Fi: Prep Preview - Can Sem Unseat Blair?

Feb 20, 2014 by Willie Saylor

National Prep Preview

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National Prep Preview
Willie Saylor, Editor

Over three. Decades. Three decades.

That's how long Blair Academy has had a stranglehold on the National Prep Championships. Thirty-three years to be exact. Since 1981 (I was 3 years old) Blair has won the Prep team tile every single year.

But with a perfect storm of post graduate entries for Seminary, and injuries to Blair, that streak may be coming to an end.

Defending Prep Champions, and #1-ranked Joey McKenna is out. And placer Patrick Coover, expected to compete for the first time this season, will not make an appearance.

Insert Post Grads Ty White (Super 32 3rd) and Nicky Hall (Super 32 Runner-Up), Wyoming Seminary is looking like a serious threat to end Blair's reign.

But make no mistake about it, Blair won't go down without a fight. And it will come down to the wire. In my weight-by-weight preview I have it nine Top 4 placers for each team.

Blair will have their work cut out for them. But they're the champs until proven otherwise.

Read the weight class capsules below, and watch each and every match live on Flo Pro.

The action takes place at Lehigh's Stabler Arena Friday and Saturday.

*Wrestlers are listed by official Preseeds and with returning place from last year.

106:
Last Year: Jack Meuller, Trinity dec. Ethan McCoy, Kiski Prep, 15-13 OT
1. So. Nick Lattanze, Malvern, PA - 8th
2. So. Joey Prata, St. Christopher’s, VA - 5th
3. So. John Busiello, Wyoming Seminary, PA
4. Fr. Daniel Planta, St. Paul’s, MD
5. Fr. Zach Sherman, Blair Academy, NJ
6. Sr. Chris Cuccolo, St. Benedict’s, NJ
7. So. Michael Doetsch, Severn School, MD
8. Fr. Luke Davis, St. John’s, DC

Commentary: Prada is the highest returning placer (5th) at this weight and has wins over Lattanze last year at Preps and Planta and Cuccolo at this year’s Beast of the East. He was also the highest placer of this group at Beat of the East were he was 2nd to NJ’s Ty Agaisse.
Lattanze beat Cuccolo in Beast consi semi’s. He also had a win over Busiello there and in last week’s Prep states. Cuccolo was 6th at Beast with a win over Sherman, who beat Doetsch there and ended up 8th.
Planta edged Doetsch last week in the finals of their state tournament. Sherman beat Cuccolo in NJ prep states.
I don’t think there’s an overwhelming favorite and a lot of these guys are about even. It will be about stringing good matches together. In the end, I think it’s Lattanze’s time to break out and become a national name.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Lattanze 2. Prata 3. Busiello 4. Planta

113:
Last Year: Chaz Tucker, Blair dec. Ryan Friedman, St. Paul’s, 5-2
1. So. Jack Mueller, Trinity, TX - Returning Champ
2. So. TK Megonigal, McDonogh, MD - 3rd
3. Sr. Adam Whitesell, Good Counsel, MD
4. Jr. Logan Harvich, Cape Henry, VA - 7th
5. Jr. Noah Malamut, Poly Prep, NY
6. Fr. Requir Van der Merwe, Blair Academy, NJ
7. So. Trent Olson, Wyoming Seminary, Pa
8. Jr. Fernando Mase, Phelps School, Pa

Commentary: Mueller is a favorite to repeat. He beat Megonigal 3-0 in last year’s semi’s.
Megonigal beat Whitesell in MD state finals last week. Whitesell beat Malamut at Preps last year. He also beat Olson at Beast.
Olson beat Mase in PA Prep state finals.
Van der Merwe has made solid strides. He beat Harvich at the Beast. A quarterfinal with Whitesell will be anticipated.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Mueller 2. Megonigal 3. Whitesell 4. Van der Merwe

