InterMat Staff

PALM COAST, Fla. -- Augsburg College claimed six champions/co-champions in its annual trip to Florida, competing at its Augsburg Brute/Adidas Sunshine Open on Monday and Tuesday at Flagler Palm Coast High School. The open tournament featured wrestlers from four teams ranked in the top 30 in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III national rankings -- No. 2-ranked Augsburg, No. 6 College of New Jersey, No. 12 Delaware Valley (Pa.) and No. 21 Heidelberg (Ohio). Dickinson State (N.D.), ranked No. 10 in the NAIA national poll, also competed at the tournament. Augsburg claimed titles in five of the 10 weight classes at the tournament, led by 149-pounder Tony Valek (SO, Belle Plaine, Minn./Scott West). Valek, ranked No. 3 nationally, scored two pins among his five victories, including a 5-4 win over No. 7-ranked Tyler Branham of the College of New Jersey in the championship match. At heavyweight, No. 4-ranked Andy Witzel (SR, Fulda, Minn.) swept his weight class with three of his four wins coming by pin, including two first-period match-enders. At 125, Freddie Vigil (SR, Bakersfield, Calif./South HS) had a technical fall and a major decision among his four victories to win his title. Orlando Ponce (JR, Hialeah, Fla./Hialeah-Miami Lakes HS), a national qualifier last season, dominated in winning his weight class, with three pins and a major decision among his five victories. In the title match, he scored a 4:23 pin of Justin Bonitatis of the College of New Jersey, ranked No. 6 nationally. Paul Bjorkstrand (SR, Burnsville, Minn.) and Dusty Holmes (SO, West Fargo, N.D.) shared the crown at 125 pounds, with Bjorkstrand going 3-0 and Holmes going 2-0. Augsburg's two top-ranked wrestlers -- 197-pounder Jared Massey (JR, Circle Pines, Minn./Centennial HS) and 157-pounder Jason Adams (SR, Coon Rapids, Minn.) -- were unable to capture titles at the meet. Adams opened his tournament with three pins, but was upset 8-6 by No. 6-ranked Jesse Harrington of Delaware Valley in the semifinals, then suffered a third-period pin in a wrestleback match before rallying to win the fifth-place bout. Massey also collected pins in his first three matches before a forfeit in the final. Cody Hansen (FY, Albert Lea, Minn.) had a solid performance at 141, with a pin and technical fall en route to a second-place finish. Teammates Nathan Lexvold (SO, Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo HS) and Jake Saatzer (JR, Mound, Minn./Mound-Westonka HS) shared third place at 141. Augsburg returns to action on Sunday (1/3) at 2 p.m., hosting Wisconsin-Eau Claire in a dual meet at Si Melby Hall.

EVANSTON, Ill. -- The Rutgers wrestling team will close out 2009 at the 47th Midlands Championships in Evanston, Ill. at the Welsh-Ryan Arena from Dec. 29-30. The tournament will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Nusports.cstv.com will serve as the official Web site of the Midlands Championships and will have complete session-by-session scheduling, a weight-by-weight preview and up-to-date tournament brackets throughout the two-day affair. Competitors from 31 schools, including 11 top-25 ranked teams, will be in the mix at the event, highlighted by the No. 1 and 2-ranked teams in the country in Iowa and Iowa State. Redshirt junior Dominick Russo (Netcong, N.J.) is the seventh seeded wrestler in the 285-pound bracket. Russo earned a No. 8 billing in the latest InterMat heavyweight rankings and owns an 11-1 record this season.

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Collegiate wrestling's finest competitors will be on display when the 2009 UNCG Southern Scuffle takes place on December 29 and 30 from the Greensboro Coliseum's Special Events Center and fans can catch all of the action on their computers with Spartan All Access. More than 400 wrestlers are slated to compete in 10 weight classes, with 53 of them currently ranked in the top 20 in their respective weight classes according to InterMat. Four wrestlers currently ranked No. 1 in the nation in their weight classes, including defending NCAA champions Troy Nickerson of Cornell (125 lbs.) and Jarrod King from Edinboro (165 lbs.) are slated to compete. This is the seventh year of the UNCG Southern Scuffle and the sixth time it has been held at the Special Events Center. Each year, several future national champions have been on display, sometimes squaring off against competitors they meet down the road at the NCAA Championship in March. This year, King's 165 lbs. weight class and the 285 lb. class with top-ranked Konrad Dudziak of Duke features the most ranked wrestlers with seven. Nickerson's 125 lbs. class features six of the top seven ranked competitors, nearly ensuring some sneak previews of the NCAA Championship in that bracket. There are seven teams ranked in the top 20 in this year's UNCG Southern Scuffle field. Fans can catch all the action by purchasing one of four packages for the Spartan All Access coverage of the Southern Scuffle. Fans can purchase a complete tournament package for $19.95, which will include all three sessions. Session 1, featuring all of Friday's action, and Session 2, which features Saturday's action up to the championship round, can be purchased for $9.95 each. Session 3, featuring only the championship matches on Saturday evening, will be available for $7.95. Martin Fleming and Joey Burridge will call the action from this year's tournament, with two "feature" mats being shown. Matches of significance are typically funneled by tournament officials to these feature mats as often as possible without affecting the integrity of the tournament bracket. Coverage includes teams from all over the country and is not just focused on UNCG wrestlers. However, because care is given to not disrupting the flow of the tournament, decisions are made as the day goes on for which matches will be shown as a part of Spartan All Access. Packages may be purchased by clicking on the gold Spartan All Access login box in the top right side of any page at http://www.UNCGSpartans.com and http://wwww.southernscuffle.com.

BLACKSBURG -- Six Virginia Tech wrestlers will be in action this week at a pair of tough tournaments. Two Hokies will head north to Illinois for the 47th Annual Midlands Championships while four will head south for the Southern Scuffle. Both will take place Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 29&30. The Midlands Championships will be held in Evanston, Ill., on the campus of Northwestern University at the Welsh-Ryan Arena. Information on the event can be found here. Below are the two Tech athletes set to compete at the Midlands: 125: #7 Jarrod Garnett (#2 seed; 7-0) 149: Brian Stephens (Unattached) The Scuffle is held in Greensboro, N.C., and is hosted by UNC Greensboro. The event is held at the Greensboro Coliseum Special Events Center and more information on the event can be found here. Below are the four Hokies who are scheduled to be in action at the event: 149: Taylor Knapp (5-6) 149: Matt Rosen (Unattached) 149: Pete Yates (Unattached) 184: Tommy Spellman (7-4) The Tech team, which is ranked 24th in the country with a 6-1 mark, will hit the mat on Monday, Jan. 4 for a dual meet against Appalachian State (1-5). The match will begin at 6 p.m., inside Cassell Coliseum and admission is free.

