InterMat Staff

Randy Simpson

Jim McCullough

A familiar face is back with the Nebraska wrestling program as the Husker coaching staff announced former national champion Jason Powell has been hired as an assistant coach. Powell will be working immediately with the 2009-10 Huskers that are coming off the 2009 Big 12 co-championship. Powell is now part of Nebraska's Performance staff as an assistant strength coach after finishing his collegiate career as one of the most decorated wrestlers in school history. The Midwest City, Okla., native claimed the 2004 national championship at 125 pounds with a 17-2 technical fall over Kyle Ott of Illinois. The win wrapped up a 26-2 season for Powell, as he helped lead NU to its first top-five finish at the NCAA Championships since 1996. As a junior, he finished third at the 2003 national meet following a fifth-place finish in 2002. Powell ranks 10th on the all-time win chart with 109. Jason Powell was a three-time All-American and a 2004 NCAA champion at Nebraska (Photo/Danielle Hobeika)A 2004 graduate with a degree in sociology, Powell was a three-time All-American and four-year team captain, before furthering his career with a fourth-place finish at the U.S. Nationals in the freestyle competition. Since graduation, Powell spent time as a volunteer coach and administrative assistant for the Huskers followed by stints as an assistant coach at the University of Oregon and the University of Maryland. The Midwest City, Okla., native was a three-time high school state champion, three-time Junior Greco-Roman National Champion, a two-time Junior Freestyle national Champion, and a member of the Junior World team, where he placed second in the 1998 Junior World Freestyle Championships. Powell joins an experienced coaching staff that has a combined 23 years of service at Nebraska. The Huskers finished fourth at the 2009 NCAA Championships and open the 2009-10 season Nov. 15 against Wisconsin at the NU Coliseum. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the Omaha Sports Commission host the 2010 NCAA Wrestling Championships from March 18-20 at Qwest Center Omaha.

