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USA Team named for Dapper Dan ...

Tom McAndrew

Tom McAndrew

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May 29, 2001
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you can view it at this link.

they include:

113: Jabari Moody (Rich Central HS, IL) - heading to UVA
120: Elijah Oliver (Washington HS, IL) - headed to Indiana
126: Nick Piccininni (Ward Melville HS, NY) - headed to Okla. St.
132: Jared Prince (Palm Harbor HS, FL) - headed to US Naval Acad
138: Davion Jeffries (Broken Arrow HS, OK) - headed to Oklahoma U.
145: Max Thomsen (Union HS, IA) - headed to U. of No. Iowa
152: Fredy Stroker (Bettendorf HS, IA) - headed to Minny
160: Joe Smith (Stillwater HS, OK) - headed to Okla. St.
170: Fox Baldwin (Kissimmee-Osceola HS, FL) - headed to UVA
182: Myles Martin (McDonogh HS, HS) - headed to Ohio St.
195: Lance Benick (Totino Grace HS, MN) - headed to Arizona St.
220: Austin Myers (Campbell County HS, KY) - headed to WVU
285: Zack Chakonis (Don Bosco Prep HS, NJ) - headed to NW

that have 29 state championships, and are likely to add to that number at their respective state tourneys this year.

all of PSU's verbals for the 2015 class are PA wrestlers, so it's not a surprise that no PSU recruits are on the 2015 Dapper Dan USA Team.

Tom






This post was edited on 2/3 12:05 PM by Tom McAndrew
 
... and here's a way-too-early look at the PA team. Weights, as always, subject to change. Where more than 1 guy listed, the favorite is first:

113: Devin Brown (Franklin Regional, AAA) - West Virginia
120: Derek Gulotta (Owen J. Roberts, AAA) - Bloomsburg
126: Ryan Hayes (Spring-Ford, AAA) - Bloomsburg
132: AC Headlee (Waynesburg Central, AAA) - North Carolina or Korbin Myers (Boiling Springs, AA) - Edinboro
138: Sam Krivus (Hempfield, AAA) - Virginia
145: Mike Kemerer (Franklin Regional, AAA) - Iowa
152: Vincenzo Joseph (Pittsburgh Central Catholic, AAA) - Penn State
160: Josh Shields (Franklin Regional, AAA) - Arizona State or Cole Walter (Mifflinburg, AA) - Lehigh
170: Billy Barnes (Southern Columbia, AA) - Lehigh or Idris White (Father Judge, AAA) - Maryland
182: Kellan Stout (Mt. Lebanon, AAA) - Penn State
195: Jan Johnson (Gov. Mifflin, AAA) - Penn State football
220: Buzzy Maines (West Branch, AA) - uncommitted
285: Allan Beattie (Burrell, AA) - uncommitted or Bo Spiller (Solanco, AAA) - Bloomsburg

Notes:
* Likely no PA champ at 120 and 126 -- might not even finish top 4 at Hershey. Dapper Dan might have to exercise the 10-lb weight allowance to put Myers at 126.
* 152 AAA is this year's meat grinder: Cenzo, Pat Duggan, Josh Maruca, and Kaleb Young are all D1 commits. If junior Young wins, then Dapper Dan could take the AA champ (Kent Lane, Southern Columbia - Lehigh commit).
* Big question at 220/285 is where Andrew Dunn (Beca - Virginia Tech commit) wrestles at Hershey. I think he's better than Maines, but he's now AAA. He's not beating Jordan Wood at Hershey. He would probably be the 285 AAA favorite, would be a great battle with Spiller.
 
Any chance we can get Beattie to walkon? Need a backup for Nevills.
 
I am assuming Mercyhurst has the inside track on Beattie. Burrell and Mercyhurst have a nice pipeline going and his brother wrestles there
 
To me the big surpise is only 5 of the USA team are going to the Big 10.*

*
 
I suspect Beattie is holding out for a possible scholarship. Can't blame him if he's trying. He should be a viable D1 wrestler if he wants to go that route. Willie and Lowe both rank him ahead of Spiller and Seminary's Mike Rogers (NC State commit).

Last year he wrestled the last 2 months with a broken ankle. Finished 3rd at states -- 3 pins, a comfortable win in the 3rd/4th match, only loss to 2x champ Breese. He's now the odds-on favorite to win AA states, which might earn him some money not previously available. (Another factor: #1 heavy Michael Johnson is also uncommitted, also likely due to injury.)

He's exactly the kind of undervalued guy Cael loves to bring in at a discount, though Nevills likely prevents a bidding war.