Matt Kocher

The Midlands Championships has long been one of the nation's most-anticipated collegiate wrestling events. This year's event, which takes place December 29-30 at Welsh-Ryan Arena on the campus of Northwestern University, is no exception. The field for the 47th Midlands Championships is expected to be loaded with talent and include four of the nation's top seven teams, three NCAA individual champions, eight wrestlers who have reached the NCAA finals, and close to 30 All-Americans. Below is a weight-by-weight breakdown of this year's event. This preview was done prior to the release of the seeds and the field of wrestlers is subject to change. 125: Northwestern's Brandon Precin, who is redshirting this season, will look to win his second straight Midlands title. He won the Eastern Michigan Open earlier this season with a victory over No. 5 Eric Morrill of Edinboro. No. 7 Jarrod Garnett of Virginia Tech, a returning NCAA qualifier who went 38-8 as a true freshman, is 7-0 this season. Matt McDonough of Iowa, who is ranked No. 8, has been impressive in the early part of the season while going 9-0. No. 13 Andrew Long of Iowa State has a couple of tournament titles under his belt this season. His only loss has come to McDonough. No. 14 Matt Steintrager of Central Michigan, a senior and first-year starter, is 5-0. No. 16 Ben Kjar of Utah Valley placed eighth at the Midlands last season and was seventh at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational this season. No. 17 Jason Lara of Oregon State is 16-2 with one of those losses coming to Kjar. No. 18 Jasen Borshoff of American is 9-1with his only loss coming to Steintrager. 133: Defending Midlands champion Dan Dennis, who is ranked No. 4, is back to defend his title. He is 9-0 this season. No. 5 Nick Fanthorpe of Iowa State was a Midlands runner-up to Dennis last season and enters this season's event with only three matches under his belt this season. No. 6 Scotti Sentes of Central Michigan, who earned All-American honors last season as a true freshman at 125 pounds, has been dominant all season, going 7-0 with five pins and two major decisions. Steve Bell of Maryland is returning All-American who is expected to challenge for the title. Bell's only loss this season has come to Sentes by pin at the Journeymen/ASICS Northeast Collegiate Duals on November 28. Wisconsin's Tyler Graff, who is ranked No. 12, is one of the nation's top freshmen. Graff, a four-time Colorado state champion who went 162-1 as a prep wrestler, placed third at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Lou Ruggirello of Hofstra, who is redshirting this season, is a three-time CAA champion with a career record of 99-21. Kyle Hutter of Old Dominion and Kelly Kubec of Oregon State are ranked No. 14 and No. 15 respectively and should figure into the mix. 141: Interestingly, none of the returning Midlands placewinners in this weight class will be competing in the weight class this year. Two-time All-American Jimmy Kennedy of Illinois, who is redshirting this season, moves up from 133 pounds and looks to be the frontrunner in this weight class. Iowa will likely have three wrestlers entered in this weight class who should all figure into the mix: Daniel LeClere, Joe Slaton, and Montell Marion. LeClere was a Midlands champion and NCAA qualifier in 2008. He is currently 7-1 on the season with his only loss coming to No. 2 Nick Gallick of Iowa State in sudden victory. Slaton, like LeClere, had his best season in 2008 when he won a Midlands title and was an NCAA runner-up at 133 pounds. But Slaton lost his starting spot last season after struggling with his weight. He won the Harold Nichols Cyclone Open this season, going 5-0, which is the only event in which he has competed. Marion is 9-0 this season and defeated LeClere, 11-7, in a wrestle-off earlier this season. Another wrestler expected to challenge for the title is returning All-American Alex Krom of Maryland, who is currently ranked No. 10. No. 11 Tyler Nauman of Pittsburgh is a dangerous wrestler who nearly knocked off J Jaggers in the second round of the NCAAs last season, losing in sudden victory. No. 15 Seth Ciasulli of Lehigh and No. 16 Ryan Prater of Illinois are expected to battle for spots on the podium. 149: Iowa's Brent Metcalf, a 2008 NCAA champion and two-time Midlands champion, is the clear frontrunner in this weight class. Metcalf is 9-0 this season with seven pins and a technical fall. Wisconsin's Kyle Ruschell, who is ranked No. 2, was a Midlands runner-up to Metcalf a year ago, losing 14-5 in the finals. Ruschell, a Kentucky native, won the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and is 10-0 on the season. No. 3 Kyle Borshoff of American, a returning All-American, has been impressive this season. He is 6-0 and defeated three-time All-American Lance Palmer of Ohio State at the NWCA All-Star Classic. No. 8 Kevin LeValley of Bucknell is 20-3 this season and lost narrowly to Metcalf, 3-2, in a dual meet. Marion Mason of Minnesota, who is ranked No. 9, was one of the nation's top recruits in 2008. This will be his first major test at the Division I level. No. 12 Tony D'Alie of Central Michigan, who placed fourth at the Midlands last season at 141 pounds, is 6-1 this season with his only loss coming to Borshoff. Iowa State's Mitch Mueller is a three-time NCAA qualifier and ranked No. 13. Another wrestler to watch is Oregon State's R.J. Pena, a talented freshman who placed seventh at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. 157: This looks to be the most wide-open weight class at this year's Midlands. No. 5 Steve Fittery of American, who is 13-1 on the season, is the highest ranked wrestler expected to compete in the weight class. Jake Patacsil, who finished up his career at Purdue last season as an All-American, is expected to compete as a post-graduate and should challenge for the title. Patacsil, who placed third at the Midlands last season at 149 pounds, is a monster on the mat. Central Michigan's Steve Brown, who was fifth at the 2008 Midlands at 149 pounds, sent shockwaves through the wrestling world when he defeated NCAA champion Jordan Burroughs of Nebraska on December 19. Minnesota's Jake Deitchler, who earned a spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman team at the age of 18, is expected to make his much-anticipated collegiate debut. Deitchler has yet to step on the mat this season but is ranked No. 13. No. 18 Keegan Davis of Oregon State was an NCAA qualifier last season. Purdue's Colton Salazar is a two-time NCAA qualifier and is ranked No. 20. Kyle John of Maryland and Conrad Polz of Illinois could also figure into the mix. 165: This weight class includes four of the nation's top six wrestlers. Wisconsin's Andrew Howe, an NCAA runner-up as a true freshman last season, is ranked No. 2. Howe won the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational this season. No. 3 Jon Reader of Iowa State was a Midlands runner-up a year ago and placed fourth at the NCAAs. Reader defeated Howe, 7-5, in the semifinals of the 2008 Midlands. Iowa's Ryan Morningstar, a returning All-American, is the defending Midlands champion in this weight class. Entering this season, Morningstar was 3-0 in his collegiate career against Reader, but fell to the Cyclone for the first time in his collegiate career, 4-3, on December 6. Missouri's Nick Marable, who is ranked No. 6, is a two-time All-American. Marable, who has history of winning tight, low-scoring matches, is 17-0 and has been dominant all season. Of his 17 victories, nine have resulted in bonus points. No. 12 Andy Rendos of Bucknell is a returning All-American who sports a 17-2 record. Rutgers' Scott Winston, a 2009 NCAA qualifier, placed fourth at the 2008 Midlands at 157 pounds. Nick Amuchasteui of Stanford is ranked No. 15 in the country. One non-Division I wrestler to keep your eye on is Colby's Bekzod Abdurakhmonov, a 2009 NJCAA runner-up and the younger brother of former All-American Muzaffar Abdurakhmonov of American. 174: Iowa's Jay Borschel, who has placed second and third at the Midlands, will be looking to capture his first Midlands title this season. Borschel, a 2008 All-American, is 9-0 this season and has earned bonus points in all but one of his matches. Freshman Ben Bennett of Central Michigan beat out defending Midlands champion and NCAA runner-up Mike Miller to earn the starting spot for the Chippewas, forcing Miller up to 184 pounds. Bennett is currently ranked No. 5. No. 6 Mike Letts of Maryland is 15-3 this season with two of those losses coming to No. 1 Mack Lewnes of Cornell and the other to Bennett. He placed fifth at the Midlands a year ago. No. 7 Luke Manuel of Purdue, a two-time NCAA qualifier, placed eighth in this event last year down a weight class at 165 pounds. No. 9 Jordan Blanton of Illinois was fifth at the 2008 Midlands at 184 pounds. Other ranked wrestlers expected to compete in this weight class include No. 11 Duke Burke of Iowa State, No. 12 Dorian Henderson of Missouri, No. 15 Shane Riccio of Bucknell, and No. 18 Robert Hamlin of Lehigh. 184: This is one of the most anticipated weight classes because of its overall strength. It is expected to include seven of the nation's top 12 wrestlers, including No. 1 and No. 2. Missouri's Max Askren, a two-time All-American, is ranked No. 1 but has only competed once this season. No. 2 Mike Cannon of American, also a two-time All-American, was a Midlands champion last year at 174 pounds. Iowa's Phil Keddy, a returning All-American, was a Midlands runner-up last year and is ranked No. 5. John Dergo of Illinois, who is ranked No. 6, is 13-2 this season after moving up from 174 pounds. His only losses have come to No. 1 Askren and No. 4 Kirk Smith of Boise State. Miller, a Midlands runner-up and NCAA runner-up last season at 174 pounds, will get his first major test in his new weight class. He has yet to see an opponent ranked in the top 10 this season. No. 11 David Craig of Lehigh, who was the nation's No. 1 overall wrestler in the country coming out of high school in 2006, has the tools to compete with anyone. Iowa State's Jerome Ward, an NCAA qualifier last season as a freshman, has been wrestling well this season and has a victory over Keddy. Stanford's Zack Giesen won the Reno Tournament of Champions and is ranked No. 13. 197: Iowa State's Jake Varner, a returning NCAA champion and U.S. World Team member in freestyle, is the overwhelming favorite to win the title. Varner is 8-0 this season. The only match this season in which Varner has not earned bonus points was his 5-3 victory over No. 2 Craig Brester of Nebraska at the NWCA All-Star Classic. Hudson Taylor of Maryland, one of the nation's most prolific pinners, has finished third at the NCAAs the last two seasons ... but was a disappointing seventh in this event a year ago. Wisconsin's Trevor Brandvold, who is ranked No. 7, defeated Taylor before defaulting out of the tournament. Wynn Michalak of Central Michigan, who finished his collegiate career in 2008 as a three-time All-American and NCAA runner-up, is expected to compete and should challenge. Iowa's Chad Beatty, an NCAA qualifier last season, is 8-1 this season with his only loss coming to Varner. Freshman Brent Haynes is 15-3 and ranked No. 11. Logan Brown of Purdue and Chad Hanke of Oregon State are both nationally-ranked wrestlers who could figure into the mix. 285: This weight class includes five of the nation's top eight heavyweights ... and that doesn't even include the wrestler who is No. 1 in the pre-tournament rankings, Aaron Anspach, a 2007 NCAA runner-up for Penn State, or defending Midlands champion and NCAA champion Mark Ellis of Missouri. Lehigh's Zach Rey, who is ranked No. 3, is 13-0 this season. Missouri's Dom Bradley, a Junior World champion in freestyle, is ranked No. 4 and has beaten Ellis in both regular-season meetings this season. Iowa State's David Zabriskie, who placed third at this event last year, is ranked No. 4. Pittsburgh's Ryan Tomei has beaten all comers this season with the exception of Rey, who had defeated the Panther twice. D.J. Russo of Rutgers, who is ranked No. 8, was unbeaten on the season before falling to Tomei (by pin) on December 12. Rider's Eddie Bordas is 13-4 this season and ranked No. 17. This article also appears on the official site of the Big Ten Network.

