The Real Christmas Spirit: ‘Tis the Season for Wrestling as Ohio’s Best Eye Brecksville

(above): Freshman Hunter Stieber of Monroeville looks to maintain his #1 ranking this weekend against the likes of Johnny DiJulius and Ty Mitch. Photo Credit: Bob Tuneberg, Villager News.

They say it’s the season for giving, but for the 150-plus state ranked wrestlers who will descend upon Brecksville this weekend, “giving” is the furthest thing from their mind.  These competitors come seeking to “take” something for themselves- some hardware, in the form of a title at one of the nation’s toughest events.  It’s this holiday tournament, and others such as M.I.T., GMVWA, and Wadsworth, which really establish who the favorites will be down the stretch to stand upon the podium on the last Saturday of the season.  This year’s Brecksville field is better than ever, highlighted by no less than 34 wrestlers who are ranked first or second in the state.

It was a very tough decision this year as to whether to go to Medina or Brecksville.  This will be the first M.I.T. I’ve missed in years, but given three factors I chose Brecksville:
1.  Closer drive
2. More state ranked wrestlers
3. Coach Haverdill of Brecksville graciously provides me with a place right by the edge of the mat to do live updates- an unbeatable situation.

Hopefully, next year these great tournaments will fall a day apart as they traditionally have.

Admin Note: The updating in the rankings was in progress at the time of the writing of this article.  Since additional changes will be made, the ranking shown in this article may differ slightly from what you see shortly in the rankings section. 

With no further ado, here is the Ohio Wrestling Site Brecksville Forecast:

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Seeded Wrestlers:

1. Dakota Hayes	Ravenna	Division II #5
2. Ty Mitch	Aurora	Division II #2
3. Jordan Hancock	Troy Christian	Division III #5
4. Shawn Ague	Fitch	Division I #3
5. Donny Ramos	Bryan	Division II #17
6. Brandon Fishking	DeSales	D-II #15
7. Scott Ackerman	Bellevue	D-II #16
8. Jack Young	Mentor	D-I #10

It is at a weight like this that flaws in any criteria-based seeding system are revealed.  Hunter Stieber and Johnny DiJulius are both currently nationally ranked (in fact Stieber is #1 in the nation) yet both will enter unseeded.  So, there is a huge question mark as to where Stieber and DiJulius will end up in the “blind draw”- it’s entirely possible that either could meet Ty Mitch (#2 in Division II) in the first round!  Stieber, a cadet national champion and Ironman Champ, keeps his opponents on the defensive all six minutes with an uncanny ability to consistently get to their legs with his superior positioning and long arms.  DiJulius is a relentless scrambler who is very good from the neutral position.  He comes off a great Ironman where he upset Gus Sako of St. Edward among other great wins.  Should they meet here, it will be a rematch of last year’s junior high state finals. In that bout, DiJulius jumped out to a 4-0 lead only for Stieber to rally to win 11-6.  Look for Stieber to win but DiJulius to push him hard- I forsee a three to four point margin.  This presumes that match-up even happens- Ty Mitch of Aurora (D-II #2) has wrestled DiJulius very tough in the past (he has had little success against Stieber, but who has?) and is coming off a big win over state placer Korey Mines (D-I #2).

Upset Special
#4 Seed Shawn Ague has been wrestling very well and moves up to #3 in the rankings following a win over state placer Jerry Pasquale.  Look for him to take out #1 seed Dakota Hayes, a fourth-place finisher in Division III last year.  It’s possible that the underrated Jack Young of Mentor (D-I #10) could beat Hayes in the quartefinals, however.  Of course, if Stieber and/or DiJulius are on this side this semi-final match-up is out the window.

OWS Projected Order of Finish:
1.Stieber
2. DiJulius
3. Mitch
4. Ague
5. Hayes
6. Hancock

(above): Cam Tessari of Monroeville looks to knock off Steve Mitcheff and Jerome Robinson this weekend at Brecksville. Photo Credit: Bob Tuneberg, Villager News.

