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Freaks In Vegas: Insider Tournament Preview

Freaks In Vegas: Insider Tournament Preview

Nov 1, 2012 by Willie Saylor
Freaks In Vegas: Insider Tournament Preview
FloInsider: Freak Show Preview Willie Saylor, Editor     Now in it’s third year, the Southwest Kickoff Classic, known more cordially as “The Freak Show” continues to attract more top talent. There are 26 nationally ranked individuals in this year’s field and exactly 26 more that are on the Honorable Mention list.

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FloInsider: Freak Show Preview
Willie Saylor, Editor
 
 
Now in it’s third year, the Southwest Kickoff Classic, known more cordially as “The Freak Show” continues to attract more top talent. There are 26 nationally ranked individuals in this year’s field and exactly 26 more that are on the Honorable Mention list.

This year’s addition also offers a more diverse plate, with smatterings of talent from Georgia, New Jersey, and Minnesota.

Flowrestling will be providing coverage and uploading matches from the Freak Show this weekend. Check in often for videos and updates, and follow the brackets on trackwrestling.

Here, we’ll give a sneak preview of the weight classes, listing the frontrunners and making our picks.

See ya in Vegas!


High School Elite 106 
2011 Final: Angel Velasquez dec. Miguel Martinez, 3-2.
Frontrunners:
#20-Mason Smith (CMS) - State Placer
Julian Gaytan (Clovis Wrestling) - State Placer
Adrian Campasano (TEAM G) - State Placer
Kurt Mode (Metro Mat Club Vipers) 
Vincent Elizalde (Brawley) 
Joey Cisneros (Unattached) 
Sergio Mendez (San Fernando Tigers) 
Nico Colunga (Oakdale) 

Notes: Mason Smith has been on a hot streak, beating four national names in the last month. But if Sykora, who has been wrestling 113 lately, really makes 106, he’s the guy to beat. He’ll be a force at this weight. A number of California kids give 106 good depth.

FLO Picks:   1. Smith, MI    2. Elizalde, CA    3. Cisneros, CA



High School Elite 115 
2011 Final: Zahid Valencia dec. Micah Perez, 6-1
#1-Ronnie Bresser (Henley Mat Club) - Fargo 3rd 
#2-Zahid Valencia (TEAM TRIBE) - Fargo Champ
HM-Jake Gromacki (PA Stars) - Super 32 Placer, FloNats Placer
HM-Sean Cannon (Team GV) - Fargo AA
Joshua Temple (Team GV) - Fargo AA
Gionn Peralta (Vacaville) - State 3rd
Maolo Woiwor (Apple Valley) - Cheesehead Champ
Matthew Smull (Wrestling Prep) - State Placer


Notes: We have a potential match-up of #1 vs. #2. But there are several road blocks until we get to that point. Gromacki has been wrestling well. Cannon has the ability to pull an upset. And Temple wrestled Valencia to a 1-0, 1-1 bout at Fargo.

FLO Picks:   1. Valencia, CA     2. Bresser, OR     3. Gromacki, PA



High School Elite 122 
2011 Final: DeShaun Brown dec. Emilio Saavedra, 6-3
#10-Micah Perez (Spartan Wrestling Club) - Fargo AA, State 3rd
#13-Isaiah Hokit (Wasco Wrestling Club) - State 4th
HM-Matthew Rundell (Oak Park) State Runner-Up
HM-Richard Montoya (Team New Mexico)  - NHSCA Placer
HM-Mason Pengilly (KLAWS) - FloNats Runner-Up, Fargo AA
Wyatt Scribner (Hermiston) - State Champ
Tristan Moran (Chandler) - Tri-State Champ
Kevin Corrigan (Team New Jersey First) - State Placer

Notes: A really good group here as Perez bumps up from 113 where he’s ranked 10th nationally. We’ll get a look at a number of talented kids we don’t often get to see in Moran, Montoya, and Scribner, who was a Washington State Champ that recently moved to Oregon.

