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2002

HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING

FORECAST

(31st Annual Edition)

Written By:
Brian Brakeman

The High School Wrestling Forecast (commonly referred to as the Brakeman Report) was provided to the The Ohio Wrestling Sport Page (A web site dedicated to Ohio Wrestling, supported by the Wrestling Community in the State of Ohio).

Copyright 2002, Reproduction of this material for profit without written consent is prohibited.

DIVISION III

103 #

Projected Champion:  LEVI WYANT (TRIAD)

Top Contenders

This is a much more talented and experienced field than was present last year.  It possesses two returning placers, several other returning qualifiers, and some excellent newcomers.  There are fine wrestlers at all four districts, which should make for a well-balanced bracket sheet.  The last five winners have all exited from the Northeast District, but there are no guarantees in that direction this year.  Last year’s winner had some narrow escapes on his way to the title, this year’s champ will likely have to overcome the same kind of obstacles.

Despite two returning place winners (Schaefer and maybe Clemans), state qualifier LeJeune, and two great freshmen (Scaletta and Tucker), I’ve chosen a wrestler who didn’t get out of his sectional last year.  Wyant, after a fabulous regular season, lost a sectional semi-final heartbreaker to the eventual sectional and district champ.  He then was disqualified in the consolation semi-finals for an illegal slam.  This year he won the “A” Classic, Graham, and was 2^nd at Wadsworth, losing only to the exceptional Compton.  Impressively, he won a major decision, 10-2, over McCahan who was 3^rd at this weight class last year.  He should dominate his district and secure a good state pairing.  Next best in his area may be Porter, but the freshman Mages is also excellent.

The powerhouse district is at Waite.  I’m not sure I shouldn’t have picked Schaefer who was the district champ last year and finished 6^th in the state.  He had a late start to the season (often a positive) and has lost 7-5 to Scaletta.  I attributed some of that to rust after a long lay-off.  Clemans was 5^th last year, splitting two late season bouts with Schaefer.  However, rumors are rampant that Clemans may not wrestle for the remainder of the season, and that his very capable replacement, Lee, will take his place.  State qualifier LeJeune also returns and his recent resounding win at Clyde signals his high placement potential.  He was a bout from state placement last year, going 2-2 at Columbus.  The fourth spot belongs, in all likelihood, to Amburgey who was 5^th at the district level last year.  The excellent freshmen, Tinnel, Madden, and Schreiner are also possibilities.  The big issue is that Schaefer, LeJeune, Amburgey, Tinnel and Schreiner all compete in the same sectional.  One will not even reach the district level, and the pairings could also be skewed at Waite.

Scaletta was 4^th and 2^nd the last two years in the Junior High state tourney, losing to Lipp (more on him soon) by one point in last year’s final.  As mentioned, he holds a decision over Schaefer and was a strong 4^th at Brecksville.  He has finalist potential.  Keyes was injured at last year’s sectional and could not compete at the district level.  He would appear to be Scaletta’s only real challenger at Elyria Catholic.  The last two spots are wide open, with Mamaros (Beachwood) and Kertchan (Perry) other contenders beside the four other rated wrestlers at this district – Bill, Kemble, Gray, and Nagel.

The freshman, Tucker, stands out at Coshocton.  He won handily at Barnesville the OVAC, and Bellaire St. John and should be the class of this field.  Almost all of the rest of the top contenders here are from the Central District.  Riley and Minner are both strong and have low place possibilities, though that is not a high probability event.  A couple of dark horse contenders for state qualification are Wright (North Union) and Seidler (Monroe Central).

112 #

Projected Champion:  COREY OPFER (SANDUSKY ST. MARY)

Top Contenders

            There are eleven returning state qualifiers competing at this weight class – all but one of them having migrated up from 103#.  Despite all of that state experience I still see this as a battle between generations --a couple of seniors – Monsman and McIntyre  –  versus the two freshman sensations Opfer and Lipp.  That would seem to be the storyline, although two excellent OVAC wrestlers, Emery and Huffman, will also be top contenders.  I’ve chosen the winner at this weight class for the last nine years, but making it a full decade of correct choices will be a very difficult task.

In my mind the battle of generations will, in the main, fall to the side of the freshman.  Opfer, a state junior high champ, is an exceptional wrestler with far more strength than generally exhibited by one his age.  Should he follow in the footsteps of his older brothers, Jared and Drew, at least two records could be broken.  An Opfer victory would be the seventh year in a row one of the brothers would be a state champion tying the record of the Dernlan brothers who won titles in seven consecutive years from 1984-1990 (and eight of nine years).  It would also begin to put in jeopardy the record eleven state titles won by the DiSabato brothers.  That's because after Corey comes Troy, who may be the best one of them all.

However, an Opfer title will not come easily.  As mentioned in the first paragraph, this is a field with many returning state placers and qualifiers.  Opfer emerges from by far the easiest district.  It would be surprising if any of the other three qualifiers – whoever they happen to be – place at Columbus.  No one here has previous state experience, and so Opfer should enter the state meet as a district champion – almost always an advantage.

The Elyria Catholic District is loaded.  State champion Monsman returns and has fashioned a solid year of accomplishment.  He has been 2^nd at Solon, Wadsworth, and Mayfield despite battling some nagging injuries.  The sensational freshman Lipp has been as good as advertised.  The very first week of the season he defeated state champion Monsman to win at Solon, and then won championships at Riverside and Kenston, too.  A junior high state titlist he has wrestled some at 119# with equal success, such as a win over Division II state qualifier, Chad Kahn.  Don't overlook state qualifiers  Mosher and Cavalier.  They finished 2^nd and 3^rd at Richmond Hts. (behind Emery), but looked very tough.  Cavalier was 2^nd at Waite, while Mosher was a solid 4^th at the always strong Dies Tournament.  There are solid backups should the pairings or an upset foil one of the top quartet.

It will also be a terrific battle at Coshocton.  Defending district 112# champ Lucas Huffman returns with a 25-1 record (his only loss at 119#) and a raft of tournament titles including the giant OVAC championship.  State qualifier Emery took the title over Mosher and Cavalier at Richmond Hts., won at Union Local, and was 3^rd at the OVAC.  Last year  Monsman needed an escape in the 30-second period to edge Emery in the state quarter- finals.  McIntyre, of course, was 4^th in this district last year, but won three state battles (two of them very close) before losing to Monsman in the finals.  He has been at 119# a good part of this year.  State qualifier Ewing leads some impressive competitors in an effort to grab that fourth state ticket.  It’ll be a great competition at this weight class in Coshocton.

I’m not sure how good the Xenia boys will be.  State qualifier Robbe is undefeated with three tourney titles, and I’ve ranked him first at this district.  Last year Cavalier “bombed” him in the first round 12-2, and he then lost a heartbreaker, 8-6 in overtime, and was eliminated.  Eckhardt, a state qualifier, would seem to be next best, but there are plenty of opportunities for change here.