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1. James Inghram	University	D-II #2
2. Jerome Robinson	St. Ignatius	D-I #4
3. Steve Mitcheff	Elyria	D-I #3
4. Ricky Reynolds	Marion Pleasant	D-III #4
5. Cody Libengood	Troy Christian	D-III #6
6. Jacob Farber	St. Xavier	D-I #9
7. Zack Gerberick	Lakota West
8. Jimmy Millar	Hilliard Davidson	D-I #12
9. David Bolger	Strongsville	D-I #5

Outlook
With all due respect to James Inghram and Cam Tessari, the title match here appears to be in the semi-final between Jerome Robinson and Steve Mitcheff.  Mitcheff is a 2006 state champion and 4th place finisher at Junior Nationals.  However, he always seems to wrestle much better at state than mid-season, so I am taking Robinson here.  Robinson finished third behind Jamie Clark and Sammy White last year, defeating White once and nearly beating Clark at state.  Other than that (and his misfortunes against David Taylor) he was never really pushed by anyone last year.  We haven’t got to see much of him thus far as he missed the Ironman, but expect him to be outstanding as always.

The one wrestler who could knock off either Robinson or Mitcheff is Cam Tessari (D-III #1) of Monroeville.  Tessari comes off an excellent showing at Ironman where he beat #1 seed James Inghram by fall with a big lead.  However, since he is a freshman, this cadet all-american and former junior high state champion will be unseeded.   Nevertheless, I think he stands at best a 20% chance of beating either Robinson or Mitcheff at this point- probably a better chance against the inconsistent Mitcheff than the steady Robinson.

Upset Special: 
Look for #9 seed David Bolger to possibly unseat #1 seed James Inghram in what is a true “tossup” bout.  Bolger was one of the state’s best 103’s last year but fell victim to the Perry District.  He will be hungry to prove last year is ancient history.

OWS Projected Order of Finish:
1. Robinson
2. Tessari (if in opposite bracket0
3. Mitcheff
4. Bolger
5. Inghram
6. Farber

 
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Seeded Wrestlers

1. Logan Stieber	Monroeville	D-III #1
2. Ben Sergent	Troy Christian	D-III #2
3. Troy Opfer	SMCC	D-III #3
4. Johnny Papesh	Aurora	D-II #2
5. Scott Fuller	Toledo Waite	D-I #5
6. Jacob Garringer	Miami Trace	D-II #4
7. Jake McCombs	Marysville	D-I #11
8. Mike Kovach	Chanel	D-III #12
9. Mike Scavuzzo	Revere	D-II #8
10. Dillon VanDyne	Cambridge	D-II #16
11. Jordan Powell	Commodore PA

Outlook

In a superb field, one star greatly outshines the rest.  The consensus #1 119 in the nation, Stieber was brilliant as always at the Ironman, winning a controlled 6-1 bout against Sammy White, pinning an excellent Orona of California, and winning by major decision against state runner-up Papesh.  Should Papesh get past Scott Fuller, himself a 4th place finisher in Division I last year, do not count on an upset.  Stieber was simply too strong and too good for Papesh last time, scoring takedowns on his feet without difficulty and man-handling the excellent Papesh from the top position with his fearsome“bar and half” combination.  This technique, as Stieber applies it, is much like a vice- it gets tighter and tighter as Stieber jumps from side to side- until he is able to easily turn his opponent.  Last year Stieber used this technique (among others) to score a quick technical fall over Inghram.

