photo courtesy of Lindenwood Athletics
2020 Super Regional IV Preview
When: 02/28/21
Where: Central Oklahoma University
Brackets (when available): TrackWrestling
2020 Champions - McKendree University
Teams:
Central Missouri University
#4 University of Central Oklahoma
#19 Drury University
#14 Fort Hays State University
Kentucky Wesleyan University
#2 Lindenwood University
#25 Maryville University
#8 McKendree University
Newman University
Ouachita Baptist University
This Super Regional Tournament is going to be more of the same, a bunch of really good ranked with a bunch of really good ranked athletes. And, of course, not enough spots for all of them at the national tournament. 29 ranked wrestlers are competing for only 20 guaranteed spots in St Louis. For teams in this region, the national tournament is almost like wrestling at home, raising the stakes. It also makes an even better chance for a team like Central Oklahoma or Lindenwood to win the team trophy.
Last year this was a dress rehearsal for McKendree’s run at St Cloud for a national title. This year it is going to be the same type of tournament test for Lindenwood and Central Oklahoma. Both of these teams hope to be the team that unseats the Huskies as the top team in all of Division II this season. St Cloud State may be able to send as many as ten athletes to the national tournament or as few as seven. Either way, teams need to match that possible production to keep up at the national tournament.
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 SRIV at each weight. And I will do my best to guess at the five wildcard berths, but let’s be honest, that is complete guesswork.
125
#1 Mason Turner (Fort Hays State)
#8 Cevion Severado (Lindenwood)
#9 Paxton Rosen (Central Oklahoma)
#10 Christian Meijia (McKendree)
Last season Mason Turner turned this whole weight class on its head when he upset Tanner Cole and then the returning national champion Carlos Jacquez. He will not sneak up on anyone this season after just having beaten top-ranked Josh Portillo to take over the number one spot from him. His only loss this season was up a weight class to 2nd ranked Jon Andreatta (Adams State). Cevion Severado, Paxton Rosen, and Christian Meijia are all undefeated this season. Severado has joined Lindenwood after two seasons with Mizzou. Meijia has wrestled 133 for the past two seasons for the Bearcats, but with the graduation of Marcus Povlick, he has taken over the lightweight role and now he is making the most of it. Central Oklahoma’s Paxton Rosen transferred from Campbell University and has taken over the starting spot and the Broncs need him to make it through to the national tournament. Ouachita Baptist has a true freshman in Noah Yeamans who has won nine matches. It will take another two or three if he wants to make the national tournament, but he is doing a great job taking advantage of this free year to gain valuable experience.
Placewinners
- Mason Turner (Fort Hays State)
2. Cevion Severado (Lindenwood)
3. Paxton Rosen (Central Oklahoma)*
4. Christian Meijia (McKendree)
133
#5 Tanner Hitchcock (Lindenwood) 2019 & 2020 champion
#10 Tyler Kreith (Maryville)
Tanner Hitchcock is back and looking for the three-peat and another trip to the national tournament. Lindenwood needs him to come up big in St Louis to win a team title. Tyler Kreith has not wrestled since the last week of January and you have to wonder what type of rust he may need to knock off quickly. Tanner Cole (Central Oklahoma) has made the jump from 125 and after a wrestle-off against Thaddeus Long, last year’s fourth-place finisher is taking over the starting spot for the Broncs. Jake Patch (Newman) has taken over this weight for the Jets and Tyler Lawley has bumped up to 141. True freshman Brody Norman (McKendree) has won three matches so far this season and in a wide-open weight class, he could find himself on the podium with a chance at nationals.