119 #

Projected Champion:  TANNER SHEARER (SANDUSKY ST. MARY)

Top Contenders

Another weight class with double-digit returning state qualifiers and four returning state placers.  Also a weight class with a number of compelling storylines.  Gambill, now a junior, has come into the last two state meets with 5 or 6 losses, and then wrestled his way to the finals each time.  Both times he lost, including last year’s heart wrenching 3-2 double overtime defeat.  I can recall only one other wrestler who was second his first two years and didn’t win a state title, and that was Mike Parson (2-2-3-3) who was never again a finalist.  Tierney is a two-time placer and one of the leaders of the always strong Martins Ferry team.  He and his twin brother have dominated competition along the river and placed four times.  Neither, however, has ever been a finalist.  Cottone was 6^th in Division I last year and is sensational with the legs, while Paparone, a Kenston transfer in 2000, is a returning placer and a key member of the heavily favored Chanel squad.

Despite all this my choice is the outstanding sophomore from Sandusky St. Mary, Tanner Shearer.  A transfer from Clyde, Shearer has dominated Division III competition and is currently undefeated.  He hammered Cottone the first week of the season, and has won at the Panther Invitational and the Boca Raton tourney in Florida.  Twice a junior high state place-winner, he seems to have found the perfect niche at St. Mary’s.  He faces a very strong field with some outstanding competitors, but has the mental and physical strength to prevail.

Shearer emerges from a competitive district.  State qualifier Chapa, who is 0-4 in state competition, had a terrible draw at Columbus last year – losing one point bouts to Gambill and defending state champ Tyler Scott.  Ford, now down at 119# should thrive at this weight class, while Herner, Steinmetz, and state qualifier Buckingham are also in the picture.  Factor in Resendez, Hale (Stryker), Cartee (Bucyrus), and Karnes/Suffel (Edgerton) and it could be a real donnybrook for that last qualifying spot.  Overall, 119# is one of the most competitive weight classes and this district will send four wrestlers, all of whom will be tough first-round match-ups.

At Coshocton Tierney will face very strong competition for the top spot.  Wickline, who considered going at 112# is very good.  Last year he beat McIntyre at both the sectional and district level, but lost to him in the state semi-finals, eventually finishing at strong 3^rd.  He has again fashioned an exceptional record this year, and has finalist potential.  Two-time state qualifier Wyse has never won a state bout despite out-standing regular season records.  He’ll rectify that situation this year and has solid placement potential.  This trio seems slightly above the rest of the field at Coshocton.  Again, as we saw at Waite, there will be a real struggle for the last qualifying spot.  In my mind Glasser and Navarra are the top two candidates.  Last year Navarra upset Wyse on a tiebreaker, but then quickly lost twice while Wyse won four consolation bouts to reach Columbus.  Glasser was a district semi-finalist last year, and has won at Shadyside this year.  State qualifier Prendes, Pacifico (Bellaire St. John) and Byers (Johnstown Monroe) are other possibilities.  The one to watch is Prendes who just moved down from 130#, and could be very strong once he adjusts to the weight.

As always, Gambill has lost some early season bouts – he was, for example, 4^th at Graham, but we have all learned that he is very good in February and March.  He has a very handy talent of winning close bouts – last year a one-pointer in the first round and overtime in the second – that deserted him only in the finals against Buzek.  Cottone, a transfer from Moeller, is great on top, and if you cannot defend legs he will turn you at will.  His bouts are often one-sided – he either wins by a lot or loses that same way.  State placer Rhodes and state qualifier Franz make up the top quartet at Xenia and it’s a powerful group.  Almost never can we say at any weight class in Division III that the Southwest District is the deepest and strongest of the four.  However, it’s true here.  Rhodes was a state semi-finalist last year finishing a strong 4^th .  Franz lost an overtime bout in the first round and then was quickly pinned by Tierney.  Hopefully the district pairings will be good  -- the top four come from two sectionals, but should upsets occur Howard,  Clum (Spencerville), Mitchell (Dixie) and Spohn (Cincinnati Hills Christian) are long-shot thoughts.

Paparone, 5^th last year, has wrestled a tough schedule, and is much improved this year, but this high quality field may make it tough for him to move up any higher on the awards podium.  He was 2^nd at North Canton and Solon, and 3^rd at Wadsworth.  Hamed was a back-up at CVCA last year, but has blossomed at Woodridge.  He has won the titles at Richmond Hts. and Hillsdale in impressive fashion.  Spencer is probably third best here and this trio is a bit ahead of everyone else.  Look for Taub, Ross, Palombo and Burrer to battle for the last qualifying spot.

125 #

Projected Champion:  JEFF JAGGERS (CHANEL)

Top Contenders

I first saw Jeff Jaggers as a seventh grader at the State Junior High School Tournament as he crushed four opponents on his way to the title.  It did not take any special insight to realize that I was seeing a wrestling prodigy.  He won again the next year in an even more dominating performance, and was wrestling the Chanel state placers even-up in the summer.  Last year he was one of two freshmen to win a state title (Deubel was the other) defeating the state placer Cavalier in the final.  This year he won at Solon, North Canton and Wadsworth crushing nearly every opponent.  His most impressive win was an 11-2 victory over the very tough Meissner, a wrestler who was 3^rd at the Ironman losing only to Agozzino, 6-5, in two overtimes.  Jaggers could end up as Ohio’s first six time state champion – a feat unlikely to be duplicated any time soon. 

This is not a particularly strong weight class and Jaggers, whose only close bout last year at Columbus was in the finals, may not have even that inconvenience this year.  Jaggers exits from by far the most powerful district.  Six of the top eight wrestlers will compete at Elyria Catholic and only four will make it to Columbus, and there is good depth even behind this top sextet.  My guess is that some of them (like Maglio) will migrate to the somewhat easier 130# class.  As it currently stands Caruso looks next best at both the district and state level.  He has been 2^nd at Solon, Riverside, and Kenston, losing very close bouts at the latter two venues.  However, Jaggers whipped him 14-4 at Solon.  Faist, a common opponent, defeated Caruso by two at Kenston, and lost 4-3 to Jaggers (his only close bout) at North Canton.  Spencer defeated O’Brien to win at Richmond Hts., and was an excellent 3^rd at Medina, losing only to Division I pick Enright and beating Borders, Kremer, Holler, and Tierney.  State qualifiers Maglio, Smith, and O’Brien are also here with the first named just down from 135#.  O’Brien does not look as sharp this year, and that could well be the result of being Gilmour’s only tough wrestler this year.  Smith beat him at Doylestown as did Spencer at Richmond Hts.  However, both bouts were close.  This six all have placement talent, but again, only four can qualify.  Johnson and Bernath could qualify out of any other district, while Shario (Garretsville), Morris (West Salem Northwestern) and Snyder (Chippewa) have little chance.

