Finals Matchup Predictions

[RB-Old]

Since they're off for a couple weeks I thought it would be fun to get everybody predictions for the NCAA finals. Here are mine:

125- Figueroa vs Fix
133- Crookham vs Arujao
141- Woods vs Echemendia
149- Lovett vs Henson
157- Haines vs Robb
165- O'Toole vs Mesenbrink
174- Starocci vs Lewis
184- Keckeisen vs Truax
197- Brooks vs Hidlay
285- Kervleit vs Bastida

Notes:

Fix wants a title and I don't think he's going to let 8 pounds keep him away from it

Echemendia seems like a guy who is going to keep jumping levels throughout the season and I don't think Beau's top game is enough to erase his Echemendia's strength advantage in neutral

I have Mesenbrink in the finals because I think Carr will beat O'Toole at some point which will give MM the top seed

Truax doesn't inspire a lot of confidence but after Keckeisen the talent really drops off at 184

Bastida's only tough matchup will be Schultz because of the size but he's got some Cassar-like skills for a smaller HWT

 

[mvattivo]

125: Figueroa over Ramos (B. Davis - Blood Round)
133: Arujau over Crookham (Nagao - 4th)
141: Bartlett over Woods
149: Lovett over Henson (Kasak - Blood Round)
157: Haines over Robb
165: O'Toole over Carr (Messenbrink - 4th)
174: Starocci over Lewis
184: Keckeisen over Truax
197: Brooks over Hidlay
285: Kerkvliet over Hendrickson

I realize mine are pretty boring at this point in the season.

 

[James P. Whitters III]

125 figs over Noto (Ayala 3/rd)
133 Vito over Fix Nagao 3/rd)
141 Woods over Bartlett (Mendez 3/rd)
149 Gomez over Lovett (Swiderski 3/rd)
157 Haines over Miles Shapiro (Robb 3/rd)
165 Carr over O'tool (MM 3/rd)
174 Star over Ruth (Griffith 3/rd)
184 Keck over Truax (Munoz 3/rd)
197 Brooks over the ford fusion (Hidley 3/rd)
285 Kerk over Hendrickson (Bastida 3/rd)

 

[mcpat]

125: DeAugustino over Noto
133: Crookham over Vito
141: Bartlett over Woods
149: Arrington over Gomez
157: Haines over Robb
165: Mesenbrink over O’Toole
174: Starocci over Ruth
184: Keckeisen over Arnold
197: Brooks over Ferrari
285: Kerkvliet over Schultz

 

[Random4598375]

125 Noto d Figs - love to see LH win a ‘ship
133 Vito d Crookham - another PA team in a final
141 Bartlett d Woods - this is Beau’s year
149 Lovett d ? - shame because SVN would win
157 Haines d Shapiro - Levi will be a 3-timer
165 Mesenbrink d KOT - TBD but I love this kid
174 C-Star d Gabe - Arnold is the real deal and wants this one
184 Keck d Truax - Keck too tough
197 Brooks d Sloan - 4 timer
HWT Kerk d Kueter - why not?

 

[GogglesPaizano]

For giggles, throw in some realistic bonus, and edit all of the scenarios above to include projected team points. I think we will come in somewhere between 150-160.

 

[HikeNatParks]

125 Noto d Figs - love to see LH win a ‘ship
133 Vito d Crookham - another PA team in a final
141 Bartlett d Woods - this is Beau’s year
149 Lovett d ? - shame because SVN would win
157 Haines d Shapiro - Levi will be a 3-timer
165 Mesenbrink d KOT - TBD but I love this kid
174 C-Star d Gabe - Arnold is the real deal and wants this one
184 Keck d Truax - Keck too tough
197 Brooks d Sloan - 4 timer
HWT Kerk d Kueter - why not?

Hmm . . 6 champs and a runnerup? My heart wants it to happen, but my head says you've tapped into the spiked eggnog a few days early.

 

[HikeNatParks]

For giggles, throw in some realistic bonus, and edit all of the scenarios above to include projected team points. I think we will come in somewhere between 150-160.

For giggles . . or goggles?

 

[nerfstate]

• Davis Fall some fool
• Nagao Fall some fool
• Bartlett Fall some fool
• Kasak Fall some fool
• Levi Fall some fool
• Messenbrink Fall some fool
• Carter by death
• Truax Fall some fool
• AB Fall some fool
• Kerk Fall some fool

 

[STAND with PRIDE]

• Davis Fall some fool
• Nagao Fall some fool
• Bartlett Fall some fool
• Kasak Fall some fool
• Levi Fall some fool
• Messenbrink Fall some fool
• Carter by death
• Truas Fall some fool
• AB Fall some fool
• Kerk Fall some fool

How outlandish for you to assume Davis and Kasak will be our starters.

