AA/A Individual Rankings - October 2, 2018

[Bearhugger]

UPDATED OCTOBER 2, 2018

Last year we went all season long without rankings. Every year, many fans start the season with their “top wrestlers” list but it usually just puts returning wrestlers back in the previous season’s weight classes.

Here is the first individual ranking list for the upcoming season. Important points to consider are as follows:

1. My first source of information is the Super 32 early entry list. This is as factual as we can get right now.
2. The next source is the “word on the street”.
3. There will be many returning state champions and place winners that are not on this first ranking because I have no idea if they are wrestling, still a WV resident or what they weigh.
4. I am only listing 3 to 5 wrestlers for each weight class where able. The wrestlers are listed in alphabetical order and not my opinion of who is better. They will be listed by Name/School/Last Season’s Finish/Source/Region.
5. Some weight classes are left blank because of no facts or educated guesses of who might be in the given weight class.
6. Input that can be backed up is wanted. Either comment or inbox me. Let’s fill this thing up.

AA/A

106: Sanders/Independence/4th in state/Word on the street/R3
106: Short/Point Pleasant/NA/Super 32 Entry/R4

113: Powell/Wirt County/5th in state/Word on the street/R4
113: Smith/Point Pleasant/3rd in state/Super 32/R4

120: Hodges/Grafton/4th in state/Word on the street/R2
120: Raike/Point Pleasant/Freshman/Super 32/R4

126: Bartee/Point Pleasant/Freshman/ Super 32/R4
126: Spaulding/Ritchie County/5th in state/Super 32/R1

132: Dawson/Independence/Runner Up in state/Word on the street/R3
132: Freeman/Smith/Point Pleasant/Third & Fourth in state/Super 32/R4 (Obviously one will be 132 and the other 138).
132: Powell/Wirt County/NA/Word on the street/R4

138: Hall/Oak Glen/State Champion/Word on the Street/R1

145: Cook/Madonna/State Champion/Super 32/R1
145: Lusher/Independence/State runner up/Super 32/R3
145: Ward/Winfield/State Champion/Super 32/R4

152: Parkes/Greenbrier West/NA/Word on the street/R3
152: Thomas/East Fairmont/4th in state/Word on the Street/R1

160: Cox/Greenbrier West/5th in state/Word on the street/R3

170: Van Meter/Moorefield/3rd in state/Word on the street/R2

182: Kotsko/East Fairmont/3rd in state/Word on the street/R1

195: Cook/Madonna/3rd in state/Word on the street/R1
195: Kump/Independence/3rd in state/Word on the street/R3
195: Patterson/Greenbrier West/NA/Super 32/R3

220: Brown/Greenbrier West/State qualifier/Word on the street/R3
220: Shamblin/Sissonville/State qualifier/Word on the street/R4

285: Frazier/Fairmont Senior/State champion/Word on the street/R1

[ScrapDad]

Noah Kiszka was at 152 for the super 32 but hurt his knee in training, he looks alot bigger than last year, saw him down at PAL working with Aaron Brooks, also attended JROB 28 day camp this summer, look for him to be a big time contender in the run for a title at 152 pounds

[ScrapDad]

He was 1-2 at states last year

[AAMatRanking]

WVHS AA Pre-Season Wrestling Preview Edition 1
The 2018 Graduating Class cleared the way for a lot of young up and comers to make their mark but also left a few horses behind to continue their legacy. With the departure of over 30 seniors advancing to the college rankings from D1 to NAIA, a lot more talented seniors who wrestled their last matches of their careers, the landscape changes dramatically. There are still two AA wrestlers halfway through their quest of becoming 4X State Champions in Hall and Frazier. There is also quite a few state champions from the previous seasons still left to compete.
From an in depth analysis and many assumptions on growth, maximizing line-ups, and best odds of moving up the podium, this is how the beginning of the season could shape up. As more information becomes available, these can and WILL change. Furthermore, the only people who know how prepared they are…..is the wrestlers themselves.
103 LB
1. Short – Point Pleasant
2. Houser – St Mary’s
3. Sanders - Independence
4. Clere – Greenbrier West
5. Blake – Lewis County
6. Allman – Grafton County

Excluding Short and possibly Sanders, the other 106 pounders listed were undersized last year and should develop into stronger 106 competitors this year. Short will be a big 106 if he can maintain. If he can’t read the next paragraph, they have a back-up that will be very strong. Houser edges out Sanders for the number 2 spot based off of his finals appearance, but those that watched the semi-finals know, Sanders is capable of winning that head to head.