There are three returning state qualifiers at Xenia with Burroughs the best of the bunch.  He was one bout from placement last year, and should be on the awards stand Saturday evening this year.  He was runner-up at Madeira’s first appearance at the SWOCA and has made three previous trips to Columbus.  With eight state bouts under his belt he is the most experienced wrestler here.  His only mis-step was at GMVWA where he failed to place.  Henry was 2^nd at that tourney and he and Burroughs should be finalists at this district.  State qualifiers Isaacs, Gates, Welker, and Beach are possibilities for the last two spots with Isaacs a favorite for one of them.

Both the districts at Waite and Coshocton looked somewhat overmatched here.  State qualifier Anderson leads a somewhat suspect group at Coshocton whose qualifiers could struggle at the state level.  At Waite there are no wrestlers with previous state experience.  It looks like a journeyman crew with everyone at about the same level.  That’s not to say one of them might not sneak in to grab a low place, but that will depend a lot on bracket position and the fact that only four qualify out of Elyria Catholic.  Upset-makers here are Lill and Munroe.  The latter tripped up Anderson at Sheridan.

 130 #

Projected Champion:  DAVE TIERNEY (MARTINS FERRY)

Top Contenders

This is a weight class that hasn’t quite snapped into focus yet.  It’s a little fuzzy and some of the important details are still obscured.  With Elwood now apparently competing at 130# it looks like there are a quintet of potential contenders.  Unfortunately, they have not met so far this year and, in fact, only Elwood met Tierney and Kuykendall last year.  I’ve made a half dozen lists and the only one of the fivesome who hasn’t been first at one time or another is Kuykendall – meaning that might be who to put your money on.  Since each district is represented here we’ll take a closer look at each of the top contenders in that context.

The only district with two of my top quintet is at Coshocton.  Tierney, my choice, is a three-time state qualifier who was 3^rd the last two years, losing to the eventual champ (Lester and Blunk) both times.  A dominant figure in his locale, he (and his brother) have had great four year careers.  A very tough, tenacious wrestler he gives every opponent a strikingly difficult battle.  Even the four-time champ Lester beat him by only an 8-4 margin.  Elwood, on the other hand, is a much flashier competitor who can score points by the bushel basket.  He was 6^th last year including an exciting 10-9 win over Neilson to place.  This year he is undefeated, but did not compete at Richmond Hts.  He lost to Tierney in overtime last year and to Kuykendall in the consolation semi-finals at States.  Blaine is the defending district champion at the weight class, but I see him half a step behind my top duo.  He’ll have to spring at least one upset to place.  After that it’s wide open with Gandert, Lucas, and Cocherel all capable of wrestling well at Columbus  -- if they can get there.

Smilek is up two weight classes for the second consecutive year.  He was 3^rd at 103# as a freshman, and 6^th last year after losing a semi-final bout to Jaggers at 119#.  This year he has wrestled at both the Ironman and Medina – both times in terribly difficult weight classes.  He was 6^th at the Ironman, losing to three state champions, and failed to place at Medina, losing to Constantino and Martin. Since then he triumphed at the Top Gun in impressive fashion. This should make him more than ready for the competition here, and he has finalist possibilities.  Remember his brother pulled a huge upset to win a state title last year, and Matt would need nothing of that magnitude to win here.  The rest of this district is not as strong, and that’s why I anticipate some of the excess 125’s moving in this direction.  State qualifier Peltz, Meyers, and Smithville MVP Steiner are perhaps in line for qualification.  Don’t overlook Hicks since Chanel wrestlers have made it a practice to come on strong at year’s end and surprise more highly rated competitors. 

Young, a transfer from Oak Harbor, has looked very sharp at 130#, and I may be under-rating him here.  He is undefeated with wins at the Panther Classic, Northwest Duals, and Boca Raton tournaments.  He faces a crowded district, but one that he appears to be several points ahead of anyone else.  State qualifier and district champion Cook has had an up-and-down year and could face pressure to qualify once again.  Ollom and Tomor have had big years and may have moved ahead of him.  Irwin, Stuckey, Bugner, Grigson (Northwood) and Slachta (Swanton) all could be factors here.

Three-time qualifier Kuykendall heads an excellent Xenia District.  He has shown steady improvement at Columbus from “two and out” as a freshman to two wins as a sophomore to a 4^th place finish last year.  Tierney beat him 6-0 in the consolation finals last year, and that’s a lot of points to make up on a good wrestler.  He was 2^nd at the SWOCA, 1^st at the GMVWA, and undefeated at the Northwest Duals, so he’s ready.  State qualifier Bodey beat Ollom earlier in the year and he along with state qualifier Smith could capture a low to middle place.  State qualifiers Lutz and Weyer are also at this district, and somebody is going to be disappointed if things stay as they are.  Weyer, one of the main cogs in a revitalized Blufton team, could be on the bubble here.

135

Projected Champion:  STEVEN BLUNK (STREETSBORO)

Top Contenders

As an eighth grader Blunk did not place in the Junior High State Tournament, but in less than a year he was suddenly a state finalist.  Wrestling for CVCA last year he hit my radar screen with a strong performance at Medina where he lost two close bouts to eventual Division I state runner-up T. J. Enright.  At the district level he had three technical falls and a 5-1 win over Ralph.  He then scored a minimum of 13 points in his first three state wins before getting caught by three-time state champ Drew Opfer and pinned in the first period.  It was a most remarkable run, and it didn’t hurt that he had Lester and the two Smileks as workout partners.  This year he is at Streetsboro, but has maintained that momentum.  He has won this year at Aurora, Chippewa, and Hudson; and becomes a solid favorite at this weight class. 

Blunk is a scoring machine who likes an up-tempo, aggressive opponent.  At Elyria Catholic, only state placer Ralph would seem to have the talent and experience to keep things close.  In a high-scoring bout Blunk cannot be defeated in Division III, but in a one move match – who knows?  Ralph was 5^th last year beating Elwood twice and losing two overtime bouts to Tierney and Kuykendall.  The latter was a 30 second tiebreaker with Tierney barely hanging on.  Had Ralph escaped, Chanel would very likely have won the team title.  Wiles, coming down from Division II, was a district semi-finalist last year, and that momentum has carried into this year.  He finished 4^th at Wadsworth, and has done well in the countless duals that Perry wrestles.  The last spot is certainly wide open.  Besides those listed I like Kostel (Cuyahoga Hts.), Hamann (Columbia Station) and McFarland (Brookside).  Also watch out for the freshman Bernon (Beachwood) and the far more experienced Windom (Waynedale).

