Blair Academy has finished No. 1 in the InterMat Fab 50 for the second straight season (Photo/Rob Preston) After a season of dominating their opposition, Blair Academy, N.J., has been crowned national champions for a second consecutive season. The Buccaneers will end the season ranked No. 1 in the InterMat Fab 50 national high school team rankings. This affirms a season in which they were dominant champions in three of the nation's top four tournaments: winning the Ironman by 80-plus points, almost doubling the second place team at the Beast of the East, and winning the POWERade by 130-plus points.
At their season-ending tournament, the National Prep Championships, Blair Academy had six wrestlers win titles, four others finish inside the top three, and all fourteen wrestlers earned a podium finish. They also won the tournament by almost 90 points. The Buccaneers will also have six individual wrestlers ranked in the final national weight class rankings: No. 2 Matthew Kolodzik (120), No. 4 Joey McKenna (132), No. 15 Mason Manville (145), No. 3 Russ Parsons (152), No. 2 Frank Mattiace (195), and No. 4 Brooks Black (285).
2013 Final Fab 50 Team Rankings
1. Blair Academy, N.J.
2. Wyoming Seminary, Pa.
3. St. Johns, Mich.
4. St. Edward, Ohio
5. St. Paris Graham, Ohio
6. Canon-McMillan, Pa.
7. Brandon, Fla.
8. Clovis, Calif.
9. Carl Sandburg, Ill.
10. St. Michael-Albertville, Minn.
11. Oak Park River Forest, Ill.
12. Montini Catholic, Ill.
13. Apple Valley, Minn.
14. Collinsville, Okla.
15. Allen, Texas
16. Massillon Perry, Ohio
17. Southeast Polk, Iowa
18. Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.
19. Brecksville, Ohio
20. Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.
21. Cincinnati Moeller, Ohio
22. South Plainfield, N.J.
23. Poway, Calif.
24. Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.
25. Marist, Ill.
26. Marmion Academy, Ill.
27. Maple Mountain, Utah
28. Perry Meridian, Ind.
29. Central Dauphin, Pa.
30. Edmond North, Okla.
31. McDonogh, Md.
32. Park Hill, Mo.
33. Franklin Regional, Pa.
34. Bergen Catholic, N.J.
35. West Delaware Manchester, Iowa
36. Broken Arrow, Okla.
37. Don Bosco Prep, N.J.
38. Blue Springs, Mo.
39. Simley, Minn.
40. Bound Brook, N.J.
41. Tuttle, Okla.
42. Good Counsel, Md.
43. Davison, Mich.
44. Pope, Ga.
45. Kearney, Mo.
46. Hermiston, Ore.
47. Christian Brothers, Tenn.
48. Archer, Ga.
49. Vacaville, Calif.
50. Bettendorf, Iowa
Finishing second in the national team rankings is Wyoming Seminary, Pa. The Blue Knights were second place to Blair at the Ironman, Beast of the East, and National Prep Championships. They have four nationally ranked wrestlers: No. 18 Nicky Hall (170), No. 2 Eric Morris (182), No. 11 Garrett Ryan (220), and No. 10 Michael Johnson, Jr. (285).
1. Blair Academy, N.J.
2. Wyoming Seminary, Pa.
3. St. Johns, Mich.
4. St. Edward, Ohio
5. St. Paris Graham, Ohio
6. Canon-McMillan, Pa.
7. Brandon, Fla.
8. Clovis, Calif.
9. Carl Sandburg, Ill.
10. St. Michael-Albertville, Minn.
11. Oak Park River Forest, Ill.
12. Montini Catholic, Ill.
13. Apple Valley, Minn.
14. Collinsville, Okla.
15. Allen, Texas
16. Massillon Perry, Ohio
17. Southeast Polk, Iowa
18. Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.
19. Brecksville, Ohio
20. Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.
21. Cincinnati Moeller, Ohio
22. South Plainfield, N.J.
23. Poway, Calif.
24. Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.
25. Marist, Ill.
26. Marmion Academy, Ill.
27. Maple Mountain, Utah
28. Perry Meridian, Ind.
29. Central Dauphin, Pa.
30. Edmond North, Okla.
31. McDonogh, Md.
32. Park Hill, Mo.
33. Franklin Regional, Pa.
34. Bergen Catholic, N.J.
35. West Delaware Manchester, Iowa
36. Broken Arrow, Okla.
37. Don Bosco Prep, N.J.
38. Blue Springs, Mo.
39. Simley, Minn.
40. Bound Brook, N.J.
41. Tuttle, Okla.
42. Good Counsel, Md.
43. Davison, Mich.
44. Pope, Ga.
45. Kearney, Mo.
46. Hermiston, Ore.
47. Christian Brothers, Tenn.
48. Archer, Ga.
49. Vacaville, Calif.
50. Bettendorf, Iowa
Ending the season No. 3 in the Fab 50 is St. Johns, Mich. The Redwings earned a fourth consecutive team title in Division 2, a title which is decided through a dual meet tournament. They had a banner season in the individual bracket tournament, as seven Redwings wrestlers came home with gold medals, while they had four other individuals place (one each in second, third, fourth, and fifth). Five members of their squad appear in the national rankings: No. 4 Zac Hall (126), No. 8 Jacob Schmitt (132), No. 5 Logan Massa (138), No. 1 Ben Whitford (145), and No. 12 Payne Hayden (195).
Rounding out the top five are the Buckeye State perennials St. Edward and St. Paris Graham. The Eagles won a third consecutive Division I state title, which also was their 16th in the last 17 years; while the Falcons made it 13 consecutive titles in the Division II state tournament; and both squads also earned team titles in the inaugural state-sanctioned dual meet championships. Four members of each squad end the season in the national rankings. For St. Edward it is No. 3 Dean Heil (132), No. 9 Edgar Bright (145), No. 9 Markus Scheidel (152), and No. 1 Domenic Abounader (182); while St. Paris Graham is represented by No. 20 Eli Seipel (113), No. 2 Micah Jordan (132), No. 11 Alex Marinelli (152), and No. 2 Bo Jordan (160).
Ranked No. 6 in the nation is Canon-McMillan, Pa., which won its third consecutive Class AAA (big-school) individual state championship and repeated as dual meet state champions. Up until the individual tournament, the Big Macs competed without Solomon Chishko, who would end up winning a state title. Even in his absence, Canon-McMillan finished fifth at the Ironman (which was only behind four of the nation's top five teams), won the Reno Tournament of Champions, finished one point out of second at the POWERade, and earned the state dual meet title. Four Big Macs wrestlers end the season in the individual rankings: No. 12 Dalton Macri (120), No. 3 Conner Schram (126), No. 4 Solomon Chishko (145), and No. 2 Cody Wiercioch (170).
Rounding out the top ten squads nationally are Brandon, Fla., which won their 13th consecutive state championship; Clovis, Calif., which won its third consecutive state title and won/finished first in all of their competitions this year; Carl Sandburg, Ill., which repeated as state champions; and St. Michael-Albertville, Minn., which won the Clash on a tiebreaker and was joint state champions.
Notable features in the team rankings are five teams from Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. Four squads from Minnesota are featured in the Fab 50 as well. Five states have three squads in the national team rankings: California, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, and Oklahoma. It is a pair of states with two teams each in the rankings -- Georgia and Maryland.
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