Top Teams/Wrestlers of the South

[BoneCrusher119]

?? after 2007 seniors graduate, who's going to be good?what does everybody think??

the obvious ones are still rolling like

EDWARDSVILLE- *GREG JACKSON
GRANITE CITY- ????????????????
CHATHAM GLENWOOD- ?????????
MASCOUTAH- ?????????????????

who else?

[Southern_Hospitality]

?? after 2007 seniors graduate, who's going to be good?what does everybody think??

the obvious ones are still rolling like

EDWARDSVILLE- *GREG JACKSON
GRANITE CITY- ????????????????
CHATHAM GLENWOOD- ?????????
MASCOUTAH- ?????????????????

who else?

I really think the top two teams will be Granite City and Edwardsville. Granite City lost Penny, Reed, and Barnett from their lineup and Edwardsville only lost Beasley and Thatch from their lineup. Both Granite City and Edwardsville will be loaded and the top dogs in the south. I also believe Collinsville will be solid team in the south and possibly the third best team in the south. Chatham Glenwood lost 4 quality seniors and wrestle a weaker schedule so I have questions about them being ones of the top teams. Mascoutah is a program going in the right direction; however, I believe both Chatham and Mascoutah benefitted last year from being put in a far weaker regionals than the two metro east regionals.

[Grapplemaniac]

I was thinking that the O'Fallon Panthers are starting to make a move as a team on the rise in the south. Am I wrong? Surber & Pugh will be around for a while.

[GrappleFan1]

While I agree that Edwardsville and Granite City will be the teams to beat next year, there will be others, in no particular order.

Collinsville had a good lineup and was improving. A couple of freshman additions and continued hard work over the summer and they will be tough.

O'Fallon is going to lose some seniors, but they have a great nucleus of talent and an outstanding coach. Look for them to give Edwardsville and Granite a run.

Triad had a very young lineup this year, and people better look out for them next year. If those freshman continue to develop they will be hard to beat.

As far as individuals - check out who is wrestling on Wednesdays and Saturdays - These will be the standouts next year. If you wonder why Edwardsville and Granite are at the top of the list, it is sheer numbers from the off-season wrestling programs. On the whole, I would guess that these two programs provide 1/3 to 1/2 of the total wrestlers at any given local tournament.

If you want names from Granite: Wilson, Graville, Prazma, Presswood, Byrum, Walliser, Lance, Barios.

From Edwardsville, Tutka, Sawyer, Thomas, Jackson, Knoebel, Treat, Heinemeyer, Long, Ellington.

I'm sure I missed some big names but I see the kids above winning matches at the developmentals.

[Southern_Hospitality]

I was thinking that the O'Fallon Panthers are starting to make a move as a team on the rise in the south. Am I wrong? Surber & Pugh will be around for a while.


I think O'Fallon is going be a better tourny team then a dual team. O'Fallon have a strong nucleus with Surber, Villagran, Ercoline and Pugh, but they are going have to have some other people to step up to complement those four. I believe O'Fallon is on the rise, but couple a year or two away.

[Southern_Hospitality]

While I agree that Edwardsville and Granite City will be the teams to beat next year, there will be others, in no particular order.

Collinsville had a good lineup and was improving. A couple of freshman additions and continued hard work over the summer and they will be tough.

O'Fallon is going to lose some seniors, but they have a great nucleus of talent and an outstanding coach. Look for them to give Edwardsville and Granite a run.

Triad had a very young lineup this year, and people better look out for them next year. If those freshman continue to develop they will be hard to beat.

As far as individuals - check out who is wrestling on Wednesdays and Saturdays - These will be the standouts next year. If you wonder why Edwardsville and Granite are at the top of the list, it is sheer numbers from the off-season wrestling programs. On the whole, I would guess that these two programs provide 1/3 to 1/2 of the total wrestlers at any given local tournament.

If you want names from Granite: Wilson, Graville, Prazma, Presswood, Byrum, Walliser, Lance, Barios.

