Posted by MAX on 3/28/2009, 11:12 am
205.188.116.6
2009 NHSCA Senior Nationals Preview
Josh Lowe, Connect Wrestling 3/27/2009
103 pounds
Nationally Ranked Wrestlers eligible to compete: none
Other notable wrestlers: Phillip Levine (Rosemount MN), Brian Hauser (Brush OH), Roger Windham (Derby KS), Brenan Lyon (Ithaca MI)
Commentary: Traditionally a small in participant weight class, this is always one of the more impossible ones to prognosticate. It also normally doesn’t involve too many likely collegiate prospects. The same trends hold true this year as well. The most nationally credentialed and/or proven wrestler would be Lyon, but based on present information my pick is Hauser.
112 pounds
Nationally Ranked Wrestlers eligible to compete: #15 Robert Dyar (Vestavia Hills AL), #16 Avi Friedman (Owings Mills MD)
Those competing: Dyar, Friedman
Other notable wrestlers: Madison Gambrell (Clovis CA), Chasen Tolbert (Delta UT), Allen Callahan (Baldwin KS), Ryan Renkey (Brandon FL), Esteban Cabanas (Canyon Springs CA), Scott Mantua (River Hill MD)
Commentary: With the lack of a dominant figure in this weight class, picking a favorite becomes dicey. However, I am tempted to name the two nationally ranked competitors as favorite. Most likely to make a move into the lead group is California state runner-up Cabanas, multiple-time state champ Mantua, and multi-time Fargo All-American Renkey.
119 pounds
Nationally Ranked Wrestlers eligible to compete: #2 David Klingsheim (Brentwood Liberty CA), #3 Vinny DelleFave (Toms River East NJ), #4 Shane Young (Penn Trafford PA), #5 Tyler Cox (Campbell County WY), #7 Sean Boyle (Blair Academy NJ), #8 Camden Eppert (Anderson Highland IN), #10 Steven Keith (Shoreham-Wading River NY), #11 Shane Gentry (Colonial Forge VA), #16 Joe Roth (Dixon IL)
Those competing: DelleFave, Cox, Boyle, Roth
Other notable wrestlers: Steven Salinas (Northview CA), Jeff Vesta (Manhattan KS), Sharky Slyter (Paola KS), Tyler Stokes (Gardner Edgerton KS), Austin Mogg (El Reno OK), Kyle Waldo (Rockford MI), George Billy (Lake Braddock VA), Tyler Biscaha (Jackson Memorial NJ), James Inghram (University School OH), Tyler Marlow (Palmyra-Macedon NY)
Commentary: With only four of the nine nationally ranked wrestlers included in this field, the depth in this weight is nowhere near its potential. It is also likely that one of those four ranked wrestlers is likely to emerge as champion (this corner is tabbing 2x state champion DelleFave as the “lead dog”). There is some good depth in this weight among the non-ranked wrestlers, most notably Junior National FS AA Waldo, state runner-up Salinas, as well as former state champion Billy.
125 pounds
Nationally Ranked Wrestlers eligible to compete: #2 Tony Ramos (Glenbard North IL), #3 Jon Morrison (Carl Sandburg IL), #4 Sam White (Massillon Perry OH), #5 Zach Neibert (Graham OH), #7 David Thorn (STMA MN), #8 Ladd Rupp (Perry OK), #9 Martin Gonzalez (Gilroy CA), #10 Joe Colon (Clear Lake IA), #12 Nathan Pennessi (Greater Latrobe PA), #14 Michael Garofalo (Colonial Forge VA), #16 Brandon Roccha (LeMoore CA)
Those competing: Patterson (ranked at 130), Gonzalez, Colon, Garofalo, Bonds (ranked at 130)
Other notable wrestlers: Cashe Quiroga (Lawrence North IN), Eric Chandler (Braddock FL), Kyler Killian (Middletown PA), Garrett Frey (Blair Academy NJ), Tyler Grask (Ballard Huxley IA), Eric Dunnet (Eastern Regional NJ), Jamie Franco (Monroe Woodbury NY), Brad Wisdom (Farmington MO)
Commentary: Though none of the Ohio or Illinois mega-stars are listed as in the field for this event, the weight class is more than deep enough with competitors. As this weight was very deep nationally during the course of the season, it is more than possible that a non-ranked wrestler will emerge as weight class champion. If that was to happen, my number one pick would be Quiroga. If forced to pick a champion, that person would be 2x state champ and NHSCA Juniors runner-up Gonzalez.
