This weight class has been taken by storm by one well-known veteran (Escobedo), and one up-and-comer (McDonough). They will meet in the finals, with the cagey veteran winning it all. Sadly, the great Troy Nickerson will be watching the finals nursing that shoulder and asking himself “What if?"
133: No. 1 Jayson Ness (Minnesota) over No. 3 Franklin Gomez (Michigan State)
Ness is one of those wrestlers who, no team allegiances in play, nearly everyone cheers for. He's exciting, strong, and a pinner. Gomez, while extremely game, simply won't be able to match Ness in the finals after squeaking by Dennis in the semis.
141: No. 4 Reece Humphrey (Ohio State) over No. 3 Mike Thorn (Minnesota)
This is perhaps the most wide-open weight class of the tournament, with no clear favorite. Humphrey is wonderfully talented, though, and will win the title over an in-form Thorn.
149: No. 2 Brent Metcalf (Iowa) over No. 1 Lance Palmer (Ohio State)
There's just no way that Metcalf loses, barring injury, in his last NCAA tournament appearance. This should be a finals for the ages, however, with Palmer giving Metcalf all he can handle.
157: No. 1 J.P. O'Connor (Harvard) over No. 7 Chase Pami (Cal Poly)
O'Connor has been the class of the weight thus far this year, and this tournament will be no different. Pami will be one of those surprise seniors that no one really expects to get to the finals; however, he will fall short. The x-factor at this weight is, of course, Dustin Schlatter: He would be a favorite to make the finals if his health holds up -- no guarantee, of course, as he's already missed the Big Tens.
165: No. 1 Andrew Howe (Wisconsin) over No. 3 Nick Marable (Missouri)
The senior, Marable, will have given a great showing at the tourney by knocking off Jarrod King in the semis. However, Howe is an unstoppable force, it seems, this year. Sentimentality says Marable or King, brain says Howe.
174: No. 1 Mack Lewnes (Cornell) over No. 2 Jay Borschel (Iowa)
Lewnes rebounds from his inexplicable showing at last year's tournament to take the title in 2010. This battle of unbeatens will come down to the wire: Low-scoring and very tactical.
184: No. 12 David Craig (Lehigh) over No. 6 Max Askren (Missouri)
Remember David Craig? He was the No. 1 recruit just a few years ago, a "can't miss" who had seemed to miss. A guy who indicated that wrestling was simply a way for him to attain a good education. His potential is finally fulfilled, as he wrestles the tournament of his life, knocking off Askren in the finals.
197: No. 1 Jake Varner (Iowa State) over No. 3 Hudson Taylor (Maryland)
Varner caps off his magnificent career with a low-scoring, but controlled, win over Taylor. The match of this weight might just be the semifinal between Taylor and Brester, two tough seniors hoping to make the finals. That would be one to watch.
285: No. 4 Konrad Dudziak (Duke) over No. 6 Nathan Everhart (Indiana)
The big boys butt heads in a methodical, grueling match with Dudziak coming out on top. Everhart will be a deserving finalist, having navigated through such names as Monteiro, Rey, and Rosholt; however, Dudziak will have enough in his tank after his showdown with Zabriskie to take the title.
Top Five Teams:
1. Iowa
2. Minnesota
3. Iowa State
4. Wisconsin
5. Oklahoma State
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