photo courtesy of West Liberty athletics
2021 Super Regional III Preview
When: 2/27/21
Where: Tiffin University
Brackets (when available): TrackWrestling
2020 Champions - Notre Dame College
Teams:
#5 Ashland University
Davenport University
#15 Findlay University
Glenville State University
#10 University of Indianapolis
#24 Notre Dame College
Ohio Valley University
#22 Tiffin University
#6 West Liberty University
Wheeling University
Lake Erie College
There are a couple of new faces in Super Regional III this season as Glenville State joins and Wheeling University is back under new branding. This region is as tough as ever, though, with six teams ranked in the top-25 and three of those ranked in the top-10. There will be a three-way race for the regional crown between Ashland, West Liberty, and a resurgent Indianapolis. Ashland is back to its winning ways under new head coach Colt Sponseller who took over the program late in the fall. West Liberty has grown by leaps and bounds in their second season with Danny Irwin at the helm and it’s not impossible to see them as a trophy threat in St Louis. And of course, there are the Greyhounds led by Jason Warthan, who have surged this season in the GVLC and a Super Region III crown would be the last feather in their caps. Tiffin has lost some studs, but they still have the always entertaining Nick “Curly” Mason at 197. My biggest question marks surround Notre Dame College; they were able to put together a title run last year in what was a big surprise to me. Can they do it again and shock this region and show that rumors of their demise were greatly exaggerated?
This is going to be a region that suffers significantly under the qualifier rules in 2021. No one may have liked the old model, but after this abomination of a postseason, I expect that we will all be happy to have them back next season. With 31 wrestlers currently ranked in the top-16, even in a typical season, good wrestlers would be missing the cut. This year, at the very least, five or six of them, will have no shot at making the tournament.
Follow along as I take a look at every weight and make my predictions for Top Four and the two wrestlers who will represent SRI at each weight with the automatic qualifying spots. And I take my best guess at who will get those coveted wildcards.
125
#5 Cole Laya (West Liberty) 2019 Champion
#11 Corey Game (Lake Erie)
#12 Christian Wellman (Ashland)
#15 Zach Collins (Findlay)
#16 Brandon Mendoza (Tiffin)
Cole Laya and Zach Collins are returning national qualifiers from 2020 at this weight. Laya won the region in 2019 as a member of the Wheeling Jesuit Cardinals before following Danny Irwin to the Hilltop of West Liberty. Corey Gamet is a Division I transfer from NDSU who has put together a 6-1 record with wins over Collins and Christian Wellman on his resume. Zach Collins and Brandon Mendoza have traded wins with each other over the course of the season and they could meet for the rubber match this weekend. Wellman has beaten Mendoza, but other than that, he has wrestled an abbreviated schedule. If it comes down to it, I wonder if he’ll have the gas tank to keep up with some of these guys. Another surprise Division I transfer is Tyshawn White (Glenville State), formerly of Lock Haven and then Clarion. He has joined Dylan Cottrell at his new home and brings a perfect career record against Division II athletes to the table. If you add him into the mix, you have six very talented athletes wrestling for at best three spots at the national tournament. This is going to be anarchy in the best way possible.
Placewinners
- Cole Laya (West Liberty)
- Corey Gamet (Lake Erie)
- Tyshawn White (Glenville State)*
- Zach Collins (Findlay)
133
#4 Tyler Warner (West Liberty) 2019 SRIII & 2020 SRI champion
#14 Zane Johnson (Lake Erie)
Tyler Warner enters this tournament looking to win his third super regional title for his third different team. That seems like it should be some sort of a record. He will be across the bracket from Lake Erie senior Zane Johnson, who has five wins against athletes in this region already. Chase Wilkerson (Indianapolis) and Bryce Allison (Tiffin) should round out the top four seeds at this weight in that order. Wilkerson defeated Allison earlier this season with a 54-second pin. After the top-four things drop off a bit, Derek Sharp (Findlay) needs to score some team points on the backside to keep the Oilers in the trophy hunt, but it would be a big upset for him to finish ahead of the top-four.
Placewinners
- Tyler Warner (West Liberty)
- Zane Johnson (Lake Erie)
- Bryce Allison (Tiffin)
- Chase Wilkerson (Indianapolis)
141
#4 Kelan McKenna (Notre Dame) 2020 Champion
#6 Luke Wymer (Ashland)
#8 Branson Proudlock (Findlay)
#12 Breyden Bailey (Indianapolis)
In a best-case scenario, only one ranked wrestler misses out on a trip to the national tournament, but an upset here or there and that number could plummet. Kelan McKenna leads the field, looking for another trip to the national championship and another regional crown. Luke Wymer has beaten Branson Proudlock and Breyden Bailey. Bailey took a successful redshirt last season and has followed it with a strong showing for the Hounds this season. Branson Proudlock punched his ticket to the national tournament last season and he certainly wants a chance to compete this year. Alec Fulwider (Glenville State) and Marcus Jean-Baptiste (West Liberty) will both be looking to pull the upset and join the party in St Louis. My dark horse pick at this weight will be Matt Zuckerman (Tiffin). He gave Wymer his best match of the GMAC tournament this year at 3-2.
