal round *On the key to that quarterfinal win: "(Gladstone) got the early takedown, but I then caught him high and got a reversal to the back for five. I then had to withstand a surge, and did so with a takedown at the end."

Angel Escobedo

Kevin Jackson Barry Davis Jay Weiss Brent Metcalf Matt McDonough Jayson Ness Kyle Dake J.P. O'Connor

Kevin Jackson

Event: UFC 111: St Pierre vs. Hardy Venue: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey Date: March 27, 2010. The UFC returns to the East Coast tonight as it resumes its pay-per-view parade of great mixed martial arts fights. Tonight's featured fight is a welterweight championship bout between hard-hitting Englishman Dan Hardy (23-6) and champion Georges St. Pierre (19-2), who is coming off an injury. Heavyweights, Frank Mir (13-4) and undefeated Shane Carwin (11-0) will decide the interim championship, with the winner facing a recovering Brock Lesnar. Stomach ailments almost ended his career! The rest of the card has many interesting fights, as well, so let's take a look at the action and see if the UFC Monster can keep his winning streak alive. InterMat readers who would have followed my advice would now be lifetime InterMat Platinum subscribers. But remember, only gamble with money you can afford to lose. There are no sure things in betting, but GSP beating Dan Hardy is about as close as it gets. Is there any reason to think that St. Pierre won't pin Hardy's back to the mat in the opening seconds of this fight with a locomotive, steam-rolling, double-leg takedown? And, once there, he will reign down with those vicious elbows, until the ref pulls him off. Hardy's only hope is to unload and land his first punch. I have better odds of winning tonight's Powerball. Take GSP at any price if you can find someone foolish enough to take it! Does anyone dislike Brock Lesnar more than former heavyweight champion Frank Mir? I don't think so. And big Frank is ready to break Shane Carwin's arm tonight to prove it. Mir wants a final re-match with Lesnar in the worst way, but stopping Carwin's unbelievable first round KO streak will the obstacle in his way. Carwin has never seen the second round! And he won't tonight either. As scary as Shane Carwin is, the sight of a 250-pound Mir grabbing an appendage and twisting it off your body is even more frightening. After dodging a few punches, Mir will soon lock up with Carwin, and before you know it, the will be sprawling on the ground. The next thing you will see will be Mir with his hand raised, Carwin's face in pain, and the UFC Monster headed to the winner's window again! Lay the -150. Welterweight Jon Fitch (24-3) may be the best wrestler in the UFC. He was supposed to battle jui-jitsu slugger Thaigo Alves, but the Pitbull is out with some potentially serious head issues. We wish him the best in his recovery. So, Muay Thai, knee-kicking Ben Sauders (8-1-2) enters the octagon as a late substitution. Saunders was already on the card, scheduled to fight popular wrestler Jake Ellenberger, and now Jake is the odd man out. No fight for him tonight. I am taking a longshot hunch that Saunders may just be lucky enough to grab the back of Fitch's neck, and put his lethal plume around it, as he unloads those crushing knee strikes up against Fitch's crumpling body. Of course, to do that, he will need to avoid being dragged to the mat by Fitch, which is no small feat. That's why he is a +325 underdog. But, Saunder's is a dog that bites. I'm giving him my bone. This next fight between lightweights Jim Miller (16-2) and Mark Bocek (8-2) is more of the same. I think Miller is the better all-around fighter, bigger, stronger, betrter striker, and with "lights out" submission skills. But I think Bocek gets better every time out, and he needs just a little opening to strike like a cobra. What will that opening be? Let's call it a quick reversal that leads into a rear-naked choke, BJ Penn style, as he pulls the big upset. Take Bocek +375 as the value is too good to pass up. Lightweight Kurt "Batman" Pellegrino (20-4) has been around forever. His opponent Frabricio "Moerngo" Camoes (10-4-1) is in a due-or-die situation where another loss will most like be his UFC pink slip. I'm not sure why this match is on the main card, but I'll make a solid play on Pellegrino -210 to win by submission. On the undercard, the first two fights can be seen FREE on Spike TV tonight. Nate Diaz (11-5) needs to turn his losing streak around. He will do that tonight with another long-legged triangle choke over slugger Rory Markham (16-5) in this lightweight match. Lay the -260. I love the way Matt "The Immortal" Brown (13-7) fights. He brings it. He never backs up. He strikes with fists, elbows, and knees. He kicks and he punches, and he kicks and he punches, and he punches and he kicks. Ricardo "Big Dog" Almeida is cutting weight and cutting weight, and is now entering the Octagon as a welterweight. Not a good idea. His attack will be to go to the mat with Matt and trying a submission. He's also favored to do so. I like Brown's value at +140. I'm playing another 'dog here. In a middleweight bout, I see Rousimar "Toquinho" Palhares (19-2) defeating Tomasz "Gorilla" Drwal (17-2) by armbar submission. Lay the -220 and hope that Palhares doesn't get knocked out. Matt Riddle (3-1) is an awesome leg-rider and top fighter. His mission tonight is to stop undefeated Greg Soto, 7-0, in another welterweight match-up. He earns a decision doing so at a reasonable -220. Who is Rodney "Shonuff The Master" Wallace (9-1)? And what about the guy he is fighting, Jared Hamman (11-2)? I guess we will see what these light heavyweights can do when they make their Octagon debuts tonight. My research puts me on Wallace to win by knockout. I'll lay the modest -130. So let's see how we can do with our "fictitious" $1000 bankroll. Let's lay $180 to win $30 on GSP. Let's lay $150 to win $100 on Frank Mir. Let's lay $ 40 to win $130 on Ben Saunders. Let's lay $ 40 to win $150 on Mark Bocek. Let's lay $105 to win $50 on Batman Pellegrino. Ley's lay $130 to win $50 on Nate Diaz. Let's lay $60 to win $ 84 on Matt Brown. Let's lay $110 to win $50 on Rousimar Palhares. Let's lay $110 to win $50 on Matt Riddle. Let's lay $65 to win $50 on Rodney Wallace. So all-in-all, we are risking $990 to win $744. Let's give the remaining $10 to your local youth wrestling program, where tomorrow's champions are born! Enjoy the fights. I know I will.

