Blair At the Top Again: National High School Team Rankings
Blair At the Top Again: National High School Team Rankings
Preseason National HS Team Rankings
Willie Saylor, Editor
Illinois has already gotten there season underway with a couple duals last weekend. By the end of this weekend, 13 of the Top 20 Teams here will have had a regular season event.
Once again Blair is on Top of the National Team Rankings. They boast a 14-man line-up with 10 wrestlers ranked individually.
Blair is one of 15 teams that are back in the rankings after finishing in my Top 25 last season. The highest team to start this season, that wasn't in the Top 25 to end last year, is St. Michael-Albertville (MN), who checks in at #8 after finishing on the Honorable Mention a year ago. Also on the HM list to end last season is was Montini Catholic (IL), who begins this year in the #9 slot.
Three teams, all from Illinois, appear on the preseason rankings that were totally unranked (and not on the HM list) at the end of last season: Oak Park-River Forest, Marist, and Carl Sandburg.
For comprehensive analysis of the Top 20 teams, including strengths, line-up notes, additions and subtractions, and key competition dates, click here.
Of course, the big event we always look forward to this time of year is the Walsh Ironman, which is bar-none the deepest collection of national talent.
But before we get to that there, there are a couple notable match-ups taking place this weekend.
#7-Apple Valley (MN) and HM-Kasson-Mantorville (MN) will both be at the Dick Shiels Invite. #9-Montini duals #18-Marist in a battle of Illinois powers.
Editorial Notes:
Rank - School - (Last Year's Final Ranking) - Head Coach
1. Blair Academy Buccaneers, NJ (1) - Charles Danhof
2. Wyoming Seminary Blue Knights, PA (9) - Scott Green
3. St. Johns Redwings, MI (7)
4. St. Edward Eagles, OH (2) - Greg Urbas
5. Canon McMillan Big Macs, PA (4) - Chris Mary
6. Brandon Eagles, FL (6) - Russ Cozart
7. Apple Valley Eagles, MN (3) - Dalen Wasmund
8. St. Michael-Albertville Knights, MN (HM) - Dan Lefebrve
9. Montini Catholic Broncos, IL (HM) - Israel Martinez
10. Clovis Cougars, CA (5) - Steve Tirapelle
11. Allen Eagles, TX (23) - Jerry Best
12. Perry Meridian Falcons, IN (12) - Jim Tonte
13. Christiansburg Blue Demons, VA (13) - Darryl Weber
14. Simley Spartans, MN (14) - Jim Short
15. Bethlehem Catholic Golden Hawks, PA (10) - Jeff Karam
16. Central Dauphin Rams, PA (18) - Jeff Sweigard
17. Oak Park-River Forest Huskies, IL (NR) - Mike Powell
18. Marist Redhawks, IL (NR) - Brendan Heffernan
19. St. Paris Graham Falcons, OH (8) - Jeff Jordan
20. Carl Sandburg Eagles, IL - (NR) - Eric Siebert
Willie Saylor, Editor
Illinois has already gotten there season underway with a couple duals last weekend. By the end of this weekend, 13 of the Top 20 Teams here will have had a regular season event.
Once again Blair is on Top of the National Team Rankings. They boast a 14-man line-up with 10 wrestlers ranked individually.
Blair is one of 15 teams that are back in the rankings after finishing in my Top 25 last season. The highest team to start this season, that wasn't in the Top 25 to end last year, is St. Michael-Albertville (MN), who checks in at #8 after finishing on the Honorable Mention a year ago. Also on the HM list to end last season is was Montini Catholic (IL), who begins this year in the #9 slot.
Three teams, all from Illinois, appear on the preseason rankings that were totally unranked (and not on the HM list) at the end of last season: Oak Park-River Forest, Marist, and Carl Sandburg.
For comprehensive analysis of the Top 20 teams, including strengths, line-up notes, additions and subtractions, and key competition dates, click here.
Of course, the big event we always look forward to this time of year is the Walsh Ironman, which is bar-none the deepest collection of national talent.
But before we get to that there, there are a couple notable match-ups taking place this weekend.
#7-Apple Valley (MN) and HM-Kasson-Mantorville (MN) will both be at the Dick Shiels Invite. #9-Montini duals #18-Marist in a battle of Illinois powers.
