Rankings Wednesday: P4P Last Losses
Willie Saylor, Sr. Editor

Great wrestlers hate to lose. And that's what the members of the Pound-for-Pound are: great wrestlers.

This is gonna sting a little, but we've documented their last losses.

Every year in late January / early February, there comes a 'dry spell' for high school rankings. Most of the major national-caliber tournaments are wrapped up, and teams start prepping for their championship season run.

So there's little movement in the rankings this week. And in lieu of (what would be minimal) discussion this week, I thought I'd give you something more meatier to chew on.

Many of the matches were not only significant in terms of rankings, they were incredible, high-tension bouts as well, and a joy to watch.

Below are the last losses for the P4P members, with notes and context and video when available.

*Ground rules: Losses while in high school vs. opponents also in high school. 8th grade doesn't count. Matches against opponents that had graduated high school don't count.

Of course, you can find ASICS FloRankings HERE.

Last Losses To HS Wrestler, Folk or Free:

#1-Kyle Snyder - July, 2012 - J’Den Cox, Fargo 5 Round - 215lbs

Context: Snyder and Cox wrestled four times at Fargo. In 2011, Cox won in GR and Snyder won in FS. In 2012, Snyder won in GR, while Cox won in FS (in the fifth round! Please seed Fargo!). The following summer, Snyder would win a Junior World Title. Cox would go on to win his 2nd Fargo crown and his 4th state title in four different weight classes. He's now ranked 5th in the country for the University of Missouri as a true Freshman.

#2-Chance Marsteller - None While In HS
As 8th Grader - October, 2009 - Quinton Murphy, Super 32 Blood Round - 130lbs
Context: This was my first glimpse at Marsteller. I was talking to Yero Washington, then Assistant at Iowa State, and he said 'I heard there's an 8th grader here that's pretty good. Let's go watch him.' Marsteller lost that match to Nik Pena in the quarters, 3-2. In the bout to guarantee a place, Marsteller lost to Murphy, 4-0. Pena would go on to win his second state title in Cali, while Murphy won in New York. Pena (Cornell) and Murphy (Clarion) are currently redshirting this season.


#3-Aaron Pico - November, 2012 - Dean Heil, Super 32 Finals - 132lbs

Context: This was Pico's first big Folk tournament of his freshmen year, but he already had four Fargo titles under his belt. Heil was entering his senior season with three state titles for powerhouse St. Edward, OH, and was considered the #1 or #2 wrestler in the country. The momentum in this classic match went back-and-forth and had a degree of controversy. Heil is now in his redshirt freshman season at Oklahoma State.


#4-Bo Nickal - January, 2013 - Isaiah Martinez, Doc B Finals - 160lbs
Context: Isaiah Martinez was going down as one of the best in Cali history. Nickal was on his ascent to stardom after beating Mark Hall (who had beat IMar). In the much anticipated bout, Nickal was his agressive self, and Martinez capitalized. Martinez is currently the #1 redshirt in the country at 157lbs for Illinois.


#5-Bryce Brill - May, 2012 - Zain Retherford, FILA Cadets - 63KG
Context: Brill had long been thought of as one of the country's brightest stars. Zain was beginning what was perhaps the finest summer in high school wrestling history, winning FILA's, Fargo, and a Cadet World Title. Brill also goes on to win Fargo with a win over NJ 4x State Champ Anthony Ashnault. Retherford is a true freshmen at Penn State with a win over 2x NCAA Champion, Logan Stieber. Enjoy this three-period barnburner.

#6-Ryan Blees - June, 2013 - Burke Paddock, Junior Duals - 160lbs
Context: Blees and Paddock were ranked about the same at this time (about 10th). They happened to wrestle 3 times during the week at National Duals. They split in FS, and Paddock won in GR. The following Blees would go on to torch the field in one of the deepest brackets in recent memory. He beat 6, count 'em SIX, former Fargo/FILA finalists, including Brian Murphy, Anthony Valencia, Jack Clark, Brandon Sorenson, and Jake Short. Paddock is committed to Iowa.


#7-Nick Nevills - April, 2012 - Kyle Snyder, FloNational Finals - 220lbs
Context: Both superstars already, Nevills and Snyder were just sophomores. Snyder had won Fargo, Ironman, and Super 32 the previous year. Nevills won a state title in single-class Cali as a Freshmen, but took a disappointing loss ast state as a Sophomore to an opponent he had beaten multiple times that season. Here he cuts down to 220 to test himself against Snyder. Now both seniors, Snyder is committed to Ohio State while Nevills is Penn State-bound.


#8-Thomas Haines - December, 2012 - Kyle Snyder, Powerade Finals - 220
Context: Two months prior, Haines and Snyder met in Super 32 finals. Haines was the returning champ, but Snyder took him out. Both juniors at this time, Snyder wins again. For Haines, the two losses to Snyder are the only losses he suffered since early his freshmen year, both in season and out of season. As fate would have it, Snyder and Haines will be teammates at Ohio State next year.