On the other side of the bracket, Ben Sergent meets Troy Opfer yet again.  I believe that Opfer leads the series now 3-1, but Sergent overcame his “St. Mary’s jinx” (he was defeated by Harrington of St. Mary’s in the state finals in 2006) last year when it counted, narrowly prevailing over Opfer in the state finals.  It’s hard to believe that neither Sergent nor Opfer will opt for the “greener pastures” of 125 lbs, but how they fare this weekend against Stieber will likely have a lot to do with how that situation unfolds. My belief is how they will fare will be “not good”.  Look for Stieber to win by at least six points against whomever he faces in the finals.  Stieber of course handled Sam White at Ironman, and White handled Opfer 6-1 in the preseason “Confrontation at Kent” so that probably gives a good indication of the gap between Stieber and Sergent/Opfer.

Upset Special

None.  The seeding is exactly as I would project the order of finish.

OWS Projected Order of Finish
1. Stieber
2. Sergent
3. Opfer
4. Papesh
5. Fuller
6. Garringer

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Seeded Wrestlers

1. Justin Crozier	Union Grove GA	Georgia State Champ
2. Zack Pope	Marion Pleasant	D-III #1
3. Tommy Pretty	Elder	D-I #2
4. Nolan Legg	Walton GA	Georgia State 3rd
5. Scott Meyer	Ravenna	D-II #3
6. Paul Rose	Cambridge	D-II #4
7. Cody Neff	Miami Trace	D-II #16
8. Ricky King	Benedictine	D-II #5
9. Michael Baxter	Perkins	D-II #6
10. Ryan Marks	Brecksville	D-I #8
11. Justin Flores	Eastwood	D-II #11
12. Kevin Kretz	Twinsburg	D-I #10
13. Isaiah Chapman	Akron Kenmore	D-I #3
14. Jasper Few	Reynoldsburg
15. Lance Johnson	Monroeville	D-III #16
16. Jon Kostandaras	Revere	D-II #9
17. Justin Guerra	Toledo Waite	D-I #17
18.Dominic Randazzo	Lake Catholic	D-II #8

Outlook

The big question at this weight is, just how good are these Georgia wrestlers?  One is a state champ and one a 3rd place finisher, but obviously the quality in that state doesn’t even approach that of Ohio.  #4 seeded Legg finished 2-2 at Super 32 Challenge- not making it as far as Ohioans Shawn Fayette, Anthony Salupo, or Anthony Almanza.  With Crozier, it’s more difficult to tell as he has not competed in any significant national competition in the past year.  However, older results I looked up did not “wow” me.   My best guess is that he will be at best a low place-winner in what is the deepest weight in the tournament.

This may be not only the deepest, but also the most interesting weights of the tournament. Isaiah Chapman established himself as a title contender last weekend with a superb showing at the North Canton tournament- if he can win here, he looks to be a likely finalist.  I believed that Kostandaras would have a big year this year as he improved greatly last season from the beginning to the end, and opened this year with some great performances in the preseason.  Instead, he has had a frankly disastrous beginning to his season, including nearly getting technical falled by Blake Thoreson- a wrestler I would have picked him to defeat.  Ryan Marks also looks to rebound after an 0-2 showing at Ironman and a so-so performance at Beast of the East.  Look for both to be back on track come Saturday.

At the end of the day, I look for Tommy Pretty to be the man here with Chapman a hair behind.  Pretty is one of the most impressive mat wrestlers in the state, and I expect his talents from the top position to give Chapman difficulty.  Whoever can dictate the match pace should prevail here- if Chapman can make this match a takedown battle he will almost certainly prevail.  I look for Pretty to slow him down on his feet and then score back points from the mat, which will be too much for Chapman to overcome on takedowns alone.

Upset Special

Look for #16 seed Jon Kostandaras to take down #1 seed Justin Crozier of Georgia Friday Night- assuming he can get past Justin Guerra of Toledo Waite.  Also, #13 seed Isaiah Chapman should almost certainly defeat #4 seeded Legg of Georgia.  Surprising Freshman Kyle Roddy of University School (D-II #9) can pull an upset, as he showed Marks at Ironman.