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. As the high school wrestling season approaches, North Carolina wrestling fans will see a lot of changes. The new NCHSAA realignment has changed many school classifications for the 2009-10 season. This will put some of the traditional state powerhouse schools and top individuals on a collision course for state championship honors. Cary (4A) and Parkland (3A) have won the state dual team and individual tournament team championships the last three years. This season both schools will compete in the 4A division. Two-time 2A state champion Orange and last season’s 4A dual team runner-up Robinson have moved to 3A. Individually, North Carolina has two senior wrestlers projected in the same weight class vying for bragging rights as the state’s top recruit. Last year one of these brought home his first state championship in the 3A division while the other repeated as champion in the 4A division. Their styles of wrestling are vastly different, but wrestling fans would love to see these two match up sometime during the upcoming season. Even though both are in different state classification divisions it is possible they will be competing in the same weight class this season. The last two years Tyrone Eatmon has won the tournament championship at one of North Carolina’s premier invitational tournaments, the WRAL. He won at 112 pounds in 2007 and 119 pounds last year. Daniel Owenby also has two WRAL championships. Owenby won at 119 pounds in 2007 and at 125 pounds last year. Could these two match up at the WRAL on December 19 or will they be at different weight classes again this season? Five of the top ten wrestlers on this list are former WRAL champions while another is a two-time runner-up. 1. Daniel Owenby School: Enka 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 130 Projected College Weight Class: 133 Daniel OwenbyScouting Report: Owenby is technical wrestler who adds a large dose of funk to his wrestling style. What surprises Owenby’s opponents the most though is his strength. Owenby doesn’t possess the weightlifter-type physique. He has what old timers call "farm boy strength." Growing up in the mountains outside of Asheville, North Carolina helped Owenby develop his raw strength. This combined that with his funky style has elevated Owenby to be North Carolina’s top recruit starting out for the 2009-10 season. Owenby was a state runner-up as a sophomore and a undefeated 3A state champion last season. In 2008, he earned NHSCA All-American honors by placing third at the NHSCA National Open. Last July, Owenby won the National Open and was voted as the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler. Owenby is also a four-time NCUSA National Team member. At the USA Southeast Regional he placed first in Greco-Roman and third in freestyle. Even though Owenby had beaten three former Fargo All-Americans this past spring at various tournaments, he came up short in July. At Fargo he was 3-2 in both Greco and freestyle. In Owenby’s last freestyle competition he lost a one-point match in the third period to national standout David Klingsheim of California by giving up a turn in the final seconds of the match. 2. Tyrone Eatmon School: Durham Riverside 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 130 Projected College Weight Class: 133 Scouting Report: Take cat-like quickness, great balance, and combine this with solid wrestling technique and you have Tyrone Eatmon. This seems to be the mold used for making multiple state champions produced from state powerhouse Riverside High School. Eatmon appears to be the latest one cast from it. He burst on the North Carolina wrestling scene as a freshman placing third at the state tournament. From there Eatmon went on to win the 4A state championship his sophomore and junior seasons. The last two springs Eatmon has also made his mark nationally by earning NHSCA All-American honors twice. He placed sixth in the 2008 Sophomore Nationals and fifth last spring in the Junior Nationals. Last summer, Eatmon was a copper medalist at the Disney Duals. 3. Marciano Ali School: Parkland 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160 Projected College Weight Class: 165 Scouting Report: The name reminds you of the sensation computer fight in the early 1970’s between two of boxing’s greatest champions. Last year if you were at one of Parkland’s tournament final matches chances were you heard the chant “Ali, Ali, Bomaye." No that wasn’t for Muhammad Ali, it was for North Carolina’s most dominating middleweight wrestler last season, Marciano Ali. Ali did not start wrestling until he was a freshman in high school. He proved to be a quick learner. By his sophomore season the explosive Ali placed fourth in the state tournament. Last season, Ali was a WRAL champion and a 3A undefeated state champion. He compiled a 65-0 record and led his team to their third consecutive 3A dual team and individual tournament state championships. Ali is a very quick, strong, and possibly the best natural athlete wrestling in North Carolina. This year Ali and Parkland will compete in the 4A division. 4. Dominic Parisi School: Concord Robinson 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 119 Projected College Weight Class: 125 Dominic ParisiScouting Report: Parisi comes from a solid wrestling background and is coached at Robinson High School by his father, Dave. He placed third in the state tournament competing at 103 pounds as a freshman. His sophomore season he was a WRAL champion and he won his first state championship (112 pounds) going undefeated at (58-0). Last season he won his second state championship finishing the season with an undefeated (59-0) record. At the state tournament he dominated his 119-pound weight class scoring a technical fall, a pin and, two major decisions where his opponents was unable to score any points. Parisi enters the season as North Carolina's consecutive wins leader with 117 consecutive wins. At the Disney Duals, Parisi was a silver medalist, finishing with a 12-1 record. Robinson High School drops to the 3A division this season and like Parisi, the team is considered by many wrestling fans to be a favorite to win a state championship in February. 5. Tim McCall School: South View 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 189 Projected College Weight Class: 197 Scouting Report: McCall was another freshman prodigy ... placing third his freshman season. That spring he lost a one-point decision to New Jersey’s Scott Winston at the NHSCA National Duals. McCall is also a football standout. He tore the ACL in his knee during football and did not wrestle his sophomore season. Last year his only loss was in the regional final to Kevin Radford of Pine Forest. McCall avenged this loss in the state finals defeating Radford in a close decision to win his first state championship. Last spring, McCall won All-American honors by placing seventh at the NHSCA Junior Nationals. During the summer McCall was a silver medalist at the Disney Duals. 6. Joe DeAngelo School: Southern Alamance 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 119 Projected College Weight Class: 125 Scouting Report: DeAngelo was a state runner-up as a freshman and a state third-place winner last season. Both of the close losses he has had in the state tournaments the last two seasons were against graduated two-time state champion Timdarius Thurston. In 2009, DeAngelo was a NCUSA national team member. Last Spring he won USA All-American honors by placing third at FILA Cadet’s in freestyle. DeAngelo went on to win the USA Southeast Regional in freestyle last May. He competed in freestyle only at Fargo, where he finished with a 3-2 record. DeAngelo is another wrestler with a family wrestling tradition. He wrestles at Southern Alamance for his coach and father, Randy. 7. Kyle Narburgh School: Jack Britt 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 119 Projected College Weight Class: 125 Scouting Report: Narburgh is a skilled wrestler with quickness and good technical skills. He was the tournament champion at North Carolina’s top invitationals -- the WRAL and the Tiger Holiday Tournament. Narburgh won his first state championship last season wrestling at 112 pounds. He followed this up by winning the Ohio Tournament of Champions last April. Last May Narburgh was the USA Southeast Region Greco-Roman champion and freestyle runner-up having lost to Joe DeAngelo. Narburgh was a NCUSA National Team member last summer at Fargo. 8. Matt Colvard School: Cary 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160 Projected College Weight Class: 157/165 Scouting Report: Colvard placed fifth in the state tournament as a sophomore and won his first state championship last season. In March, Colvard won All-American honors by placing seventh at the NHSCA Junior Nationals. He was a NCUSA National team member in 2008, but broke his wrist last May at the USA Southeast Regional. He has helped Cary win the 4A state dual team and tournament championships the last three seasons. With Parkland moving up to 4A this season, wrestling fans look forward to a couple of great matchups, wrestling powers Cary vs. Parkland and individuals Matt “Wizard” Colvard vs. the “Dominating” Ali! 9. Marcus Cain School: Parkland 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145 Projected College Weight Class: 149 Marcus CainScouting Report: Here is another wrestler that only started wrestling his freshman season. Cain is a tall and lean wrestler who uses his length with devastating cradles. He is a two-time WRAL runner-up and with a 4.0 GPA and one of the top students at Parkland. Last year after wrestling at 135 pounds all season, Cain bumped up two weight classes to give a deserving senior a shot at a state championship. That senior placed second. Cain went on to place fifth in a very competitive 145-pound weight class in the 3A division. Last March, Cain wrestled his weight class at the NHSCA Junior Nationals and won All-American honors by placing sixth in the 135-pound weight class. After a spring and summer of growing, Cain could win his first state championship this season at a now natural weight of 145 pounds. 10. Zoi Ouellette School: Hibriten 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 215 Projected College Weight Class: 197 Scouting Report: Ouellette is in the top five academically at Hibriten. He plans to wrestle in college and major in biology. After college he hopes to enter medical school and become a doctor. Ouellette placed third as a sophomore and won his first state championship as a junior competing in the state's 2A division. The past two seasons he has been a very quick and skilled 215-pounder and will compete at this weight class again this season. For 2009-10, Hibriten has moved up to the 3A division. This should not matter as Ouellette is on pace to win a second state championship. Honorable Mention: DeSean Gromes (Parkland) Tylor Sigmon (Dudley)

