THE IRONMAN: LET THE SHOW BEGIN (PART I OF A TWO-PART SERIES)

Brecksville.  M.I.T. Alliance Top Gun.  Bill Dies.  While there are many great tournaments in this state with long-standing traditions, there is one tournament that stands far above the field: The Ironman.  Once a year, we get to see not only the best in Ohio’s three great divisions battle for bragging rights, but a great mix of the nation’s best as well.  Only at the Ironman do you have defending state champions (Cody Garbrandt) seeded #11.  Only at Ironman can you see state champions go down on Friday nite (Mitcheff, among others last year versus Nick Sulzer).  Only at Ironman would a defending Junior National Champion fail to crack the top eight (Ben Sergent). 

From the first round on, this tournament will be chalk full of great match-ups.  A wrestling fans only complaint is that there are so many great matches- deciding which one to watch becomes a problem.  Battles like Taylor/Clark, Johnston/Palmer, Meade/Boyd, Jordan/Mason, and Roddy/Phillips are likely to become classics that fans are talking about many years from now.  The following is the first of a two-part preview guide breaking down the 103-135 weight classes (140-285 to follow):

(above): David Taylor looks to continue his march toward greatness with a third Ironman crown. He will likely have to get past Jamie Clark and Sammy White to do it. Photo Credit: Bob Tuneberg, Villager News.

IRONMAN 103 LBS PREVIEW

SEEDED WRESTLERS:
1. Hunter Stieber (Monroeville, D-III #1)
2. Sam Brody (IL)
3. Devin Carter (VA)
4. Cody Singletary
5. Gus Sako (St. Edward, D-I #1)
6. Kyle Bratke
7. Ryan Hunsberger
8. Ty Mitch (Aurora, D-II-#1)
11. Johnni DiJulius (Walsh Jesuit, D-II #1)

At this weight we have a classic illustration of why the seeding process for this great event needs “tweaked”.   For a variety of reasons, the normal seeding criteria used for this tournament are particularly ineffective at the 103 lbs. weight class. At any rate, “it is what is” and the de facto championship match should go down in the semis between 2007 cadet national freestyle champion Hunter Stieber and Gus Sako.  Stieber not only won, but essentially dominated all comers in an outstanding 98 lb. weight class last year in Fargo.  Ohio fans may be expecting it to be “déjà vu all over again” with the younger Stieber being a carbon copy of older brother Logan.  In fact, the younger Stieber is taller than Logan and wrestles more of a methodical style than his “hammer” brother does.   Sako should be hungry after a year on the St. Edward bench, stuck behind one of the nation’s best 103’s in Jamie Clark.  While he finished 3rd at cadets, Sako defeated Stieber in three periods at the Copley Freestyle tournament last spring.  In a previous article, I picked Stieber to win this one….now, I’ve had a change of heart and am going with past history, which points to Sako prevailing in a tight match.  The fact that this is Hunter Stieber’s first high school tournament also comes into play in my decision.

On the other side of the bracket, freshman Johnni DiJulius of Walsh Jesuit has to like his draw.  While DiJulius is just a #11 seed, this two-time defending Tulsa National Champion has an excellent chance to make the finals.  His biggest obstacle may be #3 seed Devin Carter.  Carter failed to place at 91 lbs. in Fargo last summer, but a closer look, however, shows that Carter’s losses were against the 1st and 3rd place finishers.  Carter also took 4th at the Super 32 Challenge this fall.  Interestingly, DiJulius and Carter were defeated by the same two wrestlers at FILA Cadet Nationals (in perhaps the toughest pool ever assembled at that tournament), but DiJulius’s losses were closer than Carter’s.  However, it is my understanding that Carter did manage two close wins against DiJulius at national middle-school events, so he must be the choice here I think.  Should DiJulius get past Carter, I like his chances against #2 seed Sam Brody of Illinois.  Brody placed 8th at Junior Nationals last summer at 105 lbs., but this was a weight somewhat light depth-wise and Brody came through a much easier pool.  Looking at all his results, I expect either Carter or DiJulius to have the edge on him.

As great as #1 ranked (in Division II) DiJulius’s draw is, the draw of #2 (more accurately perhaps, #1b) Ty Mitch of Aurora is just that bad. Pulling the dreaded #8 seed, Mitch runs straight into Hunter Stieber in the quarters, and should he pull of the upset, he’s got Sako in the next round.  Past history will not be on Mitch’s side- as he suffered the same fate against Stieber at FILA Cadets last year that almost all who face a Stieber in freestyle face- a double techfall.  Look for Mitch to rebound and get on the podium, no small achievement in what is an incredibly deep weight class.

