145 lbs
On the last episode of The RUDIS Wrestling Podcast, Ben and Matt discussed the 25th annual Walsh Jesuit Ironman. Jumping back in, discussion starts with the 145 lbs weight class. On episode #16, conversation was focused around the finals match. Ryan Anderson defeated Jaden Abas 11-1. In addition to the finals, there were other fantastic matches in that bracket deserving recognition. Ben brings up the semifinal match between Jaden Abas and Bryce Andonian. Andonian was impressive over the summer. He won Fargo at 145 lbs, but Abas seemed to shut him down throughout the match. Later, Andonian injury defaulted in the consolation rounds. Turning to the back side of the bracket, the depth at 145 lbs weight class is apparent. Michael North, a finalist at Flo Nationals, took 5th place. Fidel Mayora, who was ranked 3rd in the country going into Super 32, took 8th. Dawson Sihavong, Manzona Bryant, and Luka Wick who were all ranked going into the tournament didn’t even place.
120 lbs
Moving on, discussions turn to the 120 lbs bracket. Trevor Mastrogiovanni of Blair Academy defeated Lucas Byrd of Cincinnati La Salle by a 6-5 decision. For what it was worth, Lucas Byrd was driving the action throughout the match. He had two major mental errors that cost him two takedowns and the match. Matt has been a fan of Byrd for a long time. Matt believes he has a lot of potential and strong drive, but in this situation he seemed to lack purpose during the match. Byrd was shooting just to shoot. He didn’t seem to know how to manage himself during high level situations.
Iowa vs Lehigh
The college scene was a bit slower this week because nearly everyone was at the Las Vegas Invitational. Matt and Ben begin with 4th ranked Iowa vs 16th ranked Lehigh University. The Hawkeyes took 7 of the 10 bouts, finishing with a final score of 28-14. While Iowa looked good Lehigh is still missing a majority of their starting lineup due to unknown injuries. Connor Schram, Ian Brown, Scott Parker, Ryan Preisch, Cortlandt Schuyler, Chris Weiler, Cole Walter, and Gordon Wolf were Lehigh starters. They were missing in the dual against the Hawkeyes. This is the first time in years that Lehigh has started their season 0-4. With eight injuries and a very tough early season, it’s not hard to see why. Hopefully, they will rebound with a full lineup after the new year. Lehigh has a strong potential to be a top 10 team. Iowa sat Jacob Warner due to an ankle injury he received against Iowa State.
Oklahoma State vs Oklahoma
The conversation then turns to the Oklahoma State vs Oklahoma match. What was once a highly anticipated rivalry has, in recent years, not been very competitive. Every year Oklahoma and Oklahoma State wrestle two duals, in what is referred to as the Bedlam series. One at home and one away. This year the second dual was canceled as it doesn’t make sense for Oklahoma to wrestle and lose two times to the same team. Rosselli is still building up his program and wants to hold off until they are more competitive. There are some on the Oklahoma roster that stands out and shows signs of a bright future. Specifically, Dom Demas has had several notable wins and made two World Freestyle/Greco teams last year.
Ohio State vs Wisconsin
Finally, Ben and Matt turn their attention to Ohio State vs Wisconsin. Wisconsin did a good job in this dual but it became obvious why Ohio State is ranked second in the country. The Buckeyes didn’t wrestle Ke-Shawn Hayes but otherwise, every match was really entertaining to watch. Wisconsin did everything they could to give Ohio State a run for their money. The level of fight the Badgers bring to every match is impressive. Despite being outmatched they continue to scrap and fight for every single point. Conversation shifts to Miles Martin who seems to be completely untested at 184 lbs. He’s wrestling at another level compared to any of his competitors. Martin shows no signs of slowing down.
Where to find the RUDIS Wrestling Podcast:
The RUDIS Wrestling Podcast is hosted by Ben Askren and Matt Dernlan. Ben Askren, World Champion, and Olympic wrestler, joins RUDIS from the T-Row & Funky Show in an official partnership as a content provider for all things RUDIS. Matt Dernlan joins from a D1 college coaching background with family roots grounded in Ohio wrestling with a collective 10 state titles on the shelf.