 

[Random4598375]

Hmm . . 6 champs and a runnerup? My heart wants it to happen, but my head says you've tapped into the spiked eggnog a few days early.

Yeah, surely at least one or two won't happen, but all are possible. Just have to see which actually happen.

Mesenbrink over KOT is an upset for sure, but we've seen it from PSU wrestlers in the past enough times as well. I believe in Beau over Woods this year, but that's obviously not a given. And Truax as a finalist at 184 is more reflective that this isn't a great weight. Keck is a huge favorite to repeat. Similar to 149. I don't have any idea who the finalists will be other than the favorites (Keck and Lovett).

 

[El-Jefe]

• Davis Fall some fool
• Nagao Fall some fool
• Bartlett Fall some fool
• Kasak Fall some fool
• Levi Fall some fool
• Messenbrink Fall some fool
• Carter by death
• Truax Fall some fool
• AB Fall some fool
• Kerk Fall some fool

10/10 or GTFO.

 

[Chickenman Testa]

There’s a lot of misplaced Iowa upper weight love in some of these predictions. Let the Heat Miser brothers develop a guy above jockey-size first before you’re picking them to make finals above 141

 

[El-Jefe]

There’s a lot of misplaced Iowa upper weight love in some of these predictions. Let the Heat Miser brothers develop a guy above jockey-size first before you’re picking them to make finals above 141

I understand the Ferrari picks -- he might implode, but is a returning national champ at the weight.

Any 174 picks other than Carter and Lewis baffle me. And not just on past credentials. Lewis is wrestling well this year.

 

[nerfstate]

10/10 or GTFO.

 

[Chickenman Testa]

I understand the Ferrari picks -- he might implode, but is a returning national champ at the weight.

Any 174 picks other than Carter and Lewis baffle me. And not just on past credentials. Lewis is wrestling well this year.

Yup. Ferrari fine, but wouldn’t a semi against Hidlay be something. It would probably consist of both guys sliding back to their respective corners, half out of bounds, on 1 knee

 

[js8793]

I understand the Ferrari picks -- he might implode, but is a returning national champ at the weight.

Any 174 picks other than Carter and Lewis baffle me. And not just on past credentials. Lewis is wrestling well this year.

The beatdown from Starocci is stuck in people's heads.

I do think Mekhi has had a downward trajectory the last couple years, a lot due to injuries, but this weight is so weak it's hard to imagine him losing to anybody other than Starocci. Might be some Ruth family bias in a couple of those picks.

 

[Bosox2004]

I understand the Ferrari picks -- he might implode, but is a returning national champ at the weight.

Any 174 picks other than Carter and Lewis baffle me. And not just on past credentials. Lewis is wrestling well this year.

To playfully rebut the 174 comment

1. Was it not Lewis who wrestled in the all star match against Carter.

2. I thought kharchla was the better wrestler the night they met but maybe I'm forgetting that match . I think I made a comment on it at the time . Final score was 4-2 I really thought it was going to go the other way .

3 when I watched him up against Lorenzo I wasn’t as impressed . I was left thinking In a year or two this match would have an opposite result . Yes I realize the final score was 8-0 just saying what my impressions were .

4 . I can’t remember how he did at the cliff keen

5. from a historical perspective what are his odds at reaching the finals . How many wrestlers win there freshman year don’t win again than still make the finals in there last year . The last year extended out longer as well since he took an Olympic redshirt .

Too early for me to make predictions I’m just apt to change them in a few weeks.

I guess I can easily see other picks at 174. What baffles me is how anyone could predict the two wrestlers at 125 with a straight face . Except for that nerf guy I liked his picks.

 

[STAND with PRIDE]

To playfully rebut the 174 comment

1. Was it not Lewis who wrestled in the all star match against Carter.

2. I thought kharchla was the better wrestler the night they met but maybe I'm forgetting that match . I think I made a comment on it at the time . Final score was 4-2 I really thought it was going to go the other way .

3 when I watched him up against Lorenzo I wasn’t as impressed . I was left thinking In a year or two this match would have an opposite result . Yes I realize the final score was 8-0 just saying what my impressions were .

4 . I can’t remember how he did at the cliff keen

5. from a historical perspective what are his odds at reaching the finals . How many wrestlers win there freshman year don’t win again than still make the finals in there last year . The last year extended out longer as well since he took an Olympic redshirt .

Too early for me to make predictions I’m just apt to change them in a few weeks.

I guess I can easily see other picks at 174. What baffles me is how anyone could predict the two wrestlers at 125 with a straight face . Except for that nerf guy I liked his picks.

 

[matter7172]

I understand the Ferrari picks -- he might implode, but is a returning national champ at the weight.

Any 174 picks other than Carter and Lewis baffle me. And not just on past credentials. Lewis is wrestling well this year.

