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. 

Cornell Vs Missouri Dual Preview (Fri Jan 3rd)

 

Starting off the new year, we have a great dual coming up between the #9 Cornell Big Red and the #16 Missouri Tigers this Friday.  Ironically enough in what could be 9 good matches, none of these wrestlers have met before.  New year, new opponent, I guess. 

#12 Greg Diakomilhalis Vs #30 Gage Walker
125 lbs 

I've said it often & I'll continue to say it, the sport of wrestling is about proving yourself. Every single time you step out on to the mat, you have to bring the best of what you have to offer.  People say, "Diakomihalis" the go to is Yianni. Yet in his final season of collegiate wrestling, Greg is stepping it up and making a name for himself among the collegiate ranks.  A win here won't do anything for his ranking, but it will help fend off a hungry ambush of Tigers.  Looking at this from the other perspective, Gage Walker had big shoes to fill with the sudden and unexpected departure of Noah Surtin (due to unfortunate injuries).  He's still on a mission to show that he's up to the task. A win over Diakomihalis would be huge. 

#30 Brett Ungar Vs U.R. Kade Moore
133 lbs

Neither one of these guys is quite having the '24-'25 they were hoping for, but there's still a lot of season left. An All American candidate at 125 lbs in his first two seasons, Brett Ungar hasn't quite reached that level at 133 lbs yet. Kade Moore an NCAA qualifier last season, with some notable upsets, is currently 5-9 on the year.  While it may not appear so on paper, a win here is crucial for both of these wrestlers. Ungar obviously doesn't want to slip any lower in the rankings.  Moore could use a nice upset victory to begin the second half of his season.  It'll be fun to see how this one plays out. 

#32 Josh Saunders Vs #14 Josh Edmond
141 lbs

Josh Edmond ended '23-'24 one match shy of being an All American.  Josh Saunders, who has been with the Big Red program for six seasons, is in his first year of being a starter.  This one most certainly favors the Tigers, but could turn out to be better on the mat than what it is predicted to be on paper.

#18 Ethan Fernandez Vs U.R. Logan Gioffre
149 lbs 

Here, the opposite of 141.  This match heavily favors the Big Red.  Could even see a major decision. With that said, every now and again, Logan Gioffre will come out of nowhere and pull off a big win. He was an NCAA qualifier last season, and despite being outside of the top 33 at the moment, could very well be within the top 33 by season's end. 

#2 Meyer Shapiro Vs #32 James Conway
157 lbs 

Meyer Shapiro finished 3rd at last year's NCAA championships & by ranking, an NCAA DI champion hopeful, is the clear favorite in this match against #32 James Conway.  I thought he might be a little rusty as he was injured earlier this season, but he looked to be 100% against Ed Scott a couple of weeks ago. I think this one is in the bag for the Big Red. 

#5 Julian Ramirez Vs #18 Cam Steed
165 lbs 

R12-R12-R12, is all I need to say to make it an objective statement that Julian Ramirez is one of the best wrestlers in NCAA DI yet to All American. Cam Steed is a tough wrestler in his own right, with some notable wins, but again, this one heavily favors the Big Red. 

#13 Simon Ruiz Vs #1 Keegan O'Toole
174 lbs 

Only a freshman and already, it's pretty clear that Simon Ruiz has a successful career ahead of himself.  4th at CKLV, it wouldn't surprise me at all to see him contending for All American honors by season's end. With that said, he is facing not only the #1 wrestler at 174 lbs, but one of the very best wrestlers in all of DI wrestling tomorrow. A win here would be not to get majored. That's just how good Keegan O'Toole is. 

#8 Chris Foca Vs #9 Colton Hawks
184 lbs 

In all of our other matchups, it's clear in each match that it either favors Cornell or it favors Missouri.  Here is the sole toss-up of the event. Foca was 3rd in the NCAA DI wrestling at 174 lbs two seasons ago, but he hasn't reached that level of success yet at 184.   Both he and Colton Hawks finished one match shy of All American status last year.  In the fight to get back on the podium by season's end, every match counts.  Seeds are important.  This match is crucial for both of these wrestlers. 

#8 Chris Foca Vs U.R. Rocky Elam/R.S. Aeodon Sinclair
197 lbs 

Four time All American Rocky Elam is still listed on the roster, but here we are the second part of '24-'25 and we have yet to see him compete.  I'm not sure what the story is there, and I'm not sure if Aeodon Sinclair has any more matches to compete in before his redshirt would be pulled.  Might not see either one of these guys against Chris Foca, but if we do, either way, we're looking at one of the best matches of the night.