If the rumors are true, the Cheesehead Wrestling Tournament should be stacked more this season than any in the past.  Both Blair Academy and Apple Valley are expected to join the field at the Cheesehead Invite this season.

This comes as a reversal of plans for Apple Valley.  The Eagles did not initially intend to wrestle at the Cheesehead Invite this season, however, when Blair Academy signed up Apple Valley followed suit.

The tournament format may still favor Apple Valley, however, not nearly as much as a dual format event like The Clash.

Look for big points, lots of pins, and a few very important head to head match ups to resolve this one.

Seven Apple Valley wrestlers reached All-America status during the recent freestyle and Greco-Roman national championships: Destin McCauley (who won the 152-pound freestyle national title and was selected the event’s outstanding wrestler), Gannon Volk, Jordan Kingsley, Matt Kelliher, Steven Keogh, Jake Waste and Dakota Trom.

The path to winning the 2011 Clash National High School Duals title got considerably tougher with today’s announcement that Brandon (Brandon, FL) will be joining next season’s field of thirty-two teams.

Brandon, led by Head Coach Russ Cozart, finished the 2009-10 season as the #4 ranked team in the nation.

Brandon has won twenty-one Florida state championships since 1977, including the last ten in a row. They hold the longest winning streak in the history of high school sports – 459 victories from 1973-2008. In 2005 Brandon had the distinction of having the most nationally ranked wrestlers on one team in the nation. The Brandon program has produced seventy-seven individual state champions and 173 individual state placewinners. The Brandon wrestling program was featured in the 2008 ESPN documentary “The Streak”.

Recent high-profile Brandon wrestlers include Franklin Gomez, Josh Lambrecht, David Craig, Rocky Cozart, Joe Cozart, Cesar Grajales, and Eric Grajales.

“Brandon has lost just one dual meet in the last 37 years. Their travel still needs to be approved by their local school board, but we’re thrilled and honored to to have a chance to showcase this national powerhouse,” stated Clash Tournament Director Steve Patton.

According to Patton, the credit for landing this nationally recognized team goes to Randy Cirksena, Steve Elwood, Ryan Thomas, and Kent Harfmann who make up the Clash recruiting team.

With only half of the tournament’s teams determined so far, Brandon joins an increasingly tough field of teams for next year’s Clash Duals, including (2010 Rankings) #1 Apple Valley (MN), #12 Simley (MN), #13 Montini Catholic (IL), #14 Wisconsin Rapids (WI), #17 Waverly-Shell Rock (IA), #23 Roseburg (OR), and #27 Grand Island (NE).

The 9th Annual Clash National Wrestling Duals will be on January 7th-8th, 2011 at the University Center Rochester Field House in Rochester, MN.

The 2010 TheWrestlingTalk.com People’s Choice poll is now open.  Visit TheWrestlingTalk.com’s Poll to rank your top High School Wrestling Team for the 2009-2010 Wrestling Season.

Your Choices Include:

St. Paris Graham, Ohio
Apple Valley, Minnesota
Blair Academy, New Jersey
Brandon, Florida

Wyoming Seminary, Pennsylvania
St. Edward, Ohio
Central Mountain, Pennsylvania
Central Dauphin, Pennsylvania
Collins Hill, Georgia
Wadsworth, Ohio

Please take into consideration the following while making your selection:

• Difficulty of Schedule paired with Team Record
• State Tournament Performance – Team & Individual
• Overall Season Performance – Team & Individual
• Head to Head Dual Match Ups
• Head to Head Tournament Finishes
• You are allowed to select more than one team if you feel there is a tie.

After crushing previously No.1 Blair Academy Graham isn’t satisfied with a co-champion.

Amateur Wrestling News, the leader in High School wrestling polling currently lists both Apple Valley, MN and St. Paris Graham, OH as co-champions.

How can this happen? I hear you asking.

That’s exactly what Graham coach Jeff Jordan was saying after he discovered on Monday, Feb. 8, that the country’s most-respected national high school pollster ranked his team and Apple Valley as co-No. 1’s. Previous No. 1 Blair Academy dropped to third.

Apple Valley was previously No. 2 and Graham No. 3. However, Graham beat Blair convincingly, 36-21, in a head-to-head dual meet in St. Paris on Jan. 30.

“It’s strange; the pundits sent a big e-mail out that there can only be one No. 1 team, then two weeks later there is a tie,” said Jordan. “We’ve been ranked No. 2 in the country for three years in a row and Blair was No. 1. But this year, they put Apple Valley ahead of us at No. 2.

“But it is what it is.”

And, with Apple Valley never running into Blair or Graham during the season, it’ll likely end up that way. “They say if Apple Valley wins their state championship and we win state, we’ll end up tied,” said Jordan. “It sure would have been great if we could have met them head-to-head.”

We at HSWrestling.Net and TheWrestlingTalk.com say the two teams should meet the week after state, give each wrestler a 3 pound allowance above their state weight classes so it’s a much easier cut, and find out who the real champion is.

HSWrestling.Net narrows down the top 10 High School Wrestling teams. After Blair dropped a dual 36-21 to St. Paris Graham they drop two spots in our rankings. Apple Valley remains undefeated and the No. 1 team in the nation.

1. Apple Valley, Minnesota Entered the season as our No. 1 pick and they remain undefeated; setting a state record for consecutive wins in the process (95), Won Cheesehead and Clash.
Key Components: Destin McCauley, Dakota Trom, & Brandon Kingsley

2. St. Paris Graham, Ohio – Absolutely dominated Blair, 36-21. Winning seven of eight bouts to open the dual. 2nd at Ironman.
Key Components: Nick Brascetta, Felipe Martinez, & Max Thomussei

3. Brandon, Florida Hung in close to Apple Valley at the Cheesehead, a very strong dual meet squad. Defeated No. 8 Collins Hill, Georgia (34-24). 2nd at Cheesehead.
Key Components: Joe Cozart & Henry Chirino

4. Blair Academy, New Jersey Tried to cover a major hole at 145lbs against St. Paris Graham. It backfired and they got throttled. 1st at Beast & Ironman.
Key Components: Evan Silver (No. 1 @ 112), Mike Evans(No. 1 @ 189), Mark Grey

