photo courtesy of Newberry athletics
2020 Super Regional II Preview
When: 2/27/20
Where: Emmanuel College
Brackets (when available): TrackWrestling
2020 Champions - UNC-Pembroke
Teams:
#20 Belmont Abbey College
Coker College
Davis & Elkins College
Emmanuel College
King University
Lander University
Limestone College
Mount Olive University
#11 Newberry College
Queens College
UNC-Pembroke
This is a Super Regional that has been much maligned in the past, but there may not be a more competitive group from top to bottom than the south. The front-runner has to be Newberry College who will look to regain the crown they last held in 2019. Last year North Carolina-Pembroke led the way and Belmont Abbey rode a great tournament to a historic finish for the program. In 2021 Lander University has taken great strides in just their second season, but they are still looking for their first national qualifier. A year ago, Coker College set program records in qualifiers but repeating those results are made all the more difficult by a long lay-off due to the pandemic. Limestone College has the athletes to play spoiler, while programs like Mount Olive and King are certainly looking to send athletes to the national tournament. Two years ago, Emmanuel had their first Division II All-American, but in 2020 they were shut out of the national tournament. Davis & Elkins and Queens Colleges will have athletes fully capable of winning their weights and that is the surest way to earn that nationals bid.
This regional will send the top-two at every weight class. That means true second will be in play for many of these weight classes. It will also receive five wildcard bids that can be handed out to athletes who finish third.
Follow along as I take a look at every weight and make my predictions for Top four and the two wrestlers who will automatically represent SRI at each weight. I will also make my best guess at the five wildcard entries.
125
#6 Nick Daggett (UNC-Pembroke) 2019 & 2020 Champion
Nick Daggett is looking for the three-peat and a chance to give Pembroke their first national qualifier in the tournament. He is the clear favorite at the weight, with Zach Schupp (Newberry) almost certainly earning the second-seed. Big names are missing at this weight, with no Melvin Rubio (Queens) and Rylee Billings (King) moving up. That opens this weight class up for an upset that could change the dynamic of this whole tournament. None of these teams have seen Nick Ammarati (Davis & Elkins) except Daggett and that could play to the true freshman’s advantage. Keep an eye out for Juco transfer Kevin Radcliff (Limestone); he is undefeated in this abbreviated season. I have a hard time seeing a wild card earned at 125; you had better be one of the best two wrestlers on Saturday or miss your chance.
Placewinners
- Nick Daggett (UNC-Pembroke)
- Zach Schupp (Newberry)
- Kevin Radcliff (Limestone)
- Nick Ammarati (Davis & Elkins)
133
#13 Logan Seliga (UNC-Pembroke) 2020 Champion
#15 Austin Neal (Newberry)
Here is the really interesting thing about this weight class to me, Austin Neal was not even listed on the final regional ranking. I am sure that will not bother him as he will undoubtedly be one of the top-seeds with a great path laid out ahead of him for the finals. That is unless he finds himself on a collision course with Hayden Waddell (Mount Olive), the sophomore handed Neal his only loss this season back in January. Rylee Billings (King) has beaten Waddell, but just to muddy the waters, he has also lost to Elijah Gray (Lander). Gray loves to ruin transitive properties; he fell to Waddell and Noah Gilbert (Queens). And just because I am sure you want to know why not just seed Gilbert higher, he has lost to Billings and Ben Fielding (Belmont Abbey). This weight class is just a mess, and I think it needs a wildcard just because that is the best way to make sure that a very good wrestler is not left out of the national tournament.
Placewinners
- Austin Neal (Newberry)
- Logan Seliga (UNC-Pembroke)
- Rylee Billings (King)*
- Hayden Waddell (Mount Olive)
*wildcard
141
#2 Isiah Royal (Newberry) 2019 & 2020 champion
Just because this weight class only has one ranked athlete, do no make the mistake of thinking that 141 is not worth watching. On the contrary, much like the 133-pound weight class, it will be full of action. Zachary VanAlst (Coker) is a returning national qualifier. Despite his limited resume, he should earn a bid if he can finish in the top-three at this weight. You also have true freshman Christian Small (King), who has won seven straight matches since an opening loss to Tyler Pepe (Belmont Abbey). Pepe’s lone defeat on the season is at the hands of returning regional champion, Isiah Royal. A year ago, Majid Corbit (Limestone) qualified for the national tournament at 133 pounds, this season, he has been the most formidable challenger for Royal, dropping a 4-3 decision in their dual meeting. Pembroke has their own true freshman to build on, but Chaise Mayer needs to show more consistency before labeling him a real challenger at this weight. Van Alst and Corbit will meet in the semifinals, which could mean that even if they finish second and third that only one of them heads to St Louis. Barring an upset, though, I think that they both join Royal on the trip.
