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

152 pounds

All-Ohio
State Champion: KF-1 Jake Howe - Senior - Blanchester High School - Blanchester, Ohio [2009:D3-152-1st, 2008:D3-145-8th, 2007:D3-135-7th]
2nd place: MH-1 Cody Walters - Junior - St. Peter Chanel High School - Bedford, Ohio [2009:D3-152-3rd, 2008:D3-152-7th]
3rd place: MH-2 Nico Francis - Senior - Girard High School - Girard, Ohio [2008:D3-135-A]
4th place: HE-1 Sean Prather - Junior - West Jefferson High School - West Jefferson, Ohio [2009:D3-152-8th, 2008:D3-135-Q]
5th place: HE-2 Lucas Cummins - Junior - Cardington-Lincoln High School - Cardington, Ohio
6th place: MH-3 Zeb Beam - Sophomore - Waynedale High School - Apple Creek, Ohio
7th place: KF-2 Kyle Keplinger - Senior - Troy Christian High School - Troy, Ohio [2009:D3-171-7th]
8th place: MH-4 James Gerken - Junior - Keystone High School - LaGrange, Ohio [2009:D2-152-Q]

Qualifiers
9. HE-3 Mike Falk - Senior - Grandview Heights High School - Columbus, Ohio [2009:D3-152-Q]
10. KF-3 Kurt Jefferis - Senior - Barnesville High School - Barnesville, Ohio [2009:D3-140-Q, 2008:D3-140-Q]
11. KF-4 Thomas Fullenkamp - Junior - Versailles High School - Versailles, Ohio [2009:D3-152-Q, 2008:D3-135-A]
12. HE-4 Scott Kaiser - Senior - Martins Ferry High School - Martins Ferry, Ohio [2009:D3-152-A]
18. OC-1 Derek Jimenez - Senior - Montpelier High School - Montpelier, Ohio
24. OC-2 Tyler Rufenacht - Sophomore - Archbold High School - Archbold, Ohio
27. OC-6 Dalton Hall - Senior - Ayersville High School - Defiance, Ohio
28. OC-7 Travis Lombardi - Senior - Edison High School - Milan, Ohio

Challengers
13. MH-5 Cole Drake - Senior - Triway High School - Wooster, Ohio [2008:D3-145-Q]
14. HE-5 Weston Davis - Senior - Zane Trace High School - Chillicothe, Ohio [2009:D3-140-Q]
15. HE-6 Kenny Nickerson - Senior - St. Clairsville High School - St. Clairsville, Ohio [2009:D3-145-Q]
16. KF-5 Tim Mitchell - Senior - Purcell Marian High School - Cincinnati, Ohio
17. MH-6 Chad Ziegler - Junior - Cardinal High School - Middlefield, Ohio
19. KF-6 Travis Fitzpatrick - Senior - Mohawk High School - Sycamore, Ohio
20. MH-7 Stephen Byrne - Senior - Fairview High School - Fairview Park, Ohio
21. KF-7 Chase Kenner - Senior - Upper Sandusky High School - Upper Sandusky, Ohio
22. KF-8 Nick LeForce - Senior - Carlisle High School - Carlisle, Ohio
23. HE-7 Jake Nelson - Senior - Newark Catholic High School - Newark, Ohio
25. MH-8 Sam Stretar - Junior - Independence High School - Independence, Ohio
26. KF-9 Cody Stahl - Junior - Wayne Trace High School - Haviland, Ohio

While I have no personal knowledge to impart, I feel sure that defending state champion Jake Howe will eventually compete at this weight class. This despite the fact that all of the results I have accumulated to date show him at 160 pounds. It only makes sense since this is a slightly easier competition compared to a strong field at 160 pounds. Howe finished a great season last year defeating Kyle Burns by 10 points to win the title and finish with a 50-2 record. This year he won handily at Edgewood and will be looking to become a four-time state placer and a two-time champion.