Seven defending champs return to premier Christmas tournament One half of the weight class champions from last year's Powerade Christmas Wrestling Tournament return to the 43rd edition, which will be hosted this Tuesday and Wednesday by Canon-McMillan High School just outside of Pittsburgh, PA. Five of these champions are among the 21 nationally-ranked wrestlers in this event. Five state championship winning teams from this past season are present in the field -- Beast of the East runners-up Central Dauphin, PA; Toshiba Business Solutions Classic champions Collins Hill, GA; Osceola, FL; Shady Side Academy, PA; and Christiansburg, VA. Both Pennsylvania state runner-up teams also are present in the field -- Blue Mountain and Benton. Seeking its third consecutive tournament title is Central Dauphin, and the Rams were also runners-up in their Powerade debut back in 2006. The 112 pound weight class stands to be one of the event's showcase brackets with four nationally-ranked wrestlers. Defending tournament champion Jimmy Gulibon (Derry Area, PA) is ranked second in the nation. Others ranked include Joey Dance (Christiansburg, VA); Corey Keener (Blue Mountain, PA); and Stephen Myers (Moeller, OH). Shyheim Brown (Central Dauphin, PA) was listed in the preseason rankings, and Bazell Partridge (Collins Hill, GA) was a state champion last year. Two other weight classes feature a trio of nationally-ranked wrestlers. Devin Carter (Christiansburg, VA); Mitchell Port (Bellefonte, PA); and TJ Mitchell (Collins Hill, GA) all are present in the 125 pound weight class. Defending Powerade champion Josh Kindig (Blue Mountain, PA); Joel Smith (Collins Hill, GA); and Pete Baldwin (Osceola, FL) are projected to compete at 140 pounds. Marshall Peppelman (Central Dauphin, PA) is first in the nation at 160 pounds, and seeks to become only the second wrestler to win four titles at the Powerade -- the first being Ty Moore (North Allegheny, PA) from 1986-1989. Peppelman will most likely have to beat No. 10 in the nation Eric Hess (Benton, PA) in the Wednesday evening final to do so. Junior Nico Megaludis (Franklin Regional, PA) has won Powerade in each of his scholastic seasons to date, and is competing this year at 119 pounds. One other nationally-ranked wrestler appears in his weight class -- Mike Rhone (Benton, PA). The other weight class with multiple ranked wrestlers is 285 pounds, where defending Powerade champion Karl Green (Mt St Joseph's, MD) and Tyler Demott (Benton, PA) are slated to compete. The other two defending Powerade champions -- Frank Martelotti (130) and Matthew Cunningham (171) of Shady Side Academy, PA -- are not ranked nationally. Martelotti is in a weight without any nationally-ranked wrestlers, while Kenny Courts (Central Dauphin, PA) is present in Cunningham's weight. Rounding out the list of nationally-ranked wrestlers in this tournament are Tyson Dippery (Central Dauphin, PA) at 103 pounds; Pierce Harger (Moeller, OH) at 152 pounds, though his ranking is at 160 pounds; Jamie Callender (Council Rock North, PA) at 189 pounds; and Nate Gaffney (Connellsville, PA) at 215 pounds. Cheesehead to host nation's elite in the New Year Three of the nation's pre-eminent teams will be making the trip to Kaukauna, WI for the 12th annual Cheesehead Invitational on January 1 and 2. This would include defending tournament champions Brandon, FL; Apple Valley, MN -- which returns to the tournament after having won it two times in the past; and Wyoming Seminary, PA making its debut at the tournament. State tournament champions among the 24-team field include Apple Valley; Brandon; Montini Catholic, IL; and Simley, MN. Apple Valley and Simley finished one-two in the recently completed Minnesota Christmas Tournament, while Montini was champion of the Dvorak Tournament this past week. State-level tournament runners-up in the field are Wyoming Seminary (fourth at Ironman and third at Beast); Kenyon-Wanamingo, MN; Wausau West, WI -- second in this event last year after winning it in 2008; and Yorkville, IL. There are fifteen wrestlers in the field nationally ranked, including four of the seven defending tournament champions. Two of the defending champions, both nationally ranked, are slated to compete at 152 pounds -- Joey Cozart (Brandon, FL) and Derek Olson (Muskego, WI). This pair of wrestlers is slated to be joined by a third nationally-ranked wrestler, Destin McCauley (Apple Valley, MN) -- ranked second in the weight class. Another pair of event champions -- Tyler Liberatore (Brandon, FL) and Colton Rasche (Montini Catholic, IL) -- is slated to compete at 130 pounds. Neither is nationally ranked; however two other wrestlers projected for this weight class are ranked by InterMat. That pair of wrestlers would be Walsh Ironman champion Nate Skonieczny (Walsh Jesuit, OH), and state champion Matt Kelliher (Apple Valley, MN) who is twice a Cadet National freestyle All-American. Also in this weight bracket are two of the nation's top freshmen in Eric Morris (Wyoming Seminary, PA) and Jake Short (Simley, MN). Morris is ranked third in the Class of 2013, and placed fifth at the Beast of the East; while Short is ranked 12th among all freshmen and a Cadet National freestyle All-American. Yet another defending Cheesehead champion will find himself in a tough weight class, as Noah Budi (Kaukauna, WI) will have fellow nationally-ranked wrestler Jake Waste (Apple Valley, MN) standing in his way at 171 pounds. Rounding out the defending champions is Jon Schuster (Wausau West, WI) at 112 pounds and Rossi Bruno (Brandon, FL) at 119 pounds. Schuster is not ranked nationally, but in his weight class is Dominick Malone (Wyoming Seminary, PA) ranked 12th in the nation. Bruno is ranked 20th in the nation and stands to be challenged by returning state runner-up Dylan Wright (Simley, MN) and former National Prep placer Kyle Johnson (Wyoming Seminary, PA). The closing weight, 285 pounds, is the last one with multiple nationally-ranked wrestlers. Mike McMullan (Wyoming Seminary, PA) -- after winning the Ironman and Beast of the East -- is the number one ranked wrestler in the country. However, the journey gets no easier here, as Henry Chirino (Brandon, FL) is ranked 8th in the nation; and Lavelle Howard (Plainfield Central, IL) was champion of the Dvorak this past week. Rounding out the nationally-ranked wrestlers in the tournament are Kevon Powell (Montini Catholic, IL) at 103 pounds; Jameson Oster (Lockport, IL) at 125 pounds; Simon Kitzis (Wyoming Seminary, PA) at 135 pounds; Brandon Kingsley (Apple Valley, MN) at 140 pounds; and Steven Keogh (Apple Valley, MN) at 160 pounds. Blair headlines talented, deep field at Bethlehem Holiday After titles at the Walsh Ironman and Beast of the East, Blair Academy, NJ travels to their third major tournament of the season on Monday and Tuesday of this week at Bethlehem Liberty High School in Pennsylvania. While obviously the favorites, the rest of the field will provide a rigorous test to the Buccaneer squad. It includes two other teams that finished in the top five at the Beast of the East -- St Mark's, DE and Cox, VA. Five other teams finished between 11th and 22nd -- Nazareth, PA; Quakertown, PA; Northampton, PA; Bethlehem Liberty, PA; and Camden Catholic, NJ. Also in the field is perennial power Council Rock South, PA. Nineteen nationally-ranked wrestlers have the potential to appear in the brackets, with a pair of weight classes possibly having a trio of ranked wrestlers. The obvious feature weight class is 189 pounds, where career undefeated junior Andrew Campolattano (Bound Brook, NJ) will be seriously tested against Michael Evans (Blair Academy, NJ) and/or Antonio Giorgio (Warwick, PA). This trio is ranked first, fifth, and eighth respectively. Also in the weight class is Bobby Lavelle (Council Rock South, PA), NHSCA Junior Nationals runner-up this past April at 160 pounds. Evan Silver (Blair Academy, NJ) is the nation's top ranked wrestler at 112 pounds, which is the other weight with a trio of nationally-ranked wrestlers. Tyler Pendergast (St Mark's, DE) and Caleb Richardson (Cox, VA) are slated to appear in this weight class. There are three other weight classes with a pair of nationally-ranked wrestlers present. One of the tougher weight classes in this tournament should be at 119 pounds where Beast of the East champion Mark Grey (Blair Academy, NJ) and Sean Dolan (St Mark's, DE) are nationally ranked. Also in the bracket are Bryan Whitt (Cox, VA) and Matt Sausman (Camden Catholic, NJ) -- both were nationally ranked in the preseason. Another weight class with similar quantity and quality is at 125 pounds with a Beast semifinal rematch as a probable finals bout -- Zach Horan (Nazareth, PA) against Sean Boylan (St Mark's, DE). Two other Beast placers are present in this weight -- the freshman TJ Miller (Camden Catholic, NJ) and Scott Wolfinger (Quakertown, PA). State placer Anthony Marino (Bethlehem Liberty, PA) and state qualifier Matt Rappo (Council Rock South, PA) also float in the bracket. The other weight class with potential for fireworks is at 140 pounds. Should Josh Dziewa (Council Rock South, PA) compete in this tournament -- he did not compete in the Walsh Ironman or King of the Mountain, but did compete in a mid-week dual meet in between the two tournaments -- there could be a "one v. three" battle between him and Chris Villalonga (Blair Academy, NJ) in the final. Also present in this weight class is state champion Taylor Walsh (Camden Catholic, NJ). Other nationally-ranked wrestlers populating the brackets include Max Hvolbeck (Blair Academy, NJ) at 103 pounds; Nick Schenk (St Mark's, DE) at 130 pounds; Austin Ormsbee (Blair Academy, NJ) at 135 pounds; Ben Dorsay (Cox, VA) at 145 pounds; Jesse Shanaman (Blair Academy, NJ) at 152 pounds; Spencer Myers (Sellinsgrove, PA) at 215 pounds; and Bobby Telford (St Mark's, DE) at 285 pounds. Monroeville Four" anchor Ohio's premier holiday tournament The 49th annual Brecksville Holiday Invitational Tournament features approximately 100 wrestlers with state tournament experience, as well as 15 teams that finished in the top ten of their respective state tournaments (14 from Ohio's three divisions, as well as Pope, GA). Defending tournament champion Wadsworth, OH are strong favorites to repeat as tournament champions. The Grizzlies return eight wrestlers that qualified for the state tournament last year, including six wrestlers that placed. Also present in this field are the top two teams in last year's small-school state tournament -- Troy Christian, OH and Monroeville, OH. The "Monroeville Four" of Hunter (125) and Logan (130) Stieber, Cam Tessari (140), and Chris Phillips (171) headline a list of 11 nationally-ranked wrestlers slated to compete in the tournament. Ty Mitch (Aurora, OH) and Kagain Squire (Wadsworth, OH) were Junior and Cadet National freestyle champions at 119 pounds this past summer in Fargo, ND. This pair of nationally-ranked wrestlers is slated to compete at 119 pounds. Another pair of nationally-ranked wrestlers and defending state champions also present in the 152 pound weight class. David Habat (St Ignatius, OH) and Harrison Hightower (University School, OH) were also champions at the Brecksville Holiday last year. Ranked fourth nationally at 119 pounds, Hunter Stieber (Monroeville, OH) is in a weight class along with defending tournament champion Jake McCombs (Marysville, OH). The other nationally-ranked wrestler and defending tournament champion in the event is George DiCamillo (St Ignatius, OH) at 103 pounds. Seeking third titles at this year's tournament are the "Monroeville Four" and Habat; while DiCamillo, McCombs, and Hightower seek their second title. The three junior members of the "Monroeville Four" -- Hunter Stieber, Tessari, and Phillips could become the third, fourth, and fifth wrestlers to win four titles in the event should they win titles this year and next year. Top Michigan wrestlers travel to Goodrich Greenville seeks to defend its title in the top tournament within the Wolverine State this coming Wednesday at the 19th annual Goodrich Tournament of Champions. This year's field will feature eight teams ranked inside the top four of their respective divisions in the most recent team rankings compiled by Michigan Grappler. Ranked first in Division 2 is Allegan; Greenville, Swan Valley, and Hesperia are ranked second in Divisions 2, 3, and 4 respectively; Detroit Catholic Central and Dundee are third in Divisions 1 and 3; while St John's is ranked fourth in Division 2. Of the nine nationally-ranked wrestlers from the state of Michigan, only Taylor Massa (St John's) and Jordan Thomas (Greenville) are slated to compete in this event, at 152 and 160 pounds respectively. Massa is also one of five wrestlers ranked as best in their weight class in the Wolverine State regardless of division by Michigan Grappler (as of December 17th). Others are Jacob Schmitt (St John's) at 103 pounds, Joe Rendina (Dundee) at 130 pounds, Colin Zeerip (Hesperia) at 135 pounds, and John Rizgallah (Allegan) at 189 pounds. First against second bouts could emerge at 130, 135, and 152 pounds. Rendina and Tyler Keselring (Greenville) are at 130 pounds; Zeerip and Jaylyn Bohl (Allegan) are at 135 pounds; while Massa, Adam Bonner (Greenville), and Troy Lamson (Swan Valley) are the top three wrestlers at 152 pounds. Another weight of note is at 119 pounds, where it could be a Goodrich TOC finals rematch between Alec Mooradian (Detroit Catholic Central) and BJ Suitor (Swan Valley); Mooradian won the matchup last year between eventual state champions. Other events to note over the New Year's week ... ***Medina Invitational Tournament (Monday and Tuesday) -- St Edward, OH; Massillon Perry, OH; Claymont, OH; and CVCA, OH headline the 39-team field. ***Manheim Invitational (Tuesday and Wednesday) -- Easton, PA; Reynolds, PA; and Robinson, VA headline the 14-team field. ***Granite City Tournament (Tuesday and Wednesday) -- Oak Park River Forest, IL; Neosho, MO; Oak Park, MO; Fort Zumwalt West, MO; and Francis Howell Central, MO headline the expanded 24-team field. ***Sierra Nevada Classic (Tuesday and Wednesday) -- Buchanan, CA is the anchor team, while Derek Garcia (Sedro Woolley, WA) at 171 pounds is the top wrestler in this mega-bracket event.