130 pounds
Nationally Ranked Wrestlers eligible to compete: #3 Erik Spjut (The Woodlands TX), #4 Justin Lavalle (Apple Valley MN), #5 Joe Waltko (North Allegheny PA), #6 Jarrod Patterson (Cushing OK), #10 Bret Baumbach (Lewis Central IA), #11 Jeremy Goree (East Central OK), #12 Jacob Vaughan (Col DeSales OH), #13 Devon Bonds (St Paul Humboldt MN), #14 Ryan Mango (Whitfield MO), #15 Jake Walters (St John’s MI)
Those competing: Spjut, Lavalle, Metellus (ranked at 135), Goree, Vaughan, Walters
Other notable wrestlers: Henry Yorba (Poway CA), Dan Osterman (St John’s MI), Ian Squires (Colonial Forge VA), Anthony Curcio (Washington Twp NJ), Cortlandt Choate (Blue Mountain PA), Trent Cox (Maize KS), Tucker Ray (Box Elder UT), Josh Chang (Mingus AZ), Justin Farmer (Lincoln Way Central IL), D’Marcus Spencer (Pike IN)
Commentary: At the top of the field, there are six ranked wrestlers that I would group into two tiers. The lead tier consisting of Spjut, Lavalle, and Metellus; the second tier with Goree, Vaughan, and Walters. Wrestlers with state finals appearances in “power states” are plentiful among the other notables, and certainly have the ability to be major roadblocks for the super six.
135 pounds
Nationally Ranked Wrestlers eligible to compete: #1 David Taylor (Graham OH), #2 Eric Grajales (Brandon FL), #4 Alex Ekstrom (Palmyra-Macedon NY), #6 Robbie Fisher (Bloomington Kennedy MN), #7 Ellis Coleman (Oak Park River Forest IL), #8 Mac Bailey (Oak Park MO), #10 Ian Paddock (Warsaw NY), #11 CJ Napier (Columbus KS), #12 Nicky Gordon (Wyoming Seminary PA), #13 Joey Lazor (Union Grove GA), #15 Kodie Silvestri (Walkill Valley NJ), #16 Wilson Metellus (South Dade FL)
Those competing: Paddock, Napier, Silvestri
Other notable wrestlers: Joe Lospinoso (David Brearley NJ), Tony James (Holt MO), Pete Rendina (Dundee MI), Kendrick Maple (Wichita Heights KS), Seth Hicks (Centennial CA), Paul Liguori (Wantagh NY), Matt Catalano (Highland Regional NJ), Bryan Osorio (Vista Ridge TX)
Commentary: In a weight without its two megastars, Taylor and Grajales; as well as much of the next tier; there is much opportunity for new wrestlers to make a name for their selves on the national stage. However, it is three “old hat” names that will most likely battle for the title. Paddock is a multi-time state champion and Fargo AA but fell short in the state final this year; Silvestri won state as a junior, and has a career full of national scholastic-style accomplishments, but did not win state this year; and Napier is a multi-time state champion and Fargo AA.
140 pounds
Nationally Ranked Wrestlers eligible to compete: #2 Collin Palmer (St Edward OH), #4 Kyle Dake (Lansing NY), #5 Alex Bridgeford (Omaha Burke NE), #6 Dylan Carew (Iowa City West IA), #7 Max Ortega (Rio Rancho NM), #8 Luke Vaith (Hastings MN), #11 Nick Hagar (Tomahawk WI), #12 Dane Johnson (Shady Side Academy PA), #13 Steven Monk (Wausau West WI), #14 Steve Sandefer (Mishawaka IN), #16 Matt Boggess (Prospect IL)
Those competing: Palmer, Dake, Ortega, Hagar
Other notable wrestlers: Mike Nevinger (Letchworth NY), Joe McAuley (Bishop Ahr NJ), Mark Marianovich (Marian Catholic IL), Ryan Rosales (Catoosa OK), Kyle Bradley (Francis Howell Central MO), Tony Buxton (Blair Academy NJ), Kevin Timothy (Brandon FL), Jonah Cruz (Bakersfield CA)
Commentary: The story in this weight is an anticipated matchup between Palmer and Dake, two of the nation’s elite seniors. NHSCA Juniors champion Ortega will try and throw a wrench into those plans, as will state champion and Fargo AA Hagar. There is a solid group of wrestlers behind the four ranked wrestlers (split into two tiers of two), but they clearly constitute the second/third tier in this class.
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