Observations from the state tournament

downtown · March 01, 2020, 10:29:26 AM

Couple of things that I noticed with this year's state tournament.

Nicolar Rivera I have always been impressed with but his leg trip to a head throw in the finals was something I have never seen before. I have been going to the state tournament longer than most anyone and I have never seen someone do the things he does. He is an amazing wrestler.

Scoles and Medora was an awesome match. The best match of the night by far.

Joles looks like a grown man wrestling high school kids. The difference between him and his competition is astounding.

The announcers are too loud. For goodness sake it sounds like they are yelling into the microphone. Turn the volume down a touch.

The level of wrestling from D3 thru D1 is the largest gap I have ever seen at the tournament. Sorry if I offend D3 and D2 people it's not my intent. There was a time in the 80s and 90s where the D1 brackets were the weakest but watching last night I am just amazed the difference between them. It is numbers and kids to choose from but you can tell the differences between the year round wrestlers and the multi sport kids from the smaller schools. That being said kids should all be in multi sports. Help your school out if you're an athlete and play other sports.

No one is even close to Brooks Empey in this state at a weight below or above his. I really hope he is interested in wrestling in college and the badgers are looking at him.

Lastly, the Kohl Center is an amazing place to have the tournament. We are really lucky to have it at such an awesome facility. The barn was nostalgic and old school cool but the Kohl Center is just amazing.

GradeTough · March 01, 2020, 12:13:11 PM

Interesting observations. I agree with your announcers comment. They are actually pretty good but loud...but I like the energy they bring.

The streaming is absolutely the worst. Going back to watch a few matches is frustrating. Refs jumping in front of the cameras and streams buffering so delays in continuous feeds are interrupted. Not sure Trackwrestling is the long-term platform for streaming.

I guess I didn't notice the D1, D2, D3 gap. I pretty much focus on the D1 mat because we are most familiar with those kids and less than a handful in D2 and zero in D3.

Kohl Center is the bomb. You couldn't help but feel the quality in the facilities. Wish youth State was there as well.

Nicolar is funky. Love watching him wrestle. He puts on a great show for the fans. He is Must See TV!

Oz125 · March 01, 2020, 04:23:42 PM

I hope to hear "It's a great day to be a Badger" in the near future in regards to Nicolar Rivera! Tough as nails.

Ledger · March 01, 2020, 05:38:34 PM

Quote from: downtown on March 01, 2020, 10:29:26 AM

No one is even close to Brooks Empey in this state at a weight below or above his.

01/03 - 01/04/2020
Cheesehead
220
Semifinals - Brooks Empey (Stoughton) over aaron ragels (Fennimore) (Dec 2-0)

02/27 - 02/29/2020
WIAA Individual State
D3-220
1st Place Match - Ethan Heil (Edgar) over AARON RAGELS (Fennimore) (Fall 1:38)

Houndhead · March 01, 2020, 05:57:53 PM

I believe the improved D1 wrestling is a direct result of AWA, Advanced, etc., especially in the greater metro area.

single_leg_sweep · March 01, 2020, 06:25:10 PM

Worst post I've seen on this site. I've been watching wrestling at State for over 30 years and you are ignorant if you think there is a gap between division 1 and 3 on Championship night. Not even taking division 2 into account Division 3 might win 10 of 14 in a match of champions. Go take your rose colored glasses off. On a bad day it's 7 to 7 which seems to me would mean no gap. If you are talking overall depth then you're stating the obvious given enrollment numbers. And yes I threw that last sentence in to bail you out, take it cuz it's your best option.

SayHey42 · March 01, 2020, 07:02:46 PM

How much would you be willing to pay for a ticket for one more tourney. 3 winners and 1 wild card. Seems like an easy thing to do.

