InterMat Staff

Jim Heffernan

Dan Hicks

The time for the University of Minnesota Wrestling dual meet with Iowa on Feb. 14 has been changed. Originally scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. (CT) start, the match time has been moved up an hour-and-a-half and will now start at 6:00 p.m. (CT) in Williams Arena. The Gophers and Hawkeyes will also be broadcast live on Big Ten Network. The women's basketball game, also in Williams Arena prior to the wrestling match, was moved up to an 11:00 a.m. start, allowing wrestling to move up as well. The Gophers finished fifth in the Big Ten and 14th nationally last season while the Hawkeyes won the Big Ten and NCAA titles.

The Ohio State wrestling program received good news on Monday evening when Josh Demas gave his verbal commitment to assistant coach Joe Heskett. On Tuesday the high school senior reaffirmed his commitment to head coach Tom Ryan and stated he would be signing his National Letter of Intent in November. Currently the 42nd ranked recruit in the InterMat Top 100 Seniors, Demas had his choice of colleges. While the OSU coaches are unable to comment on a verbal commitment, Demas was happy to discuss his decision and glad that the recruiting process has come to a close. Josh Demas (Photo/BuckeyeWrestling.com)“I’m proud to say that I am going to continue my wrestling career at the Ohio State University,” responded the newest Buckeye. “After looking at each of the schools and talking to a lot of people, it is a big relief to make the decision.” Demas chose Ohio State from a list of five schools that included Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Virginia Tech. “Every school had pluses and minuses. They were all great schools with unique opportunities. I could have seen myself wrestling for every school at one point or another while I was being recruited. My dad was very supportive and helped me out a lot.” When asked what pushed the Buckeyes to the top of the list Demas felt that after looking around he most comfortable at the school closest to home. “Ohio State is a great school with a great wrestling program. The coaches, the fans; it means something to be a Buckeye. I decided that I wanted to stay close to home and OSU is just down the road. I like the idea that my friends and family will be able to watch me wrestle in Columbus.” Demas took official visits to Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Virginia Tech. He was on campus during the summer at Minnesota and Ohio State. “Feeling comfortable with coaches was a large part of the decision. At OSU, I could see a little bit of myself in every one of the coaches. With Joe Heskett, Lou Rosselli, J Jaggers, and Tom Ryan; I know they are going to help me become the best I can be.” Beyond the wrestling program and proximity to home, Demas was quick to point out that he chose Ohio State for the education and what he could do with his degree. “Wrestling is very important but I want to get a quality education too. Ohio State has a great business program and that is what I am going to study in school.” With a potential freestyle career on the horizon while in college and after graduation the presence of the Ohio Regional Training Center also factored into his decision. “Having something like the Ohio RTC training on campus was huge. I am probably a better freestyle wrestler than a folkstyle wrestler right now so that was definitely something that was on my mind. Having coaches like Rosselli and Heskett; they can help my college wrestling and my freestyle career.” While dreams of NCAA titles and Olympic Gold are in his mind Demas is currently focused on his senior year at Westerville North High School. With a career record of 119-12; he is a three-time state placewinner for the Warriors. As a freshman he finished second at 130, he was third as a sophomore at 145, and as a junior he won his first state title at 152; as a senior the goal is to end his career with another title. After moving up a couple of weights every year in high school I asked what weight he was going this season and where he saw himself in college. “Right now I am not sure what weight I am going to wrestle this year. I weigh around 165 right now but it moves around a lot so I could wrestle a couple of different weights. In college I think I’ll be a 174 to start and could end up at 184 before I am done.” As far as his wrestling goals, Demas was much more certain. “I want to win, I want to work hard, and I want to get better every day. This year I want to win my second individual state title, I want my team to have a lot of success, and I want to win (NHSCA) Senior Nationals.” With his verbal commitment Demas became the second member of the Buckeyes’ 2010 recruiting class joining Monroeville senior Logan Stieber. Both Demas and Stieber are expected to submit their NLI during the early signing period in November. InterMat was granted permission to republish this article from BuckeyeWrestling.com. http://www.buckeyewrestling.com/?q=node/25822