OWS Projected Order of Finish
1. Pretty
2. Chapman
3. Pope
4. Marks
5. Kostandaras
6. Meyer

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Seeded Wrestlers

1. Phil Holloway	Walton GA	Georgia State 1st
2. Ryan Fields	Lakota West	D-I #2
3. Zac Hancock	Troy Christian	D-III #1
4. Joey Lazor	Union Grove GA	Georgia State 2nd
5. Cody Coomes	Marion Pleasant	D-III #4
6. Jake Vaughan	DeSales	D-II #3
7. Anthony Melillo	Padua	D-II #4
8. Jon Reeser	Miami Trace	D-II #18
9. Garland McCormick	Akron Kenmore	D-I #8
10. William Palmer	St. Ignatius	D-I #14

Outlook

Similar to 125, I do not expect either Georgia state finalist to be in the hunt for a title, though either may be a low place-winner as the depth here is much less than 125.  Here, we have one bracket that looks much tougher than the other.  Three-time state runner-up Ryan Fields returns after winning a title last year, at a weight which is much more manageable for him.  His stiffest competition should come in the form of underrated Division III runner-up Zac Hancock.  Hancock defeated eventual Division II state champ Brian Dean hear last year on his way to a runner-up finish.  Hancock is very difficult to take down- he has shown he can be turned (by Kolodzik) in the past, but that is a weakness that Fields is unlikely to expose.  At Ironman, he finished 6th, but a closer look reveals his three losses were by a grand total of four points to three excellent wrestlers (Valles, Grabfelder, and Stephens), and he registered an impressive 8-3 win over Nick Sulzer.   It’s difficult to get a read on where Fields will fit at his new weight as he hasn’t met any of the top competitors yet (he did wrestle one of the nation’s best 135’s in Ken Courts at Super 32 in a one point loss).  However- the choice has to be the three-time state runner-up (Fields) though very narrowly. 

Fields will also face a very stiff test in Anthony Melillo of Padua in the quarterfinals.  Melillo has been lukewarm to start this year but owned wins over Chase Skonieczny and Aaron Sulzer last year, so he is a threat to beat anyone here.   Hancock will also have his hands full against Jacob Vaughan in his quarterfinal.  Vaughan is somewhat hot and cold- if he’s “on” he could be champ, if not, he may not place.  

Upset Special

Look for much-improved Garland McCormick to possibly upset Georgia state champion Holloway.  McCormick is a potential finalist coming through the much weaker side of the weight class.

OWS Projected Order of Finish

1. Ryan Fields
2. Cody Coomes
3. Zac Hancock
4. Jacob Vaughan
5. Anthony Melillo
6. Garland McCormick
7. Joey Lazor
8. Phil Holloway

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Seeded Wrestlers

1. Brad Wukie	University	D-II #2
2. Tyler Floyd	Union Grove GA	Georgia State 2nd
3. Chase Skonieczny	Walsh Jesuit	D-II #1
4. Jordan Thome	Troy Christian	D-III #3
5. Vinny Lopez	Toledo Waite	D-I #3
6. Mike Mencini	Twinsburg	D-I #4
7. John Gallagher	St. Xavier	D-I  #13
8. Tommy Sasfy	Reynoldsburg	D-I #14
9. Doug Meyer	Elder	D-I #15
10. Mike Fee	Lake Catholic	D-II #13

Outlook

Red-hot Chase Skonieczny returns from injury here.  Provided he is 100% and not overly affected by the layoff, he should have the edge over a very strong field.  For those who have been in a coma- Skonieczny upset then #1 Colin Johnston at Ironman before defaulting to Collin Palmer at Ironman.  Possibly the best pure “boot rider” in the state not named Taylor, looking for Skonieczny to win a series of close but controlled bouts en route to the title.