Placewinners
- Isiah Royal (Newberry)
- Majid Corbit (Limestone)
- Zach VanAlst (Coker)*
- Tyler Pepe (Belmont Abbey)
149
#16 Trent Mahoney (King)
Trent Mahoney may be having the best true freshman season in Division II; he is 9-0 with seven pins and eight total bonus-point victories. He will be challenged in this tournament. Craig Cook (Davis & Elkins) had himself a growth spurt and the national qualifier at 133 last season is having an excellent season. Then there is Dalton Flint (Emmanuel), the senior who has been an ironman in this shortened season, winning 13 of 18. His only loss in the region is to Mahoney. I am not certain what to make of Devan Moore (Newberry), he has won six straight matches, but to start the year, he took losses to Flint and Matt Wuntke (Mount Olive). Thomas Schock (UNC-Pembroke) has six wins on the season but lost to Tyler Gregor (Belmont Abbey), who has just that lone win. This is a weight where a true second could come into play because only two wrestlers are heading to the national tournament. I think Mahoney and Cook are the two best right now.
Placewinners
- Trent Mahoney (King)
- Craig Cook (Davis & Elkins)
- Dalton Flint (Emmanuel)
- Matt Wuntke (Mount Olive)
157
#10 John Burger (Limestone)
#16 John Finnerty (Davis & Elkins)
There are a couple of undefeated athletes at this weight class in John Burger and John Finnerty. They may be the be front-runners, but you also have a very good Dallas Boone (King) and Will Evans (Newberry). I have to believe that a top-three finish here gets you to nationals, so expect athletes to scratch and claw for the wins. Boone is a two-time NJCAA All-American who is obviously capable of the big wins, but against Burger this season, he found the match over very quickly. Nathan Golmon (UNC-Pembroke) has two losses this year, both to John Finnerty. Finnerty seems to have put his late-season struggles from a year ago behind him; a year ago, he went just 2-3 after the New Year; this go-around, he is a perfect 8-0.
Placewinners
- John Burger (Limestone)
- John Finnerty (Davis & Elkins)
- Dallas Boone (King)
- Nathan Golmon (UNC-Pembroke)
165
#2 Mitch Dean (Belmont Abbey) 2020 champion @157
New weight class, same Mitch Dean. The junior has now extended his winning streak to 17 matches dating back to December of 2019. He is going to win this weight class and if you get any sort of odds better than even money, take it. The real race is for second place and for the wrestler who makes the finals, you’re hoping you have already beaten whoever finished third. Noah Tarr (Davis & Elkins) could certainly be the runner-up, he is the highest returning wrestler at this weight class, but after him, things could be exciting. Caleb Grau (UNC-Pembroke) has only lost in the region to Tarr and Dean while earning a win over Garrett Starks (Lander) in an exciting 11-9 TB1 match. Starks’s only other loss on the year was to Dean, which means that they should find themselves as the fourth vs. fifth seed quarterfinal. Corey Christie (Coker) is another one of the Cobras who will enter the postseason with not a lot of regular-season warm-up. If nothing else, Derrick Nelson’s squad should be fresh for the run. Will Evans (Newberry)is 8-2 against D2 foes in his first two seasons and one of those losses was to Dean last season.
Placewinners
- Mitch Dean (Belmont Abbey)
- Noah Tarr (Davis & Elkins)
- Greg Starks (Lander)
- Will Evans (Newberry)
174
#2 Caleb Spears (Newberry)
#12 Jack Bond (Lander)
Lander is still looking for that first national qualifier and RC LaHaye may coach his first one in 12th-ranked Jack Bond. The redshirt sophomore is 9-1 with zero losses to Division II opponents. Caleb Spears was on an absolute tear before his season ended prematurely a season ago and he has picked right back up where he left off. He is the second-ranked 174 in the country and a heavy favorite to win this weight. Noah Curreri (Queens) will be hoping to earn a wildcard at this weight and if he finishes third or better, I believe that will happen. The senior will battle with Logan Branham (Belmont Abbey) for that at-large bid. Branham was fourth last season while Curreri was the runner-up. Garrett Hill (UNC-Pembroke) has a losing record right now, but it is hard to fault him for any of those losses. None of them can really be considered bad.