The real wildcard here will be what bracket unseeded Evan Silver of Blair Academy and Courtland Hacker of Broomfield, Colorado end up in.  Silver did not set the world on fire at Fargo last year with a 4-2 record (including getting dismantled 5-0, 7-0 against- you guessed it- Hunter Stieber) but comes in with an excellent record of achievement at youth national tournaments.  Most likely the strongest wrestler physically in this weight class (a brick sh##house” according to one source), knowledgeable sources indicate that he is a much better folkstyle than freestyle wrestler.   All indications are that Silver may be the third best wrestler in this weight, and wearing the Blair Academy singlet certainly cannot hurt.  Silver defeated #3 seed Carter at the 2006 Ohio Tournament of Champions.  Hacker is a defending Tulsa National Champ who unexpectedly beat out highly-regarded cadet national All-American Jerry Huff to make varsity lineup.  Huff would have been considered  the third best in this weight if he were here, so it would seem the unseeded Hacker takes his spot.

Another wrestler that could be a factor is the Glenbard North wrestler who at the time this article went online was simply listed as “Joey G”.  Presumably, this wrestler must be so well-known that no last name is needed (sort of like “Madonna” or “Cher”).  That notoriety did not land him a seed, but at any rate, it does say that “Joey G” was a Junior High State Champion in Illinois and recently defeated a double junior national All-American, so he is yet another unseeded wrestler who could be a factor here.

OWS FINALS PROJECTION: SAKO (St. Edward) dec. CARTER (VA) 9-4

Projected Ohio Place-winners:  DiJulius (Walsh), Mitch (Aurora),

STATE RANKED WRESTLERS IN THE HUNT: Nick Brascetta  (Graham, D-II #3), Nick Hannan (Massillon Perry, D-I #4), Jacob Corrill (Cincinnati Moeller, D-I #5), Andrew Romanchik (Padua, D-II #7), Jordan Hancock (Troy Christian, D-III #5), Jake Kramer (Oak Harbor, D-II #8), Alfredo Gray (Wadsworth, D-I #13), Seth Powers (CVCA, D-III #8)

(above): Look for Logan Stieber to win his first Ironman crown in style this weekend. Photo Credit: Bob Tuneberg, Villager News.

IRONMAN 112 LBS PREVIEW

Seeded Wrestlers:
1. David Taylor (Graham, D-II #1)
2. Steve Mitcheff (Elyria, D-I #4)
3. Sammy White (Massillon Perry, D-I #1)
4. Jamie Clark (St. Edward, D-I #2)
5. Sean Boyle (Blair Academy, NJ)
6. Jerome Robinson (St. Ignatius, D-I #3)
7. James Inghram (University School, D-II #3)
8. Gabe Gomez (CO)
13, Wayne Garabrandt (Claymont, D-II #5)
15. Cam Tessari (Monroeville, D-III #1)

And now for the main event!  Even without Logan Stieber, this the best weight in the tournament.  Place 4th at the Cadet Nationals this summer?  You get the #15 seed, Cam Tessari). 

In my view, three wrestles will separate themselves from this great field:  David Taylor, Sammy White, and Jamie Clark.  As the season progresses I think it will become clear that these are the nation’s three best 112 lb. competitors. Taylor is basically All-Galaxy at this point, with two state titles, five titles in Fargo, and a great showing at Junior Worlds (20 and under) despite being very young and outsized by his foreign competition.  Most likely the best mat wrestler in the nation, he is battle-tested and showed his mettle in beating back the stiff challenge of the vaunted Logan Stieber in last year’s Ironman finals. 

And yet, I can see a serious possibility that Taylor, a two-time Ironman Champion, may not make the finals.  It is impossible to ignore the fact that Jamie Clark of St. Edward has a style that has given the Graham ace fits in the past.  A non-stop attacker who competes with pure passion all six minutes on the mat, Clark has shown the ability to get in on the lanky Taylor’s legs and in the process, keep him on the defensive.  At the Super Eight Duals last year, Clark stunned many by taking Taylor down to the wire in a match in which he was the clear aggressor.   Clark followed that up by winning an overtime war in the St. Edward/Graham dual on Taylor’s home turf.  In that match, Clark scored four takedowns to Taylor’s one.  Simply put, I think that Jamie Clark’s style is the worst possible “fit” for Taylor’s.  His ability to get to Taylor’s legs presents problems, and Taylor’s primary weapon, his superb riding and turning ability, seems less effective against Clark than all other wrestler.  Clark has too much on an “engine” to get worn down by Taylor on the mat as pretty much all others (including Logan Stieber) have.  Clark and Taylor should wrestle three times this year, and I would be very surprised if it is a sweep.  That said, if forced to choose, I cannot pick against a wrestler with Taylor’s amazing credentials and history of winning big matches.  This should be a ferocious battle between two competitors that both have an unsurpassed will to win.