Would love to get him, but suspect we'll be in the next level of guys down ... Wyalusing 220 Dylan Otis might be another buy-low candidate.
 
I doubt that you will see Dylan in Blue & White. He is looking at West Point.
 
Originally posted by El-Jefe:
... and here's a way-too-early look at the PA team. Weights, as always, subject to change. Where more than 1 guy listed, the favorite is first:

113: Devin Brown (Franklin Regional, AAA) - West Virginia
120: Derek Gulotta (Owen J. Roberts, AAA) - Bloomsburg
126: Ryan Hayes (Spring-Ford, AAA) - Bloomsburg
132: AC Headlee (Waynesburg Central, AAA) - North Carolina or Korbin Myers (Boiling Springs, AA) - Edinboro
138: Sam Krivus (Hempfield, AAA) - Virginia
145: Mike Kemerer (Franklin Regional, AAA) - Iowa
152: Vincenzo Joseph (Pittsburgh Central Catholic, AAA) - Penn State
160: Josh Shields (Franklin Regional, AAA) - Arizona State or Cole Walter (Mifflinburg, AA) - Lehigh
170: Billy Barnes (Southern Columbia, AA) - Lehigh or Idris White (Father Judge, AAA) - Maryland
182: Kellan Stout (Mt. Lebanon, AAA) - Penn State
195: Jan Johnson (Gov. Mifflin, AAA) - Penn State football
220: Buzzy Maines (West Branch, AA) - uncommitted
285: Allan Beattie (Burrell, AA) - uncommitted or Bo Spiller (Solanco, AAA) - Bloomsburg

Notes:
* Likely no PA champ at 120 and 126 -- might not even finish top 4 at Hershey. Dapper Dan might have to exercise the 10-lb weight allowance to put Myers at 126.
* 152 AAA is this year's meat grinder: Cenzo, Pat Duggan, Josh Maruca, and Kaleb Young are all D1 commits. If junior Young wins, then Dapper Dan could take the AA champ (Kent Lane, Southern Columbia - Lehigh commit).
* Big question at 220/285 is where Andrew Dunn (Beca - Virginia Tech commit) wrestles at Hershey. I think he's better than Maines, but he's now AAA. He's not beating Jordan Wood at Hershey. He would probably be the 285 AAA favorite, would be a great battle with Spiller.
Click to expand...
I'm a District 1 guy and I just don't see it being Ryan Hayes at 126, he's not even top 3 in the district at 120 OR 126 - he's a 120 anyway and there are at least a half a dozen seniors who are better credentialed and will remain so after States. 126 will come from Headlee or Myers. Maybe Giorgio if he upsets and wins the whole thing.

120 is wide open - I would say you are probably correct with Gulotta as the leading candidate, but he hasn't been wrestling great this year and he's not a sure fire podium pick right now. Like you said - there may be no senior candidates top 4 this year at either 120 or 126.

Billy Barnes is a 152 - don't see him at 70. I could see Shields moving up to 170 - he has wrestled there a bit this year. This would open the door for Duggan or Maruca to go 160. Plus their are other viable 160 candidates in Walker, Walters, even Dunn depending on what happens in Hershey. They are also probably going to have a Senior 170 champ in AA, so they may just roll him out there.

I think Dunn will be the PA 220 DD guy no matter where he wrestles at Hershey and I would favor Spiller over Beattie for 285.
 
Originally posted by El-Jefe:
I suspect Beattie is holding out for a possible scholarship. Can't blame him if he's trying. He should be a viable D1 wrestler if he wants to go that route. Willie and Lowe both rank him ahead of Spiller and Seminary's Mike Rogers (NC State commit).

Last year he wrestled the last 2 months with a broken ankle. Finished 3rd at states -- 3 pins, a comfortable win in the 3rd/4th match, only loss to 2x champ Breese. He's now the odds-on favorite to win AA states, which might earn him some money not previously available. (Another factor: #1 heavy Michael Johnson is also uncommitted, also likely due to injury.)

He's exactly the kind of undervalued guy Cael loves to bring in at a discount, though Nevills likely prevents a bidding war.

Would love to get him, but suspect we'll be in the next level of guys down ... Wyalusing 220 Dylan Otis might be another buy-low candidate.
Click to expand...
I'm very familiar with all the senior guys at 220/285 and, honestly, it's a down year for the region - both top end and depth. I still like Pat Finn in terms of his frame as a walkon type of guy - that' really all there are out there for PSU - but otherwise I wouldn't be counting on PA providing PSU with a viable candidate to backup Nevills.

