Dayton Racer finished undefeated at the Disney Duals (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)One of the somewhat major events on the yearly wrestling calendar, which has really not been on the media radar in past years is the AAU Scholastic Duals (aka Disney Duals) held at the Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex outside of Orlando, Florida. This event came to its conclusion yesterday with the medal tournament and matches for the District All-Star Division.
Winning the event for a second straight year was a team from the Young Guns Wrestling Club, which is directed by two-time NCAA Division I All-American (3rd/2nd) Jody Strittmatter out of western Pennsylvania. This year's championship final, in which Young Guns Black upended Iowa Black 37-21, was the only time an opponent won more than four weight classes during the last two years at the Disney Duals.
In the six preliminary pool dual meets, Young Guns Black went 71-8 in contested bouts (i.e. excluding forfeits), and were 25-13 during the three bracket rounds (quarterfinals, semifinal, and final). The squad was anchored by six undefeated wrestlers: Devin Brown (Franklin Regional, Pa.) at 106 pounds, George Phillippi (Derry Area, Pa.) at 120, A.C. Headlee (Waynesburg, Pa.) at 126, Josh Maruca (Franklin Regional, Pa.) at 145, Zach Kelly (Kiski Prep, Pa.) at 152/160, and David-Brian Whisler (Warren Howland, Ohio) at 170. Maruca was named the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler for his performance.
Let's take a look at an individual wrestler from each competing weight class, who had a stellar tournament. Note that event rules had the weight classes as "scratch-plus-five" with a day before weigh-in.
106: Devin Brown (Franklin Regional, Pa./Young Guns Black)
The two-time state champion, who is ranked No. 95 overall in the Class of 2015, went 9-0 for the tournament. Only three of his matches went the full six minutes, as he had five technical falls and one fall, along with an additional major decision victory. Notable wins included those over Dan Moran (Northampton, Pa./MAWA Blue) 4-1 in a state finals rematch; Jack Wagner (Bettendorf, Iowa/Iowa Black), a state champion in his own right, 19-8; and state third place finisher Brian Courtney (Athens, Pa./Keystone Elite Orange).
113: Vitali Arujau (Syosset, N.Y./New York Kong)
The nation's No. 11 ranked wrestler in the Class of 2017, and a state champion this past year, went 10-0 for the tournament. Six of his ten matches were bonus point victories, two wins by major decision and another four coming by fall. Four of those wins came over two-time state place-winners: 15-6 major decision over Hunter Bray (Dayton Christian, Ohio/Team Prodigy); 8-6 in overtime over Jacob Schwarm (Bettendorf, Iowa/Iowa Black), a state champion this past year; 5-0 over Gage Curry (North Hills, Pa./Brawlers Elite), also a Super 32 Challenge runner-up; and 5-0 over Seth Beard (Napoleon, Ohio/Ohio Grapplers. An additional win came over state champion Jake Riegel (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa./MAWA Blue) by fall at 3:51.
120: L.J. Bentley (St. Edward, Ohio/The Wrestling Factory)
The NHSCA Junior Nationals runners-up went 9-0 for the tournament. He had five matches that ended before the full six minutes, four technical falls and one second period fall. Notable wins came by 4-0 decision over two-time state champion Francisco Valdes (Miami Southwest, Fla./South Florida Lightning), who is ranked No. 31 in the Class of 2017; and a 4-3 decision over two-time state placer Shakur Laney (Groveport Madison, Ohio/Ohio Mafia).
126: A.C. Headlee (Waynesburg, Pa./Young Guns Black)
The nation's No. 28 senior, a two-time state place-winner, and third place finisher at this year's FloNationals went 9-0 for the tournament. Five of his matches did not go the distance, four wins by fall and one victory by 15-0 shutout technical fall. Notable wins for Headlee included a 3-1 decision over Korbin Myers (Boiling Springs, Pa./Brawlers Elite), the nation's No. 84 ranked wrestler in the Class of 2015; a 2-1 tiebreaker victory over two-time state placer Ryan Pomrinca (North Hunterdon, N.J./MAWA Blue); and a fall in 39 seconds against state champion Kaz Onoo (Mason City, Iowa/Iowa Black).
132: Jake Koethe (West Des Moines Valley, Iowa/UNI/Iowa Black)
The four-time state placer and 2013 state champion went 11-0 with seven pins and a technical fall during the tournament. Notable wins included a 7-3 decision over 2013 state placer Jesse Rodgers (North Allegheny, Pa./Rider/Young Guns Black), a 5-2 decision over state champion Nate Hagan (Toledo Central Catholic, Ohio/Ohio Grapplers), and a 7-1 decision over state third place finisher Bradley Wade (Islip, N.Y./New York Kong).
138: Drew Hughes (Lowell, Ind./Penn X-Treme Gold)
The nation's No. 33 ranked Class of 2016 wrestler went 11-0 in contested matches with eight bonus point victories (four pins, two technical falls, and two major decisions). Notable wins included a 5-0 decision over NHSCA Junior Nationals runner-up Luke Weiland (Seckman, Mo./Wrestling Prep A); an 8-3 decision over three-time state champion Max Thomsen (Union, Iowa/Iowa Black), who is ranked No. 32 in the Class of 2015; and a 1-0 decision over state champion Kaleb Romero (Mechanicsburg, Ohio/Ohio Grapplers), who is ranked No. 18 in the Class of 2017.
145: Josh Maruca (Franklin Regional, Pa./Young Guns Black)
The nation's No. 55 ranked Class of 2015 wrestler, and three-time state place-winner, was named the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler. That honor was very deserving, as he went 9-0 with all wins coming by bonus points, and just one match going the distance (four pins, four technical falls, and one major decision). The lone major decision came against three-time state placer Cole Erickson (Mediapolis, Iowa/Iowa Black), by a score of 11-2; notable technical falls included those against state placer Dakota Nixon (Muncy, Pa./Brawlers Elite) and state champion Logan Lacure (Greeneview, Ohio/Team Prodigy); while one of the pins came against state champion and NHSCA Senior All-American Willie Davis (Woodbridge, Del./Drexel/MAWA Blue).
