Mason Gibson gets his hand raised after winning the Super 32 Challenge (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com)Here in the year 2020, the fact that Defense Soap Super 32 Challenge is even happening has to be considered in and of itself a victory. The event has moved from its traditional location in Greensboro, N.C. to Myrtle Beach, S.C. due to COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the governor's office in the state of North Carolina.
While a lot has changed in 2020, some things about the Super 32 Challenge remain constant. First and foremost, the field is extremely deep. Out of the top-100 overall Class of 2021 wrestlers, 39 are registered as part of the Super 32 field as of this weekend; 29 of the top 50 in the Class of 2022 are entered; 28 of the top 50 in the Class of 2023 are slated to participate; as are 15 of the top 25 in the incoming freshman group, the Class of 2024. There are also six of the top 15 rated junior high wrestlers (Class of 2025 and beyond) slated to compete in the high school division.
Also mostly unchanged is the structure of the two-day event. The high school boys' tournament will start Saturday with preliminary rounds that knock the field down to the quarterfinals of the championship bracket, with eight additional wrestlers remaining in consolation wrestling at the end of the day. It should be noted that the tournament is scheduled to be run in split session on Saturday, which is a COVID-related change. The traditional Sunday format for high school boys is expected to remain unchanged. Wrestling on both days is scheduled for an 8 a.m. ET start with coverage available through FloWrestling, and brackets on FloArena.
Below are seven themes and/or storylines to keep a look for during the competition this weekend.
P.J. Duke is the nation's No. 1 junior high wrestler (Photo/Josh Conklin)1. Top of the Class
Three of the five wrestlers ranked No. 1 for their respective grade level are registered to compete in the tournament. Top overall junior high wrestler P.J. Duke (Minisink Valley, N.Y.) is registered in the 113-pound weight class; top overall freshman Mason Gibson (Forest Hills, Pa.) is entered at 120; while top overall junior Nic Bouzakis (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) is in the field at 132.
Duke was champion of the 95-pound weight class in the junior high division last year as a seventh grader, before going on to win a New York State high school varsity title at 99 pounds during the scholastic season. Gibson joined Ryan Crookham in 2017 as the only wrestlers to win high school division titles as eighth graders, when he was champion at 106 pounds last October. Bouzakis earned Super 32 gold at 126 pounds last year as a sophomore, having finished third at 120 as a freshman and fifth at 106 in eighth grade.
Nic Bouzakis celebrates after winning in the finals of the Super 32 Challenge (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com)2. Duo of returning champions
Gibson and Bouzakis are the only wrestlers in the high school Super 32 field to have won a previous title in the high school division. Eight other wrestlers still in high school have previously won high school Super 32 titles but are not entered in this year's field. They include 2019 champions Jordan Williams (Collinsville, Okla.), Joel Vandervere (Warren Township, Ill.), and Cael Valencia (St. John Bosco, Calif.); 2018 champions Stevo Poulin (Shenendehowa, N.Y.), Richrd Figueroa (Selma, Calif.), Shayne Van Ness (Blair Academy, N.J.), and Alex Facundo (Davison, Mich.); along with 2017 champion Ryan Crookham (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.).
Gibson moves up two weight classes from last year at this tournament, as he is entered in the 120-pound bracket. Eleven other wrestlers ranked in their respective grade level are expected in the field. Said group is led by a pair of top 50 seniors in National Prep champion Cooper Flynn (McDonogh, Md.) and two-time state champion Gary Steen (Reynolds, Pa.), along with No. 33 overall junior Nicolar Rivera (Stoughton, Wis.).
Seven top-50 sophomores also feature in the field: Sergio Lemley (Chesterton, Ind.), Tyler Vazquez (Delbarton, N.J.), Beau Mantanona (Palm Desert, Calif.), Tyler Kasak (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.), Santino Robinson (Christian Brothers College, Mo.), Carter McCallister (Rock Bridge, Mo.), and Mac Church (Waynesburg, Pa.). Joining Gibson as a nationally ranked freshman in this field is No. 6 overall in the Class of 2024 Chris Coates (Liberty, Mo.).