There are fathers and sons in wrestling ... then there are the Peerys, a true wrestling dynasty. The father, Rex Peery, and his two sons, Hugh and Ed, each won three NCAA wrestling championships. That's a total of nine titles. A haul of hardware no other wrestling family can match. This year, InterMat Rewind salutes the Peerys -- their lives as a family, their individual careers in wrestling and coaching, and their lives off the mat -- with a series of individual articles. This summer, we profiled Rex Peery. Meet Hugh Peery Robert Hugh Peery was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma when his dad Rex was a student at Oklahoma State University. As Hugh pointed out in an interview for this profile, "I was born in dad's freshman year, but he had worked two years after high school before going to college, because of the Depression." Hugh Peery"There's a photo of me in a diaper on the mat with my dad." Hugh Peery's immersion in wrestling continued in his youth. In the 2003 book, A Turning Point, written by Jamie Moffatt and Roger Olesen, Hugh said that his dad often brought him to wrestling practice at Oklahoma State. "When I was four or five, Dad took a job coaching wrestling at the high school level. As I was growing up, I would go over to the high school and would wrestle every day. When I got to high school, I wrestled guys that had, maybe, two or three years' experience, while I already had been wrestling for 15 years and learning from my father. I had a great advantage." Taking advantage of that early start Hugh Peery's actual, competitive wrestling career officially began at Tulsa Central High School, where his father was head coach (having taken the job when former coach Art Griffith took the helm at Oklahoma State upon the passing of Ed Gallagher in 1940). "I started as a sophomore. Back then, freshmen couldn't compete." That first season, Hugh Peery placed third in the state. However, in his junior and senior years, he won Oklahoma high school state titles at 112 pounds in 1949 and 1950. "There were only about 13-14 teams in the state at the time," Hugh said, providing some historical perspective on the state of high school wrestling in Oklahoma 60 years ago. That second state title may not have happened in Oklahoma, if it weren't for some generous friends. Just before Hugh's senior year, Rex Peery was offered the head coaching job at the University of Pittsburgh. Dad, his mother Clara, sister Ann, and younger brother Ed all made the move to Pennsylvania ... while Hugh stayed in Tulsa, with family friend and teammate, John Eagleton. "I am forever indebted to the Eagletons," said Hugh Peery. "It was a tough year for me. I truly missed my family, especially once wrestling season was over." Go east, young man After graduating from Tulsa Central in 1950, Hugh joined the rest of his family in the Pittsburgh area. He told a story about the family building a new house. "Dad decided to build a house in Shaler Township, because they had a good wrestling program." "Before construction started, a guy brought concrete blocks. The driver offered to take them off the truck, but dad said, 'These guys will do it,' so we did." And got a good workout in the process. That summer, Hugh and his brother Ed posed for photos in an updated version of the classic instructional book, simply titled Wrestling, which had been originally written by legendary Oklahoma State coach Ed Gallagher. Wrestling for dad, again Rex Peery (Photo/1952 Owl Yearbook)Hugh Peery resumed his wrestling career at Pitt, wrestling for his father Rex, as he had his sophomore and junior years at Tulsa Central High. "I loved wrestling for my dad," Hugh disclosed. "He always put us through the paces, rope climbing, ladder climbing, chinning." Hugh told a story about a practice session match that sounded as if it were anything but a friendly roll around on the living room rug: "When I was a freshman at Pitt, I took him down for the first time in a practice session. So he had to keep wrestling till he took me down. Thought he'd have a heart attack." Before wrestling an official intercollegiate match at Pittsburgh, Hugh Peery competed at the 1951 Pan American Games in Argentina, bringing home a gold medal. In the interview for this profile, Hugh Peery was characteristically modest when talking about his college career as a Pitt Panther ... and, in fact, opened that portion of our conversation remembering a bitter defeat. "I lost one match as a sophomore, to (Bob) Homan of Penn State, a Mepham (High School, Long Island, New York) grad, at Penn State. It was the worst match I have ever wrestled." That loss to Homan was Hugh Peery's first -- and last -- in college. He crafted a 56-1 overall record at Pitt, including a 48-match win streak that started the very next match after losing to Homan. "I wrestled him the next year, had him on his back in 15 seconds. Never pinned him, but beat him 18-8." "I was not much of a pinner," Hugh Peery continued. "I wasn't strong enough." Hugh Peery's biography at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in his native Stillwater, Oklahoma, states, "He was noted for his speed and clever style. He was an exceptional takedown artist with a wide variety of moves, and his usual pattern was to establish an early lead and maintain pressure with a vast repertoire of rides, escapes and pinning holds." This description of Hugh Peery's wrestling style is borne out by looking at the brackets for the three NCAA championships where he wrestled. As wrestling historian Denny Diehl pointed out in his analysis of Hugh for the book The History of Collegiate Wrestling, the elder Peery son had only one close match in three national college tournaments ... and that was a 6-5 victory over sophomore Terry McCann of the University of Iowa at the 1954 NCAAs. McCann went on to win two NCAA titles and a gold medal in freestyle at the 1960 Rome Olympics. Hugh remembered that match well, saying, "(McCann) was tough. I won on riding time." A very full plate his sophomore year In the 2003 book A Turning Point, Hugh Peery was very disclosing in discussing his time at the University of Pittsburgh. "My sophomore year, 1951-1952, was the hardest. I was trying my darndest to get into Pitt's pre-dental program the following year; I was wrestling and trying to win the NCAAs; and also attempting to make the Olympic wrestling team. I was constantly making weight and totally engrossed with my studies so that I might be accepted into the pre-dental program." (Hugh had wanted to be a dentist since seventh grade.) The elder Peery son continued, "I achieved all three goals that year, but it was probably a mistake going for the early dental program. It was just too hard, along with all the wrestling. I could have put off the dental program for a couple years." At Hugh's first NCAAs in 1952, held at Colorado A&M in Fort Collins, he was the top seed in the eight-man bracket at 115 pounds. After drawing a bye in the first round, Hugh shut out Ted Bredehoft of Cornell College of Iowa, 4-0. In the semifinals, the Panther defeated fourth-seeded Richard Meeks of the University of Illinois, 6-3. He then won his first national title with a convincing 13-6 win over Will Howard, the third-seeded wrestler out of the University of Denver. Hugh Peery (Photo/1953 Owl Yearbook)After winning his first NCAA title, Hugh Peery made the U.S. Olympic wrestling team, traveling to Helsinki, Finland to compete. He won two of three matches, but, as with that bitter loss in college his sophomore year, the one loss in the Olympics is what has stayed with him more than a half-century later. "I felt that I was screwed by the judges in my match against the Russian," Peery is quoted in A Turning Point. "It was my third match and I thought I had it won. I never turned the guy, but I took him down, oh, maybe 15 times, but I was never awarded any points by the two Eastern bloc judges. I lost on a split decision and ended up in sixth place." "My father was very intent on my being on the Olympic team," Hugh Peery told A Turning Point authors Moffatt and Olesen. "After going over to Europe and competing in the Olympics and having a bad experience there, I came home and told Dad, 'Never tell me again what I have to do.' Actually, if I had won a gold medal at those Olympics, I probably wouldn't have wrestled any more. I already had won an NCAA championship and with an Olympic gold, what else was there?" Coming back from Olympic disappointment Despite the disappointment from the 1952 Olympics, Hugh Peery continued wrestling. Junior year, Hugh, his dad and his Pitt teammates traveled halfway across Pennsylvania to Penn State, site of the 1953 NCAAs. Again, Hugh was the No. 1 seed among a dozen wrestlers in the 115-pound weight class. In the opening round, Hugh faced a familiar foe in Illinois' Richard Meeks, this time getting a 9-4 win. In the second round, Hugh defeated Art Helf of Franklin & Marshall, 6-2. The semifinals saw the Panther demolish Ed Dawkins of Ursinus, 11-1. In the title bout, Hugh Peery scored a 5-1 win over Bob Christensen of Northwestern to win his second national crown. Hugh Peery shared some of his memories from his second NCAA tournament with A Turning Point authors Jamie Moffatt and Roger Olesen, saying his first match of the event vs. Meeks was the most memorable. "I had wrestled him before and was pretty sure I could beat him. We got into a scuffle at the edge of the mat, and I got mad at him. My dad was coaching me and got made at me. It wasn't a tough match; I think I pancaked him for five of my points. But Dad wanted me to win the Outstanding Wrestler award, and he thought my outburst at mat side cost me." (At the 1953 NCAAs, Outstanding Wrestler honors went to Frank Bettucci, 147-pound champ from Cornell University.) As a senior at Pitt, Hugh Peery won all of his regular-season matches, then claimed the EIWA (Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association) title at 123 pounds. (It was the first year Pittsburgh had competed in the conference.) At the 1954 NCAAs held at the University of Oklahoma, Hugh was again the top seed in the 11-man 115-pound bracket. He got off to a powerful start, pinning his first two opponents -- Kansas State's Joe Landholm, at 3:55, and Auburn's Robert David, in exactly four minutes. In the semifinals, Hugh had the one close match of three years of NCAA tournaments, edging Iowa's Terry McCann, 6-5, to advance to his third straight title match. As in past years, the Panther had a fairly easy championship bout, scoring a decisive 9-2 win over Charles Ofsthun of the University of Minnesota to claim his third consecutive NCAA title, joining his dad Rex as a three-time national collegiate champ. Dan Gable with Hugh Peery (Photo/TheMat.com)That was the end of Hugh Peery's competitive wrestling career. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh's Dental School in 1956, Hugh Peery wanted to join the Navy. He served as an assistant coach to family friend Ray Swartz at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis for a couple years, but, as he told A Turning Point authors Moffatt and Olesen, that, unlike his father, "I recognized that coaching was something I really didn't want to do as a career." Instead, Hugh Peery realized that nearly lifelong dream of being a dentist. He established his practice in the Pittsburgh area, where he worked in his chosen profession for 51 years before retiring about two years ago at age 75. Hugh Peery was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1980 -- the same year as his younger brother Ed. They joined their dad Rex, who had been welcomed into the Hall as part of its initial class in 1976.

