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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 II

103#

Projected Champion:  RYAN SMITH (OLMSTED FALLS)

Top Contenders

One of the special hazards of forecasting is attempting to choose between two roughly equivalent wrestlers with wildly diverging styles who have met a number of times.  You keep thinking that with only two choices, and lots of past experience, the right analytics should make the selection obvious.  But it doesn’t work that way.  No one can know who, in each instance, will be able to impose their style on the opponent.  It’s exactly the situation we have at this weight class.  Smith and Compton look to be a level above the rest of a very competitive field, but which one will take home the title?

Let’s look at the facts.  Nearly three years ago Smith slowed down Compton to become the first ever junior high state champion (and then became the first two-time champ a year later).  He has a slightly down tempo, methodical style that minimizes error.  Last year he went 35-3 at this weight class finishing a strong 3^rd at the state meet.  He was the only wrestler to give eventual champ Deubel a battle losing 8-6 in the semi-finals.  This year he is undefeated at 103#, including a Medina title where he handily defeated Light and Iovine back-to-back.  Compton, far flashier and more athletic, has been devastating at 103# with smashing wins at Wadsworth and the Gorman.  Last year Compton defeated Smith in overtime to win the district title, but then lost the next week at Columbus, 8-2, and finished 5^th.  Again this year they exit the same district so they’ll be apart in Columbus.  My feeling is that Smith will somehow neutralize Compton’s speed and power with superior defense and then score just enough to win a relatively low scoring battle.  The key will be his ability to impose his will on Compton.  It will be fascinating to see how this plays out.

It is a solid field at Galion, but with Smith and Compton both there, everyone else will be competing for just two spots.  The big unknown is LaScala.  He has certified at 103# and will be a potential state place winner if he can hold that weight and still wrestle at close-to-peak efficiency.  The trio of Kline, Kibler, and Kidwell (sounds like a law firm) would then be the co-favorites for the last state spot.  Should LaScala not be here then their chances double, and, perhaps, a Schaefer (Perkins) or Thurn (Clyde) can sneak into the top quartet.

It’s an excellent and closely bunched field at Firestone.  State qualifier Laughlin lost an opening round overtime decision to Pizzurro last year at Columbus, and then reeled off four wins to finish 4^th.  This year he has wrestled an aggressive schedule that included a 4^th at the Top Gun and a 2^nd at North Canton.  Protz has shown rapid improvement and was 1^st at Kenston and 2^nd at the Top Gun (though he did not wrestle Laughlin).  One who did wrestle him  -- and beat him – is Albaugh who may end up a finalist at this district.  McCahan was 3^rd in Division III last year at this weight class, but he’ll have a real battle just getting out of this district.  Bartley, Simpson, Manthey, and Porter (Springfield) are all capable of earning a bracket spot in Columbus. 

Pizzurro and Jackson are the two standouts at Watkins and, if paired correctly, will probably end up as the finalists.  Pizzurro was 2^nd at Brecksville, and I thought he looked very good there.  I believe he has definite placement potential.  After this duo there is a drop-off with Smith and Kempf probably next best.

There are three state qualifiers at Springfield with Bowers, Lindquist and Niswonger all having that experience last year.  Bowers could upset the applecart when it comes to a potential Smith vs. Compton final.  Last year he entered the state tournament as the district champ having beaten Pizzurro 9-3, with a record of 45-1.  He beat the experienced Kahn in overtime in the initial round and then gave Smith all he could handle before narrowly losing 3-2.  Laughlin knocked him off later in the placement round.  His big negative is the lack of a big-time schedule which sharpens people like Smith and Laughlin.  Still, he is a real talent.  Lindquist has got to be getting even better with the workout partners available at Graham, while Niswonger moves up from Division III.  After that it’s pretty much indeterminate.

112#

Projected Champion:  DUSTIN SCHLATTER (GRAHAM)

Top Contenders

I cannot remember a year when more brilliant freshmen have burst upon the scene.  Doggett, Lipp, Scaletta, Marshall, Horne, and yet another Opfer have all been high impact performers in their first year of varsity wrestling – and there are a large number nearly as good as those mentioned.  Yet, Dustin Schlatter towers well above even this elite group.  He is quite possibly the finest freshman in Ohio history with technique, strength and intelligence that belies his youth.  He faces a star-studded field at this weight class that includes a returning Division I state champ (LaFollette), two runners-up (Gilsdorf and Franklin) and a bevy of returning qualifiers.  Nonetheless, he will be a huge favorite to win here.  During the first week of the season he won the prestigious Ironman title defeating the #4 nationally ranked Robbie Preston, 9-2.  The only real issue will be remaining injury-free and able to compete at the 100% level.

LaFollette pretty much stunned everyone at the state meet.  He came in as a district 4^th place finisher in Division I and then proceeded to win four straight bouts and the state crown.  In the process he defeated Paglia and Gilsdorf, both undefeated at that juncture, in what has to be two of the bigger, consecutive upsets in state tourney history.  He may well wish that Akron Springfield had remained in Division I since he would be a mild favorite to win again.  Instead he’ll probably enter the state meet as a district champ and, certainly, as an even bigger underdog than he was last year.  Fate certainly springs rare surprises on us all.  However, if someone is to catch Schlatter, and that’s a very low probability event, it will probably be LaFollette.  The rest of the Firestone District is pretty pedestrian with Naso, French, and state qualifier Sandy, next in line.  Jones has quietly fashioned a very good year and he could be a factor as well as Connelly, the recent CIT champ.  Other possibilities are Yaros, Handy, Horne (Aurora) and Carter (Conneaut).

Schlatter is well ahead of the pack at Springfield.  He beat state runner-up Franklin in a dual meet, 17-2, which gives the approximate distance between him and the next best.  Franklin will be away from Schlatter at the state meet and that will surely be cause for joy.  Browning, a two-time state qualifier, has been injured, but will be ready by tournament time.  It should be an interesting battle between he and Franklin.  Penny is an excellent young wrestler who was 3^rd in the junior high state meet two years ago, losing only to Steve Luke.  Dailey, Finkbine, and maybe, Webb (Circleville) or Jett (Little Miami) are next best.

The more I examine this weight class the more I realize how many superior wrestlers are competing here.  For example, Division I state runner-up Leif Gilsdorf is rated only third best at this weight class, and he would be a state championship “lockin” many years.  As mentioned, his only defeat last year was in the state finals, but he has bounced back to craft another excellent (although not undefeated) season.  There is plenty of idle discussion that Gilsdorf may yet opt to go at 119# because of his problems with the weight, but I’m thinking the three pound allowance might be just right.  He certainly could be a finalist again, but he will not be favored this time.  Right behind him is placer Schmidt who has taken on new life now that he has dropped to 112#.  Even before that he was champion at 119# at Tiffin and DeSales, and then 3^rd at 112# at North Canton.  Kissinger really has done well this year, including a win at Perrysburg where he defeated Zychowitz (who beat Gilsdorf).  That leaves state qualifier Rabung on the “thin edge,” though with all four of the top boys coming from two sectionals the pairings should be good.  If not, Ysguirre might well get to Columbus. 