From Edwardsville, Tutka, Sawyer, Thomas, Jackson, Knoebel, Treat, Heinemeyer, Long, Ellington.

I'm sure I missed some big names but I see the kids above winning matches at the developmentals.

I really like Triad and they will be better than last year, but could still be a year away.

[Mr. White]

Yes O'fallon is looking up, definitely number 3 in my book after the obvious 1 and 2. Collinsville and Triad both look good to me and it's tough to pick one. Triad lost some senior leaders but have a lot of young talent, two guys in the finals at F/S state is not too bad. Collinsville lost Straub, but that's about it. Guys like Springer and Robinson should make some big noise this year.

[wrestlingdude1]

What are your thoughts on them next year. Losing 4 seniors and Coach Bradley. And does any body have any news on the coaching job there.

[GrappleFan1]

Yes O'fallon is looking up, definitely number 3 in my book after the obvious 1 and 2. Collinsville and Triad both look good to me and it's tough to pick one. Triad lost some senior leaders but have a lot of young talent, two guys in the finals at F/S state is not too bad. Collinsville lost Straub, but that's about it. Guys like Springer and Robinson should make some big noise this year.

Collinsville has a strong group of wrestlers who compete in the off season, probably third to Granite/Edwardsville. I do see some Triad kids at the tournaments as well. The step up moment for any of these programs will be the strength of their schedules. They have to add tougher competition, either duals or tournaments or both.

An example how does Edwardsville have kid with 10 losses beating an undefeated wrestler from Collinsville at the sectionals? Or how does a Granite kid with 8 losses beat an undefeated wrester from Quincy?

Answer: Those two programs wrestle far and away the toughest schedule in the south, and during the season while they were battling that tough competition, the individuals got better.

[GrappleFan1]

I think O'Fallon is going be a better tourny team then a dual team. O'Fallon have a strong nucleus with Surber, Villagran, Ercoline and Pugh, but they are going have to have some other people to step up to complement those four. I believe O'Fallon is on the rise, but couple a year or two away.


Certainly last year O'fallon was a better tournament team than a dual team, but I think it would be a mistake to assume that will be the case next year. I think there is a lot of hard work being done by O'fallon wrestlers in the various practice rooms in the area. Their dual team will be much improved.

[Mr. White]

Collinsville has a strong group of wrestlers who compete in the off season, probably third to Granite/Edwardsville. I do see some Triad kids at the tournaments as well. The step up moment for any of these programs will be the strength of their schedules. They have to add tougher competition, either duals or tournaments or both.

An example how does Edwardsville have kid with 10 losses beating an undefeated wrestler from Collinsville at the sectionals? Or how does a Granite kid with 8 losses beat an undefeated wrester from Quincy?

Answer: Those two programs wrestle far and away the toughest schedule in the south, and during the season while they were battling that tough competition, the individuals got better.
I assume you mean Beasley beating Straub, well 2 of Beasley's 10 losses were to Straub, they went back and forth with Beasley peaking at the right time. I agree with what you are saying E-ville's schedule is tougher. Your second example you are talking about Barnett beating Smith. Well Smith was undefeated because he beat Penny when Penny bumped up to 215 in their dual. I was surprised that he lost to Barnett. Again, Granite's schedule is tougher, but those kids were not flukes.

Overall I know what you're saying. E-ville and Granite wrestle tougher schedules than the other southern teams. Toughening up your schedule is something that has to be done over time. The kids on the team need to be prepared to handle that type of schedule. The top two mentioned teams are the only ones in the south who are consistently good enough to have such a schedule. Other programs have up and down years where they may not be able to compete with a really tough schedule, and maybe need to gradually work their way up.

[Southern_Hospitality]

I assume you mean Beasley beating Straub, well 2 of Beasley's 10 losses were to Straub, they went back and forth with Beasley peaking at the right time. I agree with what you are saying E-ville's schedule is tougher. Your second example you are talking about Barnett beating Smith. Well Smith was undefeated because he beat Penny when Penny bumped up to 215 in their dual. I was surprised that he lost to Barnett. Again, Granite's schedule is tougher, but those kids were not flukes.

