Virginia Tech Vs North Carolina Dual Preview (Fri Jan 10th)

 

Conference dual action within the ACC this Friday as the #5 Virginia Tech Hokies, take on the #25 North Carolina Tar Heels.  As always, wins will be vital to future seeding within the qualifier.  Eight of the matches stick out in particular. 

#4 Eddie Ventresca Vs #21 Spencer Moore
125

After a disappointing '23-'24, Eddie Ventresca has been the poster child for making a comeback, as he's thus far having an outstanding '24-'25.  The 2023 All American is currently 10-2 on the season, having made the CKLV finals, which many feel is the toughest in-season tournament in NCAA Division I.  He has a tough match this Friday against Spencer Moore.  A much tougher match than what ranking suggest.  The last the two met, Ventresca won a hard fought 9-7 decision.  Moore himself recently made the Southern Scuffle finals. 

#12 Connor McGonagle Vs #13 Ethan Oakley
133

Interesting dynamic here, as we have two transfers about to do battle here at 133 lbs.  Connor McGonagle a former Lehigh Mountain Hawk against Ethan Oakley, a former Appalachian State Mountaineer.  Now McGonagle a Hokie & Oakley, a Tar Heel, we'll see the two go to war in what should be a very good match.  Oakley recently took a 3rd place showing at the Southern Scuffle.

#12 Sam Latona Vs U.R. Jayden Scott
141

Anxious to see how this one turns out.  Sam Latona's career resembles that of a roller coaster.  It has its ups, and it has its downs.  He's won some big matches this season & he's lost some too.  6th at CKLV, he goes into this match the favorite, but not a shoe-in.  Jayden Scott on the other hand, seems to finally be coming into his own.  He's had the talent and the ability for quite some time, but it wasn't until recently that he displayed it, making the finals of the Southern Scuffle, with some notable upsets. 

#1 Caleb Henson Vs #6 Lachlan McNeil
149

NCAA DI champion Caleb Henson wrestles at times like he might not ever see defeat again.  While given tough matches, he seems to always find a way to get his hand raised in the end.  Having won a CKLV title, he'll have one of his tougher challenges this Friday against Lachlan McNeil. McNeil a two time All American would love to place himself within the discussion of plausible threats to both the NCAA as well as the ACC title.  If he could knock off Henson or even give him a tough match, that would be a conversation starter for sure. 

#13 Rafael Hipolito Vs #26 Sonny Santiago
157

Been a great start to the varsity career for redshirt freshman Rafael Hipolito. He pulled off some very impressive wins before having to medical forfeit to 8th place at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational.  A win over Sonny Santiago, would add another important W to the 12 victories he has already garnered this season.  From a Carolina blue and white perspective, Santiago was an NCAA DI qualifier last year & hopes to make another trip back.  Could use a big win, and Hipolito would be a big win. 

#4 Lennox Wolak Vs #20 Josh Ogunsanya
174

Collegiate wrestling can be an extremely fascinating world if you pay close attention and allow it to be.  Lennox Wolak & Josh Ogunsanya have never met officially, but I'd wager to bet the two are very familiar with one another. They were after all teammates for three seasons at Columbia.  That's not the only reason this match will be interesting.  It'll also be interesting because both of these wrestlers are looking to rediscover themselves after some disappointment.  Ogunsanya looked to be building himself up to All American status, when he suffered an unfortunate injury. It set him back quite a bit, as he just recently started wrestling again.  Wolak, an All American last season, recently had a very disappointing Southern Scuffle, suffering three upsets in a row.  Both of these guys are looking to shake things off and head back in the right direction. Only one of them will do it. 

#25 T.J. Stewart Vs #16 Gavin Kane
184

I repeat, college wrestling can be a very interesting world if you pay close attention.  It's no secret to anyone, that All American T.J. Stewart is struggling something mad this season. For whatever reason, '24-'25 has so far not been his season. With that said, Gavin Kane, while not struggling as much, isn't quite to the level he wants to be either. An All American in 2023, Kane is currently a top 20 wrestler, looking to once again be a top 8 wrestler.  These guys have met twice, both matches ending in overtime.  Stewart owns a 7-4 victory & Kane owns an 11-8 victory.  This rubber match could set the tone for the second half of the season for either one of these guys. 

