Going for 2, 3, 4 or More Southern Scuffle 2017

Geo Martinez 2nd
Tyler Berger 6th
Collin Heffernan 8th
Jason Nolf 2nd 1st
Chance Marstellar 4th
Ethan Ramos 7th 2nd 4th
Matt McCutcheon 4th
Dominick Abounader 5th
Willie Miklus 6th
Adam Coon 2nd
Zeke Moisey DNP 3rd
Darian Cruz DNP 5th 3rd
Austin Assad 6th
Connor Schram 8th
Kaid Brock 6th 1st
Dean Heil DNP 1st 1st
Joey McKenna 2nd 3rd
Jared Prince 4th
Tommy Thorn 5th 7th
Zain Retherford DNP 1st
Justin Oliver 3rd
Mitch Finesilver DNP 5th 7th
Paul Fox 7th
Drew Longo  DNP 8th 8th
Logan Massa 2nd
Ryan Preisch 4th 3rd
Garrett Hammond DNP 7th
Bo Nickal 1st
Chandler Rogers 4th 1st
Garret Krohn DNP 8th
Jake Smith DNP DNP 4th
Nathan Butler DNP 7th 4th
Billy Miller 8th 7th
Jack Mueller 2nd
Sean Russell 4th
Gabe Townsell 5th
Nick Piccininni 6th
Barlow McGhee DNP DNP 8th
Scotty Parker DNP 2nd
Josh Alber DNP 3rd
John Erneste 5th
Mitch McKee 6th
Korbin Meyers 7th
Jaydin Eierman 5th
Tristan Moran 6th
Max Thomsen 3rd
Pat Lugo 4th
Matt Zovitoski DNP 7th
Jordan Kutler 1st
Joey Lavallee DNP DNP 3rd
Andrew Atkinson DNP DNP 4th
Jake Short DNP DNP 5th
Daniel Lewis DNP 2nd
Bryce Steier DNP 3rd
Nick Wanzek DNP DNP 4th
Keilan Torres DNP DNP 6th
Chad Pyke DNP 7th
Mark Hall 1st
Taylor Lujan 7th
Jadaen Bernstein DNP DNP 8th
Bryce Carr DNP DNP 3rd
Dakota Greer 4th
Drew Foster DNP 6th
Chip Ness DNP DNP 7th
Dylan Gabel DNP 8th
Preston Wiegel DNP 3rd
Derek White DNP 4th
Frank Mattiace DNP DNP 5th
Ben Honis 7th
Ben DamStadt 8th
Jacob Kasper DNP DNP 1st
Mike Hughes DNP DNP 5th

Going for 2, 3, 4 or More at Midlands 2017

Brandon Sorensen 3rd 3rd 1st 1st
Jason Tsirtsis 5th 1st 2nd 5th
Chad Walsh 7th 4th 3rd 2nd
Isaiah Martinez 4th 1st -1st
Steve Micic 3rd
Kevin Norstrem 5th
Sal Mastriani 4th
Justin Staudenmayer 5th
Ronnie Bresser DNP 2nd
Ben Thornton 7th
Emilio Saavedra 1st
Josh Alber 2nd
Anthony Giraldo 4th 7th
Steve Bleise 2nd
Kevin Jack DNP 3rd 1st
Anthony Ashnault DNP 4th 3rd
Matt Kolodzik 5th 2nd
Ronnie Perry DNP 6th
Mike Kemerer 5th 1st
BJ Clagon DNP 6th
Richie Lewis DNP DNP 4th
Tyler Berger 7th 2nd
Markus Schiedel DNP DNP 8th
David Kocer DNP 6th
Jonathan Schleifer DNP 2nd
Peter Renda DNP DNP 5th 5th
Zahid Valencia 7th 1st
Nick Gravina DNP 8th 6th
Tanner Hall 2nd 1st
Sam Stoll 3rd 3rd
Gage Hutchinson 7th 4th
Sebastian Rivera 4th
Shakur Laney DNP 5th
Johnny Jimenez 7th
Christian Moody 8th
Seth Gross DNP 3rd
Jamal Moris DNP 5th
Scott DelVecchio DNP 6th
Cam Kelly DNP 7th
Eli Stickley 8th
Chad Red 4th
Kanen Storr 5th
Russell Rohlfing 6th
Nick Zanetta DNP DNP 8th
Justin Oliver DNP 2nd
Ryan Deakin 3rd
Davion Jeffries DNP 4th
Sam Speno DNP 5th
Baby J Bannister DNP 8th
Josh Shields 3rd
Evan Wick 4th
Colin Heffernan DNP DNP 6th
Jack Van Brill DNP 8th
Anthony Valencia 3rd
Alex Marinelli 4th
Kaleb Young 5th
Lorenzo De La Riva 6th
Andrew Fogarty 8th
Devin Skatzka 5th
Ryan Christensen DNP 6th
Jordan Pagnano DNP 7th
Josef Johnson DNP DNP 8th
Mike Macchiavello DNP DNP 7th
Myles Martin DNP 8th
Nate Rotert DNP DNP 2nd
Ricky Robertson DNP DNP 4th
Kevin Beazley DNP DNP 6th
Matt Williams DNP DNP 7th
Jordan Wood 2nd
Cody Crawford DNP DNP 7th
Conan Jennings DNP 8th