Incoming freshmen to watch: M. Freeman, Point Pleasant, moving up from Middle School that will be competing for a starting spot. He is a WSAZ Champion and could compete his first year in the high school level.

113 LB

1. Casuccio – East Fairmont
2. Smith – Point Pleasant
3. Powell – Wirt County
4. Long – Braxton County
5. Teel – Herbert Hoover

Last year’s champion has announced retirement, although the runner-up has been at this weight for a while, guessing he moves up. So it opens up 113 to yet another East Fairmont Wrestler to try to maintain this weight class. After a drama filled year surrounding Casuccio from East Fairmont, if he decides to return, he will be a front runner for the next 2 seasons. He has earned significant wins against all of last year’s 106 pound placers to include 2 official wins against last year’s state champion. Chris Smith is holding at number 2, but with the Point Pleasant depth, who knows who will be in this spot come the end of February.
Incoming freshmen to watch: Keep an eye on Riley Curran from Doddridge County. Curran was a WSAZ Runner-Up losing in the finals to an AAA opponent.
120 LB
1. Raike – Point Pleasant
2. Hodges - Grafton
3. West – Oak Hill
4. Ours – Petersburg
5. Blackwell - Roane

3 x Champion Laya moves on to DII wrestling at Wheeling Jesuit, and Derek Raike, Point Pleasant moves in. Raike has been wrestling at advance levels nationally for years and is a well-known incoming freshmen with 4x potential. The weight class is interesting with possibly two freshmen in the mix with Thomas Ours from Petersburg. Hodges from Grafton is a runner-up, champion, and 4th place in arguably the most competitive bracket from last season. He will want to finish on top and try to stop Raike early in his high school career. Ashby West has been very competitive through high school and comes in the top 3 on preseason forecast if he has not outgrown this weight class.

Incoming freshmen to Watch: Both have already been discussed with Raike and Ours and both should be very competitive in their first high school seasons.

126 LB

1. Moore – Oak Glen
2. Boyers – East Fairmont
3. Perdue - Independence
4. Bartee – Point Pleasant
5. Poole – Wirt County

4 x finalist and 3 x Champion Whorton moves on to wrestle D1 at Clarion. Runner-up jumping a couple to a few weight classes. Shawn Moore from Oak Glen finished a strong junior campaign as a runner-up at 113. If Moore decides to move up a couple of weight classes as projected, he could find himself as the #1 preseason wrestler at 126. Boyers is a state champion, but was mostly untested in AA and will be going up multiple weight classes from a reported growth spurt. Point Pleasant will have depth here with returning junior Justin Cornell looking to stay in the line-up.

Incoming Freshmen to Watch: This is a tough call on a rapidly growing wrestler, but If Mike Jones, Fairmont Senior, MS WSAZ Champion, TOC Placer, MAWA Finalist and a long resume of national competition can hold his weight down, he will be very competitive at 126. If he goes up, the upper classmen strength may give him early season issues. Interested to see where he lands.

132 LB

1. Flint - East Fairmont
2. Dawson - Independence
3. Freeman – Point Pleasant
4. Powell – Wirt County
5. Morris – Berkley Springs
6. Cameron Wilson – North Marion


Last season showed Flint with a huge size and strength explosion from sophomore to Junior Season and looked strong all season. Was in a weight class with two hammers in Hall, 2 x State Champion, and Rea who is now in a D1 room at WVU. If Flint maintains strength and conditioning he should graduate with a state title at 132 pounds. It will not come as a given with Dawson, who has proven he can wrestle with anybody. Freeman finished third last year and had a strong consolation finals match. With the room he is in, he is definitely going to come out stronger this season.

Incoming freshmen to Watch:

138 LB

1. Hall – Oak Glen
2. Lusher - Independence
3. Smith – Point Pleasant
4. Zimmerman – Berkley Springs
5. Baird – Madonna
6. Courtney - Bridgeport

Cook moves up in weight and runner-up Pumphrey and third place Harris graduated. Three previous state champions collide in one weight class is always exciting. Most would think about separating, but if you go up one weight class, you will still have three previous state champions in one weight class, so you may as well embrace it and go for an MOW. Hall clearly the front runner with two titles and beating returning state champions in both finals. He will not have the opportunity to do that this year as there is some gaps between Lusher and Smith’s championship runs. Zimmerman from Berkley Springs is a tough competitor that rounds out the preseason top 4 for this weight class.