Dennis Hall

Richard Wince

Rocco Caponi

Chuck Barbee

Jon McGovern

Sandy Stevens

Jake Herbert

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. Kansas saw nine seniors move on to Division I programs last year. This year's top 10 features seven returning state champions, including a former double Fargo champion in Kyle Caylor of Wichita Northwest and a three-time state champion in Colt Rogers of Smith Center. It is reloading time for Kansas, but as always the depth is impressive. 1. Kyle Caylor School: Wichita Northwest 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 215 Projected College Weight Class: 197 Kyle CaylorScouting Report: With a 102-10 career high school record, Caylor heads into the 2009-10 season looking for his third 6A state title. As a freshman he was a state finalist at 189 before winning the last two years at 215. Caylor took home a double national championship from Fargo in 2007 as a cadet and attained All-American status last year as a junior in the Greco-Roman 215 bracket at Fargo. He was also a FILA Cadet All-American in 2007. Kyle is extremely athletic and passes the "look" test with an impressive physique. He has contributed in many national dual events for Kansas and his courageous attitude has been contagious to his teammates. 2. Parker Madl School: Blue Valley 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160/171 Projected College Weight Class: 157/165 Parker MadlScouting Report: Madl begins the 2009-10 season having come off of a breakout year. He stands at 113-17 through three years that have included two state placings and a 2009 6A state championship. Parker was a 2008 Fargo freestyle All-American, placing fifth. He also placed third at the 2008 USA Wrestling Nationals. As a member of the Junior Nationals Dual Team in 2009, he finished 6-1. This past year at Fargo was a special time for this beast from Blue Valley, finishing 5-2 and one match away from placing in the loaded Junior Nationals 152 bracket. Prior to beating Steven Kelly from Colorado, Madl pinned the newly-crowned Greco-Roman national champion and Purdue signee, Kendrick Sanders from Florida, in 30 seconds! 3. Chase Nitcher School: Valley Center 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135 Projected College Weight Class: 133/141 Scouting Report: Nitcher is 135-7 after finishing with a Kansas state record 50-0 season as a junior. His only losses as a freshman and sophomore in the state bracket were to nationally-ranked Jordan Keller. He is a three-time state placer, including his state championship from 2009. He was a five-time Kansas kids state champion and a key member of the middle school and cadet dual teams. 4. Colt Rogers School: Smith Center 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 130 Projected College Weight Class: 133 Scouting Report: Rogers has become a legend in a town that has made a habit of growing legends. He is 108-3 after a 70-0 start in high school. Rogers is a three-time state champion. He was the 2007 Brute Nationals runner-up, losing in overtime to nationally-ranked Alan Waters of Missouri. Rogers is also a multi-sport star with 2800 rushing yards for the state championship football team. He is a three-time state medalist in the pole vault and 300-meter hurdles while running a leg on the 4x400 state championship relay team. He is an honor student with a bright future ahead of him. 5. Cade Blair School: Valley Center 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 152 Projected College Weight Class: 149 Cade BlairScouting Report: Blair is 108-13 and took home his second Kansas state 5A title in 2009. He wrestles for a highly competitive team at Valley Center and actually wrestled on the junior varsity team the majority of his freshman year, yet has still compiled 108 victories, including a 49-1 junior season. He was a five-time kids state champion and also a member of the Kansas National Middle School Team. 6. Lucas Vincent School: Olathe North 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 285 Projected College Weight Class: 285 (Football) Scouting Report: Vincent has a decision to make between wrestling and football. He is a star dual-sport athlete and has been know to accept an occasional foot race! Vincent is 102-13 through three years. He was the 2009 6A state champion and is a three-time state placer at 285. He has won three kids state titles and is a former Liberty Nationals champion and Outstanding Wrestler in 2005/06. He was named Olathe, Kansas Wrestler of the Year in 2008 and 2009. He was also a member of the Kansas Cadet National Dual Team. Vincent has signed to play football at the University of Missouri. Tyler Anderson7. Tyler Anderson School: Clay Center 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 140 Projected College Weight Class: 141 Scouting Report: Anderson is currently 98-18 and a three-time Kansas 4A state placer. He was a two-time Brute Adidas Nationals champion as well as a runner-up in 2008. A key member of the 2007 and 2008 state championship teams of Clay Center, Anderson finished 38-1 in 2009 with his only loss by decision to nationally-ranked and Nebraska recruit C.J. Napier. 8. Mark Kolmer School: Emporia 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 215 Projected College Weight Class: 197 (Football) Scouting Report: Kolmer is a three-time state placer with a 91-15 career record. He is a former kids state champion and won Liberty Nationals in 2006. He was an undefeated member of the Middle School National Dual Team. Mark is also a three-sport athlete, as a varsity running back for Emporia as well as a three-time state placer in the javelin. 9. Danny Floyd School: Osborne 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135/140 Projected College Weight Class: 141 Scouting Report: Floyd is 91-8 and is a two-time Kansas 321A state champion and three-time state placer. He just completed his second straight undefeated campaign, going 66-0 on his way to two straight state championships. He is a two-time Brute Adidas All-American. He was born in Honduras and is of Mayan descent. Floyd also plays on the varsity football team and has reached the rank of Eagle Scout. 10. Bryce Hood School: Louisburg 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135 Projected College Weight Class: 133/141 Scouting Report: Hood is 73-12 and is a two-time Kansas 4A state placer. He was a two-time kids state champion and a member of the Kansas Cadet National Dual Team. He has some outstanding wins over nationally-ranked wrestlers, Cody Tyler (Missouri), Drew Lexvold (Minnesota), Tony James (Missouri) and Keith Surber (Illinois). Honorable Mention: Benny Armstrong (Andale) Tank Burns (Columbus) Jace Campbell (Oakley) Joey Dozier (Garden City) BJ Finney (Andale) John Hambleton (Labette County) Garrett Jones (Arkansas City) Trey Page (Wichita Northwest) Isaac Ruiz (Junction City) Lorenzo Serna (Emporia) Logan Singular (Clay Center) Blaine Smith (Salina South) Zac Sparr (Rose Hill) Jake Walker (St. Thomas Aquinas) Derrick Weller (Piper)