Wrestlers from The South: Division I Talent

I've made a countless number of arguments over the years for why the states of Florida and Georgia should have more collegiate opportunities for the phenomenal talent their high schools produce. Today I add yet another merit to the argument.

I took the southern states of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee to see how many kids from those states are currently on Division I rosters. Here's what I found out.

There are currently 154 wrestlers from the south on Division I rosters. Out of the 76 Division I Wrestling Teams, 48 (63%) have Southern wrestlers on their teams. 

Here is a by State breakdown
Florida: 40 (Among 28 Teams) 
Georgia: 40 (Among 18 Teams) 
Texas: 35 (Among 24 Teams)
Tennessee: 16 (Among 8 Teams) 
Alabama: 9 (Among 6 Teams) 
Kentucky: 7 (Among 6 Teams) 
Louisiana: 4 (Among 4 Teams) 
Arkansas: 3 (Among 3 Teams)

It is important to note that Arkansas has only had sanctioned wrestling since 2009 and that while Texas had high school wrestling at the private level, they've only had public high school wrestling since 1999.  Can you imagine seeing wrestlers from Mississippi on Division I rosters in 2024? That is a very real possibility if high school wrestling were to get sanctioned in the Magnolia state.

And to think this is only showing the Division I talent that these states produce. Imagine Division II, III, NAIA and NJCAA talent being added to the list as well. Imagine NCWA talent being added to the list.

The point of my project is to prove two things. Florida, Georgia and Texas (as well as the other southern states mentioned) produce their fair share (circumstances included) of talent.  Secondly when you have 40 kids among 28 teams, 40 kids among 18 teams and 35 kids among 24 teams it proves that these kids want to wrestle in college.  For Florida and Texas to only have one officially recognized by the school's athletic department as a varsity sport wrestling program is inexcusable. Georgia has four programs, one Division II and three NAIA, but that if far too little for the vast talent that the state produces. For Shorter to drop their wrestling program this last season, was a real slap in the face to their own kids.  Don't misunderstand me, don't misconstrue what I'm saying. I am very thankful as well as praiseful towards Mike Moyer, the NWCA and the hard work that they do in creating wrestling programs around the country. I love the NCWA and the opportunities it creates for our wrestlers that otherwise wouldn't be there.  It's simply that these three states ought to have at least one Division I program and as many colleges as they all have, a lot more could stand to have official varsity wrestling programs.

Out of the 76 Division I Wrestling Teams, 48 (63%) have Southern wrestlers on their teams. 

That's interesting in itself.

Chattanooga has the most with 22 members of their roster being from the south. Ironically enough Georgia with 10 outnumbering Tennessee with 7.  Two from Kentucky, with Louisiana, Alabama and Kentucky all having one.

As Chattanooga is our most "Southern" Division I team, it helps to illustrate that it is possible to field a competitive team made up of local kids or kids from nearby states.  Any school in Florida, Georgia and Texas could easily do the same.  They wouldn't have to search for kids from Iowa or Pennsylvania or Ohio to come down south to wrestle for them. They have plenty of kids from their own state that would love the opportunity to be able to do so.



Currently Ranked Wrestlers From The South 

GEORGIA 
#6 Ryan Millhof Arizona State 125 lbs 
#8 Sean Russell Edinboro 125 lbs 
#8 Taylor Lujan Northern Iowa 174 lbs 
#20 Forrest Pryzbysz Appalachian State 174 lbs 
#13 Bryce Carr Chattanooga 184 lbs 

Also look for Alonzo Allen Chattanooga @ 125 lbs and Chip Ness North Carolina @ 184 lbs to be ranked throughout the year as well. 