Idk. I saw Lewis wrestle in person twice this season and he did not look good either time.

 

[zzs006]

125-Richie Figs over Jore Volk (Davis 7th)
133-Vito over Fix (Nagao 4th)
141-Woods over Bartlett
149-Henson over Lovett (Kasak 7th)
157-Levi over Robb
165- KOT over Carr (Mesenbrink 3rd)
174-CStar over Griffith (Griffith hasn’t looked good but always seems to wrestle his best at NCAA’s)
184-Keckeisen over Truax
197-AB over Buchanan
Heavy-Kerk over Hendrickson

 

[CSauertiegPSU]

125- Noto vs Ramos
133- Crookham vs Arujau
141- Woods vs Bartlett
149- Lovett vs Henson
157- Haines vs Robb
165- O'Toole vs Carr
174- Starocci vs Lewis
184- Keckeisen vs Truax
197- Brooks vs Hidlay
285- Kerkvliet vs Hendrickson (if healthy)

 

[apoharrow]

125 Noto over an some 15 seed.
133 Vito over Latona
141 Beau over Jack. Woods wins Big 10's loses to Beau in the semis.
149 Henson over Lovett
157 Haines over Mauller
165 Carr over Amine
174 Cstar major over Devos
184 Keck over Plott
197 Brooks major over AJ
Hwt. Kerk over that guy that lost to Cassar twice.

 

[AndEEss]

To playfully rebut the 174 comment

1. Was it not Lewis who wrestled in the all star match against Carter.

2. I thought kharchla was the better wrestler the night they met but maybe I'm forgetting that match . I think I made a comment on it at the time . Final score was 4-2 I really thought it was going to go the other way .

3 when I watched him up against Lorenzo I wasn’t as impressed . I was left thinking In a year or two this match would have an opposite result . Yes I realize the final score was 8-0 just saying what my impressions were .

4 . I can’t remember how he did at the cliff keen

5. from a historical perspective what are his odds at reaching the finals . How many wrestlers win there freshman year don’t win again than still make the finals in there last year . The last year extended out longer as well since he took an Olympic redshirt .

Too early for me to make predictions I’m just apt to change them in a few weeks.

I guess I can easily see other picks at 174. What baffles me is how anyone could predict the two wrestlers at 125 with a straight face . Except for that nerf guy I liked his picks.

Rumor on the Intermat board is that Kharchla is done for the year.

 

[Random4598375]

Rumor on the Intermat board is that Kharchla is done for the year.

There was an OSU guy on here who said the same thing. That would be a shame. Hate to see injuries.

 

[mcpat]

• Davis Fall some fool
• Nagao Fall some fool
• Bartlett Fall some fool
• Kasak Fall some fool
• Levi Fall some fool
• Messenbrink Fall some fool
• Carter by death
• Truax Fall some fool
• AB Fall some fool
• Kerk Fall some fool

 

[anon_d29z1jdixxwey]

• Davis Fall some fool
• Nagao Fall some fool
• Bartlett Fall some fool
• Kasak Fall some fool
• Levi Fall some fool
• Messenbrink Fall some fool
• Carter by death
• Truax Fall some fool
• AB Fall some fool
• Kerk Fall some fool

How many team points is death?

 

[nerfstate]

How many team points is death?

1,000,000

 

[mcpat]

How many team points is death?

 

[anon_d29z1jdixxwey]

Since they're off for a couple weeks I thought it would be fun to get everybody predictions for the NCAA finals. Here are mine:

125- Figueroa vs Fix
133- Crookham vs Arujao
141- Woods vs Echemendia
149- Lovett vs Henson
157- Haines vs Robb
165- O'Toole vs Mesenbrink
174- Starocci vs Lewis
184- Keckeisen vs Truax
197- Brooks vs Hidlay
285- Kervleit vs Bastida

Notes:

Fix wants a title and I don't think he's going to let 8 pounds keep him away from it

Echemendia seems like a guy who is going to keep jumping levels throughout the season and I don't think Beau's top game is enough to erase his Echemendia's strength advantage in neutral

I have Mesenbrink in the finals because I think Carr will beat O'Toole at some point which will give MM the top seed

Truax doesn't inspire a lot of confidence but after Keckeisen the talent really drops off at 184

Bastida's only tough matchup will be Schultz because of the size but he's got some Cassar-like skills for a smaller HWT

I

Since they're off for a couple weeks I thought it would be fun to get everybody predictions for the NCAA finals. Here are mine:

125- Figueroa vs Fix
133- Crookham vs Arujao
141- Woods vs Echemendia
149- Lovett vs Henson
157- Haines vs Robb
165- O'Toole vs Mesenbrink
174- Starocci vs Lewis
184- Keckeisen vs Truax
197- Brooks vs Hidlay
285- Kervleit vs Bastida