The other side of the bracket consists of Wukie, Lopez, and Thome.  Truthfully- I haven’t got a clue who will prevail out of these three.  Wukie is a state runner-up but jumping all the way up from 119 lbs.  Early indications are that he will do well, as he posted a very impressive win over Matt Bryan (2x state champion from Oklahoma) at Ironman.  Wukie was shut down by Skonieczny’s boots in a quarterfinal match-up there, however. Lopez and Mencini are two of the best wrestlers who have not yet placed at state.  Lopez had a disappointing state tourney, but among his great wins last year were victories over state runner-up Michael Lybarger (at Brecksville) and state placers Andrew Gasber and Nick Webb.  Thome lost a close match to the aforementioned Matt Bryan (who Wukie beat), so on that paper-thin margin I’m going with Wukie.  It could just as easily be Lopez in the finals in my view.

Skonieczny may face his stiffest test in the quarterfinals in the form of Mike Mencini of Twinsburg.  Mencini had some great wins last year after moving up from 135 to 140 to avoid possibly the toughest District foursome ever (Jameson, Habat, Spicel, and Clopton) and knocked off Marc Bryan and Nick Heflin to qualify for Columbus (both ranked #2 in the state this year at their respective weights).  Now, down at his true weight class, he has state finalist potential.  If he is going to unseat Skonieczny he will have to keep the match on his feet.

Upset Special

I will go out on a limb, and say that Chase Skonieczny will defeat #2 seed (Georgia state runner-up) Tyler Floyd.

OWS Projected Order of Finish
1.Chase Skonieczny
2. Brad Wukie
3. Mike Mencini
4. Vinny Lopez
5. Jordan Thome
6. John Gallagher

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Seeded Wrestlers

1. Aaron Sulzer	Holy Name	D-II #1
2. Dave Habat	St. Ignatius	D-I #2
3. Kyle Lang	Brecksville	D-I #3
4. Isaac Dukes	Ravenna	D-II #2
5. William Sheppard	Akron Kenmore	D-I #4
6. Chris Burns	Troy Christian	D-III #1
7. Jon Ray	Cambridge	D-II #10 (135)
8. Robert Pajestka	Cuyahoga Hts.	D-III #5
9. Dawson Riedy	Bellevue	D-II #4
10. Caleb Marsh	Marysville	D-I #14
11. Scott McDaniel	Marion Pleasant	D-III #10
12. Andrew Schafer	Chanel	D-III #4

Outlook

Without question, this is the toughest weight here.  Of the top seven 140’s in Ohio in my view, all but Richie Spicel are here.  Who will emerge as the champion is at best a guess at this point.  The de facto championship match may be the semifinal between David Habat and Kyle Lang.  Habat was brilliant as a freshman 135- the best frosh middleweight I’ve seen in this state.  He got off to a disappointing start at Ironman, but look for him to rebound this weekend at the more suitable 140 lb. weight class.  Kyle Lang jumps all the way up from 112 lbs and it is nearly impossible to make any sort of comparison between him and Habat.  However, his third place finish at Beast of the East shows he can compete at this weight and compete well.  That’s assuming he gets past Chris Burns, #1 ranked in Division III, in the quarterfinals.

Sheppard is one of the most vastly improved wrestlers in this state and poses a legitimate threat to Aaron Sulzer, the defending state champion in Division II on the other side of the bracket.  Defending state champ Sulzer is a “gamer” and has to be the pick, given that he won 9-3 against Sheppard last year in the Wadsworth Finals.  Look for Sheppard to have closed the gap and this one to go down to the wire.  Sheppard will have to get past Isaac Dukes of Ravenna to face Sulzer- Dukes won by fall against him last year- but do not look for a repeat of history.  