Augustana head wrestling coach Jason Reitmeier today announced that Laramie Shaffer will transfer to Augustana at the end of the fall semester and compete for the Vikings during the spring semester. Shaffer, a 133-pounder from Winterset, Iowa, spent the past 4 seasons at Iowa State University. After redshirting during the 2005-06 season, Shaffer was a three-year letterwinner for the Cyclones. In 2006-07, Iowa State posted a 13-3 dual record, won the Big 12 championship and finished second in the nation. According to Reitmeier, Shaffer, who has 1 semester of eligibility remaining, is a big addition to the Viking lineup. "Laramie comes in with a lot of experience," Reitmeier said. "After 3 years competing at the Division I level, I expect him to come in and be a leader. He is a well-rounded grappler, strong in all positions. I believe he will make an instant impact nationally and battle for a national title." At Winterset High School, Shaffer was a four-year starter for the Huskies. A four-time Raccoon River Conference champion, Shaffer broke the school record for career victories. He was a two-time Class 2A state champion as a junior and senior, compiling a 95-1 record during those seasons. That includes a 50-0 mark as a senior. Shaffer finished sixth at the state tournament as a freshman and was the state runner-up as a sophomore, during which he had a 46-2 record. His career record was 189-12. Augustana officially opens the 2009-10 season at the Daktronics Open on November 7, but Shaffer will not be able to compete until January 2-3 when the Vikings compete at the Midwest Classic.

Clackamas Wrestling has recently added University of Minnesota transfer Ryland Geiger to this year's squad. Geiger is a former two-time Oregon state champ and was the Senior Nationals champion at 189 in 2008. While redshirting at University of Minnesota, Geiger compiled a 19-3 win-loss record for the Gophers and won the FILA Junior National Championships at 96 kg in freestyle. "We are very excited to have Ryland back home and we look forward to helping him achieve his wrestling and academic goals here at Clackamas," said fourth-year head coach Josh Rhoden. The Cougars are coming off of one of the top finishes in school history, a third-place finish at the 2009 NJCAA National Championships.

