My top storylines heading into the postseason

[Larry]

I am very excited for state this year. There are a number of storylines I am eager to watch play out. In no particular order these are my top five narratives as we approach the post season.
1. How will 120 play out? Melendez and Ford-Melton lead the pack no doubt, but Zaccone, Molton, and Lindsey each have the pedigree to blow up the bracket. (FWIW I didn’t include Uribe only because I don’t know much about him, not as a slight)
2. Will Jessen finally win a state title? He has been close all three years but has been stifled thus far.
3. The continued dominance of Anthony Cassioppi. It was an absolute pleasure watching him at last year’s state meet and I can’t wait to see him rule 285 again in 2018. Is he the greatest heavyweight in state history? I think so.
4. The health of Marmion upper weights. For the benefit of deeper brackets and the kids themselves, I really hope Jimenez, Gross, and Ferraro can make it back for the state series.
5. What will be Montini’s impact on the individual state tournament? We know the Broncos are loaded, but when the dust settles, how will they compare against past super teams?
I would love to hear some thoughts and opinions!

[Giantcuse]

I am very excited for state this year. There are a number of storylines I am eager to watch play out. In no particular order these are my top five narratives as we approach the post season.
1. How will 120 play out? Melendez and Ford-Melton lead the pack no doubt, but Zaccone, Molton, and Lindsey each have the pedigree to blow up the bracket. (FWIW I didn’t include Uribe only because I don’t know much about him, not as a slight)
2. Will Jessen finally win a state title? He has been close all three years but has been stifled thus far.
3. The continued dominance of Anthony Cassioppi. It was an absolute pleasure watching him at last year’s state meet and I can’t wait to see him rule 285 again in 2018. Is he the greatest heavyweight in state history? I think so.
4. The health of Marmion upper weights. For the benefit of deeper brackets and the kids themselves, I really hope Jimenez, Gross, and Ferraro can make it back for the state series.
5. What will be Montini’s impact on the individual state tournament? We know the Broncos are loaded, but when the dust settles, how will they compare against past super teams?
I would love to hear some thoughts and opinions!

- Heard Lindsey is going 113. However, agree with your frontrunners. Molton is someone I've been super impressed with. His neutral game has improved so much. He looks like a different kid from last year--and he was great last year.

- Stating the obvious--Cassioppi is a beast!!

- Jessen will cap off his High School career with a title.

- Montini will have 2 champs for sure (Woods, Lewan), all others will be in dog fights to get there. Will love to see those battles happen.

- Stiles v Coleman: I was at Cheesehead and it was worth the price of admission. Hope I get to see that one again, they really got after it.

- I'm looking forward to seeing 113/126 brackets as they are shaping up to have some serious battles from round 1 till the end.

Looking forward to it.

[Mainefan]

To me, you can add 106, especially with Dane Durlacher dropping to 106. 145 is exciting. You have the top 2, then Fernandez, Ryan and Hughes. Then Drury, Riemer, Ramos, Ordonez, Rosenbloom. These are my 10 favorite, but this wt is filled with high quality wrestlers.
I am also excited at 152 with Lewan-Hartman. I know no one in the state as tough on top as Hartman.
113 with Ragusin, Surtin, Ramos. If Lindsey comes back and somehow can be in good shape, then anyone of the 4 can win it.
120 I agree that Melendez, Ford-Melton, Zaccone, and Molton make this weight exciting.
At 126, will any of the top wrestlers be able to slow down Fabian Lopez, as Austin Macias did at Barrington. I think Precin and Odom are the only 126ers who have the ability to do that. Then you add Suarez and Champagne.
Don't see who in 182 at 3A can challenge Jessen. His victory over Krattiger of Waterford at Dvorak is even more impressive after how dominating Krattiger was at the Cheesehead.
Regarding Cassioppi, In the 20 years that I have been watching HS wrestling, he is as good as I've seen.

[NickyTheEar]

To me, you can add 106, especially with Dane Durlacher dropping to 106. 145 is exciting. You have the top 2, then Fernandez, Ryan and Hughes. Then Drury, Riemer, Ramos, Ordonez, Rosenbloom. These are my 10 favorite, but this wt is filled with high quality wrestlers.
I am also excited at 152 with Lewan-Hartman. I know no one in the state as tough on top as Hartman.
113 with Ragusin, Surtin, Ramos. If Lindsey comes back and somehow can be in good shape, then anyone of the 4 can win it.
120 I agree that Melendez, Ford-Melton, Zaccone, and Molton make this weight exciting.
At 126, will any of the top wrestlers be able to slow down Fabian Lopez, as Austin Macias did at Barrington. I think Precin and Odom are the only 126ers who have the ability to do that. Then you add Suarez and Champagne.
Don't see who in 182 at 3A can challenge Jessen. His victory over Krattiger of Waterford at Dvorak is even more impressive after how dominating Krattiger was at the Cheesehead.
Regarding Cassioppi, In the 20 years that I have been watching HS wrestling, he is as good as I've seen.

