2014-15 Wrestling thread

[ugarte]

The season doesn't start until late November, and I'm probably not going to write a preview anyway,* but I wanted to start this thread to tell NYC-area people that presale tickets in the Cornell section are available for the Grapple in the Garden on December 21. We'll be wrestling Edinboro and Northern Iowa.  Use the link in this post, because right now the presale link is the only way to get tickets.

Cornell will be back in the area on February 7 when they wrestle at Hofstra at noon and then bus over to Columbia for a 6pm match.


* Short version: we have one of the elite teams in the country but there are a few weight classes in flux and some fall semester injury/eligibility issues that will hopefully be worked out by the spring semester. I'll probably try to do a state-of-the-team post then, when the actual will-be-competing-for-the-title squad is wrestling full-time.

[Al DeFlorio]

The season doesn't start until late November, and I'm probably not going to write a preview anyway,* but I wanted to start this thread to tell NYC-area people that presale tickets in the Cornell section are available for the Grapple in the Garden on December 21. We'll be wrestling Edinboro and Northern Iowa.  Use the link in this post, because right now the presale link is the only way to get tickets.

Cornell will be back in the area on February 7 when they wrestle at Hofstra at noon and then bus over to Columbia for a 6pm match.


* Short version: we have one of the elite teams in the country but there are a few weight classes in flux and some fall semester injury/eligibility issues that will hopefully be worked out by the spring semester. I'll probably try to do a state-of-the-team post then, when the actual will-be-competing-for-the-title squad is wrestling full-time.

Edinboro finished 5th, two places ahead of Cornell, in this past NCAA tournament, and Northern Iowa 15th.  Should be good wrestling meets.

[jts15]

Found a preview if you are interested.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2014/11/1/7142525/bloody-elbows-dirty-dozen-college-wrestling-rankings-3-cornell

[mountainred]

Found a preview if you are interested.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2014/11/1/7142525/bloody-elbows-dirty-dozen-college-wrestling-rankings-3-cornell

Actually, Rob Koll's preview is about as good as any:  http://www.newyorkwrestlingnews.com/news_article/show/418049?referrer_id=1024271.

[mountainred]

At the risk of stepping into ugarte's arena (and feel free to correct my mistakes), here is what the team looks like with the first open event of the season finished:

125:  Nahshon Garrett finished 3rd as a freshman and 2nd last year.  Unfortunately, the one man he hasn't beaten, Illinois' Jesse Delgado, returns for his senior season.  Dalton Macri is "ivy shirting" this season and just won the Bearcat Open with a win over a very good wrestler from CSU.

133:  This was supposed to be Mark Grey, but he outgrew it.  Senior Nick Arujau is likely the plan, but you couldn't help but notice Cornell had no one at this weight in Binghamton today.  

141:  Sophomore Mark Grey's new weight and he looks fully recovered.  He won the Bearcat and Ivy-shirt Will Koll (Rob's son) finished a strong 4th.

149:  Chris Villalonga returns for one last season.  CV really put it together last season and is a threat to make a deep run at the NCAA's (he won the Bearcat).  Freshman Alex Cisneros is high quality depth.

157:  ugarte spoke of weight classes in flux.  This is one.  Brian Realbuto is one of the best in the nation, but is recovering from a knee injury he suffered in last year's NCAA semis (he wrestled through it).  Chris Dowdy looked good today winning the Bearcat, but he can't wrestle in a Cornell uniform until the second semester.  That leaves Taylor Simaz, who is solid and from a great tradition of CU wrestlers, but not quite at the same level as Brian or Chris.

165:  Dylan Palacio is finishing up his time on the soccer team.  He'll be back in a few weeks, but veteran Jesse Shanamann went at 165 today in Binghamton.  He finished a respectable 3-2 with losses to the eventual winner and John Jay Chavez.  JJ is one of our guys who is ivy shirting.  Palacio is a lot of fun to watch because, as he admits, even he doesn't know what he'll do next.

