InterMat Staff

John Hangey

Randi Miller

Tadaaki Hatta

Mack Reiter

C.P. Schlatter

Six-time NCAA champion Carlton Haselrig and 2009 World Team Trials champion Shawn Bunch will be radio show guests Wednesday night. Carlton Haselrig won three NCAA Division II wrestling titles at heavyweight for University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown in the 1980s. He also won three NCAA Division I titles, back when Division II and III champions were allowed to compete in the Division I tournament. Although he didn’t play college football, Haselrig was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1989 draft and earned Pro Bowl status as an offensive guard in 1992. He is currently training and fighting in Mixed Martial Arts out of his hometown, Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Haselrig will be one of more than 20 celebrities participating in the 10th Annual Celebrity Golf Tournament in Waterloo, Iowa on July 10, a fundraising event for the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute & Museum. Shawn Bunch won the 132-pound freestyle division at the World Team Trials last month by defeating Mike Zadick in consecutive matches in the finals. A two-time NCAA All-American at Edinboro University, Bunch placed second and third in the nation in 2005 and 2006 at 133 pounds. A native of Leavenworth, Kansas, he will be competing in his first World Championships in September in Herning, Denmark. “On the Mat" can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 - 6:00 PM Central time on AM 1650, The Fan. Feel free to e-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments about the show.

With the recent trend of many graduated seniors choosing not to compete at the Junior Nationals -- held during late July in Fargo, North Dakota -- the Cadet National Championships have taken on greater prominence at Fargo. In fact, some have argued that the Cadet Nationals have a greater representation of the nation's top wrestlers than the Junior National Championships. Since the cadet level features wrestlers that are less seasoned in their high school career, many of the key cadet figures are not known to a national audience. The Cadet National Duals -- which will be held this week in Rochester, Minnesota -- can serve either as a breakthrough moment for the young star wrestler, or a tournament to cement their name on the radar of fans across the country. Greco-Roman competition will be held on Thursday and Friday (June 18 and 19) with freestyle competition being conducted Saturday and Sunday (June 20 and 21). Pre-registration indicates that 25 teams from 22 states will be in the Greco-Roman competition, with 29 teams from 25 states slated for the Freestyle event. Each competition will start with a round-robin in which teams will be split into four pools. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the championship competition, which will commence with two four-team groups that compete in another round-robin. The top team in each championship pool will compete for first place, the second team in each competes for third place, and such for the top eight places. Teams finishing third through sixth in the preliminary pools will advance to a single elimination consolation bracket, from which the two finalists will finish ninth and tenth. Looking ahead to 2009 For yet another year, fans everywhere will be able to follow the competition using TrackWrestling.com. The computer program will have up to date pools, results, and the schedule of matches. In addition, InterMat will be covering the championship rounds on Friday (Greco-Roman) and Sunday (freestyle). Blair Academy's Mark Grey, a 2008 Cadet Nationals double champion, will be competing in both styles for New JerseyWhile all of the lineups are not yet available to the public through TrackWrestling.com, past history as well as performance during the past school year can provide some idea of what to expect in the two competitions. Defending champion Wisconsin will travel a very formidable squad across its western border in its quest to repeat as Cadet National Greco-Roman dual meet champions. Anchoring the Badger State effort will be Alex Dieringer and Devin Peterson. Coming off of two straight runner-up finishes in this event, the host team from Minnesota would love to take that one last step and emerge as champions. In addition, teams from Illinois, Iowa, and Pennsylvania should be formidable champions. Unlike the defending Greco champions, much of Oklahoma's Cadet Dual winning freestyle team was made up of second-year cadets in 2008; though Josh Walker and Chase Ferman will likely return to lead the effort at a repeat title. Lead contenders for the title in freestyle include the hosts Minnesota, returning runners-up Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Looking back at 2008 Greco-Roman: Wisconsin emerged as champions in what was a very balanced field. In pool competition, the Badger State squad lost to Pennsylvania. In fact, that pool ended in a three-way tie; Illinois beat Pennsylvania but lost to Wisconsin. Wisconsin and Pennsylvania advanced on the basis of tiebreaker, while Illinois finished third in the pool but won the consolation bracket to finish in ninth. Border rivals Minnesota reached the final undefeated, with its final three victories against Pennsylvania, New York, and Indiana coming in the championship pool. Wisconsin countered with victories against Missouri, Iowa, and Kansas in its championship pool. Championship Match: Wisconsin defeated Minnesota, 32-31 Third-Place Match: Pennsylvania defeated Missouri, 34-32 Fifth-Place Match: New York defeated Iowa, 46-32 Seventh-Place Match: Kansas defeated Indiana, 44-33 Ninth-Place Match: Illinois defeated New Jersey, 50-25 Freestyle: Heading into the championship final, the Oklahoma squad had beaten most of its opposition sooner rather than later. They finished first in the preliminary pool and advanced to the championship final with victories over Missouri, Wisconsin, and Delaware. However, their championship opponents from the Keystone State had paved a similar road with an undefeated run in preliminaries followed by victories over New Jersey, Minnesota, and Illinois. That finals match was close throughout, but Oklahoma used its strength in the middle of the lineup (6-3 in matches from 112 to 160) in order to squeeze out the title. Championship Match: Oklahoma defeated Pennsylvania, 35-33 Third-Place Match: New Jersey defeated Missouri, 48-25 Fifth-Place Match: Wisconsin defeated Minnesota, 39-27 Seventh-Place Match: Illinois defeated Delaware, 39-33 Ninth-Place Match: Iowa defeated New York, 40-36