Continuing one of the great traditions in collegiate wrestling, Northwestern is set to host the 47th edition of the Midlands Championships on Dec. 29-30 in Welsh-Ryan Arena. Among the former All-Americans included in this year's field is Northwestern's own Brandon Precin, who is aiming to defend his 125-pound Midlands title from a year ago. Takedown Wrestling Media will again provide whistle to whistle coverage of the 2009 Midlands Championships. Our broadcast schedule will mirror that of the competition. Join Scott Casber and Steve Foster for the call. Should be a lot of fun and great wrestling action in this Holiday Classic. Our family at TDR will be dedicating this broadcast to the memory of our friend Adam Frey. Visit NUsports.com for complete session-by-session scheduling, a weight-by-weight preview and for up-to-date tournament brackets throughout the two-day affair. Final seeding will be determined by the tournament committee and posted on NUsports.com on Monday evening and the tournament gets underway at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday. http://nusports.cstv.com/sports/m-wrestl/spec-rel/nw-2009-midlands-championships.html Tune in to Takedownradio.com. We look forward to this tournament each year and hope you do as well.

Josh Lowe

An early debate point of the 2009-10 season was if Blair Academy, NJ could be dethroned as the best team in the nation. While InterMat does not conduct a team national ranking, the early season results would seem to indicate that the answer is a resounding “no." Even with the absence of two-time National Prep champion Austin Ormsbee, ranked third in the nation at 135 pounds, the Buccaneers have been dominant champions of their two major events in the season to date -- the Walsh Ironman and the Beast of the East. Blair Academy has two wrestlers ranked first in the nation at their respective weight class -- senior Chris Villalonga is tops in the 140 pound weight class, while junior Evan Silver is No. 1 at 112 pounds. Four wrestlers in addition to Ormsbee are also ranked within the top 11 of their respective weight classes -- Max Hvolbeck (103), Mark Grey (119), Jesse Shanaman (152), and Michael Evans (189). After the Buccaneers’ seven nationally ranked wrestlers, two teams lead the rest of the field with five wrestlers inside the top 20 at their respective weight classes. The first is St Mark’s, DE with led by second-ranked Nick Schenk (130) and third-ranked Bobby Telford (285); others include Tyler Pendergast (112), Sean Dolan (119), and Sean Boylan (125). The other is Apple Valley, MN, which is led by second-ranked Destin McCauley (152) -- though he has yet to compete this season. Other ranked Eagle wrestlers are Matt Kelliher (130), Brandon Kingsley (140), Steven Keogh (160), and Jake Waste (171). The quartet of teams have four ranked wrestlers in their lineups includes three from Ohio -- Graham, St Edward, and Monroeville -- and the other is Eastern Regional, NJ. Six teams have three ranked wrestlers in their lineups include four from Pennsylvania -- Central Dauphin, Wyoming Seminary, Central Mountain, and Benton -- as well as Park Hill, MO and St Ignatius, OH. Wrestlers from the Keystone State dominate the rankings, as five Pennsylvania scholastic wrestlers are number one in the nation for their weight class with 36 in the rankings overall. The much hyped, and deservedly so, Class of 2010 from that state has four wrestlers ranked tops in the nation -- Andrew (145) and Dylan (152) Alton of Central Mountain, Marshall Peppelman (160) of Central Dauphin, and Mike McMullan (285) of Wyoming Seminary -- with 25 ranked in all. The other top-ranked wrestler from the Keystone State is Nick Roberts (103) of North Star. Left behind the dominance of Pennsylvania is that three wrestlers from New Jersey and Ohio each earned top spots in the national rankings. Silver, Villalonga, and Andrew Campolattano (189) of Bound Brook are top-ranked wrestlers from the Garden State. Logan Stieber (125) of Monroeville, Jamie Clark (130) of St Edward, and Chris Phillips (171) of Monroeville are tops in the nation from the Buckeye State. 27 New Jersey wrestlers are ranked, while 26 from Ohio appear in the top 20 nationally. Rounding out the number one ranked wrestlers in their respective weight class are Ryak Finch (119) of Safford, AZ; Ryen Nieman (135) of Bullock Creek, MI; and Kyle Cowan (215) of Cascia, OK. In all, 40 states have a wrestler inside the national rankings at this point of the season. Here is the count of wrestlers ranked by state. 36 -- PA (five top ranked); 27 -- NJ (3); 26 -- OH (3); 16 -- IA; 15 -- IL; 14 -- CA, NY; 10 -- OK; 9 -- MI, MN; 8 -- DE, IN, MO, WI; 7 -- KS, VA; 5 -- FL, SD; 4 -- AZ, MD; 3 -- GA, ND, NE, TN, TX, WA; 2 -- ID, MT, NH, NV, OR, UT; 1 -- AK, AL, HI, KY, MA, NC, NM. Here's to a blessed holiday season and a happy New Year! Enjoy the wrestling! View Weight Class Rankings

Happy Holidays wrestling fans- TDR returns to the Brute adidas home studios for our 3rd show of December. Thanks to Steve Foster and Gary McCall for filling in for me last week. This week we prepare for the 47th Midlands Tournament of Champions at Northwestern University. Our broadcast times Tuesday and Wednesday will mirror that of competition. Check it out. It's free courtesy of our great sponsors. TDR This week: 9:05 Mark Branch- Head Coach of Wyoming's Cowboys will join us to talk about his team and the years competition and his conference. 9:20 Barry Davis- Head Coach of Wisconsin's Badgers. Redshirt freshman Tyler Graff has enjoyed a successful start to his Badger career. He is ranked ninth in the nation at 133 lbs., boasts an 8-2 record and is coming off a third place finish at the Cliff Keen Invite.Last season, Graff tallied an 18-2 record in open tournaments with his only losses coming at the hands of wrestlers ranked in the top-five for the weight class. 9:40 Kevin Schlosser Founder of BuckeyeWrestling.com. It's Kevin's mission to provide comprehensive year round coverage of the four NCAA division I Ohio wrestling programs with supplamental coverage of Ohio high school wrestling. BuckeyeWrestling.com is not affiliated with the Ohio State University, Kent State, Cleveland State, Ohio University; or the OHSAA, Big Ten, MAC, EWL or NCAA. It does however have its finger on the pulse of wrestling in Ohio. 9:50 Maureen Roshar Joins us from Clinton, Iowa's Wildrose Casino 10:05 Jeff Murphy- Kemin Wrestling Report Jeff will give us the view from his chair on the season and what to expect at the 2 major events looming, The Midlands and the National Duals. 10:20 Jason Bryant- USA Wrestling and theMat.com's new director of viral and social marketing and content. Jason will fill us in on his new job and the plans for the future. 10:40 Mychal Grenawalt - Executive Producer/Host of Matside Michigan Radio Show on various radio stations including Supertalk 1570 Flint Saginaw Please note that Episode 37 of TDR TV is now up on all the top web sites around the country and is available for your viewing. 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 and Happy Holiday's!