174:  Duke Pickett was the surprise starter last season and seems to be the odds on bet to hang on to the job, although Shanamann may push him after Palacio comes back. Duke finished second today, losing to Penn State's back-up Bo Nickal (bear in mind, Bo is very good).

184:  Gabe Dean is the best man at this weight in the nation.

197:  Jace Bennett is the returning starter and reigning EIWA champ.  I still expect Owen Scott to push him hard for the starting job.  Owen pinned Jace for 3rd at the Bearcat Open today; consider that an opening salvo.

285:  No idea.  Cornell heavies went 1-6 today.  

In all, we are "one of the elite teams in the country but there are a few weight classes in flux and some fall semester injury/eligibility issues that will hopefully be worked out by the spring semester."  But I'm paid by the word.

[Jim Hyla]

It's too bad we have trouble getting heavyweights. That could make the difference between being close and actually winning at all.

[ugarte]

At the risk of stepping into ugarte's arena (and feel free to correct my mistakes), here is what the team looks like with the first open event of the season finished:

125:  Nahshon Garrett finished 3rd as a freshman and 2nd last year.  Unfortunately, the one man he hasn't beaten, Illinois' Jesse Delgado, returns for his senior season.  Dalton Macri is "ivy shirting" this season and just won the Bearcat Open with a win over a very good wrestler from CSU.

133:  This was supposed to be Mark Grey, but he outgrew it.  Senior Nick Arujau is likely the plan, but you couldn't help but notice Cornell had no one at this weight in Binghamton today.  

141:  Sophomore Mark Grey's new weight and he looks fully recovered.  He won the Bearcat and Ivy-shirt Will Koll (Rob's son) finished a strong 4th.

149:  Chris Villalonga returns for one last season.  CV really put it together last season and is a threat to make a deep run at the NCAA's (he won the Bearcat).  Freshman Alex Cisneros is high quality depth.

157:  ugarte spoke of weight classes in flux.  This is one.  Brian Realbuto is one of the best in the nation, but is recovering from a knee injury he suffered in last year's NCAA semis (he wrestled through it).  Chris Dowdy looked good today winning the Bearcat, but he can't wrestle in a Cornell uniform until the second semester.  That leaves Taylor Simaz, who is solid and from a great tradition of CU wrestlers, but not quite at the same level as Brian or Chris.

165:  Dylan Palacio is finishing up his time on the soccer team.  He'll be back in a few weeks, but veteran Jesse Shanamann went at 165 today in Binghamton.  He finished a respectable 3-2 with losses to the eventual winner and John Jay Chavez.  JJ is one of our guys who is ivy shirting.  Palacio is a lot of fun to watch because, as he admits, even he doesn't know what he'll do next.

174:  Duke Pickett was the surprise starter last season and seems to be the odds on bet to hang on to the job, although Shanamann may push him after Palacio comes back. Duke finished second today, losing to Penn State's back-up Bo Nickal (bear in mind, Bo is very good).

184:  Gabe Dean is the best man at this weight in the nation.

197:  Jace Bennett is the returning starter and reigning EIWA champ.  I still expect Owen Scott to push him hard for the starting job.  Owen pinned Jace for 3rd at the Bearcat Open today; consider that an opening salvo.

285:  No idea.  Cornell heavies went 1-6 today.  

In all, we are "one of the elite teams in the country but there are a few weight classes in flux and some fall semester injury/eligibility issues that will hopefully be worked out by the spring semester."  But I'm paid by the word.

Thanks, mountainred. My sources are all second-hand, I have to admit, since I hardly get to watch the wrestling. Hoping to go when we face either Columbia or Hofstra. In any event, just a few comments:

First, a quick explanation for those who don't know: any Ivy Redshirt is "deferring for a year". They will train and compete with the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club and probably take some credits at TC3 before enrolling at Cornell in the fall.