#8 Andy Smith Vs U.R. Cade Lautt
197

The last time Andy Smith & Cade Lautt met on the mat, it was a 10-3 decision for the Hokie over the Tar Heel.  I'm sure that Smith wants to widen the gap and go for the major, giving Virginia Tech some bonus points in this dual.  Lautt, will want to make the match closer, give himself an opportunity to pull off a big upset. 

Stanford Vs Pittsburgh Dual Preview (Friday Jan 10th)

 

I was surprised to see Pittsburgh out of the rankings, considering the fact that they have a fairly solid team all the way up and down the lineup. I believe they will give the #20 Stanford Cardinal a good showing this Friday.  8 of the 10 matches we'll see, stick out for different reasons.  It should be noted that Nico Provo is currently redshirting, thus most likely giving #17 Nick Babin & the Panthers some bonus points at 125 lbs. 

#10 Tyler Knox Vs U.R. Vince Santaniello
133

Tyler Knox is having himself a phenomenal season.  Started off with a huge win over NCAA DI finalist Drake Ayala, placed 5th at CKLV, and recently won the Midlands title. Vince Santaniello is a tough wrestler.  I believe better than the current U.R. that he currently stands. With that said, Knox is on a roll. I smell bonus points here for the Cardinal. 

U.R. Jason Miranda Vs #31 Anthony Santaniello
141

Jason Miranda has been a team player for the Cardinal for quite some time. Often an important piece within the chess matches we call duals, Miranda is often overlooked and underappreciated by the larger wrestling medias. I've noticed a lot of hype and attention for redshirt Aden Valencia, and rightly so, but Miranda is an important fixture for the black, white, red and cardinal.  He showcased that recently by earning a 4th place finish at the Midlands.  If he can earn a victory here over Anthony Santaniello (who finished one match shy of a medal at the Midlands) I would hope that he'll finally get a # next to his name.  Easier said than done, as Santaniello will be ready for battle. 

#8 Jaden Abas Vs #27 Finn Solomon
149

If I had to say who I've been impressed with most in NCAA DI wrestling, somewhere on the list, somewhere near the top would be Jaden Abas. '24-'25 did not start off good for Abas, but here not all that long ago, something snapped within him, and he's been looking as good as he's ever looked.  Took a very impressive 3rd at CKLV & then turned around and won the Midlands championship.  Finn Solomon is a tough opponent, finished 6th at Midlands in his own right, but I think we're looking at another W for the Cardinal. 

#28 Grigor Cholokyan Vs #22 Dylan Evans
157

Two talented freshmen, we saw a great match between Grigor Cholokyan & Dylan Evans in the consolation quarterfinals of the Midlands championships.  The Panther prevailed over the Cardinal, getting the takedown in sudden victory, winning the match by an 11-8 score.  Evans took 5th place, as Cholokyan took 7th.  This will once again be a tossup, perhaps the best match of the dual. 

#5 Lorenzo Norman Vs #18 Luca Augustine
174

174 lbs is an extremely tough weight class, and it has been most impressive how Lorenzo Norman has climbed the ladder to find himself high within the rankings.  A CKLV runner-up, Norman gave unappreciative Bernard Muir another Midlands champion a few weeks ago in Chicago.  Luca Augustine is a tough wrestler, 6th at Midlands himself, but once again, this one favors Stanford. 

#33 Tye Monteiro Vs #19 Reece Heller
184

125 favors the Panthers.  157, a toss-up, 133, 141, 149, 165 & 174, all favor the Cardinal.  The momentum starts to shift the other direction once we get into the upper-weights, and it starts here at 184 lbs.  Reece Heller is on a high after having recently won the Midlands title.  If the Panthers win the 157 lbs tossup & keep other matches to a decision, they are still within grasp to upset the Cardinal.  They would need a major or better here, which is within Heller's capabilities. 

#12 Max Stout Vs #24 Nick Stemmet
197

Here's another match that favors the Panthers, but I wouldn't count out Nick Stemmet quite yet.  He's came alive at different times throughout his career and if the dual is within question, I think we'll see him at his best.  Max Stout won the Midlands title, defeating a wrestler in the finals who had tech'd Stemmet earlier in the tournament.  The math adds up that we'd be looking at a major or better for the Panthers, but I'll say again, don't count out Stemmet quite yet.  