Talk to anyone who has ever seen Edinboro's Garrett Scott wrestle and you will quickly learn that wrestling talent has never been the issue with him not reaching his potential. He has more wrestling talent in his pinky finger than most wrestlers have in their entire bodies. Garrett Scott (Photo/Edinboro Sports Information)"Garrett seems to have a really good feel for wrestling," said Edinboro coach Tim Flynn. "With some people, their talent is speed. With some people, it's power. But Garrett has a really good feel for wrestling. When I say feel, I mean balance ... He's just good in a lot of positions. Good body awareness." A three-time Pennsylvania champion, Scott was on track to become Pennsylvania's 10th four-time state champion before an off-the-mat incident (violating his charter school's Internet use policy) in 2006 prevented him from wrestling for his fourth state title. That wasn't his only off-the-mat incident his senior year. Scott and three others were arrested by state police for possession of drug paraphernalia during a traffic stop. Scott said a pipe that was found in the vehicle was not his. His high school coach at Juniata Valley, Brad Boyd, called it a "wrong place at the wrong time" type of incident. Despite a drama-filled senior year, Scott, who was ranked as the No. 4 recruit in the country from the Class of 2006, earned a full-ride scholarship to wrestle at Penn State. Some were hailing Scott as the best high school wrestling talent to come out of wrestling-rich Pennsylvania since Cary Kolat came about of Jefferson-Morgan High School in 1992. "I liked the program at Penn State," said Scott. "I always grew up a Penn State fan. It was close to home and I knew my parents wanted to watch me compete. So the combination of being close to home and being offered a full ride was why I chose Penn State." Scott, though, failed to pass the NCAA Clearinghouse, which prevented him from joining the wrestling team at Penn State his first year out of high school. His training that year was sporadic at best. He would work out with Bubba Jenkins occasionally, but didn't have the structure he needed. The next year, as a freshman at Penn State, Scott was suspended by his coach, Troy Sunderland, in the preseason after he was arrested for underage drinking. Scott began his season at the East Stroudsburg Open, reaching the finals at 149 pounds before dropping a tight 3-1 decision to two-time All-American J.P. O'Connor of Harvard. Two weeks later, Scott went 6-0 and won the Nittany Lion Open at 141 pounds. In the process of winning the tournament, Scott defeated his teammate, All-American Jake Strayer, 7-3, in the semifinals. After Scott's victory over Strayer, the two wrestlers split time at 141 pounds for the Nittany Lions. Scott and Stayer were high school rivals in Pennsylvania. Scott's only two losses in his high school career came to Strayer when he was a freshman and Strayer was a junior. "There really weren't any hard feeling between us," said Scott. "We didn't really wrestle each other in practice. But we didn't dislike each other. We were friends. We were teammates. What's on the mat is on the mat. What's off the mat is off the mat." Match to match, Scott didn't know if he or Strayer would get the call to start at 141 pounds. "It was frustrating because I couldn't consistently compete," said Scott. "I couldn't wrestle two matches in a row. I would wrestle one and then sit one. I couldn't get into a groove. So that was the most frustrating part." When Scott was on the mat competing for the Nittany Lions, he showed flashes of his potential. At the National Duals, Scott picked up a major decision victory, 8-0, over Nick Gallick, a two-time All-American for Iowa State. He was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week after he beat then No. 4-ranked Kellen Russell of Michigan, 4-3, to help propel the Nittany Lions to a victory over the Wolverines. Scott and Strayer were supposedly set to wrestle for the starting spot at 141 pounds, but the wrestle-off kept getting postponed. First it was because of a hamstring injury to Scott ... and then because of the death of Strayer's grandmother. Scott was eventually handed the starting spot the rest of the season after Strayer suffered a rib injury that put him out. Scott entered the 2008 Big Ten Championships with a 16-3 record. He pinned Purdue's Matt Redmond in the first period in his opening round. In the quarterfinals, Scott met Iowa's Dan LeClere, a wrestler who gave him one of his three regular-season losses. Scott led most of the match, but then gave up a takedown with two seconds left, and lost the match, which sent him to the consolation bracket. In the consolation bracket, Scott wrestled Wisconsin's Kyle Ruschell, but suffered a knee injury, which forced him to default out of the match at the start of the third period. Scott was sent to the seventh-place match, which he needed to win to secure an automatic berth in the NCAA Championships. Scott gutted it out and pinned Michigan State's Jeff Wimberley in the first period to advance to the NCAA Championships. Scott's knee injury was diagnosed as a lateral collateral ligament (LCL) tear after the Big Ten Championships. Despite the injury, Scott competed at the NCAA Championships, where he went 3-2 and failed to place. "I feel like I wrestled poorly that season," said Scott, who finished the season with a 21-7 record. "I never got myself to where I needed to be. I wasn't in good enough shape to compete the way I wanted to compete. And it showed it Nationals when I wasn't an All-American. I was pretty disappointed with my season." Less than two months later, on May 9, 2008, Penn State's sports information department announced that Garrett Scott had been dismissed from the wrestling team for violation of team rules. Soon after, Edinboro coach Tim Flynn stepped in and decided to give Scott another chance. "I spoke to a couple friends," said Flynn, who also gave NCAA champion Paul Donahoe another chance after he was dismissed from Nebraska's wrestling team. "They said Garrett just needs to mature, obviously, and take his schoolwork more seriously. A lot of times people just grow up at different rates. Obviously, he just needs to mature. I talked to a couple people who said that a smaller environment like Edinboro would help him ... and maybe help keep him focused a little better. So we took the chance. You always try to consult a couple people who are in the know. Some people might view it as a risk, but I try to give a kid a second chance ... and hopefully he makes good on it." Tim FlynnScott enrolled at Edinboro in the fall of 2008 and joined the wrestling team. He competed unattached in three open tournaments last season, going 14-1, with his only loss coming by injury default. Of his 14 wins, 13 came by major decision, technical fall, or pin. "Like anybody who is new -- a freshman or a transfer -- the first part is getting to know the system and getting comfortable with it," said Flynn. "Maybe Penn State runs more than us. Maybe we lift more than them. Just getting used to a different system. I think that was the beginning. Garrett did real well in the wrestling room. That was never an issue. And he can push himself, so we noticed some positives right away." After competing in three open tournaments, Scott's shoulder was bothering him, which led to shoulder surgery. That kept him off the mat the rest of the season. Scott, with three years of wrestling eligibility remaining, is now healthy and ready to make an impact for the Fighting Scots. Most importantly, though, he's taking care of business off the mat. Because of Scott's checkered past, he knows that he has his fair share of critics. But he's ready to silence them. "I get on the message boards sometimes and see what people say about me," said Scott. "I use that as motivation. People like to say a lot of things. I'll prove a lot of people wrong. I'll let my wrestling do it." Flynn believes Scott has a wrestling style that will generate fan interest. "He's an exciting wrestler," said Flynn. "People will really like to see him compete. He can pin. He's good for wrestling from that standpoint ... The excitement he brings." It's still up in the air whether Scott will compete at 141 pounds or 149 pounds this season. Scott would like to compete at 141 pounds, but Flynn suspects he will be at 149 pounds. Edinboro's 149-pounder last season, Torsten Gillespie, is redshirting. But regardless of the weight class, the goal remains the same for Scott this season. "I want to be standing on the top of the podium," said Scott. "That's my goal." Adds Flynn, "I expect him to be a national champion. That's why we wanted him. Our big thing is just reminding him every day to do the right things: Go to class. Do your homework. Come to practice. If he sticks to that simple game plan, he's going to be successful." Maybe then people will stop talking about Garrett Scott's talent and potential and instead start talking about his success.

