The Ultimate Fan Guide to the 2010 Division 3 High School Wrestling Forecast by Brian Brakeman
Dan Cosimi - The Ohio Wrestling Network

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NUW

2010 HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING FORECAST (39th ANNUAL EDITION)
Brian F. Brakeman
January 26, 2010

Division 3

130 pounds

All-Ohio
State Champion: MH-1 Mike Kovach - Senior - St. Peter Chanel High School - Bedford, Ohio [2009:D3-119-5th, 2008:D3-119-4th, 2007:D3-112-Q]
2nd place: OC-1 Alex Lopez - Senior - Patrick Henry High School - Hamler, Ohio [2009:D3-125-2nd, 2007:D3-112-7th]
3rd place: OC-2 Kyle Burns - Sophomore - Edison High School - Milan, Ohio [2009:D3-125-6th]
4th place: KF-1 Jordan Marshall - Freshman - Troy Christian High School - Troy, Ohio
5th place: MH-2 Seth Powers - Junior - Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy - Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio [2009:D3-112-4th, 2008:D3-103-A]
6th place: HE-1 Dylan Wheeler - Senior - Utica High School - Utica, Ohio [2009:D2-125-Q]
7th place: MH-3 Johnny Matacic - Junior - Jackson-Milton High School - North Jackson, Ohio [2009:D3-125-7th]
8th place: KF-2 Alex Panno - Senior - Blanchester High School - Blanchester, Ohio [2009:D3-125-8th, 2008:D3-119-Q]

Qualifiers
9. MH-4 Shane Brown - Senior - Manchester High School - Akron, Ohio [2009:D3-130-A]
10. KF-3 Eddie Sanders - Junior - Badin High School - Hamilton, Ohio [2009:D3-135-Q]
11. OC-3 Scott Traver - Senior - Genoa High School - Genoa, Ohio [2007:D3-103-Q]
12. HE-2 Seth Callarik - Senior - St. Clairsville High School - St. Clairsville, Ohio [2009:D3-130-Q]
13. KF-4 Brian Merschman - Senior - St. John High School - Delphos, Ohio [2009:D3-125-Q, 2008:D3-112-Q, 2007:D3-103-8th]
18. HE-3 Albert Rozman - Senior - Bishop Ready High School - Columbus, Ohio
20. HE-4 Gage Corns - Junior - Amanda - Clearcreek High School - Amanda, Ohio
21. OC-4 Garrett McGrail - Senior - New London High School - New London, Ohio

Challengers
14. MH-5 Tony Widder - Senior - Waynedale High School - Apple Creek, Ohio
15. KF-5 Tyler Kelly - Junior - Reading High School - Reading, Ohio
16. KF-6 Zane Goldberg - Senior - Miami East High School - Casstown, Ohio [2009:D3-125-Q, 2007:D3-103-Q]
17. MH-6 Josh Lawrence - Junior - Garfield High School - Garrettsville, Ohio
19. MH-7 Justin Bockmore - Junior - Wellington High School - Wellington, Ohio
22. MH-8 Matt Bouman - Senior - Norwayne High School - Creston, Ohio
23. OC-5 Mitch Emmit - Sophomore - Elmwood High School - Bloomdale, Ohio
24. KF-7 Brandon Montgomery - Senior - McComb High School - McComb, Ohio
25. OC-7 Austen Lulfs - Sophomore - Evergreen High School - Metamora, Ohio
26. KF-8 Ty Fisher - Senior - Carlisle High School - Carlisle, Ohio [2009:D3-125-A]
27. HE-5 Josh Wilson - Junior - Zane Trace High School - Chillicothe, Ohio
28. KF-9 Kameran Clemens - Sophomore - Wayne Trace High School - Haviland, Ohio

I have ranked the Stiebers at 119 pounds and 125 pounds but clearly they would be heavy favorites should they compete at this weight class. If not, it should be a relatively close competition but three names stand out.

Mike Kovach has had a very fine career at Chanel but has never been a state finalist. He is already a three-time state qualifier and a two-time placer, who has twice now lost in the state semifinals. This is his last chance - and absent the Stiebers - is a very good one. He was second at Solon, losing to state champion DiJulius and a semifinalist at Brecksville before losing to Logan Stieber. He did not compete at the CIT, being sidelined with injury issues. He is a classic grind it out wrestler, very good against those of similar athleticism. These injury issues are likely to impact his performance. He could well miss competition until sectional and you wonder whether that will impair his performance. If healthy he is a narrow favorite.