Blunk’s chief rival will be the excellent Chris Seta.  He was 3^rd last year,losing only to Lester--and this year beat the top notch Wolery in overtime to win the SWOCA.  Undefeated this year, he’ll be away from Blunk at States and, if he can get by Ralph, that should be the match-up for the title.  The rest of the district is relatively weak, and Seta may well be the only rival will be the excellent Chris Seta.  He was 3^rd last year, losing only to Lester – and this year placer out of this area.  Other possible qualifiers besides those listed above are J. Knoop (Miami East) – one of the three on the team – and Beach (Dixie).

State qualifier Bennington leads a relatively weak Coshocton District.  Something of a surprise qualifier last year (I had him ranked 24^th), he won a consolation bout at States and should do much better than that this year.  Nutbrown is rated the best in the Columbus area, but he was only 4^th at Clyde, although both Blackburn and Spurlock were at that weight.  After that it’s pretty much a grab-bag weight class, although we may see either Cocherel or Elwood move back here from 130#.

The Waite district is also relatively weak with few wrestlers appearing to have place-winning credentials.  Pfeiffer pinned in the Gorman finals, but Lewis took him into overtime in the afternoon round.  Coopman, a transfer from Archbold, has done well in his new environs and should qualify.  Dark horse candidates here are Link (Sandusky St. Mary) and Perkins (Gibsonburg)

140 #

Projected Champion:  ADAM LOHMAN (DELTA)

Top Contenders

Despite an enormous amount of time and energy spent analyzing and reanalyzing this weight class, I feel no closer to understanding its final resolution than I did six weeks ago.  Part of the problem is that the top group has very similar credentials – state qualifiers, either a low state place or nearly one, and this year, titles at smaller tourneys and solid placements at larger ones.  Clearly, this is a more difficult problem to untangle than most because they all seem to fall into the same category.

My choice is the fast-improving Delta middleweight,  Adam Lohman.  A state quarter-finalist last year, he missed placement by one bout.  This year he has won at Waite and Perrysburg and was a strong 4^th at Brecksville, losing to Randazzo (by a point) and splitting two tough bouts with the excellent Lovell.  This should be a competition replete with close bouts and Lohman (or whoever wins) will have to be able to win a lot of them.

Lohman exits a very solid district.  Young, like Lohman, was one bout from state placement last year, and that was a bout he was forced to default.  He has been at 140# all year (at least by my records), but did certify at 135#.  Still, I believe he’ll stay at 140#.  After all, his odds of winning here are substantially greater than at 135# where Blunk is very dominating.  He certainly will be away from Lohman at Columbus and, perhaps, from Vogel, as well.  Malott was 5^th last year, and has won at Richmond Hts. and Edison this year.  The sophomore Joseph Whelan also was a state qualifier, but drew Mike Hurley in the first round, and eventually, went “two and out.”  That’s a formidable quartet, and that means Emery, Donelson or the freshman Hill, will have to spring a major upset to qualify.  Also watch for Hofelich (Genoa) and McGaharin (Northwood).

State placer Vogel has had a big junior year.  Rated #1 in the Columbus area, he was a semi-finalist at Medina and was impressive.  It’s easy to overlook Walker who wrestles pretty much a transparent schedule for me, but he is very good.  You see his name pop up at some out-of-the-way tourneys, but it always pops up as champion.  He lost by just two points to Lohman in the first round at Columbus last year, and must be factored into any state placement analysis.  Two years ago Irwin was a state junior high champion and last year was an immediate state qualifier as a freshman.  He was the champ at Shadyside and 3^rd at St. Clairsville, losing only to an out-of-state star.  This is a strong trio, but Peddicord, Zrinyi, and Case makeup a second threesome who will challenge for the last state berth.  Also in the mix are Springer, Woodby (Monroe Central), and Youngen (Garaway).

The districts at Elyria Catholic and Xenia are not nearly as strong.  Nobody from either district rates in my top seven, and state placement will not be easy.  Wright could be an important factor in Chanel’s charge toward a team title, while Sarosy or Sammons could have upset potential.  Further south, state qualifier Bergman highlights a very weak overall field.  Loreaux certified at 135#, but again I think we will find him at this weight class.

145 #

Projected Champion:  MARCUS GORDON (MAPLETON)

Top Contenders

In a way it’s kind of a shame that Akron St. Vincent had one or two extra male students to push them into the Division II category.  After all what a great match-up we would have had at 145# with state champions Ryan Hurley and Marcus Gordon squaring off.  As it is Gordon will be an overwhelming choice to defend his title at this weight class and cap off a marvelous four year career.  Gordon was 6^th as a freshman losing a 6-4 bout to Scott Roth in the quarter-finals.  Then as a sophomore he had three one-sided wins before Roth defeated him in overtime for the title.  Last year we anticipated a two-man battle between the superb Parsons and Gordon for the championship.  They split their sectional and district bouts, but Parson was upset by Minner in the quarter-finals and Gordon cruised to the title.  Parson then placed in the National High School Championship.  This year the stocky Gordon should win handily – only an illegal slam would seem to be a roadblock.  Signed with Eastern Michigan, he has already won four tournaments this year, and should end up an undefeated champ.

After Gordon the Elyria Catholic district is relatively weak.  Holztrager was a district semi-finalist at this class last year before losing to Parsons and then being nipped by Kirtley in his go-to-the-state bout, 8-6.  The next week Kirtley ended up in the state finals with Gordon.  This year Holztrager has won several smaller tourneys and was 2^nd to the excellent Hogan at Avon Lake.  Burton and Aquista are, perhaps, slight favorites for the last two spots, but Hoffman, just down from 152#, could grab one of those spots.  Pool is another possibility.  Fearon (Kirtland) and Hodina (Wickliffe) are likely to be left behind.  Also, watch for Moten (Woodridge) who apparently will compete at 140#.

One of the most improved wrestlers I’ve seen this year is Pat Hardy.  A first round district loser last year, he has had an excellent junior season.  He won at Hamilton Twp. and was a strong 3^rd at Medina, pinning state placer Dotson and decisioning state qualifiers Adkins and Shriner.  Both Samsa and Wilson also have placement potential, and there are some interesting parallels.  Both were state junior high champs – at the same weight class in successive years – and both wrestle that tough river style.  Wilson, a district finalist last year, won one state bout before losing the next two.  Wilson was 1^st at Barnesville and 2^nd at Richmond Hts. (losing to Gordon 13-7) and Shadyside (losing to Samsa, 3-2). He then won the title at the OVAC while Samsa gained but a low place.  Bahmer is my fourth choice after a solid season with placement at every tourney entered.  He beat Hardy last year, but lost to Monroe at Barnesville.  Other strong possibilities here are Hoover, Rollenhagen, Ross, Bender (Caldwell), and DiGiandomenico (Bellaire St. John).  They’ll need to be at the top of their game to qualify.

