This is certainly the Southern Scuffle 174 lbs final that we could see, although I'm not 100% sold on it. A former NCAA champion taking on a three time All American, many (myself included) feel is one of the best wrestlers in collegiate wrestling today yet to win an NCAA title. The questions are, can Hidlay defeat the NCAA champ? Can Lewis upend Hidlay, who is going for his second Scuffle title? Both new to the 174 lbs weight class, if this match does take place, it'll be the first meeting between the two.
Think about the boost it'd be for the Duke wrestling program if Matt Finesilver were to win this bracket. The Blue Devils could use a shot in the arm and this would be the elixir to breathe some life back into the program. Having missed the last two seasons due to injury, Finesilver hasn't shown any effect. He's currently 17-0 on the season.
Chris Foca of Cornell is another guy I'd watch out for if I were Lewis or Hidlay. After suffering a second round upset at CKLV, he rallied off win after win to capture an impressive 3rd place finish that included an 8-2 decision over South Dakota State's Cade DeVos. He also recently took Lewis into the tiebreakers, dropping a 3-1 decision.
Foca isn't the only one this season to have taken Lewis into the tiebreakers either. Missouri's Peyton Mocco also took the Hokie far beyond the 7 minute mark, dropping a 9-6 decision.
Then of course there is also Oklahoma State's Dustin Plott to consider within all of this too. He's ranked #9 for a reason.
Having already named 7 viable place-winners, it begs the question, who will be the eighth? Not only do I think Drexel's Michael O'Malley can take that 8th place spot, I think he can upset his way to a higher finish. I said earlier this season that I felt that O'Malley can win an EIWA title for the Dragons this season. I still believe that. Earning a medal from the Scuffle would help in an effort to earn that #1 seed come conference tournament time.
Others to watch for....
#17 Clay Lautt North Carolina
#28 Tyler Eischens Stanford
#31 Triston Wills Little Rock
#33 Thomas Flitz Appalachian State
Scott Joll West Virginia
Jared Krattiger and Bailee O'Reilly of Minnesota
Albert Urias CSU-Bakersfield
Chris Foca of Cornell is another guy I'd watch out for if I were Lewis or Hidlay. After suffering a second round upset at CKLV, he rallied off win after win to capture an impressive 3rd place finish that included an 8-2 decision over South Dakota State's Cade DeVos. He also recently took Lewis into the tiebreakers, dropping a 3-1 decision.
Foca isn't the only one this season to have taken Lewis into the tiebreakers either. Missouri's Peyton Mocco also took the Hokie far beyond the 7 minute mark, dropping a 9-6 decision.
Then of course there is also Oklahoma State's Dustin Plott to consider within all of this too. He's ranked #9 for a reason.
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| #15 Michael O'Malley Drexel 19 7 |
Having already named 7 viable place-winners, it begs the question, who will be the eighth? Not only do I think Drexel's Michael O'Malley can take that 8th place spot, I think he can upset his way to a higher finish. I said earlier this season that I felt that O'Malley can win an EIWA title for the Dragons this season. I still believe that. Earning a medal from the Scuffle would help in an effort to earn that #1 seed come conference tournament time.
Others to watch for....
#17 Clay Lautt North Carolina
#28 Tyler Eischens Stanford
#31 Triston Wills Little Rock
#33 Thomas Flitz Appalachian State
Scott Joll West Virginia
Jared Krattiger and Bailee O'Reilly of Minnesota
Albert Urias CSU-Bakersfield
Logan Messer George Mason
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