KENTUCKY 
#7 Sean Fausz North Carolina State 125 lbs 

Look for Nathan Boston Campbell @ 133 lbs to be ranked throughout the rest of the season. 

TEXAS
#7 Jack Mueller Virginia 133 lbs 
#1 Bo Nickal Penn State 184 lbs 

TENNESSEE 
#20 Scottie Boykin Chattanooga 197 lbs 

Look for Chris Debein Chattanooga @ 133 lbs to be ranked throughout the rest of the season. 

ALABAMA
#9 Brandon Womack Cornell 174 lbs

FLORIDA
#9 Jared Prince Navy 141 lbs 
#13 Yoanse Meijas 174 lbs 

Look for Kyle Norstrem Virginia Tech @ 125 lbs to be ranked throughout the season. 

Also keep in mind that Pat Lugo Iowa @ 149 lbs who is behind #2 Brandon Sorensen is also from Florida.

CKLV 2017 Predictions!

125
1. Nathan Tomasello senior Ohio State
2. Ethan Lizak junior Minnesota
3. Sean Russell sophomore Edinboro
4. Luke Welch senior Purdue
5. Drew Mattin Freshman Michigan
6. Conor Schram senior Stanford
7. Taylor Lamont freshman Utah Valley
8. Zeke Moisey junior West Virginia

133
1. Stevan Micic sophomore Michigan
2. Mitch McKee sophomore Minnesota
3. Austin DeSanto freshman Drexel
4. Dom Forys senior Pittsburgh
5. Luke Pletcher sophomore Ohio State
6. Ian Parker freshman Iowa State
7. Dennis Gustafson senior Virginia Tech
8. Josh Terao junior American

141
1. Bryce Meredith senior Wyoming
2. Tommy Thorn junior Minnesota
3. Jared Prince sophomore Navy
4. Ke-Shawn Hayes sophomore Ohio State
5. Chad Red freshman Nebraska
6.Yianni Diakomihalis freshman Cornell
7. Emilio Saavedra junior Fresno State
8. Javier Gasca senior Michigan State


149
1. Solomon Chishko junior Virginia Tech
2. Steve Bleise junior Minnesota
3. Justin Oliver junior Central Michigan
4. Josh Maruca sophomore Arizona State
5. Max Thomsen sophomore Northern Iowa
6. Malik Amine freshman Michigan
7. Colton McCrystal senior Nebraska
8. Mitch Bengston senior North Dakota State


157
1. Tyler Berger junior Nebraska
2. Josh Shields sophomore Arizona State
3. Jake Short senior Minnesota
4. Micah Jordan junior Ohio State
5. Paul Fox junior Stanford
6. Markus Schiedel senior Columbia
7. Alec Pantaleo junior Michigan
8. Justin Staudenmayer senior Brown


165
1. Logan Massa sophomore Michigan
2. Daniel McFadden sophomore Virginia Tech
3. Te'Shan Campbell sophomore Ohio State
4. Anthony Valencia sophomore Arizona State
5. Greg Gaxiola freshman Fresno State
6. Nick Wanzek senior Minnesota
7. Kailen Torres senior Northern Colorado
8. Austin Matthews senior Edinboro

174
1. Zahid Valencia sophomore Arizona State
2. Bo Jordan senior Ohio State
3. Myles Amine sophomore Michigan
4. Taylor Lujan junior Northern Iowa
5. Ethan Ramos senior North Carolina
6. Keaton Subjeck senior Stanford
7. Nolan Kistler senior Cal Baptist
8. Brandon Womack junior Cornell

184
1. Domenic Abounader senior Michigan
2. Myles Martin junior Ohio State
3. Max Dean freshman Cornell
4. Zack Zavatsky junior Virginia Tech
5. Drew Foster junior Northern Iowa
6. Steve Schneider senior Binghamton
7. Nick Fiegener junior Cal Baptist
8. Jordan Ellingwood senior Central Michigan

197
1. Jake Smith senior West Virginia
2. Kollin Moore sophomore Ohio State
3. Jared Haught senior Virginia Tech
4. Matt Williams senior Bakersfield
5. Kevin Beazley senior Michigan
6. Tom Seligh senior Bucknell
7. Jeric Kasunic senior American
8. Tanner Orndorff junior Utah Valley

HWT
1. Kyle Snyder senior Ohio State
2. Adam Coon senior Michigan
3. Jacob Kasper senior Duke
4. Nathan Butler senior Stanford
5. Tanner Hall junior Arizona State
6. Garrett Ryan senior Columbia
7. Billy Miller junior Edinboro
8. Ryan Solomon senior Pittsburgh

The World of Wrestling And Where I Belong In It.