State placer Dotson and Perrysburg champ Moss look to lead the district at Waite, but they face stiff competition.  Dotson won titles by falls at Hudson and the “A” Classic, but was 6^th at Medina.  Moss missed part of the season, but was sharp at Perrysburg, finishing ahead of Mack.  State qualifier Bethel also returns after winning a state bout last year and losing another one on tiebreaker.  He has a good shot at a low place.  My view is that this entire district is very closely matched with Frankart, Schlessman, Bogden, Smith, Mack, and Perkins (Arcadia) about the same level.  The close matching should engender stiff competition from the quarter-finals on at Waite.

The Xenia District should pose little threat at Columbus.  State qualifier Hasty, Showalter, Bryant and Muldrow are the most likely qualifiers, but all of them will have difficulty at the state level.  The one potential exception exception might be Showalter who may have improved beyond where I rated him.  Now with the redoubtable Smith as a workout partner he provides Mechanicsburg with a real “one-two” punch at the middle weights.

152 #

Projected Champion:  MICHAEL LINSKER (BEACHWOOD)

Top Contenders

Like Marcus Gordon in the previous weight class, Michael Linsker is looking to become a four-time state place-winner, and, in an odd coincidence, they both have a first, second, and sixth place medal, although in a different order.  Linsker was 6^th in his freshman year at 119#, and then moved to 130# as a sophomore.  A district loss to Mike Hurley that year put him in a difficult bracket position, but he, nonetheless, reached the finals.  Trailing badly he caught Hurley late in the third period and pinned him – one of the most stunning turnarounds in my 35 years of telecasting.  Last year he and Ryan Hurley were a quantum step above the rest of the field at 140#.  Hurley won their district final in overtime, and when they met again in the state finals the team title was also up for grabs.  Hurley needed to win a decision to move Akron St. Vincent into a tie with Chanel.  Linsker, looking for revenge, was injured in an early flurry, but continued to wrestle.  Hurley then won a 19-2 technical fall after which it was found that Linsker had suffered a concussion.  The bonus points as it turned out won the state title for Akron St. Vincent.  This year Linsker has again moved up two weight classes (as he has every year ala Joey Pflug).  He is a relatively small 152-pounder and that has been complicated by a series of nagging injuries.  He has remained undefeated, but it has been close several times.  At Kenston he beat Berquist 8-7 in the semi-finals and then came from way behind to nip Gadson 11-8 in the finals.  He may well struggle against the big 152’s.

One of Linsker’s toughest opponents might well come from his own district.  Hill, a transfer from Manchester, has shown rapid improvement this year.  He won handily at Richmond Hts. and Chippewa, and has good size in this, his second year at this weight.  Ross is probably next best, but there is a big gap – maybe, chasm – between the top duo and the rest of this district.  Foote, Goble, and Adkins are also in the hunt for one of the last two state berths.  Other possibilities are Ross (West Salem Northwestern), Santa (Chanel), Comer (Ledgemont), and the fine freshman Schnittger (Lutheran West).

Smith is also a transfer having moved from Urbana to Mechanicsburg, and he has been sensational.  Undefeated, he was one of the few non-Graham wrestlers to win at St. Paris, and has followed that up with a consistent string of victories.  Last year he was a Division II district champ, but won only one state bout.  He’ll win more than that this year.  State qualifier Schultz and the excellent McNeal make this one of the toughest districts at this weight class.  Schultz won two state bouts last year and missed placement by one win.  McNeal, very good on his feet, could also place while Knoop, Dobereiner, Shonkwiler, and Thobaden will fight for the last spot.

McGuire is a big, bulky 152-pounder with solid skills.  A state qualifier last year, he looked good at Medina, finishing 4^th and losing only to Division I stars, Kuhner and Scarl.  His compact body physique makes him tough to wrestle, and he could give the top-rated group lots of trouble.  State qualifier Roth is also good and like Linsker is up two weight classes.  He won at Bellaire St. John and Barnesville at 160#, and will not come in as a “small” 152-pounder.  The rest of this district is, perhaps, a step behind the top twosome.  Tacosik was 2^nd at Barnesville and 1^st at Steubenville, while Burkhardt, Baker, and Jefferis are at about the same level.  Sutter, Baldridge (Northmor), and Fisher (Liberty Union) are next best out of Columbus after McGuire, and have an outside chance at qualification.

The Northwest District is really interesting.  Madden is another of those excellent Delta middleweights.  He was a state qualifier last year, but drew Ryan Hurley in the first round and couldn’t recover in time for the consolation round.  He was 2^nd at Perrysburg, losing only to Division II state runner-up Maxworthy– but did not compete at Brecksville.  Merillat had 39 victories as a sophomore at this weight class, but missed out on state qualification.  DeCooman too, just missed a trip to Columbus and he has been the linchpin for a vastly improved VanBuren team.  He defeated state qualifier Sarver to win the “A” Classic, and both of them will be formidable obstacles at the district level.  But there are four more excellent 152’s right behind them.  Gracia, in particular, has just dropped from 160# and will be a “load” at this class.  Also in this second quartet are Amor, Park, and the freshman, Baum.  Anyone of them could win a ticket to Columbus.  That does not exhaust the depth at this district.  Bonnell (Toledo Christian), Resendez (Genoa), Racheter (Lakota), and Glamm (North Baltimore) could all be factors here.  It should be great fun at this district.

160 #

Projected Champion:  A. J. AESCHLIMANN (TUSLAW)

Top Contenders

I like big innings, long touchdown plays, three point baskets, and pins; and I dislike pitchers’ battles, field goals, and 2-1 bouts with three stalling calls.  Unfortunately defense is easier to teach and execute, and so most sports struggle with an appropriate balance between offense and defense.  Certainly wrestling is in the forefront of that struggle – and at the upper levels is losing the fight.  Even at the high school level there are far too many who wrestle “not to lose” rather than go all out for victory.  One of the reasons I like A. J. Aeschlimann is that he is a scorer and a pinner.  He had four falls in winning at both Richmond Hts. and Northwest and had two at last year’s state meet where he finished 5^th.  Now the big junior stands poised to win his first state title in a weight class that is virtually bereft of talent.  At least in my mind this is the weakest of the 42 weight classes, and could provide unbelievable opportunity for marginal 152’s and small 171’s to place.

Jacobs has moved down from the 171-pound class he wrestled at last year, and it’s been a rousing success.  As I write this he is 31-0 with three tournament victories to his credit.  He’s been a dominating performer, and at this weight class he has finalist potential.  Bond missed state qualification by one bout last year, and one of his advantages is having Ohl as a workout partner.  However, this is such a wide open weight class I’m not sure that’s enough to keep him ahead of the outstanding freshman Dye.  Also lurking are Skates and Mack both with possible state qualification available at this weight class. Ross is also good, while Bedford (Woodmore) and Shlack (Carey) cannot be overlooked.  An intriguing possibility is Poupard (Toledo Christian) who was 2^nd at the big Rogers tourney.

