Wrestling News from a Michigan Coach

kdsmith27 · February 22, 2010

It's crazy how far past the competition #1 Iowa is this year. They shut out Michigan and Michigan State, which isn't necessarily surprising since they are both unranked this year. However, they then beat #5 Minnesota, 28-9, http://www.hawkeyesports.com/sports/m-wrestl/recaps/021410aaa.html and beat #4 Ohio State, 32-3,

http://hawkcentral.press-citizen.com/article/20100220/HAWKS0110/2200341/1053 . As I've mentioned before, Minnesota has a redshirt sophomore named Zach Sanders at 125 lb, http://www.gophersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=38905&SPID=3325&DB_OEM_ID=8400&ATCLID=1313027&Q_SEASON=2009 that was a 5 time state champ. He won his first 26 matches as a redshirt freshman last year. Iowa has a a redshirt freshman at the same weight class that was a 3 time state champ in high school in Iowa, named Matt McDonough. http://www.hawkeyesports.com/sports/m-wrestl/mtt/mcdonough_matt00.html The two wrestled each other, and McDonough won by major decision over Sanders, 13-2. Today, Iowa beat #14 Wisconsin, 31-6 to wrap up their dual meet season. McDonough won his match and is so far undefeated going into postseason action. He has the opportunity to be the first freshman or redshirt freshman to go undefeated since Cael Sanderson in 1999. Brent Metcalf, Jay Borschel, Dan Erekson, and McDonough are all undefeated at this point for Iowa. The Iowa-Wisconsin dual meet is on the Big 10 Network tonight.

A couple of weeks ago, while driving into work I was listening to WJR in the morning. They were broadcasting from Novi Catholic Central for some pep rally, and had some of their alumni there as well. In addition to the 7 state championships in wrestling under former head coach, Mike Rodriguez, they have a ton of them in hockey and football, and I'm sure in some of the other sports as well. This year they have been ranked #2 or #3 in the state for wrestling under their new coach, but now have the top seed going into the weekend in Battle Creek for the team state finals. http://www.michigangrappler.com/files/High_School/HS0910/teamstate_seeds.html

The radio broadcast stated that CC has over 300 attorneys that are alumni, some of them are judges, and 2 of them are running for governor here in Michigan now. They had a number of corporate CEO's that are also alumni there on the broadcast as well. Great camaradiere amongst the students, as well as the alumni there.

That made me want to check out some of the highly ranked wrestling high schools around the country...

St Paris-Graham, Ohio http://www.ag-man.com/halloffame.htm I think they are ranked in a tie for #1 in the country right now, along with Apple Valley High School, Minnesota.

St Edward's-Ohio-89 individual state championships, 25 team state championships, 11 national championships.

http://alumni.sehs.net/?page=athletics_home

http://alumni.sehs.net/resource/resmgr/wrestling/legacy-2.pdf

Blair Academy-New Jersey

http://www.blairwrestling.com.php5-6.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/page/archives/Collegiate-and-Open-Level-Archive

http://www.blairwrestling.com.php5-6.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/page/archives/prep-national-champs

When Michigan high school's formerly #1 ranked Lowell wrestled St. Paris Graham-Ohio, Jackson Morse (ranked #1 in Mich.) of Lowell beat an Ohio state champ from St. Paris around 10-1. His younger brother beat another Ohio state champ from the same team. http://www.michigangrappler.com/files/High_School/HS0910/results/jan27weekduals.html Senior 160 lb. Jackson Morse (committed to Illinois) beat sophomore Taylor Massa of St John's in a tournament in October. Massa is the Michigan HS #1 ranked wrestler in D2 in his weight class, 152 lb. As I've mentioned in the past, Taylor Massa is also a national champion in freestyle, greco-roman, and folkstyle. He was an undefeated freshman state champ for St John's last year, which is north of Lansing. Both Jackson Morse and Taylor Massa are nationally ranked. Lowell's 145 lb., sophomore Andrew Morse, is also ranked #1 in Michigan. A 3rd Morse brother, sophomore-Gabe, is ranked # 7 in Michigan.