U.R. Peter Ming Vs #14 Dayton Pitzer
HWT

Here we favor the Panthers once again.  Daytor Pitzer hasn't wrestled much this season, but he's shown in previous seasons that he can be relied upon to get bonus points, when bonus points are crucial for dual victory. With that said, I beileve that Peter Ming has made some vast improvements.  He was 6th at the Midlands championships, and could keep this match with Pitzer to a decision, which may very well be crucial in this dual against Pittsburgh. 

Rutgers Vs Indiana Dual Preview (Friday January 10th)

 

The #29 Rutgers Scarlet Knights will be taking on the U.R. Indiana Hoosiers this Friday in dual action.  Despite the Hoosiers being unranked, there will still be a lot of good matches in this meet. Indiana is consistently getting better as a program and I believe this will be another opportunity for them to prove it. Six matches stick out in particular, with some favoring Rutgers, some favoring Indiana & others being tossups. 

#16 Dean Peterson Vs #25 Jacob Moran
125

This matchup between these talented lightweights favors the Scarlet Knights.  Dean Peterson, a Midlands champion has defeated Jacob Moran (who was 4th at the Midlands himself) on two occasions, by 8-4 & 4-0 decisions. While he has had to work hard and earn his points against Moran, he's been able to shut Moran's offense down, and that has been the key in his two victories against the Hoosier.  Predict a similar outcome this weekend, although I do see Moran trying new strategies to break past Peterson's stellar defense. 

#16 Dylan Shawver Vs U.R. Angelo Rini
133

Even more so than 125, 133 also favors the Scarlet Knights.  Dylan Shawver made the Midlands finals, while Angelo Rini came up a match short of a medal. With that said, this is NCAA DI wrestling, upsets happen, and they happen often.  While Angelo Rini is currently unranked, he was an NCAA qualifier in 2023.  I think this one will be better on the mat, than what it suggests it'll be on paper. 

#27 Tony White Vs #24 Derek Gilcher Or U.R. Tyler Lillard
165

Here's where things get, very, very interesting.  Check this out.  Tyler Lillard, Midlands champ, has defeated Tony White on two occasions, in very close scores of 4-1 & 2-1 tiebreaker decisions.  Lillard's teammate, Derek Gilcher has defeated him on two occasions, also by very close decisions. Any guesses as to the scores?  Try 4-1 & 2-1 tiebreaker.   Not sure who the Hoosiers will go with in this one, but either way, we've got a good match on our hands.  

#28 Shane Cartagena-Walsh Vs #32 D.J. Washington
184

When you've been watching wrestling as long as I have, you realize that past results don't matter as much as you'd think they would.  Shane Cartagena-Walsh, took 2nd to D.J. Washington's 7th at the Midlands championships, but I'm still very confident, this will be a good match.  SCW, is a redshirt freshman looking to move up in the rankings & earn his first NCAA qualification this season.  D.J. Washington is a three time NCAA qualifier, who barely missed out on qualification last season, looking to earn the fourth qualification he was shafted out of last year.  As we all know the BIG 10's can be notoriously tough.  As a result, seeding is crucial.  A head to head victory is something both of these guys want going forward. 

#18 John Poznanski Vs #23 Gabe Sollars
197

Gabe Sollars had perhaps the biggest win of his career, when he upset John Poznanski 9-5 at the Midlands.  As he made the finals, Poznanski medical forfeited to 6th place.  As we examine their last meeting, it's also important to note that Poznanski won their other two meetings by scores of 6-2 & 7-1.  Based on Midlands results, the next rankings to be posted would most likely reflect Sollars ahead of Poznanski. Yet if Poznanski wins here, we're back to Poznanski being ahead of Sollars.  It can often be chaos, hence why in 23 years of covering collegiate wrestling, I've only done rankings once. (And I never will again ;).....) 

#8 Yaraslau Slavikouski Vs #22 Jacob Bullock
HWT

Rather ironic, but like teammate Gabe Sollars, Jacob Bullock pulled off the biggest win of his career to date, when he defeated a Rutgers opponent.  Bullock knocked off All American Yaraslau Slavikouski by a 4-1 decision, eventually making the Midlands finals, while Slavikouski came back to take 3rd.  If the Hoosier was to once again defeated the Scarlet Knight, it'd be huge to BIG 10 seedings.  Slavikouski who guns to once again earn a top 8 showing at the NCAA's, of course wants to avenge the loss. 