State placer Reichman stands out at Watkins.  He has put together a solid season, and his runner-up finish at the Top Gun suggests he’s peaking at just the right time.  Hoover, just down from 119#, was 2^nd at the OVAC, giving the top-seeded Lucas Huffman all he could handle in the finals.  After that the competition is wide-open, and I expect at least one unfamiliar name escaping that district.

119#

Projected Champion:  RICKY DEUBEL (KENSTON)

Top Contenders

If you thought 112# was loaded just take a look at this weight class.  It has to be the finest, deepest weight class of the 42 we’ll see in 2002, and one of the finest in the decade.  As currently constituted (and LaFollette and Turchetta have already left) it features two returning state champs, a two-time state runner-up, four other state placers, and a total of 18 state qualifiers – and that’s not counting the sensational freshman Doggett who just might win it all.  I’ve got to believe that some of these folks (like state placer Turchetta has already done) will move to the far more congenial 125# class.  That’s a weight where I’m struggling to pinpoint a possible champion, whereas here I have an embarrassment of riches.

My choice is the defending state champ Ricky Deubel.  After all, it’s difficult to pick against a wrestler who has begun his high school career with 60 consecutive victories and that 103# title last year.  Not only that, but he spent the summer getting bigger, stronger, and better.  But, still, I have reservations.  Deubel does not wrestle a terrifically vigorous schedule like a Zupancic or a Doggett.  He did win at Kenston, North Canton, and the WRC, but he has not yet faced any of my top dozen choices at this weight class.  I think he’ll win it, but my guess is he’ll suffer a loss at the sectional or district level.  Two-time state runner-up Zupancic always seems to wrestle the most difficult possible schedule.  When you look at his record your immediate reaction is that he’ll never make the state finals – but he does.  His big victory was at Mayfield where he upset Division I state champ Mark Moos on a tiebreaker.  He knows how to keep the score close, and then find a way to win.  Besides these two, defending Division III state champion Adam Buzek is also at Firestone.  A recent impressive winner at the CIT, Buzek also won at Wadsworth.  He has the unusual distinction of wrestling in Division I as a sophomore, Division III as a junior, and Division II in his senior year.  Also at Firestone are state qualifier Kahn, Kemble (who defeated LaFollette earlier this year), Bourquin, and the fine freshman Murton.  It’s a fabulous competition, but the pairings may be difficult since Deubel, Zupancic, and Kahn all compete at the Kenston Sectional.

It doesn’t get any easier at Springfield.  Doggett is a two-time state junior high champ who might be labeled the best freshman in the state if it were not for his teammate, Schlatter.  He was 3^rd at the Ironman (losing only to Moos) and 2^nd at Medina (again, losing only to Moos), and won everything else.  He defeated Deubel, 4-3, two years ago at the junior high state tourney, but that is probably not relevant.  Also at this district are state placer Klofta, three-time state qualifiers LaCure and Meinking, and state qualifiers Kremer, Lee, Riley, and Conger.  That’s six boys with previous state experience grasping for three (maybe four) state berths.  If no one moves up this will be an extremely hard-fought battle.  I guess I’d favor Meinking, Klofta, and LaCure, but luck will probably play a significant role in this process, particularly since four of the seven are at the same sectional.  Possibly gaining an advantage from that is Conger who will dominate his sectional, and who has had yet another splendid year 

State placers Perez and Lochotzki head a strong field at Galion.  Perez, in particular, will be a real factor at the state level.  Last year he was a district 4^th, and was beaten 16-1 by eventual champ Velez in the first round.  He then won four bouts, including wins over Klofta, Sponseller, and Turchetta to finish 5^th.  This year he has been a scoring machine.  Lochotzki has had injury issues the past two seasons, but when healthy he is outstanding.  He was hurt against Doggett in the Medina semi-finals and has just returned.  State qualifiers Selover and Lashaway are also here, but face significant peril.  Smith defeated Selover twice at Brecksville, while Sheehan has been a force all year.

I was surprised when Vaughn moved down to 119#.  I saw him as a potential finalist at 125#, but it will not be easy here.  I recognize that moving Thress from 140# to 125# helped the team, but it’s yet to be shown how it will impact Vaughn.  He’ll be very good at either weight class.  Sponseller looked absolutely great at Brecksville winning at 119# over a fine field, including a likely West Virginia state champion.  I’m not sure that he even lost this year, and he, too, has been a fine youth wrestler.  State qualifier Woods and Miller are here, but Morgan is likely to eliminate one of them.  A transfer this year from Tri-Valley he is right on the periphery of being very, very good.  On a hot weekend he could place.

125#

Projected Champion:  THEO DOTSON (HAMILTON TWP.)

Top Contenders

While there are powerhouse weight classes at 112#, 119#, and 130#, there is a sharp drop-off in overall quality at this class.  There are no invincible super-stars who have driven potential competition to other weights, but instead, what I see here is possible opportunity for 119’s or 130’s who want to avoid the crowd at those classes.  As currently constituted we should see very sharp competition from the very first round, but not nearly at the level at most of the nearby weight classes.

Dotson, a transfer from Columbus DeSales was 5^th last year with wins over Stoffer, Maston, and Lochotzki.  This year he has gone undefeated, but Vaughn gave him a terrific bout before losing 13-12 OT.  Dotson has been good in close matches like that, and he’ll need to be to take the title at this weight class.  I anticipate that many of the bouts at the states will not be decided until the last few seconds testifying to the homogeneity at this weight class.

Dotson emerges from a district he should be able to dominate.  He is a defending district champion, and I foresee but two serious challengers.  One of them, Brown, he has defeated by a 9-3 count in an earlier triangular that also featured the Vaughn bout.  Brown was 2^nd at Brecksville including a big 7-6 win over Paglia in the semi-finals.  The other is OVAC champion Johnston who has put together a very fine year, including a title at Riverside where he beat the Division III stalwart, Caruso.  Thress is down from 140# and slots in nicely at this weight.  Watkins Memorial has five excellent wrestlers all about the same weight and it has caused some jockeying for position.  Hunt, Ziegler, or Apperson (Morgan) will also be contenders here.

The deepest district is at Firestone where nine potential qualifiers will battle for just four state berths.  It is from this direction that some of Dotson’s fiercest challengers will appear.  Turchetta was 6^th last year at 112# and has spent most of the year at 119#.  He beat Paparone to win at Solon and Bugara to triumph at Hudson.  He did not wrestle at Kenston or the WRC, but will now be at this weight.  He could easily be a finalist.  Another possible finalist is state qualifier Faist.  He won two state bouts at this weight in Columbus last year, but both were in consolation rounds and he did not place.  He was 2^nd at both North Canton and Kenston, but won the WRC.  His only losses are to state champion Jaggers (by one point) and Caruso (who he later defeated).  The big mystery is last year’s junior high state runner-up Mike Pucillo.  An exceptional wrestler, this freshman missed the entire season until wrestling at the Mayfield Big 8.  In an exceptionally difficult weight class he finished 3^rd – losing only to Jaggers – and defeating Brown, 17-6, and Division I third placer Agozzino, 8-3.  Is he for real?  You hate to base conclusions on a sample consisting of one weekend but he surely looks to be a major factor not only at Firestone, but at Columbus, too.  State qualifier Budd has also been excellent winning at Smithville and Chippewa and finishing 2^nd at Wadsworth (to Jaggers).  State qualifier Maston is also back, while less well-known competitors lurk in the background.  I’m thinking about Mihely, one bout from state last year, Huss, district semi-finalist last year, Dies champion Resh, and England.  Any of this group could pull some major surprises at Firestone.  Also don’t forget about Dreger who missed probable state qualification by one point last year.