Marshall Peppelman

Mike England

Ryan Lang

As the wrestling season's start is fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. Between now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce you to the top senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and from Maine to California, you will gain exposure to the potential stars of future NCAA Championships. Did you miss a Wrestling 49 article? Check out the archives. The 2009-2010 Minnesota high school wrestling season begins in a little less than two months. This season's crop of seniors may lack the total number of blue-chip Division I wrestlers of the last two senior classes, but it does have very good depth. Dylan Ness may be the only clear blue-chip wrestler in the class. However, there are several wrestlers in this class that will make meaningful impacts on college teams in the next few years. The Top 10 wrestlers in the Class of 2010 all have great upside, but I feel that Zak Coates, Blaine Miller, and Jake Long are the most likely wrestlers to have their stock skyrocket this season. During the time between now and the end of the next Greco-Roman and freestyle season, I expect that we will see a couple of other wrestlers on the list make a bid for blue-chip status. 1. Dylan Ness School: Bloomington Kennedy 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145 Projected College Weight Class: 149/157 Dylan Ness (Photo/The Guillotine)Scouting Report: Ness is a three-time high school state medalist, 2008 USA Wrestling Triple Crown winner, and brings a 148-19 high school record into the 2009-2010 season. Ness finished the 2009 Greco-Roman and freestyle season earning All-American honors in both styles at Junior Nationals in Fargo. During the past two seasons, Ness has been pitted against other nationally-ranked wrestlers at the state tournament and could not capture a championship. Ness has committed to the University of Minnesota, where his older brother, Jayson, is a three-time All-American. 2. Drew Fleming School: Watertown-Mayer 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 119 Projected College Weight Class: 125 Drew Fleming (Photo/The Guillotine)Scouting Report: Fleming is a two-time Minnesota Class AA state champion and 2008 freestyle and folkstyle All-American. He has amassed a 112-15 record in three seasons as a starter. Eight of Fleming's 15 losses came during his freshman season while wrestling in the 112-pound weight class when he didn't need to cut to make 103. He is favored to win his third state championship in 2009-2010 and has not decided yet where he will wrestle in college. 3. Joel Bauman School: Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunberg 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 189 Projected College Weight Class: 197 Scouting Report: Bauman is the most athletically-gifted wrestler in this year's senior class. He possesses quickness and strength not often seen in the higher weights in high school. Bauman is the 2009 Class A state champion, placed third in 2008, and battled injuries in 2007 when he did not place. Bauman has proven to be one of the premier Greco-Roman wrestlers in his class being a former national champ (2007) and All-American in 2008 and 2009. In 2008-2009, Bauman played a key role in Kerhoven-Murdock-Sundberg's state champion football and wrestling teams. He is attracting the interest of many Division I wrestling and football programs, but it's not clear if he will wrestle in college. 4. Drew Lexvold Drew Lexvold (Photo/The Guillotine)School: Kenyon-Wanamingo 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135 Projected College Weight Class: 141/149 Scouting Report: Lexvold's freshman and sophomore seasons ended in disappointment when he did not place at state, but he redeemed himself last season, winning a Class A state championship at 125 pounds. He also earned All-American honors at the 2009 Folkstyle Nationals and 2008 NHSCA Sophomore Nationals ... in addition to folkstyle and Greco-Roman national titles in 2008. While competing at The Clash National Duals, Lexvold tallied a 4-2 record. 5. Zak Coates School: Henry Sibley 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 171 Projected College Weight Class: 174/184 Scouting Report: Coates won his first high school state title last season with his victory over highly-rated senior Brendan Eichmann, who was considered the clear favorite at the beginning of the season. He also beat Eichmann in the section finals. Coates was a 2008 All-American in both Greco-Roman and freestyle, but did not have the same level of success in 2009. Two of his four losses in 2009 were to highly-rated senior Carter Adams (who he beat once during the season) and another loss was to Joe Latham of Bismarck, North Dakota. 6. Jordan Campa School: St. Michael-Albertville 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160 Projected College Weight Class: 165 Scouting Report: Campa was the 2009 state champion in Class AA and 2009 folkstyle All-American. Campa has made three state tournament appearances, placing twice (third in 2008). His other appearance was at 152 pounds as a freshman. St. Michael-Albertville competed at The Clash National Duals in Minnesota, where Campa went 5-1 with a win over Devin Peterson of Wisconsin, a 2009 USA Wrestling Cadet Triple Crown winner. 7. Blaine Miller School: Plainview-Elgin-Millville 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160 Projected College Weight Class: 165/174 Blaine Miller (Photo/The Guillotine)Scouting Report: Miller has racked up 155 career wins going into his senior season ... with 200 for his career possible. In 2009, Miller captured his first state championship, defeating the previous year's state champion, Kevin O'Brien, who now wrestles at West Point. His two previous seasons ended at state without reaching the medal rounds. However, due to Minnesota's policy of not seeding the tournament, he may have done better if not matched up against two state champions in the early rounds. Miller went 5-0 at the Clash National Duals, recording wins over Tyler Miles (seventh in Virginia), Chris Kipp (No. 5 in Wisconsin), and Eric Vanevenhoven (Wisconsin state champion). 8. Tony Vaske School: River Valley 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 140 Projected College Weight Class: 149 Scouting Report: Vaske is a three-time medal winner at the state tournament with a career record of 147-19. He placed second at the NHSCA Junior Nationals, losing a close match to Arizona State recruit Louis Trujillo, who is currently ranked as the No. 15 senior in the country by InterMat. Vaske has shown that he can wrestle with best in Minnesota and some of the best in the country. Over the last three seasons, Vaske has been considered one of the favorites to take home the state championship. This could be the year it happens. 9. Jake Long School: West Central Area 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145 Projected College Weight Class: 157 Jake Long (Photo/The Guillotine)Scouting Report: Long spent his freshmen and sophomore years just trying to break into the state bracket. In 2006, Long faced off with the eventual third and fourth-place winners at state just to try to qualify for state. In 2007, Long faced off against two wrestlers who eventually became the state champion and third-place winners. Finally, in 2008, he was able to qualify for state ... and in 2009, Long took home a state championship. While Long may not have the total number of achievements that some of the others on this list do, he has made large and steady improvements each year. He has taken advantage of the summer wrestling season and it should show on the mat when the high school wrestling season begins. 10. Tucker Freeman School: Jackson County Central 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 171 Projected College Weight Class: 174 Scouting Report: Freeman is a three-time state medal winner who should make his fourth appearance at the state tournament in 2010. He placed second last year, losing to Mr. Minnesota and University of Minnesota recruit Kevin Steinhaus in the finals. He has been a familiar face at the state tournament ... with his first appearance coming in 2005 as a seventh-grader. Though Freeman has an impressive number of career wins (he could pass 200 this year), he has been considered an underdog to win the state championship. 2009-2010 will be different. Honorable Mention: Dalton Henderson (Owatonna) Tommy Glenn (Simley) Kyle Leduc (Thief River Falls) Ryan Thompson (Benson) Jordan Bendson (Staples-Motley) Jordan Linn (Foley) Andrew Youngblom (Mora) Kevin Nelson (Forest Lake) Tyler Rohr (Hastings) Kraig Schumm (St. Michael-Albertville) Mitch Hrovat (Centennial) Brandon Haluptzok (Centennial) Michael Hirsch (Austin) Mason Young (Henry Sibley) Jeff Nielsen (Zimmerman)

Luke Goettl

Mike McMullan, Wyoming Seminary's returning National Prep heavyweight champion has verbally committed to Northwestern University. Recognized as an InterMat Top 100 recruit, InterMat Wrestling 49 Pennsylvania Top 10 wrestler, and ranked among The Open Mat's top 2010 college prospects, McMullan is one of the most distinguished high school heavyweights in the nation. Mike McMullanIn addition to his wrestling accomplishments McMullan is a decorated football player, lacrosse player, and honor roll student. The Wyoming Seminary College Prep senior reports that while the selection process was challenging, visiting Northwestern's Evanston, Illinois campus made the decision easy. The combination of Northwestern's academic profile, campus, coaching staff, and Big Ten affiliation caused him to quickly realize that it was the right place to pursue his goals over the course of the next five years. "I really connected with Coach Cysewski and Coach Pariano. I am excited about their vision for the Northwestern wrestling and my opportunity to be a part of it. I look forward to working with them." McMullan enters his senior season intent on defending his National Prep title and establishing himself as a premier heavyweight at the national level. He will have ample opportunity to do just that with a schedule that includes the ASICS Walsh Ironman, Beast of the East, Cheesehead Invitational, Blair Super Quad, and the National Prep Championships.

ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio Wrestling welcomes Ryan Lang, who will become a volunteer assistant coach for the Bobcats. Over five stellar competition years at Northwestern University, Lang compiled a 104-27 career record, going 39-9 in dual meets. A native of North Royalton, Ohio, Lang was a four-time Ohio state champion in high school. In his first year he wrestled unattached, going 7-1 overall, including competing at the Michigan State Open. He won his first three career matches and posted an undefeated 4-0 record at the Cleveland State Open. His freshman year was marked by a 28-10 overall record, including a 4-2 mark in the Big Ten. He only missed All-American status by one win this season. Being one of only three freshmen to crack the 20-wins barrier, he was a perfect 7-0 in nonconference dual meets. He also recorded eight major decision victories this year, with eight pins and two technical falls. In his sophomore season, he posted a 22-7 overall record en route to earning his first career All-America honor. He finished fourth at the NCAA Championships this season and placed second at the Big Ten Championships. His sophomore campaign began with eleven straight wins. In November he was crowned Themat.com's Wrestler of the Week and Big Ten Wrestler of the Week. He was ranked top-ten by all four major wrestling polls this season. In his junior season he posted an unbelievable 29-1 record en route to earning his second-career All-America honor. He finished in second at the NCAA Championships, scoring two pins in five matches. He won the Big Ten Championship in the 141 lb class. At the Eastern Michigan Open he went 5-0, racking up two major decisions and not allowing a single point scored against him. He also won the 2006 Midlands Championships and the NWCA All-Star Classic. In his senior year at Northwestern, Lang earned his fourth trip to the NCAA Championships, posting an 18-8 record. He moved up to the 149 lb class for his senior season, going 5-4 in Big Ten duals. He started the year with a 6-0 record and went 4-0 at the Missouri Open. At the National Duals meet he posted a 4-1 record. He also contributed major decision victories over Wisconsin and Illinois. Ryan was an Arts and Sciences major while at Northwestern. He was born on June 6, 1984.

