How many times have we all heard these normally true, if cliché, statements? They are pretty much taken as fact in the wrestling world.
Except to this year's senior class, that is. Perhaps the biggest story of the preseason is the stunning success that high school wrestlers have been having against collegiate and international competitors. Three high school seniors have particularly defied conventional wisdom with their performances this preseason: Henry Cejudo, Mike Grey, and Jonathan Reader.
Henry Cejudo
Henry CejudoBut the best was yet to come. Not one to avoid a challenge, Cejudo next ventured to the NYAC Holiday Tournament in New York. Just in case you thought the first match was a fluke, Cejudo dominated Powell again -- this time by scores of 3-3, 6-0. The next round, Cejudo was pitted against Besik Kudukhov from Russia. Kudukhov was the Junior World champion in 2005 -- a tournament in which Cejudo placed fifth. Before you consider this a black mark on Cejudo's record, bear in mind that this is a tournament for wrestlers who are between the ages of 17 and 20, and Cejudo was 17 when he competed there. This was also higher than all current collegians who competed there were able to place, including NCAA fourth place-finisher Eric Tannenbaum. Simply put, wrestlers from other countries are much more experienced in freestyle at this age -- making this tournament exceedingly difficult. Cejudo showed just how rapid his unthinkable progression has been by blasting the Russian by a score of 3-1, 7-0 to advance to the finals.
In the finals, Cejudo was pitted against another Russian opponent, Ekhkhtur Badamsakian. Badamsakian had advanced to the finals without yielding a single point. This included wins over the aforementioned Luke Eustice and collegiate star Mark McKnight. Surely, it seemed, Cejudo's run would come to an end, given that Eustice just beat Cejudo at the Sunkist Open -- and this Russian competitor had shutout Eustice. Instead, Cejudo capped off his unbelievable weekend by destroying Badamsakian in the finals by a score of 1-2, 4-1, 10-2. Let's put these numbers in perspective. High schooler Henry Cejudo racked up 15 points, while allowing only five, against a competitor that neither Eustice nor McKnight could score on.
Altogether, in his unfathomable three-match run against NCAA champ Powell, Junior World champ Kudukhov, and Badamsakian, Cejudo outscored the opposition 34-9. Not since Cary Kolat has a high school wrestler been this impressive against international competition. It seems likely that Cejudo is the third best 121-pounder (55 kg) in the USA right now -- and that is presuming that neither Sammy Henson nor Eric Akin retire. Should Henson retire, in this writer's view, Cejudo has a legitimate chance to make the U.S. World Team this spring.
Mike Grey
Mike GreyNo one, however, could have anticipated what Grey would accomplish at the East Stroudsburg Open on Nov. 19. All Grey did was compile a 5-1 record to place third. Most notably, Grey beat Jeremy Mendoza of Arizona State. Mendoza was one win from becoming an All-American last season. Grey also knocked off Ross Gitomer, formerly of Blair Academy, in the first round. Gitomer was a High School Nationals and Junior National Freestyle runner-up last spring. Grey's only loss was to the eventual champion, Tim Haas of Penn State, by a score of 5-2.
A Cejudo/Grey match-up on the horizon?
Given how much these young wrestlers' stock has risen, a Cejudo/Grey match-up would be by far the most anticipated match of the year. Both wrestlers are expected to compete at 125 pounds, so a match-up at High School Nationals in April would be on the horizon. Given that Cejudo is beating NCAA champions and Junior World champions, and in 2004 scored a technical fall over Grey in freestyle, it might seem that Grey stands little to no chance. Not so fast. Clearly, at this point, the gap between these competitors is huge in freestyle. However, Cejudo is also much less focused on folkstyle at this point, and Grey, as discussed above, is much more proficient in folkstyle. While his best hope on his feet is probably to slow down the lightning-fast Cejudo -- if Grey can get his offense from the mat rolling, a lot of takedowns could be made up quickly. Indeed, the last time Cejudo was defeated by a high school wrestler, it was in folkstyle (that loss coming to Ben Ashmore at the Brute Nationals in the spring of 2004). The bet here, however, is that Cejudo will prove to be on a different level even in his weaker style (folkstyle) and defeat Grey handily. It is also interesting to note that while Grey's win over Mendoza was very impressive, Cejudo handled Mendoza quite easily in freestyle at Sunkist, prevailing by a margin of 1-0, 4-0. A win like this is almost ho-hum for Cejudo these days.
Jonathan Reader
This writer published an article in October in which it was declared that there were a "super-seven" who clearly stood out from all other competitors. Jonathan Reader was ranked No. 10, and therefore, not listed as part of this "super-seven." At the Harold Nichols/Cyclone Open on November 12, Reader proved this writer wrong. Competing in a tournament near the school he will attend next fall (Reader has committed to wrestle for Iowa State), Reader stunned the competition to place second. Along the way, he defeated defending Division II national champion Patrick Allibone of Nebraska-Omaha by a score of 6-4. Reader also defeated tough redshirt freshman Moza Fay of Northern Iowa by an identical 6-4 score to reach the finals.
Ironically, in the finals, Reader matched up with future teammate Trent Paulson of Iowa State. Paulson finished fourth last season at the NCAA's in the toughest weight in the nation, 157 lbs. Tough as Reader was, the expectation was for the 22-years-old Paulson to destroy the 17-year-old Reader. Instead, Reader hung tough, losing by a respectable 10-6 margin. Paulson then preceded to shutout returning NCAA runner-up Joe Johnston in the Kaufman-Brand Open finals. Reader now moves into a more appropriate rank of No. 4 senior in the nation.
As good as Reader is, a number of stiff challenges loom for him at High School Nationals. The 160-pound weight class will likely be the toughest in the nation this season. His foremost challenger will likely be two-time Junior National Freestyle All-American David Rella of Walsh Jesuit High School in Ohio. Rella himself has shown the ability to compete against older competition, placing second at the FILA Junior Nationals, where he defeated NCAA qualifier Joey Hooker among others. He also has wins over two of last year's top seniors, Alton Lucas and Donnie Jones, to his credit. Rella is currently the No. 9 rated senior in the Rev Power Rankings. Another top challenger to Reader will be Ryan Patrovich of New York. Patrovich emerged from a loaded bracket in Fargo to place second in the freestyle competition, knocking off High School Nationals champion Travis Hammons among others. Patrovich is currently the No. 12 rated senior in the nation in the Power Rankings. Nos. 17 and 18 rated seniors Mack Lewnes and Neil Erisman, both former Cadet Nationals Freestyle champions, are also expected to be competing at 160. Erisman won two of three bouts against Hammons last season, one of those wins by technical fall.
It seems likely that there has never been a preseason where high school wrestlers have had so much success against collegiate and international wrestlers. Reader, Grey, and most of all, Cejudo, have startled the wrestling world with their successes against older competition. Of course, their rivals surely believe that their successes will only paint a bigger bull's-eye on these wrestlers. The bet here is that they will miss that mark. Whatever happens, their preseason successes have made this season a lot more interesting before it has even started.
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