PIAA State Tournament -- AA on 3/12 and AAA on 3/13
- Thread starter royboy
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I was there for that. Jeff was part of that annoying crew from Northampton that used stalling as a major tactic in their matches. They could play the edge till the cows came in. In his quarter final in 2001, Eckloff went into OT and won 2-1 on a tiebreaker. Next match, facing Redland's Brian Baglio (Future State Champ), they again go into OT. During the regular time, Baglio had a stall warning. Ref blows the whistle to start the OT period, Eckloff just stands there. Balio is confused. He stands there. Eckloff stands there. They are staring at each other. Finally, the frustrated ref calls double stalling, and Baglio loses the bout. Eckloff threw that bait out there and Baglio ate it right up.
I literally laughed for a week after that match. It was one of the funniest things I had ever seen. (Perhaps not from Baglio's POV though.)
Kinney got a late takedown to force OT but Schon scored 0:35 into SV.
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someone asked about the team with the most state champs.
North Allegheny had 4 winners/5 finalists in 1990. I was there.
Lock Haven (Central Mountain now) had 4 winners in 1961. I was there. That was one and done time. That team had, I believe, 9 different NCAA All-Americans among 5 wrestlers. That is, one of their non-state qualifiers was also an AA. And I was told at the time that with 4 out of 12 state champs, and another NCAA All American, they still didn't win their league championship. State College did.
Both those teams had at least one PA legend. Lock Haven had 4x champ Mike Johnson. North Allegheny had 4x champ Ty Moore.
I thought maybe Northampton had 4 one time, but it might have been 3 out of 4 finalists.
North Allegheny had 4 winners/5 finalists in 1990. I was there.
Lock Haven (Central Mountain now) had 4 winners in 1961. I was there. That was one and done time. That team had, I believe, 9 different NCAA All-Americans among 5 wrestlers. That is, one of their non-state qualifiers was also an AA. And I was told at the time that with 4 out of 12 state champs, and another NCAA All American, they still didn't win their league championship. State College did.
Both those teams had at least one PA legend. Lock Haven had 4x champ Mike Johnson. North Allegheny had 4x champ Ty Moore.
I thought maybe Northampton had 4 one time, but it might have been 3 out of 4 finalists.
Here's a better angle for the HWT finish.
Gotta feel bad for Kinney -- he stuffed the shot and has Schon in an awkward position. Against nearly every HWT, he just leans into it for the winning takedown. But Schon's a different animal -- nobody else thinks to go body lock from that position.
EDIT: click on the tweet timestamp to see the clip -- it's in the original tweet, no idea why it's not carrying over here.
Gotta feel bad for Kinney -- he stuffed the shot and has Schon in an awkward position. Against nearly every HWT, he just leans into it for the winning takedown. But Schon's a different animal -- nobody else thinks to go body lock from that position.
EDIT: click on the tweet timestamp to see the clip -- it's in the original tweet, no idea why it's not carrying over here.
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Northampton had Jeff Ecklof, Joey Ecklof, Josh Haines, and Jon Oplinger all in 2003. Then in 2004, Joey, Oplinger, and Haines repeated and they medaled 10, which I think still is a record.
Your story about Ecklof/Baglio is 100% accurate. Jeff was so frustrating because when he actually wrestled, he was so damn good, and he only gave you that talent when he absolutely had to. But his list of wins is mighty impressive, he went to Oklahoma and AA’d as a true freshman up a weight (because Teyon Ware was at 141). And then it was just over.
Kinney had really good opportunities on both shots he took late in the third. Don’t know if he had it in the gas tank, but getting to his own offense a little earlier may have been his shot at getting over the top. But great instincts by Schon and the athleticism to pull it off.
Yeah, maybe Cael's favorite out of the whole bunch comes out of AA? Levi Haines?
With Rune Lawrence and Mason Gibson on the watch list?
Of the undeclared champs, the ones most committed to offense:
1. Haines - AA 145
2. Pitzer - AA 215
3. Lawrence - AA 172
Haines was a bonus machine this year -- 30-0 with 1 regular decision. He's noticeably improved every year too -- M2 training paying off.
I doubt we get Lawrence with his brother at Lehigh, but who knows.
Maybe omitting Kasak from the scorer list isn't quite fair -- he's a SO who beat an undefeated returning champ in the finals.
Among the non-champs, Gibson is obvious. And Kinney has to be on any watch list. A freshman making that run at HWT is just nuts -- and he had no regular season matches.
Undecided junior and has great future. Hardworking , underrated kid who can hang with (and beat) the best of them
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Thanks for bringing up bad memories. That 2001 bracket was my son's bracket, as I remembered it, I had no problem will the stall call. I said to my wife just before, that Baglio better watch it as he had a Stall call against him. But maybe I had some bias.
In the quarters before that match, Baglio wrestled and beat my son 3-1, then Baglio faced Eckloff in the Semifinals.
In the consis my son ran into what I thought was bad officiating actually one for and one against him.