Placewinners
- Tanner Hitchcock (Lindenwood)
2. Tanner Cole (Central Oklahoma)
3. Tyler Kreith (Maryville)
4. Brody Norman (McKendree)
141
#1 Colby Smith (Lindenwood) 2020 champion
#5 Peter Kuster (Drury)
#7 Devin Schwartzkopf (McKendree)
#11 Nathan Keim (Central Oklahoma)
There is a lot at stake for Lindenwood and Central Oklahoma at this weight. Lindenwood needs Colby Smith to qualify for the national tournament and finish high on the podium for them to become the new team champions. Smith has just one loss on the season, to Division I Ian Parker (Iowa State). His arrival in St Charles after transferring from Mizzou has been part of Lindenwoods push towards the top of Division II. Taylor Jokerst (Maryville) was a 2019 national qualifier and Tyler Lawley (Newman) earned a bid in 2020. They both accomplished the feat at 133 pounds, but they will need to do it at 141 pounds this season. Neither has been able to notch a signature victory at this higher-weight class, but the talent is obviously there. Pete Kuster has been perfect this season, and after making the national tourney last year, seems poised to return. Nate Keim is the wrestler who can make the big waves though, he is capable of beating anyone at this weight. Keim was a 2019 national qualifier where he went 2-2. He will need to upset at least two wrestlers to get through though and the Broncs really need him to do that. Kentucky Wesleyan had an abysmal showing at the tournament a year ago; they will need an athlete like Caleb Craig to score some points to avoid that this year. I think the match to watch in this tournament is the semifinal between Schwartzkopf and Kuster. The Bearcat could suffer because he earned the second seed. Kuster could have an extra match to knock off the rust and get his blood flowing and in a tournament after a long layoff, that can pay dividends.
Placewinners
- Colby Smith (Lindenwood)
2. Devin Schwartzkopf (McKendree)
3. Peter Kuster (Drury)*
4. Nate Keim (Central Oklahoma)
149
#1 Gavin Londoff (Lindenwood)
#9 Tyler Stegall (Maryville)
If you happen to be reading this as a Central Oklahoma fan, you should have noticed that eighth-ranked Brik Filippo was not listed above. That is because it will be true freshman Gabe Johnson taking the reins for this postseason. Filippo was a national qualifier last season while Johnson was winning an Oklahoma state championship. It is a bold move because it probably means that this weight class only scores the two automatic bids and is now a longshot for a wildcard. Two years ago, Gavin Londoff grabbed the last qualifying spot at this weight class in SV-1. He then stormed through Cleveland, finishing third. His quest for a national title really begins this Sunday with the super regional tournament. Tyler Stegall is 4-0 this season and will bump into the second seed with the change by UCO. This would be his first trip to the national tournament, but he is a wrestler I worry about. It will be over a month since his last action by the time the first whistle blows. There is not a lot of depth at this weight and after the top three, it is sort of a scramble for the guy who is the best of the worst. Cole Zebley (Fort Hays State) and Jaylon Otero (Ouachita Baptist) are probably the top of that second tier at this weight. Neither of them has put up an incredible showing, but Otero does have a win over Dalton Flint (Emmanuel) and Zebley just has the two losses to ranked wrestlers.
Placewinners
- Gavin Londoff (Lindenwood)
2. Gabe Johnson (Central Oklahoma)
3. Tyler Stegall (Maryville)
4. Jaylon Otero (Ouachita Baptist)
157
#3 Tyler Lucas (Central Oklahoma)
#9 Ronnie Gentile (Lindenwood)
#14 John Ridle (Central Missouri)
There is definite depth at the 157 weight class in Super Region IV beyond the three-ranked wrestlers. Nate Smalling (McKendree) is a two-time national qualifier and a 2019 All-American. Last season he finished third and helped McKendree win their team trophy. Tyler Lucas only lost three matches last season as he qualified for the national tournament. This year he became a victim of Central Missouri’s John Ridle. Ridle has found a new gear in his second year in the lineup and has a perfect 9-0 record with wins over Talon Seitz (Kearney), Dylan Udero (Adams State), and Lucas. I am surprised he is not seeded second or third and landing on Nate Smalling’s side of the bracket. Ronnie Gentile has beaten Smalling this season and also has a win over Ben Stahlman (Drury). Gentile entered college in 2016 as a member of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and then joined Lindenwood in 2017. He has a grand total of eight college matches, with none from 2018 through 2020. He might be a little bit older than his teammates, but he is undoubtedly well-rested. Ben Stahlman will have to make a significant results jump to improve on his fourth-place finish from last season. Anthony Scantlin (Fort Hays State) won nearly 30 matches last season, this not a single one of his 8 opponents have been from this region.