Please Note: All times Eastern Midlands Championships Event Date: Wednesday, December 30 All Day Air Date: Sunday, January 3 at 7:00 p.m. Oklahoma State at Iowa Event Date: Saturday, January 16 at 8:00 p.m. Air Date: Sunday, January 17 at 10:00 p.m. Indiana at Wisconsin Event Date: Friday, January 22 at 8:00 p.m. Air Date: LIVE Penn State at Ohio State Event Date: Sunday, January 24 at 2:00 p.m. Air Date: Same Day Delay at 7:00 p.m. Ohio State at Purdue Event Date: Friday, January 29 at 7:00 p.m. Air Date: Same Day Delay at 11:00 p.m. Illinois at Northwestern Event Date: Sunday, January 31 at 3:00 p.m. Air Date: Same Day Delay at 7:00 p.m. Minnesota at Illinois Event Date: Friday, February 5 at 8:00 p.m. Air Date: LIVE Michigan at Ohio State Event Date: Friday, February 5 at 7:00 p.m. Air Date: Same Day Delay at 11:00 p.m. Purdue at Michigan State Event Date: Sunday, February 7 at 1:00 p.m. Air Date: Same Day Delay at 7:00 p.m. Iowa at Minnesota Event Date: Sunday, February 14 at 7:00 p.m. Air Date: LIVE Ohio State at Iowa Event Date: Friday, February 19 at 8:00 p.m. Air Date: Same Day Delay at 12:00 a.m. Michigan at Northwestern Event Date: Sunday, February 21 at 7:00 p.m. Air Date: LIVE Iowa at Wisconsin Event Date: Sunday, February 21 at 2:00 p.m. Air Date: Same Day Delay at 11:00 p.m. Big Ten Championships Event Date: Sunday, March 7 at 2:00 p.m. Air Date: LIVE

Cozart's pin propels Brandon over Collins Hill Two of the finest teams in the nation, and according to most the two best in the southeastern part of the United States, Brandon, FL and Collins Hill, GA met on Wednesday at the Kyle Maynard Duals hosted by Collins Hill. In front of a big home crowd of around 2,000 fans, Collins Hill fell just short against Brandon, 34-24, two days before the Christmas holiday. The dual meet started at 189, and after a 3-2 victory by Joel Smith over Clark Glass at 145, the host squad led 24-22 with three matches remaining. However, a pin by Joey Cozart and two subsequent decisions gave Brandon the close victory. Brandon won eight of the 14 weight classes. Poway tops Reno field with volume Despite only one finalist in Victor Lopez -- the champion at 103 pounds -- Poway was able to win the Reno Tournament of Champions in a very close team race with 143.5 points. Three other wrestlers placed for Poway -- Gabe Brown (119) was seventh, Will DeYoung (135) was fourth, and Ian Roy (160) finished fifth. However, the key for their victory was the ability of non-placers to win multiple matches during the course of the event. Right behind was Easton, PA with 142 points; the Rovers were anchored by champion Mark Hartenstine (140), who defeated Nate Hoffer (Anchorage East, AK) 2-1 in a battle of nationally ranked wrestlers. Their three other placers were Mitch Minotti (130) finishing second, and both Evan Disora (103) and Joey Rizzolino (135) taking fifth place. Also with a quartet of place-winners was Ponderosa, CO; which was enough to take home third place with 135.5 points. Their lone champion was Jake Snider (145) with Steven Kelly (152), Austin Gabel (171), and Derek Good (189) all taking home third place medals. Only two teams had multiple champions -- Clovis West, CA with Steven Knoblauch (112) and Zach Zimmer (119) rising to the top of the podium, and Bishop Gorman, NV had titlists in Steven Hernandez (152) and Johnny Field (171). Rounding out the champions were Isaiah Martinez (125) of Lemoore, CA; Louis Trujillo (130) of Rio Rancho, NM; Luke Goettl (135) of Mingus, AZ; Ronnie Balfour (160) of Tulsa Union, OK; Chase Eskam (189) of Carlsbad CA; Tank Knowles (215) of Calvary Chapel, CA; and Travis Morgan (285) of Stillwater, OK). Two other matches involving ranked wrestlers doing battle in the finals had Goettl defeating Kade Moss (Bingham, UT) 9-2 at 135 pounds, and Hernandez defeating Justin DeAngelis (Jenks, OK) 9-7 at 152 pounds. Montini repeats at the Dvorak In a tournament whose depth is ever-growing, and value is consistently underrated nationally, Montini Catholic, IL came home with the title at the 22nd Annual Dvorak Memorial Wrestling Invitational scoring 199.5 points. The event hosted by Machesney Park Harlem included the finest teams from Illinois as well as three out of state teams, two of which were very notable. The Broncos were anchored by their lone champion Kevon Powell (103) and a trio of other finalists in Colton Rasche (130), Stephen Robertson (140), and Frank Baer (145). Ross Ferraro (285) placed third, while five other Montini Catholic wrestlers placed in the top eight. Despite competing without Walsh Ironman placer Judson Preskitt (103) in the lineup, Bishop Lynch, TX finished a rather close second with 189 points. Tanner Eitel (171) was the Friars lone champion, as he avenged an early round loss from the Ironman against Charles Argue of Mt Carmel, IL -- this time winning a 2-1 decision in overtime. Nationally ranked Stephen McPeek (189) was a runner-up, as he lost by 17-6 major decision against Sterling Hecox of Machesney Park Harlem, IL. Finishing third were a trio of wrestlers -- Case Garrison (130), Troy Silver (135), and Trey Adamson (160). Four other wrestlers placed inside the top six for Bishop Lynch. One of only three teams to win multiple championships at the Dvorak -- all having a pair -- was Providence Catholic, IL. The Celtics finished in third place with 170 points, as seven wrestlers in all earned placement honors. Champions for Providence Catholic were the nationally ranked duo of Eddie Klimara (119) and Edwin Cooper (130); Cooper defeated Rasche, who is also nationally ranked, 5-2 in the championship final. Oak Park River Forest, IL and Iowa City West, IA were the other teams to have two champions. Chris (135) and Nick (140) Dardanes, both of whom are nationally ranked, were the champions for OPRF. Nick Dardanes defeated Robertson, a nationally ranked wrestler in his own right, by a 5-3 score in the final. Champions for Iowa City West were Jack Hathaway (112) and Nick Moore (160). Hathaway earned an upset pin in the final against Derek Elmore, a nationally ranked wrestler from the host school; while Moore, the second ranked wrestler in the nation at his weight, dominated the competition in the tournament’s feature bracket -- including a 7-3 victory over a fellow ranked wrestler in Nick Proctor of Providence Catholic. Rounding out the event’s champions were Joey Gosinski (125) of Glenbard North, IL; Demetrios Mitchell (145) of Hersey, IL; Joey Kielbasa (152) of Crystal Lake Central, IL; Robby Bain (215) of Bolingbrook, IL; and Lavelle Howard (285) of Plainfield Central, IL. Garden State best to convene on Sunday at Brick Memorial This coming Sunday is the Brick Memorial Mustang Classic, which is annually the best in-state regular season tournament for New Jersey. Seven of the top 17 teams statewide in the preseason Star Ledger poll will convene together for the one-day competition. This includes High Point, the number one team statewide; No. 4 Brick Memorial, the two-time defending Group 4 state champions; No. 7 Eastern Regional, just finished sixth at the Beast of the East; and No. 12 Paulsboro, champions of small-school Group 1 in 25 of the last 26 seasons. Two weight classes are projected to feature a pair of nationally ranked wrestlers. Mike Morales (Brick Memorial) and Jordan Beverly (Point Pleasant Boro) both project to the 135 pound weight class, the pair met in last year’s 130 pound state final with Morales victorious. John Guzzo (High Point) and Preston Keiffer (Eastern Regional), a pair of Junior National freestyle All-Americans, are slated to compete at 160 pounds. Another pair of weights has a nationally ranked wrestler in them against another wrestler that is incredibly close to earning a national ranking. A battle of returning state champions at 119 pounds will feature Robert Deutsch (Eastern Regional) and Nick Francavilla (High Point), with Deutsch currently ranked 13th by InterMat. At 215 pounds, 20th ranked Zach Greenwald (Paulsboro) and Kevin Innis (St Peter’s Prep) are both projected to be present; Innis was runner-up at the Reno TofC this past weekend. Three other nationally ranked wrestlers are slated to be a part of this field -- Joe Duca (Paulsboro) at 125 pounds, Hank Stinson (Eastern Regional) at 140 pounds, and Anthony Baldosaro (Eastern Regional) at 145 pounds. Wildcats remain King(s) of the Mountain Central Mountain, PA was unkind hosts this past weekend in the midst of unkind weather in the Lock Haven area. The Wildcats dominated during Saturday’s wrestling to separate from the field and score 246.5 points. Jordan Rich (135), Andrew (145) and Dylan (152) Alton, and Cody Dolan (215) were champions for the host squad, which was the only team to have more than one wrestler atop the podium. Despite not having a single finalist, it was Massillon Perry, OH finishing in second place with 154.5 points. The Panthers had seven wrestlers finish between third and sixth, and a 5-2 record in the placement round. Six teams were within 17 points for third place -- Greater Latrobe, PA with 142 took third; Benton, PA had 141; Parkland, PA had 139; Reynolds, PA had 133.5; while Council Rock South, PA and High Point, NJ were tied for seventh with 125.5 points. Most Outstanding Wrestler honors went to repeat champion Mitchell Port (Bellefonte, PA) at 125 pounds with two pins and two majors prior to a 10-4 finals victory over Cameron Throckmorton (South-Western, PA). The other two highlight finals were at 119 where Walsh Ironman champion Mason Beckman (Reynolds, PA) upended state champion Nick Francavilla (High Point, NJ) 6-2 in a battle of very tough unranked wrestlers; and at 285 pounds it was Evan Craig (Abington Hts, PA) pinning Tyler Demott (Benton, PA) in a battle of top ten wrestlers in the nation. Other weight class champions included Zane Retherford (Line Mountain, PA) at 103 pounds; Billy Gould (High Point, NJ) at 112; Tyler Zymroz (Pittsburgh Central Catholic, PA) at 130; Matt Martoccio (Council Rock South, PA) at 140; Eric Hess (Benton, PA) at 160; Nathaniel Brown (Lewisburg, PA) at 171; and Eric Shaffer (Greater Latrobe, PA) at 189. Apple Valley doles out lumps of coal at MN Christmas Tournament Even without ace wrestler Destin McCauley (152) in the lineup, it was Apple Valley emerging as champion of the Minnesota Christmas Tournament held this past weekend in Rochester, MN with 265.5 points. The Eagles accomplished the title on the strength of six top three finishers; four champions, one runner-up, and one third place finisher. Despite only one finalist in Dylan Wright, the champion at 119 pounds, it was Simley finishing relatively close behind with 243 points. Key to that feat was six wrestlers finishing in third place. Apple Valley wrestlers were involved in both of the evening’s finals matches involving a pair of nationally ranked wrestlers, and the Eagles split those matches. Jake Waste defeated Joe Latham (Bismarck, ND) at 171 pounds; while Ben Morgan (Forest Lake, MN) upended Matt Kelliher 6-3 in the most recent revisit of their rivalry at 130 pounds. Also winning titles for Apple Valley were Dakota Trom (125), Brandon Kingsley (140), and Steven Keogh (160). West Fargo, ND was the one of two other teams with multiple champions -- Tyler Lehmann (189) and Scott Schiller (189) -- which enough to propel them to third place with 157 points, outlasting the 154 point total put up by Bismarck, ND. The squad from Bismarck lost all three championship matches, as Latham, Joe Schumacher (140), and Drew Spauling (145) fell short in their bouts. Along with Morgan, Kevin Nelson (135) also earned a Minnesota Christmas Tournament title for Forest Lake, MN. Other weight class winners were Nate Thomas (Kasson Montourville, MN) at 103 pounds; Cody Paulsen (Totino Grace, MN) at 112; Dylan Ness (Bloomington Kennedy, MN) at 145; Tucker Freeman (Jackson County Central, MN) at 152; and Donny Longendyke (White Bear Lake, MN) at 285 pounds. Power of the Peach Despite the dominance shown by Park Hill, MO at the Toshiba Midwest Classic -- 6 finalists, 4 champions -- it was Collins Hill, GA that came out on top at the end of the tournament in Kansas City, MO this past weekend by more than 100 points (649.5-531). Finishing third was Blue Springs, MO with 443 points; while Tuttle, OK was fourth with 409.5 points. Key to the Eagles’ tournament title was the squad’s overall depth. Joel Smith (140) and Jamie Hertica (152) won championships, while TJ Mitchell (125) came in second place. However, Collins Hill had eight more placers inside the top seven (one third, three fourth, two fifth, one sixth, and one seventh). On the other hand, Park Hill only had one other in such a position, and that was a seventh place finisher. Three championship matches involved a ranked wrestler falling in defeat. At 112 pounds, Bricker Dixon (Park Hill, MO) defeated No. 15 Thomas Gilman (Skutt Catholic, NE) 7-4; No. 6 Alan Waters (Park Hill, MO) defeated No. 17 TJ Mitchell (Collins Hill, GA) 2-0 at 125 pounds; while Jace Bennett (Canyon Randall, TX) earned a 10-2 major decision over No. 20 John Eblen (Park Hill, MO) at 189 pounds. Other title winners for Park Hill were Skylar Wood (119) and Kaleb Friedley (145), while Hayden Bock (215) took home second place. Despite no champions, Blue Springs, MO had three runners-up on the way to a third place team finish; Keenan Hagerty (135), Josh Howk (140), and Derick Sanders (171) were one step short of first place. On the other hand, fourth place Tuttle, OK was the only team other than Collins Hill, GA and Park Hill, MO to have multiple champions as Cole Gracey (171) and Shane Woods (215) stood atop the podium. Other champions at the Toshiba Midwest Classic were Brad Perkins (Oak Park, MO) at 103 pounds; Daniel Baucke (Christian Brothers, TN) at 130; Ian Fisher (Perry, OK) at 135; Drake Houdashelt (Fort Zumwalt West, MO) at 160; Jace Bennett (Canyon Randall, TX) at 189 and Jake Hasz (Skutt Catholic, NE) at 285. Lake Stevens wins at the Tri-State Lake Stevens, WA affirmed its status as the best team in Washington State, and one of the best in the northwestern United States with its win at the Tri-State Tournament hosted by Northern Idaho College this past weekend. It was a team effort anchored by two titles and two third-place finishers, leading to a total of 191 points. Champions for Lake Stevens were Josh Heinzer (112) and Josh Villani (152). With three in the finals, University, WA took home second place as they totaled 170 points. Anchoring the effort was champion Jake Mason (160), as Ryan Zumwalt (152) and Jake Laden (285) finished as runners-up. Finishing third in the tournament despite three champions -- Steven Hopkins (103), Tyler Lamb (140), and Konner Knudtson (215) -- was Tahoma, WA with 165.5 points; they also had Nick Bayer (189) take home second place honors. The only other team with multiple champions was Orting, WA -- as Antonio Brown (125) and Taylor Meeks (189) earned championships. Other top of podium performances came from Martin Mesa (119) of Caldwell, ID; Kurtis Giberson (130) of Kelso, WA; Casey George (135) of Lewistown, ID; Scotty Bacon (145) of Republic, WA; Dylan Rutledge (171) of Auburn, WA); and Shawn Burton (285) of Deer Park, WA.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Notre Dame College (Ohio) remained at No. 1 in the third edition of the NAIA Wrestling Coaches' Top 20 Poll, the NAIA announced Tuesday. The Falcons earned 108 points with 10 wrestlers listed among the top-12 individuals in their respective weight class. California Baptist is ranked second with 91 points and also has 10 ranked grapplers. The top five is rounded out by No. 3 Great Falls (Mont.) with 87 points, No. 4 McKendree (Ill.) with 80.5 points and No. 5 Southern Oregon with 75 points. Notre Dame boasts two top-ranked wrestlers to California Baptist's one for the edge in the team ranking. Topping the 141-pounders is Notre Dame's Adam Koballa and Thomas Straughn is No. 1 at 157 pounds. Enock Francois of California Baptist is No. 1 at 174 pounds. Two weight classes feature a pair of ranked Falcons. At 125 pounds, it's Tyler Savage and Dante Rini at second and third, respectively, and 174-pounders Jon Bittenger and Kurt Wolff rank seventh and 10th, respectively. Jeffrey Pelton is listed second at 149 pounds. There are only three weight classes in which a Falcon is not rated: 133, 165 and heavyweight. California Baptist also has a pair of ranked individuals at two weight classes. No. 5 Samuel Fragoza and No. 7 Chauncey Philipps are listed at 125, while Francois is joined by No. 11 Christopher Knowland at 174 pounds. Joshua Marquez is ranked second for the Lancers at heavyweight. Like Notre Dame, California Baptist is only absent from three weights: 157, 184 and 197. McKendree, who moved up two spots in the team poll to No. 4, sports two No. 1s with 165-pounder Aaron Winning and Andrew Sanchez at 197 pounds. Other schools with top-ranked grapplers include No. 5 Southern Oregon's Mitchell Lofstedt (125), Tommy Pretty of No. 11 Campbellsville (Ky.) (133), No. 6 Grand View's (Iowa) Matt Burns (149), Michael French of No. 3 Great Falls (184) and No. 12 Cumberland's (Tenn.) Byron Stewart (HWT). The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the groupings. The next poll will be announced on Jan. 19. Rank School Total Team Points 1 Notre Dame (Ohio) 108 2 California Baptist (Calif.) 91 3 Great Falls (Mont.) 87 4 McKendree (Ill.) 80.5 5 Southern Oregon (Ore.) 75 6 Grand View (Iowa) 72.5 7 Missouri Valley (Mo.) 65 8 Oklahoma City (Okla.) 48.5 9 Lindenwood (Mo.) 45.5 10 Dickinson State (N.D.) 44 11 Campbellsville (Ky.) 40 12 Cumberland (Tenn.) 39 13 Dana (Neb.) 33.5 13 Missouri Baptist (Mo.) 33.5 15 Northwestern (Iowa) 24.5 15 Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) 24.5 17 Montana State-Northern (Mont.) 20.5 18 Morningside (Iowa) 17 19 Jamestown (N.D.) 15.5 20 Simon Fraser (B.C.) 12.5 Others receiving votes: Waldorf (Iowa) 9; Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 9; Hastings College (Neb.) 5.5; Menlo (Calif.) 3; William Penn (Iowa) 2.5; Baker (Kan.) 1. Please click here to view the individual ratings.