Early this afternoon, I learned from a person very close to the situation that 2010 152-pound New York State DI champion Giuseppi Lanzi has selected the Bears of Brown University as his college choice. As gifted in the classroom as he is on the wrestling mat, Lanzi, with good reason, had his pick of top colleges/universities. However, as was explained to me, the Rhode Island-based university has always felt like the right fit for the Amsterdam High School product. Therefore, when he formally received the acceptance letter from the school long rumored to be his No. 1 choice, it became a fitting ending to a scholastic career that has been nothing short of remarkable. A third-place NYS finisher in 2009 at140, Lanzi was a known commodity on the national stage perhaps long before the majority of Empire State wrestling enthusiasts realized how a rare a talent they had on their hands. A NHSCA Freshman Nationals champion in 2007, Lanzi toyed with his competition, winning by bonus points in nearly all of his matches. After coming one victory short of a second consecutive All-American finish in Virginia Beach as a sophomore, the future EIWA conference wrestler worked his way back onto the medal stand, finishing seventh (at 140) at the Junior National tournament. (His only losses coming at the hands of the eventual second and third-place finishers.) In addition to his success at the NHSCA grade level tournaments, Lanzi demonstrated that he was more than capable of competing on the national scene in an all-grade format when he placed seventh at the prestigious Super 32 Challenge at 152. This was the start of what would prove to be a historic senior campaign for the Journeymen Wrestling Club team member. Unblemished (38-0; 25 pins) heading into the state tournament, for Lanzi, the time in Albany must have had a “new day, same story” kind of feel to it as one-by-one he steamrolled all foes standing in the way of his claiming one of the few honors/titles that had alluded during him his high school career. Kicking off the NYS tournament with a 13-1 major decision victory (over Conner Lorenzo of Brighton), Lanzi would lock up All-State honors quickly in the quarterfinals, putting Chenango Forks’ wrestler Jordan Barnett on his back and sticking him in less than a minute to punch his ticket to the semifinals. However, again, Lanzi left no doubt in people’s minds that 2010 was going to be his year, scoring early and often from all positions en route to another 13-1 major decision (this time the victim being Nassau County Champion James Ondris of Massapequa). The representative of Section II would make it an even sweep of Long Island’s finest one round later, just missing bonus points in a 13-6 decision over Islip junior, Kyle Wade (a former NHSCA Freshman Nationals runner-up). For his efforts, Lanzi was a deserving recipient of the Outstanding Wrestler Award for the DI tournament. As if the aforementioned was not already sufficient, it should be noted that Lanzi donned the singlet one final time in his scholastic career, leading Team NY to a hard fought victory over Western Pennsylvania (WPIAL) in the undercard of the Dapper Dan Classic. Pitted against Zach Shannon, who was coming off of a solid fourth-place finish at the PA AAA State tournament, Lanzi wrestled intelligently and emerged with a clutch 2-1 decision. Lanzi exits Amsterdam with an astounding 248-34 career record. Having recently posted a 10th place team finish at the EIWA tournament, Brown has been in the midst of a rough patch the last few years. However, the addition of Lanzi as well as six other talented individuals, has given coach Amato and staff reason to believe that a resurgence will soon await the Ivy League institution. In addition to our protagonist, the Bears will welcome a class of 2014 that features the likes of 125-pounder Vinny Moita (CA; 2010 CIF state qualifier, 2009 Reno Tournament of Champions runner-up, 2009 CIF state third place, 2008 Reno Tournament of Champions sixth Place), 125-pounder fellow NYer, Billy Watterson (2010 NYS DI third place at 119), Michigan grappler Dan Flowers (also projected at 125 on the collegiate level; 2009 Michigan D2 state runner-up, 2007 Michigan D2 state qualifier), Nassau County champion Dan Cataldi (projected as a 149-pounder at the next level), as well as pair of Keystone Staters in the persons of Jared Kay (165/174) and Pat LaBuz (157; 2010 PIAA AAA state sixth place, 2009 NHSCA Junior Nationals third place, 2009 PIAA AAA state qualifier, 2008 NHSCA Sophomore Nationals fifth place, 2008 PIAA state qualifier). On behalf of everyone at LHW, we sincerely congratulate Giuseppi and his family on this immense and truly amazing accomplishment. Those of us who have been privileged enough to watch your career, share in the pride of witnessing you realize your dream! Link: Original (LighthouseWrestling.com)