TomM · March 01, 2020, 07:09:42 PM

In the 1990's for a few years, Watertown held a 'Champions' tournament following the State Finals (early March) and the top Placers of all divisions were welcome. The hope was to have the three finalists/champions etc. from each weight class of all divisions compete.
The VAST MAJORITY (about 99%) did not attend...
The wrestlers know when enough is enough. The rest of us need to listen to the wrestlers.
By the way, admission was free and there were not many people there.

Manty77 · March 01, 2020, 07:18:09 PM

Quote from: single_leg_sweep on March 01, 2020, 06:25:10 PM
Worst post I've seen on this site. I've been watching wrestling at State for over 30 years and you are ignorant if you think there is a gap between division 1 and 3 on Championship night. Not even taking division 2 into account Division 3 might win 10 of 14 in a match of champions. Go take your rose colored glasses off. On a bad day it's 7 to 7 which seems to me would mean no gap. If you are talking overall depth then you're stating the obvious given enrollment numbers. And yes I threw that last sentence in to bail you out, take it cuz it's your best option.

In your opinion, which 10 D3 champs would beat the D1 champs?

single_leg_sweep · March 01, 2020, 07:25:14 PM

I'd bet on D3:
106
113
126
145
152
170 and up.
Yes some will be battles but that's why I said 7 to 7 on a bad day.

Ledger · March 01, 2020, 07:40:13 PM

Quote from: single_leg_sweep on March 01, 2020, 06:25:10 PM
Worst post I've seen on this site.

This happens every year. The best thing you can do is ignore trolls like "downtown".

Manty77 · March 01, 2020, 08:18:52 PM

Quote from: single_leg_sweep on March 01, 2020, 07:25:14 PM
I'd bet on D3:
106
113
126
145
152
170 and up.
Yes some will be battles but that's why I said 7 to 7 on a bad day.

I was going to compare pedigrees for all D1 and D3 champs but I decided to quit after 106 because it's too much work, and I don't want to denigrate any wrestlers. There are some sensational D3 wrestlers and there is 1 in particular that I hope becomes a Badger.

But, to pick just the 1st weight class, do you really believe Sonnentag would beat Greyson Clark at 106?

Clark: '19 Cadet Freestyle AA (7th place). '19 Cadet Greco AA (4th place). Was invited to be on USA Freestyle and Greco World Teams. '19 FS Pam Am Champ (Gold). '19 Greco Pam Am Champ (Gold). '19 Freestyle World School Budapest (Bronze).

Sonnentag: '19 Cadet Greco AA (7th place).

My guess is that at most 3 D3 wrestlers would win.

downtown · March 01, 2020, 08:57:49 PM

Not even close to a troll. I appreciate all of the divisions. Just stating what I see. Luke will do a breakdown and the numbers will come out in the wash. You should always have a deeper pool of talent in D1, there are more kids to choose from by a very significant margin.

I do agree that D 3 in wrestling a round robin of 9 teams with the top three from each division would win the most duals. The best team in the state this year might be a D 3 team.

Ledger, my eye balls aren't lying to me when I see Brooks Empey wrestle either. He is the best upper weight I have seen since Devin Peterson and not that far away from Garret Lowney. Ethan Heil is very good and I watched him multiple times this weekend. His pin in the finals was very impressive.

jaguarwrestler · March 01, 2020, 09:59:06 PM

Quote from: single_leg_sweep on March 01, 2020, 07:25:14 PM
I'd bet on D3:
106
113
126
145
152
170 and up.
Yes some will be battles but that's why I said 7 to 7 on a bad day.

factfinder · March 01, 2020, 10:50:47 PM

Quote from: single_leg_sweep on March 01, 2020, 07:25:14 PM
I'd bet on D3:
106 I will take the D1 kid in a good match
113. I will take the D1 kid
126 This would be a great match
145 The D3 kid lost to a D1 DNP kid?
152 The D3 kid lost to the D1 runner up last summer
170 and up. I would favor the D3 kid but I would not be shocked with an upset.
Yes some will be battles but that's why I said 7 to 7 on a bad day.

I would guess 10 - 4 D1, but a few good matches.