103 Pounds:
Hunter Stieber of Monroeville (Ohio) and Sean Boylan of St. Marks (Delaware) showed why they are two of the best in the nation at this weight class. Stieber showed poised and dominated from the neutral position in winning the Ironman. His semifinal win over Gus Sako of St. Edwards (Ohio) was a classic battle. Boylan meanwhile scored the majority of his points from the top position in winning the Beast. Despite falling behind early, he rallied in the quart-finals to defeat Evan Silver of Blair Academy (New Jersey). A match-up between these two is not expected, but who wouldn't love to these two go at it.
112 Pounds:
David Taylor proved why he is the best in the nation at this weight and why this writer will never pick against him. At all positions Taylor is just smooth, and always looking to score. His 7-1 win in the finals over Jamie Clark of St. Edwards (Ohio) was not as close as it looks. Meanwhile, Sean Boyle of Blair Academy (New Jersey) improved on his third place finish at the Ironman by winning the Beast. Boyle was really not tested throughout the tournament, and should give Taylor a match when Blair and Graham meet in February.
119 Pounds:
Logan Stieber, another member of that dynamic Monroeville (Ohio) squad picked up his first Ironman title. Stieber like his younger brother dominated from the neutral position and just was unbelievable when on top. Michael Garafalo of Colonial Forge (Virginia) rebounded from last weeks 4th place at the Ironman by defeating Nick Schenk of McDonogh (Maryland) in the finals. Garafalo was able to score a couple late takedowns to give Schenk his first high school loss.
125 Pounds:
Let me just say up front, Chris Villalonga of Blair Academy (New Jersey) is highly underrated. Two weeks in a row we picked him to finish runner-up and he proved us wrong both times. Villalonga won both tournaments by dominating from the top position and scoring when possible. He defeated two Junior National All-Americans at the Beast, Patrick Hunter of St. Benedicts (New Jersey) and Joe Trause of Bergen Catholic (New Jersey). Villalonga belongs with the elite at 125.
130 Pounds:
Brad Squire of Wadsworth (Ohio), an Ohio State Champion as a freshman last year has officially broke onto the national scene. Squire was very physical and just wrestled at a higher pace than anyone in that weight class at Ironman. This wrestler has a bright future. Andrew Grabfelder of Germantown Academy (Pennsylvania) rebounded from the previous week finish at Ironman to upset Anthony Valles of Blair Academy (New Jersey). Valles scored a late takedown in the third period looking to send the match into overtime, when Grabfelder hit a Peterson roll to win the match. One of the more entertaining matches at the Beast.
135 Pounds:
What else can you say about Collin Palmer? He is incredibly tough on top with the powerhalf, which helped him to finally secure his first Ironman title. Hats off to freshman Austin Ormsbee who wrestled Palmer 2-1 in the second round of the tournament. Also, it was rewarding to see the hometown kid Chase Skonieczny of Walsh Jesuit (Ohio) score one of the bigger upsets of the tournament in defeating No. 1 ranked Collin Johnston of Canon-McMillan (Pennsylvania).
Winning the Beast was Ken Courts of Central Dauphin (Pennsylvania). For those who have not seen this kid, it is a close resemblance to watching Teyon Ware. Courts has incredible speed and is relentless on top with Central Dauphin's trademark hazard tilt series. Courts sustained a knee injury in the finals of the Beast but should be back before the season's over.
140 Pounds:
Pennsylvania state champion Jordan Shields of Burrell (Pennsylvania) came from the No. 4 seed to win the Ironman. Shields displayed solid fundamental skills and was tough to score on from all positions.
Marshall Peppelman, another member of Central Dauphin (Pennsylvania) used their trademark hazard tilt series to dismantle the competition. NJ State place-winner Anthony Baldasarro of Delsea Regional (New Jersey) had a solid tournament, but just could not stop the younger Peppleman once he got on top.
145 Pounds:
Jon Burns of Cardinal Gibbons (North Carolina) scored the upset of the tournament when he defeated No. 1- ranked Mario Mason of Blair Academy (New Jersey). Mason, competing with an injury did his best but hats off to Burns who then defeated two-time Ohio state champ Ben Jordan of St. Paris Graham (Ohio) in the finals.
Peter Yates of Salem (Georgia) ended Central Dauphin's hopes of a team championship when he defeated Walter Peppleman of Central Dauphin (Pennsylvania). After a scoreless first, Peppleman chose top, yes that's right top only to have Yates reverse him. Yates added another takedown late to seal the victory and move himself up in the rankings.
152 Pounds:
Alex Meade in winning both the Ironman and Beast showed fans that he is a complete wrestler. He showed mat savvy and grit in defeating Coby Boyd of St. Paris Graham (Ohio) in an overtime thriller to win the Ironman. He then showed total dominance from the neutral position. He scored numerous takedowns in his semifinal bout at the Beast over Brandon Rolnick of Lawrenceville (New Jersey) before defeating Ocean Township's Nick Menditto in the final.
160 Pounds:
Josh Condon of Harrison (Georgia) scored another huge upset at Ironman defeating Eric Cubberly of Pemberville Eastwood (Ohio) in the semifinals. He then defeated Alex Munoz of Bishop Lynch (TX) who upset several nationally ranked wrestlers on his way to the finals.
Winning the Beast was Scott Winston of Jackson Memorial (New Jersey). Winston is unbelievable from the neutral position. He posses tremendous speed and ability. It is very rare to find an upper weight wrestler who wrestles like a light-weight.
171 Pounds:
Chris Phillips and Quentin Wright were the winners at Ironman and Beast. Phillips the freshman out of Monroeville (Ohio) was entertaining to watch. Not since Damion Hahn has their been a freshman upper-weight with this talent. Phillips has a funky style that enables him to score at will from neutral. His final win over Brian Roddy of St. Edwards (Ohio) was arguably the best final match at Ironman.
Quentin Wright of Bald Eagle Area (Pennsylvania) is just on another level. Wright dominated the competition at Beast. His final win over Corey Peltier of Blair Academy (New Jersey) was expected, but Peltier a defending Beast champ could not match up to Wright. Penn State has a future star on their hands.
189 Pounds:
Joe Budi of Kuakuana (Wisconsin) came into Ironman a relative unknown to fans but left a fan favorite after his major decision win in the finals over Cody Magrum of Oak Harbor (Ohio). Budi had wins by fall and 2 wins by major decision.
Erich Schmidtke of Aberdeen (Washington) made to the trip to the Beast looking to make a name for himself, and that he did. A state champion in Washington, Schmidtke proved himself to be among the elite at 189 by way of his 3-2 victory over New Jersey state champion Mac Mancuso of Holy Spirit (New Jersey).
215 Pounds:
Matt Fisher of Sandusky Perkins (Ohio) and Glen Carson of Southern Regional (New Jersey) were the champions at Ironman and Beast. Fisher dominated the field early in the tournament eventually defeated Matt Lindamood of Parkersburg (West Virginia) 3-2 in the finals.
Glen Carson meanwhile continues to rise in the national rankings. Carson, a state runner-up from New Jersey dominated from the neutral position to win. Carson and Fisher are not your usual 215 pound wrestlers.
285 Pounds:
Garrett Goebel of Montini Catholic (Illinois) is going the football route next year, but this year it is all business on the mat. Goebel used a series of throws to pin thru the early rounds. Hats off James Meder who came from the No. 7 to make the final before losing to Goebel 3-1.
Nick Cook of Fauquier (Virginia) rebounded from a third- place finish at the Ironman to win the Beast. Cook defeated nationally ranked John Hiles of S. Francis DeSales (Ohio) in sudden victory to win the championship.
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