Pat Pecora

Kevin Bonilla

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Following a record season which included an ACC Championship and a 15th-place finish at the NCAA Championships, Virginia wrestling head coach Steve Garland has been named the ACC Coach of the Year, as voted upon by the conference coaches and announced by the conference office Friday. Garland is the first Virginia wrestling coach to earn the honor, which the conference began awarding in 1986. "This is a great honor, especially because it is voted on by my peers," Garland said. "Anytime you earn an honor like this which is determined by your coaching peers, it is humbling, especially since several have coached in this league for many years and coached against me when I was a student-athlete here. To earn this high of an honor is a great honor for me, my family and our school." Garland, a former Virginia All-American who just completed his fourth season as the Cavaliers' head coach, led UVa to a 16-6 dual match record during the regular season and the second-most dual wins in a season at UVa. The Cavaliers were ranked nationally among the Top 25 for the entire season while earning a program-best ranking of No. 16 at one point. As it has done in recent years, Virginia peaked in postseason play. Virginia won its first ACC Championship since 1977, as Chris Henrich and Mike Salopek captured ACC titles at 174 and 184 pounds, respectively. The Cavaliers qualified a school-record eight wrestlers to the NCAA Championships, where UVa racked up 34 team points in taking 15th place -- Virginia's second-best finish at NCAAs. The 1957 team, with a 10th-place finish, is the only UVa team to finish higher. Henrich finished third at 174 pounds to become the first two-time All-American in Virginia wrestling history. Virginia also had five wrestlers named to the All-ACC team by virtue of their top-two finishes at the conference championships - Ross Gitomer (125), Matt Snyder (133), Shawn Harris (149), Henrich (174) and Salopek (184).