Even with Kyle Burns moving down to 145 pounds the competition that Howe will face seems much stronger than I first thought. My expectation is that Cody Walters stands highest among those seeking to dethrone Howe and will be seeded away from him because of his third place finish at this weight class last year. Walters, only a junior, was 7th at this weight class two years ago and third last year after being upset in overtime by Rayl. His scoring pattern last year was unusual in that he scored only two points in a bout three times (winning twice) and nine or more the other three bouts. I think he is much more aggressive when the pressure is off. He was third at Brecksville winning two overtime bouts and 1st at Solon. Howe averaged 10 points a bout at last year's state meet. He won't get that against Walters but Cody will have to be aggressive to beat him.

Somewhat strangely there are three very good districts and one where the bracket sheet seems almost empty. That is at Owens and we'll discuss that last because there will be a lot of good names written before we get there.

Maple Heights District
I was trying to decide which was best but let's call it a three-way tie and begin with Maple Heights Walters we've talked about but there is much more. Francis was a district third at this weight class and won three bouts at States to finish 7th. In the first round he beat my choice by the lopsided score of 15-2 and after dropping a bout to Merryman, he won twice more including an 11-2 bout with Prather. The results do not come flooding in from Girard but he did win the Leonard Truck and Trailer Invitational. Gerken was a Division 2 state qualifier and has done equally well this year. He was second at Avon Lake and 1st at Cuyahoga Heights but won only twice at Brecksville. Beam is the wrestler who seems to really be improving. Last year, as a freshman, he was at 119 pounds with a district win. However, he is growing rapidly, as the Beams tend to and has moved up six weight classes - and very successfully. He was third at Elgin losing to Howe, 7-2 and won the Outstanding Wrestler award at Cardington. He was 2-1 at the State Duals but Prather dominated him 5-0. Drake qualified two years ago but didn't make it last year. He again won the WIT but will face tough competition to qualify. I think Ziegler and Stretar are long shots but Byrne could be a factor. When you see that name attached to Fairview Park you can expect solid wrestling and top-notch insurance.

Kettering Fairmont District
It is also a very strong group at Fairmont, even more accomplished than at Maple Heights Howe, of course, is the jewel in the crown. Fullenkamp qualified last year with a one point win and then lost in overtime to Rayl for 3rd. He went 1-2 in Columbus, losing 2-1 to Walters in his placement bout, as he is good at keeping things close. He was 1st at Plymouth and a strong third at the GMVWA, losing only to Bryant in overtime. Keplinger was a critical element in Troy Christian's team title, scoring unexpectedly at 171 pounds and finishing 7th. Now down at a more reasonable weight class, he was 1st at Troy Christian and won three bouts at Brecksville, being eliminated in overtime by Walters. That's a nice trio but Mitchell has been very good, getting a third at the CIT and at Tiffin. Add in Fitzpatrick, 1st at Marion Harding, LeForce and Stahl and it is a very good district.

Heath District
There is a lot of power at Heath as well. As you've noticed by now, no firm hierarchy has emerged with bouts and scores lacking cohesion. That is true here as well. Prather was eighth last year at this weight class, losing to Howe 8-3 but winning two bouts until Walters slipped by him 2-1. He has been very active winning at West Jefferson and finishing second to Hightower at the Top Gun. He won all three bouts at the State Duals and has the talent for a high podium finish. Jefferis and Nickerson both qualified out of this district at 145 pounds. Jefferis won a bout and Nickerson did not but both have come back even stronger. Jefferis was second at Barnesville, losing a 7-6 bout to Division 2 Beckley and third at St. Clairsville. Falk missed a big part of last year but managed a district third and state qualification. He went 1-2 after losing to Burns and failed to place. Most recently he was a finalist at Elgin but lost to Howe on a fall. Kaiser has been at 160 pounds all year and is a very strong contender for qualification at this class. It will be interesting to see how he does at the OVAC. Also back is Davis who was a state qualifier at 140 pounds and was (I believe) the first Zane Trace wrestler to win a state bout. Cummins, second at the Gorman and third at the Top Gun, has raced ahead of some of this crowd with his strong performances. Nelson and Mays will have to have a torrid weekend to have a chance.

Owens Community College District
There isn't much at Owens - in fact, nobody that has made any real impression. I've rated some of them at the bottom of the list but there is real opportunity here.