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

189 pounds

All-Ohio
State Champion: MH-1 Kurtis Schaefer - Junior - Northwestern High School - West Salem, Ohio [2009:D3-189-3rd, 2008:D3-189-A]
2nd place: MH-2 Jonathan Beam - Senior - Waynedale High School - Apple Creek, Ohio [2009:D3-171-2nd]
3rd place: MH-3 Royal Brettrager - Senior - Kirtland High School - Kirtland, Ohio [2009:D3-171-5th, 2008:D3-160-A]
4th place: HE-1 Kaleb Miller - Senior - Amanda-Clearcreek High School - Amanda, Ohio [2009:D2-189-Q]
5th place: HE-2 Travis Drumm - Junior - Heath High School - Heath, Ohio [2009:D3-189-A]
6th place: HE-3 Rich Ulmer - Senior - Galion High School - Galion, Ohio
7th place: KF-1 Kirby Acus - Senior - Reading High School - Reading, Ohio [2009:D3-171-Q]
8th place: OC-1 Brandon Tantari - Senior - Lake High School - Millbury, Ohio [2009:D3-189-A]

Qualifiers
9. KF-2 Aaron Kapelka - Senior - Hopewell-Loudon High School - Bascom, Ohio
10. MH-4 Garry Yarborough - Senior - Trinity High School - Garfield Heights, Ohio
11. KF-3 Curtis Miller - Sophomore - Jefferson High School - Delphos, Ohio
12. KF-4 Keith Uhlenhake - Sophomore - Coldwater High School - Coldwater, Ohio [2009:D3-215-A]
13. OC-2 Josh Stockmaster - Senior - Buckeye Central High School - New Washington, Ohio
15. HE-4 Ryan Fultz or Luke Mickle - Junior or Senior - West Jefferson High School - West Jefferson, Ohio
19. OC-3 Eric Boyce - Senior - Edison High School - Milan, Ohio
21. OC-4 Jake Baker - Sophomore - Elmwood High School - Bloomdale, Ohio

Challengers
14. KF-6 Tyler Wasserman - Senior - Mechanicsburg High School - Mechanicsburg, Ohio [2009:D3-189-A]
16. KF-7 John Sullenbarger - Senior - Arcanum High School - Arcanum, Ohio
17. HE-5 Jeff Oberdick - Sophomore - Martins Ferry High School - Martins Ferry, Ohio
18. MH-5 Alex Saunders - Junior - Girard High School - Girard, Ohio
20. MH-6 Mason Bremke - Junior - Oberlin High School - Oberlin, Ohio
22. HE-6 Casey Beatty - Senior - Bishop Ready High School - Columbus, Ohio
23. MH-7 Treg Grubb - Senior - Tuslaw High School - Massillon, Ohio
24. HE-7 Layton Graves - Senior - Coshocton High School - Coshocton, Ohio
25. HE-8 Colton Joyce - Senior - Trimble High School - Glouster, Ohio
26. MH-8 Luke Weber - Senior - Loudonville High School - Loudonville, Ohio

At one point this weight class appeared to be the most difficult in all three school classes as a stampede of 171-pounders seemed poised to compete here. Now that Utley will wrestle at 171 pounds and Raber as low as 160 pounds it has been transformed to one that is merely difficult. This movement has also alleviated the logjam that appeared likely at the Maple Heights District where three state runners-up, a third place finisher and two other state placers seemed ready to compete. However, it is still by far the strongest district feeding the state tournament.

Maple Heights District
Schaefer, a junior, was my pick last year but was trounced in the semifinals by eventual state champ Running, 17-9 and ended up 3rd. He is a real talent who beat the big school boys at Medina allowing only one point in his last three bouts. If he stays focused and aggressive, he will be very tough to beat. Beam was second at 171 pounds, winning his first three state bouts on two falls and a 21-10 decision. He tried Phillips in the final but was caught in the second period and pinned. In any normal year he'd be a strong favorite but this is not an ordinary time. He was most recently undefeated at the Cardington Duals with five falls and was a big time winner at Elgin. Brettrager is the one who is fun to watch. He goes out to win by fall - isn't that refreshing - and, generally, succeeds because he is willing to take risks. He was the district champ at 171 pounds last year pinning Beam in the semifinals. It did not work out as hoped as he fell in the same half-bracket as Phillips who pinned him in 86 seconds in the state semifinals. He ended up fifth but his 13-11 overtime win in the quarterfinals was one of the most exciting bouts of the tourney. I've named is three potential state champions ready to do battle (it would have been five with Utley and Raber) but there is more. The big, strong Yarborough was one bout from States last year and, has had a solid season placing at the CIT in his last outing. Two other wrestlers with multiple district wins are Sanders and Bremke, while Weber and Grubb have possibilities. An intriguing thought is Schaefer (St. Peter Chanel), a 160-pounder forced to go up two classes to make the team who has done well at this class.

Owens Community College District
Ulmer, a Division 2 district participant last year, has won at both Harding and the Gorman and seems more aggressive this year. While unlikely to challenge the top trio, he should get a good pairing if he wins this district and place. He'll face tough competition in state alternate Tantari and Stockmaster, both of whom have put together fine seasons. Tantari won at Sylvania Southview and Woodmore, while Stockmaster was 1st at Arcadia and 2nd, to Miller at Plymouth. An interesting possibility is Boyce, who took Kwfat into overtime at Edison. This district is one where opportunism could pay off. Baker or maybe Livengood are other possibilities.

Heath District
There are two very strong candidates for placement coming out of Heath. State qualifier Miller was 1-2 in the Division 2 competition at this weight class last year. He has spent some of the year at 215 pounds but could well be district champion at this weight class. Drumm was a state alternate last year losing a 2-1 ultimate overtime battle. He has won several tournaments this year (Licking County/North Union) and was second to Beam at Elgin. I don't know what to expect out of West Jefferson. It would seem that both Mickle and Fultz have done well and I'm not sure how they'll line up at sectional time. After that it's folks like Oberdick and Graves as wrestlers with possibilities. Beatty, second at Hamilton Twp. is also in the hunt. Beatty is a bit of a mystery. At the CIT he lost to Yarborough by only a point but then was pinned by Schaefer.

Kettering Fairmont District
There are a number of wrestlers right on the periphery of state qualification returning to Fairmont. One who made it last year was Kirby Acus the fourth place and last state qualifying spot at 171 pounds. He then beat Heath District champ Kucera in the first round in Columbus but then suffered two successive losses. He's been 1st at Reading and Madiera this year and was fifth at the SWOWCA. Kapelka won two district bouts last year, losing a 9-7 overtime bout to eventual state placer Elling. This year he was second at Tiffin after moving down from 215 pounds. Miller also won a couple district bouts last year and has won a whole raft of smaller tournaments this season. Younger brothers are often tougher than older ones (though not in my family) so expect this sophomore to continue to make major improvements. Uhlenhake was a state alternate at 215 pounds losing his go-to-state bout to eventual state runner-up Hayes. He has switched weights with Alig and should be a real load. Wasserman and Sullenberger wrestled for the district fifth last year after both lost by fall in their go-to-state bouts. They'll again have to be in top form to better that showing.