Other notable contenders in the 120-pound weight class include multi-time state and Ironman placer Jacob Moon (Perrysburg, Ohio), 2018 Super 32 placer Diego Sotelo (Marmion Catholic, Ill.), state champion Joshua Koderhandt (Belleville West, Ill.), multi-time state champion Yusief Lillie (Post Falls, Idaho), and former Cadet World team member Cole Skinner (Cincinnati LaSalle, Ohio).
Bouzakis moves up one weight class from last year's title win, and leading the group of challengers is a pair of returning Super 32 runners-up in Maximo Renteria (Buchanan, Calif.) and Nico Nardone (Delbarton, N.J.); they are ranked No. 5 and No. 34 overall in the Class of 2021. Three other top-100 seniors are also expected to join the bracket: Chance Lamer (Crescent Valley, Ore.), Vince Cornella (Monarch, Colo.), and Derrick Cardinal (Forest Lake, Minn.).
Seven additional grade-ranked wrestlers are expected to compete at 132. Casey Swiderski (Dundee, Mich.) from the Class of 2022; Ethan Mojena (Tampa Prep, Fla.), Colin Dupill (Liberty, Va.), and Weston Dalton (Pueblo East, Colo.) from the Class of 2023; along with Pierson Manville (State College, Pa.), Joseph Sealey (High Point, N.C.), and Miguel Estrada, Jr. (Frontier, Calif.) from the Class of 2024.
Other notable entrants in the field include multi-time state champions Aidan Noonan (Cascade, Iowa), Jacob Mann (Ladue Horton Watkins, Mo.), and Blaine Brenner (Stanley-Boyd, Wis.); along with Richard Fedalen (McDonogh, Md.) and multi-time state placer Casey Wiles (Cincinnati LaSalle, Ohio).
No. 4 junior high wrestler Landon Robideau was a state finalist as a seventh-grader (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)3. Youth movement
As already noted, in two of the previous three years an eighth grader has won a weight class title in the high school division of the Super 32 Challenge. Will it happen for a third time in four years this weekend? The three highest-ranked junior high wrestlers in the field are both entered at 113 pounds: P.J. Duke (Minisink Valley, N.Y.), No. 4 overall Landon Robideau (St. Michael-Albertville, Minn.), and No. 8 Vince Bouzakis (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.); Robideau placed second in a very tough Class AAA state bracket at 106 pounds this past winter.
Four additional grade-level ranked wrestlers populate this weight class, led by returning Super 32 runner-up Cory Land (Moody, Ala.), who is No. 34 overall in the Class of 2022. Caden Horwath (Davison, Mich.) and Kael Lauridsen (Bennington, Neb.) are ranked in the top 50 from the Class of 2023; while Kollin Rath (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.) is ranked No. 15 overall among junior high wrestlers.
Spencer Moore (Walton-Verona, Ky.) and Charlie Farmer (Moline, Ill.) join Land as returning placers from last year's tournament, as they placed sixth and fifth respectively in the 106-pound weight class that Land finished as runner-up. Other contenders include state champions Jore Volk (Lakeville North, Minn.), Alex Cottey (Perry Meridian, Ind.), and Joseph Fernau (Montini Catholic, Ill.); 2019 state champion Peyton Fenton (Elyria, Ohio); and two-time state placer Reid Nelson (Simley, Minn.).
4. Fabulous freshmen
The top six overall Class of 2024 wrestlers are entered in this field, with Gibson already mentioned a returning champion competing at 120 pounds. Ranked No. 2 overall in this class is Pierson Manville, who has been mentioned in the discussion at 126; while No. 3 overall is Zach Ryder (Minisink Valley, N.Y.), who is at 145, which is three weight classes above where he won a high school state title last year in New York State at 126 pounds.