Question: How does a bashful five-foot-something, 119-pound high school kid find a way to stand out in public without Twitter or shameless self-promotion? Answer: By going undefeated at his first two Pennsylvania state high school wrestling tournaments. Jimmy Gulibon (Photo/Stephanie Blackstone)His name is Jimmy Gulibon, and if you haven't heard his name before that's because he speaks at a whisper and owns a Quaker's modesty. In a state known for loudmouth national politicians, Philadelphia sports fans, and more wrestling dads than seats at Heinz Field, you'd think that Jimmy Gulibon would never get discovered, as MMA fighters are prone to repeating, "The closed mouth doesn't get fed." Gulibon, who is going into his junior year at Derry Area High School, is on pace to become one of only about a dozen four-time Pennsylvania state champions. He has already won two AAA state titles and an equal number of WPIAL crowns. And with two years remaining, very few prognosticators would bet against his chances of finishing out his career free of another loss. In addition to his wrestling with his high school, Gulibon travels to the Young Guns Wrestling Club headed up by 2000 NCAA Division I runner-up and Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Famer Jody Strittmatter. It's difficult to do, but in a room that includes future Division I stars Nico Megaludis (Penn State, 2011) and A.J. Schopp (Edinboro, 2010), Gulibon is expected to be even better. "I really like my teammates," said Gulibon. For Gulibon, the goal is to work hard and get better, the results, he feels, are independent of expectations. "I just want to win every match I wrestle," said Gulibon. "I try not to think about the next season. I just want to get into the wrestling room and keep working hard and getting better in new positions." Jody StrittmatterHe might be getting some help from the state as his school has once again been reclassified to AA. Despite the seeming demotion, this is still Pennsylvania wrestling ... No one should be taken lightly. Gulibon is apparently already aware of that. "He never takes anything for granted," said Strittmatter, who won two Division II national titles before transferring to Iowa. "He works and works and when everyone else would be done, he just works some more. "Some guys are afraid to work hard, they're afraid to put themselves on the line like that, but with Jimmy, it's a natural thing. He pushes himself harder than any kid I've ever met. He's a one-in-a-million type of kid." He's also shyer than a British Petroleum executive at Mardi Gras. "The kid is so soft spoken and humble it's easy to forget just how nasty he can be once he's on the mat," said Strittmatter. Like Penn State head coach Cael Sanderson, another man who pursued wrestling greatness, Gulibon is a bit of a media introvert, choosing brief replies in favor of thorough self-examination. He also keeps his focus outside of wrestling on his family. "Someone told me that his uncle is his best friend, which is just too cool," said Strittmatter. The humble and shy Gulibon inherited those genes, but probably not from his father (who weighs in around 200 pounds). According to Strittmatter, Jimmy's father is an excellent guitar player, who plays every chance he gets: club picnics, tournaments, anytime he sees an audience. "It's kind of funny," said Strittmatter. "His dad is incredible on the guitar and will sit down in front of people and sing for a long time. Meanwhile, you can't get Jimmy to sit down in front of on person and have a conversation (laughs)." Jimmy GulibonThe timidity he exhibits in public isn't carried onto the mat, where he has placed beatings on opponents in his two trips to the state tournament. Despite that aggressiveness, Gulibon is often the most nervous guy on the team before a match. "I kind of just pace," said Gulibon. "I'm not thinking about anything bad ... I just want to get out there and wrestle. I don't like all the waiting around." Strittmatter said that Gulibon's confidence during competition would come with age. "He's still pretty young, learning things about competition," said Strittmatter. "The crazy thing is that you see this kid who is already accomplished and so much better than almost anyone around him and yet he's the one who's nervous." Regardless of his pre-match butterflies or social anxieties, it's obvious that Jimmy Gulibon is the next big name in Pennsylvania wrestling. His approach to the public is different than his father's and his voice still a whisper, but his plan for success seems to strike the right chord. "You can't win a fourth state title until you win that third," said Gulibon. "And I have a lot of work to do before I even think about next year."

Steve Silver

Jake Deitchler

Debbie Yow

The Lone Star Wrestling Association, hosts of the Hilton Arlington Lone Star Duals is excited to announce the addition of Arizona State to the thirteenth edition of the event, to be held January 15 and 16, 2010. New head coach Shawn Charles confirmed that the Sun Devils will be joining the field which also includes, Air Force, Brown, Harvard, Cal Fullerton, Oklahoma, Northwestern, Utah Valley University, Central Oklahoma, Nebraska Kearney, New Mexico Highlands, Newman University, UT Arlington, and a couple of other teams to be announced shortly. In addition to the college competition on January 16, there will be a two day high school competition involving 24 high schools coming from as far away as Virginia. The high school competition will begin on January 15th with pool competition to determine the top 12 teams to compete alongside the colleges on the 16th to determine the team champion. Texas' own Bishop Lynch HS will be back to attempt to win their third consecutive championship. There are still a couple spots left in the limited field. Interested teams should contact Tournament Director Barry Boustead at barry_boustead@hotmail.com or call 817.235.6111. The competition schedule will be set shortly so teams is of the essence.