Former Husker national champion Tolly Thompson will be inducted into the 2010 class of the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame on Saturday, April 17 at 1 p.m. at the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Waterloo, Iowa. Thompson is one of six wrestlers in this year’s class. The Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame was established in 2002 to honor the people who have made an impact on the sport on a national level, or who have done extraordinary work in the state of Iowa. The hall recognizes native-born Iowans, and those who achieved their fame while wrestling or coaching for an Iowa college. Thompson is a native of Janesville, Iowa and is one of Nebraska wrestling’s most decorated performers, winning the 1995 national championship in the Heavyweight division. It was the first of three All-America honors for Thompson, who also won a trio of conference titles and set Husker school records for career victories (157) and career falls (72). He continued his wrestling career on the international level and won three U.S. Open freestyle titles and was a member of two World teams, earning a bronze medal at the 2005 World Championships. Prior to Nebraska, Thompson was a two-time state runner-up for Janesville (Iowa). The hall is named after Glen Brand, an NCAA champion for Iowa State in 1948, who won an Olympic gold medal the same year, at 174 pounds in London. He graduated with a degree in civil engineering and by 1983 he owned two companies in Omaha – Brand Hydraulics and Brand Fluid Power. The companies had over 50 distributors around the world. He attended every hall of fame inductions, and passed away on Nov. 15, 2008, in Omaha, at the age of 85. “This is a chance to honor six worthy inductees and a chance to honor Glen Brand,” said executive director Kyle Klingman. “Brand continues to influence wrestling through his remarkable contributions.” Thompson will be providing a free youth clinic in the Dan Gable Teaching Center located inside the Museum. The clinic will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 17 prior to the induction ceremony. Coaches and parents are welcome to attend. The Kids Clinic is limited to the first 25 wrestlers who sign up. For more information or to sign up, contact Kent Sesker at (319) 233-0745 or kent@wrestlingmuseum.org.

NEWTON, Iowa -- Minnesota Wrestling senior, and new national champion Jayson Ness has been bestowed the greatest honor in college wrestling, as the winner of the Dan Hodge Trophy, announced today (Mar. 26) by Wrestling Insider News Magazine (W.I.N.). The honors continue to pour in for the Bloomington, Minn. native, who was also named Big Ten Wrestler of the Year and the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the National Tournament, by the National Wrestling Coaches Association. Ness completed his first perfect season at 31-0, winning his first National Title the 2010 NCAA Championships. He also won his second Big Ten title just two weeks prior at the Big Ten Championships. The Dan Hodge Trophy, considered the Heisman Trophy for amateur wrestling, has been presented to the nation's best wrestler since 1995. Created by W.I.N. founder Mike Chapman, the award is named after the former three-time University of Oklahoma national champion (1955-57) who never allowed a takedown in his college career. He also pinned 36 of his 46 victims. Criteria for the award includes a wrestler's record, number of pins, dominance on the mat, past credentials, quality of competition, sportsmanship/citizenship and heart. "Winning this award is an amazing feeling as there were many great wrestlers competing this year," Ness said. "I feel extremely honored to receive this prestigious award." Ness edged out Iowa State's Jake Varner and Iowa's Jay Borschel, champs at 197 and 174 respectively. Each also capped off undefeated seasons, but Ness earned the honor on the strength of his number of pins. Finishing with one of the best seasons in school history, Ness claimed 19 of his victory's by fall, nearly doubling Varner and Borschel. Awarded annually since 1995, Ness becomes the 14th different Hodge Trophy winner and the first from Minnesota. Cael Sanderson (2000-02) is the only three-time winner, and Ben Askren (2006-07) won the award twice. As Golden Gopher Wrestling honors it's long and great tradition with it's centennial this season, Ness now stands alone as the most decorated wrestler in program history. As a four-time All-American, two-time Big Ten champion and National Champion, he rests alongside the Gopher greats. As the Gophers seventh Big Ten Wrestler of the Year, just the fifth Big Ten Freshman of the Year (2007), only the second Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament, and first in the modern era, and now the only Hodge Trophy winner, he has set himself apart. "Jayson epitomizes everything a coach could ask for from an athlete," head coach J Robinson said. "His dedication to wrestling and academics sets the bar for what every student-athlete should strive for. There are athletes, who as a coach, you hope will affect their teammates in a positive way - Jayson has been that true leader both on and off the mat. Winning the Hodge Trophy caps off every wrestler's dream, to be the best in the country. We could not be more proud to have Jayson representing the University of Minnesota and know he will continue to be the great role model that his strong faith in God has led him to be." One could have seen early that it would be a record setting season for Ness, as he opened the year with a school-record tying eight straight falls. His first decision was still dominant, as it came by way of a shutout, before he ripped off five straight more falls on his way to a Southern Scuffle title, totaling 13 pins with a 16-0 record as the calendar turned. After opening the season at No. 2, he assumed the No. 1 ranking in the first week of February and never let it go. His first two matches at No. 1 were wins by fall, spending less than six total minutes on the mat. He went perfect through the Big Ten and NCAA tournament for his 31-0 record, just the sixth tally without a blemish in school history, while ending his career on a 33-match winning streak. He was completely dominant through his run, with just 14 matches that saw the second period, and only 11 that saw the third. If he wasn't pinning his opponents, he won each match by at least a three-point margin, until a one-point victory in the national quarterfinals. The team captain ranks third all-time with 148 career wins, and has crushed the career pins record as his 73 are better than 20 ahead of second place. He lost just two Big Ten matches in his career, and had 30+ wins all four seasons, including 40 as a freshman. He is one of just two Gophers in program history to average better than a third place finish over four years a the NCAA Championships (Konrad, 2004-07), and is the first four-time All-American to go out with his first National Championship. Already a University of Minnesota graduate, Ness has begun graduate school for his Masters of Education, and is currently student teaching in the Twin Cities.