FLO Picks:   1. Perez, CA     2. Pengilly, CA     3. Rundell, IL



High School Elite 128 
2011 Final: Anthony Valencia wbf. Ares Caprio, 2:01
#18-Deshaun Brown (Team New Mexico) - NHSCA Champ
HM-Jonas Gaytan (Clovis Wrestling)  - State Runner-Up
HM-Isaiah White (Oak Park) - USAW 3rd
HM-Michael Cook (Kuna) - Fargo GR Runner-Up
Angel Velasquez (Modesto WC) - FloNats Placer
Kam Reddish (Columbia) 
Zech Bresser (Henley Mat Club) 

Notes: The incredibly athletic Brown is an ultra talented kid, and he’s back as a returning Freak Show Champ. Gaytan has improved leaps and bounds the past two years. And if you haven’t heard of White yet, you will in the future. He’s the #9 ranked Freshman in the country.

FLO Picks:   1. Brown, NM     2. Gaytan, CA     3. White, IL



High School Elite 133 
2011 Final: Victor Lopez dec. Ali Nasser, 2-1 OT
#2-Aaron Pico, Ca - 4x Fargo Champ
#10-Seth Gross (Apple Valley) Fargo Champ
#18-Jed Mellen (Utah United) - NHSCA JR 3rd
HM-Justin Oliver (CMS) - 2x State Champ
HM-Ali Nasser (Unattached) - Returning Finalist
HM-Larry Early (Oak Park) - State 3rd
HM-Nick Crume (Indiana Elite) - State 3rd 
Tate Sandifer (Mt.view) 
Mike Pongracz (Fury) 

Notes: Mellen has many wins over national competition. Him and Gross, who just reached Super32 finals, are the favorites on to meet Pico on the the other side. But there’s a great group to push them. Ali Nasser is coming off a year lay-off. And Larry Early is the #50 ranked Sophomore.

FLO Picks:   1. Pico, CA    2. Mellen, UT     3. Nasser, CA 



High School Elite 138 
2011 Final: Nikko Villareal dec. Robbie Mathers, 8-2
#13-Anthony Valencia (TEAM TRIBE) - FloNats Champ
#14-Javier Gasca (Kingsburg Wrestling Club) - FloNats Runner-Up
#19-Tyler Berger (Hermiston) - 2x FloNats Placer
HM-Tomaz Gonzalez (Idaho Gold)
HM-Paul Fox (Gilroy Hawks) - State Runner-Up
Walker Damewood (Fantastic Utters)  
Jake O`Mara (Oak Park) 
Dalton Moran (Chandler) 
 
Notes: A top heavy weight here where the favorites are clearly defined. Valencia and Gasca met this spring in FloNational Finals, where Berger was 5th. If there are guys that could pull upsets, they are Gonzalez and O’Mara who have posted solid results nationally. In the end, Valencia will be on a mission to put his DNP at Super 32 behind him.

FLO Picks:   1. Valencia, CA     2. Berger, OR     3. Gasca, CA



High School Elite 143 
2011 Final: Willie Fox dec. Bryant Wood, 3-1
#17-Jared Johnshoy (Suples LTD) - Fargo AA
HM-Gary Dinmore (Fury) - State Placer
HM-Christian Pagdilao (Wrestling Prep) - State Placer
Chris Garcia (Golden Boyz) - State Placer
Devin Reynolds (All Phase) 
Christian Jurney (Riverdale wC) 
Jacob Trujillo (Grizzle Pop kids) 
Ralphy Tovar (Poway) 
Willy McDonald (Team Nevada North) 
Blake Monty (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Academy) 
Sergio Enloe (POWAY ELITE) 

Notes: A really interesting weight here. There’s no head-and-shoulders favorite. It will be great to get a look at Johnshoy. Dinmore’s been wrestling really well. And watch out for Chris Garcia, who has two recent wins over Pagdilao.

FLO Picks:   1. Johnshoy, ID     2. Garcia, CA     3. Dinmore, NJ


 
High School Elite 148 
2011 Final: Mark Hall dec. Derek Allen, 7-1
#10-Nikko Villarreal (Gilroy Hawks) - State Champ, FloNats Placer
#15-Reed Van Anrooy (Roseburg) - Super 32 Placer
HM-Alex Anciete (Las Vegas High School) 
Jesse Carlisle (Champions Wrestling Club) 
Blake Mastrud (Rifle Wrestling) 
Jason Ladd (Clovis Wrestling) - State Placer
Blayne Briceno (Black Tornadoes) - State Placer
Mike Longo (TEAM S) - Fargo GR AA

Notes: Villareal prevented Alex Cisneros from Cali immortality last winter. But my pick here is VanAnrooy, who looked really strong at Super 32. Anciete is also more than capable of walking away with a Freak Show title.