Michigan D1 individual rankings... http://www.michigangrappler.com/files/High_School/HS0910/rankings/feb17_d1.html

Michigan D2 individual rankings... http://www.michigangrappler.com/files/High_School/HS0910/rankings/feb17_d2.html

13 year-old 7th grader Mark Hall, from Davison, was the #1 ranked high schooler at 119 lb., for the #1 ranked team in Kentucky, Ryle High School. He had lost only 2 matches during the season. One to a 2-time Kentucky state champ, which he later avenged with a win. The other to Ohio state champ, junior Nick Brascetta, of St. Paris Graham, 14-4. Brascetta is ranked nationally.

http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/C2/20100202/SPT02/2020333/Ryle-wrestlers-prepare-for-state-run

http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20100217/SPT0302/2180371/Ryle-contingent-could-strike-gold This weekend he lost to the same Kentucky state champ in the state finals, 6-2. So he is the state runnerup in Kentucky, and he just turned 13 last month! Amazing first year on the varsity squad for this young man!!!

Joe

----- Forwarded Message ----

From: Joseph Bolde <dynodream@yahoo.com>

Sent: Thu, February 18, 2010 1:05:05 PM

Subject: Wrestling

Previously 0-3 against an opponent, and comes in with the win in match 4, great tenacity...

http://www.themat.com/section.php?section_id=3&page=showarticle&ArticleID=21509

NCAA D1 rankings... http://www.themat.com/section.php?section_id=5&page=ranking_details&RankingID=1175

#4 Rockford vs. #1 Lowell in team regionals

http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/news/article/-120124585095745528/rockford-wrestlers-slip-past-top-ranked-lowell-for-division-1-regional-championship

#2 Novi Catholic Central vs Canton

http://www.detnews.com/article/20100218/SPORTS05/2180447/1049/SPORTS/Catholic-Central-wins-third-regional-in-four-years

D2 #1 St. John's http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20100218/SPORTS/2180354/1021/sports02

D3 #2 Richmond http://www.macombdaily.com/articles/2010/02/18/sports/preps/srv0000007639465.txt

kdsmith27 · March 9, 2010

Great weekend with the state high school individual finals on Saturday at The Palace, and the Big 10 conference championships on Sunday in Ann Arbor. There was a lot of great wrestling on both days, but of course, a huge difference in talent at the Big 10 tourney.

As expected at the high school level, the two nationally ranked guys I mentioned a couple of weeks ago below, from D1 Lowell, senior Jackson Morse, took state at 160, and sophomore Taylor Massa from D2 St. John's, also placed first at 152. Novi Cathoic Central had 3 champs, but a lot of great wrestling from many schools. We were fortunate to have access to the lower suite at center court we were in for the NCAA tourney in '07 for all of the preliminary wrestling, then when we came back for the evening session, we had general admission tickets in the upper center area, still good seats.

http://www.mhsaa.com/Sports/Wrestling/2010InidividualFinals.aspx

http://www.michigangrappler.com/files/High_School/HS0910/indstates/statechamps.html

At the Big 10 tourney, we had great seats near the center, and almost all of the matches we saw on Sunday were exciting to watch as a spectator. Minnesota's Dustin Schlatter had to pull out with an injury, otherwise it may have been a closer finish with Iowa taking the team championship.

The Angel Escobedo (Indiana) vs Matt McDonough (Iowa) match was a great one. Unfortunately, undefeated redshirt freshman McDonough lost a close one, 6-4.

http://www.themat.com/section.php?section_id=3&page=showarticle&ArticleID=21638

http://www.michigangrappler.com/files/College/0910/bigten_recap.html

After defeating OSU's Lance Palmer 4 times, UI's Brent Metcalf was upset in the finals. This was Metcalf's 1st loss this year, and only his 3rd loss in 3 years at Iowa. Like Metcalf in high school, Lance Palmer was a 4 time state champ, but for St. Edward's of Ohio. I got into the broad history of St. Edward's in a message below, it's quite a wrestling school for a long time on a national level.

Interview with Iowa coach Tom Brands