Eric Keller

Illinois Matmen has partnered with IL/USA Wrestling and the IKWF to bring you live video coverage of the 14th Annual Wrestling USA/Cliff Keen Dream Team Wrestling Classic being held at Elmhurst College on April 10 at 7:00 p.m. This event pits a team of the top senior wrestlers from around the country up against a team of all-stars from Illinois. This is the first time that Illinois has been chosen to take on the USA Dream Team. For only $5.99 you get to watch every match live with commentary and post-match wrestler interviews. JD Oliva of Video Infinity will run the camera, Kevin and Danny Burk will provide the commentary, and Mike Bare will control the sound and the live feed. You can expect a professional broadcast from start to finish. In order to view the live stream, you will need to purchase a ticket in advance. Don't wait until the last minute. Get your ticket today! It's simple, quick, and secure. Don't miss this opportunity to watch many of the nation's top ranked wrestlers in the comfort of your own home. In fact, this dual will feature seven No. 1-ranked wrestlers, three No. 2-ranked wrestlers, and two No. 3-ranked wrestlers according to the latest InterMat poll. Expect to see many future NCAA All-Americans and champions on the mat on April 10. We suggest that you attend in person, but if you can't, be sure to tune into our live webcast. Some of the proceeds from this webcast will benefit Illinois Matmen, so if you enjoy our coverage, be sure to get a ticket today. Team USA vs. Team Illinois 112 No. 5 Blake Thomas (Brentwood, TN) vs. Miko Villanueva (Dundee Crown) 119 No. 1 Ryak Finch (Safford, AZ) vs. Logan Arlis (Batavia) 125 No. 3 @130 Devin Carter (Christianburg, VA) vs. TBD 130 No. 1 Frank Cagnina (Queen of Peach, NJ) vs. No. 10 Keith Surber (O'Fallon) 135 No. 2 Ryan Nieman (Bullock Creek, MI) vs. No. 8 Chris Dardanes (Oak Park River Forest) 140 No. 2 @145 Chris Villalonga (Blair Academy, NJ) vs. No. 4 Nick Dardanes (Oak Park River Forest) 145 No. 1 Andrew Alton (Central Mountain, PA) vs. Demetrios Mitchell (Hersey) 152 No. 1 Dylan Alton (Central Mountain, PA) vs. Joey Moorhouse (Marengo) 160 No. 1 Marshall Peppelman (Central Dauphin, PA) vs. Joe Strocchia (Hinsdale Central) 171 No. 2 Derek Garcia (Sedro-Wolley, WA) vs. Andy Spangler (Neuqua Valley) 189 No. 1 Mike Evans (Blair Academy, NJ) vs. TBD 215 No. 3 Trevor Rupp (Pocatello, ID) vs. Matt Dwyer (Hononegah) 285 No. 1 Michael McMullen (Wyoming Seminary, PA) vs. Andrew Ellington (Edwardsville) Dream Team Coach: Rex Peckinpaugh (New Castle, IN)