One of the best districts in this not so strong weight class is at Elyria Catholic.  Aeschlimann is, of course, the point person at this location, but Gilkey is very good.  Injured right before sectionals he finished the season on a very low note despite an excellent regular season record.  He, again, missed much of the early season action, but has now rounded into form.  His big win was a 12-11 victory over the excellent Savel in a dual meet.  A big test will be his performance at the Mary Kerr tourney.  Roppel and Roman are also top-notch performers who both have placement potential.  As presently constituted it would not surprise me if all four qualifiers from this district were to place.  Roppel could be a critical factor in Chanel’s team chances – as, in fact, it turned out that he was last year.  Blunk, Hickey, Weiss, and Jenison would all have reasonable chances at qualification at any other district besides this one.

There are a lot of potential state qualifiers at Coshocton, and it will be interesting to see how they sort themselves out.  Cataline and Petrella, out of the Central District, look to be strongest, but I am not yet totally convinced.  They have not been in the cauldron of activity that may well have toughened up the competitors along the river.  I like the free-wheeling Dimmerling, but Barker, Sefsick and Kemp are all at about that same level.  Two wrestlers not on the opening grid who, perhaps, should be rated higher are Lewis (Pleasant) and Irwin (Malvern).  Missing here is state qualifier Lawson (Malvern), who decided not to compete this year.  Only a junior this year, he is the defending district champ at this weight class.

In a flashback to a few years ago the Xenia district is not very strong.  State qualifier Whitt returns, but he struggled at Columbus last year wrestling less than three minutes in his two bouts.  You’ll want to be in the district that draws Xenia for first round action.

171 #

Projected Champion:  C.B. DOLLAWAY (NORTHMOR)

Top Contenders

This is a solid weight class with lots of good talent, but the highlight will be another chapter in the struggle between two superior contenders.  Dollaway is a three time state qualifier who was 5^th as a sophomore and 2^nd to two-time champ Smolk last year.  Overall I have him at 157-12, and 74-2 the last two seasons – his only loss as a junior to Smolk and an overtime loss to Ohl this year.  Ohl, only a junior, is a two-time state qualifier who was 3^rd last year – losing twice to Dollaway in the Gorman finals and the state semi-finals.  These boys wrestle high intensity bouts that have all been decided by narrow margins.  As district champs they’ll be on opposite sides of the bracket so their fourth and most critical contest will be for a state title.  That’s if folks like Terry, Spitznogle, and Cloran are not overlooked on the way to the finals.

My choice, and I’ve agonized over it, is Dollaway.  It would be Northmor’s first ever state title and would also provide Mike Skelton with a well-deserved individual titlist.  Generally, wrestlers who have met a number of times tend to wrestle low scoring bouts, but their last struggle went 9-7.  I do think Dollaway might be ever so slightly better on his feet, but it’s a hunch more than anything else for this pick.  It should be one of the most compelling six minutes of the final round.

Dollaway has some solid competition at Coshocton.  Spitznogle, Picazo, and Hepe all have upset and placement potential.  Spitznogle missed state action by one bout last year at 160#.  This year he was an impressive winner at Richmond Hts., and has met every dual meet challenge.  Picazo, a state qualifier at 152# last year, is rated right behind Dollaway in the Central District.  Hepe won at Bellaire St. John and was 2^nd at Barnesville.  He lost a narrow 5-4 decision to Spitznogle in their dual.  Schumacher has oscillated between 152# and 171#, but certified at 160#.  He’ll be here since Dimmerling is at 160#.  He’ll be a small but active 171-pounder. Holt has been a mystery this year.   After qualifying for state competition at 189# last year, he has moved down to 171# and looked quite ordinary.  Besides those listed, Grinch (Shadyside), Perry (Northridge), and Antonik (Bellaire) could factor into the final resolution at this class.  Holt has been a mystery

Ohl will not face quite as tough a district field.  He is well ahead of Zavala, Bowers, and McGrain – the next three at Waite.  Again, it’s a crowded field, but all the action will revolve on places two through four.  Only Ohl has previous state experience.  A person to watch is Zavala who was at 189# last year and won three district bouts to fall just short of state qualification. 

There are three potential place winners at Elyria Catholic.  Knapp pinned Yates to win at Black River and lost a narrow one-point decision to Cloran at the Northwest Duals.  He has substantial district experience.  Unger, like Knapp, won two district bouts last year although he did it in Division II.  He was 4^th at the Midwest Classic and finished 1st at the Mary Kerr tourney.  Terry was a state qualifier two years ago as a sophomore.  Last year he made a valiant effort to get to Columbus, but was forced to default out of the district because of injury.  It was a piece of terrible luck for Chanel.  This year he has just not been as sharp as anticipated.  They’ll need him to be in top form at the district and state level.

It’s also a crowded field at Xenia.  State qualifiers Cloran, Martin, Pinks, Stephens, and Eilerman are currently all at 171#, leaving little room for other challengers.  With such an array of state-experienced contenders it would not surprise me if Eilerman moved back to 189#.  As it currently stands the pairings could be critical for this very closely matched field.  Those who make it to Columbus will have earned the trip.

189 #

Projected Champion:  CHAD SOWERS (MOHAWK)

Top Contenders

As the chart introducing the 112# weight class in Division I showed, the Elyria Catholic District was by far the most successful of the twelve districts.  Part of that was due to their phenomenal success in the last two rounds where they were 19-4.

                        CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET*

                      1st Round    Quarter-Finals  Semi-Finals  Finals

Elyria Catholic     40-16          21-19          14-3         5-1

Waite               27-29          15-12          3-10         1-3

Marion              28-28          12-16           4-6         1-4

Xenia               17-39           8-9            3-5         2-1

 *Does not include bouts between boys from the same districts.

That type of success is unlikely to be duplicated with Akron St. Vincent moving to Division II, and CVCA depleted by injuries and transfers.

That kind of parity is apparent here at 189#.  Top contenders come from each of the districts in a weight class that could be classified as a bit above average at best.  The top quintet is reasonably good, but there also is some depth here.  There could be some real surprise wrestlers capturing low places at this weight.

My top choice is the big junior from Mohawk, Chad Sowers.  Last year he romped through the first two rounds at Columbus, but then lost to defending state champ D. J. Grewell in the semi-finals and finished 3^rd.  This year he has remained at 189# and has lost only to the Kentucky state champ in the GMVWA final.  One thing I like about Sowers is his desire to wrestle the best.  At the Northwest Duals he jumped up to 215# (despite weighing in at 189#) to wrestle Stookey.  Very good on his feet he’ll need to be at his best to overcome some stiff competition. 

