Took note when watching the finals that 8 of the finalists (I think that’s right but apologies if off) wrestled as 8th graders in HS and only one I believe (Radecki) is at the same school they wrestled at as 8th graders. Doesn’t seem that rule requiring they attend as a 7th graders is doing what it was supposed to do.

Delaware Live released preseason team rankings today. What are everyone's thoughts?

D1
Salesianum
Sussex Central
Caesar Rodney
William Penn
Cape Henlopen

D2
DMA
Saint Marks
Laurel
Lake Forest
Indian River

May change after conference tournaments but as of today this is my prediction:
106 - Donato over Perrin
113 - Campanelli over Robbins
120 - Stratton over Guerrieri
126 - Lucian over Andrews
132 - Mundy over Cordrey
138 - Copes over Sianni
144 - Radecki over Grandel
150 - Walker over Jewell
157 - Elliot over Makoujy
165 - Ebough over Pete (would love to see Pete healthy)
175 - McCormac over Ranauto
190 - Ranauto over Spoor
215 - Donahue over Rhodes
285 - Juarquin over Baynard

Henelopen gets 7 titles
Indy gets 6 titles
Blue hen gets 1 champion

This stare Tournament was one for the history books. Congratulations to;

Radecki being delawares 1st 5 time champion
Natalie Radecki being delawares first girl to place in the boys division (6th place)
Stratton achieving a staggering 200 wins and his 4th state title

Top team placers:
Salesianum 191.5
DMA 146
Ceasar Rodney 140.5
Sussex central 135
St. Marks 125

Best matches (personal opinion)
120
126
144
175
150
285

106 Decker
Dark horse. Donato

113. Robins
Dark horse Bush

120 Stratton
Dark horse. Milligan

126 Andrews
Dark horse. Givens

132. Mundy
Dark horse. Bellerin

138. Copes
Dark horse. Sheehan

144 Radecki
Darkhorse Craig

150. Jewell
Darkhorse. Perrin

157. Elliot
Dark horse Baxley

165 Pete
Darkhorse. Dixon

175. Hanns
Dark horse. Payne

190. Chandler
Darkhorse. Ranauto

215. Donahue
Dark horse Rhodes

HWT Baynard
Darkhorse. Settles

Pick a wrestler seeded 9-16 in each weight that you feel could place. Points are seed minus place with high points winning.

Example 106. Pick an 11th seed who places 6th = 5 points. Only top 6 places. Calculate your own points:

106 - Keerick - WB - 11th(seed)
113 - Pernot - StG - 9th
120 - Kelley - MD - 10th
126 - McLaughlin - FR - 12th
132 - Meadows - CH - 9th
138 - Smith - Laurel- 10th
144 - Rosan - PT - 10th
150 - Deck - OD - 9th
157 - Allen - FSMA - 11th
165 - pierce - TH - 9th
175 - Goodsell - CH - 12th
190 - Dawson - StG - 10
215 - Montgomery- stM - 12
285 - Rodriguez - Laurel - 14

State Brackets

Released in track.

Remember the post about dads stfu and just cheering in the stands? This is one reason why.

Looks like 132 had a #1 seed drop. Cordrey moved up to #1, Menickella goes #2, Mundy #3 and Marini #4

Looks like Bones will be playing for the sophomore squad in the Rising Stars game next month. He could use the exposure as he's not getting it in Denver. His minutes seem to be shrinking week by week.

I’m going with 144 and 157
Nobody is touching Radecki
Nobody is touching Elliot
Both D1 commits both are savages on the mat.

Just read DIAA is investigating MT again for ineligible players. They got to keep the trophy the first time they did this so good luck DIAA.

Girls

Cape Henlopen 71 Conrad 55 https://www.websites4sports.com/Game384920

Archmere 48 Dover 36 https://www.websites4sports.com/Game384953

Howard 58 St. Georges 31 https://www.websites4sports.com/Game384991

Polytech 43 Middletown 29 https://www.websites4sports.com/Game384921

Tower Hill 55 AI DuPont 54 https://www.websites4sports.com/Game384926

Wilmington Friends 47 Early College School at DSU https://www.websites4sports.com/Game384993

I think we see year after year that your average upstate public schools just can’t compete with the privates and charters. Over the years the various schools like Caravel, St Marks, Red Lion, Sallies, DMA get all of these studs come in either as freshmen or transfer in year after year. Yes some public schools get one or two here and there, but it’s not even close. William Penn being the only school in their district and more importantly having a youth program differentiates them. Do we just accept that public teams upstate are what they are? Do we make all transfers who didn’t physically move sit a year? Do you eliminate 8th graders wrestling in HS since it’s a loophole that’s been taken advantage of no matter how they change it? Not knocking anyone but I didn’t even watch the D1 final this year or the Sallies/WP semi. While CR and SC tough teams, I knew nobody was coming close to Sallies. They had an amazing season, but those of us with no dogs in the D1 tournament had no interest as it was a lock from December that they would win.