On March 24, 2010, the Eastern Wrestling League announced that the University of Pittsburgh’s Rande Stottlemyer has been named EWL coach of the year for 2010, Edinboro University’s Jarrod King has been selected as EWL wrestler of the year, and the University of Pittsburgh’s Anthony Zanetta is the EWL freshman wrestler of the year. This season the veteran head wrestling coach Stottlemyer led his Panthers to a program record 17 dual meet wins, going 17-1-1 for the season, and being ranked the 17th best dual meet team in the nation. Moreover, Pittsburgh won the 2010 EWL dual meet championship, with dual meet victories over all six of its intra-league opponents. In addition, under Coach Rande Stottlemyer’s guidance, the University of Pittsburgh grabbed 12th place at the powerful Midlands Tournament (held late December 2009) and finished a strong second at the early March EWL Championships, held at West Virginia University. The Panthers qualified six grapplers for the 2010 NCAA Division I Wrestling Tournament, held March 18-20, in Omaha, Nebraska, and finished 26th in that 77-team event. At the NCAA’s Pitt sophomore Tyler Nauman gained fifth place at 141 pounds for an All-American finish. The EWL’s Wrestler of the Year, Jarrod King, from Connellsville, Pennsylvania, is a graduate student at Edinboro University. Competing at 165 pounds, Mr. King had an excellent 2010 season, winning the Eastern Michigan Open, the Oklahoma Gold tournament, the PSAC title, the Reno Invitational, and the Eastern Wrestling League Championships. In addition, King placed third at the Southern Scuffle, stormed through the dual meet season undefeated, and finished a strong third at the 2010 NCAA Tournament. Coached by Tim Flynn, King completed the 2010 season with a won/lost record of 39-2. The EWL’s Freshman of the Year is Anthony Zanetta, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Keystone Oaks High School), who competes at 125 pounds for the University of Pittsburgh. This season Mr. Zanetta placed fifth at the Penn State Open, grabbed eighth at the powerful Midlands, and won the EWL Tournament, which qualified him to compete in the NCAA’s. At the 2010 NCAA Tournament, Zanetta won one of three bouts, finishing the 2010 campaign with a solid record of 34-10.

The Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum will host a special autograph signing with Dan Gable on Saturday, April 3 from 2-4 p.m. The signing will take place during USA Wrestling's Folkstyle Nationals held at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls. This is USA Wrestling's final event of the folkstyle season, taking place on April 1-3 at the UNI Dome. It is also the first stage of the Triple Crown, which is made up of the Folkstyle Nationals, and the Freestyle and Greco-Roman Nationals. Gable is arguably the greatest athlete and coach ever. In 1972 won a gold medal at the Munich Olympics without surrendering a point. As the head coach at the University of Iowa he led the Hawkeyes to 15 NCAA team titles in 21 years, compiling a 355-21-5 dual meet record. The UNI Dome has been an excellent facility for wrestling competitions, with the 2010 event taking place on 25 mats. The UNI Dome was also where Dan Gable won his final NCAA tournament as the head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes in 1997, setting the record for most points scored at 170. The Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum is located at 303 Jefferson St. in Waterloo. All are welcome to attend this special autograph signing.