Brandon Paulson

Event: UFC 99: The Comeback Venue: Lanxess Arena, Cologne, Germany Date: June 13, 2009 The UFC comes to Germany! Saturday night’s card is full of promising, young European fighters and a few old veterans in the twilight of their Hall-of-Fame careers. There are a dozen fights scheduled in all, so let’s take a look and see if we can pick the winners. It is the UFC Monster’s mission to find value in the Las Vegas betting line as it relates to mixed martial arts fights. Using strong handicapping skills and a vast range of experience in sports betting, I attempt to make our readers a little extra spending money, as well as help them enjoy the fights with a bit more background. It’s good clean fun, and if readers had followed my advice in UFC 98, they would have netted a nice profit of $178.50! That’s enough to buy five (5) years worth of Platinum subscriptions to this Web site! In tonight’s featured fight, we have a non-title battle at a 195-pound “catch weight” between Rich “Ace” Franklin (26-4-0) and Wanderlei “The Ax Murderer” Silva (32-9-1). Wow. Here’s two future HOF’ers. Franklin used to own the UFC 185-pound middleweight division, but Anderson “Spider” Silva changed all of that with two convincingly devastating Muay Thai exhibitions on Ace’s face. Franklin then moved up to light-heavyweight (205 lbs) where the UFC’s deepest division lies. In comes Wanderlei Silva from Japan’s Pride where he ruled undefeated for almost half a decade, and we have some history here. Unfortunately, The Ax Murderer has had a blunt instrument in the UFC, losing four of five, but his style is the same as Spider used to defeat Franklin, so that may be his key to victory. But, my guess is that Franklin can stay away from the onslaught with some precision kicking, and will do enough effective striking to gain a majority decision. I can’t believe I’m thinking a Wanderlei Silva fight will go the distance, but let’s take Franklin and lay the –140. That looks cheap. Interestingly, 60% of UFC fighters polled liked Silva to win this fight. I hope they are wrong. Huge Frenchman Cheick Kongo (24-4-1) is on a tear these days mowing down opponents with his powerful punching. He is no easy opponent for the rising star of Cain Velasquez (5-0-0), who many of you should remember as a great wrestler from Arizona State. Somehow, the bookies made the relatively inexperienced Velasquez the -200 favorite, giving Kongo some legitimate value as an underdog. But, before I walk into that trap, I have seen the beast of Cain, and I think this will be a classic battle of great wrestler against great puncher. The wrestler wins almost every time! I think Kongo will get a few shots in (and it only takes one)! But Velasquez will control the mat, where the fifht will end in the very first round with some vicious ground-and-pound. Take Velasquez and lay the –200 to win by TKO. Welterweight (170 pounds) Mike “Quick” Swick (13-2) is known for some lightning quick knockouts. His skinny arms turn into lawnmower-like blades as he saws his opponents down. He is the real deal and a favorite of Dana White’s for his loyalty to the organization. His mission? To defeat the undefeated en “Killa B” Saunders (7-0-2). Saunders is another awesome Muay Thai fighter, long and gangly, usually able to control his opponent’s distance and the pace of the fight. This one should be full of fireworks with both fighters standing up throwing hay-makers. No judges decision will be needed here. This is my underdog play of the night. I like Saunders to unleash his fury of knees and end this early in the second round with a TKO victory. I’m going to the winner’s window with a +160 'dog. More welterweights, Marcus “The Irish Hand Grenade” Davis (21-5-0) and Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy (21-6-0) have a real dislike for each other. The heavy-handed Davis always seems to fight on the UFC’s overseas cards. Hardy, known for his Mohawk, is a strong kickboxer, with ample Muay Thai, and an almost non-existent ground game. I see Davis trying to end this quickly, and if he is unable to, he will find a way to the mat, where his ground-and-pound will shortly end this affair. Take the Irish Hand Grenade and lay the –200. Lightweight (155 lbs) Spencer “the King” Fisher