Placewinners
- Kellan McKenna (Notre Dame)
- Luke Wymer (Ashland)
- Breyden Bailey (Indianapolis)*
- Branson Proudlock (Findlay)
149
#5 Carson Speelman (Ashland)
#12 Logan Bailey (Indianapolis)
Last season Carson Speelman finished as the runner-up in this super regional and became a first-time national qualifier. LoganBailey has joined his brother at Indianapolis and the true freshman has put together a very strong year. He notched a big win over Speelman and only has the one loss to Brandon Tenney (Lake Erie). Tenney joined Lake Erie after the Wheeling Jesuit fiasco and has been a valuable member of the Storm since arriving. He could be the guy who jumps into the finals or wins that true second match to head to the tournament. Jordan Ringler (Davenport) has been great against his competition in region three and his two losses are to top-10 ranked foes from region four. Alec Cook (West Liberty) is about to step on the mat in the postseason without a single match this season; keep an eye on him, he could be the guy who wins the Hilltoppers a team title by finishing high on the podium.
Placewinners
- Carson Speelman (Ashland)
- Logan Bailey (Indianapolis)
- Brandon Tenney (Lake Erie)
- Jordan Ringler (Davenport)
157
#1 James Wimer (Findlay) 2019 Champion
#5 Dawson Combest (Indianapolis)
#6 Drew Wiechers (Ashland)
#11 Nick Burgard (Lake Erie)
Talk about a stacked weight class, four wrestlers ranked in the top-11 and three in the top six. James Wimer looks to regain his crown and All-American honors he earned in 2019. Last season, Dawson Combest put together a redshirt freshman campaign that earned him a place in the national tournament. He has followed that up with another strong showing, his only loss coming at the hands of Wimer. Nick Burgard and Drew Wiechers could be the two athletes battling it out for a potential wildcard spot. Each has taken a loss to Wimer, but the two have not met; depending on seeding, they could be in the quarterfinal on Wimer’s side of the bracket. Weichers left Mount Olive after becoming the first national qualifier for that program and has joined a stacked Ashland team. He is part of the reason they are expected to compete for a team trophy this year, but he was not included in the preseeds, which leaves his status for this tournament in question. If he has any sort of ailment, someone like Hunter Langeloh (Tiffin) or Christian Rivera (West Liberty) could seize the opportunity and move up the podium. It would also be a massive loss to the Ashland trophy aspirations.
Placewinners
- Trey Grine (Tiffin)
- Dawson Combest (Indianapolis)
- Nick Burgard (Lake Erie)*
- Christian Rivera (West Liberty)
165
#6 Jack Eiteljorge (Indianapolis) 2020 Champion
#10 Bryan LaVearn (Tiffin)
#15 Chase Morgan (West Liberty)
Last season Bryan LaVern and Jack Eiteljorge met in the finals of this weight class and it was Eiteljorge who won the championship as a redshirt freshman. They met again this season and once again, Eiteljorge came away with the victory. The thing I really like about LaVern is that he has scored a pin in a third of his college victories. He goes out looking to end matches quickly. Eiteljorge is just a fundamentally sound wrestler in every position and it makes him Kryptonite to LaVearn. James Penfold is riding a perfect season for Lake Erie right now, but this tournament will undoubtedly be a test for him. He has beaten Chase Morgan before and you have to wonder how they will seed the tournament with them not having a head-to-head this year and him having an undefeated season. Morgan has put together a strong resume with wins over Cole Houser (Glenville State) and Noah Tarr (Davis & Elkins). Both of his losses are to Jamar Williams (Alderson-Broaddus) and came in tournament formats. Cole Houser just missed out on being Urbana’s first qualifier last season, but he could make history for Glenville State in 2021.