There are some mysteries at Galion.  Russell was 4^th two years ago, but did not place last year.  Midlam beat him at the GMVWA by a point, but he has again wrestled well this year.  It will be interesting to see if he can duplicate or better his sophomore result.  Stoffer, also a state qualifier last year, has missed virtually the entire year.  I had rather anticipated that this would be a big year for him, but now that is certainly open to question.  Hoffman, on the other hand, has been very good all year except for one glitch.  He was first at Edison and second at Clyde, losing to Dotson, 8-7.  He, however, was an unaccountable 5^th at Southview.  Holler has been part and parcel of Buckeye’s fine lightweights.  He won at Perrysburg and Buckeye and was a semi-finalist at Medina.  This quartet would seem to be easily the best, but that is not to say an upset could not happen.

Midlam and Kozusek have pretty much had things their own way in the southwest.  Midlam, a state qualifier, is undefeated and Kozusek appears not to have lost as well.  Bey or Schlater will wrestle for St. Paris Graham and they could prove tougher than their record indicates because of the difficult schedule they wrestle.  Schlater, for example, moved up to 130# and majored Pizzurro.

130#

Projected Champion:  TONY CONSTANTINO (LAKE CATHOLIC)

Top Contenders

This should be an exceptionally entertaining and competitive weight, perhaps one of the best in the tourney.  It features a number of wrestlers with excellent credentials, most of whom wrestle with an all-out desire to win.  We don’t have too many of those “wrestle not to lose” defensive stalwarts whose prowess on not giving up points is only matched by their own inability to score.  With Constantino, Evans, Thompson, and especially Vince, we have state placers who enjoy the art of the attack.  Add in Martin, Gross, Gulosh, and Pizzurro and it’s one of the best bracket sheets at this weight class in a long time.  Two-time state runner-up Mike Hurley, who wrestled at this weight class in Reno and at Wadsworth, has apparently chosen to compete at 140#.  His inclusion at this class would have made for an even more riotous donnybrook.  Let’s take a look at the top contenders.

Constantino was 2^nd at 119# losing to three-time champ Kyle Ott in the finals.  This year he won big at Dublin, ripped Harrison and Gross to win at the CIT, and was undefeated at the State Duals including a 12-4 win over Gulosh.  At Medina he lost to Evans in overtime in the semi-finals, defeated Williams and then was nipped by two-time state champ Ryan Lang, 3-2, in the battle for 3^rd.  While the Evans bout went into overtime I thought Evans for the most part dominated, and it was Constantino’s guile that tied it at 7-7 in regulation -- a good demonstration of his ability to retain a measure of control even in a difficult situation. 

Thompson will exit the same district as Contantino, so Evans would probably have to beat them both to win.  At Medina Thompson was brilliant.  He beat Lang in the semi-finals and then nipped Evans 8-7 in the finals.  He is an all-out attacker with great speed and ferocious strength.  He was 5^th in Division I last year, and is undefeated this season.  Most recently he defeated Williams, 19-11 to win the Dies.

Evans is another superb Graham wrestler.  He was 4^th at this weight last year after losing a 16-13 semi-final “barnburner” to Vince.  I thought he looked sluggish at the Ironman losing to Gulosh and Smilek, but he was excellent at Medina defeating both Martin and Constantino in overtime before losing to Thompson.  If he wrestles every bout like he did against Constantino he’ll take the title.

Vince is another attacker.  If he wrestles Thompson they’ll need two scorers and a super computer to tally the score.  He was state runner-up at this weight class last year defeating Evans, but losing to C.P. Schlatter.  Mierau upset him the first week of the season, but since then he’s been exceptional.  He may not be as battle-hardened as some of the others with his somewhat softer schedule, but then I would have said that last year 

Gulosh is an excellent third choice at the tough Firestone District.  He has defeated Evans, split with Lang and, generally, been difficult to defeat.  He has good placement potential.  Wilson certified at 125#, but I’m guessing he’ll be here because this district is not nearly as deep at 130# as it is at 125#.  Of course, the top three are all superb.  After him, Ondecker, Wallace, Ranallo, and Hurley will look for some way to make the top quartet.

Evans should dominate at Springfield.  Taylor and Harrison are returning state qualifiers, but I just don’t see them within a half dozen points of Evans.  Robinson, Kanta, and Slonaker are three who’ll compete for the last state spot.

It should be an interesting battle at Galion.  Vince would have to be afforded the favorite role, but Gross is very solid and could easily pull an upset.  Williams went 19-11 with Thompson at the Dies and he’ll try to outscore Vince.  Both boys are former state qualifiers.  Holmes is very much under-rated and deserves the fourth spot (or maybe, more) here.  He’s been at 135# much of the year, and will be very strong at this weight.  A district semi-finalist last year, he’ll sneak up on a few people.  Reyna is also good, but is fighting the injury bug.  Quevedo certified at 119#, but I’m thinking he may have second thoughts considering the depth of talent there.  With Russell at 125#, he’ll only have two very difficult choices.

Martin has really come into his own this year and definitely has high placement potential.  He’s been at three different weight classes this year, but this seems to be his prime place.  He lost to Evans in overtime at Medina, but still finished 5^th (Lang also beat him), but has won just about everything else.  A state qualifier at this weight class last year, he had a very tough draw and went 1-2.  Like Evans at Springfield he should dominate in his district.

 135#

Projected Champion:  C. P. SCHLATTER (GRAHAM)

 Top Contenders

Jean-Baptiste Lully was the “Composer to the King” during the reign of Louis XIV in 17^th century France.  Almost forgotten today his operas were enormously popular in Paris, although the Church condemned them.  He died of gangrene brought about by the incessant pounding of a heavy walking stick on his foot as he beat time while conducting.  He refused amputation which might have saved him and instead called for a priest.  The priest spotted the manuscript for Lully’s latest (and best) opera, and refused absolution unless it was burned.  Lully hesitated and then did as the priest had asked – but he did so with an easy heart.  He had, as was his practice, made a second copy stored in his desk.