The third truly outstanding competitor here is Sammy White of Massillon Perry.  White seems to get better every time he steps on the mat.  I originally thought his M.I.T. win over Clark was a fluke, but of course he repeated it in the state finals.  He followed that up with a dominating win at the Dream Team Dual and a 2nd place finish at the cadet freestyle nationals (to Logan Stieber).  Off season wins include two over Jerome Robinson in freestyle, and a 6-1 victory over 2x state runner-up Troy Opfer at the Confrontation at Kent preseason tournament.  The classic Massillon Perry hammer in most matches, White used solid positioning and well-chosen attacks to prevail twice against Clark last year.  I will be very curious to see if he is able to impose that style against the wide-open Taylor.  This would be the first time they have met since Taylor scored a fall against White at the junior high states when they were 7th graders- and I will be very disappointed should this match-up not happen.  Stieber was able to have his way with White on the mat at Fargo…granted that is freestyle but it’s as good as anything else I have to go on.  My bet is that Taylor will be able to impose his will on White from the top position, take him out of his “control style” game, and win comfortably.

While Taylor has Clark to contend with (provided that Clark can get past #5 Sean Boyle in the quarterfinals… Boyle was 54-0 last year and defeated junior national champ Jon Morrison in Fargo), White has two great Ohio opponents in Jerome Robinson (in the quarterfinals) and Steve Mitcheff (semis).  In most years, Jerome Robinson would have been the talk of Ohio 103’s.  Without question one of the best in the nation, Robinson beat White at Ironman (before losing to him later in the year and twice in the off-season), and consistently destroys wrestlers who are at the “state placer” level.  He failed to place in Fargo due mainly to a bad draw (losing to White and nationally ranked Destin McCauley) but took both to the wire.  Steve Mitcheff was of course a 2006 state champion over Touris and Genetin.  Mitcheff struggled last year during the season but wrestled like a man on a mission at the “Schott” before falling just short against eventual champion Touris in double overtime and falling to 5th.  He followed that up with a 4th place finish at Junior Nationals.  While he cannot be overlooked, Mitcheff has a history of wrestling poorly early in the year (and recently failed to place at Super 32, albeit at 119) and quite frankly I think that White has gone around him.  Mitcheff, who suffered the aforementioned Friday upset to the freshman Sulzer last year, faces a legitimate challenge once again on Friday, in the form of #15 seed Cam Tessari (a 4th place finisher at cadet nationals who is currently ranked #1 in Division III).  Mitcheff will also likely have a “tossup” bout in the quarterfinals, where he faces #10 Shane Gentry of Virginia (3rd at the Super 32 this fall).  Not that any competitor will have an easy road!

OWS FINALS PROJECTION: DAVID TAYLOR DEC. SAMMY WHITE 7-2

Projected Ohio Placers:  Clark, Mitcheff, Robinson

STATE RANKED WRESTLERS IN THE HUNT: Inghram (University School, D-II #2), Cam Tessari (Monroeville, D-III #1), Wayne Garabrant (Claymont D-II #5), (Wadsworth, D-I #11 Alex Gray), Zach Vargo (SVSM, D-II #14), Cody Libengood (Troy Christian, D-III #6).

(above): State Champion Cody Garbrandt makes his Ironman debut Friday night. Photo Credit: Bob Tuneberg, Villager News.

IRONMAN 119 LBS PREVIEW

Seeded Wrestlers
1. Logan Stieber (Monroeville, D-III #1)
2. Ben Sergent (Troy Christian, D-III #2)
3. Michael Garofalo (VA)
4. Johnny Papesh (Aurora, D-II #2)
5. David Klingsheim (CA)
6. Zach Neibert (St. Paris Graham, D-II #1)
7. Andrew Robertson (VA)
8. Marcus Orona (CA)

One of the most interesting developments of the year will be to see if Logan Stieber can continue his dominance at 119 lbs. that he had at 103.  The bet here is, he can.  After falling to Taylor at Ironman, Stieber never went the distance again all season, including his walk through a great field at Brecksville (which he put an exclamation point on with a technical fall over Division II runner-up Inghram).   Stieber completed what is almost without question the most dominanting performance in back to back years in Cadet Nationals history with a 1-0, 7-0 win over Sammy White.  Now ranked #1 in the nation at 119, look for him to back up that ranking in convincing fashion.   