OWS Projected Order of Finish

1. David Habat
2. Aaron Sulzer
3. Kyle Lang
4. William Sheppard
5. Isaac Dukes
6. Chris Burns

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Seeded Wrestlers

1. Zach Toal	Troy Christian	D-III #1
2. Tony Jameson	Fitch	D-I #2
3. Dustin Fraley	Miami Trace	D-II #4
4.Johathan McGookey	Perkins	D-II #8
5. Dominic Gorrasi	Elder	D-II #10
6. Justin Gooden	Toledo Waite	D-I #5
7. Chris Canty	DeSales	D-II #7
8. David Lee	SVSM	D-II #10

Outlook

It’s not everyday that you see a three-time Defending Divison I state champion fails to get the #1 seed, but that is the situation with the criteria in place.  While it is ludicrous to consider Tony J. anything but an overwhelming favorite here- make no mistake, Zach Toal is an outstanding wrestler.  At the Ironman, Toal lost by a single point to one of the nation’s best wrestlers regardless of weight- Mario Mason.  Toal’s other loss was by a single point to two-time state champion Ben Jordan.  Having watched that entire match closely, I would not be surprised to see it go the other way next time.  Toal also posted decisive victories over Zach Goins (D-I #2) and David Habat (D-I #2 at 140).  Toal showed his quality last year by sweeping former state champion Josh Falk in three straight matches and has continued his progression this year.  In my view, he’s the #3 junior in Ohio (behind David Taylor and Collin Palmer). 

There isn’t a whole lot to be said about Jameson that hasn’t been said.  Jameson is the probably the most entertaining competitor since 4x state champion Johnny McGhee and possibly the best wrestler in this state, period.  I have a tough time seeing him piling up one of his lopsided victories over as skilled a competitor as Toal- but then again, I’d have said the same thing about Pelton last year.  This will be the marquee match of the night- the one that the fans are talking about all weekend.

Upset Special
Look for #6 seed Justin Gooden to edge Dustin Fraley of Miami Trace in the quarterfinals.

OWS Projected Order of Finish
1. Tony Jameson
2. Zach Toal
3. Justin Gooden
4. Dustin Fraley
5. Chris Canty
6. Jonathan McGookey

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Seeded Wrestlers

1. Jedd Moore	Marion Pleasant	D-III #1
2. Andrew Lanham	Walton GA	Georgia State 3rd
3. Zack Goins	Elyria	D-I #2 (145)
4. Billy Painter	Aurora	D-II #6
5. Josey Neff	Miami Trace	D-II #9
6. Louis Greco	Fitch	D-I #7
7. Louis Carraher	St. Xavier	D-I #3
8. Matt Haxton	Strongsville	D-I  #12

Outlook
The surprise here is Zack Goins moving to 152 lbs.  He will provide the most serious challenge to Division III state champion Jedd Moore.  However, Moore is just too smooth and too skilled for me to see an upset happening here.  Look for both wrestlers to really get after it and Moore prevail by a margin of something like 7-4. 

Upset Special

The competitor to keep an eye on here is #7 seed Lou Carraher.  A state qualifier last year, Carraher recently pulled a big upset at SWOWCA, knocking off two-time state placewinner Eric Gobin.  Look for him to knock off Andrew Lanham of Georgia in the quarterfinals (the #2 seed).

OWS Projected Order of Finish

1. Jedd Moore
2. Zach Goins
3. Lou Carraher
4. Billy Painter
5. Andrew Lanham
6. Lou Greco

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Seeded Wrestlers

1. Eric Cubberly	Eastwood	D-II #1
2. Steve Wilson	Marion Pleasant	D-III #1
3. Bradley Banks	Union Grove GA	Georgia State 3rd
4. Cody Cheatham	Walsh Jesuit	D-II #5
5. Riley Kilroy	Padua	D-II #4
6. JT Rice	Hilliard Davidson	D-I #3
7. Darren Tate	SVSM	D-II #9
8. Marc Bryan	St. Ignatius	D-II #2
9. Christian Ortolani	SMCC	D-III #7

If Jameson vs. Toal is the #1 match of the night, this is #1b.  Eric Cubberly may be the most underrated wrestler in Ohio.  His great performances, including wins over national champions Alex Meade and Scott Winston (a wrestler who has yet to lose a high school folkstyle match) are somehow ignored by those compiling national rankings- who instead, focus on his lopsided loss at Ironman to Josh Condon.  Having had a front row seat for that bout, Cubberly was apparently taking Condon to his back in an early flurry when he stopped, clearly in severe pain.  The score was still 0-0 at this point but clearly, the great majority of wrestlers would not have continued.  Cubberly chose to continue, and purely as a result of injury, lost by a lopsided margin.  Otherwise, he’s the Ironman Champ and he will back up this praise at the season progresses, mark my words.