Placewinners
- Ronnie Gentile (Lindenwood)
2. John Ridle (Central Missouri)
3. Ty Lucas (Central Oklahoma)
4. Nate Smalling (McKendree)
165
#9 Kameron Frame (Newman)
#11 Dayton Garrett (Central Oklahoma)
Dayton Garrett was the starter for Central Oklahoma most of last season before an injury kept him out of the super regional. This year, the Broncs count on him punching his ticket to the dance in St Louis and keeping a Lindenwood wrestler sitting on the sideline. Nate Trepanier (Lindenwood) only has one D2 loss this season, to Jack Eitlejorge (Indianapolis) in a close 4-3 decision. If he can pull an upset and take one of the top two spots, lookout. Garrett has just two matches which means he will be fresh, but also means he has not faced any adversity yet. There have been times when Central Oklahoma has underperformed in the regional after great regular seasons. With so little room for error this year, you wonder what they will do if they are pushed early in this tournament. Kameron Frame has been a bonus machine in his seven wins; he even hung a tech fall on 2020 super-regional VI champion Fred Green (Colorado Mesa). When he starts rolling guys up, he scores points in bunches. Cory Peterson (McKendree) had a very successful redshirt season, including going 5-0 at the NWCA NU Way Open. This year he has dropped matches to Trepanier and Eiteljorge, but has otherwise been very good. Unfortunately, he will land on Frame’s side of the bracket, which means he had better have all the rust knocked off before then. Jackson Carter (Ouachita Baptist) has won four straight matches heading into this Sunday and with this weight class so wide open, he could find himself climbing the podium. All in all, after Kameron Frame, I think this weight class is going to give a lot of athletes a chance to finish high and possibly qualify for the national championships.
Placewinners
- Kameron Frame (Newman)
2. Dayton Garrett (Central Oklahoma)
3. Nate Trepanier (Lindenwood)
4. Corey Peterson (McKendree)
174
#1 Abner Romero (Lindenwood) 2020 champion
#7 Wyatt Jordan (Central Oklahoma)
#8 Josh Jones (McKendree)
#16 Martin Verhaeghe (Fort Hays State)
My prediction for this weight class? Pain. Even with JD Johnson (Newman) taking over for Noah Perkins, there are still four ranked wrestlers going after at most three spots. Johnson has four wins this season, but none against anyone ranked inside the Wrestlestat top 50. Abner Romero and Josh Jones have split their college series so far 1-1. Romero won their most recent meeting earlier this year and he is not only the top seed in this tournament, but possibly at the national tournament in St Louis as well. He has been very good for Lindenwood since arriving second-semester last year. Romero is 18-2 after a perfect 5-0 regular season. Martin Verhaeghe upset Josh Jones in the semifinals a year ago and finished as the runner-up. This season he has taken three losses and is still looking for that signature win. Unranked Bret Heil (Maryville) finished fifth last year and looks to improve upon that podium step. And we cannot skip past Wyatt Jordan of Central Oklahoma. The senior sat out last season and has come back refreshed and ready to wrestle. He is 6-0 in this abbreviated college season and has scored bonus points in every victory. In 2019 he had a disastrous super-regional going 1-3 after entering the tournament with a 14-4 record.