The best opportunity for the highest placement, outside of Gibson, in this group is for Aden Valencia (Ann Sobrato, Calif.). Ranked No. 4 overall in the Class of 2024, he is entered in the 106-pound weight class. Last year, four freshmen and an eighth grader were among the eight podium positions at the opening weight; while in 2018 it was six sophomores, a freshman, and an eighth grader; and in 2017 the placement group had five sophomores, two freshmen, and an eighth grader.
In terms of the grade rankings, two other top-25 freshmen join Valencia in the 106-pound field, No. 13 Dillon Campbell (Legacy Christian Academy, Ohio) and No. 19 Anthony Knox (Bergen Catholic, N.J.); while No. 14 overall junior high wrestler Nathan Desmond (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.) is also expected to compete. Other highly notable contenders include state champions Vincent Kilkeary (Greater Latrobe, Pa.), Braeden Davis (Dundee, Mich.), Ethan Rivera (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.), and Nolan Wertanen (St. Joseph, Mich.); state medalists Nathan Jesuroga (Southeast Polk, Iowa), Drew Heethius (Detroit Catholic, Mich.), and Zan Fugitt (Nixa, Mo.); along with past Fargo All-Americans such as Grigor Cholakyan (St. John Bosco, Calif.) and Alan Koehler (Prior Lake, Minn.).
Rounding out the top six freshmen in this field are No. 5 overall Angelo Ferrari (Stillwater, Okla.) at 138 and No. 6 Chris Coates (Liberty, Mo.) at 120.
5. Who's Number One redemption
Four wrestlers in the field lost their matches at the Who's Number One showcase put on by FloWrestling in Austin, Texas at the beginning of this month. Each seeks redemption this weekend in Myrtle Beach.
Four-time state finalist and two-time state champion Jordan Titus (Center Moriches, N.Y.) placed fourth last year at the Super 32 in the 120-pound weight class, and is registered to compete at 126. He is ranked No. 14 overall in the Class of 2021, and is looking at a potential championship match with No. 12 overall senior Drake Ayala (Fort Dodge, Iowa) should each be successful in navigating a congested weight class.
Primary challengers include two-time Super 32 placer Jordan Spratley (Collinsville, Okla.), who is ranked No. 13 overall in the Class of 2022; state champion Zeke Seltzer (Indianapolis Cathedral, Ind.), ranked No. 16 in the Class of 2022; and 2019 state champion Dustin Norris (Cincinnati LaSalle, Ohio), No. 65 in the Class of 2021. Five additional grade-ranked wrestlers populate the field: No. 48 overall junior Chase DeBlaere (Simley, Minn.); top-50 sophomores in returning Super 32 placers Maxximus Martinez (St. John Bosco, Calif.) and Dylan Gilcher (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.) along with Vincent Robinson (Homewood-Flossmoor, Ill.); and No. 12 overall freshman August Hibler (Bergen Catholic, N.J.).
Others to note at 126 include Kyren Butler (Copley, Ohio), who was one match from placing at the Super 32 last year; two-time state placers Jack Gioffre (Buchanan, Calif.), Joseph Cangro (Bergen Catholic, N.J.) and Dylan Chappell (Seneca Valley, Pa.); along with state champions Braden Basile (Tampa Jesuit, Fla.) and Danny Nini (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.).
Rylan Rogers (Blair Academy, N.J.) was champion last season at the Ironman and National Prep championships, and is registered to compete in the 182-pound weight class, which has extraordinary depth for being an upper-weight at this tournament. Ranked No. 8 overall in the Class of 2022, he is joined by Bennett Berge (Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.) Brian Soldano (High Point, N.J.) as a top 25 junior; each was a state champion and Super 32 placer last year.
In addition, there is a staggering six top-100 seniors in the field: No. 39 Rocco Contino (Buchanan, Calif.), No. 42 Jake Evans (Elyria, Ohio), No. 48 Jaxon Smith (Woodland, Ga.), No. 64 Tylynn Lukens (Manatee, Fla.), No. 84 Quayin Short (Simley, Minn.), and No. 98 Jared Simma (St. Thomas Aquinas, Kansas). Evans, Smith, and Short placed in this tournament last year, so did fellow Class of 2021 wrestlers Joey Milano (Spring-Ford, Pa.).