Editorial Notes:
I’ll start off the year with the Top 20 teams. In December, I’ll move to a Top 25 with Honorable Mention. Going forward, Flowrestling’s National Team Rankings will be published every Tuesday morning throughout the season complete with a weekly notebook, and for each team, signature wins and their schedule for the week.
Rank - School - (Last Year's Final Ranking) - Head Coach
1. Blair Academy Buccaneers, NJ (1) - Charles Danhof
First Competition: Walsh Ironman, Dec. 7th & 8th
2. Wyoming Seminary Blue Knights, PA (9) - Scott Green
First Competition: Caruso Tournament, Dec. 1st.
3. St. Johns Redwings, MI (7)
First Competition: @ East Kentwood Invitational, Dec. 8th
4. St. Edward Eagles, OH (2) - Greg Urbas
First Competition: Vs. Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, Dec. 1st
5. Canon McMillan Big Macs, PA (4) - Chris Mary
First Competition: First Competition: Walsh Ironman, Dec. 7th & 8th
6. Brandon Eagles, FL (6) - Russ Cozart
So Far: Won Hills County Tournament
This Week: Troy Smith Duals, Nov. 30th and Dec. 1st
7. Apple Valley Eagles, MN (3) - Dalen Wasmund
First Competition: Dick Shiels Invite, Dec. 1st
8. St. Michael-Albertville Knights, MN (HM) - Dan Lefebrve
First Competition: STMA Invitational Dec. 1st
9. Montini Catholic Broncos, IL (HM) - Israel Martinez
So Far: Defeated Aurora, 54-30; Defeated Marion, 50-30
This Week: vs. #18-Marist, Saturday
10. Clovis Cougars, CA (5) - Steve Tirapelle
First Competition: Newbury Park Invite, Dec. 1st
11. Allen Eagles, TX (23) - Jerry Best
First Competition: Broken Arrow Tri-Meet, Dec. 6th
12. Perry Meridian Falcons, IN (12) - Jim Tonte
First Competition: Home Tri, Dec. 8th
13. Christiansburg Blue Demons, VA (13) - Darryl Weber
First Competition: Tri-Meet, Nov. 30th
14. Simley Spartans, MN (14) - Jim Short
First Competition: vs. Owatonna, Dec. 1st.
15. Bethlehem Catholic Golden Hawks, PA (10) - Jeff Karam
First Competition: @ Whitehall, Dec. 12th
16. Central Dauphin Rams, PA (18) - Jeff Sweigard
First Competition: Brandywine Tournament, Dec. 8th
17. Oak Park-River Forest Huskies, IL (NR) - Mike Powell
So Far: Beat #18-Marist, 26-25
This Week: @ Washington Duals, Dec. 1st
18. Marist Redhawks, IL (NR) - Brendan Heffernan
So Far: Lost to #17-Oak Park-River Forest, 26-25
This Week: @ ECCC Tri-Meet, Dec. 29th; @ Mt. Carmel and #9-Montini, Dec. 1st
19. St. Paris Graham Falcons, OH (8) - Jeff Jordan
First Competition: vs. Huntington (WV), Dec. 1st
20. Carl Sandburg Eagles, IL - (NR) - Eric Siebert
So Far: Won 4-0 in duals
This Week: Thurs. @ Lincoln Way Central, Fri. @ Lockport, Sat. Quad Meet
This Week: Thurs. @ Lincoln Way Central, Fri. @ Lockport, Sat. Quad Meet
Honorable Mention:
Bakersfield, CA
Bettendorf, IA
Blue Springs, MO
Bound Brook, NJ
Broken Arrow, OK
Columbia, ID
Collinsville, OK
Davison, MI
Detroit Catholic Central, MI
Don Bosco, NJ
Edmund North, OK
Franklin Regional, PA
Glenbard North, IL
Hermiston, OR
Kasson-Mantorville, MN
Kearney, MO
Massillon Perry, OH
McDonogh, MD
Maple Mountain, UT
Moeller, OH
Pope, GA
South Plainfield, NJ
Roseburg, OR
Stillwater, OK
Tuttle, OK