With the Walsh Jesuit Ironman wrestling tournament getting underway this weekend, most of the nation's top wrestlers will travel to Ohio to prove that they are truly No. 1 in the country.
All of the nation's top wrestling publications and websites have come out with their preseason rankings and the following list attempts to provide a compilation of the rankings produced by
hswrestling.com,
Amateur Wrestling News,
Intermat and
Clinch Gear. Eight of the wrestlers listed here are expected to compete at the Walsh Jesuit Ironman.
Here's a look at the MaxPreps Everybody's All-American Wrestling Team:
106 pounds – Austin Assad, Brecksville-Broadview Heights (Ohio), Soph.
Zahid Valencia, St. John Bosco
File photo by Brad Kupper
A state runner-up at 106 in Ohio as a freshman, Assad is also a two-time Fargo Freestyle All-American. He will compete at the Ironman this weekend.
113 pounds – Zahid Valencia, St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), Soph.
Zahid and his brother Anthony became the first set of brothers to win state championships as freshmen in California last year. Zahid went 40-0 last season and was also a Fargo Cadet National Champion. He's favored to win at the Ironman this week.
120 pounds – Nathan Tomasello, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio), Senior
The first consensus All-American on the list, Tomasello is a three-time state champion in Ohio who has committed to wrestle at Ohio State. He has a 127-5 record in his three varsity seasons and is also favored to win at the Ironman.
126 pounds – Joey Dance, Christiansburg (Va.), Senior
A three-time state champion in Virginia, Dance opened his season last month by winning the Super 32 Tournament in North Carolina for the second year in a row. He has signed to compete at Virginia Tech next season and will be competing at the Ironman.
132 pounds – Dean Heil, St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), Senior
Wrestling for one of the top programs in the nation, Heil is a three-time state champion in Ohio who also opened his season with a gold medal at the Super 32 Tournament. He will wrestle at Oklahoma State next season and is favored at the Ironman.
136 pounds – Zain Retherford, Benton (Pa.), Senior
Another consensus All-American, Retherford didn't wrestle last year after being declared ineligible following his transfer to Benton. A state champion as a freshman and a third-place finisher as a sophomore, Retherford wrestled in the FILA Cadet World Championships in August and finished first. He is headed to Penn State and is another Ironman favorite.
145 pounds – Jake Short, Simley (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.), Senior
Jake became the first member of the Short family to win three state championships last year. His three uncles and his father all won two apiece and both his grandfather and father have coached Simley to multiple state championships over the past 30 years.
152 pounds – Mark Hall, Apple Valley (Minn.), Frosh
Just a freshman, Hall is already a two-time state champion for Apple Valley, the nation's top program, as he won titles as a seventh- and eighth-grader. Hall also won the Super 32 Tournament last week and is the lone freshman ranked No. 1 in the country.
160 pounds – Bo Jordan, Graham Local (St. Paris, Ohio), Senior
Possibly the best wrestler in Ohio, Jordan, a consensus pick, is a three-time state champion who hasn't lost since his freshman year. He is 133-1 in his career including 48-0 last year. He is headed to Ohio State and will be competing at the Ironman.
170 pounds – Chance Marsteller, Kennard-Dale (Fawn Grove, Pa.), Junior
Considered the consensus No. 1 wrestler in the country regardless of weight class, Marsteller has yet to lose a high school match in two seasons. Competing at the World Championships in August, Marsteller was unable to complete the tournament after dislocating his elbow.
182 pounds – Eric Morris, Wyoming Seminary College Prep (Kingston, Pa.), Senior
The national prep champion last year, Morris is also a two-time runner up at the prep level. He will compete at Harvard next season and should be competing at the Ironman.
195 pounds – Brock Berge, Kasson-Mantorville (Kasson, Minn.), Senior
A two-time state champion in Minnesota, the Iowa signee posted a 48-0 record as a junior.
220 pounds – J'Den Cox, Hickman (Columbia, Mo.), Senior
A two-sport standout, Cox has excelled at football and wrestling for the Kewpies. He is a three-time state champion on the mat with a 57-0 record last year. He also had 566 takedowns last season, one of the top totals in national history.
285 pounds – Adam Coon, Fowlerville (Mich.), Senior
The only rival to Marsteller for best overall wrestler in the nation, Coon is a three-time state champion in Michigan who also won the junior national championship last year. A three-sport star, Coon has earned All-State honors in football and was also an All-State thrower in track.