Steve Costanzo

Dan Severn

Kent Sesker

Jon Jones

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Air Force Academy freshman 141-pounder Cole VonOhlen (Jackson, Minn./Jackson County Central HS) has been named the Western Wrestling Conference's Wrestler of the Week as announced by league officials. VonOhlen made the most of his return from injury, compiling a 2-0 record in a pair of duals for the Falcons last week. VonOhlen, who missed nearly a month of action, posted an 18-6 decision over Southern Oregon’s Barry Johnson, who is currently ranked eighth in the NAIA at 141 pounds. He then added an 8-5 decision over Oregon State’s Mike Mangrum to give Air Force its only individual win over the 25th-ranked Beavers. VonOhlen now leads the Falcons in win percentage on the young season with a 9-3 overall record (.750) and a 2-0 dual record. The Western Wrestling Conference is comprised of seven schools including the Air Force Academy, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Utah Valley and Wyoming.

Frank Perrelli

Leigh Jaynes

Former Northern Iowa head coach Don Briggs and former Northwestern head coach Ken Kraft will go “On the Mat” this Wednesday, Dec. 23. "On the Mat" is a presentation of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute & Museum. The show can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:05 - 6:00 p.m. CST on AM 1650, The Fan. Briggs coached at the University of Northern Iowa from 1982 through 1997, compiling a 164-98 dual meet. He continues to teach at UNI and is known for his worldwide adventures, including skydiving in 10 different states and ice climbing. Kraft was the long-time head wrestling coach at Northwestern and the founder of the prestigious Midlands tournament. The Midlands will take place at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Dec. 29-30 in Evanston, Ill.