No Incoming Freshmen on the Radar at this time.

145 LBS

1. Ward - Winfield
2. Cook - Madonna
3. Shaw – Berkley Springs
4. Mason – Keyser
5. Creese – Oak Glen
6. Samson – Point Pleasant

Ward is the defending state champion at 145. As much as that match has been argued, replayed, debated, he proved that he will wrestle all 6, 8, or 9 minutes so don’t leave it open for him. The weight class will be full, and updates will be necessary, but again, 2 previous year state champions competing for one title will make the weight class interesting. And if any projections are wrong at the previous weight class, we could have a third state champion in the mix. Lusher is the most likely to flex weight classes based on current size and cutting potential.

Incoming freshmen to Watch: Point Pleasant will get some mid-level help for team points from WSAZ placer Watson, strengthening their run with a young team.

152 LBS

1. Whiting – Roane Co
2. Trigg - Bluefield
3. Parkes – Greenbrier West
4. Kiska – Franklin
5. Williams – Grafton
6. Southall – Point Pleasant

Mundy, Harvey, Kincell, Reichard and Mitchell graduate. Cox moves up. We believe that Ward may ultimately end up here, one of the 138’s behind Hall move up to challenge Cook, and Ward becomes the front runner here. Assumption being made of current size, but like the story line the other way better. If as printed stands, Whiting and Trigg will be chasing after their dream for their final season until the next level. All of the wrestlers listed will be competitive matches and chasing for a title also.

No Incoming Freshmen Watch List at this time.

160 LBS

1. Cox – Greenbrier West
2. Thomas – East Fairmont
3. McCune - Calhoun
4. Stearns – Liberty Harrison
5. Connaway – North Marion
6. Gibson - Bridgeport

3 x State Champion Conner Gibson has graduated and left 160 open. Cox had a fantastic showing at the state tournament placing as the only freshmen with all other returning placers graduating. He could be in the driver’s seat at 160 this year and earning a state title. Thomas from East Fairmont who is only in his 4th season of wrestling was a state qualifier and then a state placer. He could be in line for a state finals appearance and possibly a title.

Incoming freshmen to Watch: Point Pleasant has another WSAZ placer in Connoly that could fill a spot and help earn team points this season.

170 LBS

1. Van Meter - Moorefield
2. Williams – Braxton County
3. Bush - Cameron
4. Scott – Fairmont Senior
5. Postlethwait – East Fairmont

Moore and Devaney graduated. Patterson size moves up two weight classes and Kotsko moves up to 182. Van Meter had a very successful freshmen campaign, is well coached, and will continue to grow. Preseason for having the experience on his side he is the front runner. Williams has been tough and looking to move up to a finalist. Cameron’s incoming freshmen Bush has a ton of potential and those close to him say he will make a run very early in his high school career. East Fairmont’s Postlethwait has wrestled two weight classes up from optimal for three seasons just to find room in a loaded lineup. They have thinned out in depth some and he should be much more competitive down a couple of classes.

Incoming freshmen to Watch: Bush from Cameron is on the hot watch list. Being a freshmen at an upper weight class is never an easy task and we will see how he transitions.

182 LBS

1. Kotsko – East Fairmont
2. Kuhn – Lewis Co
3. Dorsey – Greenbrier West
4. Casto - Clay

Frampton on to Utah Valley after his state title to compete DI. Daniels has graduated. Kotsko from East Fairmont has had very solid performances that were interrupted by injury in his freshmen and sophomore campaigns. As a junior he had significant wins over everybody in his weight class but also took some losses on his way to a third place finish as a junior. If he comes in healthy he should be a front runner unless some 195 pounders drop to make this a tougher weight class. Point Pleasant may find a way to get Burgess back down which will change the order some, but they have a knack for putting size on their upper weights.

195 LBS

1. Patterson – Greenbrier West
2. Cook - Madonna
3. Burgess - Petersburg
4. Kump - Independence
5. Marquez – Point Pleasant
6. Hovermale - Lincoln

Moomau won it last year and graduates to compete at WVU. Patterson could have very well been on his way to a state title last season at 170 before an unfortunate circumstance took him out of the state tournament. He has maintained and increased his size and strength and earned a preseason number 1 ranking. Cook from Madonna stays active in the Gladiator program out of PA in the off-season and will be a strong contender also. Petersburg has another solid wrestler that ranks in the top 3.