Ryak Finch of Safford, Arizona has known his wrestling goals since he started wrestling. He wants to be a multiple-time All-American and NCAA champion in college ... and then go on to win World and Olympic medals. Finch, who is ranked as the No. 23 senior recruit in the country by InterMat, gave a verbal commitment to Iowa State on Wednesday because he feels it is the school that gives him the best opportunity to accomplish those wrestling goals. Ryak Finch was a Junior Nationals double champion in Fargo this summer (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)"I just knew Iowa State was always the best place for me," said Finch, who projects collegiately at 125 pounds. "Talking to Coach Jackson, Coach Bono, and Coach Washington, I knew that it was going to be the best place for me to achieve my goals. They have the same goals in mind for me too." Finch has had considerable success in the international styles of freestyle and Greco-Roman. He has been an All-American several times in Fargo. This summer, Finch was a Junior Nationals double champion, winning national titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. His accomplishments in folkstyle wrestling are equally as impressive. Finch is a two-time Arizona state champion and a two-time NHSCA Nationals champion. Iowa State has made a commitment to training and preparing wrestlers for international wrestling careers. Iowa State's head coach, Kevin Jackson, served as the National Freestyle Coach for USA Wrestling for eight years. Iowa State's assistant coaches, Chris Bono and Yero Washington, also have considerable international wrestling experience. In addition, former Cyclone standouts Nate Gallick, Trent Paulson, and Travis Paulson have all returned to Ames this season to train for their international wrestling careers. "Every college says they have freestyle programs," said Finch, who chose Iowa State over Penn State. "But it's nice knowing that Iowa State is actually putting in the work, bringing in the guys, and proving that they are there to make Olympic champions and not just NCAA champions." Finch says that his No. 1 goal is to get prepared to wrestle in college, but he also has a few other things he would like to accomplish before he heads to Ames. "I have another state title to win," said Finch. "I'm also trying to lead my team to another state title. My team has five state titles in a row. We're trying to get that sixth one. We've won every year that I've been in high school, so I just want to make sure we keep that streak going. I have freestyle and Greco-Roman goals too. I want to make a Junior World Team and possibly go back to Fargo and double up."

NCAA President Myles Brand passed away today after a nearly year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. Brand had served as NCAA president since January 2003 and had led the Association through key initiatives including academic reform, increased emphasis on presidential leadership and broad discussions on fiscal issues in college athletics. Brand was 67. “Myles Brand was a dear friend and a great academic leader. He was a tireless advocate for the student-athlete,” said Michael Adams, president of the University of Georgia and chair of the NCAA Executive Committee. “Indeed, he worked to ensure that the student was first in the student-athlete model. He will be greatly missed.” The Executive Committee has the responsibility for conducting a search for President Brand’s successor. Senior NCAA staff will continue the operations of the national office until the Executive Committee makes a determination on interim leadership. Arrangements are pending.

YPSILANTI, Mich. -- The Eastern Michigan University wrestling team added a new member to the program Tuesday, Sept. 15, when Head Coach Derek DelPorto announced the hiring of new assistant coach Joe Pflug. The two-time NCAA All-American will join DelPorto and assistant coach David Bolyard in helping the young Eagles squad establish a championship mentality. Pflug, a 2009 graduate of Heidelberg University, was a 2006 NCAA champion and a third-place finisher in 2007, which earned him two All-American plaques. He was ranked No. 1 in the country his senior year until an season-ending injury halted his bid for a second National title. Pflug compiled an overall collegiate record of 60-5. A 2002 graduate of Maple Heights High School in Maple Heights, Ohio, he grappled his way to four finals appearances at the State level, where he notched two championship titles his junior and senior year (2001, 2002). He was also a State runner-up in his freshman and sophomore campaigns (1999, 2000). In 2002, he earned runner-up honors at the Senior Nationals competition, and was a two-time ASICS All-American. Pflug finished his high school career with a 154-4 record. “We are very excited that Joe is joining our staff.” said DelPorto of Pflug, who will be entering his first coaching job. “I think he is a perfect fit for what we are trying to accomplish here at Eastern. He is going to become a great coach very quickly and give this team yet another Ohio tie” (Bolyard is from Akron, Ohio). The 25-year old Pflug earned his degree in Health and Physical Education from Heidelberg in 2009.