His mother left when he was five. Lived in three states as a youngster. A three-time state champ in high school who often found himself sitting on the bench in college ... until this season. Shane VernonAfter a lifetime of challenges, senior Shane Vernon seems to be coming into his own in his last season as a University of Oklahoma wrestler. The Sooner 157-pounder, who InterMat has ranked No. 11, has overcome adversity as a youngster -- and ongoing struggles to be the starter for Oklahoma -- to experience a successful start to the 2009 season. Vernon has an 11-2 record as of this writing, including a big, end-of-match win over Neil Erisman of Oklahoma State on November 30. A rude welcome Shane Vernon was born in Albuquerque. At age 5, his parents separated, and he -- along with his sister and younger brother Seth, who wrestles 141 for Oklahoma -- remained with their dad, Rian. (Shane disclosed that he hasn't seen his mother "in years.") Early in Shane Vernon's life, his family moved to Arkansas for about a year, then returned to Albuquerque. It was back in New Mexico that he started wrestling. "I was seven years old. I was introduced to wrestling at age 7 by my dad, who tells me he was 'an average to above-average wrestler in high school in New Mexico.'" Shane Vernon (Oklahoma Sports Information)"We would travel from school to school in Albuquerque, getting (wrestling) experience in the early years," Vernon continued. "After a while, dad took us to the Tulsa Nationals. Got our butts kicked. We went back the following year, with similar results. Dad said, 'What about moving to Oklahoma?' with the idea of giving us better competition." With that in mind, Rian Vernon moved his kids to the Sooner State. "When we first moved to Oklahoma, it was kinda rough," said Shane Vernon. "We stayed in a hotel in Tulsa. Woke up one morning, saw that our Ryder truck was stolen, with all our stuff inside. It made the local news, which ended up being a blessing. Folks saw our story, gave us a place to stay, clothes, furniture." "Later, we saw kids on what looked like our bikes, wearing shirts that said 'Manzano' -- that's a school in New Mexico." "We asked them where they got the stuff. They said it was from their dad. He had died in a drug raid. They showed us other stuff he had given them, that was ours." High school success Shane Vernon went to Union High School for one year, then transferred to Broken Arrow High just outside Tulsa, which he described as "having a good reputation in wrestling ... They were usually ranked No. 1 or 2 before we got there." By his own admission, Shane Vernon lost seven or eight matches his freshman year -- "three to one guy, and two to another." He wrestled at 140 pounds, and was runner-up in the Oklahoma high school state finals. In his sophomore year, Vernon moved up to 145 pounds, and won the 2003 Oklahoma 5A state title. Junior year brought even more mat accomplishments. Shane Vernon won his second Geary Tournament, defeating frequent high school foe Newly McSpadden (former Oklahoma State wrestler) in the finals, and earning Outstanding Wrestler honors. After wrestling the regular season at 152 pounds, Vernon jumped to 160 for the 2004 Oklahoma state championships, winning his second 5A title. Shane Vernon capped off his final year of high school competition with an undefeated season, a third Oklahoma state title (this time, at 152), and was a Reno Tournament of Champions winner. In addition, Vernon was a three-time All-American at the Cadet/Junior Nationals in Fargo, placing eighth his sophomore year, sixth his junior year, and, in his senior year, runner-up in the finals to future University of Iowa wrestler Ryan Morningstar. Welcome to the Sooners When asked how he came to wrestle at Oklahoma, Shane Vernon responded, "I didn't know much about colleges, other than, as a kid, I wanted to go to Iowa." Shane Vernon (Oklahoma Sports Information)After making official visits to the University of Oklahoma and the University of Nebraska, Vernon chose to stay in state. "I felt really comfortable, near friends, close to home," said the wrestler who grew up in Tulsa. "Coach (Jack) Spates did a good job letting me know their history over the years. And that the Sooners had been in the top three in recent years." As a freshman during the 2005-2006 season, Shane Vernon competed in open tournaments, but then had knee surgery that took him off the mat. The following year, Vernon took a redshirt, and, as he described it, "Had lots of fun, went out too much, but it had repercussions, and I did poorly in school." "I looked at various options. I saw that I had gotten As in my economics classes, so that's my major now ... It's really interesting. Requires a lot of critical thinking, which suits me well. I tend to analyze things, and that ties in well with econ, and with wrestling, too." In the 2007-2008 season as a redshirt sophomore, Shane Vernon compiled a 13-5 record, mostly in tournaments ... including a championship at the Wilkes, and runner-up at the Oklahoma Open. He was 3-2 in dual-meet competition, but found himself at the losing end of a number of wrestle-offs -- or "ranking matches" as they are called at Oklahoma -- to teammate Chad Terry, who then became the principal starter at 157 for the Sooners. Last season, Shane Vernon was the starter before Christmas, placing second at the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic, and at the Oklahoma Open (losing to Chad Terry in the finals). "After Christmas, I lost some matches that Coach Spates thought I should've won," disclosed Vernon. "I got ranked, Chad beat me (in ranking matches). I couldn't get out of a slump for about a month. Hurt my confidence to the point where I was about to quit -- I was inches from it." "I had wrestled so hard, and thought, 'what else can I do?'" "I took the whole summer off, cleared my head." Coming back, with a vengeance Shane Vernon started this season -- his fifth year at Oklahoma -- "beyond out of shape." However, in working out, the redshirt senior "started to feel better, and get into serious shape, then got sick right before the ranking match. I lost to Chad. We then had another ranking match, and this time, I pinned Chad. Shane Vernon (Oklahoma Sports Information)Vernon got off to a good start, winning the mid-November Brockport/Oklahoma Gold with an 8-7 victory over fellow Sooner Chad Terry in the finals ... followed by decisive dual-meet wins against opponents from Arizona State and Oklahoma City University. Despite that great start, Vernon described the November 30 Bedlam Series dual with Oklahoma State at the Fieldhouse in Norman as "a turning point." At the time, Vernon was ranked No. 9 at 157, while his opponent, Neil Erisman, was ranked eighth. A bit of background: The Bedlam Series is one of the all-time great college wrestling rivalries in nation. Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State has been an annual event since 1920, with the twice-a-year Bedlam Series format going back more than 75 years. The Vernon-Erisman match was the first of the evening at the Bedlam dual. The first period ended with no score. Erisman started the second on top, riding Vernon for nearly a half-minute before the Sooner scored an escape. In the third, Erisman escaped from the down position to knot the score at 1-1. In the closing seconds of the match, there was a scramble, with Vernon scoring a takedown with just six seconds left to win the match in regulation, 3-1. Why was it a turning point? "To beat a top ten guy in front of all the OU fans," responded Vernon. "It felt great to get that win to spark the team at the beginning of the Bedlam dual." (The dual ended with a 16-16 tie.) Since that win, Shane Vernon competed in the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in early December, which he described as "the toughest in my college career," bringing together wrestlers from 44 of the top collegiate programs in the entire nation. "We viewed it as a mini Nationals. Really dense with talent -- all the top 20 wrestlers. A battle in every match." Vernon won his first two matches against opponents from Western State College and Ohio State before being sent to the consolation bracket by Chase Pami of Cal Poly. Vernon eventually placed seventh at the tournament. Henson helps turn things around Shane Vernon gives credit to this season's success to Sammie Henson, who was hired as head assistant coach in June. Sammie HensonTo be sure, Henson has a wrestling resume rich with accomplishments as a competitor and coach. He was a two-time NCAA champ for Clemson University in the mid-1990s, and can claim 15 international freestyle titles, along with a gold medal at the 1998 World Championships, bronze medal at the 2006 World Championships, and a silver medal at the 2000 Olympic Games. He has served on the coaching staffs of Cal Poly, Penn State, University of Nebraska, and the US Military Academy at West Point, as well as freestyle coach for Sunkist Kids. "When Sammie came in, he turned things around for me," said Vernon. "I can't point to any one single thing that he has done, but he has been a tremendous help to me." Another change this season that suits Shane Vernon just fine: Fewer ranking matches. "(Ranking matches) are hardest on my mind," said the 157 pounder. "It was hard for me to focus on my next dual meet match when I was thinking about the ranking match." When asked about going up against Chad Terry -- in practice, in ranking matches, and at open tournaments -- Shane Vernon replied, "Every match is close. We know each other's moves so well." "Off the mat, we're good friends. We hang out together ... That kinda makes it harder. We both want the same position." Continuing on the subject of reported internal rivalries, Vernon said, "Some people think that Will Rowe (Oklahoma's 149-pounder) and I are enemies, but nothing could be further from the truth. We're best friends." That comment led to the subject of fan comments posted at online wrestling discussion groups and forums. Asked how he handles those comments, Shane Vernon responded, "I just laugh. They like to think they know what's going on ... I usually don't read that stuff. If I find out about something, it's from friends ... I take it as a compliment if they're talking about me." Shane Vernon also talked about what it's like to have younger brother Seth with him at Oklahoma: "I've grown up with him in the same wrestling room pretty much all my life, so it's no big deal. Actually, it's awesome. In fact, we lived together for two years. He's a great kid, majoring in religious studies. Even though I'm the older brother, I actually look up to him." Keeping Shane Vernon grounded As for his life off the mat and out of the Oklahoma wrestling room, Shane Vernon doesn't really have any hobbies to help him unwind ... but gave credit to two women in his life who help make him who he really is: his girlfriend, and his grandmother. Shane Vernon (Oklahoma Sports Information)"Who really grounds me is my girlfriend (Mikelynn Reed) and my life with her. We have a house with two dogs and rabbits -- 'our kids.' If I have a bad day at practice, I know I will be coming home to see her. With her, I'm not as stressed out." In talking about his strong bonds with his grandparents and his dad, Shane Vernon singled out his grandmother for particular praise. "I think I get my toughness from her. She's battling cancer for a second time. She has been very much a mother to me." What does the future hold for Shane Vernon? "I'm not sure what to do after school. I'm throwing around the idea of grad school. I'm thinking about either going for my masters and coaching, or, if I start working, I also might do some coaching."

Head Coach Mark Manning and the Nebraska wrestling program have announced senior 157-pounder Jordan Burroughs will not be able to compete the rest of the 2009-10 season due to a left knee injury suffered Saturday against Central Michigan. An MRI revealed Burroughs has a torn PCL and LCL and he will undergo surgery in January. “Unfortunately, we have lost Jordan Burroughs for the season, but we’re fortunate that we will seek a medical redshirt to get this year back,” Manning said. “I believe he will qualify for that due to him not competing more than 30 percent of this season. With successful surgery and good rehab, he’ll be back better than ever next year.” Burroughs ends his shortened 2009-10 season with a 7-1 record. The only loss came Saturday in his injured match to No. 13 Steve Brown of Central Michigan - a 3-2 overtime defeat. Prior to the setback, Burroughs had won 44 straight matches, including a perfect 38-0 junior season in 2008-09 that took the Sicklerville, N.J., native to the 157-pound national championship and his second straight All-America honor. “You don’t replace a young man like Jordan,” Manning said. “On the other hand, it gives other guys on the team an opportunity to step up. It also gives our team great lessons in life that relate to athletics. It shows them you have to protect yourself and make the most of your opportunities because you are not promised anything. We’ll move on from this and our team will be fine.” Nebraska has two weeks away from the mat before returning to face North Dakota State and North Carolina State on Sunday, Jan. 3 at the NU Coliseum at 2 p.m.