120:
Last Year: Matt Kolodzik, Blair dec. Kevin Budock, Good Counsel, 10-3
1. Jr. Chaz Tucker, Blair Academy, NJ - Returning Champ
2. Sr. Thayer Atkins, Trinity, TX
3. Fr. Eric Hong, Georgetown Prep, DC
4. Jr. Steven Simpson, St. Mary’s, MD - 3rd
5. Jr. Justin Patrick, Kiski School, Pa
6. Jr. Ryan Friedman, St. Paul’s, MD - Runner-Up
7. Jr. Jimmy Overhiser, Wyoming Seminary, Pa
8. Jr. Jacob Forsman, Phelps School, Pa

Commentary: What a great weight. To put things in perspective, the returning Runner-Up is a 6 seed and 4th seeded Simpson has a win over Tucker this year.
Hong just won the MD state tournament where he beat Friedman 1-0 and pinned Simpson in the finals. He also beat Tucker at Beast of the East in the 5th place bout.
Simpson’s only two losses at the Beast were to highly ranked Austin Assad (OH). In between he beat both Patrick and Tucker.
Patrick 4-1 over Overhiser was the PA Prep state final.
Atkins, making his first appearance at National Preps, should be considered the X-factor here. He was 8th at the Ironman this season. The same could be said for Friedman who was 8th in a very tough Powerade weight.
This is a bit like throwing darts; there are so many kids at about the same level. Who will be on top of their game? The results for Tucker at Beast of the East were disappointing, but ever since it’s like the lights went on. He’s been looking very sharp, and I’m riding the hot hand. If he wrestles as good as he did at Escape the Rock, no one will beat him this weekend.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Tucker 2. Simpson 3. Hong 4. Atkins

126:
Last Year: Jack Mutchnik, St. Paul’s dec. Judson Preskitt, Wyoming Seminary, 5-4
1. Jr. Matt Kolodzik, Blair Academy, NJ - Returning Champ
2. So. Will Verallis, Wyoming Seminary, Pa - 4th
3. So. Stephen Thibault, Avon Farms, CT - 5th
4. Sr. Ezekial Salvo, Mt. St. Joe’s, MD
5. Jr. Zach Sheehan, The Hill School, Pa
6. Fr. Baily Thomas, Good Counsel, MD
7. Sr. Will Kelly, St. Christopher’s, VA - 6th
8. So. Mike Berkowitz, LI Lutheran, NY

Commentary: Kolodzik is having another banner season. As a finalist at Ironman, Beast, and Escape the Rock, he’s the prohibitive favorite to repeat.
Verallis beat Kelly in consi semi’s here last year and won PA Prep states last week.
Salvo won MD states. Pay attention to the two freshmen from MD (Baily and Quinn Devaney). They might not be ready to contend for a title this year, but they will in the future.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Kolodzik 2. Thibault 3. Verallis 4. Kelly

132:
Last Year: Joey McKenna, Blair dec. Andrew Atkinson, Liberty Christian, 6-1
1. So. Kevin Budock, Good Counsel, MD - Returning Runner-Up
2. Sr. Jack Mutchnik, St. Paul’s, MD - Returning Champ
3. So. Matt Lattanze, Malvern, Pa - 4th
4. Sr. Will Crisco, Wyoming Seminary, Pa - 3rd
5. Sr. Jawan Jones, St. Benedict’s, NJ - 5th
6. Jr. Patrick McLaughlin, Lawrenceville, NJ - 8th
7. Sr. Alex Rinaldi, Blair, NJ - 3rd
8. So. Leonard Merkin, Poly Prep, NY
9. Jr. John Anderson, Tabor Academy, MA
10. Sr. Christian Vallis, Phillips Academy, MA - 6th
11. Sr. Dustin Runzo, Norfolk Acadmey, VA - 7th

Commentary: Loaded. 132 contains 9 returning placewinners including a champ and three others who lost just once at least year’s Preps.
By virtue of his win last week in MD finals, Budock gets the top seed over Mutchnik. Budock also placed 6th at the Beast where Mutchnik DNP’d.
Jawan Jones had a great Prep State tournament. He beat Rinaldi in the semi’s before beating McLaughlin for the title.
Lattanze beat Crisco in PA finals.
I like Mutchnik and Friedman from St. Paul’s. They also seem to rise to the occasion at Preps. But Mutchnik will have a brutal road with Rinaldi in the quarters and the Lattanze-McLaughlin winner in the semi’s. Still, I’ll take him for an all-Maryland final.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Budock 2. Mutchnik 3. Jones 4. Lattanze