The explosive Steve Wilson is a defending state champion and NHSCA Junior National Runner-up.  Wilson, an awesome “thrower”, actually defeated Cubberly in a freestyle tournament shortly after the season last year.  However, Cubberly was just coming up from 152, and headed back down there for Fargo.  Their matchup with Cubberly as a legitimate 160, and Wilson pulling pretty hard to make the weight, will be much different in my view.  In my estimation Steve Wilson does not match-up particularly well with the Eastwood senior.  If Cubberly has shown a weakness over the last two years, it’s that he can be turned from the mat (see Kevin Hardy at freestyle state, Jake Kyle at state duals in 2006).  That’s a weakness that Wilson, not particularly noted as a mat wrestler, seems unlikely to take advantage of.  Cubberly will be smart enough to stay away from Wilson’s explosive throws, and in pure takedown battle, I think he has the upper hand.  

Upset Special

Look for #6 seed JT Rice to knock off #3 seed Bradley Banks of Georgia.

OWS Projected Order of Finish

1. Eric Cubberly
2. Steve Wilson
3. Marc Bryan
4. Riley Kilroy
5. Cody Cheatham
6. JT Rice

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Seeded Wrestlers

1. Jack Roberts	Union Grove GA	Georgia St. 2nd
2. Spencer Adams	Marion Pleasant	D-III #2
3. Nick Mills	University	D-II #3
4. Chad Teague	Cambridge	D-II #9
5. Aaron Winemiller	Amherst	D-I #3
6. Evan Roth	Eastwood	D-II #4
7. Ryan Wasylik	SMCC	D-III #5
8. Joe Stewart	Strongsville	D-I #2

Outlook

This biggest question mark here is where will Chris Phillips will fall in the blind draw.  Quite possibly the best 171 in the nation, Ironman and Cadet National Champ Phillips is unseeded due to the fact that he is a freshman and all criteria is based upon last season’s finishes. 

The clear #2 at this weight is Nick Mills in my view.  A bona-fide title contender in Division II, Mills lost by approximately five points (9-4 I believe) to Phillips last summer in Disney.  I’d look for the same type of match we saw from Phillips against the nationally ranked trio of Roddy, Peltier, and Thomusseit at Ironman- three of four unanswered takedowns for Phillips in the first two periods coupled with fortress-like defense.

Upset Special
Look for #8 seeded Joe Stewart of Strongsville to knock off #1 seed Roberts of Georgia.  Haven’t heard of this wrestler who is ranked #2 in Division I?  There are two reasons for that: first, he competed at 215 last year for lineup reasons, and second, this is a simply dreadful weight class in Division I quality-wise.

(above): Perhaps the best unseeded wrestler in Brecksville history, look for Chris Phillips to put on a show once again this weekend. Photo Credit: Bob Tuneberg, Villager News.

OWS Projected Order of Finish

1. Chris Phillips
2. Nick Mills
3. Spencer Adams
4. Evan Roth
5. Joe Stewart
6.  Aaron Winemiller

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Seeded Wrestlers

1. Jeremy Foster	Eastwood	D-II #2
2. Kevin Bailey	Walsh Jesuit	D-II #2
3. Jeff Olsen	Walton GA	Georgia State 5th
4. John Harasyn	Mentor	D-I #8
5. Nathan Jones	Troy Christian	D-III #1
6. Colton Bowers	Marion Pleasant	D-III #4
7. Cody Lamberg	Akron Kenmore	D-I #3
8. Dominic Jontony	Strongsville	D-I #9
9. Kirk Wetherell	Cambridge	D-II #5