5. Central Dauphin, Pennsylvania Powerade Champions, Undefeated in dual meet action, 2nd at Beast.
Key Components: Marshall Peppelman (No. 1 160), Kenny Courts (No. 1 @ 171), & Tyson Dippery

6. Wyoming Seminary, Pennsylvania 3rd at Beast
Key Components: Simon Kitzis (No. 8 @ 135), Dominick Malone (No. 1 @ HWT)

7. Simley Minnesota : Defeated Montini Catholic, Illinois & Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. 2nd at Clash.
Key Components: Kurtis Julson & Kyle Gliva

8. Collins Hill, Georgia :- 2nd at Powerade, lost 34-24 to No. 3 Brandon, Florida
Key Components: Bazell Partridge, T J Mitchell, Joel Smith

9. Wadsworth, Ohio: Defeated No. 10 St. Edward, Ohio at dual meet state.
Key Components: Brad Squire (No. 7 @ 145), Ben Buzzelli (No. 9 @ HWT)

10. St. Edward, Ohio: 3rd at Ironman, lost to No. 9 Wadsworth, Ohio
Key Components: Nick Sulzer, (No. 4 @ 160), Dean Heil, (No. 11 @ 103)

Destin McCauley (Apple Valley, MN) v. Joe Cozart (Brandon, FL)

HSWrestling.Net narrows down the top 10 High School Wrestling teams. After Blair dropped a dual 36-21 to St. Paris Graham they drop two spots in our rankings. Apple Valley remains undefeated and the No. 1 team in the nation.

1. Apple Valley, Minnesota – Entered the season as our No. 1 pick and they remain undefeated; setting a state record for consecutive wins in the process (95), Won Cheesehead and Clash
2. St. Paris Graham, Ohio – Absolutely dominated Blair, 36-21. Winning seven of eight bouts to open the dual. 2nd at Ironman.
3. Brandon, Florida - Hung in close to Apple Valley at the Cheesehead, a very strong dual meet squad. Defeated No. 8 Collins Hill, Georgia (34-24). 2nd at Cheesehead.
4. Blair Academy, New Jersey - Tried to cover a major hole at 145lbs against St. Paris Graham. It backfired and they got throttled. 1st at Beast & Ironman.
5. Central Dauphin, Pennsylvania - Powerade Champions, Undefeated in dual meet action, 2nd at Beast
6. Wyoming Seminary, Pennsylvania – Hung very close to No. 1 Blair Academy (31-29), 3rd at Beast
7. Simley Minnesota - Defeated Montini Catholic, Illinois & Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. 2nd at Clash.
8. Collins Hill, Georgia - 2nd at Powerade, lost 34-24 to No. 3 Brandon, Florida
9. Wadsworth, Ohio – Defeated No. 10 St. Edward, Ohio at dual meet state.
10. St. Edward, Ohio - 3rd at Ironman, lost to No. 9 Wadsworth, Ohio

After tackling individual national rankings and top prospect profiles, TheOpenMat makes our first endeavor into national team rankings. We offer here the nation’s top twenty teams with season accomplishments and rationale for Top 10 placement.

With the season headed for the homestretch, there is a good bit of evidence to base our rankings on. With several key duals, state series, and National Preps remaining, there’s still time to jockey for position. Enjoy, and feel free to leave a note or discuss the rankings on our message boards.

#1 Apple Valley, MN

Season History: The only unbeaten team in the country. Apple Valley boasts a deep roster and balanced lineup. They have won two competitions to support their #1 status. At The Clash, a dual meet tournament featuring three other members of our Top 20, AV went 5-0 with team scores of 55-12, 50-19, 45-12, 40-16, and 32-20 (to #12 Simley). At the Cheesehead, Apple Valley outdistanced second place Brandon, FL, by 39pts in while putting seven in the finals and winning four individual titles.

Rationale for #1: Tremendous balance. Several front-line studs and no holes in the entire line-up. Depth gives them the flexibility to create match-ups if needed. They are a dual nightmare for the opposition.
Up Next: Dual vs. #12 Simley 2/12

#2 Graham, St. Paris, OH

Season History: Finished 2nd to Blair Academy at the premier tournament in the country, the Ironman, by 41pts. After a dominating performance over #13 St. Ed’s, SPG upset Blair Academy at home, 36-21.

Rationale for #2: Graham has seen some great in-season progress, particularly in their middleweights. Second at the IM and a dual win over Blair puts them Top 2. A hypothetical dual on paper is all we can resort to. In the end, we give the advantage to AV, as there’s no easy outs in their line-up, and little room for opponents to score bonus.
Up Next: Dual vs. #11 Wadsworth 2/5

#3 Blair Academy, Blairstown, NJ

Season History: Blair dominated their early schedule winning several major tournaments in the Ironman, the Beast, and the Bethlehem Holiday Classic. Duals, however, proved to be their Achilles heel. Their mettle was tested in the Final Four where they managed to win despite a close call (36-33) to Collins Hill. The following week, Blair would fall at St. Paris by 15pts.

Rationale for #3: If the rankings were based solely on tournament scoring ability, Blair might be your #1. They have enough studs to pace them in tournaments regardless of the field. The issue for them, however, comes in duals where it’s difficult to overcome holes at certain weights against the nation’s tougher, more balanced, teams.
Up Next: Duals vs. #7 Wyoming Seminary and #13 St. Edwards 2/6

#4 Brandon, FL

Season History: Brandon has a very balanced line-up featuring a host of Fargo-credentialed wrestlers. They competed in two major competitions this season. In Wisconsin, at the Cheesehead, they finished runners-up to Apple Valley. They also beat #6 Collins Hill by 10pts at the Kyle Maynard Duals in Georgia.

Rationale for #4: This team could make a push for #3. A dual with Blair would figure to be nip-tuck. Blair’s impeccable tournament resume gives the Buccaneer’s the nod, however.
Up Next: State Series starting 2/6

#5 Central Dauphin, Harrisburg, PA

Season History: The Rams competed in two major events thus far. At the POWERade tournament, CD led the 44-team field and took home top honors. In Delaware, they were runners-up behind #3 Blair.