Michael Moreno of Urbandale High School in Iowa has given a verbal commitment to Iowa State. Moreno, who is ranked as the No. 22 recruit in the country by InterMat, is a three-time Iowa state placewinner and a two-time state runner-up. Last season, Moreno posted a 36-4 record en route to finishing as the state runner-up in Iowa's Class 3A division at 160 pounds. Moreno's father, Mike, was an All-American for Iowa State in 1992. Michael Moreno (Photo/Wyatt Schultz)Congratulations on your decision. Why Iowa State? Moreno: I have a lot of history at Iowa State. My dad wrestled there, so that was a big part. But mostly I just felt comfortable with it. I have always been around that atmosphere. On the visit, I just felt more comfortable there than anywhere else. Iowa State has received verbal commitments from two other top 100 recruits, Ryak Finch and Kyven Gadson. Do you know them at all? And have you gotten a chance to talk to them about going to Iowa State? Moreno: I have never really talked to Ryak Finch, but I do know Kyven Gadson. Gadson just said it feels right. He said, "It's Iowa State. It's where you belong. You have it running through your blood." Cael Sanderson was a legend at Iowa State and many people believed that he would be the head coach of the Cyclones for many years. What was your reaction when Cael left Iowa State to become the Penn State coach? Moreno: I was surprised ... and then upset. But now it's almost for the better. Kevin (Jackson) is great. At first it was shock, but now everything is good. For many high school athletes, the recruiting process can be very stressful. What was the recruiting process like for you? Moreno: It's real stressful. It's stressful in that you don't want to disappoint anybody. You just want to be a pleaser. It's stressful that you don't know where you're going to spend the rest of your life. It's stressful in a lot of ways. It was fun too, but it's mostly stressful. Michael Moreno (Photo/Wyatt Schultz)What other schools did you consider? Moreno: Old Dominion, Arizona State, and Northern Iowa. You wrestled at 160 last season. What weight class do you plan to wrestle for your senior season? And then what is your projected college weight class? Moreno: I'm wrestling at 171 this season. I'm going to wrestle at 165 in college if all goes according to plan. What are you wrestling goals for your senior season before you head to Iowa State? Moreno: I want to be a state champion, of course. Anything less is unacceptable this year. I want to be an All-American and national champion at Junior Nationals in July.

TEMPE -- Starting this Saturday (October 3), the Arizona State University wrestling team will be holding inter-squad matches beginning at 10 a.m. inside the Riches Wrestling Complex on campus. The matches, which are open to the public, are being used to help the Sun Devils prepare for the upcoming season that begins on November 13 at Pac-10 foe UC Davis. Each week, all members of the team will compete in three or four matches and some very interesting match-ups are sure to emerge with this weekend's top pairing falling into that category. Many of the starters from last year will be taking on challengers that they will face later in the month at the Maroon and Gold Dual (October 30), which will serve as the team's wrestle-off for this year’s starting positions. Perhaps the biggest match of the weekend will come at the lightest weight where returning All-American Anthony Robles (national semi-finalist and fourth-place finisher in 2009) will take on Ben Ashmore, who defeated Robles at the Midlands Championships last December, 3-2. Two other matches will pair up last year’s opening day starter against the end of the season starter. The first will come at 157 pounds where Michael Swigart will take on Te Edwards while the second match will come at heavyweight where Erik Nye will face Imanibom Etukeren. Other top matches scheduled for this Saturday will include: David Prado vs. Travis Forster Vicente Varela vs. Orlando Jimenez Eric Starks vs. Kyle DeBerry Eric Starks vs. Jake Meredith Jake Cranford vs. Michael Hawkins Check back on thesundevils.com each week in October to find out what top matches will be scheduled for that Saturday morning.