has an incredible 23-4-0 record, built on a relentless attacking style. He likes stand-up fighting, but has a strong guard and can put you in a chokehold in a flash. Caol Uno (25-11-4) is a seasoned former UFC fighter than is making his return into the Octagon. I will always remember Caol as the victim of a 17-second beating he took at the lightning fast hands of BJ Penn in a fight I attended many years ago at the MGM Grand in Vegas. Since that fateful day Caol has learned a lot, including an improved ground game. Tho' I like Fisher as a fighter, I think the betting value lies in Uno’s potential upset as a +175 underdog. Let’s take him to surprise the crowd with a stunning guillotine choke midway through the third round. Nobody on this card has as an impressive resume of victories than heavyweight Mirko Cro Cop (24-6-2), who somehow owns three (yes, 3) victories over Josh “The Baby-faced Assassin” Barnett, as well as going the distance with Fedor Emlianenko, most recognized as the world’s greatest heavyweight fighter. The Croatian Cro Cop is best known for his powerful high kicks that end many a fight. But, his UFC arrival has been anything but successful, as he has struggled to win even half of his most recent fights. Mostapha Al Turk is coming off a loss to Cheik Kongo, and the Englishman has been posted as a big underdog in this one. Cro Cop may be an undersized heavyweight at 220 lbs, but he should have enough left in the tank to KO Al Turk in the second round. Let’s bridge jump at –450. That completes the main Pay Per View card. Now let’s take a quick look at the prelims ... Lightweight Terry Etim (12-2) has superior striking skills here. His lanky frame and long reach will keep Justin Buckholz (9-2), a wrestler, at bay. I see Etim winning by triangle choke in the 2nd round. Let’s take another bridge jump at –370. German lightweight Dennis Siver (13-6-0) will be the crowd favorite as he meets relative unknown, Dale Hartt (6-1-0). Siver is the stronger striker and his power and motivation should get the job done as a modest –170 favorite. I’m calling it a first-round KO. Englishman and welterweight Paul Taylor (9-4-1) brings a strong kicking game into his fight with German newcomer Peter Sobotta (8-1-0), whose only hope is taking it to the mat with some ground control wrestling. I don’t see that happening. Taylor brings home the bacon as another big fave. Lay the –380. Lightweight Paul Kelly (9-1-0) is a brute, who is dropping down in weight. He will be trying to ground and pound his way to a convincing win over “The Crazy Cuban” Rolando Delgado (8-3-1). While I believe Kelly is the more rounded and probably better fighter, I think we take a chance here that Delgado at +300 gets a surprise submission and his late first-round rear-naked choke ends this one. Two UFC newcomers, heavyweights, Denis “the Menace” Stojnic (12-2-0) and Stefan “Skyscaper” Struve (20-3-0), will try to settle things quickly. When a good big man (Struve at 6’11” tall) meets a good little man (Stojnic at 5’11”), you generally want to be on the larger man. That puts me on Struve with his longer reach. He wins by second-round KO and cashes at a very cheap –130. Welterweight John “The Hitman” Hathaway (11-0-0) will try to stay unbeaten against Rick “The Horror” Story (7-2-0) who is making his UFC debut. The hyper-active Hathaway should outwork his opponent here and gain a majority decision for his efforts. I’m taking the Hitman and laying the –150. OK, there you have it. Twelve (12) fights, and hopefully, more winners for us than losers. Let’s try our luck with a fictitious $1000 bankroll. Let’s lay $140 to win $100 on Rich Franklin. Let’s lay $100 to win $50 on Cain Velasquez. Let’s lay $100 to win $160 on Ben Saunders. Let’s lay $100 to win $50 on Marcus Davis. Let’s lay $40 to win $70 on Cael Uno. Let’s lay $90 to win $20 on Mirko Cro Cop. Let’s lay $74 to win $20 on Terry Etim. Let’s lay $85 to win $50 on Dennis Siver. Let’s lay $76 to win $20 on Paul Taylor. Let’s lay $50 to win $150 on Rolando Delgado. Let’s lay $65 to win $50 on Stefan Struve. Let’s lay $75 to win $50 on John Hathaway. In total, we are laying $995 to try and win $790. Let’s give the remaining $5 to our local youth wrestling program. Good luck and enjoy the fights!

