Wrestling Blogs - Brandon Scott

Finally! This biggest weekend in the country! The best wrestling will be on display around the country. Just look:

Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational
Iowa vs Iowa State Dual
Walsh Ironman Tournament

You're talking about the 1 or 1a best and deepest college tournament (along with Midlands), to go with two of the nation's best and most storied programs squaring off. On the High School platform, the National Championship will be decided at the end of the Walsh Ironman.

And in Florida you have the Durant Cougar Invitational that features at least 70 state qualifiers, 35 state placers and at least 8 wrestlers who can list a State Championship as a accomplishment on their college resume.

Scout.com's #2, #3, #4, #8, #11, #13, #14 and #15-rated teams are all present and accounted for. This tournament's fireworks actually start on the Wednesday prior to the tournament, as the seeding meeting is hosted at the local Hooters. Wrestling and women in orange short-shorts and tight t-shirts, what's a better combination? (on a side note, some college team could really draw in the numbers with a few "mat girls")

The team race shouldn't be that close, as Manatee and Osceola are not operating at full strength just yet. Springstead has the chance to cement itself as a top 5 all-state team. They are loaded with talented and, as yet, unproven potential. Look for South Dade to run away with the title, with Springstead, Manatee and Osceola all battling for second.

On the state ranking side, this tournament will be the beginning of any potential shake ups. On to the combatants!

103:
1. Earl Hall (South Dade)
2. Travis Laxton (Suwannee)
3. Richard Bliss (Springstead)
4. Brandon Jorge (Lake Gibson)

The first shake-up in the state wrestling rankings occurs before the tournament even starts! Travis Laxton is HSWrestling.net's 6th-rated 112. I don't know how Laxton made 103, but if he feels good there, he's going to give a Hall a better match than most would think. Defending State Champ Hall should have Jorge in the semis, and Laxton will wrestle Springstead's super soph Bliss.

112:
1. Quintavian McPherson (South Dade)
2. Alex Backer (Winter Springs)
3. Travis Fulk (Manatee)
4. Alex Hamm (Durant)

HSWrestling.net's 3rd-ranked McPherson placed 3rd a year ago in Florida's Class 3A, and is the prohibitive favorite here. None of the other three placers I have predicted have placed at state as of yet. 3rd-seeded Hamm will catch Fulk in the quarters in what should be an entertaining match. I think Fulk wins that match but loses to Winter Springs transfer and ne'er placed Backer. Backer looked great two weeks ago at the Oviedo Duals where he beat 12th ranked Blaine Ison of Palmetto Ridge and Hamm.

119:
1. Gabe Chandler (Braddock)
2. Mauricio Villanueva (South Dade)
3. Kyle Ballard (Manatee)

Chandler and Villanueva are ranked 2nd and 4th, respectively, and should march to the finals. I give Chandler the nod only because Villanueva is moving up two weight classes. Fresh phenom Cody Ross moved up two weight classes to 130.

125:
1. Eric Chandler (Braddock)
2. Matt Jones (Osceola)
3. Nick Soto (Springstead)
4. Alex Curley (Winter Springs)

In what should have been, and still is, the deepest weight in the field is missing state runner-up and 4th-ranked Jacob Gregory. He was injured a week ago at the Seahorse Open, and will be unfortunately unavailable this weekend. Regardless, this weight is going to be fun. Chandler should have Cadet All-American Soto in the semis, and Jones will have the winner of 9th-ranked Alex Parashuck (Riverdale), Curley quarterfinal.

130:
1. Joe Locksmith (Osceola)
2. Matt Nereim (Winter Springs)
3. David Gonzalez (Jesuit)
4. Robert Rojas (South Dade)

The state's #3 and #4 ranked wrestlers add another chapter to their epic battles. A year ago Locksmith beat Nereim (bad) for a regional title, while Nereim returned the favor by finishing runner-up at State and finishing 3rd in Greco at Fargo. Regardless of the winner, it will only determine who is better on that day. The two are of equal talent and the better wrestler won't be determined until February 21st at the Lakeland Civic Center. The two won't meet this year for a Regional Title, as Locksmith transferred to Region 3 participant Osceola. Gonzalez and Rojas are ranked 11th and 12th respectively. Rojas is just a freshman, but qualified for state a year ago at Doral, before joining the Bucs this year. Not sure how the move up in weight will affect Ross, but competing at 130 will be interesting experience for the freshman.