Robbie Waller

Rocky Bonomo

As the wrestling season's start is fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. Between now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce you to the top senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and from Maine to California, you will gain exposure to the potential stars of future NCAA Championships. Did you miss a Wrestling 49 article? Check out the archives. A year removed from what aficionados were hailing as one of the best group of seniors (10 InterMat top 100 recruits) in Empire State history, the Class of 2010 is out to prove that when it comes to wrestling, New York does not rebuild, it reloads! And, if past team performances at events such as the NHSCA National tournament are any indication, it is no exaggeration to say that the current senior class may very well equal, if not surpass, the accomplishments enjoyed by their brethren that have come before them. In three trips to Virginia Beach, the young men from New York have never finished out of the medals, finishing third as juniors in 2009, second in 2008, and winning the team title as freshmen. During this time span, they have accounted for eight individual national titles, six national runner-up finishes, and 44 total NHSCA All-Americans. Among the 30 wrestlers who have combined to earn this impressive figure, only 14 are current or former NYS DI or DII state champions. Looking to complete the sweep (All-American honors all four years) is a quartet of the state's top 10 wrestlers: Tyler Beckwith, Stephen Dutton, Angelo Malvestuto, and Anthony Volpe. All four have already made appearances in the national finals, with three of them earning at least one title. On the state level, New York welcomes back nine returning state champions (Mike Soria, Kyle McGregor, Nick Arujau, Nick Wilcox, Vinny Digravio, Stephen Dutton, Andy Rodriguez, Tyler Beckwith, and Kyle Colling), as well as four former state champions (Ken Collado, Kyle Crisaulli, Andrew Lenzi, and Cody Ruggirello). In fact, so deep was the Empire State this season that selecting a top 10 proved to be a very daunting task that witnessed me going back and forth on several occasions regarding who should occupy the spots on the list. Five current or former champs did not make the cut. Nick Arujau (TheMatSlap.com)Two wrestlers who will be seeking their third state title in 2010 are Syosset High School's Nick Arujau and Greene High School's Nick Wilcox. While both are three-time finalists, their paths to the titles have been as different as night and day. Arujau, after losing in the state finals as a freshman to Cody Ruggirello, has rebounded in extremely strong fashion, winning the hardware the last two years (including what many considered to be the most stacked weight class in 2009, the DI 125-pound weight class). Wilcox, on the other hand, tasted his first sip of victory as an eighth-grader when he parlayed a shocking semifinal victory over Ian Paddock into an eventual title effort. However, it would be two years before Wilcox would succeed in returning to the top, losing in the state finals to Paddock as a freshman and then failing to qualify as a sophomore. Looking to join Arujau and Wilcox in a rare club of four-time state finalists is Central Valley's Cody Ruggirello. If the name sounds familiar, it should. Cody is the younger brother of current Hofstra University superstar and former three-time NYS champion/2006 NHSCA Senior Nationals champion Lou Ruggirello. When Cody pinned Arujau in the 2007 state finals, he became the third member of his family to hoist the crown, following in the footsteps of his aforementioned brother and his father, Lou Sr., a state titlist in 1989. Similar to Wilcox, Ruggirello would return to the championship match a year later, but would have to endure the agony of watching his opponent (and future college teammate) Steve Bonanno celebrate after dropping a hard fought decision in double overtime. Heartbreak would strike Ruggirello again in 2009, as a shocked audience in Albany watched as eventual state runner-up Joe Grippi (lost to Digravio in the finals) hit a five-point move in the last 10 seconds to upset the heavily-favored Ruggirello in a semifinal bout. Ruggirello would wrestle his way back to claim third place honors. While undecided on where he will compete at as a senior (either 135 or 140), Ruggirello can expect to be challenged by a fellow top 10 wrestler at whichever weight class that he ends up. If he elects to move up one weight class from last season to 135 pounds, it is believed that he would be on a collision course with 2008 NYS champion/2009 state runner-up Andrew Lenzi from Fordham Prep. If Ruggirello bumps all of the way up to 140, he will likely be met by the young man who defeated Lenzi for the 135-pound state title last season, Rocky Point's Stephen Dutton. Dutton is himself no stranger to disappointment. As a freshman, Dutton was leading the 119-pound state finals 2-0 before a Devon Brown cement mixer put an end to his title hopes. As a sophomore, Dutton was again the victim of a stroke of bad luck as he inadvertently pinned himself in a first round match that he was leading by a significant margin. He would respond by outscoring his opponents 63-1 to secure a third-place finish. Last season's title performance was said to be the ultimate characteristic of a new and mentally tougher Dutton. Despite combining for only three DII finals appearances between them, two wrestlers who find themselves in the top 6 of the list are Tyler Beckwith and Kyle Colling. While separated by approximately 40 pounds, if one were to compare the junior seasons of these two young men, you would find that they are marked by similarity. Both winners of their first state titles in 2009, neither Beckwith nor Colling were content to rest on their laurels. Instead, they headed to Virginia Beach with a mission of further solidifying their respecting wrestling resumes. Mission accomplished ... as each would go on to win Junior National titles by besting former NHSCA champions in the finals (Beckwith over NY teammate Malvestuto; Colling over Pennsylvania's Spencer Myers). Malvestuto, himself a three-time NYS and multiple-time NHSCA placewinner, joins Beckwith as member of the state's top 10. Andy Rodriguez (TheMatSlap.com)Rounding out the list are a pair of native Long Islanders in the persons of Anthony Volpe and Andy Rodriguez. Volpe, who is still seeking his first state title, made this list by virtue of the success that he has enjoyed nationally. As both a former Cadet Greco-Roman and a three-time returning NHSCA Nationals All-American, Volpe's place on this list was locked up when he received an outpouring of support from the college coaches that I spoke to prior to penning this article. Likewise, when it came time to make my final selections, Rodriguez was someone who found himself on a short list of five wrestlers who I could not decide if they belonged as the final member of the top-10, or if they were better classified as honorable mention selections. Ultimately, what ended up being the deciding factor for me was the fact that Rodriguez was the only one who was both a state champion and a person who lived in my part of the state, thus allowing me to see/evaluate by me on numerous occasions. Because I very much want to recognize the immense accomplishments of those not chosen, allow me to list their names now: Kyle McGregor (2009 NYS DII champion, 2009 NHSCA Junior Nationals All-American), Justis Flamio (two-time state runner-up, 2009 NHSCA Junior Nationals All-American), Vinny Digravio (2009 NYS champion, former NHSCA Nationals All-American), Giuseppe Lanzi (2009 NYS third place, two-time NHSCA Nationals All-American, 2007 NHSCA Freshman Nationals champion), and Matt Loew (2009 NYS runner-up, two-time NHSCA Nationals All-American, 2009 FILA Cadet Nationals freestyle champion/third in Greco-Roman). One thing is for certain, 2010 should be another exciting and fun filled year for anyone who calls themselves a New York wrestling enthusiast. 1. Tyler Beckwith School: Greene 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 189 Projected College Weight Class: 174/184 Tyler Beckwith (TheMatSlap.com)Scouting Report: The most versatile wrestler in New York State this season, Beckwith, is a true three-style competitor. The winner of his first DII state title in 2009, Beckwith has been flourishing on the national stage since his freshman year. Already a three-time NHSCA National champion, the multi-sport athlete at Greene High School has a chance to make history in 2010 by becoming the first scholastic wrestler ever to win an NHSCA title at every grade level (he could be joined by New Mexico's Louis Trujillo who also heads into this season as a three-time champion). In the international styles, the native of Syracuse has been every bit as good, earning double Junior All-American honors this past year in Fargo (second in Greco-Roman, eighth in freestyle). Rated as the No. 11 recruit in the nation by InterMat, the three-time NYS DII placewinner (second in 2008 at 171, fifth in 2007 at 145) will be reunited with his Shamrock Wrestling Club coach, Scott Green, next fall as he gave a verbal commitment to Binghamton University back in July. 2. Nick Arujau School: Syosset 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 125 Projected College Weight Class: 125 Scouting Report: The son of former two-time World Freestyle champion/1992 Olympic Bronze Medalist, Vougar Oroujov, winning is in the blood of Nick Arujau. A state runner-up as a freshman in 2007, Arujau has not tasted defeat the past two years, winning state crowns at 112 and 125 pounds respectively. He enters his senior season with a career record of 148-7 as well as an 85-match winning streak. Considered small for the weight last season, the three-time Nassau County champion has confirmed that it is his intention to compete at 125 again this season. While small on quantity, Arujau's national resume is high on quality. In 2008 was a NHSCA Sophomore Nationals runner-up, finishing third with his only loss coming at the hands of eventual champion, California's Jesse Delgado. That same year, Arujau earned All-American honors in Fargo, finishing seventh at the Cadet National Freestyle tournament. Pursued by a number of institutions, Arujau narrowed down his list to a trio of schools -- American, Lehigh, and Hofstra -- before ultimately deciding to continue his career at the latter. Having spent considerable time training in Russia this summer, it will be exciting to see how much the No. 46 national recruit has progressed from one year to the next. 3. Stephen Dutton School: Rocky Point 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 140 Projected College Weight Class: 141 Stephen Dutton (TheMatSlap.com)Scouting Report: Heading into his junior season, many considered Dutton to be the best wrestler in NYS without a title (second in 2007, third in 2008). This is a tag that fortunately will not follow him into his grand finale. In 2009, Dutton practically ran over everybody in his path. Going undefeated along the way, the 2007 NHSCA Freshman Nationals champion (fourth in 2008, National runner-up in 2009) claimed his first state title in high fashion by defeating defending state champion/fellow top 10 honoree Andrew Lenzi by major decision in the finals. Earlier in the season, he defeated former two-time NYS champion Paul Liquori in a dual meet. In addition to being a three-time NHSCA All-American, Dutton really solidified his name on the national scene last November when he finished a respectable sixth in a stacked 135-pound class at the Super 32 tournament. In doing so, Dutton defeated a pair of Virginia state champions (Both current DI wrestlers) in the persons of Andrew Williams and Ian Squires. With another year of working alongside former Hofstra University two-time All-American Charles Griffin (an assistant coach at Rocky Point), available to him, there is no telling how developed he will be when he heads off to college. Having given Coach Pat Santoro a verbal commitment in July, Dutton is Bethlehem, PA bound, as he will continue his athletic/academic career at perennial EIWA powerhouse Lehigh University. Dutton is the No. 68 ranked recruit in the nation. 