Rationale for #5: The top-ranked team in Pennsylvania, Central Dauphin is built more for tournaments than duals. They should get tested in the State Dual Championships. If they survive, they will solidify their #5 status as they are the odds-on favorite to win the PA big-school state individual tournament.
Up Next: District Dual Championships 2/6

#6 Wyoming Seminary, Kingston, PA

Season History: Sem traveled early and often this season. The Knights had Top 5 finishes at the Ironman, Cheesehead, and the Beast of the East, while picking up a title at the Escape the Rock Tournament.

Rationale for #6: Finished near the top of several national tournaments (and just behind Central Dauphin at the Beast). Collins Hill’s balance makes #s 6 and 7 tricky, but Sem has the big guns that we feel would get them over the top.
Up Next: @ #3 Blair and vs. #13 St. Edward’s 2/6

#7 Collins Hill, GA

Season History: Collins Hill did its share of traveling this year, wrestling in Tennessee, Missouri, and visits to both ends of the Keystone State. The Eagles opened eyes with their impressive performance in capturing the Toshiba Midwest Classic over highly touted Park Hill, MO and several other solid teams. Later they finished 2nd behind Central Dauphin at POWERade. In Easton, at the NHSCA Final Four, they went 3-1 in duals, while nearly knocking off Blair.

Rationale for #7: A very balanced and well-coached team, you have to earn a win against them. This season, only #3 Blair and #4 Brandon managed to do that in duals.
Up Next: Region Tournament 2/6

#8 St. Mark’s, Wilmington, DE

Season History: The Spartans are enjoying a banner season with Coach Bastianelli leading them to podium finishes at the Beast and the Bethlehem Classic as well as the Virginia Duals team title.

Rationale for #8: A good number of studs throughout the line-up, especially down low. The Spartans fourth finished behind just Blair, CD, and Seminary at the Beast, and appear to be equally adept in either dual or individual scoring formats.

Up Next: State Prep Championships

#9 Central Mountain, Mill Hall, PA

Season History: Central Mountain placed 5th at Ironman, were Runners-up to Wyoming Seminary at Escape the Rock, and won the King of The Mountain tournament. They have an unbeaten dual record, albeit against sub-par competition.

Rationale for #9: CM is paced by its studs, but, as a team, they continued to improve throughout the year. Still, they’re stronger in a tournament setting; the bigger the better, and will push #5 Central Dauphin at Hershey in March.
Up Next: District Duals 2/6

#10 Clovis High School, Clovis, CA

Season History: Clovis is at the head of the class of a very strong group of Californian teams. They placed 11th at the Ironman, but sent just seven wrestlers as the rest of their starters stayed home and won the Clovis West Shootout dual event. With their full line-up intact, they went on to win The Temecula Valley Tournament and the Doc Buchanan.

Rationale for #10: Clovis doesn’t have a whole lot of studs. Like Collins Hill, they’re a bunch of solid, grind-it-out guys with few, if any, holes in the line-up. They’re much better suited for duals, so a CIF State Title isn’t a shoe-in. But, if they can push the numbers through to the state tournament, the odds will be in their favor.
Up Next: State Sectionals 2/19

#11 Wadsworth, OH
Key Accomplishments: Placed 6th at Ironman. Dual win over #13 St. Ed’s.
Up Next: @ #2 St. Paris-Graham

#12 Simley, MN
Key Accomplishments: The Clash Runners-up. 5th at Cheesehead.
Up Next: @ #1 Apple Valley 2/12

#13 St. Edwards, Lakewood, OH
Key Accomplishments: 3rd at Ironman. Only dual losses to #2 St. Paris Graham and #11 Wadsworth.
Up Next: @ #3 Blair Academy and vs. Wyoming Seminary 2/6

#14 Park Hill, Kansas City, MO
Key Accomplishments: Toshiba Midwest Classic Runners-Up (to Collins Hill)
Up Next: Oak Grove Tournament 2/6

#15 Montini Cathlolic, Lombard, IL
Key Accomplishments: Ironman 10th. Dvorak Champs. 3rd at The Clash. 4th at the Cheesehead. Ranked #1 in Illinois.
Up Next: Regional Tournament 2/5

#16 Bishop Lynch, Dallas, TX
Key Accomplishments: Ironman, 7th. Dvorak Runners-up (to Montini). NHSCA Runners-Up (to Blair).
Up Next: Texas Prep State Tournament 2/6

#17 Wisconsin Rapids, WI
Key Accomplishments: Bi-State Champs. The Clash, 4th. Oconomowoc Invite Runners-Up (to Apple Valley). Ranked #1 in Wisconsin.
Up Next: Conference Championships 2/6

#18 High Point Regional High School, Sussex, NJ
Key Accomplishments: 18-1 dual record (only loss was to Bishop Lynch). #1 ranked in New Jersey.
Up Next: Sectional Tournament (state dual series) 2/8

#19 Bakersfield, CA
Key Accomplishments: Temecula Valley and Doc Buchanan Runners-up (both to #10 Clovis) Five Counties, 3rd. Ranked #2 in CA.
Up Next: State Sectional Tournament 2/19

#20 Cox High School, Virginia Beach, VA
Key Accomplishments: Placed 5th at the Beast. 5th at Bethlehem. 4th at VA Duals. Ranked 1st in VA.
Up Next: State Series

Editor Willie Saylor

Welcome to this weeks updates. It’s that time of year where kids are starting their migration south in weight. We try to stay on top of it and rank the kids at their current weight. So, expect some movement as the rankings get shuffled with kids dropping. If we haven’t moved a wrestler to his new weight, let us know.

We’re sure, like any rankings, there will be some derision and debate. So feel free to discuss it on our forums, or drop us an email. (We are the ‘open’ mat for a reason!)

We’ll update regularly (weekly), so check back often for updates as the season plays out.

* –indicates past weeks results

103 Ryan Taylor is the big mover with wins over two ranked opponents. Hvolbeck, who lost twice in the last two weeks, moves down four spots. The New Oxford tournament makes the rankings a mess as Hempfield’s Austin Miller bested a weight class featuring 3 ranked wrestlers, including Conaway, who recently beat Ryan Taylor. This is a weight that’s going to depend a lot on the state tournaments.