220 LBS

1. Kirby - Weir
2. Morral – Petersburg
3. Heston – Fairmont Senior
4. Summers - Bridgeport
5. Shamblin – Sissonville
6. Brown – Greenbrier West

Lively the state champion, the runner up, and two other placers graduated. Kirby has transferred to Weir, is he wrestling? If so, he makes for a solid preseason #1 at 220 and will have a training partner in the Weir heavyweight who made the most out of an alternate trip to the state tournament. Morral from Petersburg is a strong contender and with it being up in the air on Kirby, he may jump to number 1. Heston only wrestled the end of the season last year, but has been solid on the football field and looks to be healthy going into wrestling. A solid six wrestlers in this weight class to have some depth unlike some of the lower weight classes at this time.

285 LBS

1. Frazier – Fairmont Senior
2. Bruek - Weir
3. Isom – Independence
4. Muncy – Point Pleasant
4. Hamrick - Magnolia

Frazier does not look like he will be tested in AA again this year. Hopes are that he meets some solid contenders throughout the season to earn some significant wins. His schedule, minus Winners Choice, does not usually find him quality matches. So after him it should be a fight for the finals.

[AAMatRanking]

Duplicate

[Bearhugger]

120: Long/Braxton County/STQ/Word on the street/R2
152: Triplett/Braxton County/STQ/Word on the street/R2
182: Williams/Braxton County/4th in state/Word on the street/R2
220: May/Braxton County/STQ/Word on the street/R2

126: Whorton/East Fairmont/State Champion/Word on the street/R1
170: Kotsko/East Fairmont/3rd in state/NEW Word on the street/R1
182: Postlethwait/East Fairmont/STQ/Word on the street/R1

152: Kiszka/Frankfort/STQ/Word on the street/R1

[J.W.]

I am now convinced you hang out on deserted dirt roads and talk to yourself so you only hear what you want to hear.

[Bearhugger]

I am now convinced you hang out on deserted dirt roads and talk to yourself so you only hear what you want to hear.

"Rural" dirt roads JW. Change with the times.

[KDunbar]

I am not sure how accurate the rankings are (since I don't know most of the wrestlers), but they do sound refreshingly unbiased.
This was interesting to read as a preview and so far no one has called you stupid for having all the wrong weight classes .

[AAMatRanking]

I am not sure how accurate the rankings are (since I don't know most of the wrestlers), but they do sound refreshingly unbiased.
This was interesting to read as a preview and so far no one has called you stupid for having all the wrong weight classes .

Definitely no bias here. Sometimes a little negative reaction provides needed feedback to get the right people in the correct weights, but so far it has been quiet.

[Bearhugger]

170: Dorsey/Greenbrier West/6th in state/Word on the street/R3

KEEP THE INPUT AND UPDATES COMING. THANKS!!!!!

[BCMS_Coach36]

160: Moore freshman out of Braxton County, placed second last year in 170 at WSAZ should be around the 160 weight range.

[Big fan]

Noah Kiszka was at 152 for the super 32 but hurt his knee in training, he looks alot bigger than last year, saw him down at PAL working with Aaron Brooks, also attended JROB 28 day camp this summer, look for him to be a big time contender in the run for a title at 152 pounds

Cox absolutely man handled him in the State tournament last year, he should drop to 145

[Bearhugger]

160: Hissam/East Fairmont/NA/Word on the street/R1

195: Gerau/East Fairmont/STQ/Word on the street/R1

285: Brueck/Weir/5th in state/Word on the street/R1


Thank you all for the incoming third party verification. Keep it coming. Thanks!!!!!

[ScrapDad]

Cox should be heavier than 52 this year, considering he plays football i believe. He could very easily be a front runner at 60

[Bearhugger]

Cox should be heavier than 52 this year, considering he plays football i believe. He could very easily be a front runner at 60

I have had Cox listed at 160 since the first ranking/listing. He should be a top contender. He had a really good state tournament in a weight class filled with many competitive wrestlers.

[Bearhugger]

Whereas the listing numbers have increased, please add:

Marquez/Point Pleasant/NA/Super 32/R4

I see him as a pre-season top 6 wrestler.

[Bearhugger]

145: Trigg/Princeton/5th in the state/Word on the street/R3