As an Ohio guy, I want to forecast either Division III state champ Sergent or Division II Runner-up Neibert in the finals against Stieber.  Yet, logic dictates that Michael Garofalo of Virginia is the best choice.  Past history shows that Steve Mitcheff is at approximately the same level as Sergent and Neibert.  At Super 32, Mitcheff lost to Corey Mock 5-0.  Garofalo then defeated Mock (the wrestler who had just handled Mitcheff) 7-0.  Garofalo finished 2nd in the tournament, Neibert 3rd, both losing to the eventual champ from New Jersey, but Garofalo lost by a point whereas Neibert lost by six points.  Garofalo also placed 3rd at the 2006 Super 32 whereas Zach Neibert failed to place.  Nevertheless, I think that Neibert is progressing rapidly and may is probably the second best 119 in Ohio right now, so he could very well be a finalist.  Neibert has to be scratching his head at the seeding- given that he is the #6 seed but he has won his most recent meeting against the #2, #4, and #5 seeds).

Ben Sergent looks to turnaround a relatively disappointing history at the Ironman with his first finals appearance.  A Sergent-Stieber final would arguably carry the most interest as it would be a preview of a likely state final.

OWS FINALS PROJECTION: LOGAN STIEBER DEC. MICHAEL GAROFALO 8-3

PROJECTED OHIO PLACWINNERS: Neibert, Sergent, Papesh

STATE RANKED WRESTLERS IN THE HUNT: Adam Wallander (Moeller, D-I #4), Shelton Morris (CVCA, D-III #4), Michael Hillock (Massillon Perry, D-I #9), Ian Miller (Oak Harbor, D-II #6), Jon Cobos (St. Edward, D-I #13), Kyle Ditcher (Claymont, D-II #9),

IRONMAN 125 LBS

Seeded Wrestlers:
1. Tony Ramos (IL)
2. Chris Villalonga (NJ)
3. Dan Genetin (Massillon Perry, D-I #1)
4. Caleb Vallotton (CA)
5. Drew Partain (OK)
6. Andrew Williams (VA)
7. Riley Adamson (TX)
8. Cody Kelly (PA_
11. Cody Garbrandt (Claymont #1)
13. Dan Foore (Wadsworth, D-I #11)
14. Pierce Harger (Cincinnati Moeller, D-I #3)

In last year’s deep 112 lb. Ironman field (state champs Steve Mitcheff and Ben Sergent both failed to place), Tony Ramos of Glenbard, IL and Chris Villalonga of Blair Academy advanced to the finals, with Ramos the winner.  I look for a repeat of history.   By way of reference, Villalonga defeated Kyle Lang of Brecksville twice last year in very close matches (though he was absolutely throttled by Logan Stieber at the 2006 cadet nationals: 7-0, 7-0).  I look for a repeat of last year’s finals with Ramos getting past Villalonga once again.  Ramos was rated as the #1 112 in the nation by some ranking services last year, and lost a heartbreaker in the cadet national finals this summer.  Ramos defeated Villalonga in Fargo last summer in pool competition (Villalonga would go on to finish third in the nation).  The strength of the compact Ramos seems to give the lanky Villalonga difficulty. 

The top contenders here for Ohio are state champion Cody Garbrandt and 2006 state runner-up Dan Genetin. It is certainly a surprise to see Genetin at this weight, given that there was some issue of whether he would compete at 130 or 135 just a few weeks ago.  And yet, the move to this weight certainly makes sense for Perry as it keeps both Genetin and Horner away from Collin Palmer.  Gentin instantly moves up from #4 at 130 to #1 at 125.  One of the best bouts of Friday night should be the 2nd round match-up between Genetin and Pierce Harger of Moeller (now #3).  I will take Genetin, but it could easily go Harger’s way in what could be a very big match on March 1st, but is just another ho-hum Friday night match-up at the Ironman.   I really like state champion Cody Garbrandt’s physical style, and I look for him to considerably outperform his #11 seed, though I don’t think he is quite ready for the finals just yet.  In Friday Nite’s second round, Garbrandt will have to get past two-time Virginia State Champ Andrew Williams, a place-winner at Ironman last year and Beast of the East on two different occasions.  Should he win that match he would face the winner of Genetin and Harger in the quarterfinals (Genetin defeated Garbrandt 4-0 last year at M.I.T.).