One of his biggest challenges will be at the Waite District.  Barker won 55 bouts last year and captured a 5^th place medal at Columbus.  Like Sowers, he too, lost to Grewell – this time in the quarter-finals.  At the district level he lost to the excellent state runner-up Nagel by a  narrow 3-2 score.  He and Sowers met in last year’s sectional final with Barker losing 6-4.  He has missed most of the early season, but should be fresh and ready to go by tournament time.  Wasiniak will also play a role at this district.  He won at Edison and Ready and was runner-up at Bellevue.  There is good depth here.  Garber, Wiseman, Spangler, and Rufenacht all have good dossiers, and are capable of winning at the state level, it they can get there.  The stocky Mielke may be under-rated where I’ve placed him. He took Reichard into overtime before losing and ending up 3^rd at Richmond Hts.  Garber, in particular, will challenge everyone but Sowers here.  He won over Rufenacht at the “A” Classic.  One to watch for the future is the freshman Van Sickle (Liberty Center) – the state junior high heavyweight champ last year, who is not quite ready for this level of competition.

Barte is right there with Sowers, Barker and Sater.  A state qualifier last year he drew district titlist Cummings in the first round and won a 2-0 squeaker.  He then lost to Sowers (and after a consolation win) to Barker, as well.  This year he was a semi-finalist at Medina, finishing 4^th, and has won several smaller tourneys.  The gangly sophomore Reichard has shown great improvement including wins at Richmond Hts. and Grove City.  Lee continues to be a force south of Canton, winning several smaller tournaments with Groff as one of his chief rivals.  Add in Smith, Hepburn, Shroyer (Hartley), and Joseph (Licking Hts.) and it promises to be a real battle here.  As previously mentioned, Dustin Holt (Martins Ferry) was a state qualifier at this class last year, but has campaigned at 171# recently.  He may still end up competing here.

Sater should be the dominant figure at the Elyria Catholic District.  The champion at the prestigious Midwest Classic, he could well win the title on a hot weekend.  I think he’s right on the edge of being really good, although his scores at the Mary Kerr were not as good as anticipated.  Austin lost in overtime in his go-to-the-state bout at 215# last year, and the winner of that bout (Zaranec) went on to finish as state runner-up.  So he was very, very close to being on the awards podium last year.  This year he has moved to 189# and has not been quite as dominating as anticipated.  However, super scout, Brandon Hale reports that Austin will be prepared for the big push at tourney time.  Locklear can upset anyone in this field.  Sometimes he gives points away like they are pennies, but he can score in huge bunches, too.  Watch out for him.  After that it’s totally wide open with those listed plus DeWeese (Berkshire), Johnson (Kirtland), Veverka (Black River), Turnbull(CVCA) and Smetts (Waterloo) in the picture.  A dark horse here might be Neelon (Chanel).

State qualifier Cummings heads a representative field at Xenia.  He lost two close bouts at state last year.  He was at 215# early in the year, but will compete at this class.  Thobaden lost a 11-9 go-to-state bout last year, and is undefeated this year.  Clinton Massie, a school whose schedule and results are totally invisible to me, has developed an excellent set of upper weight wrestlers.  Care needs to be taken with all of them.

215 #

Projected Champion:  MATT STOOKEY (SANDUSKY ST. MARY)

Top Contenders

There are a lot of good 215-pounders in the state this year and a number of them are in Division III.  Three wrestlers here – Zaranec, Nagel, and Stookey – were all in the top three of their weight class, and each has the ability to win it all this year.  I think they are a step above everybody else here, although there is not such a great difference that upsets cannot occur.  A key at this weight class will be the district title at Waite since the winner should be away from the other two top contenders at Columbus.

Last year Nagel was 2^nd at 189#.  He was a district champion and drew into the much easier side of the bracket.  Three dominating wins quickly followed at Columbus, and then a titanic (or should I say Grewelling) struggle with defending state champ D. J. Grewell.  It ended in overtime with Nagel losing 3-1.  Stookey took a different path to his 3^rd place finish at 215#.  An early district loser he won four consolation bouts to finish 3^rd.  It put  him in the same bracket as Caponi at States, where he lost in the semi-finals and finished 3^rd.  Zaranec had 11 losses last year, but the last was in the best place to lose (if you have to) – the state finals as  Caponi won the state title for himself and Akron St. Vincent 5-0.

Assuming that Nagel and Stookey will meet in the finals at Waite (67% probability) the issue will be how much do you want to show the opposition.  I think either boy can beat Zaranec, but it would, of course, be far easier to be in the other half bracket.  Should they meet in the state finals I think Stookey will win.  He is a little bigger boy than the raw-boned and powerful Nagel, and, I believe, better on his feet.  My guess is that he’ll exert constant pressure on Nagel wanting his takedown skills and conditioning to work to his advantage.  Nagel is great on defense, but Stookey will push hard, and I think win a close, relatively low-scoring bout.  Remember, both these boys are juniors and are likely to be back at this weight class next year.

Nagel and Stookey dominate at Waite with an enormous drop-off after them and a whole raft of possible qualifiers.  It will be a long shot if the two lucky Columbus ticket holders place there.

Zaranec, having it no easier, must go against state qualifier Spencer at Elyria Catholic, and that won’t be easy.  Last year Zaranec defeated him twice at the district level, 6-5 and 10-6.  Quite frankly, I think Spencer has shown more improvement this year with crushing wins at Richmond Hts. and Clearview, and a solid 5^th at Medina (in a tremendous weight class).  State qualifier Poweski and Wellert are also very good and this is the most competitive of the four districts.

There is not a lot of potential placers at Coshocton.  It will be a  huge, diverse field with very competitive matches from the very first round.  However, placement at the state for the four qualifiers will not be a high probability event.  Kegelmeyer is probably the most consistent of the eight I’ve ranked, but Lahna is the one to watch for.  He missed state qualification in a 11-9 consolation quarter-final loss, and wrestles a lot of high scoring bouts.  For example, he recently won at John Glenn with a 17-15 OT decision in the finals over Moore (Newcomerstown).

State qualifier Wilson leads the way at Xenia.  However, Johns and Monroe will challenge and should be able to keep it close.  Wilson won a state bout last year, but struggled at the SWOCA.  He might be vulnerable, although he should still qualify easily.  Dark horse candidates besides those listed might be Lambert (Clinton Massie) and Maag (Columbus Grove).

Hvy.

Projected Champion:  MATT LAUCK (ELMWOOD)

Top Contenders

Little things can make an enormous difference.  The intense heat inside a star melds four hydrogen nuclei (four protons) into a single helium nucleus (two protons and two neutrons).  Four protons together weigh just 0.7% more than a helium nucleus, the missing fraction is converted into energy via Einstein’s E = MC² and that is what powers the sun and makes life possible.  Every second the sun converts 600 million tons of hydrogen into 596 million tons of helium plus energy.  If four protons weighed just a little bit less there would be no stars or life in the Universe.