138:
Last Year: Alfred Bannister, Bishop McNamara md. Walker Dempsey, Blair, 11-3
1. Jr. Jordan Kutler, Blair, NJ
2. Sr. Tyler Ponte, Wyoming Seminary, Pa
3. Sr. Michael Sprague, Georgetown Prep, DC -
4. Sr. Matt Pente, Archbishop Spaulding, MD - 6th
5. Jr. Peter Tedesco, Belmont Hill, MA - 7th
6. Jr. Brady Riley, Germantown Academy, PA - 7th
7. Sr. Matt Kelly, Good Counsel, MD
8. Sr. Brandon Walker, Woodberry Forest, VA - 8th

Commentary: The big news here is no McKenna. Kutler won NJ Prep states in his stead. Kutler was 5th at Ironman at 132.
There are a couple of under the radar types I like here. Both Sprague and Kelly came in to last year’s preps as seeds and left one match shy of placing. Sprague was the 4th seed. Kelly was the 9th.
And watch out for Brandon Walker. He was the highest placer of the group at Beast of the East, beating Sprague in the 3rd place match. Sprague had beaten him on the front side in the quarters.
Sprague, Pente, and Kelly were 1-2-3 at MD states. Ponte won Pa down a weight from his in-season 145.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Sprague 2. Walker 3. Ponte 4. Kutler

145:
Last Year: Jack Clark, McDonogh dec. Mason Manville, Blair, 7-2
1. Sr. Alfred Bannister, McNamara, MD - Returning Champ
2. Sr. Walker Dempsey, Blair, NJ - Returning Runner-Up
3. Jr. Cameron Harrell, McDonogh, MD
4. Jr. Aidan Conroy, Northfield Mt. Hermon, MA
5. Jr. Jake Savoca, Wyoming Seminary, Pa
6. Sr. Jared Gober, Germantown Academy, Pa - 7th
7. Sr. Casey Cowan, Kinkaid School, TX - 8th
8. Sr. Sky Walker, McKinney, TX - 7th

Commentary: Both finalists from last year’s 138 bracket are back in Bannister and Dempsey. Bannister won that by major and is a huge favorite to make his third final and win his second title. Bannister won Beat of the East, while Dempsey was 4th with both losses coming to NJ’s David McFadden. Dempsey had a win over Harrell, one of the most improved Jr’s in the country, in consi semi’s at the Beast. Harrell’s only other loss there was in semi’s to PA’s Patrick Duggan.
These three are clearly the top contenders, though Harrell will get a stiff test from returning placer, Gober, in the quarters.
Savoca beat Gober in the finals of PA Prep states last week. Bannister beat Harrell, 503 in MD finals.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Bannister 2. Harrell 3. Dempsey 4. Gober

152:
Last Year: Russ Parsons, Blair dec. Zach Kelly, Kiski, 5-0
1. So. Mason Manville, Blair - Returning Runner-Up
2. So. Nick Reenan, Wyoming Seminary, Pa
3. Fr. AJ Pedro, Phillips Academy, MA
4. Sr. Toby Hague, McDonogh, MD - 3rd
5. Sr. Brent Waterman, The Hill School, Pa
6. Sr. Brendan May, Paul VI, VA
7. Sr. Ross Lopez, Trinity, TX
8. Jr. Walter Johnson, Loyola-Blakefield, MD

Commentary: This group is led by three young guns. Manville and Reenan have met several times this season (Ironman, Beast, the Final Four) with Manville coming out on top in each.
Pedro is one of the best Freshman in the country (#31 on the FR Big Board), and finished a match shy of placing at the Beast where he reached the quarterse. He beat Hague in the second round there.
Hague’s only loss last year at Preps was to Parsons in the semi’s.
Reenan pinned Waterman in PA Prep state finals last week.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Manville 2. Reenan 3. Hague 4. Pedro