4. Nick Wilcox School: Greene 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 130 Projected College Weight Class: 125/133 Scouting Report: Already a two-time Junior Greco-Roman All-American in Fargo, it might be easy to brand Wilcox a Greco-Roman specialist and overlook his folkstyle skills. Doing so would be very bad for any potential opponents. Despite being slightly overshadowed by his teammate, Beckwith, it will actually be Wilcox who will take to the mat in 2010 as his school's most accomplished in-state wrestler. A two-time DII state champion (2006 and 2009), Wilcox finished as the runner-up in 2007. Another member of the famed Shamrock Wrestling Club, if Wilcox is able to have even half of the success enjoyed by former Shamrock lightweight, 2009 NCAA champion Troy Nickerson, he will make Bloomsburg (where he recently committed) very happy. 5. Kyle Colling School: Pioneer 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 215 Projected College Weight Class: 285 Scouting Report: The brother of 2008 NHSCA Senior Nationals runner-up (at 285), Randy Colling, Kyle is following a similar path as his older brother. The only difference is that last season, Kyle was able to secure the DII state title that eluded the grasp of his big brother. Expected to compete at 215 for the second consecutive year, Colling has to be considered a sizeable (no pun intended) favorite to repeat his 2009 success. Nationally, Colling has been equally impressive. As a junior, he followed up his hardware winning performance in Albany by winning the NHSCA Junior Nationals title, defeating Pennsylvania state runner-up/recent Maryland committee Spencer Myers by injury default in the title match. This was the second All-American finish for Colling, who previously finished fourth as a freshman. Originally, Colling was not as high up on this list as he currently stands. However, in speaking with several college coaches in the New York area, I was surprised to learn how much respect he had garnered. Considered a definitive top 5 wrestler in state, the plethora of support that Colling received was enough for me to give him a second look and reconsider my original list. As of today, Colling, who like his big brother is a two-sport athlete, remains on the open market. If the response from the coaches I spoke to are any indication, this young man will have more than his fair share of programs to choose from when he decides to do so. 6. Angelo Malvestuto School: Niagara-Wheatfield 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 189 Projected College Weight Class: 174/184 Scouting Report: If Dutton was the best wrestler in NYS without a title in 2009, the honor has to belong to Malvestuto this season. A three-time NHSCA All-American, the Niagara Wheatfield senior has never failed to finish out the money in Virginia Beach. As a freshman, he won the 160-pound national title. The following season, he finished third in a very strong weight class eventually won by Beckwith. Malvestuto would split the difference as a junior, finishing as the national runner-up with his only coming at the hands of Beckwith. As impressive as he has been on the national scene, Malvestuto has been no slouch statewide either. He comes into his senior season with the opportunity to be a four-time NYS DI placewinner. This is not too shabby when you consider that he began his scholastic career at a weight usually populated by upperclassmen. In 2007, he finished fourth at160. The last two years must have had a certain “Groundhog Day” feeling to it as Malvestuto has found himself as the third-place finisher back-to-back years at 171. If he is to succeed in finding himself on the top step of the podium this season, it is likely that he will have to best returning state finalist Matt Loew. The No. 79-rated recruit in the country, Malvestuto has been very private regarding his future collegiate plans. However, with a resume like his, one would have to think that colleges/universities are in the process of beating down his door. 7. Cody Ruggirello School: Valley Central 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135/140 Projected College Weight Class: 141 Cody RuggirelloScouting Report: While not regarded as the flashiest of wrestlers, Cody Ruggirello is something of a cerebral assassin. He is excellent at studying his opponents, learning their shot patterns, and than using those patterns against them to score. Much like older brother Lou (three-time NYS champion, 2006 NHSCA Senior Nationals champion, three-time CAA champion/NCAA qualifier), Ruggirello's length can be something of a problem for his shorter foes. The similarities do not end there. As was the case with his older brother, Cody is a beast on the mat, utilizing the now famous “Ruggirello double bars” to put away many an opponent. As a junior last season, Ruggirello established a sectional record for victories in a single season with 54. He will be looking to equal or break that record this coming season. As freshman, Ruggirello appeared that he would be well on his way toward becoming a four-time NYS champion. In fact, he earned his only state title up to this point in 2007 when he pinned Arujau in the 103-pound championship bout. The last two years have not been as fortunate for Ruggirello as he has had to settle for runner-up (2008 at119) and third place (2009 at 130) honors. If he succeeds in placing in 2010, which barring injury should be a near certainty, Ruggirello will join a very exclusive club of wrestlers who finish their careers as five time state placewinners (third in 2006, first in 2007, second in 2008, third in 2009). Demonstrating that he far from a big fish in a little pond, Ruggirello won over the respect of a lot of non-NYers this past March when he placed fourth at the NHSCA Junior National tournament. While not able to pull off the upset, one of the things that caught the eyes of most spectators was how hard Ruggirello was able to push New Mexico's three-time NHSCA Nationals champion, Louis Trujillo, in their quarterfinal bout. In July, Ruggirello announced that he would be joining his brother at Hofstra University. While it is too early to know for sure, the speculation is that Cody will compete as a true freshman so as to allow the brothers one season to wrestle together. Starting for the same team is something that they have not done since 2006 at Central Valley High School. 8. Andrew Lenzi School: Fordham Prep 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135 Projected College Weight Class: 141 Scouting Report: A state champion in 2008, Lenzi might have the highest level of untapped potential of anyone on this list. A product of the predominantly weak Catholic League, it is likely that the two-time NYS finalist (runner-up last season at 135) has not been exposed to the same caliber of workout partner as has been other members of this top 10. However, despite not having a steady person in the Rams' wrestling room to push him, Lenzi has continually gotten the job done when it mattered most. He possesses an amazing sweep single that has at times seemed to be unstoppable. He is also an above average rider who when given the opportunity has showcased a talent for tilting his opponent. A 2008 NHSCA Sophomore Nationals All-American (finishing sixth at135), it is the opinion of many CHSAA fans that heading into his senior season, Lenzi has the potential to become the greatest wrestler ever to represent the New York Catholic League. A state title in 2010 will make him the only wrestler in league history to be a multiple-time champion. A third finals appearance will tie him with former University of Iowa wrestler/NCAA qualifier Lucas Magnani, who accomplished the feat for St. Anthony's from 2000-2002. As gifted in the classroom as he is on the wrestling mat, the two-time Catholic state tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler has drawn the attention of most Ivy League institutions. In speaking with him recently, I have learned that he has narrowed down his college choices to the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University. 9. Anthony Volpe School: Rocky Point 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 152/160 Projected College Weight Class: 157 Anthony Volpe (TheMatSlap.com)Scouting Report: Only the second wrestler on this list to not have won at least one NYS title, Volpe's inclusion on this list is a combination of his strong national performances along with the incredible amount of praise that he received from the college coaches that I polled. A third-place finisher in his only appearance at the DI tournament in 2009, it is quite possible that the Rocky Point wrestler could have a state champion if not for a person named Zach Clemente. Clemente, a two-time NYS champion, who is currently on scholarship at the University of Virginia, was the only wrestler to defeat Volpe at the state tournament last season. Competing on the national level, Volpe joins his high school teammate Dutton as well as Beckwith and Malvestuto as wrestlers who find themselves in a position to go 4-for-4 in placing at the NHSCA national tournament. A national runner-up in 2007 (lost to Dutton in NHSCA Freshman National finals), Volpe has made a solid showing of himself the past two seasons, finishing third and seventh respectively in 2008 and 2009. In addition, while not altogether pursued, Volpe has shown a slight talent in the international styles, finishing seventh in Greco-Roman at the 2007 National Cadet Nationals. In late July, Volpe announced that he had given a verbal commitment to Scott Goodale's quickly emerging Rutgers program. 10. Andy Rodriguez School: Central Islip 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145 Projected College Weight Class: 149 Scouting Report: The 2009 NYS DI champion at 140 pounds, Rodriguez has been considered a phenom since his schoolboy days. As an eighth-grader, Rodriguez was a Schoolboy Nationals champion while competing as a part of the well respected Sayville Youth Wrestling Program. While he has not compiled as distinguished a national resume as his fellow members on this list, statewide Rodriguez has been about as good as one could ask. A three-time Suffolk County (considered one of the hotbeds of Long Island wrestling) finalist, Rodriguez would likely have been a three-time state qualifier had the wildcard system been in place when he was a freshman. Instead, he had to stay home and watch as Dutton, who defeated him in the sectional finals, went on to place second at the state tournament. Transferring from Sayville to Central Islip between his freshman and sophomore seasons, Rodriguez made the most of it when presented with the opportunity to compete in the 2008 state tournament, finishing fourth behind three wrestlers who would all go on to compete on the Division I level. This past season, all of his potential was realized when he defeated Nick Terdick (Honorable Mention) not once, but twice on his way to his second Suffolk title and his first NYS title. Blessed with great explosiveness and athleticism, Rodriguez should make the transition to collegiate wrestling rather smoothly. However, where his career will continue remains unknown at this time. Honorable Mention: Mike Soria (Kings Park)* Max Soria (Kings Park) ** Damon McQueen (Huntington) Colton Dalberth (Marion)** Kenny Collado (Hauppauge)* Kyle McGregor (Tonawanda*** Kyle Crisafulli (Phoenix)* Justis Flamio (Mahopac)** Adam Troy (Walt Whitman)** Vinny Digravio (Wayne)*** Bucky Hendrickson (Letchworth) Giuseppi Lanzi (Amsterdam)** Nick Terdick (John Glenn)** Ryan Tompkins (Beacon) Paul Morabito (Spencerport)** Billy Coggins (Rocky Point)** Ryan Darch (Batavia)** Vinny Gallo (Schalmont) Matt Loew (Wantagh)** Zeal McGrew (Burnt Hills)** Elijah Graham (Corcoran) * Former/Returning New York state champion (DI & DII) ** Former NHSCA or Junior/Cadet Nationals All-American *** Both Former/Current New York state champion & NHSCA or Junior/Cadet Nationals All-American