FLO Picks:   1. Van Anrooy, OR     2. Villareal, CA     3. Anciete, NV


 
High School Elite 155 
2011 Final: Isaiah Martinez dec. Brandon Kingsley, 4-2
#15-Shayne Tucker (CA Extreme) 
#16-Victor Lopez (Poway) 2x State Placer, Super 32 Placer
HM-Joey Lavallee (Team Orphan) 
HM-Gary Jantzer (Henley Mat Club) 
Seth Monty (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Academy) 
Brantley Scott (Arrichion) 
Matt Filbert (Ironwood Ridge)  

Notes: Three guys that I consider very evenly matched make this weight compelling. I’ve always been a fan of Lopez and he’s coming off a great showing at S32 where he reached the semi’s. But he’s up a weight here, and Tucker was a S32 4th place finisher at this weight. Lavallee had a sub-par DNP at Super 32, but he’s a proven commodity and a legitimate title threat. Jantzer might be the kid I’m most looking forward to seeing this weekend. He’s a USA Triple Crown winner. It will be great to see his skill set and him moving up to primetime.

FLO Picks:   1. Tucker, CA     2. Lopez, CA     3. LaVallee, NV


 
High School Elite 163 
2011 Final: Daniel Woiwer wbf. Jesse Hoffschneider, 1:06
#2-Isaiah Martinez (Team Tiger) - Fargo Champ, Super 32 Champ
#3-Mark Hall (Apple Valley) - Fargo Champ, Super 32 Champ
#17-Abraham Rodriguez (Hermiston) - Super 32 Placer
HM-Kyle Perreault (Eastside) - NHSCA Champ, State Placer
Austin McCloskey (Indiana Elite) - State 3rd 
Sean Shipley (Fantastic Utters) 
Bradley Christensen (Big Cat Wrestling Club) 
Colin Navickas (Team Thunder) 

Notes: Along with Bresser-Zahid, the potential final between IMar and Hall is the event’s main attraction. Both are phenom’s. Both won Fargo and Super 32 titles earlier in the year. Get your popcorn ready.

FLO Picks:   1. Martinez, CA     2. Hall, MN     3. Rodriguez, OR
 


High School Elite 174 
2011 Final: Nikko Reyes dec. Connor King, 7-1
#9-Chandler Rogers (Mead WC) - Double Fargo Finalist
#10-Parker VonEgidy (Arrichion) - Super 32 Placer
#11-Daniel Woiwor (Apple Valley) - State Champ
HM-Peter Santos (CA Extreme) - FloNats Placer
Corey Griego (TEAM S) - State Placer
David Fenton (Fury) 

Notes: I really love this weight class. There is simultaneously top talent and parity; it could play out in many ways. We really haven’t seen Woiwor compete since last season. Rogers had another great Fargo. VonEgidy is HUGE. And Santos could be on the verge of big things. 

FLO Picks:   1. Woiwor, MN     2. VonEgidy, NC     3. Santos, CA



High School Elite 192 
2011 Final: Paul Yoo dec. Marcus Judd, 7-3
#13-Chip Ness (Compound) - Fargo Runner-Up
#19-Immanuel Barber (Canyon Springs Cougars) NHSCA Champ
#20-Sammie Colbray (Hermiston) - Double Fargo AA
HM-Ryder Newman (Team GV) - Fargo Finalist
Liam Korbul (Fury) - State Placer

Notes: Ness really grew up before our eyes at Super 32, grinding out matches and quality wins. Barber, who I’m really high on, had a disappointing showing where he didn’t reach Day II. We’ll see if he can rebound here. Colbray is a phenom, ranked as the #6 Freshman in all the land. Ness beat him 5-3, 7-2 in Fargo. 

FLO Picks:   1. Ness, GA     2. Barber, CA     3. Newman, NV
 


High School Elite 218 
2011 Final: Darrick Jones dec. Tyler Smith, 7-5
Darrick Jones (Bruins Elite WC) 
Tim McDonald (Columbia) 
Dante Duke (El Dorado) 
Christian Acosta (Piedra Vista panthers) 
Timothy Chassen (POWAY ELITE) 
Nicolas Johnson (Team Murrieta) 
Jordan Sepeda (Natomas) 
Jovanni Virgen (Norwalk)

Notes: Jones is back to defend his title in a weight otherwise depleted due to football.


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