Anyhow my son ran into Baglio again for 5th/6th place and this time beat Baglio in OT. As said, the next year Baglio was a state champ.
I think of those days and I'm glad i had my kids young in my life. There is no way i could go through that stuff today as an older parent without a defibrillator.
In hindsight, Even bad memories are actually good memories.
Anyhow Eckloff was one tough dude to wrestle back then.
Very impressive thread. Thanks for all the updates. 👍🏻
As I recall, Rohn was one tilt away from being tech'd at the time. I agree with the most startling moment assessment. You were just waiting for the tech and then, out of the blue, "KABOOM"!
Champs with their college commitments (AA then AAA):
- 106: Louie Gill, FR (uncommitted); Kaedyn Williams, FR (uncommited)
- 113: Jaden Pepe, SO (uncommitted); Jake Van Dee, JR (uncommitted)
- 120: Brett Ungar, SR (Cornell); Mac Church, SO (uncommitted)
- 126: Joey Fischer, SR (Clarion); Tyler Kasak, SO (uncommitted)
- 132: Jackson Arrington,SR JR (NC State); Briar Priest, JR (uncommitted)
- 138: Brock McMillen, SR (Pitt); Finn Solomon, JR (NC State)
- 145: Levi Haines, JR (uncommitted); Wyatt Henson, SR (Iowa)
- 152: Grant Mackay, SO (uncommitted); Alejandro Herrera, SR (Oklahoma)
- 160: AJ Corrado, SR (Brown); Jagger Condomitti, SR (Nebraska)
- 172: Rune Lawrence, FR (uncommitted); Luca Augustine, SR (Pitt)
- 189: Cael Crebs, SR (Navy); Joey Milano, SR (NC State)
- 215: Dayton Pitzer, JR (uncommitted); Jacob Lewis, SR (Navy)
- 285: Nathan Taylor, SR (Lehigh); Nate Schon, SR (Iowa State)
Also, since seniors won every weight above 113 (except 132), the Dapper Dan team is pretty apparent. There are only 3 weights where seniors won both AA and AAA (160, 189, 285). We can expect the AAA guy to go in all 3 weights.
EDIT: mistake at 132, Arrington is a JR.
- 106: Louie Gill, FR (uncommitted); Kaedyn Williams, FR (uncommited)
- 113: Jaden Pepe, SO (uncommitted); Jake Van Dee, JR (uncommitted)
- 120: Brett Ungar, SR (Cornell); Mac Church, SO (uncommitted)
- 126: Joey Fischer, SR (Clarion); Tyler Kasak, SO (uncommitted)
- 132: Jackson Arrington,
- 138: Brock McMillen, SR (Pitt); Finn Solomon, JR (NC State)
- 145: Levi Haines, JR (uncommitted); Wyatt Henson, SR (Iowa)
- 152: Grant Mackay, SO (uncommitted); Alejandro Herrera, SR (Oklahoma)
- 160: AJ Corrado, SR (Brown); Jagger Condomitti, SR (Nebraska)
- 172: Rune Lawrence, FR (uncommitted); Luca Augustine, SR (Pitt)
- 189: Cael Crebs, SR (Navy); Joey Milano, SR (NC State)
- 215: Dayton Pitzer, JR (uncommitted); Jacob Lewis, SR (Navy)
- 285: Nathan Taylor, SR (Lehigh); Nate Schon, SR (Iowa State)
Also, since seniors won every weight above 113 (except 132), the Dapper Dan team is pretty apparent. There are only 3 weights where seniors won both AA and AAA (160, 189, 285). We can expect the AAA guy to go in all 3 weights.
EDIT: mistake at 132, Arrington is a JR.
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You're right, good catch.
In which case, Dapper Dan has a little bit of a decision to make at that weight, with no current or returning SR champs.
Almost certainly they'll take Dylan Chappell, 3x finalist from Seneca Valley (doesn't hurt that he's from D7).
Conceivably but highly unlikely, they could find room for Steen. They'd have to move Steen or Ungar up to 126, and then move Fischer up to 132. Wouldn't count on that happening.
J. Arrington is going to be the one that got away. He has jumped levels every year and I doubt it stops anytime soon. Kid is extremely good but somewhat under the radar for as dominant as he is.
It might be a simple numbers problem. Cael seems to be pretty set at 133-141, which I'm guessing he goes in college. Forest Hills coach Strayer wrestled at PSU, so hopefully PSU starts getting looks from their better wrestlers.
Not sure how under the radar a 2x PA state champ can be ...
Agreed that he will be very good. The problem is that we're in great shape at his target weight, and 2022 is a very good year both nationally and for PA.
If he were still available, I'd prioritize both Bouzakis and Haines ahead of him (though Haines looks headed toward 157). And if we weren't so loaded at the upper weights, one could argue for Pitzer and maybe Franklin ahead of him too. That's just within PA -- we know the coaches have talked with some non-residents too.
It's a shame we can't get them all. OTOH, rings and banners.
PSU was among Erik Gibson's finalists, so reasonable to think the other Gibson/Bassetts will consider PSU.
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