Overall I know what you're saying. E-ville and Granite wrestle tougher schedules than the other southern teams. Toughening up your schedule is something that has to be done over time. The kids on the team need to be prepared to handle that type of schedule. The top two mentioned teams are the only ones in the south who are consistently good enough to have such a schedule. Other programs have up and down years where they may not be able to compete with a really tough schedule, and maybe need to gradually work their way up.

Honestly, do not get me started on the refs for the Edwardsville-Collinsville dual meet. I think everyone in attendence for that dual meet would agree with me that it was the worst display by officials anyone would ever see because the refs cheated both teams many times that night and alot of the matches outcomes were really questionable.

[Mr. White]

Honestly, do not get me started on the refs for the Edwardsville-Collinsville dual meet. I think everyone in attendence for that dual meet would agree with me that it was the worst display by officials anyone would ever see because the refs cheated both teams many times that night and alot of the matches outcomes were really questionable.
So I guess Beasley was cheated that night? I was at another meet that night, but I heard the officiating wasn't that great. Relax SoHo, you don't have to rush to Beasley's defense, he won in their final meeting. I thought he had a good chance to medal this year..well last year too. Maybe with E-ville keeping the Cheesehead and continuing to pick up tough duals, guys like him will start winning more of the close matches upstate.

[GrappleFan1]

I assume you mean Beasley beating Straub, well 2 of Beasley's 10 losses were to Straub, they went back and forth with Beasley peaking at the right time. I agree with what you are saying E-ville's schedule is tougher. Your second example you are talking about Barnett beating Smith. Well Smith was undefeated because he beat Penny when Penny bumped up to 215 in their dual. I was surprised that he lost to Barnett. Again, Granite's schedule is tougher, but those kids were not flukes.

Overall I know what you're saying. E-ville and Granite wrestle tougher schedules than the other southern teams. Toughening up your schedule is something that has to be done over time. The kids on the team need to be prepared to handle that type of schedule. The top two mentioned teams are the only ones in the south who are consistently good enough to have such a schedule. Other programs have up and down years where they may not be able to compete with a really tough schedule, and maybe need to gradually work their way up.

I didn't mean to imply that those wins were flukes, I firmly believe that Beasly was better than Straub by the time sectionals came around because he faced tough competition. Barnett / Smith is a little different, but you get where I'm going.

On your second point, it wouldn't make sense for teams like O'fallon, Collinsville or Triad to step up to a Granite/Edwardsville type schedule, but as you put it, you gradually work up. Granite has done this for years. Edwardsville is a relative newcomer to this concept. You add to your schedule each year and challenge your kids to compete.

I'll get off my soapbox now.

[GrappleFan1]

So I guess Beasley was cheated that night? I was at another meet that night, but I heard the officiating wasn't that great. Relax SoHo, you don't have to rush to Beasley's defense, he won in their final meeting. I thought he had a good chance to medal this year..well last year too. Maybe with E-ville keeping the Cheesehead and continuing to pick up tough duals, guys like him will start winning more of the close matches upstate.

This isn't an individual team thing, I for one am tired of the southern kids coming back from Champaign with just a few medals. I've followed wrestling in the south for over 30 years and with just a few exceptions the state tournament results have been a dissapointment for wrestlers from the south. Why can't we change that by raising the level of the wrestling? When Edwardsville is wrestling Triad or Granite or Collinsville they are the enemy. The rest of the time we are all working towards the same goal, and therefore are on the same team.

Hey there are three qualifiers times 14 weights, that means we can win 42 medals at the state tournament. I think with that many opportunities we can share.

[BoneCrusher119]

I totally agree with GrappleFan1. with everyone tryin to make it to the State Tournament some people aren't wrestling their balls off in the regular season match as if it were the championship round in State. I have realized at the Chatham Sectional especially this year, people are NOT going all out. they are waiting for the right opportunity to shoot and by the time it comes, it's too late or the opponent shoots on them and now it's over. Going all out means wrestling as hard as you possibly can until that last buzzer sounds.