Joe Boardwine

Dennis Hall

Cody Sanderson

Steve Fraser

J Jaggers

On August 14, we lost Eugene native Kenny Cox at the age of 31. Camping in remote areas of Kauai, Kenny had been drinking straight from the cold jungle streams and living off what he could gather with his hands. His immune system failed, and he died of acute hemorrhagic pneumonia and sepsis on the long route to the hospital, the car too slow to cross the treacherous 40 miles of Kauai's rugged backcountry. His journey there, into the deep jungle, was long and complex, yet Kenny had few regrets. That was how he chose to live. Kenny CoxMuch must be said about his extraordinary wrestling career: a three-time state champion, a five-time Junior Nationals champion, the nation's top prep wrestler as a senior in high school. Ron Bellamy correctly called Cox "the best wrestler ever to come out of a Eugene high school," but he could as well have said an Oregon high school, or an American high school. As a prep athlete, Kenny Cox may have been the greatest wrestler ever to set foot on a mat. I would know: I was a wrestler two years younger, and every Tuesday and Thursday I wrestled him for two hours in the Oregon wrestling room, a place (and a program) that no longer exists. He was short and powerful and impossibly strong for a lightweight, shirt tucked tight, his shock of blonde hair jutting from that blue Churchill headgear. What distinguished Kenny as an athlete was not his appearance or his natural skills; Kenny was beyond in attitude. He embodied the essence of a sport where there are no sticks or balls or hoops, nothing but an opponent to overcome through skill and force of will. He never let up, left nothing behind in every moment he wrestled. If he ever went out of bounds or came to the edge of the mat, he sprinted back to the center. In three years, I never once took him down -- and he never once condescended to me by letting me. Years later, when I was on Christmas break from Stanford, I drove an hour and a half to McKenzie High School and worked out with him and the team he coached there. His team was young and spirited, gave their all showing off for a visitor there in the dim, dusty loft above the basketball gym. Some were barefoot because, as Kenny explained, they were still new to the sport and couldn't easily afford wrestling shoes. At the end of practice, the two of us squared off in front of his team. I was in peak condition then, and Kenny was out of formal competition, and I thought that maybe, finally, I'd get him. I was mistaken. Kenny's raw ability was undiminished -- indeed, only the year before he'd won another national championship in Greco-Roman. It was all I could do to avoid massacre ... I danced and danced away. Kenny Cox at the beachLong after the disappointment of both our collegiate careers, I coached with Kenny at my old alma mater, South Eugene, where he was head coach for two years. Kenny had changed, seeking a post-wrestling identity. He had grown his hair to a great golden mane and taken up reading, bought a house he fixed up and rented out, sleeping in a teepee in the garden. As a coach, he tried to do something new: to teach those kids the essence of the sport without concern for wins or losses, to realize all that was good about wrestling that he felt he'd lost. All that he asked of his kids was to give their all, to go without fear or restraint. He would not let the kids engage in extreme weight loss practices. He bought into none of the strategy and cheapness that so often accompanies the need to win. He brought in coaches who understood that ideal: a philosopher named Andre, a former Oregon wrestling standout named Brian Watson whom the kids nicknamed "Jesus" for the soundness of his advice and his long blonde beard, and former South Eugene state champion Gabe Hamel. Kenny Cox with young childEach day, Kenny and Gabe and I would square off at the end of practice and wrestle with the kids, would push until all that existed was the move and counter and counter to that. It was enough for me. It wasn't enough for Kenny. That spring, he left the coaching to Gabe Hamel, rented his house out to folks who'd keep up the garden and started the Pacific Coast Trail in Washington. A year later, walking downtown, someone called my name. I didn't recognize the fellow who confronted me. His clothes were holed and faded, and his blue eyes glittered from behind a beard that hung to his collar and met his tangled halo of hair. His arms and hands were tanned brown, as were his bare feet. It took me a long time to realize it was Kenny. When we embraced, I felt how slight he'd become, this man who was once solid with muscle. I asked him how the Pacific Crest Trail had been. "Great," he said. "Pretty easy. But then I kept going in Mexico and got robbed." He explained how after those thousands of miles on foot, after all that country, he hadn't been ready to stop, hadn't known how to. He'd kept walking the coast, on roads, trails, along the playa whenever possible. Then, in little fishing town one night, he was held up at gunpoint and had everything stolen -- his cards and ID, his money, his gear, everything but his shoes. He'd thought about quitting, but didn't. He felt relieved that the last of what he had was gone. He took off his shoes and kept walking, dove in Dumpsters in tourist areas, begged pesos, picked up occasional work on fishing docks and construction sites. He made it all the way down the Baja Archipelago, over the red dirt and yellow sand, reached the end of that land and stood looking into the broadness of the ocean and wished he could keep going. But there was nowhere else to go, so he turned back. It had taken him a long time to return, a lot of strange towns and strange jobs, a lot of good and bad people and lean, lean living. "What were you trying to get to?" I asked. Kenny Cox (far left) with friendsHe thought for a while, shook his head. "I don't know. Just -- something." It was that elusive something Kenny was still seeking in the remote Kalalau valley. He gathered fruit and edible plants, even ate grass once his canned food was gone, and slept on the ground, sometimes in tent and often under the stars. On a page devoted to memories of Kenny, David Watson (Brian's brother) said of Kenny that "he was hungry for Eden. While the rest of us can justify our place in ... (this) life, Kenny could not." It would demean his memory to suggest that Kenny was seeking death. His death was an accident. Kenny wanted to share what he'd found there on Kauai, or he wouldn't have used the last of what he had, money the sale of his house, to have his parents and friends come visit him. What Kenny was seeking was meaning -- a way to live. In his devotion to the search, he never lost integrity. That is a rare quality in this world. Kenny lived fully. He went purely. This essay was first published in the Eugene Weekly. InterMat was granted permission by the Eugene Weekly and Michael Copperman to republish the essay. Michael Copperman is a freelance nonfiction writer. His last essay for EW was on the UO cutting its men's wrestling program, which had generated Olympic contenders. This essay was written at the request of Kenny Cox's father, George Cox. To learn more about Kenny Cox, visit his blog.