That kind of anticipation and thoroughness is a trait of many excellent wrestlers.  A particularly good example is the Graham super-star, C. P. Schlatter.  This is a wrestler who performs with machine-like precision and thoroughness.  He has an uncanny way of anticipating an opponent’s every more and countering it almost before it happens.  Already a two-time state champ, his only high school loss was an out-of-state overtime loss in a bout he led 4-1 at one point.  Probably the best junior middleweight in the country, his very presence has created a trough in the weight distributions at 135# with corresponding peaks at 130# and 140#.  He reminds me in many ways of one of the finest middleweights in Ohio – two-time state champion and national champion Jimmy Heffernan.  He exhibits the same cool professionalism no matter what the circumstances and consequently performs much better under pressure than his opponent.

Schlatter dominates at Springfield, just as he does in Ohio, and will in the country one day.  His mere presence seems to have created a vacuum which will allow two journeymen wrestlers to qualify for Columbus.  In fact, the only other “left column” wrestler from this area is McSorley.  He has put together an undefeated season that, in reality, includes the only tie bout of the year.  In the finals at a major tournament McSorley, wrestling the Kentucky state champ, trailed 8-6 near the end of the bout.  A stalling call against his opponent (his fourth) should have given him two points, but somehow the referee and the scoring table only awarded one.  The error was not found until 30 minutes later so that McSorley tied the bout, but lost the tournament.  Even though McSorley has good placement potential, such an eventuality is not likely to occur in his bout with Schlatter.

State semi-finalist and 4^th place finisher Gomoll heads a very representative group of 135’s at Galion.  This is his second year of outstanding accomplishment and he could well be a finalist – if he draws away from Schlatter.  Roush and Blackburn both have state experience, but appear to be a step behind Gomoll.  Roush was 2^nd at the GMVWA losing only 9-7 to the excellent Wolf.  Spurlock moved ahead of Blackburn with a 6-2 win at Clyde and has picked it up since losing to Hastings at Avon Lake.  Holler, Sanchez, and Slaughterbeck are other possibilities, with Cornell (Port Clinton) and Wagner (Eastwood) also in the mix.  Weight (Fairview) had a great freshman season but has not done much the past two years.  He could be a “sleeper” in this his senior season.

Montgomery has had a great year at Alliance and I’ve moved him ahead of Turchetta, although I think both will place.  Montgomery has certified at 130#, but I think he’ll end up here where he has finalist potential.  Turchetta was a surprise placer last year, but will not “sneak” upon the field this year.  He was 3^rd at Solon, 2^nd at Hudson (where he beat Gomoll) and the WRC, and 1^st at Kenston.  Nelson, who may be at 130#, just won the CIT title while Henry, Napalo, and Hazlett have put together strong seasons.  The little publicized Gibson could turn up big, especially coming in with a sectional title and a good bracket position.  A top contender here would have been Inghram (Lake Catholic) who unfortunately, fractured a leg and is apparently out for the year.  Cost and Manges (Aurora) are two other possibilities.

It is not real clear at Watkins.  Razzano has really improved and, I believe, might now be best here.  Barath is now the only undefeated wrestler in the Valley after winning the OVAC and going to 19-0.  Division I state qualifier Varner is now at this district and should be an important component in its outcome.  He was 4^th at the OVAC.  State qualifier DiPietro has been doing the Watkins Memorial shuffle, but will probably end up here.  He could qualify but he’ll have to beat the recently trimmed down Williams who is a much bigger boy.  Klingensmith is also a possibility here.

140#

Projected Champion:  MIKE HURLEY (AKRON ST. VINCENT)

Top Contenders

We have here yet another fine weight class with four returning state placers and a number of other top-flight competitors.  The top trio are just millimeters apart with Hurley (coming from Division III) having defeated Garner by one point and Knull in overtime.  One of the compelling stories will be Mike Hurley’s last shot at that very elusive state title.  Two years ago he swept through the district at 130# and then had three crushing wins at the state level.  In the finals against Linsker (who he had defeated in the districts) Hurley had a comfortable lead deep into the 3^rd period when he got caught in a spladle and pinned.  Last year he again dominated district action pinning Smilek in 37 seconds in the final.  Three state wins (two in under a minute) propelled him into the finals against the selfsame Smilek.  Again Hurley had a sizable lead, but Smilek, in dramatic fashion had a huge third period and won 9-7.

Hurley has looked totally rejuvenated since he came back from 130#.  He is just crushing everybody and the 6-0 whitewash win over Baria to grab the CIT was very impressive.  If he can stay healthy, and have a great 3^rd period in the finals, he should take the title this year.  This is the third consecutive year I’ve chosen Hurley, and this time both he and I will be in the winner’s circle on this one.

Hurley’s biggest threat might come from his own district.  Garner was 3^rd last year, and he is just a very rugged competitor.  He has split two bouts with the excellent Pierce (10-13 and 11-10), and wrestled both Hurley and Knull on a basically even basis, losing to Hurley in overtime (though that was before Hurley’s recent surge) and splitting two bouts with Knull.  The sophomore Butzer has really gotten better and has excellent placement chances.  He was 3^rd at Medina, losing only to Pierce, 14-11.  State qualifier SanFilippo is also here and that forms an excellent quartet of state caliber wrestlers.  I am concerned with the pairings since Butzer and Hurley exit the same sectional so that an unlucky pairing could eliminate one of this foursome.

Knull, like so many of the Graham stars, will dominate at Springfield.  He should be less “nicked up” at states than the other top competitors because of his easier path to Columbus.  However, there are a phalanx of good wrestlers competing for the last three spots.  I like state qualifier Couch to gain one of these positions, but the state qualifiers Ferris and Munyan will battle with the up-and-coming Ray, Goebel, Westbrook (Vincent Warren) and Rumpke (Preble Shawnee).

I think it’s probably a two-man battle at Watkins with Lovell and state qualifier Walker facing off for top honors.  Lovell is finally healthy and it shows in his results.  He was 3^rd at Brecksville and won at DeSales.  He beat Knull in overtime in their last dual, but lacks state experience.  Garner beat him 3-2 at Mayfield so he’s “right there” with my top trio.  Barrett is down from 145# and should do well here, while Steil has had some great results recently.  That means Kerr will have to battle to gain a return trip to Columbus, while Summers may be seeing his odds of state qualification lengthen. 

The Galion District is again crowded with potential state qualifiers.  I was very surprised that Randazzo grabbed a state place last year, but he is showing that it is no fluke this year.  He was 2^nd at Brecksville to the mighty McIntire and 3^rd at the CIT losing only to Baria and defeating SanFilippo.  In addition, he was an easy champ at Avon Lake.  There is a real logjam behind him with state qualifier Jarrett battling excellent wrestlers like Krawcyzk, Jarrett, and Sparenga for a Columbus trip and two (maybe, three) days out of school. 

145#

Projected Champion:  RYAN HURLEY (AKRON ST. VINCENT)

Top Contenders

While this is a competitive weight class, the two top contenders would seem to be one level above everyone else.  Hurley was a state runner-up two years ago at 135# and then dominated at 140# last year – his closest state bout a 16-6 win.  He tech falled an injured Linsker not only to win an individual title, but those bonus points wonning the team title for Akron St. Vincent as well.  This was all in Division III where he finished with a 41-1 record and was labeled as “unrideable” by his coach.  Markley was 4^th at 125# as a sophomore and then reached the finals at 140# last season before losing a match to the unheralded Squire.  In my view Hurley is the more explosive and athletic of the duo and must be accorded the favorite’s role.  Yes, I know that Markley defeated him 8-5 the first week of the season, but Hurley was just back from starting on his play-off football team.  He was not yet in wrestling shape, but he will be by tournament time.