Craig Brester

Dan Vallimont

Cam Simaz

We head the TDR Brute adidas studios back in to the barn for a week after all the excitement that is the National Championships. The fan fest was nuts. Loads of things for people tio do and already looking forward to Philly next year. Thank you to all the listeners and viewers who stopped me, called me, texted me and o0r shook our hands. Good to see and meet you all. This week we take a look back with our guests: 9:00 Kevin Jackson- ISU Head Coach. After his first NCAA Championship we'll get his thoughts on preping his athletes, his 2 champions and the attack of the next season. We'll talk Varner and Zabriski 9:20 Barry Davis- Wisconsin Head Coach- Coach of the Year. To go through all Barry has gone through this year and have his team buck up and do what they did was incredible. That's what wrestling is to me. We'll talk about Howe. 9:40 Jay Weiss- Harvard's Head Coach joins us and will discuss J.P. O'Conner's unlikley role as champion. Seems like this is a kid who is destined to wear crowns. What was the Jesse Jantzen effect? 10:00 Brent Metcalf- Iowa 149 pound NCAA Champ. As close to perfect as you can get. He had to give away a year due the pettyness of administrators at his previous school but still performed his level best. Hard Charging through the year, redemption after a Big 10 loss to rival Palmer, Champion at the NCAA's. 10:10 Jayson Ness- Minnasota 133 pound NCAA Champ. After close years, heartbreaking finishes, standout performances, Ness was able to put it all together this year. It wasn't the stars aligning, it wasn't the tea leaves in the bottom of a cup. It was hard work. Plain and simple. 10:20 Matt McDonough- Iowa 125 pound NCAA Champ. A legacy at Iowa, this kid just keeps getting better and surprizing even the most seasoned fan. he's working toward his own records his own certain kind of legacy. 10:35 Kyle Dake- Cornell 141 pound NCAA Champ. The Big Red wrestling team finished in second place at the NCAA tournament on Saturday evening. Cornell had a total of four All-Americans with Mack Lewnes taking second, Cam Simaz finishing third and Troy Nickerson taking fourth to join Dake. The Big Red’s second-place team placing is the highest in school history at the NCAA tournament. 10:45 J.P. O'Conner- Harvard 157 pound Champ. J. P. has been named EIWA Wrestler of the Year, after his championship performance at the NCAA Championships. O'Connor went undefeated at 157 pounds this season, finishing with a record of 35-0. O'Connor is the third NCAA wrestling champion in Harvard history, and the third three-time All-American. He placed fifth in 2007 and sixth in 2008, both times at 149 pounds. Previous Harvard champions were John Harkness in 1938 and Jesse Jantzen in 2004. Wrestling fans- Please note that Episode 50 of TDR TV is now available on all the top web sites and cable systems around the country. TDR every week! It's appointment Radio and TV! Join us at Takedownradio.com. America's Wrestling Radio Talk Show airs on Supertalk 1570 in Michigan, AM 1460 KXNO in Iowa and on a radio station near you or on line at many of our broadcast partners around the world including Livesportsvideo.com. TDR "the Radio Program" airs 9 AM to 11 AM CST every Saturday morning we look forward to having you listen. Thanks for watching and listening!