1. So. Nicky Roberts, North Star, PA

2. Jr. Tyler Fraley, Colts Neck, NJ

3. So. George Di Camillo, St. Ignatius, OH

4. Fr. Brad Perkins, Lee’s Summit, MO

5. Fr. Anthony Ashnault, South Plainfield

6. Jr. Nashon Garrett, Chico, CA
*Tim Brown Tourney Champ

7. Jr. Austin Miller, Hempfield, PA
*24-1 with 17 pins. Two wins over ranked opponents this weekend in capturing New Oxford title.

8. So. Ryan Taylor, Saint Paris, OH
*Win over Hvolbeck and Heil the last two weeks

9. So. Zach Bridson, Timberlane, NH

10. So. Sam Brancale, Eden Prairie, MN

11. So. Morgan Engbrecht, Sturgis, SD

12. So. Jordan Conaway New Oxford, PA
*New Oxford Runner-Up to Miller. Beat Dippery.

13. Fr. Zain Retherford, Line Mountain, PA
*Defeated previous #4 Dippery in New Oxford Tourney

14. Fr. Tyson Dippery, Central Dauphin, PA
*More losses this weekend (2) than in his season to that point (1)

15. Fr. Dean Heil, St. Edwards, OH

16. So. Max Hvolbeck, Blair Academy, NJ
*Loss to Taylor

17. Fr. Nathan Tomasello, CVCA, OH

18. Jr. Jordan Kingsley, Apple Valley, MN

19. Fr. Micah Perez, Central Union, CA

20. Jr. Kevon Powell, Montini, IL

Watching: MN, Fr. Connor Schram, Canon-Mac, PA , Sr. Max Soria, King’s Park, NY, Fr. Evan DiSora, Easton, PA, Fr. Victor Lopez, Poway, CA, Jr. Anthony Cabrera, Liberty HS, PA
*Injury Time: Previous #14 Darion Cruz broke his tibia in practice.

112

Status quo. Silver bumped up and lost to Brascetta in the SPG/Blair dual. Francavilla drops to the 112lb ranks.

1. Jr. Evan Silver, Blair Acadamy, NJ
*Loss to 119 #6 Brascetta

2. So. Jimmy Gulibon, Derry, PA

3. So. Alex Cisneros, Selma, CA

4. Jr. Bricker Dixon, Park Hill, MO

5. Sr. T.J. North, Vermilion, SD

6. Jr. Nick Francavilla, High Point, NJ
*Lost in the finals of Tri-County Tourney at 119

7. So. Thomas Gillman, Omaha, NE

8. So. Corey Keener, Blue Mountain, PA

9. Fr. Stephen Myers, Moeller, OH

10. So. Corey Clark, South Polk, IA

11. So. Dom Malone, Wyoming Seminary, PA

12. Jr. Caleb Richardson, Cox, VA

13. Fr. Joey Dance, Christiansburg, VA

14. Jr. Steven Knoblauch, Clovis West, CA

15. So. Jack Hathaway, Iowa City, IA

16. So. Tyler Pendergast, St. Mark’s, DE

17. Jr. Earl Hall, South Dade, FL

18. Sr. Alex Spooner, Forest City, IA

19. Jr. Derek Elmore, Machesney Park, IL

20. So. Mitch Bengston, St. Cloud, MN

*Watching Jr. Chris Donaldson, Salesianum, DE, Jr. Hayden Zillmer, Crosby, MN, Jr. Reuben Navejas, Kentwood, WA, So. Cody Yeik, Olympic HS, WA, Jr. Jacoby Bergeron, Thief River Falls, MN

119
1. Sr. Ryak Finch, Safford, AZ

2. Jr. Nico Megaludis, Franklin, PA

3. Jr. Mason Beckman, Reynolds, PA

4. Jr. Jade Rauser, Townsend, MT

5. Jr. Hunter Steiber, Monroeville, OH

6. Jr. Nick Brascetta, St. Paris Graham, OH

7. Sr. Ty Mitch, Aurora, OH

8. Jr. Chris Mecate, Redlands, CA

9. Sr. Zach Zimmer, Clovis West, CA

10. Sr. Jerome Robinson, St. Ignatius, OH

11. So. Mark Grey, Blair Academy, NJ
*OT win vs SPG

12. Sr. Mike Rhone, Benton, PA

13. Fr. Ben Whitford, Marmion Academy, IL
*Fall in Montini Dual

14. Fr. Brandon Jeske, St. Christopher, VA

15. So. Arty Walsh, Juniata, PA

16. Jr. Rob Deutsch, Eastern Regional, NJ

17. Sr. Carson Kuhn, Alta, UT

18. So. Rossi Bruno, Brandon FL

19. So. Kagan Squire, Wadsworth, OH

20. So. Eddie Klimara, Providence, IL

*Others considered: Fr. Brandon Sorenson, Denver-Tripoli, IA, So. Dakota Trom, Apple Valley, MN, So. Skylar Wood, Park Hill, MO, Sr.Tanner Moon, AL, So. Alec Mooradian, Detroit Central Catholic, MI, Sr. Brandon Jones, WDM Valley, IA

125
1. Sr. Logan Steiber, Monroeville, OH

2. Sr. Mitchell Port, Bellefonte, PA
*Won with a fall in New Oxford finals.

3. Sr. Devin Carter, Christiansburg, VA

4. Sr. Levi Wolfensberger, Denver-Tripoli, IA

5. Sr. Brandon Wright, Indianapolis, IN

6. Jr. Jesse Thielke, Germantown, WI

7. Jr. Zach Horan, Nazareth, PA

8. Jr. Val Rauser, Townsend, MT

9. Sr. Nick Arajau, Syosset, NY
*Won Suffern Kohl Tourney at 135

10. Sr. Joe Duca, Paulsboro, NJ

11. Sr. Alan Waters, Park Hill, MO

12. Jr. Johnni Di Julius, Walsh Jesuit, OH

13. Sr. Pat Prada, DeMatha, MD

14. Sr. Jesse Delgado, Gilroy, CA

15. Sr. Josh Keszler, Sturgis, SD

16. Jr. Vince Rodriguez, Clovis North
*Won CIT Tourney with win over HM Isaiah Martinez

17. Jr. Terrel Wilbourn, Howell, MO

18. So. John Meeks, Des Moines, IA

19. Jr. Matt Kelliher, Apple Valley, MN

20. Sr. Sean Boylan, St. Mark’s, DE

*Watching: Sr. Justis Flamio, Mahopac, NY, Jr. Cody Brewer, Oak Park, MO. Sr, Tommy Siciliano, Newburg, OR., Sr. Gus Sako, St. Edwards, OH, Jameson Oster, Lockport, IL, Sr. Pat Myers, Penn Cambria, Fr. Isaiah Martinez, Lemoore, CA, , Sr. TJ Mitchell Collins Hill GA, Fr. Joey Lavalle, Reno, NV, So. Ben Morgan, Forest Lake, MN

