Conquistadors
02-01-2006, 07:04 PM
Rankings are approximate averages of five ranking services. Rankings below top 20 are from Wrestling Report alone. I apologize for typos.
125 #18 Austin DeVoe (MU) vs. #2 Sam Hazewinkle
Sam Hazewinkle is fast and strong. But in my estimation he’s the most fundamentally sound of the top four 125 pounder wrestlers and my choice to win the National Championship this season. And be sure not to try to go upper body with him, as he’s on the National Greco-Roman team. Austin is a solid wrestler, but not in Sam’s league. Hazewinkle tends not to run up the score too often, so DeVoe should be able to keep it to a regular DEC. Hazewinkle by DEC. OU-3, MU-0
133 #17 Tyler McCormick (MU) vs. Trey Blakely
Tyler is having a very good season. Most of his losses have been to very good wrestlers. Occasionally, Tyler can run up points against weaker opponents. I have not seen Blakely, but from what I’ve read he has been taking his lumps this season. Look for McCormick to try to run up points for MAJ DEC. MU-4, OU-3
141 #21 Chris McCormick (MU) vs. #2 Teyon Ware
McCormick has struggled against good opponents, and two-time National Champ Ware is much better than good. Chris will try to battle and should be able to hold this to a Maj DEC. OU-7, MU-4
149 #20 Josh Wagner or Marcus Hoehn (MU) vs. #7 Matt Storniolo
Wagner, who didn’t wrestle against Nebraska, has had a very good season, with some nice wins. Hoehn, a 141 pounder, is a gutsy wrestler with an ability to hit a high amplitude hiptoss when his opponents least expect it. Storniolo was an All-American last year and is a solid wrestler who usually gets the job done. Ordinarily I would predict a regular decision victory for Storniolo, but with Wagner’s go-for-broke style and Hoehn’s smaller size, look for Storniolo to win by MAJ DEC. OU-11, MU-4
157 Michael Chandler (MU) vs. #22 Will Rowe/ Shane Vernon
In his first varsity season, Michael Chandler has looked good at times and not-so-good at times. Last week he beat #16 Chris Oliver of Nebraska by scoring up five points in overtime. I have not seen Rowe or Vernon wrestle. On paper, this looks like a toss-up. Since the match is at MU, I’ll allow myself a homer pick. Chandler by DEC. OU-11, MU-7
165 #5 Matt Pell (MU) vs. #15 Jarrod King
Matt is having a very good season, with some outings better than others. One thing I’ve noticed is that when Matt controls a match, he commonly racks up lots of riding time, rather than rolling up points. In those matches where he is controlling the match, I would like to see him release opponents and try to rack up points. Sometimes it is easier to turn an opponent while taking him down than from the top position. Again, I have not seen King wrestle. Pell by DEC. OU-11, MU-10
174 #1 Ben Askren (MU) vs. #7-#23 Wes Roberts
Three of the ranking services have Roberts ranked in the top 12. Why, I have no idea. He really has wrestled and accomplished very little this season. Do these rankings people actually look at who these guys wrestle and how they do? Sometimes I get the feeling that they look and see what other services report and just “copy.” If ranking services listed overall won-loss records (and won-loss records against top 10, 15, or 20 opponents), they would have to be more honest in their assessments. OK, I’ll get off my soapbox. With that said, the last time I watched Roberts wrestle was a year-and-a-half ago, when he injured his knee and was then out for the entire season. I do wish him the best. Only two of 33 opponents have lasted an entire match with Askren. Askren by FALL. MU-16, OU-11
184 #15 Raymond Jordan(MU) vs. #16 Justin Dyer
Both Jordan and Dyer have had good seasons. I believe that Jordan has beaten more good wrestlers. When I’ve seen Dyer, he was a solid, tactical wrestler. This is more or less a toss-up, but I’ll go with Jordan’s good wins and home-court advantage. MU-19, OU-11
197 Jeff Foust (MU) vs. #5 Joel Flaggerts
A healthy Jeff Foust completely changes the complexion of the Missouri Tigers. With a chance at 197 for a win (or at least a loss by decision rather than fall), they are competitive with many more good teams. Last week Jeff returned to the line-up and wrestled hard against Nebraska’s Padden. For his second match it doesn’t get any easier, as Flaggert is the only person to beat Central Michigan’s Wynn Michalak this season. Flaggert by DEC. MU-19, OU-14
285 Sean Connole (MU) vs. #5 Jacob Hager
Certainly, Connole is not in Hager’s league. However, Hager does not score a lot of points or pins, so if Connole brings his A-game, Hager may be kept to a regular decision. Sean didn’t wrestle against Nebraska, so I’m not sure what his status is for the OU dual. Hager by MAJ DEC. MU-19, OU-18
Clearly, this could well be a very close dual, with bonus points and upsets to decide the winner. Looks like fun. I should be there.