Mitch Hull

Jason Peters

Eric Grajales has been linked to David Taylor for several years. The two wrestlers have dominated age-group national events for close to a decade. Eric GrajalesGrajales, who wrestled for Brandon High School in Brandon, Florida, and Taylor, who competed for Graham High School in St. Paris, Ohio, are widely considered to be the top two high school wrestlers in the U.S. from the Class of 2009. Grajales finished his high school career with a perfect 218-0 record and won four state titles in Florida. Taylor finished his high school career with a record of 180-2 and claimed four Ohio state titles. The two competed in the same weight class (103) as freshmen before Grajales hit a growth spurt and moved into higher weight classes for his sophomore and junior seasons. Taylor never got above 112 pounds until senior season. Then Taylor had his growth spurt, which caused him to move up four weight classes and into the 135-pound weight class, which included Grajales. Even though Grajales and Taylor were the consensus top two high school wrestlers in the U.S. from the Class of 2009, there was no consensus as to which wrestler was No. 1 and which wrestler was No. 2. InterMat and Amateur Wrestling News both have Taylor No. 1 and Grajales No. 2, while WIN Magazine has Grajales No. 1 and Taylor No. 2. The two wrestled a few times when they were younger. Both have beaten each other. But the two have not met since junior high. Since the two were not scheduled to face each other during the high school wrestling season, the debate as to who is No. 1 raged on. In late January, Taylor bumped up from 135 pounds to 140 pounds and defeated Ohio State-bound Collin Palmer, a four-time state champion from St. Edward in Ohio. After the match, Taylor made it clear that he wanted to face Grajales. “I want to wrestle that match,” Taylor told Flowrestling.com. “First things first, I want to win my fourth state title. After that, I got picked to go to the Dream Team against Oklahoma. The Dapper Dan Team is undecided. I want to wrestle Grajales. Senior Nationals, I'll go if he goes.” The dream matchup never materialized. Eric Grajales won his second Junior Nationals Greco-Roman title in Fargo last summer (Photo/Dave Jedlicka)For the Dapper Dan, a postseason all-star event, both Taylor and Grajales were placed on the team. Taylor was the 135-pounder, while Grajales was the 140-pounder. Taylor was given the nod for the USA Dream Team at 135 pounds that competed against an all-star team comprised of Oklahoma seniors. At the Dapper Dan, Grajales pinned three-time state champion Dane Johnson of Shady Side Academy, Pennsylvania in 3:28. He was named Most Outstanding Wrestler of the event. After that, Grajales was ready to move on with his high school wrestling career. “I definitely wanted to wrestle David Taylor just as much as he wanted to wrestle me,” said Grajales. “He's a great wrestler. Everybody knows that. I know that. He knows I'm a good wrestler. It would have been great for the sport of wrestling. I would have loved to have had the opportunity. But it was never able to happen. It would have been too hard to figure out. After the Dapper Dan, I was ready to move on. Senior Nationals was not where I felt like I wanted to be. I wanted to be out in Vegas (competing in Greco-Roman). After that, I was done with high school wrestling. I had nothing left to prove at Senior Nationals.” Grajales was recruited by all the nation's top wrestling programs. His older brother, Cesar, is a two-time NCAA qualifier for Penn. Grajales visited Penn, as well as two other Ivy League schools, Cornell and Columbia, but eventually decided on Michigan. “Between my teammates, coaches, and the area, it was just the perfect package at Michigan,” said Grajales, who ranked in the top 10 percent of his graduating class. “All the other schools I visited were great schools. I pretty much knew that I needed to be at a place where I could not only fulfill my athletic goals, but also my academic goals. I want to come out of college with a great degree. Michigan was my first visit and I knew right after it that it was going to be really tough for any other school to beat. I got along really well with the wrestlers. I loved the coaches. Other than the cold, of course, Ann Arbor reminded me of my hometown.” Grajales plans to study business at Michigan and hopes to get accepted into the Roth School of Business at Michigan in two years, although he admits that he's not one-hundred percent sure that's what he wants to do. But that's his initial plan. Grajales plans to compete collegiately for Michigan at 133 pounds, but he's not yet certain if he will compete in the lineup next season for the Wolverines or redshirt. “I'm going to go in there and see how I feel in the wrestling room,” said Grajales. “I might need a year to get acclimated to the college scene. But I might not. We'll see.” As for collegiate wrestling goals? “I definitely have very high expectations for myself,” said Grajales. “I have never been one to think that I'll just let it go how it goes. I have always set out a plan and had goals. I don't always achieve them. But in mind, if you don't have those goals, you can't really judge your success. As long as everything goes well, barring any major injuries, by the end of my career, I want to be able to say that I had won at least one NCAA title. I know that with a lot of hard work and the proper training, I can achieve my goals.” Eric Grajales has his sights set on making the 2012 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman team (Photo/Dave Jedlicka)Grajales has won major national events in all three styles of wrestling -- folkstyle, freestyle, and Greco-Roman -- but he favors Greco-Roman. “I will definitely try to pursue my goals in Greco,” said Grajales, who was one of only two wrestlers with high school eligibility remaining to compete at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Greco-Roman. “I don't know if I will ever wrestle freestyle again. I think I'm at a point where I need to concentrate on one or the other Olympic styles. I have had some success in freestyle. But that's just not where my heart was at. I've never really liked it very much. I feel like between Greco and folkstyle, I'll have my hands full.” And so will his opponents.

