Four of the other teams at the event reside among the top eleven teams in Michigan regardless of division per Michigan Grappler rankings from Jan. 7: Temperence Bedford, Dundee, Hudson, and Rochester. Rounding out the field are programs with histories of success in Clarkston, Mich., and Solon, Ohio.
The three out of state teams in the DCC Super Duals field have to adapt to the weight classes in Michigan, which did not change with the NFHS rule change of the 2011-12 season, just as a team like Detroit Catholic Central does in their travels to Ohio. For this weekend, it most impacts St. Edward and Montini Catholic, as those two squads are the ones that will be in "high stakes" dual meets.
In terms of the St. Edward lineup, it is most likely that Medina Invitational placer Hunter Ladnier will occupy the extra lighter weight (130/135). The impact for the upper half of the lineup is that Domenic Abounader (ranked No. 2 nationally at 182) slides up to 189, while projected state placers Gabe Dzuro, Parker Knapp, and Ralph Nichols share the back two weight classes (215 and 285). Looking at Montini Catholic, the Broncos will be able to eliminate the relative hole at 285 pounds by sliding three other upper-weights up one weight class: Jake Turk, 182 pound runner-up at the Cheesehead, moves up to 189; state qualifier Anthony Ferraro moves from 195 up to 220; and Edgar Ruano, Cheesehead champion at 220, moves up to 285. The extra lower weight, either 130 or 135, most likely gets filled in by junior Austin Pohlman.
The following nationally ranked and/or otherwise notable wrestlers are slated to compete in this event:
103: L.J. Bentley (St. Edward), Robby Hamdan (Hudson), Ian Parker (St. Johns), Max Johnson (Davison)
112: Tommy Pawleski (Montini Catholic), Lincoln Olson (Davison), Isaac Dusseau (Hudson)
119: No. 17 Brandon Thompson (Solon), Mitch Rogaliner (Temperence Bedford), Vince Turk (Montini Catholic), Trevor Zdebski (Detroit Catholic Central), Justin Kim (Rochester)
125: No. 5 Zac Hall (St. Johns), Jordan Laster (Montini Catholic), Josh Wood (Rochester), Chance Driscoll (St. Edward), Brendan O'Connor (Dundee), Chris Wymer (Solon)
130: No. 6 Jacob Schmitt (St. Johns), No. 15 (at 126) Cole Weaver (Hudson), Myles Amine (Detroit Catholic Central)
135: No. 3 (at 132) Dean Heil (St. Edward), No. 13 (at 126) Ken Bade (Detroit Catholic Central), Jose Champagne (Montini Catholic), Matthew Miller (Davison), Mark Bozzo (St. Johns), J.D. Waters (Hudson)
140: No. 7 Logan Massa (St. Johns), No. 17 Colin Heffernan (St. Edward), Chris Garcia (Montini Catholic), Malik Amine (Detroit Catholic Central), Dominic Russ (Davison), Kaelan Richards (Rochester)
145: No. 1 Ben Whitford (St. Johns), No. 3 Edgar Bright (St. Edward), Michael Sepke (Montini Catholic), Doug Rojem (Dundee), Thomas Garty (Davison)
152: No. 6 Anthony Collica (Solon), No. 9 Markus Scheidel (St. Edward), Josh Pennell (St. Johns), Nick Vandermeer (Clarkston), Luke Fortuna (Montini Catholic), Aaron Morgan (Rochester)
160: Logan Marcicki (Detroit Catholic Central), Jordan Cooks (Davison), Xavier Montalvo (Montini Cahtolic), Todd Olson (Dundee), Brant Schafer (St. Johns), Dean Vettese (Rochester)
171: No. 18 Andrew Garcia (Detroit Catholic Central), Angus Arthur (St. Johns), Michael Maduko (Montini Catholic)
189: No. 2 (at 182) Domenic Abounader (St. Edward), No. 11 (at 195) Payne Hayden (St. Johns), Jake Turk (Montini Catholic), Chris Calvano (Clarkston), Teddy Warren (Dundee), Schwan Shadia (Rochester)
215: Gabe Dzuro/Parker Knapp (St. Edward), Brandon Sunday (Temperence Bedford), Anthony Ferraro (Montini Catholic), Jay Sroufe (Dundee)
285: Edgar Ruano (Montini Catholic), Ralph Nichols (St. Edward), Zach Rieger (Hudson), Robert Coe (Detroit Catholic Central), John Marogen (Dundee)
Wrestling will start on Saturday at 10 a.m. ET. The two featured bouts of the opening round place No. 2 St. Edward against Davison and No. 7 Montini Catholic against No. 12 St. Johns. The second-ranked Eagles are favored in ten of fourteen weight classes, while the Montini/St. Johns dual has each squad favored in half the weight classes.
In the second round, slated for approximately 11:45 a.m., No. 2 St. Edward battles No. 12 St. Johns, and No. 7 Montini Catholic is in dual meet action against No. 14 Detroit Catholic Central. The battle between the Eagles and Redwings features a boatload of dynamic individual matchups, three where both wrestlers are ranked, but the second ranked team in the nation is favored in eight weight classes. In the other featured dual of this session, Montini is favored in ten weight classes. This session of wrestling also features Solon against Bedford, which means a potential matchup of two-time state champions at 119 pounds, No. 17 Brandon Thompson against Mitch Rogaliner.
The third round, slated for about 1:30 p.m., features No. 2 St. Edward against No. 7 Montini Catholic, and No. 12 St. Johns against Davison. Looking at those matches, St. Edward is favored in eight weight classes and St. Johns is favored in nine. Also in this set of matches, Detroit Catholic Central wrestles Hudson, which means a possible match between two-time state champions Ken Bade and Cole Weaver -- both of whom are nationally ranked -- if lineups are shifted to accommodate that.
The pair of key dual meets in the fourth round, slated for 3:15 p.m., places No. 2 St. Edward against No. 14 Detroit Catholic Central and No. 7 Montini Catholic against Davison. Both higher ranked teams -- St. Edward and Montini Catholic -- are favored in ten weight classes against their opposition. Also in this round, St. Johns duals Solon, which means two mega-matches should lineups shift to accommodate: Brandon Thompson against Zac Hall, a battle of nationally ranked two-time state champions, and Anthony Collica against Ben Whitford, both Junior National freestyle champions. In last year's dual meet, Thompson upset Hall 4-3, while Whitford won 8-3 though it was 4-3 before a late four-point move.
The fifth and final round of matches will involve only the Michigan teams, with no national level matches of note. For host Detroit Catholic Central -- ranked first in Division 1 -- it will be a match against Dundee, who is ranked first in Division 3.
InterMat will be providing coverage of the event on Saturday during and after the event. Results will also be available throughout the day on Track Wrestling - direct link, http://www.trackwrestling.com/teamtournaments/VerifyPassword.jsp?tournamentId=99071
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