WAVERLY, Iowa -- Wartburg College Director of Athletics Rick Willis has announced that assistant wrestling coach Eric Keller has been promoted to co-head coach of the Knights’ program. "We are excited to be able to expand Eric’s role in the wrestling program," Willis said."This decision was made in recognition of the confidence the college, our team, and head coach Jim Miller has in him. It’s a win-win situation all the way around." Miller’s role will not be diminished in any way. As a matter of fact, he stated that"this is the most motivated I’ve felt in a number of years after a national tournament." "I am not ready to get out yet, and I am very excited about the future of our program," Miller said."I also plan to remain at Wartburg until I decide to retire." Keller, the 2008-09 National Wrestling Coaches Association's Division III Assistant Coach of the Year, returned to the program in 2006-07 as the associate head coach and has been part of four Iowa Conference championships, two NWCA Division III National Duals titles and two NCAA Division III national team championships. He was an assistant for head coach Jim Miller's teams from 2000-05 as well, being part of five consecutive Iowa Conference championships and NCAA Division III national championships in 2003 and 2004. Leading North Central College of Naperville, Ill.'s program prior to returning to Waverly, he helped guide a turnaround for the Cardinals as they registered their best collegiate wrestling season to date, earning three All-Americans, sporting a perfect dual meet record. Keller was named the National Wrestling Coaches Association's Rookie Coach of the Year at the 2006 national tournament. Keller completed his undergraduate and graduate degrees at UNI. He earned recognition as an NCAA All-American and Academic All-American for the Panthers and served as team captain in 1998-99. He was also a two-time Iowa high school state champion, compiling a 161-10-1 record at Indianola. "I am extremely honored and excited to take on this role," Keller said."Wartburg College, the wrestling program, and the community have been a part of my family for the past 10 years. This has been my home since the first time I stepped on campus. "I can’t express how excited I am to have the opportunity to continue to coach side by side with Coach Miller," he added."He has been my mentor since I began coaching and there is no one I would rather work with. Being able to continue to help our student athletes reach their goals and dreams both on and off the mat is my passion and means the world to me."

Link: High School Weight Class Rankings Even though the Pennsylvania team fell to defeat this past Saturday night in the Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic, the event in and of itself still is a testament to the strength of wrestling in the Keystone State. Keep in mind that it took a team of wrestlers whom are among the country�s elite to knock off a squad of Pennsylvania seniors. The Dapper Dan squad consisted of three wrestlers ranked first in the nation -- Ryak Finch (119) from Safford, AZ; Logan Stieber (125) from Monroeville, OH; and Michael Evans (189) from Blair Academy, NJ. Another pair of wrestlers is ranked second in their weight classes -- Ryen Nieman (135) from Bullock Creek, MI and Chris Villalonga (145) from Blair Academy, NJ. Three other wrestlers from the Dapper Dan squad are ranked third nationally -- Nick Sulzer (160) from St. Edward, OH; Trevor Rupp (215) from Pocatello, ID; and Bobby Telford (285) from St. Mark's, DE. Among the other five wrestlers -- two are ranked fourth, one is fifth, another sixth, and the lowest ranked member of the USA team was ranked eighth. Please note that all wrestlers were ranked -- and/or evaluated for ranking -- in the weight class at which they competed during their respective state-level tournaments. Six seniors from Pennsylvania are ranked first in the country at this time, including five consecutive wrestlers in the middleweights -- Josh Dziewa (135) from Council Rock South; Josh Kindig (140) from Blue Mountain; Andrew (145) and Dylan (152) Alton from Central Mountain; and Marshall Peppelman (160) from Central Dauphin. From those five weight classes alone, 13 Pennsylvania wrestlers are ranked among the top 20 in their weight class. In all, 39 wrestlers from Pennsylvania high schools find themselves ranked. Five of the No. 1-ranked wrestlers compete at schools in New Jersey and Ohio. Two of those wrestlers -- Evans and Evan Silver (112) compete for Blair Academy, NJ, while Frank Cagnina (130) from Queen of Peace is the other Garden State grappler at the top of the rankings Two Monroeville wrestlers -- Logan Stieber and Chris Phillips (171) -- are ranked No. 1 one in the country from Ohio. These two states are next in the ranking count; New Jersey with 31, and Ohio with 27. Rounding out the top-ranked wrestlers are Cody Phillips (103) from Union County, IN; Ryak Finch; and Kyle Cowan (215) from Cascia, OK. Counting the wrestlers ranked by state: 39: Pennsylvania 31: New Jersey 27: Ohio 16: Iowa 15: California 14: Illinois 13: New York 11: Oklahoma 10: Minnesota 9: Michigan, Virginia, Wisconsin 8: Missouri 6: Indiana, Washington 5: Colorado, Delaware, Florida, South Dakota 4: Idaho, Kansas 3: Arizona, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Texas 2: Maryland, Oregon, Utah 1: Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Wyoming

Rob Koll