 

Manganaro Duals Preview (Sat Jan 11th)

 

Hosted by Ursinus, the Manganaro Duals is for the most part, a NCAA Division III series of duals, although a couple of NCAA Division II teams will be present.  Among the NCAA DIII competition, #3 Johnson & Wales, #6 Castleton, #9 USCGA, #12 Southern Maine & #16 SUNY-Oneonta will all be competing.  Here at JT#1, I have identified what I feel will be the best matches of the event. 

#1 Joziah Fry Johnson & Wales Vs #4 Gavin Bradley Castleton
125 lbs 

When it is all said & done, Joziah Fry is going to go down as one of the greatest NCAA DIII wrestlers of all time. A two time NCAA DIII champ, who barring injury or one of the greatest upsets of all time, will end his career with his third title.  That noted, Gavin Bradley is one heck of a talent himself.  7th in the D3 nation last season, he's currently 18-2 on the year, looking for his second All American honor.  Thus far Fry has shown his utter dominance in four matches, with a 4:42 fall, a 4:26 fall, a 19-3 technical fall & an 18-8 major decision. 

U.R. Drew Marchese Castleton Vs #3 Peyton Ellis Johnson & Wales
133 lbs 

At the beginning of the season, I said that I thought Johnson & Wales stood a shot at winning the NCAA DIII team title as the host of the championships this season, and when I said that I was thinking strictly with returning talent.  Now as the season as progressed, I feel even more confident about J&W's abilities, due to some of the phenomenal rookie talent that the team possesses. Freshman Peyton Ellis has taken the D3 wrestling world by storm.  Currently 14-1 on the year, he already owns a 16-5 major decision over Drew Marchese, who placed 5th at last year's Northeast Regional.  The dual of Castleton Vs Johnson & Wales will be the best of the Manganaro match-ups, and gaining or avoiding bonus points will be invaluable.

#8 James Rodriguez Castleton Vs #3 Cam Soda Johnson & Wales
141 lbs 

Looking very, very forward to this one.  We have former DI wrestler Cam Soda, who transferred to J&W after two seasons at Edinboro, taking on James Rodriguez a two time NCAA DIII All American who finished a nose hair away from his third All American honor last season.  In my opinion, Rodriguez is a darkhorse to win the NCAA D3 title this year.  The last the two met, it was a 5-1 t.b. victory for Soda.  To garner a win here would not only be sweet revenge, but also a huge confidence booster for the Spartan.  On the flip side, another win for Soda would keep his ranking intact and give him another W over an opponent of high value. 

U.R. Elijah Cyr Castleton Vs #9 Hayden Brown Johnson & Wales
149 lbs

On paper, this one looks to be a sure thing for the Wildcats.  Hayden Brown is a returning 3rd place All American with a 15-1 record, taking on Elijah Cyr who was 7th at last year's Northeast Regional.  This one definitely favors the Wildcats, but Cyr has wrestled tough at various times in the past.  Upsetting Brown may be out of the question, but giving him a tough match is not. Cyr knows the importance of a dual like this, and I imagine as a result, he'll bring his A game. 

U.R. Haven Tatarek Castleton Vs U.R. Dylan Harr Johnson & Wales
197 lbs 

Thus far 4th & 5th in the NCAA D3 nation, and having competed in both tournaments & duals within '24-'25, it is beyond me why Dylan Harr is not ranked at the moment.  I suppose he could be taking a partial year off or something, I honestly don't know how the rules and regulations work at the D3 level.  I know that in DI, you can wrestle x amount of duals, and still keep a redshirt, but I'm not sure how such matters work in D3.  Could simply be an oversight too. Regardless, if Harr is wrestling, he's going to be a point getting for the Wildcats this weekend.  Has a tough match up with Haven Tatarek though.  Tatarek is looking pretty good this season, thus far 16 wins. 

#1 Chase Randall USCGA Vs U.R. Danny Poggi SUNY-Oneonta
133 lbs 

Last year's NCAA DIII champ Chase Randall already owns a 16-1 technical fall over Danny Poggi, but I can see the Red Dragon giving more heat this weekend than he did in their previous matchup. 8th in the Mideast Regional last year, he was 4th (one match shy of NCAA D3 qualification) in 2023. 

