What an exciting week it was last week for collegiate wrestling! Some fantastic tournaments with some great wrestling! This weekend looks to provide every bit the excitement and one of those tournaments to look forward to is the Mountaineer Open hosted by Appalachian State.
Let's take a look at the weight classes and what could go down this weekend.
125 lbs
#10 Drew Hildebrandt of Central Michigan leads the way on paper, but Air Force's Sid Flores had himself a heck of a tournament at the Cowboy Open winning the championship. Hildebrandt better be awake and prepared when he steps on the mat with Flores.
133 lbs
With West Virginia's Matt Schmitt redshirting and most likely not participating, #11 Codi Russell looks to win his home hosted tournament. Kent State's Tim Rooney could give him a bout, we'll see.
141 lbs
On paper this bracket looks to be owned by #18 Grant Willits of Oregon State. Yet I think Dresden Simon of Central Michigan who placed fourth at the Michigan State Open could potentially give him a run for his money.
149 lbs
Quite a bit to say here. First off I cannot believe that 2018 NCAA Division II Champion Daxton Gordon who transferred to Oregon State from California Baptist isn't ranked. He is for sure a top twenty wrestler and I think we'll get more than a preview of it here. I imagine that since he wrestled at the southeast open, redshirt Josh Finesilver will compete here too. Lastly even though he didn't have a good showing at the Cowboy open, Air Force's Alec Opsal has been known to pull off upsets in the past.
157 lbs
Appalachian State's Matt Zovistoski, Central Michigan's Logan Parks & Oregon State's Hunter Willits are all currently unranked wrestlers, who will all in all likelihood qualify for this year's NCAA championships. I'd even mark all three as darkhorse candidates for All American Status. I suppose if anything this is a testimony to the depth of 157 lbs. Zovistoski has home mat advantage but that's never stopped Willits from beating someone before. Not sure if winning a title here will do anything for anyone's rankings, but it will help with qualification at the end of the year.
165 lbs
I don't see anyone giving #17 Nick Kiussis of West Virginia any problems. I think he wins this without much trouble.
174 lbs
Unless Matt Finesilver of Duke who is currently redshirting enters the tournament, I am predicting a title out of Kent State's Andrew McNally.
184 lbs
No real thoughts at this weight. Don't feel strongly about anything. Often throughout the season I'm introduced to wrestlers that I had previously not known much about it. Great chance for that to happen here.
197 lbs
West Virginia's #11 Noah Adams should have about the same route to the championship as teammate Kiussis at 165 lbs. Anxious to see how Colin McCracken of Kent State does here. I don't see him even remotely challenging Adams, but I can see him taking a second or a third.
HWT
Ironically enough I feel this ought to be the most exciting of the weight classes. #6 Matt Stencel of Central Michigan will be the top seed and #17 Cary Miller of Appalachian State will be the second seed. With that I believe there's opportunity here for both unranked Kayne Hutchison of Air Force and unranked Brandon Ngati of West Virginia. While I don't see either one defeating Stencel, upsetting Miller would be tremendous for either one's career.
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