This is a weight class where good wrestlers will have every chance to qualify.  None of the districts are so tough that an exceptional state candidate will walk away empty-handed.  For example, at Firestone Hurley will be the only participant with previous state experience.  Ging, who I’ve rated second best at this location, lost his go-to-state bout last year by two points to state placer Slattery.  This year he was 3^rd at North Canton and was 1^st at Kenston handily defeating Cornwell.  However, Penn beat him, but only 2-1, at the WRC.  Sutcliffe beat Tuttle at the Dies, and both are also top contenders for a state spot.  Hilliard has been a consistent placer, while Dolce is just down from successful work at 160#.  This is a solid group headed by the charismatic Hurley, and should do well at Columbus.

Markley has had an extremely busy year.  He was a strong 2^nd at the Ironman and won at Graham and Medina.  If Graham wins early at the state meet that momentum could sweep him by Hurley.  Shriner comes from an out-of-the-way part of the state, but he is genuinely first rate.  He was 3^rd at Medina losing only to Markley and beating Adkins, Diefenthaler, Dotson, and Hardy.  He has the ability to be Sheridan’s first ever state champ, but not at this weight class this year.  State qualifier Christensen has crafted a great year and certainly has placement aspirations.  One issue is the likelihood of a 3^rd or 4^th place district finish and the subsequent probability of a difficult bracket position.  That leaves state qualifier Cooper, on the edge of qualification with Walton at 22-3 and Harmon right behind him.  Add in Glancy, Phelphs (Hamilton Ross), Jones (Roger Bacon) and Flinders (Little Miami) and this is the deepest district.

The competition at Galion will not be nearly as strong.  State qualifiers Adkins and Westhoven return looking to better their 1-4 combined record at Columbus last year.  Becka may be about to catch them after 2^nd place finishes at Brecksville, the CIT, and Avon Lake (where he lost to Ging).  Becka has faced both Pflug and Hurley this year so he should be very familiar with rugged competition.  Diefenthaler might be fourth best, but that’s only if he can beat Bolanis in the wrestle off.  After that it’s totally wide open.

I don’t see much at Watkins.  State qualifier Shaw returns, but he was 3^rd at the OVAC and did not place at Medina.  Davis is very good, but is probably wrestling two weight classes higher than would be ideal.  A “sleeper” here might be Aubihl who won at Smithville and Vermillion and has previous district experience.

152#

Projected Champion:  LUIS GALVAN (BENEDICTINE)

Top Contenders

After missing his sophomore year because of a serious injury Louis Galvan exploded onto the scene last January with a remarkable display of speed and power at the CIT.  By sectionals I had him rated second best at 152# and fully capable of severely challenging defending state champ (and eventual National High School runner-up) Keith Cupp.  The sectionals and districts were a shower of falls and crushes with an 8-0 shutout his closest bout at either venue.  Then, after a 22-6 opening round win at Columbus, he lost 10-7 to Wickert – the same opponent he had defeated 14-5 at the CIT.  The dream match-up never occurred, but Galvan stomped through four consolation rounds to finish 3^rd.  This year it’s more of the same with one crushing win following another.  He has been champ at Riverside and Brecksville (pins in both finals) and is currently undefeated and unchallenged.  While state runner-up Busnick, state runner-up Maxworthy, Slattery, Beers, Deering, and Wilhelm are excellent competitors, Galvan’s biggest challenge may be to remain healthy and focused. I provide all this certainty about Galvan despite knowing two things – his injury issues are real as witnessed by his final round forfeit at the CIT, and this is the best of the 42 weight classes with the exception of 119# (and it’s close).  The matchups will be great.

There are two exceptional competitions besides Galvan at Galion.  Maxworthy, after six regular season losses, was perfect at both the sectional and district level, and then won three major decisions at Columbus before losing to two-time champ Cupp in the 152-pound final.  I can’t ever remember rating a returning state runner-up at the same weight as low as I’ve rated Maxworthy suggesting, perhaps, a major mistake.  This year Maxworthy has won at Buckeye and Perrysburg, while finishing 2^nd to Busnick at the Top Gun.  Deering was 5^th last year at 145# (including a win over Slattery) and I anticipated his return to that weight.  Instead he has stayed here and done well, losing only to his nemesis, Busnick, at North Canton.  Rather oddly, Galvan, Maxworthy, and Deering were all district champs last year, and all placed at the state level.  State qualifier Gibbs is the top choice for last spot, but he had an erratic season.  The freshman Ramirez, Hoehn (Wapakoneta), and Young are other possibilities as is the Bolanis – Diefenthaler loser in the Oak Harbor wrestle-off.

The Firestone District is also exceptional.  Busnick is a fabulous talent who just couldn’t beat Woodruff, losing in both the district and state finals.  This year he has “run the table” and will give a healthy Galvan a tremendous battle.  Slattery has wrestled one of the toughest schedules of any of the competitors with a 1^st at the CIT and a 2^nd at Medina.  He was 6^th at the state level, but could easily be a finalist this year.  Beers was 3^rd in Division III last year, and most of that was based on a very strong last third of the season.  His best tournament this year was a 2^nd at Wadsworth losing on a quick fall to Busnick in the finals.  He was 3^rd at the CIT losing only to Slattery in the semi-finals.  Right behind this top trio is the excellent state qualifier Smith who won two state bouts last year, and three tournaments this year including the Dies.  This is an outstanding quartet, but there’s more.  Lowther, Berquist, and Brenner are all state caliber wrestlers who would normally anticipate relatively easy state qualification.  Stuhlberg, who may not be as good on his feet on the mat as he is on the speaker’s dais, is also a possibility along with Davis (Kenston).

These two districts should collect most of the placement medals.  At Springfield we have a very large and closely bunched field, but the qualifiers will face tough sledding at Columbus.  I’ve singled out three contenders who are particularly strong – state qualifier Wilhelm, the exceptional freshman Erwin, and last year’s hard luck non-qualifier, Garvey.  Erwin was a junior high state runner-up at 120# last year (to Opfer) and is probably wrestling two or three weight classes above the optimum.  Still, Schlatter, Knull, and Markley are a tough trio to overcome, but he seems to have moved state qualifier Rush out of the line-up.  He was a very impressive 5^th at Medina losing only to my Division I pick, Scarl, twice.  Garvey lost consecutive 7-6 bouts on a Saturday in late February and did not get to Columbus.  The rest of the major players at this district are shown on the introductory grid.

In contrast to the other districts the field at Watkins is not particularly strong.  I do like Goans who was 2^nd at Brecksville and 3^rd at the Top Gun behind Busnick and Maxworthy.  Burns, Marsh, and Edwards are probably next, but you can expect an upset or two in this weight class.        