130 —Not much change. We’ll keep monitoring long-time #1 Jamie Clark upon his return from injury. Bo Jordan continues to move up. He has a win over Clark and a pin over HM Preston in the last couple weeks. We move Vinny Fava to HM 135. He had placed at the Beast at 130, but that’s his only competition at this weight and lost to BJ Young in the NJ All-Star invite at 135 yesterday. Tyler Liberatore, who was 3rd at Cheesehead, enters the rankings.

1. Sr. Frank Cagnina, Queen of Peace, NJ

2. Sr. Nick Shenk, St. Mark’s, DE

3. Sr. Louis Trujillo, Rio Rancho, NM

4. So. Jason Tsirtsis, Crown Point, IN

5. So. Nate Skonieczny, Walsh Jesuit, OH

6. Sr. Frank Goodwin, Arundel, MD

7. Sr. Shane McGough, Desert Mountain, AZ

8. Jr. Nik Pena, Selma, CA

9. Sr. Keith Surber, O’Fallon, IL

10. Sr. Jamie Clark, St. Edwards, OH

11. Jr. Edwin Cooper, Providence, IL

12. Sr. Frank Martellotti, Shady Side Academy, PA

13. So. Jacob Crawford, Robinson, VA

14. Sr. Colton Rasche, Montini, IL

15. Fr. Bo Jordan, St. Paris, OH

16. Jr. Garrett Garness, Kasson-Mantorville, MN

17. So. Tyler Liberatore, Brandon, FL

18. Fr. Jake Short, Simley, MN

19. Sr. Zach Zehner, Tomahawk, WI

20. Sr. Seth Lange, Sturgis, SD

*Watching:, Sr. Scott Festejo, Long Branch, NJ, Jr. Bob Dierna, Wayne, NY, So. Mitch Minotti, Easton, PA, Jr. Jordan Rinken, Waverly, IA
*Injury Time: Previous #3 Sam Sherlock is out for season with torn ACL. So. Robbie Preston, Blair Academy (hip injury sustained at Bethlehem Tournament)

135 –Very deep weight as some worthy guys sit on the outside looking in. Ormsbee drops after suffering 10-3 loss to Martinez at 140. Isaac Jordan enters the rankings after impressive performance vs. Blair.

1. Sr. Josh Dziewa, Council Rock-South, PA

2. Sr. Ryen Nieman, Bullock Creek, MI

3. Sr. Jake Ballweg, Waverly, IA

4. Jr. Cam Tessari, Monroeville, OH

5. So. Steve Spearman, Erie McDowell, PA

6. Sr. Jake Briggs, Bella Vista, CA

7. Sr. Mike Morales, Brick Memorial, NJ

8. Jr. Nick Hodgkins, Wyomissing, PA

9. Jr. Luke Smith, Wheeling, IL
*MSL Champ with 3 pins

10. Jr. Jake Sueflon, Watertown, WI

11. Jr. Austin Ormsbee, Blair Academy, NJ

12. Sr. AJ Schopp, Tyrone, PA

13. Sr. Jordan Beverly, Point Pleasant, NJ

14. Sr. Chris Dardanes, Oak Park, IL

15. Jr. Alex Dierenger, Port Washington, WI

16. So. Brandon Kingsley, Apple Valley, MN

17. Sr. Andrew Lenzi, Fordham Prep, NY

18. So. Isaac Jordan, SPG, OH
*Pinned Preston in dual

19. Sr. Jordan Rich, Central Mountain, PA

20. Sr. Simon Kitzis, Wyoming Seminary, PA

*On the bubble: Sr. Cody Ruggirello, Valley Central, NY Jr. Caleb Ervin, Union County, KY, Sr. Kade Moss, Bingham, UT, Cody Broomall, Smyrna, DE, Sr. Joe Locksmith, Osceola, FL, Sr. Wendell Cannon, Sussex, DE, Jr. Bo Schlosser, Bettendorf, IA , Sr. Luke Goettl, Mingus, AZ, Sr. Vinny Fava, Elmwood Park, NJ

140
1. Sr. Chris Villalonga, Blair Academy, NJ
*Bumped up to 145 for win in SPG dual

2. Sr. Josh Kindig, Blue Mountain, PA
*New Oxford Champ

3. Sr. Colin Shober, Schuykill Valley, PA

4. Sr. Mark Hartenstine, Easton, PA

5. Sr. Nathan Hoffer, East Ankorage, AK

6. So. Felipe Martinez, St. Paris Graham, OH
*10-3 win over previous 135 #5 Ormsbee

7. Sr. Nick Dardanes, Oak Park, IL

8. Sr. Steve Dutton, Rocky Point, NY

9. Jr. Jeremy Davenport, Sallisaw, OK

10. Sr. Tucker Armstrong, Kenton Ridge, OH

11. Jr. Ian Miller, Oak Harbor, OH

12. Jr. Evan Henderson, Kiski Prep, PA

13. So. Zach Brunson, Churchill, OR

14. Sr. Joel Smith, Collins Hill, GA

15. Jr. Cody Combs, Sussex, DE

16. Sr. Hank Stinson, Eastern Regional, NJ

17. Jr. Pete Baldwin, Osceola, FL

18. So. Jordan Wohlfert, St. John’s MI

19. Sr. Nick Terdick, John Glenn, NY

20. Sr. Tony Vaske, River Valley, MN

Watching: Sr. Ryan Dunphy, Passaic, NJ, Jr. Henry Carlson, Vestavia Hills, AL, Jr. Ryne Cokeley, Lenexa, KS, Jr. Stephen Robertson, Montini, IL