25 names to know for the season 2024-25:

Robbie Johnson Jr. / Salesianun
Jayden Taylor / Sanford
Darnell Lloyd / Saint Andrew's
Jaylen Bernikow / Odessa
Darius Miller / Lake Forest
Kenny Hunter / Saint Elizabeth
Daniel Harvey / Appoquinimink
Kaleb Ra'Ifa / Middletown
JayVion Denis / Dover
Latrell Wright / Salesianum
Jordan Smith / Seaford
Josh Obiora / Saint George's
Steven Nixon / Saint Elizabeth
Marice Kilgoe / Smyrna
Vincent Evans III / Seaford
Nick Baysah / Howard
Bryson Lane / Howard
Jameson Tingle / Cape Henlopen
Chase Little / Dover
Khalil Kemp / St. Mark's
Elijah Proctor-Moore / Saint Andrew's
Aven Diamond / Polytech
David Maker / Sussex Central
Elijah Farrington / Milford
Kyndal Riley-Garlick / William Penn

Nothing crazy, except by time I post this they will probably be done day 1.
St. Marks shaking things up.
Baxley to 157
Spoor to 175
Hanna to 190

Natalie Radecki 4th seed at 106 (bye to the 1/4s)

Dont know a ton about every team but a few things that popped out to me, nothing meant to be negative on anyone.
Most of this is seeded as expected - probably some 2 and 3 or 3 and 4 swaps could have happened.

113
Robbins ranked 3rd but 8th seed?

120
Thought Guierrei bumped but not there at all?

165
sleeper for most competitive weight?

175
Chandler getting down here makes states interesting.

215
all ranked guys in the same half of the bracket. Smith the sleeper? Transfering to Sallies next year (THATS A JOKE RELAX)

They are the only one on track as of this time.

This is the time of the year when we throw rankings and seeds straight out the F’ing window. Time to prove it on the mat boys and girls! If you felt slighted when 302Sports put out their rankings now is the time for you to show em what ya got. A #1 ranking and $2 gets you a medium coffee, but a gold medal is something you’ll never forget. I look forward to seeing a lot of wrestling this weekend at Milford! Prayers for an injury free, well as injury free as this sport can be, weekend! Good luck wrestlers, coaches and officials as well as all of the people working the tournaments this weekend.

What does everyone think about having an ultimate champion? Like have winner of D1 vs winner of D2 for a single Ultimate Champ. Just a thought….

So if a fan has the opportunity to attend any of the three state qualifiers, which one are you going to? I’m leaning henlopen but would not mind seeing some of those independent semis and finals. Best mix and match would be Henlopen Friday night and Indy on Saturday.

Scoring Summary: Salesianum 43 Sussex Central 29
150 Ricky Jewell (Salesianum) over Josh Dempsey (Sussex Central H S) (TF 17-2 3:46)
157 Gardner Hall (Salesianum) over John Rovillard (Sussex Central H S) (Fall 3:00)
165 Chase Thompson (Salesianum) over Cruz Mota (Sussex Central H S) (Dec 1-0)
175 Ben Lee (Sussex Central H S) over Chris Miller (Salesianum) (Fall 1:31)
190 Ben Ranauto (Salesianum) over Jimmy McLane (Sussex Central H S) (MD 13-2)
215 Brayden Ranauto (Salesianum) over Ivan Flores (Sussex Central H S) (Fall 1:33)
285 Cameron Black (Salesianum) over Anthony Roblero (Sussex Central H S) (Fall 3:27)
106 Mason Catania (Salesianum) over Austen Decker (Sussex Central H S) (Dec 6-5)
113 Gabe Campanelli (Salesianum) over Seth Milligan (Sussex Central H S) (MD 15-2)
120 Malachi Stratton (Sussex Central H S) over Zachary Derbyshire (Salesianum) (MD 12-4)
126 Dominic Lucian (Salesianum) over Jaydan Mieth (Sussex Central H S) (Fall 1:09)
132 Evan Cordrey (Sussex Central H S) over Unknown (For.)
138 Peyton Conaway (Sussex Central H S) over Unknown (For.)
144 Justin Craig (Sussex Central H S) over Unknown (For.)

Boys

Smyrna 81 Caesar Rodney 47 https://www.websites4sports.com/Game352564

St. Andrews 69 Glasgow 49 https://www.websites4sports.com/Game360548

Delmarva Christian 69 Worcester Prep 33 https://www.websites4sports.com/Game371184

Appoquinimink 50 William Penn 41 https://www.websites4sports.com/Game360099

Girls

Delmarva Christian 53 St. Peter and Paul 42 https://www.websites4sports.com/Game371186

Smyrna 66 Caesar Rodney 30 https://www.websites4sports.com/Game352759

D1 - I have to say Coach Archangelo from
WP. Guy has built a program back up without recruits or transfers. Mitchel at CR?

D2 - Collier doing what he was supposed to do again. FSMA coach? laurel?