Dunn is really the best by far of the bunch IMO - in a couple of years he has turned himself into a pretty darn good wrestler as compared to just a big guy - but even he has some question marks in that he's kind of a tweener. Not a great pool to be replenishing 3 seniors from.
 
Re: To me the big surpise is only 5 of the USA team are going to the Big 10.*


Is it just me or does 2015 feel a bit down? There are 8 SRs ranked #1 (Intermat) and four of them are at the big weights - 182, 195, 220, and 285.

Is it just me or does it feel strange that the 11 weights where it's not SR dominant (195, 220, and 285 almost always headlined by a senior), that a majority are led by non-seniors? I really feel like that 2016 class just looks really strong, but there are no sure things I guess.
 
I'm a D-11 guy and Dunn will go 220 at Hershey and run from nobody. Dunn can wrestle with anyone there, including Wood.
 
We can revisit weights once sectionals start.

You may be right about Spiller over Beattie. Their records are very similar: Spiller won the Beast and Escape the Rock; Beattie won Powerade and King of the Mountain. Beattie does have 1 loss (UTB to 220 placer Jacob Robb), which might decide it. When in doubt, DD tends to favor the AAA guy and the Pittsburgh guy -- in this case, those factors cancel out.

If Spiller wins and can make weight plus allowance (he played football at 245, so maybe), DD could take him at 220. If the choice is 2 out of Spiller, Beattie, and (Maines or Otis), then the 2 heavies will have faced superior, national competition.

Dunn vs. Maines would be an interesting decision -- if Dunn beats Spiller. (If he somehow beat Wood, it's a no-brainer.) Maines isn't a lock either -- Otis and Robb both look good. The deciding factor might be Maines finishing higher than Dunn last year at the same weight.
 
Finn will play football at Bucknell next year.

BTW, won't see him at states this year, he had shoulder surgery and is out for the year.
 
Gulotta is going to Lock Haven, not Bloomsburg. Gulotta and Spiller are both two of my former youth wrestlers, so I hope they both get selected.
 
Thanks for the heads-up on Gulotta. Flo and Intermat both have him going to Bloomsburg, but, sure enough, Google has a pic of him signing with Lock Haven on 12/4.
 
Another correction: Barnes is going to Bloomsburg, not Lehigh. (I knew this one and just whiffed.)
 
Nice to see "other" schools like UVA and WVU picking up some

talent both from around the country and in PA.
 
great conversation, guys ... some thoughts about the US team


it's always nice to get El-Jefe, or diceman, or tjb talking about PA wrestlers.

turning to the US team, some thoughts I had:

1. no Valencia brothers? big disappointment there. hard to make a case for Baldwin at 170 and Martin at 182, over Anthony and Zahid
2. Oliver is good at 120, but I was hoping Doyle Trout was at that weight for USA
3. glad that Piccininni made the team. Alas, I don't see anybody from PA that matches up well with him
4. Prince at 132 is good, though I'm surprised it's not Kaid Brock
5. Jeffries at 138 is good, though I was kind of hoping that Matt Kolodzik of Blair made the US team. Ke-Shawn Hayes would have also been a nice selection.
6. Thomsen seems like the obvious choice at 145. Could be a real battle between him and Kemerer (assuming he's picked for PA). Larry Early would also have made a nice selection.
7. Stroker? I thought he was planning to cut to 145 for States. Sets up a nice battle with Cenzo
8. Joseph Smith is good, though I think David McFadden has just as good of a argument for being on the team.
9. Still surprised Anthony Valencia didn't make it at 170. Logan Massa also has a legitimate case for being selected over Fox Baldwin. (Does Michigan have some rule preventing their HS all-stars from participating in these type of events?)
10. Zahid Valencia would be my pick at 182, but Myles Martin is an excellent alternative
11. Benick seemed like the clear favorite for the spot at 195. Tough match-up here for anybody on PA's team
12. Austin Myers ... not bad -- Kenneth Brinson has a pretty good case for being selected at 220
13. Chakonis is a great pick at 285, and will be trouble for anybody PA has at this weight

Tom
 
Originally posted by tjb249:

Gulotta is going to Lock Haven, not Bloomsburg. Gulotta and Spiller are both two of my former youth wrestlers, so I hope they both get selected.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure Pat Finn was one of your kids too - I remember my son working out with him there a few times to prep for PJWs. I knew he was out for the year, but was unaware he was committed to Bucknell for football - good for him, nice kid.

Agree on the Dunn not having to run from anybody, but I heard a rumor that he and Wood had already worked it out among themselves to go different weights if Wood comes back (and he has). Also agree that Dunn right now would give Wood a run for his money. He has really impressed me this year.

