Gable Steveson claimed his second Cadet world title earlier this year (Photo/Alireza Akbari)With the major preseason tournaments all but done, and official scholastic season practices either having started already or about to start, it is now time for the presentation of the preseason national high school weight class rankings. The top 20 wrestlers in each weight class are recognized, with the most elite wrestler named as the No. 1 wrestler in the country.
To start the 2016-17 season, here are the top ranked wrestlers in each weight class.
106 pounds: Malik Heinselman (Castle View, Colo.)
The junior has already won three Fargo freestyle titles, two at the Cadet level and this past summer at the Junior level. In addition Heinselman has competed for the United States at the UWW Cadet World freestyle championships the last two years, at 42 kilograms in 2015 and 46 kilos in 2016. He was state champion this past high school season at 106 pounds.
113 pounds: Adam Busiello (Eastport-South Manor, N.Y.)
The sophomore finished last season as the nation's top-ranked wrestler at 106 pounds after winning a second high school state title (he was champion at 99 pounds as an eighth-grader). Busiello won a second straight high school division title at the Super 32 Challenge last month, and is also a two-time Cadet National freestyle All-American.
120 pounds: Jordan Decatur (CVCA, Ohio)
The sophomore is a two-time Cadet National freestyle champion in Fargo, and a two-time placer in freestyle at the UWW Cadet Nationals, including a runner-up finish this year at 54 kilograms. Most notable though was a win at the Who's Number One event over Gavin Teasdale, a Junior National freestyle champion and two-time UWW Cadet World team representative in freestyle.
126 pounds: Spencer Lee (Franklin Regional, Pa.)
The University of Iowa verbal commit is the nation's top overall senior, and has yet to lose an in-season high school match on the way to three state titles. Lee is also a three-time world freestyle champion at 50 kilograms, winning at the Cadet level in 2014 before winning at the Junior level the last two years.
132 pounds: Daton Fix (Sand Springs, Okla.)
The three-time state champion is a two-time world freestyle bronze medalist, earning that status at the Junior level competing in the 55 kilogram weight class this summer and also last summer at 54 kilograms as a Cadet. Fix is also a two-time Fargo freestyle champion, winning a Cadet title in 2013 and a Junior title in 2015.
138 pounds: Vitali Arujau (Syosset, N.Y.)
Another three-time state champion was a UWW Cadet world freestyle silver medalist this summer at 58 kilograms, and won the Super 32 Challenge last month. The Cornell commit was also third at the Super 32 Challenge in the fall of 2015 and a Cadet National freestyle champion that summer in Fargo.
145 pounds: Yianni Diakomihalis (Hilton, N.Y.)
The four-time state champion, and another Cornell commit, is also a two-time UWW Cadet world freestyle champion. He won those titles the last two years at 58 and 63 kilograms respectively. Diakomihalis is also a three-time Super 32 Challenge champion, and ended the 2015-16 season ranked No. 1 at 138 pounds.
152 pounds: David Carr (Massillon Perry, Ohio)
The junior has already won three state titles, winning his eighth grade state title in the state of Kentucky. This fall he was a UWW Cadet world bronze medalist competing at 69 kilograms. Carr also won the Super 32 Challenge in the fall of 2015 and was champion at the Walsh Jesuit Ironman in December 2015.
160 pounds: Brady Berge (Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.)
The Penn State commit is a three-time state champion. He also won the Super 32 Challenge last month, and competed at the UWW Cadet world freestyle championships last year at 69 kilograms.
170 pounds: Kaleb Romero (Mechanicsburg, Ohio)
The three-time state champion is a verbal commit to Ohio State. He was all-state first team in football last year at the quarterback position, and is likely headed to that status this fall, with possible Offensive Player of the Year honors within his division statewide. The two sport star was also undefeated at the AAU Scholastic Duals this summer.
182 pounds: Michael Beard (Malvern Prep, Pa.)
The junior has twice made the finals at the National Prep Championships, winning the title last year at this weight class. He also was a UWW Cadet National freestyle runner-up this spring at 86 kilograms. Beard also finished as runner-up at both the Walsh Jesuit Ironman and Beast of the East last December.
195 pounds: Jacob Warner (Washington, Ill.)
The two-time state champion, three-time state finalist, was also a UWW Cadet world bronze medalist in freestyle this summer at 86 kilograms. Warner was champion in both styles at the Cadet Nationals in Fargo during 2015, along with winning a UWW Cadet National title in Greco-Roman this spring in addition to the title in freestyle at 86 kilos.
220 pounds: Chase Singletary (Blair Academy, N.J.)
This Ohio State verbal commit is a two-time National Prep finalist, winning the title this past season at 195 pounds over defending champion Nick Reenan. During the 2015-16 season, he was champion at the Walsh Ironman; while this summer he went undefeated at the AAU Scholastic Duals.
285 pounds: Gable Steveson (Apple Valley, Minn.)
The nation's top overall junior is a two-time UWW Cadet world freestyle champion at 100 kilograms. Steveson is also a two-time state champion at 220 pounds, and was a state runner-up at 195 pounds in eighth grade. Additional USA Wrestling tournament titles for Steveson include a Junior folkstyle title at 220 pounds this spring and a Cadet freestyle title at 220 pounds in the summer of 2015.
Wrestlers ranked by state (high school attending), 36 states in all:
40: Pennsylvania
29: New Jersey
28: Ohio
19: California
18: Illinois
14: Florida, Iowa
11: Colorado, New York
10: Minnesota
9: Indiana, Michigan, Missouri
7: Georgia, Oklahoma
6: Wisconsin
4: Maryland, West Virginia
3: Arizona, Idaho, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia
2: Kansas, Nebraska, New Hampshire
1: Connecticut, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
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