152: Dayton Racer (Wrestling Prep A)
The nation's No. 67 ranked Class of 2015 wrestler, and a placer at this year's Super 32 Challenge and FloNationals, went 9-0 in contested matches during the tournament. Six of those matches were bonus point victories -- four pins, one technical fall, and one fall. Notable wins include a third period pin over National Prep placer Christian Almony (John Carroll, Md./Maryland Monster Squad Black); an 8-2 win over Patricio Lugo (South Dade, Fla./South Florida Lightning), the nation's No. 74 ranked Class of 2015 wrestler; a 16-5 major decision over 2013 state champion Tristan Sommer (Tallahassee Lincoln, Fla.); and a 5-2 decision over four-time state placer Preston Bowshier (Kenton Ridge, Ohio/Wheeling Jesuit/Ohio Mafia).
160: Austin Reese (Mechanicsburg, Ohio/Ohio University/Team Prodigy)
The future Bobcat, who was third at the Super 32 Challenge and a state champion this past high school season, went 10-0 in contested matches during the tournament. Seven of those were bonus point victories, four pins, two technical falls, and one major decision. Reese beat a pair of top 100 wrestlers from the Class of 2015 during the eve nt: a 1-0 decision over No. 85 Ben Schram (Bellbrook, Ohio/Ohio Mafia) and a 2-0 decision over No. 18 Josh Shields (Franklin Regional, Pa./Young Guns Black); an additional notable win came by second period fall over state third and FloNationals placer Brett Donner (Wall, N.J./New York Kong).
170: David-Brian Whisler (Warren Howland, Ohio/Young Guns Black)
The two-time state place-winner went 8-0 during contested matches for the tournament, which included three pins and a major decision. Most notable wins were those over state placer Garrett Hoffman (Montoursville, Pa./Brawlers Elite) by 11-4 decision along with a 7-4 decision over four-time state placer and 2013 state champion Adam Drain (Mediapolis, Iowa/Northern Iowa/Iowa Black).
182: Kellan Stout (Mt. Lebanon, Pa./MAWA Blue)
The nation's No. 89 ranked Class of 2015 wrestler went 9-0 in contested matches, including six wins over high quality opposition. Those include a pair of major decisions, 10-2 over two-time state runner-up Armani Robinson (Greeneview, Ohio/Ohio Grapplers) and 9-1 over Super 32 and FloNationals placer Derek Hillman (Woodhaven, Mich./Ohio Mafia). Decision victories came over two-time state third Alec Schenk (Perry, Ohio/Duke/Ohio Titans) by 7-1 score; 5-2 over state champion Malik McDonald (South View, N.C./N.C. State/Team Dynamic White), a NHSCA Senior All-American; 1-0 over Drew Phipps (Norwin, Pa./Young Guns Black), who is ranked No. 49 in the Class of 2016; and 7-1 over state placer David Hamil (Deer Park, N.Y./New York Kong).
195: Bailey Faust (Lexington, Ohio/Ohio Mafia)
The FloNationals runner-up and 2013 Cadet Nationals double All-American went undefeated in nine contested matches, including seven bonus point victories (three pins, four major decisions). Notable wins came by 3-0 decision over state champion Steven Holloway (Mediapolis, Iowa/Iowa Black), 9-4 decision over NHSCA Junior Nationals runner-up Matt Rudy (Cane Bay, S.C./Team Palmetto), and a second period pin over state placer Luke Nohns (Normal West, Ill./Illinois Outsiders).
220: Andrew Dunn (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa./MAWA Blue)
The two-time state placer and 2013 Super 32 Challenge placer went 8-0 in contested matches, including three wins by fall. Among the victories were four of note: a 4-1 victory over state runner-up and Super 32 Challenge placer Vincent Feola (Walt Whitman, N.Y./New York Kong), a 7-4 victory over state champion Jay Nino (Genoa, Ohio/Ohio Grapplers), an 11-6 decision over state placer Jacob Robb (Kittanning, Pa./Young Guns Black), and a 5-3 decision over FloNationals third place finisher Seth Brennock (Loveland, Ohio/American/Ohio Mafia).
285: Billy Miller (Perry, Ohio/Edinboro/Ohio Grapplers)
The two-time state champion and future Fighting Scots wrestler won all nine of his contested matches during the tournament, including four by fall. Notable wins included those over state placer Chris McDermand (Libertyville, Ill./American/Illinois Outsiders) by 3-1 decision, a 3-1 overtime decision over two-time state placer Tracey Green (Methacton, Pa./MAWA Blue), a 6-2 decision over state champion Tyler Yonkovic (Maquoketa Valley, Iowa/Iowa Black), and a 3-1 overtime decision over state champion Andrew Stevens (Camden, N.J./Maine - football/New York Kong).
Final Placement Results -- District All-Star Division
1st: Young Guns Black (Pa.) over Iowa Black, 37-21
3rd: New York Kong over MAWA Blue (Pa.), 30-27
5th: Ohio Grapplers over Ohio Mafia by forfeit
7th: Ohio Raptors over Team Prodigy (Ohio), 42-18
Top 12: Brawlers Elite (Pa.), Illinois Outsiders, Michigan Blue, and Ohio Titans
13th: Wrestling Prep "A" (Mo.) over South Florida Lightning, 36-21
15th: Penn X-Treme Gold (Ind.) over Ozark Team STL Bolt (Mo.), 34-27
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