160:
Last Year: Myles Martin, McDonogh def. Josh Llopez, St. Mary’s
1. Sr. Dylan Milonas, Blair, NJ
2.Sr. Logan Breitenbach, Archbishop Spaulding, MD - 4th
3. So. Chris Weiler, Wyoming Seminary, Pa - 5th
4. Sr. Andrew Konovalchik, Brooks School, MA - 6th
5. Sr. Nick Flanigan, The Hill School, Pa - 8th
6. Jr. Dustin Mahoney, Suffield Academy, CT
7. Jr. Jake Deutschlander, Hyde School, ME
8. Sr. Evan Bergeron, Paul VI, VA

Commentary: After missing last year’s Prep tournament with an injury, Milonas is back to end his remarkable career with an exclamation point. He won both the Ironman and Beast of the East this year. He beat Weiler in Beast semi’s.
Breitenach beat Weiler for 3rd at this year’s Beast. Weiler pinned Konovalchik inthe 5th place match at Preps last year.
Deutschlander was a state placer in Minnesota last year.
On paper, it’s Milonas’ tournament to lose. The interesting bout will be the Breitenbach-Weiler semi. It was a 6-3 match at the Beast.
Weiler teched Flanigan in PA Prep finals.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Milonas 2. Brietenbach 3. Weiler 4. Konovalchik

170:
Last Year: Nicky Hall, Wyoming Seminary dec. Troy Murtha, Georgetown, 2-0
1. Jr. Myles Martin, McDonogh, MD - Returning Champ
2. Sr. Josh Llopez, St. Mary’s, MD - Returning Runner-Up
3. PG-Ty White, Wyoming Seminary - 3rd
4. So. Brandon Dallavia, Blair, NJ
5. Jr. Adis Radoncic, Poly Prep, NY
6. Jr. Judah Bruce, Liberty, VA
7. Jr. Nathan Gibeley, Brooks School, MA
8. Sr. Clayton McKee, Westtown, PA - 8th

Commentary: In terms of elite wrestlers, this weight is the deepest at Preps this year along with 120lbs.
Martin and Llopez were 1-2 here last year. White was 3rd at 145 and 3rd again at last fall’s Super 32. Dallavia is perhaps the most improved Sophomore in the country with a breakout Fargo and placings at both Ironman and Beast of the East. Llopez beat Dallavia in Ironman consi semi’s and Beast consi finals. But Dallavia did post a fall over Llopez in Beast quarters.
Radoncic won the first state title for New York City last year and was a runner-up at Flo major Eastern States in January. A Dallavia-Radoncic quarter will be fun.
Although I think White will provide a stiff test for Llopez in the semi’s, you have to go with a rematch from last year. Martin has controlled this series, including a 7-2 win in MD Prep finals last week.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Martin 2. Llopez 3. Dallavia 4. White

182:
Last Year: Eric Morris, Wyoming Seminary md. Tyler Patrick, Mt. St. Joe’s, 10-0
1. PG-Nicky Hall, Wyoming Seminary, Pa - Returning Champ
2. Jr. Hunter Ritter, John Carroll, MD - 3rd
3. Sr. Isaiah Bellamy, Lawrence Academy, MA - 4th
4. Sr. Charles Thomas, Benedictine, VA
5. Jr. Nick Miller, Good Counsel, MD
6. Sr. Nick DiNapoli, Blair Academy, NJ
7. Sr. Bryce Pappas, St. Mary’s, MD
8. Sr. Connor Doyle, McKinney, TX

Commentary: The big development, both in this bracket and in the team race, is Blair’s Patrick Coover not coming back. Out with injury all season, he was expected to make his debut at Prep states, but did not.
Nicky Hall is back as a post grad to defend his title. It’s his first real appearance in competition since making finals at Super back in October. But he should get back the finals here with little issue.
Ritter was 3rd at 170 last year. He wrestled up at 195 at the Beast and took 3rd.
Bellamy defaulted in the 3rd place match at 182. The spot in the finals opposite Hall clearly go through these two. Ritter beat Miller in MD Prep finals last week after Miller beat 2012 Prep placer, Pappas, in semi’s.
In the end, I’ll go chalk here, and feel pretty good about it.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Hall 2. Ritter 3. Bellamy 4. Thomas