You'd never know by looking at him. You'd never know by hanging out with him. I was one of the only ones he ever told.  Friends who'd known him for 10, 15 years were unaware.  On a random day, at a random moment, during a five minute break he walked up to me and asked during 12 ANGRY MEN rehearsal, "Did you wrestle in high school?"  I replied that I did and he said that he was a three time state qualifier.

I looked him up and sure enough, 119 lbs as a sophomore and 125 lbs as a junior and senior he had made Iowa's illustrious state tournament. A two time class 3A District champion, ranked as high as fifth during his career.  Yet, here I was the "wrestler" in our group of thespians.  Here he was having been a somebody that did something in the sport, achieved something that people note and remember, and I was the one everybody saw as the "wrestler."  He never mentioned wrestling again after that day. He spent six years in the sport, and upon finishing 1-2 at the 1997 Iowa State Championships, disconnected from the sport, all but to share in a brief bonding moment with me a similar background.

And here I am. 65-70 career record. Never won a conference title. Never won a sectional title. I didn't even qualify for districts. The highlights of my career are a handful of notable victories, a win over the #10 ranked kid in the state and moments where I lost but walked off the mat respected because of the fight that I showed.  Why I wasn't good and why I didn't achieve much in the sport is up for debate. People are always going to have their opinions and I'm always going to have mine. Why aside, a good wrestler, I was not.

I wasn't even mediocre. I achieved nothing during my wrestling career that is of any significance. I'm proud of the hardest working wrestler of the year awards I won as a freshman, junior and senior.  The Tim Fritchen Spirit Award I received my senior year for the most dedicated and hard working student of the class of 2004, nominated for my dedication and passion in wrestling (as well as theatre) is one of my most cherished possessions.  Yet they're both a reflection of the drive and fixation I have within me when it comes to something I want. Not in wrestling itself.

Truth is I've tried hard to be a part of something that has rejected me the entire time I've tried to be a part of it.  I never made it as a wrestler, so I figured that I might make it within the sport in a another way. Our sport is very unforgiving of a lack of accomplishments, so I knew coaching was out of the question.  It's one thing to be a wrestler that "never did" as long as the potential was there.  To be the one that was one match away from state, that lost the close match to the eventual third place medalist. It's another thing to be the guy that lost in the go-to districts match to the guy that went 0-2 at districts, getting pinned each time. I'm sure someone somewhere might have brought me on as the guy that supervised the kids during their lifting, but also the guy that the kids were told to not listen to, because "he doesn't know anything."

While I don't necessarily think a deity is behind them, I do believe that life gives us signs.  And if I am to be honest with myself, the signs I've received trying to make it as a writer/journalist/historian for the sport of wrestling have all been, "You are not welcome here. Get out."  Sometimes the reasoning has been fair. I've made my own mistakes, and I'll own up to what it is that I've done wrong.  Other times I feel the wrong has been committed against me. Our sport although continuously getting better, is still rather exclusionary. The society likes to think of itself as conservative and Christian. I'm not either, and I do believe...I know it has had something to do with why I haven't made it further.

When my professional wrestling career came to an end, I decided to let it go. That I would take opportunities if they came to me, but I wasn't going to continue whoring myself out for bookings in a desperate attempt to save grace. I knew I hadn't made it to the top, I was never going to make it to the top and my best days were behind me. I'll still go back and relieve that nostalgia when I'm made the offer. I'll enjoy the moments shall they come, but I no longer search for them. I no longer beg for them.

My whole life I've searched for somewhere to belong. Something I could be known for. Something I could excel at.  Something I could be good at.

I can't rightly say how good of an actor I am, but I'm a better actor than I ever was a amateur wrestler.  I'm a professional wrestler that only a small number of people ever knew and even a smaller number of people remember; but I'm still a better professional wrestler than I ever was an amateur wrestler.

I'm 1,000 times the creative writer that I am the amateur wrestler.

But I'm not known as the theatre guy or the actor. I'm not known as the pro wrestler. I'm not known as the writer.  I'm known as the amateur wrestling guy.

After what I went through last year, I had to stop and reflect on what life was telling me. I find myself in such a deep, dark, lonely state of depression and I had to ask myself why.  Another editor of a renowned wrestling publication came to me and asked if I would do work for them. I wanted so badly to agree and even said I'd try and do a piece for them by mid October. Normally I'd have researched, did interviews and written the article within a week. I couldn't do it this time. I feel bad about letting someone down and giving him reason to think things about me that aren't true, but I couldn't bring myself to it. All I could think about is how I've spent over twenty years trying to gain the acceptance of a sport that has continuously rejected me. I suppose that this might have been it. This might have been the one time where it finally worked out and it didn't end in yet another disaster.