I think he is a no-brainer for DD - hands down the best senior big guy in PA this year. I don't see any way - barring injury - he's not picked.

This post was edited on 2/3 10:36 PM by dicemen99
 
Re: great conversation, guys ... some thoughts about the US team


Originally posted by Tom McAndrew:

it's always nice to get El-Jefe, or diceman, or tjb talking about PA wrestlers.

turning to the US team, some thoughts I had:

1. no Valencia brothers? big disappointment there. hard to make a case for Baldwin at 170 and Martin at 182, over Anthony and Zahid
2. Oliver is good at 120, but I was hoping Doyle Trout was at that weight for USA
3. glad that Piccininni made the team. Alas, I don't see anybody from PA that matches up well with him
4. Prince at 132 is good, though I'm surprised it's not Kaid Brock
5. Jeffries at 138 is good, though I was kind of hoping that Matt Kolodzik of Blair made the US team. Ke-Shawn Hayes would have also been a nice selection.
6. Thomsen seems like the obvious choice at 145. Could be a real battle between him and Kemerer (assuming he's picked for PA). Larry Early would also have made a nice selection.
7. Stroker? I thought he was planning to cut to 145 for States. Sets up a nice battle with Cenzo
8. Joseph Smith is good, though I think David McFadden has just as good of a argument for being on the team.
9. Still surprised Anthony Valencia didn't make it at 170. Logan Massa also has a legitimate case for being selected over Fox Baldwin. (Does Michigan have some rule preventing their HS all-stars from participating in these type of events?)
10. Zahid Valencia would be my pick at 182, but Myles Martin is an excellent alternative
11. Benick seemed like the clear favorite for the spot at 195. Tough match-up here for anybody on PA's team
12. Austin Myers ... not bad -- Kenneth Brinson has a pretty good case for being selected at 220
13. Chakonis is a great pick at 285, and will be trouble for anybody PA has at this weight

Tom
Click to expand...
It was reported that the Valencias indicated that they would not participate in the DD because they are immediately heading to the OTC - I think I got that right, Willie wrote something on it a couple weeks back.
 
Originally posted by El-Jefe:
We can revisit weights once sectionals start.

You may be right about Spiller over Beattie. Their records are very similar: Spiller won the Beast and Escape the Rock; Beattie won Powerade and King of the Mountain. Beattie does have 1 loss (UTB to 220 placer Jacob Robb), which might decide it. When in doubt, DD tends to favor the AAA guy and the Pittsburgh guy -- in this case, those factors cancel out.

If Spiller wins and can make weight plus allowance (he played football at 245, so maybe), DD could take him at 220. If the choice is 2 out of Spiller, Beattie, and (Maines or Otis), then the 2 heavies will have faced superior, national competition.

Dunn vs. Maines would be an interesting decision -- if Dunn beats Spiller. (If he somehow beat Wood, it's a no-brainer.) Maines isn't a lock either -- Otis and Robb both look good. The deciding factor might be Maines finishing higher than Dunn last year at the same weight.
Click to expand...
Is this in reference to Barnes? 170 would really surprise me for him, but stranger things have happened. I can't see it in reference to Hayes - he's got no shot at winning D1 regionals at 126, but could make a run at 120 with Gulotta struggling a bit so far, but he's 0-8 lifetime against him.
 
Re: great conversation, guys ... some thoughts about the US team

Originally posted by Tom McAndrew:

it's always nice to get El-Jefe, or diceman, or tjb talking about PA wrestlers.

turning to the US team, some thoughts I had:

6. Thomsen seems like the obvious choice at 145. Could be a real battle between him and Kemerer (assuming he's picked for PA). Larry Early would also have made a nice selection.
7. Stroker? I thought he was planning to cut to 145 for States. Sets up a nice battle with Cenzo

Tom
Click to expand...

For the Iowa guys, the only bad thing is if it's Thomsen v Kemerer, we already saw Kemerer really pour it on Thomsen in the Super 32 finals, but I'll take an Iowa guy in. He really is the best pick. Early might have been able to do 145 with weight allowance, but I bet he's looking forward to bumping once the season is over.

As for Stroker, I think he is getting big for 145, that's where he has to be for state for his team, but much like Early, I think he'll be looking forward to a weight bump as soon as he can.
 
Dice, it's really a general statement. Guys change weights. We have an idea, but we won't absolutely know weights until sectionals.
 
Originally posted by El-Jefe:
Dice, it's really a general statement. Guys change weights. We have an idea, but we won't absolutely know weights until sectionals.
Click to expand...
OK, just thought maybe you were "cryptically" referring to some insider information. There are always some surprises at sections.
 
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