Well, another season of the UFC’s reality show kicks off tonight, but not before a free fight card in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma featuring some former collegiate wrestlers. The UFC has a free Fight Night card before and after every reality TV series to help promote the company and the reality TV show. This Fight Night feature is a little different than in year’s past, since the reality show has several heavyweight fighters who have had experience in MMA … mixed with green fighters who have no experience. I love the idea, just not reality TV. I digress. Let’s break down the Gray Maynard-Roger Huerta fight, which is the co-main event, and also briefly look at past Division I wrestlers C.B. Dollaway and Mike Pierce. This card is littered with fighters who wrestled in high school or have some form of wrestling experience, but the four mentioned were the only ones that wrestled collegiately at a high level or institution. Our first fight breakdown is Gray “The Bully” Maynard vs. Roger “El Matador” Huerta with the winner moving one step closer to the top contender in the lightweight division. Maynard is one of the UFC’s rising stars. He has compiled a 7-0 record with his last win being a decision over a game Dan Miller. Maynard was a three-time All-American at Michigan State and was a college teammate of former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans. He began his MMA training by helping lightweight champion B.J. Penn train in wrestling a few years ago. He then competed in the UFC’s reality show, Season 5, making it to the semifinals, before losing to eventual champion Nate Diaz. (The loss does not count on his record, nor did his two wins on the TV program … They were not sanctioned because it was a TV show and they could not reveal results until months later.) When he then joined Randy Couture’s gym, Xtreme Couture, he finally fell in love with the sport. Maynard is 5-0-1 in the UFC with wins over veterans like Miller, Clementi, Siver, Veras, and former Clarion wrestling standout Frankie Edgar. He has an explosive ground-and-pound style and had dominated his past opponents keeping them on their backs. His one weakness is his striking. He doesn’t strike with great accuracy … although he is powerful. Huerta is a great come-from-behind story. He was a young orphan in Mexico with a tough troubled upbringing and has literally fought his way to success. He wrestled briefly at Division III powerhouse Augsburg College in Minneapolis … and was one the UFC's rising stars. He began training in Minnesota under Dave Menne (a former UFC middleweight champion) a few years later. He compiled a 21-1-1 and graced the cover of Sport Illustrated. Huerta was within one fight of a title shot in the lightweight division. He ended up losing that fight to Kenny Florian at UFC 87 in Minneapolis in August of 2008. He has not fought since. He took a break to pursue a career in acting … and now returns in his final fight of his UFC contract. Is his head in the fight? Does he want to be back in the UFC and make that title run? Many questions surround Huerta. One thing he does have is a serious skill set and could pose big problems for Maynard. He has great boxing and kickboxing skills … and has an iron chin. Can he keep the fight standing long enough to catch Maynard? That’s the million dollar question. Huerta's big weakness, like most past wrestlers, is on his back. He lost his last fight, because he was surprised by Florian’s takedown ability and his discipline not to get into a brawling match. He must keep this fight on the feet to warrant any chance against Maynard’s superior wrestling. Dollaway is fighting figuratively and literally for his UFC life. A tough loss to Tom Lawlor by guillotine choke in the first round at UFC 100 left Dollaway with a 2-2 UFC record. A loss here would mean that he could be potentially cut from the organization. Dollaway, who was an All-American at Arizona State, trains at the Arizona Sports Combat facility with Ryan Bader, Ben Askren, and Aaron Simpson, to name a few. He will need to control his opponent, Jay Silva, who is a solid grappler and submission artist to secure a win. Mike Pierce has a tough fight with Brock Larson. Pierce was an NCAA qualifier in 2000 while attending Portland State. His MMA career has been solid. He brings a 9-1 MMA record into tonight's fight, but is taking a step up in competition. Larson is a tough former high school wrestler from Minnesota who fights a similar style to teammate Sean Sherk. This may be a battle of whoever get the takedowns will win the fight. That being said, many times when two fighters with wrestling backgrounds fight, it ends up being a slugfest! I hope you enjoy the free event. Look for more MMA coverage of UFC 103 as it pertains to former wrestlers. UFC 103, which takes place on Saturday in Dallas, Texas, features former collegiate wrestlers Josh Koscheck (Edinboro), Efrain Escudero (Juco-Pima CCe), Ricky Story (Southern Oregon), Steve Lopez (Bethel), and Jim Miller (Virginia Tech), among others. You can follow Tony Nguyen on Twitter at http://twitter.com/TonyNguyenMMA.