160#

Projected Champion:  CHRIS HAHN (MINERVA)

Top Contenders

My rankings at this weight class have probably moved about more than at any other weight class.  There has been a lot of “give and take” with one unanticipated result following another.  My guess is that this trend will continue through state and district action so that all of us will be, at least in part, surprised to see who is on the awards stand on Saturday night.

Certainly one of the wrestlers who is moved up on my ledger is the precocious sophomore Chris Hahn.  Last year, as only a 9^th grader, he took a strong 3^rd at the Firestone District (losing only to Galvan) and then made it to the state semi-finals before losing to two-time champ Cupp.  Another loss to Galvan and he ended up 6^th.  This year he has improved on that auspicious start.  He defeated Hoke, Maxworthy, and Bergman to win at Medina, beat Wilson to win at Coshocton, and took Grogan and Miller to win the Top Gun.  The top quintet are very closely bunched, but I believe that Hahn will do what it takes to win those close bouts.

He faces difficult competition at the district level.  Turchin seems to be in a bit of a slump after winning the opening week at Solon.  A state placer last year, I’m not willing to write him off even though he has lost several times.  He still has finalist potential.  Savel wrestles in the part of the state where not much news on wrestling reaches the outer world.  Still we know that he was a district semi-finalist at this weight last year and then lost two tough decisions 12-10 and 3-2 and was eliminated.  He has been at 171# early in the year where he dominated at Riverside.  Caponi, now a sophomore, had a bit of a slow start, but his title at the CIT shows he’s back in high gear.  Right behind him are Cuva, Hastings, and McMullen, any of whom could slip into the state picture.  Marhoffer, a sectional champ last year, is one who has dropped in my ranking and, somehow, just cannot seem to hit his stride.

Should Hahn falter two long-time rivals from the northwest are well prepared to step in.  Tieche was a district champ at this weight last year (beating Bergman in the finals) and then, cruised to the state semi-finals with two easy wins.  A narrow one point loss to eventual champ Savelli, sent him spinning into the losers’ bracket where he pinned Turchin before losing 10-9 to Jenkins.  He had not been severely challenged this year until Bergman nipped him in overtime at the SBC Duals.  Bergman was 2^nd at 171# at Oak Harbor.  Assuming transitivity, which is almost always wrong, then Tieche and Bergman are about even, and Hahn defeated Bergman by seven points.  Still, I have this nagging feeling that Tieche is ready to pull that one big upset.  Brecksville runner-up Miller is third best here but, I believe, well behind the top duo.  The last spot is wide open.

Hoke seems clearly best at Springfield though Zugg is capable of the big upset.  Both were state qualifiers last year, and both won at least once in that competition.  This year Hoke won at Graham, and was 4^th at both the Ironman and Medina – where Hahn beat him by four.  He has split two bouts with Knapp, winning the latter one.  Mullenger, 3^rd at the CIT, should finish at about that same level at this district.  After that there is chaos with Fyffe, the excellent freshman, Tamaska, and Stolly probably next in line.  Fuller, Bussell (Little Miami), and McLaughlin (Meigs) are other possibilities.

I’m not sure how to rate the competitors at Watkins.  My “gut feeling” is that Knapp might come out on top, but Bertolino and Wilson seem to “carry the statistical day.”  All three were state qualifiers last year, but strangely enough, all at different weight classes and none were able to place.  Bertolino has been sensational along the river and has won a number of tournaments, including the giant OVAC extravaganza.  His only loss was to Tieche early in the season, 7-5.  Wilson was 2^nd at Tiffin losing to another Perkins wrestler – Deering, who had moved up a weight class.  Knapp has had a rigorous schedule, which included a 5^th at Mayfield.  His big win was over Bergman at the State Duals and that has certainly made me ponder these rankings.  He has split two bouts with Hoke.  Dixon, Prokapis, and Avery are all good, but so are Apperson (Morgan), Klein (River View) and Lattimer (Granville).

#171

Projected Champion:  JOE DENNIS (GRAHAM)

Top Contenders

Sprinkled throughout this report are words of admiration for the outstanding freshmen wrestlers who have debuted this year.  At this weight class, however, it is one of last year’s freshmen who should make the largest impact.  Joe Dennis had an outstanding freshman year, capped off by a district title and a 4^th place finish at Columbus.  Despite the fact that both Hackett and Lowrey who finished ahead of him last year return at this class, my belief is that Dennis has leap-frogged them both and will capture the title.  However, their placement last year will likely order the draw such that Dennis will have to defeat both to claim the championship.  In my mind he is perfectly capable of that effort, having defeated Lowrey at the State Duals and matching up well with Hackett, who did defeat him 4-3 last year.  Dennis has become much more aggressive this year, and has scored in double figures in almost every contest.  A state junior high runner-up two years ago, he’ll better that result by one place at the senior high level.

Dennis is light years ahead of anyone else at the Springfield District.  He walloped state qualifier Watts, for example, by a 17-2 margin, and I don’t see anyone else here coming much closer.  Watt and Borland, the CIT champ, might be next best, but there is a real logjam at this weight class.  Any of about half dozen wrestlers could gain one of those last three spots.  Other than those listed, think about Jewell (Miami Trace), Shonk (Sheridan) and Rossman (Little Miami).

Some of the toughest competition Dennis will face comes from the Watkins District.  Hackett was 3^rd at this weight class losing only to Lowery, 3-2, in the quarter-finals.  He is undefeated this year with several tourney titles including the Top Gun.  His closest match was a two overtime struggle he won against Razzano in their dual meet.  Obviously, Razzano, also here, will be an enormous factor at this weight class.  He has split two bouts with Dennis with whom he wrestled for nearly a decade at the Stallion Wrestling Club.  He may have a psychological advantage with that particular match-up.  Razzano was 3^rd at Brecksville (losing big to Cesear).  Whitlatch, Willliams, and Grove are also very good, however there are likely but two state berths to go around.  State qualifier Otto is a long-shot to make a second trip to Columbus, but then that was true last year.

As he was last year, Lowery is the big question mark.  He is an excellent talent who has had a continuing skein of injuries.  He was hurt at the Ironman and returned to action at the State Duals where Dennis crushed him.  But Lowery knows his way around a wrestling mat and we can assume he’ll be in good shape by tourney time.  Last year, he had only six bouts before sectionals.  This time he should have many more.  State placer Glover and state qualifier Pryor have been squeezed into the same weight class by the arrival of Villers and Skonieczny.  Both are fine wrestlers, but it looks like Pryor will represent Akron St. Vincent and he should qualify.  The last two spots, and even Pryor’s to some extent, are “up for grabs.”  Racin, Christian, and Osborne all have district experience and would make reasonable state representatives.  Sulzer was 2^nd at both North Canton and Kenston at 189#, but has certified at this weight.  He could easily make it to Columbus.