That's the cruelty of hope isn't it? As long as it's there, you'll always want to try.  Yet when is enough, enough?  Where is the moment when never give up becomes the acceptable time to know when to quit?

I'll never stop loving this sport. I'll always be a fan of it. On the surface it won't seem as if much as changed. I'll still blog about it from time to time when I feel compelled to.  I'll still post on facebook and tweet about it. I'll still be one of the top contributing members of The Wrestling Insider, and a member of the various amateur wrestling groups that I'm a part of on facebook. If Mike Houston gets credentials and ask me to cover events or Theopenmat decides to use me after all, I'll do that too.

Externally it's as if everything is the same, but internally its a peace of mind. 

I wanted to be a great amateur wrestler.  I wasn't.

I wanted to be a great, well known and beloved amateur wrestling journalist/writer/historian. I'm not. I probably never will be.

That world doesn't want me or at least it hasn't for the past nearly 12 years. It's time to move on. 

I'm a creative writer. I'm an actor. I'm something. God there has to be something that I'm good at. Somewhere, where I belong. Something that I'm meant to do. Something that I'm meant to be.

Amateur wrestling isn't it, and I finally accept that.

Going for 2, 3 and 4 @ CKLV 2017

Brian Hamann 7th-
Adam Coon 1st-3rd
Nathan Tomasello 3rd-1st-1st
Zeke Moisey 8th
Kevin Norstrem 7th
Anthony Ashnault 4th
Mitch Bengston 8th
Alec Pantaleo 2nd-3rd
Justin Arthur 4th
Abe Rodriguez 7th
Sal Mastriani 8th -6th
Justin Staudenmayer 4th
Kyle Snyder 3rd
Jared Haught 5th-6th-2nd
Jake Smith 8th-4th-4th
Barlow McGhee DNP-4th-
Josh Alber 5th
Micah Jordan 1st-1st
Solomon Chishko 5th-6th
Tyler Smith DNP-6th
Jake Short DNP-2nd-1st
Davion Jeffries 6th-
Clay Ream DNP-8th
Andrew Atkinson DNP-4th-
Bryce Steiert 6th
Markus Scheidel DNP-DNP-7th
Daniel Lewis 3rd
Jadaen Bernstein DNP-4th
Domenic Abounader DNP-DNP-2nd
Zack Zavatsky 3rd-2nd
Willie Miklus DNP-4th
Ryan Christensen 8th
Jeric Kasunic 8th
Tanner Hall 4th -4th
Jeramy Sweany 8th
Sean Russell DNP-3rd
Noah Gonser 5th
Sean Nickell DNP-6th
Ben Thornton DNP-7th
Markus Simmons 8th
Stevan Micic 2nd-
Mitch Mckee 4th
Anthony Tutolo DNP-DNP-6th
Ali Naser DNP-DNP-7th
Eli Stickely 8th
Joey McKenna DNP-1st
Bryce Meredith DNP-2nd
Cole Martin 3rd
Russell Rohlfing 4th
Jack Mutchnik DNP-8th
Justin Oliver DNP-3rd
Andrew Crone - DNP-DNP-7th
Chase Straw 8th
Collin Heffernan DNP-DNP-2nd
Archie Colgan DNP-DNP-3rd
Josh Shields 5th
Alex Mossing 8th
Logan Massa 1st
Branson Ashworth DNP-3rd
Austin Matthews DNP-4th
Anthony Valencia 5th
Brandon Womack 6th
Alex Loupanchanski 7th
Zahid Valencia 1st
Myles Amine 3rd
C.J. Brucki DNP-DNP-5th
Kimball Bastien 7th
Nick Wanzek DNP-DNP-8th
Myles Martin DNP-3rd
Steve Schneider DNP-DNP-4th
Jordan Ellingwood DNP-DNP-5th
Hunter Ritter DNP-DNP-6th
Nick Fiegener DNP-7th
Sam Imonode DNP-DNP-8th
Kollin Moore 3rd
Corey Griego DNP-5th
Ricky Robertson DNP-DNP-6th
Tom Sleigh DNP-DNP-7th
Tanner Orndorff 8th
Nathan Butler DNP-DNP-5th
Billy Miller DNP-6th
Gage Hutchinson DNP-DNP-7th