#7 Avery Leonard SUNY-Oneonta Vs #5 Nathan Fitt USCGA
149 lbs

Here's another match to look very, very forward to.  Both of these talents, NCAA D3 All American potentials, Nathan Fitt returns the Northeast Regional champion. Avery Leonard an NCAA D3 qualifier in 2023, was one match shy of earning another qualification this past season.  Leonard is currently 19-0 on the season, on a vengeance to reclaim his qualification status, perhaps more. Will he be able to upend Fitt this weekend? Or will Fitt be where that undefeated streak comes to an end? 

#12 Malik Asfour Delaware Valley Vs U.R. Chris DeRosa New England
125 lbs

7th in the Southeast Regional last season, Malik Asfour has looked very tough in the first half of the year, with a 13-3 record.  One of those three losses was a hard fought match against All American Gavin Bradley, which he lost 8-6.   I believe Chris DeRosa could be a tough matchup for the Aggie this weekend.  DeRosa was 6th at the Northeast Regional last season. 

U.R. Fred Luchs Rhode Island College Vs U.R. Franco Mazza Ursinus
125 lbs 

26-8 on the year and one match shy of NCAA DIII qualification, I believe that Fred Luchs is one of the best wrestlers at 125 lbs not in the rankings.  With that said, I also think despite being unranked, that Franco Mazza, who was 7th in the Mideast Regional last season, is also a pretty tough wrestler. Looking forward to this match. 

#8 James Rodriguez Castleton Vs #12 Bobur Berdiyorov New England
141 lbs

I've already spoken extensively on James Rodriguez & truth of the matter is, he has another very tough matchup this weekend against Bobur Berdiyorov. The Uzbekistan native was one match away from being an All American himself last season, plus he already owns a 6-4 decision over the Spartan. Rankings can be so crucial at this level of wrestling.  This is a very important match for both of these wrestlers. 

#1 Chase Randall USCGA Vs U.R. Jacob Blair Delaware Valley
133 lbs

Much like Dylan Harr, there is a mystery behind why returning 5th place All American Jacob Blair isn't currently ranked. 6-3 on the season, all 9 of his matches have been in duals.  Regardless of the reasoning, he's a tough wrestler.  Did drop a 15-3 major decision against Chase Randall at the NCAA D3 championships last season & anxious to see if he can wrestle the national champ better than he did last time. 

#12 Malik Asfour Delaware Valley Vs U.R. Fred Luchs Rhode Island College
125 lbs

As mentioned previously, I believe Fred Luchs is one of the best wrestlers at 125 lbs who is currently unranked.  I believe he has the opportunity to showcase that this weekend. Has a very tough challenge in #12 ranked Malik Asfour, who has, as previously mentioned, made some vast improvements this season. 

#15 Jack Richardson Johnson & Wales Vs U.R. Matt Lucas Roger Williams
165 lbs 

When these two met last season, it was a 12-3 major decision for the Wildcat over the Hawk.   Both of these guys are looking good this season, with Richardson (who was one match shy of D3 qualification last season) carrying a 16-3 record & Lucas (who was 5th at the Northeast Regional last season) carrying a 14-4 record. 

#2 Jake Craig Southern Maine Vs U.R. Danny Poggi SUNY-Oneonta
133 lbs

What a rough weekend for Danny Poggi. Has to face #1 ranked returning NCAA D3 champion Chase Randall & then has to turn around & face #2 Jake Craig who is on a terror after having placed 4th in the D3 nation in 2023, but having missed out on All American honors last year. I do believe Poggi has the ability and talent to finish top 21 by season's end.  May be very telling one way or the other against the D3 nation's two best wrestlers at this weight class.  The last the two met, Craig scored a 16-0 technical fall over the Dragon. 

U.R. Dylan Harr Johnson & Wales Vs #8 Spencer Fetrow Roger Williams
197 lbs 

Again, no idea why Harr isn't ranked at the moment.  Against Spencer Fetrow, who was one match shy of NCAA DIII qualification last season, he is 3-0.  A 3:43 fall, the other two matches were closer. One an 8-3 decision, another a much closer 6-5 decision.  Looking forward to this match.  Predict that it'll be a good one. 