Little things will also make an enormous difference at this weight class.  It’s a weight class with many contenders, but no clear-cut favorite, and the random fluctuations at heavyweight tend to be greater than at many weight classes.  That means stalling calls, bracketing luck, overtime criteria, and plain good fortune will play a major role in determining who will take the title.

My first list in November had Eric Mason as my top pick at this weight class.  Apparently Mason is returning from an injury, but will wrestle for Holland Springfield and so the favorite’s mantle is truly empty.  We have a number of wrestlers with long track records at this weight class, but two of the top contenders have very little by which to measure them here. 

Lauck has been at 215# for the past two years, but has made a stunning debut at heavyweight.  Quicker than many of the other “heavies” he still has sufficient size to counteract the real large guys at this class.  Still he is pretty much an unknown at heavyweight, and he hasn’t met a parade of “mammoths” like we find at the Coshocton District.  Let’s face it, he’s an “out of the box” choice.

Even without Mason, the Waite District is very strong.  Widmer has had a great year including a big win at Sylvania Southview.  State qualifier Binder returns, but Hudson champ DeWalt and Leininger may have surpassed him.

The Coshocton District is a “monster” at this weight class.  There are at least eight wrestlers of state quality vying for only four state berths.  These are almost without exception very large boys with good athleticism and speed.  Four of them are 265 pounds or more.  In addition, they keep beating each other in almost a random manner.  After getting through this district the four lucky qualifiers may be almost too exhausted to do well in Columbus.

Let’s take a quick look at each of the top boys.  Wright lost a chance at state qualification last year when he lost the coin flip in the second overtime and gave up the winning escape to Carothers.  He is undefeated this year, and this is his last chance at qualification.  Wells did qualify out of this district last year in the last spot, but, and this is typical, he was the top finisher out of this district at Columbus with a 5^th place medal.  He has lost only once this year and won at the OVAC.  Carothers, also a qualifier, was a big winner at Richmond Hts., and he, too, has but one loss.  Short and stocky, he is most difficult to score against.  Davia has won several tourneys (at John Glenn and Steubenville), but is a little more inconsistent than some of the others.  State qualifier Cook is very good, but he may be a little undersized giving up 30 to 40 pounds against the big boys.

Another big unknown is Mariast.  He was sensational at Medina, crushing five straight opponents.  He didn’t wrestle last year, but you’d never know that.  I have him undefeated with virtually all falls, so his stamina may come into question.  On the other hand, if you pin everyone stamina is not really an issue.  State qualifier Dailide got off to a late start because of the state title football team, but he will be ready at tourney time.  Debee and Ross are also excellent and it’s a first-rate quartet.  But, remember Carothers pinned Ross at Richmond Hts.

I don’t know much about some of the Southwest contenders.  State qualifier Parthmore is very big and is very tough on top.  However, both Debee and Carothers handled him at the state level.  State qualifier LouAllen also returns looking for a better draw than he got last year.  Two big unknowns, Abdulghani, up from 215#, could be difficult because of his speed and quickness, while Ivans is undefeated but wrestles a suspect schedule.  I’m not sure how well this group will match up with the other districts in the state.

 TEAMS

1.      Chanel – This team suffered an enormous amount of bad luck last year, and still missed the state title by 1½ points.  At the beginning it looked like they would run away with the championship, but now it looks like it could be much closer.  The outstanding lightweights of Jaggers, Paparone, Ralph, and Monsman have been very good – although Monsman faces tough competition at 112#.  What has not happened – at least so far – have been the dominating performance anticipated at the upper weights from Terry, Dailide, Zaranec, and Roppel.  A revitalized Terry would be a huge help as would a strong performance from Wright.  They should still win, but it may be closer than we first thought.

2.      Sandusky St. Mary – This is the only team that could possibly challenge Chanel and a lot will have to go right for that to happen.  Shearer, Stookey, Opfer and Young could all be finalists with J. Whelan not far behind.  They’ll need, in all probability, additional scoring and only the middle weights like Dye, Baum, or Smith have any hope of providing it – and the first two are freshmen.  The unexpected loss of Cameron Whelan – undefeated at the time – could be a fatal blow to their hopes.  Remember, everyone is back next year 

3.      Delta – This is a squad that has the potential to capture the runner-up trophy on a hot weekend.  Nagel and Lohman are the two main cogs, but there is potential scoring all across the weight classes.  Their strongest chances are at the middle weights with Moss, Madden, Burkholder, and Skates (in addition to Lohman), but Spangler could help Nagel at the heavier end while Ford could lead a charge on the lighter side with the lighter Moss, Bechtel and, maybe, Irwin.  A very fine team.

4.      Grandview Hts. – This is another beautifully balanced squat with real strength at the top end.  There we should see scoring from Barte, Picazo, Cataline, and, maybe, Bartholomew or Sutter.  The top scoring might come from Vogel, Hardy, and Long in the middle while Wyse and Byerly could help at the low end.  Another team that could win the runner-up trophy if they can hit on all cylinders in Columbus. 

5.      Beachwood – This is a team that gets better every year.  State champion Linsker leads the way, but he needs to be very sharp at 152#.  The underclassmen, Caruso and Lipp, have to be big scorers while Peltz, Weiss, Blackwell and Taub need to pitch in.  Next year another Lipp moves up to the varsity and most of the lighter weights return.

6.      Martins Ferry – This squad has a nucleus of four excellent wrestlers – the two Tierneys, Roth, and the freshman, Tucker.  All of them should score heavily at the state level.  Back-up needs to come from Jones, Smith and Troyan.  The mystery is state qualifier Holt – where will he wrestle and how well will he perform.

7.      Madeira – The three lightweights – Cottone, Burroughs, and Kuykendall – have state placement potential, while Cloran and Cummings should do well at 171# and 189#.  All five have previous state experience.  The quartet of Littlejohn, Rutledge, Davidson, and Pattison would be unexpected, but appreciated helpers.

8.      Perry – This is a team that has moved down from Division II with great success.  There are only five potential scorers here – Wiles, Sarosy, Unger, Gilkey and Sater – but that could be enough to move them up.  The key is for Sater to do very well at the relatively weak 189# class – a task he is well equipped to complete.

9.      Newbury – This is another team with just five potential scorers – including three with the last name of Spencer.  Four from this group have placement potential – Cavalier and all three Spencers – but the key man is McCreery.  On a hot weekend he could help propel this team into the top five.

10. Tuslaw – I see Aeschliman scoring a lot of bonus points and Hill getting into the top four at his weight class.  If either Eicher, Lautzenheiser, or Kraft can help they’ll cement a top ten finish.

You can contact me at John@Ohiowrestler.com