It is not a particular strong field at Galion.  Bergman – and I believe there are five on the team which beats the Hoppels of Beaver Local by one – is a former state qualifier who like Lowery, has had some injury problems.  He is probably the best at this district, but Jacobs, Schutte, and Karcher cannot be far behind.  Most of the contenders have not met so there could be some re-shuffling of positions as the district progresses.  SirLouis and Seeley are possibilities from long-time rivals while Brewer (St. Marys Memorial) and Rogers (Clyde) are yet another step back.

189#

Projected Champion:  JARED VILLERS (AKRON ST. VINCENT)

Top Contenders

The following chart provides the percentage of state placement in 2001 for each district finish.

Clearly superior performance at the district level translates into an enormously greater chance of state placement – helped no little bit by the favorable bracketing a champ earns.

Defending state champion Jared Villers should be aided by that relationship since he exits the weakest of the four districts.  A transfer from Canal Fulton Northwest, he won at 171# last year winning his last three bouts by a total of five points.  Now at Akron St. Vincent, he has posted solid results including a title at Wadsworth and a strong 3^rd at the Ironman.  The question remains whether the powerful Bergman and the rapidly improving Marshall can defeat him 

I thought long and hard about putting Bergman in the top spot, and I’m still not sure that I shouldn’t have done so.  True, this former state qualifier did not have a great year in 2001, but he has made up for it during the last six weeks.  His major work of art was the title at Medina where he beat the mighty Terbay in the final round.  He has just been crushing opponents, and, like I said, I’m not so sure he should not be the front-runner here.  State qualifier Hays and Bennett will compete with Bergman at Galion, but I don’t think they’ll have much of a chance.  The two of them are almost dead-even – their last bout went to Hays, 9-8.  As we so often see, there is no clear choice for the fourth spot with those listed, plus Helms (Napoleon) and Jarrett (North Ridgeville) the leading contenders.

Villers, the Division II state champ at 171# for Canal Fulton Northwest last year, now competes for Akron St. Vincent.  The move up one weight class has had some impact on him, but he still has put together an excellent year.  He was 3^rd at the Ironman defeating Marshall, but losing badly to Terbay.  He won big at Wadsworth, but was 2^nd at the CIT – again getting mauled by Terbay 18-3.  By comparative scores he has no chance against Bergman.  He has lost twice to Terbay by huge scores, while Bergman defeated Terbay at Medina.  The difference has been Terbay’s ability to turn Villers at will.  My view is that Villers will be able to take Bergman down and avoid being turned by him.  Hmm! The rest of the Firestone District is much weaker.  Saniuk has overcome a poor gene packet on the paternal side to become an excellent 189-pounder – and he is only a sophomore.  Two dark horse candidates beyond those mentioned are the powerful Solon champ Carter (Orange) and Griffin (Canal Fulton Northwest) – Villers former work-out partner.

Marshall is the last of the four sensational freshmen at Graham.  Can anyone ever remember a squad with four ninth graders that ranked so high and were so outstanding as this quartet?  Two of them were two-time state junior high champs (Doggett and Marshall), while Schlatter was champion in his only appearance and Erwin was runner-up to Opfer.  At any rate Marshall should win the Springfield District and he may well have made up the two point deficit to Villers from the season’s first week.  The sophomore Glancy has defeated both state qualifier Snowden and Holcomb and looks to be second best.  The latter two boys, along with Schmidt and Osborne (Valley View), will also be in the struggle for a trip to Columbus.  Three boys, Banfield, Parsons, and Beverly (Washington CH) move over from the Watkins District, but may not yet be ready for what they’ll find at Springfield. 

State qualifier Sydebotham and Brown should both be in the battle for a low to middle place at Columbus.  Sydebotham, who won their individual battle, won at the Top Gun and Watterson and lost in overtime to Barte at Hamilton.  Brown was very impressive at Brecksville finishing 2^nd to state champion Pliev and 1^st at Mayfield.  He has lost twice to Marshall and once to Sydebotham.  State qualifier McFarland also returns with Williams, Marczika, and Snyder (St. Clairsville) also in the picture.

215#

Projected Champion:  MARCUS ADELMAN (ALLIANCE)

Top Contenders

This is a weight class with a lot of loose ends that makes forecasting very difficult.  It will be a very competitive weight, but it lacks the superb fireworks we are likely to see in Division I.  Part of the problem is that for the most part, none of the top contenders have met.  They come from generally lesser-known programs from the far corners of the state and have widely varying degrees of experience.  One other item – they haven’t always been lucky when it comes to bracketing or close bouts.  Let’s take a minute to unravel this dilemma.

It would appear that this will again be a two man contest – though not to the extent we saw last year with Moran and Rodriguez.  On one side we have the powerful Adelman who was 3^rd last year at 189#.  While I don’t see a lot of the scores from Alliance, I have not seen any that show Adelman being challenged.  He won the Top Gun with ease, but has not wrestled in many other major tournaments.  Keough was one of the favorites last year at 189#, but lost a 9-8 quarter-final thriller and then one in overtime in the consolations and did not place.  An outstanding free-style wrestler he is on the edge of being exceptional.  He has won at the SWOCA and, like Adelman, is currently undefeated.  The hope would be that bracket gods place them in opposite half-brackets because their bout should be one of the highlights in Division II.

Adelman’s only possible challenger is state qualifier Skonieczny.  Badly under-rated by yours truly while at Stow he won a bout at the state level.  Now at Akron St. Vincent his junior year has been marred by injuries.  He was a semi-finalist at the Ironman but had to default the consolation final bout.  We did not see him again until the State Duals where he had two falls at heavyweight.  Then at the CIT he lost to Barrentine (in the semi-finals in something less than a masterpiece of seeding) and had to default his consolation final against Huber.  Assuming good health, he should place at this class.

The rest of the Firestone field is closely bunched but well behind the top duo.  Thomas had had a great year, but Dolce, Sanders, Sommer, and Sulzer are right there with him.  It should be a terrific battle to qualify.

Keough faces a very crowded and competitive district none of whom should overly tax him.  State qualifiers Jimmar, Epperson, and Sears all return, but their state credentials will clearly not guarantee a return trip out of this district.  Shamblin, surrounded by exceptional wrestlers, has gotten much better while Creech up from 171# has been excellent.  Add in Atkinson, Cripe, Terry (Chaminade) and Brooksbank (Taylor) and this is a very deep field.  Jimmar has had some outstanding results – 2^nd at both the SWOCA and the CIT – so his spot looks relatively solid.  However, both Sears and Epperson may be in real danger from Shamblin and Creech.

The sophomore, Hoppel, not only qualified for the state meet as a ninth-grader, but won two matches at Columbus and nearly placed.  Son of three time champ, Carl, he is one of the four Hoppels on this year’s team.  A titlist at the OVAC he was 3^rd at Medina losing only to the formidable Barrentine.  Strong and quick he could with pairng luck be a finalist here.  Jones and McAlister are essentially equivalent coming out of the Columbus area and should get through this district as well.  The last berth will be a battle between Kuhn, Dieter, Livingston (Claymont), Miller (New Lexington), Riffle (Whitehall), and probably three guys I have overlooked.