Terry Brands

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. Fresh off of the 2009 victory at the Dapper Dan Event, Pennsylvania's 2010 senior class appears to have set the tone for a repeat victory against Team USA next March. This group of seniors has been tagged since early 2007 as the best ever to come out of Pennsylvania. Only time will tell if that's the case, but it's hard to argue with all the accomplishments these kids have earned to date. The buzz of the class comes from twins that compete for Central Mountain High School -- Dylan and Andrew Alton. The brothers won Junior Nationals in Fargo this summer and have given verbal commitments to Penn State. Marshall Peppelman from Central Dauphin has only seen the state finals so far in his career, a runner-up finisher as a freshman, Marshall looks to three-peat in 2010. The Alton twins, Dylan and Andrew, won titles at Junior Nationals this summer in Fargo, North Dakota (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)1a. Andrew Alton School: Central Mountain 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 140 Projected College Weight Class: 141 Scouting Report: Andrew, who verbally committed to Penn State, capped his perfect season last March with a first-period fall in the state finals. Anticipation is building in the Keystone State for a matchup with No. 4 Josh Kindig. This battle began this past offseason with these two in freestyle and the finale will come next March! 1b. Dylan Alton School: Central Mountain 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145 Projected College Weight Class: 149 Scouting Report: Dylan, like twin brother Andrew, gave a verbal commitment to Penn State. Dylan is one up on his twin with two PIAA state championships. His second title this past March was one of his toughest tests of the year ... beating returning state champion Joey Napoli. 1c. Marshall Peppelman School: Central Dauphin 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 152 Projected College Weight Class: 157 Scouting Report: Peppelman has more gold than Fort Knox. His team has won three consecutive state duals championships, won the team title at the individual states, and are the early favorites to win it all again in Pennsylvania. He is considering Cornell, Ohio State, and Virginia for college. Josh Kindig finished runner-up to Andrew Alton this summer at Junior Nationals (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)4. Josh Kindig School: Blue Mountain High School (130-11) 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135/140 Projected College Weight Class: 141 Scouting Report: Kindig didn't have far to travel during his career for the best competition. He's a District 11 product. His 2008 state runner-up finish was to highly talented Jordan Oliver, who now competes at Oklahoma State. The road to Hershey meant for Kindig to win gold he would have had to have beaten Oliver in three consecutive weeks. Kindig's senior campaign will have him battling Andrew Alton based on projected weight classes. 5. Dirk Cowburn School: Coudersport 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160 Projected College Weight Class: 165 Scouting Report: Cowburn battled a football injury that occurred late in the season. He missed most of December. Cowburn competes in the small school division and is looking for his third state championship this season. 6. Sam Sherlock School: West Mifflin 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 130 Projected College Weight Class:133 Scouting Report: Sherlock has given a verbal commitment to Penn State and he's not backing down from the competition. He is looking to avenge an overtime loss to Chris Villalonga and bring home a Beast title this December. He'll get tested throughout the season while competing in the powerhouse WPIAL. 7. Simon Kitzsis School: Wyoming Seminary 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135/140 Projected College Weight Class: 141 Scouting Report: Kitzsis will take to the big stage early as Wyoming Seminary has a schedule that is brutal during the first half of the season. Kitzsis took home a Beast title as the No. 9 seed last season, which caused his stock to go up. He's hoping to bring home more hardware in 2010. He's considering Maryland, Virginia, Northwestern, Lehigh, North Carolina, Binghamton, and Boston for college. 8. Evan Craig School: Abington Heights 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 285 Projected College Weight Class: 285 Scouting Report: Craig jumped into the mix as a freshman competing at heavyweight, which is unheard of in Pennsylvania. He took home gold as a Fargo Cadet Nationals champion in 2008, and then followed up with his first state championship as a junior. Josh Dziewa won a Junior Nationals title this summer in freestyle, but comes in at No. 9 in a deep Pennsylvania senior class (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)9. Josh Dziewa School: Council Rock South 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135 Projected College Weight Class: 141 Scouting Report: Well known, but viewed only from off-season events in 2009, Dziewa (pronounced Jevva) made his presence known in Fargo with a Junior Nationals title this summer. Council Rock South has improved its schedule and will travel to the Ironman in December. Dziewa has dropped some heartbreakers in the championship brackets at the PA states. He's looking for that title in 2010. 10. Mike McMullen School: Wyoming Seminary 09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 285 Projected College Weight Class: 285 Scouting Report: Like Kitzsis, McMullen's team will travel to all the major events early in the season. He has his sights on gold at Ironman and the Beast in December. He will likely play football in college ... but he's leaving his options open. He's looking at Harvard, Penn, Columbia, Virginia, Penn State, Army, and Northwestern. Honorable Mention: Colin Shober (Schuylkill Valley) Matt Cunningham (Shady Side Academy) Nate Gaffney (Connellsville) Spencer Myers (Selinsgrove) Antonio Giorgio (Warwick) Tyler Rauenzahn (Blue Mountain) Clint Morrison (Cedar Cliff) Jamie Callendar (Council Rock North) A.J. Schopp (Tyrone) Jordan Moss (Sharon) Eric Hess (Benton) Tyler Demott (Benton)