Among other notables in this field are grade-level ranked wrestlers in sophomore Hayden Walters (Crescent Valley, Ore.) along with freshmen Sawyer Bartelt (South Dade, Fla.) and Carter Neves (St. Paris Graham, Ohio). Additional seniors to watch include state champions Mason Diel (Arrowhead, Wis.), Roman Rogotzke (Stillwater, Minn.), and Eli Sheeren (Klein, Texas); along with state medalists Hudson Hightower (St. Edward, Ohio) and Cole Hivnor (Lake Catholic, Ohio).
Seth Shumate (Dublin Coffman, Ohio) is ranked No. 3 overall in the Class of 2022, and was undefeated in his sophomore season prior to the state tournament being cancelled due to COVID. Shumate was champion at the Walsh Ironman, North Canton, and Brecksville tournaments during the season. However, he failed to place at the same 195-pound weight class he is entered at this weekend in last year's Super 32 after being a double champ in Fargo.
Four additional grade-ranked wrestlers join Shumate in the 195 field, including returning Super 32 placer Evan Bates (Chesterton, Ind.), who is ranked No. 100 overall in the Class of 2021 after winning a state championship this past winter. Also grade ranked are No. 6 overall sophomore Gavin Nelson (Simley, Minn.), who lost to Berge in the state final last season; No. 50 overall junior Jack Darrah (Christian Brothers College, Mo.); and No. 60 overall senior Franklin Cruz (Pomona, Colo.).
Additional contenders include state champions Martin Cosgrove (Camden Catholic, N.J.), Isaiah Anderson (Chiawana, Wash.), and Dorian Walters (Lathrop, Mo.); state medalists Jon List (Wadsworth, Ohio) and Aidan Warren (Perry Meridian, Ind.); two-time New England placer Conor Maslanek (Pelham, N.H.); and sophomore Christian Carroll (Penn, Ind.), who has had a superlative fall after failing to place at state last season.
Kyonte Hamilton fell to Chase Horne at Who's Number One (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com)6. Heavy packs a punch
The fourth participant to lose at Who's Number One earlier in the month is Kyonte Hamilton (Georgetown Prep, Md.), and he is registered to compete at 285 pounds. Hamilton was champion at the Beast of the East and National Preps as a junior, and ended the 2019-20 season as the highest ranked underclassman at 220 pounds, and is ranked No. 7 overall in the Class of 2021.
Knocking off Hamilton in Austin, Texas, by a 10-6 decision was Chase Horne (West Laurens, Ga.). Horne is a two-time placer at the Super 32, including finishing second to Braxton Amos last year as a sophomore, and is ranked No. 14 overall in the Class of 2022. The third of the stars in this Super 32 weight class is another returning Super 32 runner-up in Hayden Copass (Georgetown Ridgefarm, Ill.), who ended last season as the top underclassman at 285 pounds, and is No. 35 overall in the Class of 2021.
Positioned behind these three are a quartet of credible challengers, who could make cases for higher ranking at 285 with excellent performances this weekend. Apollo Gothard (Lemont, Ill.) was a state champion last season, and is a three-time state placer; Keith Miley (Whitfield, Mo.) has twice finished as state runner-up, and is a returning Super 32 placer; Ryan Boersma (Providence Catholic, Ill.) placed at state last year as a sophomore; while Jalen Stephens (Meyersdale, Pa.) is a two-time state placer.
7. Quickly through the rest of the field
Showing the depth of this tournament is that a 138-pound field featuring five top-100 seniors gets buried this deep in the preview article. They include returning Super 32 placers in Nick Moore (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) and Caden McCrary (Woodland, Ga.), Ramon Ramos (Casteel, Ariz.), Teague Travis (Stillwater, Okla.), and Ben Alanis (Valiant Prep, Ariz.).