135:
1. Wilson Metellus (South Dade)
2. Pete Baldwin (Osceola)
3. Jordan Frease (Countryside)
4. Luke Granthum (Suwannee)

Baldwin is actually the #1 seed here, after winning a state championship at 119. He's grown a lot and we'll see just how much that weight gain is going to affect his wrestling. Metellus is the favorite here, and the state's #2 ranked wrestler will have probably avoid taking bottom when he wrestles Baldwin. Frease placed 6th a year ago at 3A and has a chance to enter the rankings after some shifts in the expected weight classes.

140:
1. Brent Jorge (Lake Gibson)
2. Alex Doran (Manatee)
3. Herman Hernandez (Riverview)
4. Layton Ayers (Countryside)

The finals should feature a matchup of the state's #2 and #5 ranked wrestlers in Jorege and Doran. Doran is ranked at 135, but it looks like this is his weight class, presumably to take on Brandon's State Champ Kevin Timothy. Hernandez is ranked 8th and will have a battle in the cons. finals against Ayers. The sophomore returning State Champ Doran is the second seed behind runner-up Jorge, but is also moving up 3 weight classes.

145:
1. Kendrick Sanders (South Dade)
2. Gabe Bird (Osceola)
3. Tony Mauro (Palm Bay)
4. Stephen Cotton (Manatee)

The nation's #1 ranked 145 Sanders will face one of his stiffest tests this season in Gabe Bird (the other being Joe Cozart of Brandon). At Fargo, Sanders won a greco title, and was injured in his first match in the Freestyle portion. In his stead, Bird served noticed of Florida's depth, placing 3rd including defeating New York's Zach Clemente. These two are head-and-shoulders above the rest of the field, and that final alone is worth the price of admission.

152:
1. Alex Eggers (Osceola)
2. Nick Rex (Lake Gibson)
3. Daniel Dykes (Manatee)
4. Julian Eddie (South Dade)

I have the seeds holding form here, with Eggers, a state champ as soph, leading the pack. Ranked #1 at 152, he seems to be light years ahead of the rest of the competition. Rex placed 4th in 2A a year ago, and Dykes 6th.

160:
1. Isaac Riley (Manatee)
2. Thad Klenovich (Springstead)
3. Luis Montalvo (South Dade)
4. John Nichols (Lakeland)

I'm taking a big pick here, having #1 seed and returning State Runner-up Nichols placing 4th. I think he loses to Klenovich in the semis. Tte Montalvo-Riley semi will be the best match of the weight class.

171:
1. Jacob Harmer (Gainesville)
2. Levi Clemons (Osceola)
3. Jesse Lorentsen (Springstead)
4. Shawn King (South Dade)

The first question of this weight class is - has Cadet Greco Champ Clemons closed the gapagainst the state's #1 171lber? Early indications say yes. After suffering two 1st period pins to Harmer a year ago, Clemons lost a 4-0 decision to Harmer at the Super 32 Tourney. Harmer won decisively (especially considering the short match time), but Clemons should be game enough to keep this match competitive, even with regulation time periods. Springstead transfer Lorentsen was a state qualifier a year ago, and we'll see if the move to Springstead has upped his wrestling I.Q. Defeating King in the cons. finals would be promising and a good indicator of his progress thus far.

189:
1. Caylor Williams (Palm Bay)
2. Matt VanScoy (Gainesville)
3. Travis Webster (South Dade)
4. Scott Wern (Springstead)

The state's #1 ranked and recent UNC-Greensboro signee should have no trouble earning a yellow medal. Wern (ranked #8) has improved tremendously from a year ago, but I think VanScoy (ranked #6) is just a step ahead. This is a toss-up in terms of the semis and Springstead needs Wern to pull the upset if it wants a chance to win the tournament. The same can be said for Webster, but I just don't see him pulling the upset in the semis.

215:
1. Willie Wiggins (South Dade)
2. Trevor Dunn (Riverdale)
3. Michael Lawnicki (Palm Bay)
4. Kenny Cox (Springstead)

Junior Greco All-American and #1 ranked Willie Wiggins should pick up bonus points in all his matches this weekend. Dunn is the 12th rated wrestler at 189, but will have a battle against unranked Lawnicki. Cox does not look the part, but is a pretty good wrestler and, had he been on the opposite side of Wiggins (he's the 4-seed) I could see him beating Lawnicki or Dunn.

285:
1. Josh Wofford (Palm Bay)
2. Nick Hadick (Durant)
3. Ronnie Daniels (Manatee)

10th ranked Wofford won't have a shot at Lakeland's Brenton Clayton (ranked #8) as he is playing football, but he will face a good challenge this weekend from some up-and-comers. Hadick is a returning state qualifier and has the chance to enter the rankings if he managest to defeat Wofford this weekend.