Placewinners
- Caleb Spears (Newberry)
- Jack Bond (Lander)
- Noah Curreri (Queens)*
- Garrett Hill (UNC-Pembroke)
184
Zebrandon Gant (Newberry) 2019 & 2020 champion
#8 Kyle Wojtaszek (Davis & Elkins)
#14 Jovaun Johnson (UNC-Pembroke)
I can almost guarantee that this weight class will earn one of the coveted “wildcard” berths. Keep in mind that two-time defending regional champion Zebrandon Gant will be back for this tournament, which means you can pretty much pencil him in for one of those golden tickets. Kyle Wojtaszek is looking to follow up his national qualifying campaign from last season and if Gant were not about to blow up the seeding meeting, he would own the top spot. Jovaun Johnson may be the ranked athlete, but he has to feel like Rodney Dangerfield right now with the regional ranking committee. He is getting no respect and sits behind the likes of Ja’Quez Bostic (Limestone) and Christos Avgeros (Belmont Abbey). Bostic is an NJCAA transfer from powerhouse Iowa Central Community College, where he wrestled for Hawkeye great Luke Moffitt. Avgeros is a refugee from the Old Dominion disaster who has found sanctuary at Belmont Abbey (that was comedy gold) who has not lost at 184 pounds. Someone lost in all this shuffle, but who is very dangerous is Division III transfer Matt Shields (Coker); I think he may end up suffering from the lack of mat time. In a full season, I think he would be competing for one of those top three spots.
Placewinners
- Zebrandon Gant (Newberry)
- Christos Avgeros (Belmont Abbey)
- Kyle Wojtaszek (Davis & Elkins)*
- Jovaun Johnson (Queens)
197
#10 Darius Parker (Lander)
Darius Parker can look around and breathe a little sigh of relief. All three wrestlers who finished ahead of him a season ago have graduated and he enters this tournament ranked 10th and sporting a perfect 10-0 record to match. Corey Perkins (Coker) worries me, he has all the talent in the world, but he will have had a long lay-off. He may be fresh or he may be rusty. Queens has a great shot at a national qualifier in Hunter Tobiasson (Queens), the sophomore won 20 matches as a true freshman and this year his only loss is to Parker. Bryce Walker (UNC-Pembroke) has a loss to Parker as well, but four of his six wins have come by fall. He is dangerous and just the type of wrestler you do not want to draw early in a tournament before you can knock your own rust off.
Placewinners
- Darius Parker (Lander)
- Hunter Tobiasson (Queens)
- Corey Perkins (Coker)*
- Bryce Walker (UNC-Pembroke)
Hwt
#11 Ryan Monk (UNC-Pembroke)
I just want to go on the record saying that Ryan Monk missed a golden opportunity to wrestle for Belmont Abbey and all the great jokes I could make. Monk has earned a 9-1 record with his only loss to Francesco Borsellino (West Liberty). He has a win over the 2020 national qualifier Cade Ridley (King). Monk will have to wrestle his best to make it back to the tournament; heavyweight has very little room for mistakes. A season ago, it looked like Ramon Correa was headed to the podium at nationals and then he finished outside of the top-six in the region. Cam Coffman (Lander) has been a perfect bookend for the Bearcats this season and his 6-1 record should put him on the same side as Ridley. They will meet in the semifinals with a trip to St Louis on the line. Bowdy Boyce (Newberry) has such a tremendous heavyweight name, and he has the talent to back it up. His lone D2 loss is to Coffman and he should match up with Monk in the other semifinal. He has a path to battle for true second and his own ticket to nationals. The team race should be settled before these finals, but stay tuned for all the action after.
Placewinners
- Ryan Monk (UNC-Pembroke)
- Cam Coffman (Lander)
- Cade Ridley (King)
- Bowdy Boyce (Newberry)
2020 Super Regional II team Champions
- Newberry College
- UNC-Pembroke
- Davis & Elkins
- Belmont Abbey
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