Junior & Cadet Nationals (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)For those wrestlers that have previously gone unrecognized, or under-recognized, a strong performance in this event can serve as a major breakthrough within ranking circles -- and more importantly identification and recognition from prospective college coaches. The week in Fargo served as a breakthrough event for the four highlighted incoming seniors listed here and many others.
Taylor Moeder (St James, KS) moves into the Top 100 for the Class of 2011 as the 81st ranked prospect. Moeder was 9-0 on his journey to a Junior National Greco-Roman title at 135 pounds, and only gave up two points during the course of the competition; either shutting out or securing a fall during 17 of the 18 periods he wrestled. In addition, he followed it up with a fourth-place finish in the freestyle competition, going 7-2 with his losses coming against a pair of 2009 Cadet National finalists.
Matt Hickman (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)After a 5-0 start to the Junior National freestyle competition at 145 pounds, Duke Pickett (Woodbery Forest, VA) found himself on the brink of elimination after a loss to Oregon native Zach Brunson. The situation looked pretty bleak, as the University of Minnesota bound Dylan Ness awaited on the horizon. However, Pickett pulled off one of the upsets of the tournament to clinch All-American status. That seventh place finish for Pickett, along with a runner-up finish at the National Prep Championships to Evan Henderson (Kiski Prep, PA) -- ranked 62nd in the Class of 2011 -- establishes his place in the rankings as the 93rd ranked prospect.
Though already recognized as one of the nation’s better projected long-term collegiate 125-pound prospects, Earl Hall (South Dade, FL) was still outside the nation’s Top 100 overall recruits in his class. However, with an All-American finish in both tournaments at the Junior Nationals -- third at 112 pounds in Greco-Roman, and fourth at 119 pounds in freestyle -- Hall finds himself ranked 99th among all seniors-to-be.
Ben Morgan (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Gage Harrah (Crystal Lake Central, IL) recovered from a somewhat disappointing fourth-place finish in his state tournament with a terrific offseason. The 2009 Cadet National freestyle champion, finished as runner-up at the FILA Cadet Nationals and earned All-American status in Fargo with a fifth place finish in Junior freestyle at 215 pounds. Harrah is ranked 30th in his class.
Doug Vollaro (Oviedo, FL) is another wrestler that has had a terrific offseason. He was an in-season state champion and NHSCA Sophomore Nationals runner-up at 285 pounds. That has been followed up with runner-up finishes in both styles at the FILA Cadet Nationals in Akron, OH and at the Cadet Nationals in Fargo, ND. All four losses in the championship match for Vollaro -- now ranked 46th in his class -- came against Brooks Black (Blair Academy, NJ); Black is ranked fifth in the Class of 2013.
Finally, Greg Kuhar (St Edward, OH) earned the Junior National championship in freestyle at 285 pounds. Prior to Fargo, this wrestler was more known as being the younger brother of former Fargo champion Ben Kuhar -- who is now wrestling at Northwestern University. Prior to Fargo Kuhar finished in fourth place at his in-season state tournament, also finished in fourth place at the FILA Cadet Nationals, and was a Disney Duals bronze medalist. Now, Kuhar occupies the 50th and final spot in the Class of 2012 rankings.
Despite the new rankings being a time for significant change within the ordering of the wrestlers, and with some new wrestlers entering the rankings, the top spot in all five groups remained unchanged. Still ranked first in their classes are Destin McCauley (Apple Valley, MN) for the Class of 2011; Taylor Massa (St John’s, MI) for the Class of 2012; Bo Jordan (Graham, OH) for the Class of 2013; Chance Marsteller (Kennard-Dale, PA) for the Class of 2014; and Mark Hall headlines the list among wrestlers still in junior high.
In examining the nature of the Class of 2011, wrestlers that will be shortly starting their senior year of high school, individuals competing for high schools in 29 or the 49 states to sanction scholastic wrestling find themselves among the Top 100 prospects. Though not having as dominant a senior class as last year -- not that says much -- 12 wrestlers competing for high schools located in the Keystone State find themselves on the list, which is the most of any state.
Pennsylvania is followed by a rather strong California class, which has 11 of the Top 100 prospects in the Class of 2011. Nine wrestlers from the Land of Lincoln (aka, Illinois) are ranked; eight wrestlers each competing for high schools in Ohio and New Jersey are ranked; six wrestlers are ranked from the state of Iowa; and another five come from Minnesota.
Another trend to note is the presence of 12 sets of high school teammates within the Top 100 list. Leading the way with four prospects is Apple Valley, MN -- as McCauley, No. 37 Matt Kelliher, No. 44 Jake Waste, and No. 50 Steven Keogh are all within the Top 50. There are three programs each with a trio of Top 100 wrestlers -- Monroeville, OH; Blair Academy, NJ; and Crystal Lake Central, IL.
In fact three of the 11 best seniors-to-be attend little Monroeville High School in northern Ohio; No. 3 Chris Phillips, No. 7 Hunter Stieber, and No. 11 Cam Tessari. On the Blair Academy roster are No. 8 Austin Ormsbee, No. 14 Evan Silver, and No. 79 Caleb Richardson. For the Tigers of Crystal Lake Central, it is No. 45 Austin Marsden, No. 59 Joey Kielbasa, and No. 87 Trevor Jauch.
Those with two ranked wrestlers include Waverly Shell-Rock, IA; Townsend, MT with twins No. 33 Jade and No. 63 Valyen Rauser; Calvary Chapel, CA; Selma, CA; Graham, OH; High Point, NJ; Southern Garrett, MD; and St James, KS.
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