Yero Washington

June, Florida, and wrestling. One might think it mixes together as well as oil and water. However, now in its thirteenth year, the AAU Scholastic Duals (aka Disney Duals) have broken that paradigm. Held in Orlando, Florida -- hosted at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex -- many of the top wrestlers from across the nation have assembled for a week of intense competition in conjunction with the laid back atmosphere inherent of being at Disney World. Approximately 30 of those earning medals at the Disney Duals in 2008 ended the 2008-09 school year ranked in the top 20 nationally at their respective weight class according to InterMat, while another 15 were graduating seniors and in the year-end rankings for 2007-08. Starting June 22, approximately 100 teams will converge upon the Milk House and Jostens Center to battle it out for team and individual honors in at least three different divisions. They include the District All-Star Division, Community Division 1, Community Division 2, and possibly a District Reserve Division. District teams can come from any number of schools, but all the competitors have to reside within an AAU district. Community teams come from primarily one school, while at most three team members can attend another high school. Competition in the Community divisions commences on the opening day, and ends with championship matches on Thursday. District division competition starts on Tuesday, June 23, and ends with championship matches on Friday, June 26. In each division, the competition will start with preliminary pools. The top few teams will advance to championship bracket competition, while the other teams will compete in consolation rounds. Team awards will be given to those finishing in the top 8 as well as for best sportsmanship. Individual awards will go to the Most Outstanding Wrestler and the Most Technical Wrestler. For the fifth consecutive summer an open invitation has been extended by the AAU for college coaches to join them for this event. Many programs have capitalized on this opportunity, including some of the nation's foremost Division I wrestling programs. For further information, check out the information on http://www.aauwrestling.net. A Look Back at 2008 District All-Star: Championship Match: Ohio Samsons defeated Michigan Red, 30-18, for the championship to end the four-year reign for teams coming from the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Association (MAWA). They also were champions in 2003, the year before the recent run of titles by MAWA. Third-Place Match: PA Steel Gold defeated Michigan Blue, 31-27. Fifth-Place Match: Team Diesel (PA) defeated Michigan Freeze by walkover. Seventh-Place Match: (PA) Premium Select defeated MAWA Blue, 30-27. Awards: Jacob Burge earned Outstanding Wrestler, while Eric Cubberly was named Technically Superior. Community Division 1: Championship Match: Troy Christian (OH), after a third place finish in 2007, avenged their only loss from that year's tournament with a 35-26 victory in the championship final over Bronco Wrestling Club (Montini Catholic IL). Third-Place Match: In their Disney Duals debut, Collins Hill (GA) defeated 2007 tournament runners-up Palmetto Ridge (FL), 32-24, to earn a third-place finish. Fifth-Place Match: Springfield Delco (PA) defeated Perry Meridian (IN) Falcons Blue, 43-28. Seventh-Place Match: Moeller (OH) defeated Oregon Clay (OH), 31-27. Awards: Troy Christian swept the individual honors with Zach Toal earning Outstanding Wrestler and Ben Sergent winning the Technically Superior award. Community Division 2: Championship Match: Yorktown (IN) Tigers won the championship available for schools with a smaller enrollment in a 28-21 victory over Fuzzy Hat (IL). This was the first year of a split in the Community Division. Third-Place Match: Maumee (OH) defeated Spring Hill (FL), 48-22. Awards: Kyle Moser was the Outstanding Wrestler, while Yohe Rojas was named Technically Superior. Looking Forward to 2009 While official team lineups are not yet known, the published team lists indicate that most of the usual suspects are back to compete in the 13th edition of the Disney Duals. District All-Star: Ohio Samsons will seek to defend its title from last summer, and should yet again have a strong and capable squad ready for the many capable challengers present among the field. Foremost among the challengers is MAWA Blue, which is a perennial power in this event. Two other traditionally strong squads from the Keystone State of Pennsylvania are Diesel and Premium Select, while a new entry from Quest could be a squad to watch. Entries from the state of Michigan are always dangerous, and headlined by last year's event runners-up Michigan Red. Also present will be Michigan Blue and Michigan Storm. Looking to finally make a break into the championship bracket will be Ohio Dragons, which has finished third in its preliminary pool that last two years, but then steamrolled its way through the consolation bracket back to ninth place finishes. Community Division 1: Neither of the finalists -- Bronco Wrestling Club (Montini IL) nor Troy Christian (OH) -- from the 2008 tournament is listed for a return appearance this year, which means there will be new blood on top of this division. The team most likely to capitalize on this opportunity would be Collins Hill (GA), which ended the year ranked in the Amateur Wrestling News Top 40. However, at least three Ohio entries will be nipping on their heels -- Moeller, Oak Harbor, and Ohio Lightning (CVCA). Also to watch are Perry Meridian, team state runner-up in Indiana; and Hartland, team state semifinalists in Michigan's big-school division. Community Division 2: Yorktown (IN) will seek to defend its title, as over 20 other teams seek to dethrone.

The Badger wrestling team has added seven more recruits for the 2009-10 season, head coach Barry Davis announced today. The group of signees has some of the top wrestlers from the state of Wisconsin and one from New York. The new recruits include Dan Arnell (Oyster Bay, N.Y.), Jack Duerst (Boyceville, Wis.), Jackson Hein (Wausau, Wis.), Scott Liegel (Spring Green, Wis.), Shawn Perry (Wausau, Wis.), Cole Tobin (Hudson, Wis.) and Eric Vanevenhoven (Kaukauna, Wis.). These seven join Brendan Ard (Watchung Hills, N.J.), Derrick Borlie (Winchester, Va.), Kalvin York (Belleville, Wis.) and John Prezzia (Clinton, Pa.), who all signed National Letters of Intent in the fall. “I think we definitely have a top 10 recruiting class coming in,” Davis said of his 15th recruiting class at Wisconsin. “We have a wide variety of weight classes coming in and we've got a lot of kids from different states coming into the program. We cover five different states with this group and that's good because it will help us with recruiting down the road.”