Another interesting possibility here is Riley Adamson of Bishop Lynch, TX.  Adamson is one of the premier youth wrestling legends of his time, winning more national titles at Cliff Keen events than probably any wrestler before or since, and split with Collin Palmer when both were eighth graders.  His career has not progressed quite as much as some would have thought to this point, but perhaps in his junior year, he is ready to fulfill that projected stardom.

OWS PROJECTION:  RAMOS DEC. VILLALONGA 3-2

PROJECTED OHIO PLACEWINNERS: Genetin, Garbrandt

STATE RANKED WRESTLERS IN THE HUNT: Harger (Moeller, D-I #3), Marks (Brecksville, D-I #4), Armstrong (Graham, D-II #4), Powers (CVCA, D-III #4), Salupo (St. Edward, D-I #8), Knotek (Walsh, D-II #6 at 130), Flores (Eastwood, D-II #10).

(above): Palmer has the match-up he's looking for in Colin Johnston of Pennsylvania. Photo Credit: Bob Tuneberg, Villager News.

IRONMAN 130 LBS PREVIEW

Seeded Wrestlers

1. Anthony Valles (Blair Academy)
2. Brian Stephens (Graham, D-II #1)
3. Ian Squires (Colonial Forge)
4. Seth Horner (Massillon Perry, D-I #4)
5. Creeden Merkley (UT)
6. Brad Squire (Wadsworth, D-I #1)
7. David Yost (VA)
8.  Zac Hancock (Troy Christian, D-III #2)
9. Nick Sulzer (St. Edward, D-I #5)
11. Dalton McHenry (Elyria, D-I #9)
14. Anthony Melillo (Padua, D-II #2)
15. William Palmer (St. Ignatius, D-I #13)

The pink elephant in the room on wrestling forums may be that sophomore state champion Brad Squire has yet to lose a high school wrestling match.  There has never been four-time unbeaten state champion in this state- and you almost don’t want to mention it and “jinx” Squire.  It has been taken as fact by many pundits that Squire’s undefeated days would come to an end, of course, when Wadsworth went to Ironman this year.  Maybe, maybe not.  The fact is that there is nobody in this weight class that is out of the league of the Wadsworth sophomore.  Former two-time Cadet National Champion Anthony Valles of Blair Academy is, to be blunt, a little overrated in my view and has not progressed as expected since his 2005 Fargo triumph.  Collin Palmer famously dismantled Valles at both the Ironman and Beast of the East two years ago (two major decisions).   In fairness, Valles has been plagued by injuries and it could be that a healthy Valles will be much better than I anticipate.

While Valles remains the on-paper favorite, and Squire has yet to taste defeat, my pick is the Graham Junior Brian Stephens.  Stephens has been almost a forgotten wrestler by fans of this state due mainly to the fact that he has always been obscured by the considerable shadow of Collin Palmer- who was going to notice this great freshman 112 and sophomore 125 when Palmer was dominating him and all other comers?  And yet, Stephens has shown himself to be one of the very few in this state who can stay competitive with the great St. Edward junior, and also notched a win over 2x state champion Daniel Kolodzik (in three tries) last year.  He should have been a state champ last year- falling just short as he ran into a wrestler on fire in Brian Dean in one of the best bouts of the tournament.   Reportedly a relentless worker, look for the bulldog style of this 2005 Cadet All-American to dominate this year.

Squire of Wadsworth simply does not make mistakes.  Wrestling with the poise of a collegian, he met all challenges last year and ended up with zero losses as a freshman.  It could very well come to pass that he will take advantage of Stephens’ aggressive style and in truth I consider this one a tossup (as will be the final against Valles for either).  Seth Horner should place, and could even be a finalist himself after two straight 3rd place state finishes.

Two other Ohio wrestlers that can definitely place at this event will meet in one of Friday nite’s matches to watch: state runner-ups Zach Hancock of Troy Christian and Nick Sulzer of St. Edward.  Sulzer moves from 112 to 130 lbs  and I look for him to make the transition with no problem.   This one is a virtual tossup in my view, but I will go with the lanky Sulzer to frustrate Hancock and win a close bout.  Plus, the Sulzers have made a mockery of my projections in the past (see 2007 state tournament).