#9-Jason Nolf - April, 2013 - Tyler Berger, FloNational Finals - 132lbs
Context: Nolf was coming off his second state title in three tries. Berger was a perfect 3-for-3 in Oregon. Both had suffered two losses at FloNationals the year before. In the final here, no takedowns are scored. Berger wins with his impeccable riding ability. A rivalry that could continue in the Big Ten, Nolf will be at Penn State next year, while Berger is Nebraska-bound.


#10-Micah Jordan - December, 2012 - Aaron Pico, Ironman Finals - 132lbs
Context: After their dramatic bout in the finals of Super 32 two months prior, the whole high school wrestling world was anticipating a rematch of then #1-Dean Heil and #2-Aaron Pico. But Micah had other ideas. Jordan hadn't placed at Ironman his first two seasons, but he put those ghosts to rest with a buzzer beater takedown to beat Heil in the semi's. Jordan would beat Heil again later in the year in the dual. In this match, Micah pushes the action late, but can't quite score on Pico.


#11-Luke Pletcher - July, 2013 - Nick Piccininni, Disney Duals - 113lbs
Context: In a match between the FloNational Champ at 106 and the Runner-Up at 113, Piccininni gave Pletcher his last loss in the summer at Disney in a dual between All Star teams Young Guns and NY Kong. Both would wrestle at 120 at Super 32 the following fall with Pletcher winning the title and Piccininni taking 4th. Both are still underclassmen.


#12-Lance Benick - December, 2012 - Brock Berge, Minnesota Christmas Finals - 195lbs
Context: Minnesota always produces talented upper weights and 2012 was no different with Berge, Benick, and current #3-Nathan Rose all at the same weight. Two months prior, Rose beat Benick. At the Minnesota Christmas tournament, Benick, the Fargo Cadet Freestyle Champ squared off against Berge, the Fargo Junior Freestyle Runner-Up, with Berge scoring a late TD for the win. Benick would get redemption by beating Berge later in the year before winning both FILA's and Fargo the ensuing spring. Berge is currently a FR at Iowa.


#13-Spencer Lee - None While in HS
As an 8th Grader - April, 2013 - Luke Pletcher - FloNational Finals - 106lbs
Context: The undisputed #1 Junior High wrestler in the country, Lee was coming off a Runner-Up finish at Super 32 (with a loss to Nick Suriano). Pletcher had taken 3rd at FloNats as an 8th grader the previous year and had just won a state title as a Freshman. Both would go on to win Super 32 titles (Lee at 113 where he avenged the loss to Suriano; Pletcher at 120). Lee also made the Cadet World Team.


#14-Joey McKenna - November, 2013 - Jason Nolf, Who’s #1
Context: McKenna came in as the #1 wrestler in the country. Nolf was #2. McKenna was coming off another phenomenal summer. Backing up his 2012 summer where he made a Cadet World Team and a deep run at a Cadet World medal before he was injured, McKenna placed 4th at FILA JR's, 3rd at the JR World Team trials, and made the finals in both styles at Fargo. Since Nolf's finals loss to Berger at FloNationals, he'd been a terror, hammering 4x State Champion Ryan Diehl at Disney Duals, and destroying all comers at Super 32. In this match, McKenna comes out firing, but Nolf keeps on the constant attack. Nolf has since moved up to 145, and McKenna is back to #1 at 138. 


Chronologically
#14-Joey McKenna - November, 2013 - Jason Nolf, Who’s #1
#11-Luke Pletcher - July, 2013 - Nick Piccininni, Disney Duals
#6-Ryan Blees - June, 2013 - Burke Paddock, Junior Duals
#9-Jason Nolf - April, 2013 - Tyler Berger, FloNational Finals
#13-Spencer Lee - None While In HS - April, 2013 as 8th Grader - FloNationals
#4-Bo Nickal - January, 2013 - Isaiah Martinez, Doc B Finals
#8-Thomas Haines - December, 2012 - Kyle Snyder, Powerade Finals
#12-Lance Benick - December, 2012 - Brock Berge, Minnesota Christmas Finals
#10-Micah Jordan - December, 2012 - Aaron Pico, Ironman Finals
#3-Aaron Pico - November, 2012 - Dean Heil, Super 32 Finals
#1-Kyle Snyder - July, 2012 - J’Den Cox, Fargo 5 Round
#5-Bryce Brill - May, 2012 - Zain Retherford, FILA Cadets
#7-Nick Nevills - April, 2012 - Kyle Snyder, FloNational Finals
#2-Chance Marsteller - None While In HS - Oct. 2009 as 8th Grader - Super 32