As the wrestling season's start is fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. Between now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce you to the top senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and from Maine to California, you will gain exposure to the potential stars of future NCAA Championships. Did you miss a Wrestling 49 article? Check out the archives. The 2009-2010 wrestling season will be a rebuilding year for some of Washington’s top high school programs. At the 4A level, Lake Stevens has won the last three state championships. This year they return one champion (Josh Heinzer), and three placewinners, but will face tough competition coming from Tahoma, University (Spokane), Kelso, and Auburn. In 3A, returning champion Enumclaw brings back three placewinners from last year’s Mat Classic. They will be challenged by Yelm, who returns seven placewinners for this season, mostly in the lighter weights, Bonney Lake, East Valley (Spokane), and Auburn Mountainview. In 2A, Deer Park is projected to again take the top podium spot in the team competition. In the 1A division, Orting only lost 1 of its 11 state placewinners and should easily repeat as state champion. Washington is also supplying some great wrestlers to the college recruiting pool. Ranked nationally as the No. 1 152-pound wrestler, Sedro-Woolley’s Derek Garcia may be as good a wrestler as the state has ever produced. Taylor Meeks of Orting is the No. 54-ranked wrestler in the country by InterMat. Efrain Aguilar is the No. 85-ranked grappler out of Graham-Kapowsin. Although a few select teams travel outside of our region to seek out national competition, the biggest gauge of our area’s talent will be seen once again this year at the Tri-State Classic taking place in Coeur d’Alene the third weekend of December, and the Pac Coast Championship held in Vancouver, WA the first weekend of January. Below is a look at the top 10 high school senior recruits from Washington’s Class of 2010. 1. Derek Garcia School: Sedro-Woolley 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160 Projected College Weight Class: 149/157 Derek Garcia won a Junior Nationals freestyle title in Fargo this past summer at 152 pounds (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)Scouting Report: Garcia is coming off an unusual high school junior year. He fulfilled his academic requirements for graduation from his high school last winter and has been taking college classes online for some time. After winning a third high school championship in February, Garcia became a resident of the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Coached by Bill Zadick, Garcia returned to the top step in Fargo, garnering a Junior National freestyle Championship at 152 pounds. Garcia zipped through the field without a significant challenge. He added that stop sign to a previous Cadet Nationals championship in 2007, along with two other All-American performances in 2007 and 2008. Garcia will wrestle this season for a fourth Washington championship ... joining only five others that have accomplished the feat. He recently committed to The Ohio State University, where he will join Logan Stieber, this year's No. 1-ranked recruit, wrestling for Buckeye coach Tom Ryan. 2. Taylor Meeks Taylor Meeks is Washington's top upper weight senior recruit this year (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)School: Orting 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 189 Projected College Weight Class: 184/197 Scouting Report: Taylor is the best of the upper weight seniors coming out of Washington this year. He is a former Cadet All-American, finishing fourth at Cadet Nationals in freestyle. He was third in state as a freshman, and has won the championship the last two years. He finished third at the NHSCA Junior Nationals, losing 4-3 to No. 1-ranked Tyler Beckwith of New York and beat No. 3-ranked Tyler Lehman of Minnesota. He was fifth at the Western Regionals in 2008. He is also Tri-State champion. He carries an overall record of 110-5, including 72-1 over the last two years. Meeks has already given a verbal commitment to Oregon State. Efrain Aguilar has gone 83-1 over the past two seasons (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)3. Efrain Aguilar School: Graham-Kapowsin 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 125 Projected College Weight Class: 125 Scouting Report: Aguilar is a two-time regional champ, two-time Pac Cost champ, and two-time 4A state champ. His combined record for his sophomore and junior years was 83-1. Aguilar wrestles for a high school that starts at the 10th grade level, so he was not eligible to wrestle during his freshman year. Aguilar has been a Cadet All-American four times, including a third, fifth, eighth and second ... losing to Alan Waters of Missouri in the finals in Greco-Roman in 2007. Nicknamed "El Gato," Aguilar is quick and has excellent technical skills in all styles. For college, he is considering Arizona State, Penn State, Oklahoma, and Iowa. Nick Bayer has a career record of 99-14 (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)4. Nick Bayer School: Tahoma 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 171 Projected College Weight Class: 174 Scouting Report: Bayer carries a 3.367 grade point average and is a two-time state champion. He is also Pac Coast champion and two-time placewinner at Tri-State. His combined high school record is 99-14. He is looking at Boise State and Wyoming for college. Josh Heinzer is a two-time state champion, winning titles at 103 pounds and 112 pounds (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)5. Josh Heinzer School: Lake Stevens 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 119 Projected College Weight Class: 125 Scouting Report: Heinzer is a two-time state champion, winning titles at 103 and 112. During his freshman year, two of his teammates finished first and second in the state at 103, keeping him out of the competition. He is a two-time Tri-State placewinner, including a first in 2008. He was second at the El Cajon Invitational in 2008. 6. Jacob Trotter Jacob Trotter is a looking for a Division I program where he can utilize his academic standing (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)School: Mead 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 215 Projected College Weight Class: 197 Scouting Report: Trotter, who carries a 4.0 grade point average, was the 2009 215-pound state champion in folkstyle, freestyle, and Greco-Roman. Took third at Tri-State. Had a record of 41-4 as a junior. Was a freestyle state championship as a cadet. He went 10-2 at the Junior Duals. He is fulfilling Eagle Scout requirements and will have award in November. He is also captain of the varsity football team and was voted best defensive player as a junior. He is a looking for a Division I program where he can utilize his academic standing. 7. Garrett Mann Garrett Mann is a two-time state champion (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)School: Orting 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135/140 Projected College Weight Class: 133/141 Scouting Report: Mann is a two-time state champion. As a freshman, Mann won the state title at 103. As a sophomore, he placed third at 119. He added his second state title last season at 130. He was also a cadet state freestyle champion in 2008. He is looking at South Dakota State, Great Falls, and Cal State Bakersfield, but is very interested in the U.S. Air Force Academy. 8. Tyler Lamb Tyler Lamb is a three-time state placewinner (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)School: Tahoma 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 140/145 Projected College Weight Class: 141/149 Scouting Report: Lamb, who carries a 3.369 grade point average, is a three-time state placewinner. He was second in state at 135 pounds last season. He won titles at Pac Coast, Spud Walley, Tahoma Mat Classic, and Matman. He was also a Tri-State finalist. He is looking at Cal State Bakersfield, Boise State, and Wyoming. 9. Ryan Zumwalt Ryan Zumwalt finished second in the state last season at 145 pounds (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)School: University 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145/152 Projected College Weight Class: 149 Scouting Report: Zumwalt was sixth in state as freshman at 130, fifth in state as sophomore at 140, and second as a junior at 145. He won titles at the Pacific Open, Rocky Mountain, and Pacific Northwest. He is a three-time regional finalist and one-time time regional champ. He is a two-time Greco-Roman state runner-up and placed fourth at the Northwest Regionals. He is looking at Cal Poly and Cal State Bakersfield. 10. Drew Acorn Drew Acorn is a two-time state champion (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)School: Deer Park 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 125 Projected College Weight Class: 125 Scouting Report: Acorn was a state champion at 119 in 2009, state champion at 103 in 2008, and placed third at 103 in 2007. He was second at the Rocky Mountain Rumble as a sophomore. He is also a Tri-State and Pac Coast placewinner. Honorable Mention: Jacob Mason (University) Chris Tripplet (East Valley) Konner Knudtsen (Tahoma) Mitchell Steed (Emerald Ridge) Ryn Rollins (Republic) Tyler Metcalf (Graham-Kapowsin) Micah Morrill (Snohomish) Nathan Brown (North Central) Branden Yeik (Olympic) Alec Bird (Everett) Blake Adams (Deer Park) Quinn Gannon (West Valley) Jeremy Holdaas (Blaine) Sam Chapman (Vashon) Tyler King (Auburn Mountainview) Marques Ford (River Ridge)