Notes:

Fix wants a title and I don't think he's going to let 8 pounds keep him away from it

Echemendia seems like a guy who is going to keep jumping levels throughout the season and I don't think Beau's top game is enough to erase his Echemendia's strength advantage in neutral

I have Mesenbrink in the finals because I think Carr will beat O'Toole at some point which will give MM the top seed

Truax doesn't inspire a lot of confidence but after Keckeisen the talent really drops off at 184

Bastida's only tough matchup will be Schultz because of the size but he's got some Cassar-like skills for a smaller HWT

Is your comment on Bernie only in regard to a matchup with Keck, or in general? If specific to Keck, perhaps, but give Cael & Co. a few months with the kid. If in general, I’m not sure what to say about a guy with a TF and a fall in his two other matches.

 

[RB-Old]

I

Is your comment on Bernie only in regard to a matchup with Keck, or in general? If specific to Keck, perhaps, but give Cael & Co. a few months with the kid. If in general, I’m not sure what to say about a guy with a TF and a fall in his two other matches.

I really hope I'm wrong but I don't think a 6th year senior is going to change that drastically.

 

[OzarkLion]

Don't know where else to put this but I saw KOT bumped up to 174 to take on Ruth tonight and came away with the 11-7 win!

 

[El-Jefe]

How many team points is death?

 

[jack66]

I really hope I'm wrong but I don't think a 6th year senior is going to change that drastically.

A quote from Casey's newsletter - "Four of the five in the All-Star event won their matches and the other one learned some valuable lessons which will pay off later in the year."

Does going from 4th to 1st take that drastic a change? In Casey I trust.

 

[Random4598375]

Is your comment on Bernie only in regard to a matchup with Keck, or in general? If specific to Keck, perhaps, but give Cael & Co. a few months with the kid. If in general, I’m not sure what to say about a guy with a TF and a fall in his two other matches.

I don’t really see Truax as a champion type guy. High AA for sure. I put him in the finals because 184 gets pretty thin pretty quickly after Keck, but someone else could emerge from the field, too. Either way, I consider Keck a big favorite to win. Who knows, though. If it comes down to one final match vs Keck, anything can happen.

 

[not so fast my friend]

25 Noto over figueroa
33 Crookham over Vito
41 Mendez over Bartlett
49 Lovett over Arrington
57 Haines over Andonian
65 O'Toole over Mesenbrink
74 Star over Lewis
84 Keck over Foca
97 Brooks over Elam
HWT Bastida over Kerkvliet

 

[El-Jefe]

A quote from Casey's newsletter - "Four of the five in the All-Star event won their matches and the other one learned some valuable lessons which will pay off later in the year."

Does going from 4th to 1st take that drastic a change? In Casey I trust.

It's a lot less dramatic when 1 and 4 moved up to 197; 3 and 5 graduated; and he has split matches with 2.

 

[AndEEss]

25 Noto over figueroa
33 Crookham over Vito
41 Mendez over Bartlett
49 Lovett over Arrington
57 Haines over Andonian
65 O'Toole over Mesenbrink
74 Star over Lewis
84 Keck over Foca
97 Brooks over Elam
HWT Bastida over Kerkvliet

I can see everything but the last one. Bastida just isn’t THAT good. Potential finalist but nowhere near a Mason Parris type.

 

[baccafarmer]

Idk. I saw Lewis wrestle in person twice this season and he did not look good either

The beatdown from Starocci is stuck in people's heads.

I do think Mekhi has had a downward trajectory the last couple years, a lot due to injuries, but this weight is so weak it's hard to imagine him losing to anybody other than Starocci. Might be some Ruth family bias in a couple of those picks.

Saw Mekhi last weekend against #20 Lorenzo Norman. He controlled it, but, didn’t look dominant. I had a chance to speak with him very briefly after the match. He’s a soft spoken nice young man, but, he seems worn out/tired. I’d bet the weight suck is tough for him. He a pretty short guy, but, given his record against Carter and what he’s given to VT, …. seems better that they let him eat at go 184. He’s not winning another Natty either way.

 

[jack66]

125 Noto d Figs - love to see LH win a ‘ship
133 Vito d Crookham - another PA team in a final
141 Bartlett d Woods - this is Beau’s year
149 Lovett d ? - shame because SVN would win
157 Haines d Shapiro - Levi will be a 3-timer
165 Mesenbrink d KOT - TBD but I love this kid
174 C-Star d Gabe - Arnold is the real deal and wants this one
184 Keck d Truax - Keck too tough
197 Brooks d Sloan - 4 timer
HWT Kerk d Kueter - why not?

Do you think Brands will bench Kennedy?

Arnold can want it all he wants, but their best lineup would be Kennedy at 174 and Gabe at 184.