125: Garrett is sitting out the early season tournaments - including an All-Star event he was invited to - because he is nursing a minor injury. I really think he can beat Delgado and I don't think there is anyone else in the weight class (with the exception of some frosh I'm unaware of) who can take a run at either of them

133: Got to hope that Arujau can make weight. Bricker Dixon steps in if he can't. Dixon was a highly touted recruit but he hasn't been able to crack the starting lineup given the Red's strength at his weight and his results when he does wrestle are so-so.

141: Hoping that this weight allows Grey to achieve his full potential. I'm worried that this is a tougher weight class but the word is that 133 became an untenable weight to maintain.

149: Like mountainred said, CV finally pulled it together last season only to fall short in the NCAAs to wrestlers I wouldn't have expected him to have trouble with. He's a beast on the bottom but is sometimes too tentative about taking shots and the matches stay closer than perhaps they should. I thought he was going to have to sit out the fall semester to maintain his eligibility for the spring, but he wrestled in Binghamton so who knows. I didn't check to see if he wrestled at the Bearcat as Cornell or as an unattached wrestler. I do know that he wouldn't wrestle in the fall if it meant he wouldn't be eligible for the main part of the season because that would be insane. Cisneros won both preseason tournaments that he entered as an Ivy redshirt last year. He's going to be good.

157: If Realbuto comes back in top form he will AA and is a title contender. I know nothing about Dowdy except what he did yesterday (which was great). Simaz to date hasn't looked like someone who could be very helpful outside the practice room for a team with title aspirations.

165: Palacio is another likely All-American. Jesse Shanaman was a huge recruit out of high school who never put it together with the Red. In 2011, he couldn't take DJ Meagher's spot, in 2013 he started but didn't qualify for the NCAAs. In 2014, he couldn't find a spot at 165 with the arrival of Palacio and over the course of the season, Pickett outperformed him at 174, and got selected to be our wrestler at the conference tournament. At the Bearcat, Chavez beat Shanaman, so he looks to be very good but I don't want to think about him or where he fits in as he develops at FLWC this year because I have enough else to think about.

174: Pickett beat out Shanaman last year and I suspect he'll do so again, given that Shanaman lost to the guy who is being asked to delay a year to develop.

184: I have nothing to add about Gabe Dean. Gabe Dean Gabe Dean Gabe Dean. OK, maybe a little. In an early All-Star competition, Dean again beat Dechow, the ODU soph he beat in the consolation bracket final to take 3rd at NCAAs last spring when they were both freshmen. The first and second place finishers both graduated, so these are the two elite wrestlers at 184.

197: Same thought on 197. I really like Bennett, who has outperformed his expectations. I'm not sure what to read into a pin by his teammate in a match that I didn't see.

285: Jacob Aiken-Phillips beat out a returning NCAA qualifier to become the team's starter as a freshman last year and juuuuust missed qualifying for the NCAAs. We thought there might be a challenger for him in Jeramy Sweaney, but Sweaney is small for the weight and is spending the year at FLWC to bulk up. That said, JAP lost to Sweaney at the Bearcat. Not a great showing at a weight class where we've been weak (by national elite standards) for years. Hope this isn't going to be a black hole again but I'm nervous.

[scoop85]

Wrestling is certainly shaping up as a bright spot in what has been an otherwise dismal sports year for the Big Red.

And here's news of a commitment from one of the best HS wrestlers in the country (he's only a sophomore, but amazingly accomplished)

[mountainred]

Great comments ugarte. My knowledge is all second-hand as well.  I think Jacob Aiken-Phillips is a senior this year, but he was solid last year (1st team all-Ivy).  Maybe he was fighting a bug or something yesterday?  And you are probably right about Duke -- Nickal is a very blue-chip recruit and the loss was just 7-5.

Based on Coach Koll's comments, I thought everyone was wrestling "unattached" yesterday.  Rob's newsletter made it sound like CV has an entire year, but Chris Dowdy only has the second semester.  We probably won't know for two weeks when we see who takes the mat v. Oklahoma.