145
1. Sr. Andrew Alton, Central Mountain, PA

2. Sr. Dylan Ness, Bloomington, MN

3. Sr. Taylor Walsh, Camden Catholic, NJ

4. Sr. Ben Dorsay, Cox, VA

5. Sr. Brad Squire, Wadsworth, OH

6. Sr. Anthony Baldosaro, Eastern Regional, NJ

7. Sr. Greg Amos, Wentzville, MO

8. Sr. Kaleb Friedley, Park Hill, MO

9. Sr. RaVaughn Perkins, Omaha, NE

10. Sr. Alex Elder, West Salem, OR
*Reser’s Champ

11. Jr. Seth Thomas, Roseburg, OR
*Reser’s Champ at 145

12. Sr. Anthony Salupo, St. Edward, OH

13. Sr. Jake Snider, Ponderosa, CO

14. Sr. Cody Rodebaugh, San Lorenzo, CA

15. So. Max Schneider, Lane Tech, IL

16. Jr. Blake Roulo, Matoaca, VA

17. Jr. Colby Kloetzer, Caldwell, ID

18. Jr. Travis Himmelman, Conifer, CO
*Defeated Ryne Cokeley for tournament win.

19. Jr. Devin Aguirre, Ponca City, OK

20. Sr. Andy Rodriguez, Central Islip, NY

*Watching, Sr. Nick Wooden, Spring Creek, NV. Jr. James Green, Willingboro, NJ, Sr. Gabe Bird, Osceola, FL, Sr. Chase Gordon, Oviedo, FL, Jr. Matt Stephens, St. Paris, OH

152
1. Sr. Dylan Alton, Central Mountain, PA

2. Jr. Destin McCauley, Apple Valley, MN

3. Sr. Jackson Morse, Lowell, MI

4. So. Taylor Massa, St. John’s, MI

5. Sr. Joey Cozart, Brandon, FL

6. So. Jason Luster, Kiski Prep, PA

7. Sr. Jesse Shanaman, Blair Academy, NJ
*Fall in SPG dual

8. Sr. Stephen Hernandez, Bishop Gorman, NV

9. Sr. Brandon Wilbourn, Howell, MO

10. Sr. Justin DeAngelis, Jenks, OK

11. Sr. Jordan Moss, Sharon, PA

12. Sr. Harrison Hightower, University School, OH

13. Sr. Matt White, Woodward, OK

14. Sr. Sean McMurray, Portage, IN

15. Sr. Brandon Rolnick, Lawrenceville Prep, NJ

16. So. Jordan Rodgers, Mead, WA

17. Sr. Tyler Hain, Warrior Run, PA

18. Sr. Mike Kelly, Cedar Falls, IA

19. Sr. Anthony Volpe, Rocky Point, NY

20. Jr. Ryan Krecker, Nazareth, PA
*Previously #15. Dual meet loss vs. Parkland.

*Watching: Sr. Pierce Harger, Moeller, OH, Fr. Cody Wiercioch, Charleroi, PA, , So. Justin Koethe, Iowa City, IA, Jr. Chris Castillo, Zillah, WA
*Not Competing: Sr. Nazar Kultchytskyy, Prairie du Chien, WI

160
1. Sr. Marshall Peppelman, Central Dauphin, PA
*New Oxford Champ

2. Sr. Nick Moore, Iowa City, IA

3. Sr. Robert Kokesh, Wagner, SD

4. Sr. Nick Sulzer, St. Edward, OH

5. Sr. Eric Hess, Benton, PA

6. Sr. Josh Demas, Westerville, OH

7. Sr. Dirk Cowburn, Coudersport, PA

8. Sr. Ronnie Balfour, Tulsa Union, OK

9. Jr. Bryce Hammond, Bakersfield, CA

10. Sr. Nick Visicaro, Long Branch, NJ

11. Sr. Corey Dauphin, El Reno, OK

12. Sr. Drake Houdashelt, Fort Zumwalt, MO

13. Jr. Steve Keough, Apple Valley, MN

14. Jr. Logan Storley, Webster, SD

15. Jr. John Guzzo, High Point, NJ

16. Sr. Nick Proctor, Neuqua, IL

17. Jr. Mark Havers, Bradford, PA

18. Sr. Preston Keiffer, Eastern Regional, NJ

19. Jr. Justin Lozano, Selma, CA

20. Sr. Kurtis Julson, Simley, MN

*On the bubble: Jr. Kyle Ryan, St. Paris, OH, Jr. Zach Skates, Broken Arrow, OK, , Jr. Jordan Thomas, Greenville, MI, Sr. Joe Latham, Bismark, ND

171
1. Sr. Derek Garcia, Sedro-Wooly, WA

2. Jr. Chris Phillips, Monroeville, OH

3. Sr. Tyler Beckwith, Greene, NY

4. Jr. Kenny Courts, Central Dauphin, PA

5. Sr. Mike Moreno, Urbandale, IA

6. Sr. Walt Gillmor, North Scott, IA

7. Sr. Noah Budi, Kakauna, WI

8. Sr. Brock Weatherman, Ballard, IA

9. Jr. Jahwon Akui, St. Rita’s, IL

10. Sr. Ryan Callahan, Wallkill Valley, NJ
*Beat 160 #10 Visicaro in AS Dual, 5-3

11. Sr. Parker Madl, Blue Valley, KS

12. Sr. Michael Duckworth, Union County, IN

13. Sr. Jake Dorulla, Rockford, MI

14. Jr. Nate Brown, Lewisburg, PA

15. Sr. James Cook, Madera, CA

16. Sr. Mike England, Centerville, IA

17. Jr. Jake Waste, Apple Valley, MN

18. So. Brandon Griffin, Sprague, OR
*Reser’s Champ

19. Jr. Alex Utley, CVCA, OH

20. Sr. Martin Fabbian, Buchanan, CA

*Just outside the Top 20: So. Huston Evans, St Paris Graham, OH, Sr. Matt Cunningham, Shady Side Academy, PA, Jamie Westwood, Queen of Peace, NJ, Sr. Levi Clemons, Osceola, FL, Sr. Tristan Warner, Cumberland Valley, PA., Sr. Tanner Eitel, Bishop Lynch, TX

189 –The big shake-up here is previous #7 Evan Knight taking 3rd at Ed Winger Tournament.