#15 Jackson Maby SUNY-Oneonta Vs #3 Colby Frost Southern Maine
141 lbs

Jackson Maby is having himself a fantastic freshman season thus far this season, with a current record of 16-1.  This Saturday, he'll have his toughest collegiate challenge yet, as he takes on Colby Frost, who was 6th in the D3 nation last year, currently carrying a 16-0 record.  Youth Vs experience in this classic. 

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That's my analysis. I'm sure there will be some other great matches in this series of duals that I'm probably overlooking.  Feel free to share with me.  These 16 matches stuck out in particularly to me. 

Northern Iowa Vs Nebraska Dual Preview (Sunday Jan 5th)

 

If you're the religious type, please say a little prayer & if you're not, send some positive vibes and/or thoughts.  This dual between #8 Northern Iowa & #4 Nebraska is one that I am looking very forward to and as long as the weather doesn't do me wrong, yours's truly will be there live to watch the action. This one is loaded from top to bottom.  All 10 matches should provide fun and excitement.  

#31 Kyle Gollhofer Or U.R. Trevor Anderson Vs #5 Caleb Smith 
125 lbs

On paper this one seems like a shoe-in for the Huskers, but it may not be as clear, cut and dry as what it appears to be.  Yes, we are dealing with an All American, who recently picked up a 4th place finish at Cliff Keen, but Kyle Gollhofer has shown a lot of potential at various points this season.  He nearly upset All American Tanner Jordan, giving the Jackrabbit a great scare in the dual Vs South Dakota State, and he was one match away from placing at CKLV himself.  In other words he may not be the 26 steps behind Caleb Smith that ranking suggests that he is.  I'd like to see him get a shot in this dual, but we could very well see Trevor Anderson, who recently picked up a 3rd place showing at the Soldier Salute. Northern Iowa has a lot of talent in a lot of weights, and is still deciding on starters come BIG 12's.  For either Gollhofer or Anderson, a good showing against a wrestler of Smiths' caliber would pull a lot of weight. 

#21 Cory Land Or U.R. Julian Farber Vs #20 Jacob Van Dee
133 lbs 

Anxious to see who Coach Schwab starts in this dual.  Cory Land & Jacob Van Dee have never met collegiately. At CKLV, Land suffered an injury against Tyler Knox in the quarters & had to medical forfeit in the R12.  Van Dee pulled off some very nice wins, including a 10-4 decision over former CKLV champ Dylan Ragusin in route to a 6th place finish. If healthy, I think we're looking at a fantastic match between Land and Van Dee.

With that said.... Farber is very familiar with the Husker. They've met a total of three times, with Farber winning 8-1 & 9-5 decisions, and Van Dee winning a 5-1 decision. I will say that Farber looked to be knocking off some rust at the Soldier Salute, having debuted there after having not wrestled the first 9 weeks of the season.  Much like at 125, we have two very talented wrestlers here and only one of them is going to start at the BIG 12's.  Both of these guys are capable of earning a W on Sunday and for both of these guys a W against a wrestler like JVD would be crucial. 

#8 Cael Happel Vs #5 Brock Hardy
141 lbs 

If you are an avid reader of JT#1, you know that I'm of the opinion that Cael Happel is one of the best wrestlers in NCAA DI wrestling yet to All American.  I don't just pull these opinions out of thin air either, I back them up with stats and facts.  And the fact of the matter is, Cael Happel has defeated Brock Hardy (whom I believe on the right day, could contend for the NCAA DI title) on two occasions.  He owns an 11-8 s.v. over the Husker & he also owns a 15-13 decision.  Hardy owns a 6-1 decision over him. 

Now, it is not lost on me that Hardy looked smooth and solid at CKLV, capturing a 3rd place finish, while Happel had a roller coaster of ups and downs, eventually taking 8th.  In a grueling sport that last nearly 6 months, few of us are lucky enough to not suffer a bad day or two.  Vegas is said and done. We're now in Cedar Falls, wrestling on home mats, in front of home fans.  Schwab will have Happel ready.  I have no doubt about that.  So too will Manning have Hardy ready. I also have no doubt about that. 