Outlook

The results this weekend here will play a huge outcome in the murky title picture in Divisions I and III.   Both of those divisions have about 4-5 virtually indistinguishable wrestlers right now in my view, so hopefully someone will separate themselves from the pack.   The clear favorite of course is Jeremy Foster.  As talented as they come with speed, strength, and uncanny mat instincts- Foster has struggled to date, in large part due to getting a late start on wrestling because of an All-Ohio football season that saw him carry the pigskin more than 400 times.  Look for him to be back to form this weekend.  I’m looking for one of two vastly improved wrestlers to be his biggest challenger- Cody Lamberg or Colton Bowers.  The funky Lamberg has put up a series of dominating results in going unbeaten to this point and established himself as one of a number of contenders for the state title in a wide-open weight class.   Meanwhile, Colton Bowers has parlayed a much different style- characterized by six minutes of all out attacks, to a great start.  Knowledgeable observers in the Columbus Area tell me the Marion Pleasant junior has the look of a state champion.  He’s ranked #4 for now as there are three outstanding returning wrestlers, but look for that to possibly change this weekend. 

Upset Special

#7 Lamberg over #2 Bailey and #6 Bowers over #3 Olsen of Georgia.  Bailey was an overnite sensation last year, going from a losing season to a fourth-place state finish, but has struggled in the early going this year.

OWS Projected Order of Finish

1. Jeremy Foster
2. Cody Lamberg
3. Nathan Jones
4. Colton Bowers
5. Kevin Bailey
6. Jeff Olsen

215 Brecksville Preview

Seeded Wrestlers

1. Matt Fisher	Perkins	D-II #1
2. Orlando Scales	Elder	D-I  #2
3. Chris Miller	Fitch	D-I #5
4. Josh Zifzal	North Royalton	D-I #14
5. Brian Hooks	Commodore PA	7th at Brecksville last year
6. Tony Renwand	Bellevue	D-II #17
7. Joe Whitehead	DeSales	D-II #13
8. Grant Hale	Eastwood	D-II #15

Outlook

This weight class is a two-man horse race between two state title contenders, Matt Fisher and Orlando Scales.   I think the raw horsepower or Scales will prevail over the cagey veteran Fisher.  Scales is cutting to make 215 with possibly less than 10% bodyfat.  Fisher is fresh off an Ironman win, and with his track record cannot be counted out here.

Upset Special

Tom Deroia of Walsh Jesuit (D-II #7) is unseeded and in his second year of wrestling.  However, Deroia is a superb athlete (an exceptional soccer player despite being over 200 lbs) and has picked up the sport quickly, as shown by his Ironman performance. 

OWS Projected Order of Finish

1. Orlando Scales
2. Matt Fisher
3. Chris Miller
4. Tom Deroia
5. Josh Zifal
6. Brian Hooks

285 Brecksville Preview

Seeded Wrestlers

1. John Hiles	DeSales	DII- #1
2. Aaron Edington	Marion Pleasant	D-III #3
3. Scott Meyers	Lakota West	D-I #16
4. Brad Hager	Ravenna	D-II  #13
5. Andrew Carpenter	St. Xavier	D-I  #12
6. Wesley Mena	Union Grove GA
7. Mike McElligott	Chanel	D-III #6
8. Dan Nowakowski	Bryan	D-II #20

Outlook

By far the weakest weight in this tournament now that Mike McCarthy of Strongsville is injured, it appears to be John Hiles in a runaway.  Aaron Edington has to like his draw and should be the finalist opposite Hiles- who may not go the full six minutes all weekend.

Upset Special

None.

OWS Projected Order of Finish

1. John Hiles
2. Aaron Edington
3. Scott Meyers
4. Andrew Carpenter
5. Brad Hager
6. Mike McElligott

Stay tuned for live updates from Brecksville, starting with the Quarterfinal round on Saturday morning!

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