106 at the Alton Sectional is looking like it is going to be one to watch, considering there is Talamonti, Laveille, Kaminsky, Villar, Shah, Tapia, and May all in that sectional. It looks that it is going to be a war to get out of that bracket.

[GOAT]

106 at the Alton Sectional is looking like it is going to be one to watch, considering there is Talamonti, Laveille, Kaminsky, Villar, Shah, Tapia, and May all in that sectional. It looks that it is going to be a war to get out of that bracket.

Rankings have Laveille out of hinsdale sectional and Tapia hasnt been 106 for some time now. Lost his wrestle off to a freshman. Last year that sectional was just as tough with ramos, silva, odom, & lindsey making it out.

[maddog81]

106 at the Alton Sectional is looking like it is going to be one to watch, considering there is Talamonti, Laveille, Kaminsky, Villar, Shah, Tapia, and May all in that sectional. It looks that it is going to be a war to get out of that bracket.

220 has 5 of the 6th top ranked in the state

[HandControl]

220 has 5 of the 6th top ranked in the state

Similarly Barrington 152 has 2,3,4,5,6

[maddog81]

Similarly Barrington 152 has 2,3,4,5,6

Brutal! Barring any upsets from others one of the top 5 from Barrington won't make the final 16 at state.

[Coach_Colt]

To me, you can add 106, especially with Dane Durlacher dropping to 106. 145 is exciting. You have the top 2, then Fernandez, Ryan and Hughes. Then Drury, Riemer, Ramos, Ordonez, Rosenbloom. These are my 10 favorite, but this wt is filled with high quality wrestlers.
I am also excited at 152 with Lewan-Hartman. I know no one in the state as tough on top as Hartman.
113 with Ragusin, Surtin, Ramos. If Lindsey comes back and somehow can be in good shape, then anyone of the 4 can win it.
120 I agree that Melendez, Ford-Melton, Zaccone, and Molton make this weight exciting.
At 126, will any of the top wrestlers be able to slow down Fabian Lopez, as Austin Macias did at Barrington. I think Precin and Odom are the only 126ers who have the ability to do that. Then you add Suarez and Champagne.
Don't see who in 182 at 3A can challenge Jessen. His victory over Krattiger of Waterford at Dvorak is even more impressive after how dominating Krattiger was at the Cheesehead.
Regarding Cassioppi, In the 20 years that I have been watching HS wrestling, he is as good as I've seen.

I agree with you about the 145 weight class but I think that all the talk about Montini and Mt. Carmel make some people forget that their are a couple other guys who are capable of winning that weight class

[ctdad]

Rankings have Laveille out of hinsdale sectional and Tapia hasnt been 106 for some time now. Lost his wrestle off to a freshman. Last year that sectional was just as tough with ramos, silva, odom, & lindsey making it out.

Both would be incorrect. Tapia has been wrestling 113 in duals for the Moline team but he has been at 106 for both of the individual tournaments the Maroons have been in (Prospect (2nd) and Sycamore (5th)) and will almost certainly be there again this weekend when they go to Cedar Rapids for the J-Hawk Invite.

For duals at 106, Moline has been using freshman Charlie Farmer; he's something like 24-8 while weighing maybe 85 pounds. Farmer finished 6th at Sycamore last weekend, losing to his teammate in the 5-6 match. He can't beat Tapia in the wrestle-offs and the senior has earned the right to wrestle at the weight he chooses to. Farmer is way too undersized to go 113 (he has tried a few times) and that's where most of his losses have been. Tapia can handle the 113 pounders and it will not hurt him come regionals to have been going up bigger kids most of the year.

[ctdad]

The Alton sectional will have:

220 - 1, 2, 4, 5, 6

Going up is not a real viable option for one of them

285 - 3, 5, 8, 9, 10

[Tomahawk1]

I agree with you about the 145 weight class but I think that all the talk about Montini and Mt. Carmel make some people forget that their are a couple other guys who are capable of winning that weight class

I concur on 145 being one of (if not the) most exciting/loaded weight in 3A with: Coleman of Mt. Carmel and Stiles of Montini both ranked in top 8 in the nation, Fernandes of Lockport, Ryan of New Trier, Hughes of Oswego, Drury of Hinsdale Central, Ramos of Providence, Riemer of Fremd and now add JP Smith of Wheeling....