#17 Colin Realbuto Vs #5 Ridge Lovett
149 lbs 

Colin Realbuto has thus far been having himself a very good season. 7th at CKLV, he was 3rd at the Soldier Salute.  With that said, he has himself one of his toughest challenges this Sunday.  Former NCAA DI finalist, who recently made the CKLV finals, Ridge Lovett.  125 favoring the Huskers, with 133 & 141 being tossups, we once again favor the Huskers here at 149 lbs. With that said, Coach Schwab has shown that his wrestlers go out onto the mat looking to win, regardless of whom they're stepping out there against.  I also know that Coach Manning is well aware of that and he'll bring his Huskers in ready for war. That's what makes a dual like this so much fun to watch. 

#5 Ryder Downey Vs #3 Antrell Taylor 
157 lbs 

Here is our marquee event of the evening. Ryder Downey and Antrell Taylor met in the finals of Cliff Keen Las Vegas with Antrell Taylor winning a controversial 4-3 match.  Many feel that there were points that should've been awarded to Downey that were not.  Sunday, is a big opportunity for both of these men. An opportunity for Downey to avenge the loss in front of the loyal purple and gold.  An opportunity for Taylor to capitalize upon his CKLV finals win & go home with win number two over a very good opponent. 

#21 Jack Thomsen Vs #7 Bubba Wilson 
165 lbs 

Both of these guys have looked good this season, pulling off various upsets in the first half of the season.  While Jack Thomsen finished one match shy of a medal at Cliff Keen, he did pull off a very impressive 10-5 decision over eventual 3rd place finish Terrell Barraclough. He also took CKLV finalist Cam Amine into overtime before ultimately losing 4-1.  Bubba Wilson finished in 4th place, and is honestly looking the best he has looked during his time as a Husker. He finished 4th at CKLV, with a huge 6-4 win over Sammy Sasso & a 7-4 win over Drake Rhodes.  Thomsen will be out for blood, looking to knock off a much higher ranked opponent.  Wilson will treat that higher ranking like it is his home, ready to defend it with everything he's got. 

#16 Jared Simma Vs #17 Lenny Pinto
174 lbs

Here is another match of vast interest.  Jared Simma upset Lenny Pinto 14-8 and kept the Husker from earning his second CKLV medal, as he himself picked up a 7th place finish.  Simma also looked good at the Soldier Salute, picking up a 3rd place finish with 4-1 win over Josh Ogunsanya.  This match rides a fine line of importance for both of these gentlemen. Gives Simma an opportunity for another win over an opponent who finished R12 at last year's NCAA's.  Gives Pinto an opportunity seek vengeance over the guy that kept him off of the award stand in Sin City. 

#2 Parker Keckeisen Vs #5 Silas Allred
184 lbs 

Being honest and objective, 3rd-3rd-2nd-1st in the NCAA DI, Parker Keckeisen isn't going to have a lot of challenge this season.  Having recently picked up his second CKLV title, the Panther has the train at full speed, ready to plow through anyone who dares to get on his track.  With that said, Silas Allred is currently undefeated in his own right.  Titles won at both the Kent State Open and the Navy Classic.  Twice the NCAA R12, he's another top notch wrestler looking to prove himself as an All American this season.  Let's see how he hangs with the Panther. 

#15 Wyatt Voelker Vs #22 Camden McDanel
197 lbs 

I have been thoroughly impressed with Wyatt Voelker's vast improvement this season. He wrestled a very good CKLV, earning a 5-1 decision over BIG 10 finalist Zach Glazier & then defeating Christian Carroll 6-1 for 7th place, who had defeated him 10-9 in round two. With that said, he has a very tough opponent in Camden McDanel this weekend.  McDanel missed out on a CKLV medal, with a 6-4 loss to Joey Novak, who then took out Voelker 5-2 in the consolation quarterfinals.  We have ourselves another good match at 197. 

#16 Lance Runyon Vs #23 Harley Andrews
HWT

Granted, long gone are the days of the behemoth giants, but I still like to think of Lance Runyon as the David among Goliaths in the between 198 & 285 lbs weight class. So far this season, he's brought his slingshot locked and loaded on several occasions. Looked very tough at CKLV, earning a 7th place finish with wins over Trevor Tinker and Cory Day.  Harley Andrews looked tough at CKLV too.  He was 8th at CKLV, also with wins over Trevor Tinker and Cory Day.  Runyon and Andrews were set to meet in that 7th place match, but Andrews had to medical forfeit.  Now we get to see what will happen when the two meet this Sunday.