195:
Last Year: Frank Mattiace, Blair dec. Spencer Neff, Good Counsel, 9-2
1. Jr. LJ Barlow, Haverford School, Pa - 4th
2. Sr. Dan Hawkins, Mt. St. Joe’s, MD - 3rd
3. Sr. Matt Apuzzi, Lawrenceville, NJ - 5th
4. So. Mike Rogers, Wyoming Seminary, Pa
5. Sr. Angus Cowell, Hotchkiss School, CT
6. Jr. Desmond Johnson, Springside, PA - 7th
7. So. Kevin Snyder, Good Counsel, MD
8. Sr. Cannon Long, Metrolina, NC

Commentary: A lot of talent here with Barlow, Hawkins, Cowell, and Snyder.
Barlow had a sub-par Ironman but then rebounded with a monster performance at the Beast to win the title with wins over Ritter and Hawkins. The problem is, looming in his half is Canadian import Angus Cowell, the Fargo JR Runner-Up from last summer. He hasn’t had a lot of folk style exposure (he won two matches at Preps last year before he was DQ’d against Hawkins) so we won’t know where he’s at until we see him here. He could make a run all the way to the title, or he could loose to a talented Mike Rogers in quarters. He’s that much of an X-Factor.
Barlow just edged Rogers, 3-2 in PA Prep finals after Rogers knocked of Johnson in the semi’s.
Snyder was a bout from placing at both Ironman and Beast and then took 3rd at Powerade. Hawkins, who was 4th at the Beast, pinned Snyder in MD finals last week.
Look for an upset in the 3-6 match-up in the quarters. Johnson placed 8th at the Beast.
In the end, I’m going with the known commodities (Barlow and Hawkins) but won’t be surprised if the bracket gets busted.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Barlow 2. Hawkins 3. Cowell 4. Apuzzi

220:
Last Year: Kyle Snyder, Good Counsel tf. Garrett Ryan, Wyoming Seminary, 21-6
1. Sr. Jake Anderson, Malvern Prep, Pa - 7th
2. Sr. Matt Doggett, Wyoming Seminary, Pa - 6th
3. So. Neil Putnam, Blair Academy, NJ
4. Jr. Mike Smith, McDonogh, MD
5. Sr. John Hill, The Hill School, Pa
6. Sr. Cliff Davis, Germantown Academy, Pa
7. Jr. Ryan Kelley, Belmont Hill, MA
8. Sr. Gordon Williford, Episcopal, TX

Commentary: Welcome to the all-newbie bracket. Other than Anderson and Doggett, no wrestler won more than 1 bout at Preps last year.
Doggett was the highest placer last year and had a win over Smith. He was also the highest placer (3rd) at the Beast, where he beat Anderson.
But Anderson just beat Doggett in the PA Prep finals last week, which throws a monkey wrench in to things.
Putnam, a state placer in Hawaii last year, beat Smith at the Beast where he placed 7th.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Doggett 2. Anderson 3. Putnam 4. Smith

285:
Last Year: Brooks Black, Blair dec. Michael Johnson, Wyoming Seminary, 4-1
1. Sr. Jake Scanlan, Wyoming Seminary, Pa
2. Jr. Wyatt Cook, McDonogh, MD
3. Sr. Stone Hart, Phillips, CT
4. Sr. Christopher Simmons, Choate Rosemary, CT
5. Sr. Chris Hattar, Trintiy-Pawling, NY -7th
6. Sr. Will Cooley, Blair Academy, NJ
7. Sr. Cannon Maki, All Saints, TX - 8th
8. Sr. Andrew Crane, Lawrence Academy, MA

Commentary: A fourth place finisher in Iowa last year, Scanlan is the heavy favorite. He was 3rd at both Ironman and the Beast this year.
Cook has been a pleasant surprise, placing 5th at Ironman and 6th at the Beast.
Crane was a match from placing last year.
Watch out for 10th seeded Kostya Golobokov of The Hill School. He just beat Simmons in PA Prep state semi’s.

Willie’s Picks: 1. Scanlan 2. Cook 3. Hart 3. Golobokov