Did the Soldier Salute have better participants than the Southern

[1032004]

Looking at the finals:

125:  Ayala/Volk or Poulin/Provo: wash

133: Teske/Van Dee or Phipps/Serrano: wash

141: Woods/McNeil or Fongaro/Miranda: Salute

149: Rathjen/Ferrari or Rooks/Bond: Scuffle

157: Franek/Swensen or Zerban/Cardenas: wash

165: Caliendo/Kennedy or Mulvaney/Filipowicz: Salute

174: Arnold/Wolak or Pasiuk/Washington: wash

184: Salazar/McEnelly or Anderson/Pine: Salute

197: Glazier/Ferrari or Buchanan/Haas: wash

285: Tabor/Rasmussen or Heindselman/Crosby: wash

 

IMO, most of the weights were about a wash, and I’d give 3 weights to the Soldier Salute and only 1 to the Scuffle.  Yes, most of the top guys at the Salute were from Iowa (or hoping to go to Iowa), but seems like they at least added a little tougher competition this year (combined with the Scuffle probably getting worse).

[MadMardigain]

I get most coaches seems to be is looking for the smooth ride to the most finalists but 3 events (Midland included) over a weeks time is overkill and makes all the event hold little useful value.  I can handle two but the addition of a third has made this time of year pretty meaningless. 

[flyingcement]

Salute had a stronger set of wrestlers in my opinion and not particularly close

[1032004]

1 minute ago, MadMardigain said:

I get most coaches seems to be is looking for the smooth ride to the most finalists but 3 events (Midland included) over a weeks time is overkill and makes all the event hold little useful value.  I can handle two but the addition of a third has made this time of year pretty meaningless. 

Yup.  Plus PSU having historically gone to the Scuffle in the past and now not going to any

[gimpeltf]

1 minute ago, flyingcement said:

Salute had a stronger set of wrestlers in my opinion and not particularly close

[Hillbilly Jim]

17 minutes ago, 1032004 said:

Looking at the finals:

125:  Ayala/Volk or Poulin/Provo: wash

133: Teske/Van Dee or Phipps/Serrano: wash

141: Woods/McNeil or Fongaro/Miranda: Salute

149: Rathjen/Ferrari or Rooks/Bond: Scuffle

Rathjen/Ferrari > Rooks/Bond

[1032004]

3 minutes ago, Hillbilly Jim said:

Rathjen/Ferrari > Rooks/Bond

Meh, I could probably be convinced to call that a wash as well but I don’t think I’d go that far.  Rooks finished R12 last year.

[CHROMEBIRD]

It was a little strange that Army participated in the Scuffle instead of the Soldier Salute.

[flyingcement]

1 minute ago, CHROMEBIRD said:

It was a little strange that Army participated in the Scuffle instead of the Soldier Salute.

Maybe they believed it was in poor character to salute themselves 

[ionel]

2 minutes ago, flyingcement said:

Maybe they believed it was in poor character to salute themselves 

Or Army intelligence got wind of the Focus salute and didn't want to be within 600 miles of that.  

[CHROMEBIRD]

2 minutes ago, ionel said:

Or Army intelligence got wind of the Focus salute and didn't want to be within 600 miles of that.  

Good point, the F Troop was there 

[crzyctldy]

I'd consider it mostly a wash this year. I will say that the coverage, announcing, and view-ability goes hands down to the Scuffle. I disliked the Salute having 4 mats going for the semi-finals for the men and that they didn't have any commentating on the streams for any of the rounds, including the finals.  I attended the Scuffle and do believe they put on a superior experience for the attending and online viewing fans.

[JimmyBT]

Franek/Swenson > Zerban/Cardenas 

[Hammerlock3]

yes. first time in years i haven't watched the scuffle finals.

[1032004]

12 hours ago, JimmyBT said:

Franek/Swenson > Zerban/Cardenas 

Franek #2, Zerban Cardenas 6 & 7, Swensen 16-17, I’d say that’s about a wash

[JimmyBT]

5 minutes ago, 1032004 said:

Franek #2, Zerban Cardenas 6 & 7, Swensen 16-17, I’d say that’s about a wash

Franek was an AA last year.  Franek 4-0 vs Zerban last year.  Swenson 1-0 vs Zerban last year. 

Edited January 4 by JimmyBT

[Elevator]

All the events were competitive and ok that maybe less of grind as prior years - perhaps less injuries with smaller fields?  Better than the pandemic in any event. 

[Show_Me]

On 1/2/2024 at 9:26 PM, flyingcement said:

Salute had a stronger set of wrestlers in my opinion and not particularly close

Agree.  Soldier Salute was a deeper Tournament than the Southern Scuffle.

The # of participating Top 20 ranked wrestlers (per Intermat @ time of Tourney) :

CKLV :  92

Midlands :  35

Soldier Salute :  20

Southern Scuffle :  14

Scuffle numbers were down by roughly half as compared to last season, Midlands were about the same, & CKLV was considerably higher.  I do not have numbers for last seasons Soldier Salute.

CKLV is now clearly the best "In Season" Tournament as it had more Top 20 Ranked wrestlers (92) than Midlands, Soldier Salute, & Southern Scuffle COMBINED (69).