Placewinners
- Abner Romero (Lindenwood)
2. Josh Jones (McKendree)
3. Wyatt Jordan (Central Oklahoma)*
4. Martin Verhaeghe (Fort Hays State)
184
#1 Heath Gray (Central Oklahoma) 2019 & 2020 champion
#6 Dan Fillipek (McKendree)
#10 Bailey Kelly (Maryville)
If you do not know who Heath Gray is by now, I am not sure that we can be friends. The senior has been lights out since losing in the semifinals at the national tournament in 2019; in fact, that is the last time he has fell to anyone who has not been a Division I All-American. He has been even better this season; he has scored bonus points in 100% of his matches after slacking in 2020 and managing it just 70% of the time. There are two other wrestlers at this weight class who have perfect records this year and they seem like afterthoughts. It may be because Gray beat both of them in this tournament a year ago, but they are still very good athletes. Dan Fillipek lost to Gray in a tightly contested 3-1 match in the tournament’s finals. Bailey Kelly dropped a 13-7 decision to him before that. Kelly is 3-0 this season and he is going to be wrestling his first match in over a month. Fillipek is 4-0 and scored an early-season win over Gleason Mappes (Indianapolis). He also beat Colton Clingenpeel (Lindenwood), who will get the nod at 197 for the Lions and is a two-time national qualifier. Kyle Dickhaus will get the nod for Lindenwood and he is 6-0 against Division II opponents this year. He won his match against Mappes by injury default to finish his season and earned himself a one-way ticket to Heath Gray in the semifinals. We will most likely see Fillipek and Kelly in the other semifinal, with the stakes of that match being so very high. Nate Panagakis (Newman) has won six of his last seven matches to finish his season on a better note than his 0-3 start. It will be a tall order for him to jump into that top four, although he is very capable.
Placewinners
- Heath Gray (Central-Oklahoma)
2. Dan Filipek (McKendree)
3. Kyle Dickhaus (Lindenwood)*
4. Bailey Kelly (Maryville)
197
#1 Ryan Vasbinder (McKendree) 2019 & 2020champion
#4 Dalton Abney (Central Oklahoma)
Ryan Vasbinder would be Globo Gym if Globo Gym did not get robbed by Chuck Norris in the ADAA finals. He is better than you and he knows it. Frankly, you should know it too. A year ago, he won his second regional title and capped off a perfect junior season. He even blanked Dalton Abney 5-0 in the finals. Abney is no slouch either, he is ranked fourth right now and a year ago only lost to Vasbinder. These two athletes will finish one and two at this weight class barring a meteor striking the entrance as they both walk through the doors. And even then, it had better be a big dang meteor. Tereus Henry (Fort Hays State) and Colton Clingenpeel (Lindenwood) may be the athletes battling it out for third. You can also keep an eye on Chase Stegall (Maryville) and Ivan Balavage (Newman) as guys who could shake things up in the battle for third. Tereus Henry has beaten Balavage, while Stegall is still looking for a top win to cap off his true freshman season.
Placewinners
- Ryan Vasbinder (McKendree)
2. Dalton Abney (Central Oklahoma)
3. Tereus Henry (Fort Hays State)
4. Colton Clingenpeel (Lindenwood)
Hwt
#3 Jared Rennick (Drury)
#6 Logan Radik (Maryville)
#7 AJ Cooper (Fort Hays State)
Last season Jared Rennick defeated AJ Cooper 10-6 to grab the final qualifying spot for the national tournament. Logan Radik finished fifth and missed out on returning to the national tournament, where in 2019, he came up short in the round of 12. All three are back and battling for the guaranteed two spots and possibly hoping that they impress the emperors, I mean coaches enough, to earn that wildcard spot. Jared Rennick has been perfect this season and handed Logan Radik his only loss so far. An injury derailed him in 2019, but 2020 really showed what he is capable of. AJ Cooper is a pinning machine. He has five pins in 11 matches this season and last year, 16 of his 36 wins were falls. Lindenwood will be starting redshirt freshman Michael Kramer, the Tennessee pinning machine. He is a perfect 4-0 this season, having spent a grand total of four minutes and 53 seconds on the mat. Johnny Green (Ouachita Baptist) has six wins with losses to Rennick and Radik. The sophomore has undoubtedly made strides from his true freshman year. Central Oklahoma sophomore Braden Morgan has a major decision victory over Jacob Stoneberger (Newman), but he has not wrestled a match since the end of January.
Placewinners
- Jared Rennick (Drury)
2. AJ Cooper (Fort Hays State)
3. Logan Radik (Maryville)*
4. Michael Kramer (Lindenwood)
2020 Super Regional III team Champions
- Lindenwood University
- University of Central Oklahoma
- McKendree University
- Drury University
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