Lopez, also a senior, was the state runner-up at 125 pounds last year behind Logan Stieber. A two-time placer, he is much more athletic than Kovach but also knows how to win the close bouts. Last year, for example, he beat Shepard, 3-0 and Vargo, 2-1. He does not wrestle the challenging schedule that Kovach enjoys but that has not become a major issue. His high school has not crowned a state champ since 1981 but this might be the year where they double their output.

Owens Community College District
One of the fiercest challengers to this duo will be the sophomore, Kyle Burns. He had a fine freshman year, finishing third at the Owens District, which included a hard fought overtime loss to Lopez, 3-1. He won three times at States to finish 6th. He certainly could beat either of my top two choices. Since he and Lopez both exit the Owens District they should be in opposite halves at Columbus. The rest of the district is far less imposing. State qualifier Traver could grab the third spot with folks like Emmitt, Lulfs and Delaney (Pike-Delta-York) other possibilities. Another possibility is McGrail, who has been at 135 pounds most of the year but has already made 130 pounds. This will be a much easier district for him. He was one bout from States last year. None of this latter grouping would seem to be in line for more than a low place.

Maple Heights District
Kovach faces a much deeper district at Maple Heights Powers, formerly known as the little Powers when his elder brother competed, missed the first month of the season with injury problems. I believe he could make 125 pounds but it looks like it might be better for both the team and him to be here. He really improved the second half of his sophomore year, getting third after an early loss to Spreng at districts and then doing almost precisely the same thing to gain the fourth place medal in Columbus. Matacic was seventh last year at 125 pounds, losing early but coming back to get three wins. Burns beat him 4-2 in that process. This year he was fourth at Solon losing by four points to Kovach and seventh at Brecksville. State alternate Brown is also very good. His only district losses were a one pointer to Kiefer and a two-pointer to Sommers in the go-to-state bout. This year he won at Manchester, Woodmore and the Dies, beating the excellent Taylor in the finals. I see Lawrence, Widder and Bockmore as the three contenders most likely to fashion an upset.

Heath District
Wheeler stands out at Heath. I'm guessing he could go at 125 pounds but this is a much easier weight class and that should provide an excellent state pairing. He was a Division 2 state qualifier last year but drew Skonieczny in the first round. After a consolation he had to default to Kazimer costing himself a shot at placement. Callarik is also a returning state qualifier who this year was second at St. Clairsville and third at Barnesville. A name missing from the Caldwell results is that of state qualifier Clint Boyd. A fourth place district finisher at this district last year, he has been rumored to be at weight classes ranging from 130 pounds to 145 pounds. If here, he would be a high probability qualifier. The remainder of this district is truly "up for grabs" with Wilson, Rozman, Corns and Davis as possibilities. It would not surprise me to see some unfamiliar names in the state bracket sheet representing this district.

Kettering Fairmont District
I have twelve names listed as possible qualifiers at this weight class coming from the Fairmont District. All of them had a least two district wins last year (except the freshman) and you have to wonder if some will opt for the easier 135-pound class. Yet when all is said and done, I think the best wrestler here is the freshman. Marshall was the junior high state runner-up to Abounader last year and he has not missed a beat at the varsity level. He was third at Troy Christian, losing only to McCombs and fifth at Brecksville. In that tournament he made the semifinals by defeating Division 1 state placer Ryan Hoyt, Division 2 state qualifier Cam Campbell and Georgia state champ Kevin Ulmer. Fickel beat him and he fell to fifth beating Kovach in overtime. This kid is good. Two-time state qualifiers Panno and Goldberg cannot be overlooked, with the former placing eighth last year. Both boys have put up good numbers this year. Three-time state qualifier and former state placer, Brian Merschman, is also here and he is looking for bookends state placement. He was second at Allen County and Tiffin, losing a pair of high scoring bouts. State qualifier Sanders is down a weight class this year after qualifying at 135 pounds last year. He opened with a 2-1 loss to eventual state runner-up Kuzma and then dropped an 8-7 consolation bout to Tanner. He won at Reading and Deer Park but was seventh at SWOWCA. I believe Kelly belongs with this top group based on a fifth at the SWOWCA (ahead of Sanders) and a third at Reading (behind Sanders). Fisher and Wilson were both one bout from states last year, while Clemens followed up two district wins with some strong performances. Montgomery, Shelton (Clinton-Massie) and Benedict (Greeneview) also had two district triumphs but will have a long path to qualification here.