1. Sr. Mike Evans, Blair Academy, NJ
*Win over #5 Thomusseit

2. Jr. Andrew Campolattano, Bound Brook, NJ
*Defeated #15 George, 6-2, in All-Star Match

3. Sr. Lee Munster, Fox Lake, IL

4. Jr. Morgan McIntosh, Calvary Chapel, CA

5. Sr. Max Thomusseit, St. Paris Graham, OH
*Loss to #1 Evans

6. Sr. Tyler Lehman, Fargo, ND

7. Sr. Jaime Callendar, Council Rock-North, PA

8. Sr. Antonio Giorgio, Warwick, PA
*New Oxford Champ

9. Sr. Taylor Meeks, Orting, WA

10. Sr. Kyven Gadsen, Waterloo, IA

11. Sr. Jayd Docken, Winner, SD

12. Sr. Sterling Hecox, Machesney Park, IL

13. Sr. Evan Knight, Urbandale, IA

14. Sr. Andre Petroski, Springfield, PA

15. Sr. Billy George, Long Branch, NJ

16. Sr. Stephen McPeek, Bishop Lynch, TX

17. Sr. Tommy Burriel, Clovis, CA

18. Jr. Michael Kennedy, Blackman, TN

19. Sr. Tanner Hall, Meridian, ID

20. Sr. Joel Bauman, Sunburg, MN

*Watching: Jr. Curtis Berger, Hermiston, OR, Sr. Adam DeLaGarza, Vacaville, CA

215
1. Sr. Trevor Rupp, Pocatello, ID

2. Sr. Spencer Myers, Selinsgrove, PA

3. Sr. Kyle Cowan, Cascia Prep, OK

4. Sr. Alex Polizzi, Beloit, WI

5. Sr. Scott Schiller, Fargo, ND

6. Jr. Conner Medbery, Loveland, CO

7. Jr. Tank Knowles, Calvary Chapel, CA

8. Sr. Kyle Colling, Pioneer, NY

9. Sr. Kevin Innis, St. Peter’s Prep, NJ

10. Sr. Nate Gaffney, Connellsville, PA

11. Sr. Cameron Croy, Brentwood, TN

12. Jr. Cody Krumwiede, Waverly, IA

13. Sr. Zach Greenwald, Paulsboro, NJ

14. Jr. Harrison Honeycutt, Lake Norman, NC

15. Sr. Shane Woods, Tuttle, OK

16. Sr. Nick McDiarmid, Fowlerville, MI

17. Sr. J.T. Felix, Centennial, CA

18. Sr. Kyle Caylor, Wichita, KS

19. Sr. Jacob Trotter, Mead, WA

20. Sr. Mat Tourdot, Sparta, WI

*Watching: Sr. Beau Wenger, Fairless Hills, OH, Jr. Mike Sojka, Winnebago, IL. So. Nick Tavenello, Wadsworth, OH, Sr. Cody Davis, The Woodlands, TX

HWT —Jr. Orry Elor shakes things up a bit as he defeated previous #7 (and CA #1) Drew Meulman to continue his perfect season.

1. Sr. Mike McMullen, Wyoming Seminary, PA

2. Sr. Bobby Telford, St. Mark’s, DE

3. Sr. Jimmy Lawson, Manchester, NJ
*Won his NJ All-Star bout, 10-2

4. Sr. Evan Craig, Abington, PA

5. Sr. Henry Chrino, Brandon, FL

6. Sr. Ty Demott, Benton, PA

7. Sr. Ronnie Coleman, Omaha, NE

8. Sr. Niko Bogojevic, Superior, WI

9. Jr. Donny Longendyke, White Bear Lake, MN

10. Sr. Cody Dauphin, El Reno, OK

11. Jr. Orry Elor, College Park, CA

12. Sr. Drew Meulman, St. Francis, CA

13. Sr. Karl Green, Mt. St. Joeseph’s, MD

14. Sr. Donovan Green, Timber Creek, FL

15. Fr. Brooks Black, Blair Academy, NJ
*Earned the fall in SPG dual.

16. Sr. Derek Papagianopoulis, Buckingham, MA

17. Sr. Lance Moore, Johnson City, NY

18. Sr. Ben Buzzelli, Wadsworth, OH

19. Jr. Curt Fuller, Lincoln Rapids, WI

20. Sr. Adam Praska, Cresco, IA

Watching: Sr. Kyle Papendorf, Buchanan, CA Jr. Austin Blythe, Williamsburg, IA, Jr. Zach Corl, Central Mountain, PA

Perennial Powers Collide Saturday

by Willie Saylor, Editor

And the winner is…

Apple Valley? Huh? Wait a second.

There’s a storm brewing in high school wrestling, the precipitates of which will change, or reconfirm, the national team rankings. When the #1 Buccaneers travel to the #3 Falcons in St. Paris, OH, Saturday, all that will be on the line is a National Championship.

To put the picture in perspective, a little backtracking is in order.

Blair Academy began the season with the designation of being the best team in the land under a tenuous banner. Despite being among the nation’s elite year-in and year-out, the Buccaneers had lost nine starters, and number of teams around the country were returning the bulk of key contributors to squads that finished at or near the top of the 2009 campaign.

There was strong support, especially for Apple Valley, Minnesota. But when Blair won the Ironman in early December much of the dissent was quelled. At that tournament, Blair was without standout 135lber, Austin Ormsbee, and still blew away a field that featured seven of the top ten, and eleven of the top twenty teams in the country, by 41pts.

Since the Ironman, Blair went on to convincing wins at The Beast of the East and the Bethlehem Holiday Classic, tournaments featuring several teams ranked nationally.