[ugarte]

Based on Coach Koll's comments, I thought everyone was wrestling "unattached" yesterday.  Rob's newsletter made it sound like CV has an entire year, but Chris Dowdy only has the second semester.  We probably won't know for two weeks when we see who takes the mat v. Oklahoma.

Don't know how I got JAP's year wrong. My brain is still insisting that I'm right. (Make no mistake: I'm wrong.) Also, you're right re: CV. Definitely seems like he's got the full year.

I'm looking forward to the year, but anxious anxious anxious.

[dag14]

JAP is a senior....but lots of guys have 2 senior years in wrestling.  CV was a senior this time last year, too.

[George64]

Wrestling is certainly shaping up as a bright spot in what has been an otherwise dismal sports year for the Big Red.

And here's news of a commitment from one of the best HS wrestlers in the country (he's only a sophomore, but amazingly accomplished)

Nice article in today's D&C.

[ugarte]

Despite missing 4 starters (some for injury, some taking the semester off to be eligible in the spring), #3 Cornell beat #21 Oklahoma 21-13.

#3 Cornell 21, #21 Oklahoma 13
125: #2 Nahshon Garrett (C) won over ­­Ryan Millhof (O), 6-2
133: #3 Cody Brewer (O) MD over Bricker Dixon (C), 12-4
141: Trae Blackwell (O) won over Nick Arujau (C), 8-6 (ot1)
149: #7 Chris Villalonga (C) MD over Shayne Tucker (O), 13-4
157: #13 Justin DeAngelis (O) won over Taylor Simaz (C), 7-3
165: Jesse Shanaman (C) won over Clark Glass (O), 4-1
174: Duke Pickett (C) won over Matt Reed (O), 8-6 (ot1)
184: #1 Gabe Dean (C) TF over Greg Wilson (O), 2:44 (17-0)
197: Owen Scott (C) won over Brad Johnson (O), 6-5
HWT: Zach Merrill (O) won over Jacob Aiken-Phillips (C), 4-0

Cornell is hosting the NYS Championships on Sunday but I don't know who from the Red will be wrestling; we usually have multiple wrestlers go at many of the weights and starters who are dinged up are likely to take the day off.

[Jim Hyla]

Despite missing 4 starters (some for injury, some taking the semester off to be eligible in the spring), #3 Cornell beat #21 Oklahoma 21-13.

#3 Cornell 21, #21 Oklahoma 13
125: #2 Nahshon Garrett (C) won over ­­Ryan Millhof (O), 6-2
133: #3 Cody Brewer (O) MD over Bricker Dixon (C), 12-4
141: Trae Blackwell (O) won over Nick Arujau (C), 8-6 (ot1)
149: #7 Chris Villalonga (C) MD over Shayne Tucker (O), 13-4
157: #13 Justin DeAngelis (O) won over Taylor Simaz (C), 7-3
165: Jesse Shanaman (C) won over Clark Glass (O), 4-1
174: Duke Pickett (C) won over Matt Reed (O), 8-6 (ot1)
184: #1 Gabe Dean (C) TF over Greg Wilson (O), 2:44 (17-0)
197: Owen Scott (C) won over Brad Johnson (O), 6-5
HWT: Zach Merrill (O) won over Jacob Aiken-Phillips (C), 4-0

Cornell is hosting the NYS Championships on Sunday but I don't know who from the Red will be wrestling; we usually have multiple wrestlers go at many of the weights and starters who are dinged up are likely to take the day off.

Impressive second half, after trailing by 10-7. During the hockey game I got to listen, and sometimes watch, on ILDN. Nice.

[ugarte]

I know some of you are in the Albany/Troy area, so if you feel like checking out the Cornell wrestling team, they're going up against NC State, Virginia Tech and Kutztown on Saturday in the Journeymen/ASICS Duals at HVCC.