State qualifiers Levy and Sabo both return to Galion and both have low to middle placement potential.  Levy has wrestled the more difficult schedule, but I think Sabo is still somewhat stronger.  They met last year in the district semi-finals with Sabo securing the victory.  After that it would take an expert in the now very popular mathematical topic of chaos theory.  Needless to say, I’ll probably be surprised as most of you when the last two qualifying spots are determined.  Ellis was so close last year you’d think he would be a cinch, but he has lost several times to wrestlers I would have ranked below him.

Hvy.

Projected Champion:  LUKE SEAL (CLYDE)

Top Contenders

This year I wrote the Division III section first, and then followed that up with the completion of the Division I forecasts.  They are, with some exceptions, written in order from smallest to largest.  That’s because information cascades upward since most wrestlers move up a weight class from one year to the next.  I saved Division II for last since it seemed to have some of the most intractable forecasting problems.  You’ll note that later information is highlighted in Division II than for the earlier write-ups because I continue to collect data from around the state.  Thus, at this point I have written 41 essays and am down to the last weight class – and one of the most difficult.

Last year 14 of the 16 state qualifiers in the Heavyweight Class were seniors – as were all the state placers.  Since none of the returning 215-pounders moved up, this leaves a substantial experience void at the last weight class.  While such a mass exodus at heavyweight is not unprecedented, it is highly unusual.  For example, Division I returns 6 qualifiers and Division III has 9 returning at this class.  In addition very few of Division II heavyweights currently competing have distinguished themselves in this year’s major tourneys.  That clearly portends a wide-open competition with any number of championship possibilities.

Any of the top six boys rated could have been put in that first slot.  There are just so many unknowns that almost anything could happen.  However, in my mind, two wrestlers do stand out very slightly from the crowd.  One is Seal who has state experience – he won two bouts there last year – and seems to have an uncanny knack for winning close bouts.  My guess is that most of the heavyweights here will anticipate many overtime battles.  Therefore, if there is no scoring in the opening period and they win the toss they’ll ignore the more usual “defer” call and take down.  That way – if they escape – they’ll have the choice in the 30-second tiebreaker.  Think about Seal last year.  He wrestled Bucha twice at the district level and won both times by an escape in the second overtime.  The other top contender is Ryan who I expected to place high last year if he could get through that murderous district.  He did qualify, but went “two and out” at Columbus, including a one point loss to Seal.

Seal and Bucha should be finalists at Galion after winning a series of close bouts.  They met again this year at Southview with Seal winning for the third time.  Boggs, a pocket-sized heavyweight, has been very impressive.  He has won titles at Perrysburg, Oak Harbor, and Rogers while finishing 2^nd at Waite.  He’ll be giving 30 to 50 pounds at this district, but it apparently hasn’t bothered him to this point.  Edgington has missed some of the year, but he should be a factor here as well as Fox, Finn, and Grine.  Other thoughts are Keterer (Lima Shawnee), the really small Bidlack (Defiance), and Tatakamotonga (Bryan). 

Ryan also comes from a most competitive district.  Katris was 3^rd at Medina and won at Franklin.  Moler beat him twice at the district level last year, but Katris whizzed through the consolations only to lose his go-to-state bout by a point.  Moler probably won’t like this ranking, but I think Katris moved ahead of him.  However, Moler and Anglin are the best shots for the other two qualification spots.  Jordan and McGhee move over from the Watkins District, but may wish that had not happened.

Goff, Ridenour, and Sharp all have the potential to be finalist.  While the numbers suggest that Sharp is third best of the trio, I’ve had a premonition he might well do better than that.  Ridenour has twice beaten Sharp – once at the district level and once for the junior high state title – while Goff beat Sharp this year (but not last year).  Anyway these three have the best chance of qualification with those listed slightly behind.  Mezzacappa (Lake Catholic) has had to lose a lot of weight to make the limit and is just now rounding into shape.  He could be a factor.

The mammoth Price would seem to be the best at Watkins.  He was 15-1 going into the OVAC and was the first seed in a field of excellent Division III heavyweights.  He ended up in the eighth spot, and now I’m wondering if he is hurt.  Wills and the 6’7” Burdette are also here, but this is not a strong district at this weight class.

TEAMS

1.            Graham – A tremendous team that includes state champion Schlatter, state placers Evans, Knull, Markley, and Dennis, and three other state qualifiers.  On top of this embarrassment of riches they also have perhaps the finest quartet of freshmen in Ohio history.  Since almost no one graduates they will very probably have the best team in Ohio next year.

2.            Akron St. Vincent – The defending Division III champs would win the Division II title in 90% of the years with the team they put on the mat.  Unfortunately this is one of those 10% years.  Villers and both Hurleys should be finalists while state champion Buzek, third place medalist Beers and McCahan, and Skonieczny and Caponi should score.  I see this team scoring over 100 points, but that won’t be nearly enough. 

3.            Walsh – As always this team looks ready to peak at just about the optimum time.  Garner has the look of a finalist while Zupancic, already twice a finalist, must battle at the tough 119# class.  Gulosh, Sandy, and Lowther could be scorers, but staying in the top three will require two important positives – good health for Lowery and long-term excellence from Pucillo.

4.            Columbus DeSales – A wonderfully balanced team that lacks individuals with finalist potential.  However they have so many possible placers that they could easily vault into the runner-up spot.  The brothers Razzano, Brown and Pizzuro should end with at least, three or four placers.  Where I think they can surprise is with Knapp, Lovell, and Morgan – all of whom may do better than I’ve ranked them.  They have not done as expected at the last couple state meets, but this year there are even stronger incentives to excel.

5.            Oak Harbor – The three Bergmans – at 160# through 189# -- are the hub of this squad, while Levy and Lochotzki have also proven they can score at the state level.  Other thoughts are Kline, Diefenthaler, and the fast-improving Rando.

6.            Hamilton Twp. – Dotson should be a finalist at the relatively weak 125# class, but the real heart of the team are the three upper weight stars – Hackett, Sydebotham, and Jones.  They could really move up if Hammond, Woods, or N. Hackett can reach and score at the state level.

7.            Kenston – State champion Deubel faces devastating competition at 119#, but no one has defeated him yet.  He’ll score heavily as will Faist, but then people like Ging, Hazlett, Hastings and Sanders also have to contribute.  They’ll need 100% effort to keep this position.

8.            Lake Cathloic – The trio of Constantino, Slattery, and SanFilippo are likely the only state scorers on the team, but they should combine for somewhere between 40 and 50 points.  Anybody scoring beyond this threesome will be a real bonus.

9.            Clyde – This is usually a great dual meet team, but that is not true this year.  However, Seal, Hoffman, and Blackburn could all score well in Columbus.  If Ysquirre or Rogers can help so much the better.

10.       Franklin – This is a team with four returning state qualifiers all of whom can score at the state meet.  Franklin and Watts need to do particularly well while Snowden and Kremer must also chip in.  If Longworth can find the optimal weight class, and Blevins can sneak into a qualifying spot they could move up.

You can contact me at John@Ohiowrestler.com