Blair Academy wrestling coach Brian Antonelli talks to Shayne Van Ness (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com)During the previous four college football seasons, Alabama and Clemson have met in the College Football Playoff. The Crimson Tide and Tigers have split those meetings, with each squad winning the national title in the season they won that matchup. In scholastic wrestling, Blair Academy (N.J.) and Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) kind of occupy a similar position in the catbird seat of the sport.
While in previous seasons, those two teams have not been the clear occupants of first and second in the ranking, this season it would seem that the two teams have separated from the pack; whereas in college football, there seem to be more direct challengers for the top couple of positions in the rankings.
Blair Academy will start the season ranked No. 1 nationally for the ninth straight year, and is seeking an eighth national title (fifth consecutive) in that stretch. The Buccaneers are led by ten nationally ranked wrestlers; otherwise known as the combined number of ranked wrestlers that teams ranked third, fourth, and fifth possess. It includes a pair ranked first: Mark-Anthony McGowan (106) and Shayne van Ness (132); another pair ranked second: Trevor (126) and Travis (152) Mastrogiovanni; plus two more ranked fourth: Dominic Mata (170) and Peyton Craft (195).
Wyoming Seminary starts the season ranked second, with nine ranked wrestlers of their own. That group is led by national No. 1 Beau Bartlett (138) as well as three other wrestlers inside the top four: No. 4 Nic Bouzakis (126), No. 4 Lachlan McNeil (145), and No. 3 Jacob Kaminski (285).
The rival squads will compete against one another in the Walsh Ironman during early December, a dual meet in January, and the National Prep Championships in February.
Ranked third through fifth nationally are Buchanan (Calif.), St. Edward (Ohio), and Detroit Catholic Central (Mich.). The Bears have won four straight California state championships, and are anchored by four nationally ranked wrestlers: Jack Gioffre (113), Joseph Martin (160), along with a pair inside the top ten in Carlos Negrete (120) and Maximo Renteria (126).
The Eagles have earned five straight titles in Ohios big-school division, eight of nine, and 21 of 23. While featuring just a pair of ranked wrestlers in Bryce Hepner (152) and Padraic Gallagher (160), they return four other state medalists, two additional wrestlers that have won state tournament matches, along with three excellent sophomores that were victims of lineup congestion last year.
The fifth-ranked Shamrocks have won three consecutive state titles (dual team) and six of the last eight in Michigan's big-school division. This years team is anchored by four nationally ranked wrestlers, three of whom are in the top ten: Dylan (106) and Derek (160) Gilcher, Josh Edmond (138), and Steven Kolcheff (285).
St. Edward will be in the Walsh Ironman along with Blair Academy and Wyoming Seminary, plus are slated to dual one (if not both) of them in late January; they also will be at the Doc Buchanan Invitational along with Buchanan and four other top ten ranked teams; and wrestle Detroit Catholic Central in a dual meet.
Rounding out the top ten are Bergen Catholic (N.J.), Lake Highland Prep (Fla.), Montini Catholic (Ill.), Tuttle (Okla.), and Gilroy (Calif.).
Lake Highland Prep, Montini Catholic, and Gilroy join Blair Academy, Wyoming Seminary, and St. Edward in the Walsh Ironman field; Bergen Catholic and Lake Highland Prep join Blair Academy in the Beast of the East; Bergen Catholic, Lake Highland Prep, Montini Catholic, and Gilroy join Buchanan and St. Edward in the Doc Buchanan Invitational; Lake Highland Prep and Montini Catholic will dual meet Buchanan and Gilroy in the Garlic City Duals the Tuesday before the Doc Buchanan Invitational; Montini Catholic will travel to Detroit Catholic Central to face the Shamrocks and St. Edward; while Bergen Catholic, Lake Highland Prep, Montini Catholic, and Tuttle will all be at the Beast the Streets Duals in mid-January.
Lake Highland Prep is led by four nationally ranked wrestlers, most notably No. 7 Justin Rivera (145). Bergen Catholic, Tuttle, and Gilroy each have three ranked wrestlers. Bergen Catholic is anchored by national No. 1 Robert Howard (126), Tuttle is led by No. 1 Dustin Plott (182) and No. 3 Luke Surber (170); while Gilroys anchor is No. 3 Chase Saldate (152). Montini Catholic has a pair of ranked wrestlers ranked in the top ten, Michigan commits Dylan Ragusin (126) and Fidel Mayora (152).
In terms of season-ending competitions, Blair Academy and Wyoming Seminary are joined by National Prep rivals Malvern Prep (No. 26) and Mt. St. Joseph (No. 28) in the Fab 50 national team rankings. Blair Academy is also joined by three other schools from New Jersey: Bergen Catholic, Delbarton (No. 16), and St. Joseph Montvale (No. 30). Wyoming Seminary and Malvern Prep are joined by three PIAA schools in the rankings: No. 23 Southern Columbia in Class AA, No. 42 Nazareth and No. 50 Bethlehem Catholic are Class AAA (big-school).
Single-class California features the most ranked schools with seven in total. No. 13 Poway, No. 18 St. John Bosco, No. 27 Selma, No. 32 Clovis, and No. 36 Clovis North join Buchanan and Gilroy in the Fab 50 national team rankings. Five teams from Ohio join St. Edward in the rankings to make it six total, including four of the Eagles rivals in the big-school division: Cincinnati LaSalle (No. 11), Elyria (No. 15), Brecksville (No. 22), and Wadsworth (No. 31); also ranked is No. 38 St. Paris Graham.
Five teams from the state of Michigan are ranked to start the season. Detroit Catholic Central, Davison (No. 14), and Brighton (No. 17) are all in Division I; No. 33 Lowell is in Division II; while 46 Dundee is in Division III.
Five states feature three schools in the national rankings: Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Oklahoma. In the cases of Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri the trio of teams are big-school divisional rivals; while in both Minnesota and Oklahoma, two of the three are big-school rivals.
Single teams from Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Maryland (though National Prep), Oregon, Nebraska, Texas, and Wisconsin are ranked.
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