Placewinners
- Jack Eiteljorge (Indianapolis)
- Bryan LaVearn (Tiffin)
- Chase Morgan (West Liberty)
- James Penfold (Lake Erie)
174
#3 Andrew Sams (Indianapolis)
#13 Sam Greco (Davenport)
#14 Logan Hall (Notre Dame)
#15 Ty McGeary (West Liberty)
There will be a whole new top-four at this weight in 2021; graduation and lineup changes have taken their toll. Sam Greco will be the highest returning place winner after finishing fifth last season for Davenport. Andrew Sams has found a new home in Indianapolis and is part of a powerhouse lineup that will be tough to beat. His win over Josh Jones (McKendree) matches the best victory for Abner Romero (Lindenwood) and cemented him as a title contender. The bracket will be filled out by three other wrestlers currently ranked and the margin between is razor-thin. Logan Hall is 9-1 and has split his season series with Ty McGeary. McGeary is 7-2 with that loss to Hall and a dropped match to Garrett Hill (UNC-Pembroke). McGeary has joined the Hilltop by way of Pitt-Johnstown, where he had a very successful redshirt season going 10-3. Sam Greco earned his way into the rankings with a big win over the tough Bret Heil (Maryville) and could be that program’s first national qualifier. Daniel Beemer (Ashland) won 24 matches as a true freshman and then another 18 last year as a redshirt. This season he is 2-1 and if he wants to really stack that wins total needs to move on to the national tournament. He is essential for Ashland, especially if Wiechers is a no-go.
Placewinners
- Andrew Sams (Indianapolis)
- Logan Hall (Notre Dame)
- Ty McGeary (West Liberty)*
- Daniel Beemer (Ashland)
184
#2 Connor Craig (West Liberty) 2019 Champion @174
#3 Aidan Pasiuk (Ashland) 2020 Champion
Only one of these former teammates will win their second regional championship this Saturday. Connor Craig and Aidan Pasiuk parted ways after the Wheeling Jesuit institutional level failure. Now they are reunited at least by their regional and are battling for the top spot. A season ago, they finally met head-to-head and Craig handed Pasiuk a major decision loss. I think it is safe to say that these two will be headed back to the national tournament. You have to wonder if any other athletes at this weight will be joining them. Tyler Orrison (Lake Erie) could make a case for the wildcard if he finishes third, he already has a quality in with a fall over Gleason Mappes (Indianapolis). Mappes has always seemed to be right on the cusp of breaking through into that national qualifier level, but this season he seems to have stalled out a little. If he is still banged up going into the tournament, that would all but seal his fate. True freshman Hank Carey (Notre Dame) has just one match and one win this season, but it is a big one. He took down Kyle Wojtaszek (Davis & Elkins) in SV1 3-1.
Placewinners
- Connor Craig (West Liberty)
- Aidan Pasiuk (Indianapolis)
- Tyler Orrison (Lake Erie)
- Hank Carey (Notre Dame)
197
#3 Nicholas Mason (Tiffin) 2019 & 2020 champion
#5 Logan Kemp (West Liberty)
#15 Peter Abraham (Ashland)
There almost certainly will be a wildcard handed out for this weight class. Two-time defending regional champion and reigning 2019 national champion Nicholas Mason leads the way. Logan Kemp has returned from a season-ending injury a year ago and has looked very good this season, even scoring a win over Michael Viramontes (Notre Dame), who will most likely be a top-six seed here. Chris Droege (Lake Erie) was the runner-up a year ago, but this season he has dropped matches to Derek Blubaugh (Indianapolis) and Peter Abraham. Blubaugh is one of those young Hounds who will be tasting his first postseason action and how he performs will have a huge impact on their title chances. Abraham withdrew from his match against Mason this season due to injury and a rematch would probably only happen in the finals. Abraham should be ready for a war in the quarterfinals when he takes on Viramontes and the winner of that matchup will then have to take on two-time national qualifier Logan Kemp. Nicholas Mason is one of the best wrestlers in the country when healthy and he gets on a roll. Two seasons ago, that started during this tournament. I think he captures that magic again this weekend.
Placewinners
- Nicholas Mason (Tiffin)
- Logan Kemp (West Liberty)
- Peter Abraham (Ashland)*
- Derek Blubaugh (Indianapolis)
Hwt
#4 Tristan Weirich (Ashland)
#10 Francesco Borsellino (West Liberty)
The team race could be up for grabs when the finals happen here at heavyweight and I am excited to see how that shakes out. Tristan Weirich was a 2019 All-American and selected as a 2020 All-American as well. With the transfer of Jared Campbell from Notre Dame to West Liberty, he has a season where he is the favorite to win this regional. Borsellino has looked very good this season and I think he is headed to the national tournament. The odd-man-out may end up being River Fox (Davenport). The sophomore big man looks to have made big strides in the room this offseason and in a regular-season would be the guy taking that third place trip to nationals. If things play out as I think, there may not be a wildcard left when the coaches get to the big men. This will be the last shot for teams to pad those point totals and bonus points at this weight in the tournament are going to add up quickly.
Placewinners
- Tristan Weirich (Ashland)
- Francesco Borsellino (West Liberty)
- River Fox (Davenport)
- Matt Dunkelman (Notre Dame)
2020 Super Regional III team Champions
- West Liberty University
- University of Indianapolis
- Ashland University
- Findlay University
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