PHILADELPHIA -- The University of Pennsylvania wrestling coach, Rob Eiter, has announced his wrestling recruiting class. Six grapplers will comprise the program's Class of 2013. The group includes wrestlers from six different states encompassing the entire United States. One hails from as close as Newton, N.J. with another residing in Honolulu, Hawaii. The group is an accomplished one, with two state champions, multiple state placewinners, a National Prep finalist and a freestyle All-America all slated to don the Red and Blue this fall. Micah Burak, a native of Colorado Springs, Colo., will wrestle for Penn this fall, continuing the tradition of brothers suiting up for the Red and Blue. He will join his older brother, Gabriel, who wrestled at 157 for Penn this year and is entering his junior season. Micah spent the past two years training at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado, but captured a state championship before moving on to the OTC. He finished seventh at the 2009 U.S. Senior Open, becoming a freestyle All-America. He competed unattached at the 2009 Shorty Hitchcock Classic hosted by Millersville University, and won the 197-pound championship by defeating five collegiate wrestlers. He is slated to compete at 197 for the Quakers in the fall. “Micah, after two years at the training center, will be ready to go right away,” Eiter said. “He really solidifies our upper weights and has already proven he is capable of competing with collegiate wrestlers.” Joining Burak in University City next season will be Harrison Cook. A native of Mount Kisco, N.Y., Cook graduated from Fox Lane School before completing a postgraduate year at Blair Academy. At Fox Lane, he was a Section 1 champion and finished his senior year with a 41-2 record. Cook will look to enter the lineup at 184 pounds. “With Harrison, anytime you are able to land a wrestler from Blair, you know you will have a hard-working kid,” said Eiter. “Not only that, but his high school career saw him wrestle in New York, one of the most competitive states there is. We expect him to compete from day one in the room and push for match time immediately.” Troy Hernandez is from Newton, N.J., and Kittatinny High School. If that sounds familiar to Penn wrestling fans, that is because Matt Valenti, two-time NCAA champion and 2007 Penn graduate and his younger brother Andy, a 2009 Penn grad, also competed at Kittatinny. Hernandez won more than 100 matches in high school and was a New Jersey state finalist. He placed three times at the New Jersey state meet, with finishes of fifth, third and second. He could wrestle at either 141 or 149 pounds this fall. “We are really excited about Troy,” Eiter said. “He was one of the top recruits in New Jersey this year and he will jump right into the mix with us.” Shane Millam recently graduated from The McDonogh School in Maryland and resides in Sparrows Point, Md. He was a National Prep finalist this year and compiled 172 wins over his high school career. His second-place finish this year gave him three places at the National Prep meet. He also finished sixth at the NHSCA Senior National Tournament. He will compete at 165 or 174 pounds for the Red and Blue. “Shane adds immediate depth to the middle weights, but there is no reason he can't compete right away,” said Eiter. “He comes from a good program and we are excited to have him join the Penn family.” Reid Oshiro will make the longest trip to University City in the fall, coming all the way from Honolulu, Hawaii. He is a three-time state champion from the Punahou School, and was honored as the 2009 Dave Schultz Award winner from Hawaii. The winner is chosen by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum based on excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, character, citizenship and community service. In addition to his wrestling skills, Oshiro is a two-time Hawaii state champion in judo. He will wrestle at 125 pounds for Penn. “Reid's ability to mesh wrestling and judo makes him a very dangerous opponent,” Eiter said. “He has proven that he can take an opponent to his back from almost any situation.” Michael Steltenkamp completed his high school career at Seaholm High School in Michigan with more than 100 wins. He was a district champion and two-time state qualifier, and one of 13 athletes in the state of Michigan to receive an MHSAA Scholar-Athlete Award. A native of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., he will join the lineup at 165 pounds this fall. “Michael is an extremely hard worker in the room,” Eiter said. “Michigan is a good state for high school wrestling and he has trained well. He has loads of potential and his best years are ahead of him.” Eiter can't wait for these six wrestlers to join his current crop as the Quakers begin their march toward another successful season next fall. “We did a good job adding talent across all the weight classes,” he said. “We also have set up solid competition in the room. We are all excited for these guys to arrive on campus and for the season to start.”

We return to our home based Brute Adidas studios for 2 hours of America's Wrestling Radio Talk Show. Oh, BTW, the new episode (9) of TDR TV is complete and ready for you to enjoy. Find it at theMat.com, theWrestlingTalk.com or at IntermatWrestle.com. Check IntermatWrestle.com for fresh new stand alone interviews each and every day of the week. Next week we'll have some exciting news on the TDR TV show. Recently legendary TV station WHO TV 13 added TDR TV to its web offerings. If you know of a station that would be interested in adding TDR TV let us know. Now back to the show- This week on TDR: Grandview Coach Nick Mitchell and wrestling purist "Bullet" Bob Selby will join me in studio as we welcome guests- Scott Hinkel- Head Coach of Purdue Scott Goodale- Head Coach at Rutgers Mike Denney- Legendary Head Coach at University of Nebraska Omaha Mark Branch- Head Coach of the Cowboys of Wyoming Mike Reilly- Head MMA Coach at Ambition MMA Training Academy and Ambition MMA in Eagan, MN BTW- check out a great interview with USA Wrestling's National Teams Director Mitch Hull on the various web site partners. Mitch is just one of the good guys. Tune in LIVE Saturday Mornings 9 to 11 AM for the show that started it all, Takedown Wrestling Radio. TakedownRadio.com We enjoy hearing from each of you. Please feel free to write to us: Svideoman@aol.com