Friday Night Upset Pick:  Watch for Anthony Melillo of Padua, the #14 seed, to knock off #3 seed Ian Squires.  Melillo may be the best wrestler in this state who has yet to place (or it could possibly be his teammate Riley Kilroy).  Squires is good but is not out of range for a wrestler who defeated Chase Skonieczny, Aaron Sulzer, Josh Demas, and Andrew Dinda last season. 

The out of state competition seems to be weaker in this weight than most and I look for Ohio to have no less than five placers.   

OWS FINALS PROJECTION:  STEPHENS OVER VALLES 8-7

PROJECTED OHIO PLACEWINNERS: Squire, Horner, Sulzer, Melillo

STATE RANKED WRESTLERS IN THE HUNT:
Hancock (D-III #2), McHenry (Elyria, D-I #9), William Palmer (St. Ignatius, D-I #13 ), Harrison Hightower (University School, D-II #9)

IRONMAN 135 LBS

Seeded Wrestlers
1. Colin Johnston (PA)
2. Collin Palmer (St. Edward, DI-#1)
3. Daniel Kolodzik (Miami Valley, DIII-#1 at 130)
4. Chase Skonieczny (Walsh Jesuit, DII-#1)
5. Matt Bryan (OK)
6. Kyle Lang (Brecksville, D-I #3 at 130)
7. Jacob Earp (NC)
8. Shane Welsh (PA)
11. Brad Wukie (University School, DII- #2)
15. Jordan Thome (Troy Christian, DIII- #2)

Without question, this is one of the toughest weights in the tourney, and one of the biggest match-ups of the weekend takes place here.  Hanging in the balance will be the #1 ranking in the nation at 135 lbs.  It’s no secret that Palmer wanted another shot at Pennsylvania state champion Colin Johnston, now he’s got it.  Palmer- who has not only never lost to an Ohio wrestlers, he has never been pushed by one- suffered his second career defeat last year at the hands of Johnston in the Ironman quarterfinals.  Johnston would go on to capture his first Junior National Freestyle crown in Fargo.  Palmer- who prefer folkstyle- captured his second straight Ohio state title in dominating fashion and has since won NHSCA Sophomore Nationals and Super 32.

The key to this match-up in my view will be the first takedown.  Johnston, like so many PA wrestlers, is tough as nails from the top position, as is Palmer.  In last year’s bout, Johnston got a takedown early in the second period and then rode out Palmer hard for the remainder of the period.  Johnston’s tough ride seemed to wear down the unusually-flat Palmer.   If Palmer gets the first takedown, however….he seems to only get stronger with a lead.  I cannot imagine Johnston or anyone else mounting a comeback.  I truly think this bout is a toss-up, but given the fact that Johnston has won junior nationals since, I have no reason not to take him here (other than pure Ohio bias).

Palmer will have far from an easy ride to the finals.  He faces Junior National All-American Jacob Earp (an inexplicable #7 seed) in the quarters, and then 2x Ohio State Champion Daniel Kolodzik in the semis.  Palmer has a long history of beating Kolodzik as I understand it, and certainly nothing in last year’s 10-4 Ironman win by Palmer (in the 3rd place match) indicates to me that he will not win again.  Of course, the Kolodzik-Palmer match is far from a sure thing, with Kolodzik facing Kyle Lang in the quarterfinals.  Lang jumps all the way up from 112 lbs.  Ohio fans last remember his amazing consolation run at the Schott.  Not sure if he will stay at this weight or not, but if he does he’s clearly the second best 135 in Division I.

In the other bracket, Kent State-bound Chase Skonieczy of Walsh Jesuit looks to derail the Johnston-Palmer match-up.  Skonieczny, a three-time state placer who is a big favorite in Division II in my view, has a great history at Ironman, placing third with wins over seniors Adam Kriwinsky and Adam Koballa as a sophomore, and then second last year to Kellen Russell of Blair Academy (the same wrestler who just defeated J.Jaggers to win the Las Vegas Invitational as a true freshman in college).  Skonieczny and Johnston actually remind me of each other a bit and I’d look for a methodical low scoring bout here.

OWS FINALS PROJECTION: JOHNSTON DEC. PALMER 5-4

PROJECTED OHIO PLACWINNERS: Skonieczny, Kolodzik, Lang

STATE RANKED WRESTLERS IN THE HUNT:  Wukie, Thome, Jeremy Regula (Claymont, D-II #5) Mark Meyer (Graham, D-II #7), Matt Hickin (CVCA, D-III #15), 

State turned tomorrow for Part II of the Ironman Preview (140-285 lbs)!

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