One note from this last week of wrestling was the impressive run Vicky Anthony put together at the U.S. Open. The young grappler looked sensational in her gold-medal run at 48 kilograms, winning her finals match by pin, though setup by an even more impressive foot sweep.
Anthony and the other wrestlers who competed should be commended. The Olympics aren't that far in the rearview and already many of them are looking forward to making national teams and maybe even earning a spot in the 2020 Games.
No matter what the season, or the reason, the commitment of athletes like Anthony should be recognized.
Congrats!
To your questions …
Virginia freshman Jack Mueller is 10-0 and ranked No. 11 at 125 pounds (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com)Q: I have been impressed by what I've seen in the early part of the season from Jack Mueller of Virginia. Do you see him as a potential All-American this season at 125 pounds?
-- Mike C.
Foley: An undefeated freshman with wins over a pair of top twenty opponents? Not shabby! I think that he certainly can't be counted out of contention. He's winning with a lot of points on the board, stays aggressive and doesn't rely on any gimmickry.
When I look at a wrestler I usually try to find their one gaping hole, and with the matches I've seen from Mueller he doesn't have any major deficiencies. Better still the coaching staff sees him as a leader and someone training and living his life the right way. As an alumnus it's certainly encouraging to see his early season success.
Boo Lewallen topped MSU's Javier Gasca in the Reno TOC semifinals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Q: What do you make of Oklahoma State's third-string 141-pounder Boo Lewallen winning the Reno Tournament of Championships and earning OW? He beat NCAA finalist Bryce Meredith!
-- Mike C.
Foley: Ahh, gimmickry. John Smith knows a thing or two about shutting down the styles of opposing wrestlers. Like many of today's funkier wrestlers there are ways to limit the effectiveness of their counterattacks -- usually through superior position and patience.
Meredith has a very specific game and when faced with someone ready to tackle his creativity with solid technique he's put into trouble. (In watching the tape it seems that Meredith also had a banged up right knee, which could very well have come as a result of too much bending and twirling during shot defense.)
As for the actual match, from the first whistle you could see that Lewallen was cued into a double leg and quick, solid finishes. There was little climbing up Meredith's back, at least until he could secure the two points. And when Meredith's hips got loose Lewallen chose the correct time to bail.
The second takedown was a misdirection low single finished off to a low double. On Meredith's bad side there was little he could do to stop the attack, or launch a counter. He repeated it again at the end, earning a third and final takedown.
MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME
Best takedowns of 2016
Link: Senegalese wrestling on CNN
Q: Any idea why Penn State is not competing in the Southern Scuffle? The Nittany Lions have been a staple there.
-- MC
Foley: Coach Cael answered the question during Penn State's media day, telling reporters that he really enjoys the Scuffle, but that he couldn't manage that tournament and a turnaround to two major Big Ten dual meets.
Still, he ended his response with an important side note: that he wants his guys to stay "healthy and happy" … which is indicative of a new approach some programs are taking to the holiday season tournaments. From my vantage points there has been a push in recent years to limit the amount of wrestling done over break, and instead give some family time back to the athletes. The Scuffle and Midlands have felt too good to pass up, but the benefits of rest and relaxation seem to also be significant.
Many wrestlers have a shared experience of coming back to campus on December 26 to train for an upcoming tournament. While at the time I remember feeling like I was investing more through that sacrifice of time without family, I wish I'd have reimagined my value system and placed that family time higher than some extra training.
Penn State's schedule is tough enough without the Scuffle. No question they'll get all the matches they need from their current 16-date calendar.
Q: What happened to Fox Baldwin?
-- Nick M.
Foley: I don't think anything happened. He's just in redshirt for the season.
Baldwin placed third at the Mat Town Invitational wrestling at 174 pounds. He pinned all of his opponents, but lost (via pin) to Chance Marstellar. Last year he started off hot with an impressive 9-0 start before his season was cut short by injury.
Comment of the Week
By Coolbeans
Since wrestling is a sport that often requires weight cutting, I am shocked to see wrestlers that eat the GMO meat, soda, pesticide-laced fruit, vegetables, bread and food. Many people say, "I eat healthy," yet they don't consume all organic food. The public doesn't seem to realize that consuming poisoned food is like putting kerosene in your car. What fuel that you feed your body is EXTREMELY important, especially if weight cutting.
Furthermore, meat and dairy are actually bad for humans, which are really wired for vegetarian. Many say that "I need meat for protein." Totally false. The primates are mainly vegetarian and are four times stronger than humans. Long-term true studies prove vegan is the best diet for humans … I mean studies that are not funded by the doctors (who want customers and money) as well as the meat and dairy industries.
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