Jake Herbert

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Steve Anceravage, a two-time All-America wrestler for Cornell, has joined the NC State coaching staff as an assistant coach. A four-time NCAA qualifier, Anceravage capped off his stellar collegiate career this past March by with a fifth-place finish at 174 pounds at the NCAA Championships. He finished sixth at 174 in 2008. Anceravage finished his career with a 119-28 overall record, including a 35-3 mark as a senior in 2009. “Steve Anceravage was an outstanding college wrestler and is an excellent addition to our coaching staff,” Wolfpack hed coach Carter Jordan said. “He comes from a college program in Cornell that has had a great deal of success, a program that stresses academics as much as athletics. In addition to being an excellent wrestler, Steve is smart and ambitious, and he’s ready to hit the ground running. He has a great work ethic and is very excited about joining our program. He’ll be a difference-maker, both on and off the mat.” Anceravage, a Bloomsburg, Pa., native, was a four-time EIWA finalist and a four-time All-Ivy League honoree. In 2009, he earned the EIWA’s Fletcher Award, given annually to the wrestler who earned the most points for his team over his career at the EIWA Tournament. He broke the Cornell school record for falls in a season by pinning 17 opponents during his junior campaign. He also holds the Cornell record for career pins with 37, after notching nine more than Travis Lee, an NCAA champion for the Big Red in 2003 and 2005. Anceravage completed his time at Cornell ranked fifth in career wins with 119 and was just the 11th Cornell wrestler to finish with more than 100 career wins. Prior to Cornell, Anceravage enjoyed a highly successful career at Bloomsburg High School by capturing the state title at 152 pounds as a senior after helping his team win the Class AA state dual championship. He was a state runner-up as a junior and earned fourth- and sixth-place finishes at the 2003 junior nationals in Greco-Roman and freestyle, respectively.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling program, under the guidance of head coach Cael Sanderson, received more outstanding news today as high school All-American David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio) committed to Penn State. Taylor is considered by many to be the top wrestling recruit in the nation. He signed a financial aid letter today and will join the Nittany Lions this fall for the 2009-10 campaign. Taylor had signed a national letter of intent to attend Iowa State but was given a release from that NLI earlier this spring when Sanderson made the move to Happy Valley to take over the reins of the Nittany Lion program. Since an athlete may only sign one NLI, Taylor's acceptance of the financial aid agreement solidifies his status as Penn State's newest Nittany Lion grappler. "We're very pleased to welcome David to Penn State," Sanderson said. "He is an outstanding young man from an outstanding family and his addition to our program is great news for every Penn State wrestling fan. David is a special talent whose character will allow him to excel at the collegiate level and it is an honor to have him join our program." Taylor, the son of David and Kathy Taylor, recently concluded an outstanding high school career at St. Paris Graham High School in St. Paris, Ohio. Under the guidance of head coach Jeff Jordan, the Falcons have reeled off a stunning nine consecutive Ohio State Division II state titles and have claimed the 2008 DII National Championship as well. Taylor has had a major influence on St. Paris-Graham's fortunes. This past year, Taylor received the prestigious Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award. The award is given in honor of the former Olympic and World Champion and is given to the nation's top wrestler, evaluated on excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, character, citizenship and community service. Taylor posted an amazing 180-2 overall record in four years and won four consecutive Ohio State Championships. As a high school freshman and sophomore, Taylor claimed the 103 pound title and as a junior he won the 112 pound crown. This past year, Taylor moved up to 135 for his senior season and rolled to his fourth straight championship. David was named the 2009 Ohio State Wrestling Tournament's Outstanding Wrestler and was named the Ohio Wrestler of the Year in each of the past two seasons. Not just garnering Ohio laurels, Taylor is a two-time Asics First Team All-American and has claimed the Beast of the East crown and won the Ironman title an unprecedented four times. He is the only wrestler in that tournament's long and storied history to win four titles. He also won three Cadet and two Junior National titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman competition. Taylor was a member of the 2007 FILA Junior World team as well. "David Taylor is the kind of athlete any coach would be proud to work with," Sanderson continued. "We are welcoming an outstanding young man to our program that is as committed to academic excellence and his community as he is to succeeding on the mat. He is an impressive person and I am confident that our fans will enjoy watching David's career unfold." Taylor's off-the-mat achievements are as impressive as his work for the Falcon wrestlers. He is a member and officer of the 4-H Club and is ranked in the top 10 of his class, carrying a 4.0 GPA into his final days at St. Paris-Graham. As an Asics All-America first teamer, Taylor joins fellow first teamer and Nittany Lion signee Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.), who was also an Asics All-America first team selection after his title-winning run at the Blair Academy this past season, and Luke Macchiaroli (Tempe, Ariz.) in this year's recruiting class. Penn State Wrestling season tickets for the 2009-10 season can be reserved now. To make a $20 deposit on the best Rec Hall locations, fans should call 1.800.NITTANY between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. Current wrestling season ticket holders do not need to make a new deposit and will simply go through the coming renewal process. Penn State wrestling season tickets are all reserved locations in Rec Hall. The exact seat assignments for new commitments will not be available until the renewal cycle is complete, but new season ticket commitments made now will be assigned locations based on Nittany Lion Club point totals and the time/date the deposit was received by Penn State Athletics. Season ticket pricing for the 2009-10 season will be finalized and announced by July 1, 2009.