125 #18 Austin DeVoe (MU) vs. #2 Sam Hazewinkle
Sam Hazewinkle is fast and strong. But in my estimation he’s the most fundamentally sound of the top four 125 pounder wrestlers and my choice to win the National Championship this season. And be sure not to try to go upper body with him, as he’s on the National Greco-Roman team. Austin is a solid wrestler, but not in Sam’s league. Hazewinkle tends not to run up the score too often, so DeVoe should be able to keep it to a regular DEC. Hazewinkle by DEC. OU-3, MU-0
133 #17 Tyler McCormick (MU) vs. Trey Blakely
Tyler is having a very good season. Most of his losses have been to very good wrestlers. Occasionally, Tyler can run up points against weaker opponents. I have not seen Blakely, but from what I’ve read he has been taking his lumps this season. Look for McCormick to try to run up points for MAJ DEC. MU-4, OU-3
141 #21 Chris McCormick (MU) vs. #2 Teyon Ware
McCormick has struggled against good opponents, and two-time National Champ Ware is much better than good. Chris will try to battle and should be able to hold this to a Maj DEC. OU-7, MU-4
149 #20 Josh Wagner or Marcus Hoehn (MU) vs. #7 Matt Storniolo
Wagner, who didn’t wrestle against Nebraska, has had a very good season, with some nice wins. Hoehn, a 141 pounder, is a gutsy wrestler with an ability to hit a high amplitude hiptoss when his opponents least expect it. Storniolo was an All-American last year and is a solid wrestler who usually gets the job done. Ordinarily I would predict a regular decision victory for Storniolo, but with Wagner’s go-for-broke style and Hoehn’s smaller size, look for Storniolo to win by MAJ DEC. OU-11, MU-4
157 Michael Chandler (MU) vs. #22 Will Rowe/ Shane Vernon
In his first varsity season, Michael Chandler has looked good at times and not-so-good at times. Last week he beat #16 Chris Oliver of Nebraska by scoring up five points in overtime. I have not seen Rowe or Vernon wrestle. On paper, this looks like a toss-up. Since the match is at MU, I’ll allow myself a homer pick. Chandler by DEC. OU-11, MU-7
165 #5 Matt Pell (MU) vs. #15 Jarrod King
Matt is having a very good season, with some outings better than others. One thing I’ve noticed is that when Matt controls a match, he commonly racks up lots of riding time, rather than rolling up points. In those matches where he is controlling the match, I would like to see him release opponents and try to rack up points. Sometimes it is easier to turn an opponent while taking him down than from the top position. Again, I have not seen King wrestle. Pell by DEC. OU-11, MU-10
174 #1 Ben Askren (MU) vs. #7-#23 Wes Roberts
Three of the ranking services have Roberts ranked in the top 12. Why, I have no idea. He really has wrestled and accomplished very little this season. Do these rankings people actually look at who these guys wrestle and how they do? Sometimes I get the feeling that they look and see what other services report and just “copy.” If ranking services listed overall won-loss records (and won-loss records against top 10, 15, or 20 opponents), they would have to be more honest in their assessments. OK, I’ll get off my soapbox. With that said, the last time I watched Roberts wrestle was a year-and-a-half ago, when he injured his knee and was then out for the entire season. I do wish him the best. Only two of 33 opponents have lasted an entire match with Askren. Askren by FALL. MU-16, OU-11
184 #15 Raymond Jordan(MU) vs. #16 Justin Dyer
Both Jordan and Dyer have had good seasons. I believe that Jordan has beaten more good wrestlers. When I’ve seen Dyer, he was a solid, tactical wrestler. This is more or less a toss-up, but I’ll go with Jordan’s good wins and home-court advantage. MU-19, OU-11
197 Jeff Foust (MU) vs. #5 Joel Flaggerts
A healthy Jeff Foust completely changes the complexion of the Missouri Tigers. With a chance at 197 for a win (or at least a loss by decision rather than fall), they are competitive with many more good teams. Last week Jeff returned to the line-up and wrestled hard against Nebraska’s Padden. For his second match it doesn’t get any easier, as Flaggert is the only person to beat Central Michigan’s Wynn Michalak this season. Flaggert by DEC. MU-19, OU-14
285 Sean Connole (MU) vs. #5 Jacob Hager
Certainly, Connole is not in Hager’s league. However, Hager does not score a lot of points or pins, so if Connole brings his A-game, Hager may be kept to a regular decision. Sean didn’t wrestle against Nebraska, so I’m not sure what his status is for the OU dual. Hager by MAJ DEC. MU-19, OU-18
Clearly, this could well be a very close dual, with bonus points and upsets to decide the winner. Looks like fun. I should be there.