Runners-up to Blair were these very SPG Falcons who themselves were without two starters; Fr. 130 Bo Jordan, and So. Felipe Martinez, 140. Later, at the Greater Miami Valley Tournament, SPG, now at full-strength, won by a wide margin and had Martinez collect OW honors, and 171lber, Huston Evans, take the “Most Falls” award.

Further clouding the picture for this weekend’s showdown is the opposite directions the teams seemed to take in duals last weekend.

Blair survived a scare at NHSCA’s Final Four by beating #11 Collins Hill, GA, 36-33, without the services of 130lber, Robbie Preston, who sustained a hip flexor injury in the semifinals of the Bethlehem tournament.

In contrast, St. Paris Graham was firing on all cylinders as they dismantled #10 St. Edwards, 39-20.

While most experts would agree that Blair is the premier tournament team in the country, their dual meet ability, against other nationally ranked teams, seems called into question.

The Breakdown:
103
#8 So. Max Hvolbeck, BA vs. #11 So. Ryan Taylor, SPG
Hvolbeck dec. Taylor in the Ironman Coni-Semi’s.

112
#1 Jr. Evan Silver, BA vs. So. Conner Cassidy, SPG
Expect bonus pts. from undefeated Ironman Champ Silver.

119
#11 So. Mark Grey, BA vs. #6 Jr. Nick Brascetta, SPG
One of the premier bouts of the night. Brascetta won by dec. 3-1 at Ironman.

125
Fr. Russ Parsons, or Fr. Mike Deehan, BA vs. Sr. Sheldon Kegley, SPG
Parsons went 3-2 at Ironman. Kegley was 2-2.

130
Fr. Russ Parsons, or Fr. Mike Deehan, BA vs. #18 Fr. Bo Jordan, SPG
All indications are that Blair regular (and previously ranked) Robbie Preston will not wrestle, which is a considerable blow to the Blair line-up. Bo Jordan may well be one of the best among the upper echelon in the country. He was out the first part of the season, but recently took out #1 Sr. Jamie Clark in the St. Ed’s dual.

135
#5 Jr. Austin Ormsbee, BA vs. HM So. Isaac Jordan, SPG
Ormsbee is one of the top wrestlers in the country, but Jordan’s another stud in-the-making. Advantage Blair. But should be a heck of a bout. Isaac wrestled Ironman at 140 to a 4th place finish.

140
#1 Sr. Chris Villalonga, BA vs. #6 So. Felipe Martinez, SPG
Their rankings say it all. Chris V. is experienced, savvy and knows how to win scrambles and close matches. Martinez is a dynamo. Someone, please get this on tape.

145
Fr. Jack Wedholm, BA, vs. #20 Jr. Matt Stephens or Jr. Robert Mannier, SPG

152
#7 Sr. Jesse Shanaman, BA vs. #20 Stephens or Mannier, SPG
Stephens has wrestled both weights this year. It should be interesting to see if Coach Jordan goes stud-to-stud. That decision will probably be dictated by the team score at the time of the bout. Shanaman was runner-up at Ironman to #1 Alton. Stephens (at 145) lost for 3rd vs then #10 Salupo (St. Ed’s) whom he has since beat when the teams dualed.

160
Sr. Brad Bishop, BA vs. HM Jr. Kyle Ryan, SPG
Edge to Graham’s Ryan here, who placed 4th at IM.

171
Jr. Marino Orlandi, BA vs. HM So. Huston Evans, SPG
Evans is among the best 171lbers in the country. Bonus points should come here for the Falcons.

189
#1 Sr. Mike Evans, BA vs. #5 Sr. Max Thomusseit, SPG
Another premier match. Evans controlled this bout in IM finals in a 6-2 decision.

215
Sr. Dillon Hoffman, BA vs. Jr. Mark Meyer, SPG
Toss up. Hoffman placed 8th at IM. Meyer was one bout from the podium.

HWT
#15 Fr. Brooks Black vs. Sr. Lucas Williams, SPG
Black, one of the nation’s top freshman at any weight class, is a heavy favorite here.

Blair: also has the potential to bump up everyone from 112 or 119 to 145 to get the match-ups they think most strategic. If they choose to do so, expect to see Jr. Kyle Taylor at 112. With Preston likely out, this is a real possibility.

Graham: Line-up should be as-expected with the only shuffling likely at 145/152.

Notes:
Like any big dual, toss-up bouts figure to decide the match between two close teams.

For Blair: Bonus pts are key. They need to avoid them when they’re overmatched, and get them with their studs. In their close duals, one problem has been the lack of bonus pts from their top guys who seem content on riding instead of racking up points. We’ll see if that approach changes here. They certainly have the ability to.

For SPG: Needs to get bonus where they are decided favorites. If I were Coach Jordan, I’d avoid the potential Stephens/Shanaman bout.

What It All Means
If Blair wins, case closed, assuming they run the table of their remaining schedule. They would have gone undefeated in a grueling schedule, the nation’s toughest, and won in both dual and tournament formats (the latter half of the year less a very intergral 130lber.) against more ranked opponents than anyone.

If not, #2 Apple Valley has remained perfect. They won the Cheesehead which featured five nationally ranked teams, before taking the title at The Clash, a dual format tournament, with another seven ranked squads. Their line-up is a little bit Blair; with studs throughout, and a little bit Graham; having a lot of balance.

How they would fair against Blair and/or Graham will remain conjecture as they aren’t on each other’s schedule. But if Graham should come out on top Saturday, Apple Valley might be the biggest winners…all the way to the tune of national title. Blair would have a blemish. SPG would still have a second place showing as a remnant of Ironman.

What about Graham? Is it not possible for them to lay claim to the national title? After all, they would have taken out the previous #1.

There’s a shot. But for that to happen, I think the Falcons would have to dominate and win big. They would still have a second place finish, something that Apple Valley doesn’t have to admit. And although that second place finish occurred when they weren’t at full strength, neither will Blair be (by most indications) for this dual. In the end, under this scenario, Apple Valley would be the only team to remain unscathed.

The biggest winners of this dual between New Jersey and Ohio teams just may be the folks from Minnesota.

That being said, my prediction:

Blair 31, St. Paris-Graham 26