For the fifth straight year, high school boys wrestling participation numbers have increased while girls' participation hit an all-time high as The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) released their 2008-09 participation numbers. High School boys’ wrestling remains the sixth most popular sport with 267,378 participants. The total number of participants in 2009 is the highest number that wrestling has seen since 1980, when participation statistics were listed at 273,326 by the NFHS. As a whole, wrestling participation at the high school level has been seeing substantial growth in numbers over the past decade. The number of schools sponsoring boys wrestling is also at an all-time high with 10,311 schools. In 2008-09, Arkansas became the 49th state to sanction high school wrestling. The state recorded 1,975 participants in its inaugural year. Arkansas can credit much of the their growth and success to businessman Greg Hatcher, Agency Owner of the Hatcher Agency, in Little Rock, who was instrumental in getting the Arkansas Activities Association to sponsor wrestling. Mississippi remains the lone state which does not sponsor wrestling. Girls' wrestling also continues to grow each year. Girls' wrestling is at an all-time high with 6,025 participants. Texas and California continue to have the strongest girls wrestling presence on the high school level. "These high school participation numbers are great for the sport of wrestling, as the overall youth numbers throughout the country are also on a steady uphill climb," said Mike Moyer, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Coaches Association. "We attribute a lot of this growth to the incredible generosity (funding and otherwise) of wrestling alumni, business professionals, and wrestling organizations/clubs throughout the country." "It is also important to note that a growing number of wrestling coaches are dedicating more time to improving the recruitment and retention of wrestlers at all levels," said Moyer. "While growing the overall participation numbers across America is very important (i.e. increasing the number of teams), we must also make sure we are growing the average roster size of each individual team. What is important to remember with these growing numbers is the importance of ongoing coaching education as it relates to the retention of the student-athlete once they start participating in the sport." For more information on wrestling participation numbers since 1971 please visit the links below: * Boys Participation (PDF) * Boys Participation State by State (PDF) * Girls Participation (PDF) For more information on the NFHS participation numbers you can visit the NFHS Web site.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois wrestling assistant coach and three-time All-American Mike Poeta will be the featured speaker at a coaches clinic at Lyons Township High School in LaGrange, Ill., on Sunday, Sept. 27. Registration will be from 1-2 p.m., with the clinic running from 2-3:30 p.m. The clinic will be followed by a demonstration by the Illinois wrestling team from 3:30-5 p.m. "This is a great opportunity for us to improve our relations with many of the coaches in the Chicago area without asking them to come to Champaign," Illinois head coach Jim Heffernan said. "It's also something we plan to do more of in the future." The cost for the clinic is $20 and is open to coaches of all levels, while the demonstration by the Illini wrestlers is $10 and is open to coaches and wrestlers of all levels. Registration can be done online at http://www.fightingillini.com/camps or at Lyons Township High School on the day of the clinic.

Columbia, Mo. -- The nationally ranked Missouri wrestling team released its 2009-10 schedule today as announced by Head Coach Brian Smith. The Tigers will open the 64th season of Missouri wrestling on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 1 p.m. (CT) with the annual Black and Gold meet held in the Hearnes Center. Throughout the campaign, Missouri will host six home events, including the dual-opener against Illinois on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 6:30 p.m. Smith, entering his 12th year as head coach of the Tigers, will lead the squad through a challenging schedule that includes duals against five teams that finished among the top 25 in the nation at the 2009 NCAA Championships. "Our team and staff are anxious to get another season of TigerStyle wrestling underway," Smith said. "We've scheduled a lot of solid opponents for the upcoming year, and our guys will take on some of the best in the field. In addition to our 11 scheduled duals, the team will be traveling to three tournaments and will compete in our annual Missouri Open, Nov. 22." Big 12 action will begin on Friday, Jan. 29 as the Tigers take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers in a 7 p.m. (CT) dual in Lincoln, Neb. Missouri will host Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in back-to-back duals, Saturday, Feb. 6 and Sunday, Feb. 7, before closing out the dual season on Feb. 14 against Iowa State in Ames. The 14th annual Big 12 Championships return to Norman, Okla., for the third time in league history and first time since 2002. All five Big 12 squads are expected to rank among the top 15 teams in the nation. The wrestling season concludes at the 80th annual NCAA Division I Championships, March 18-20, at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb. The Tigers return three All-Americans including 2009 NCAA heavyweight champion Mark Ellis for the upcoming season. Additionally, five members of Missouri's 10-man lineup are prior NCAA qualifiers.

FARGO, N.D. -- North Dakota State head wrestling coach Bucky Maughan has announced the hiring of Roger Kish as an assistant coach. Kish joins the NDSU program after a successful wrestling career at the University of Minnesota. Roger Kish“We’re excited to have a wrestler with such an outstanding background joining our coaching staff,” said Maughan. “Roger will be a tremendous help with our upper weights both on the mat and from a recruiting aspect.” Kish was a graduate assistant for the Gophers last year. Kish, a LaPeer, Mich. native, was a two-time All-American and two-time NCAA runner-up for the Gophers at 184 pounds. He had a career record of 117-27 for the Gophers. As a sophomore, he went 35-7 en route to a Big Ten title and an NCAA runner-up finish. In his junior season, Kish was 37-3 and was the Big Ten and national runner-up. He was also a team captain. Kish graduated from Minnesota in May 2008 with a BS in business and marketing education. He was also a two-time cadet national champion and also captured a USA Wrestling junior national title. At LaPeer West High School (Mich.), he was a four-time Michigan state champion. Kish is the son of Roger and Brenda Kish. His older brother, James, wrestled at North Carolina.