Six additional grade-ranked wrestlers feature in this weight class: Alex Almeyda (St. Joseph Regional, N.J.), who has placed third in this event twice, and Jake Niffenegger (Cincinnati LaSalle, Ohio) from the Class of 2022; returning Super 32 placer Nasir Bailey (Thornton Fractional North, Ill.), Nicco Ruiz (St. John Bosco, Calif.), and Joey Blaze (Perrysburg, Ohio) in the Class of 2023; and Angelo Ferrari (Stillwater, Okla.) among the freshmen.
The 145-pound weight class features four top-100 seniors and three top-50 juniors. Those from the Class of 2021 include Alex Ramirez (Rowland, Calif.), returning Super 32 placer Alek Martin (St. Paris Graham, Ohio), Nathaniel Pulliam (Rolla, Mo.), and Henry Porter (Gilroy, Calif.); while from the Class of 2022 it is Gavin Brown (Legacy Christian Academy, Ohio), Garrison Dendy (Baylor School, Tenn.), and Michael Kilic (Woodward Academy, Ga.).
The 152-pound weight class features 14 grade-ranked wrestlers. Four from the Class of 2021: Paniro Johnson (Erie Cathedral Prep, Pa.), Robert Weston (Lassiter, Ga.), Vincent Zerban (Civic Memorial, Ill.), and Connor Gaynor (Chicago Mt. Carmel, Ill.); five from the Class of 2022: Anthony Ferrari (Stillwater, Okla.), Caleb Henson (Woodland, Ga.), Daniel Cardenas (Pomona, Colo.), Mitchell Mesenbrink (Arrowhead, Wis.), and Nicholas Vafiadis (New Kent, Va.); ranked in the Class of 2023 it is Joshua Barr (Davison, Mich.), Braden Scoles (Kewaskum, Wis.), Brayden Thompson (Liberty, Ill.), and Grant Mackay (Laurel, Pa.); while Bas Diaz (Somerset Academy, Fla.) is ranked No. 9 among junior high wrestlers. Ferrari, Henson, and Cardenas are all ranked inside the top 12 for the junior class nationally.
Nine grade ranked wrestlers are present at 160 pounds. Leading the way are four top 50-ish seniors in D.J. Hamiti (Joliet Catholic, Ill.), Derek Fields (Brunswick, Ohio), Carson Manville (State College, Pa.), and Enrique Munguia (Elyria, Ohio). The trio of nationally ranked juniors are Matthew Singleton (Woodward Academy, Ga.), Erik Gibson (Forest Hills, Pa.), and Hunter Lyden (Stillwater, Minn.); while Tate Naaktgeboren (Linn-Mar, Iowa) and Michael Dellagata (St. Joseph Regional, N.J.) are top 50 in the Class of 2023.
The 170-pound weight class, based on present composition, could arguably be the tournament's weakest with just three grade-ranked wrestlers led by a pair from the Class of 2022 in returning Super 32 placer Joseph Martin (Buchanan, Calif.) and Manuel Rojas (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.). Other juniors to watch in this weight class are state champions Clayton Whiting (Oconto Falls, Wis.), James Rowley (Cresent Valley, Ore.), and Mickey Griffith (Des Moines Lincoln, Iowa); Whiting and Rowley are two-time state champions. Ryder Rogotzke (Stillwater, Minn.) is No. 43 overall in the Class of 2023. There should be opportunity for some lesser known wrestlers to make a name for themselves in this weight class.
The 220-pound weight class rounds out the field, and along with 170 is probably the field's least robust. Just three grade-level ranked wrestlers in the field. A group led by No. 28 overall junior Noah Pettigrew (Blair Academy, N.J.), who is looking for a bounce back event after some recent drops in production. Two top-100 seniors look to earn the belt in this weight class, No. 59 Bennett Tabor (Simley, Minn.) and No. 88 Xavier Doolin (North Kansas City, Mo.); Tabor was a state champion last year, and placed fourth in the Super 32 at 195, while Doolin was a state runner-up during his junior season and has had a surge of form during this off-season. Additional contenders include state champions Cole Gripka (Marysville, Mo.) and Gage Cook (Granger, Wash.), along with IHPO champion Logan Shepherd (Massillon Perry), who upset Bates to earn that title.
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