2012-13 JJHuddle Wrestling Preview

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REAL-TIME WRESTLING RESULTS

Every wrestling team/school in Ohio has it's own report page. Click Here to find yours!

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2012 JJHUDDLE WRESTLING PREVIEW

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PRESEASON POWER POLLS

DIVISION I PRESEASON POWER POLL

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DIVISION II PRESEASON POWER POLL

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DIVISION III PRESEASON POWER POLL

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2012 WRESTLERS TO WATCH

DIVISION I (CLICK HERE)

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DIVISION II (CLICK HERE)

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DIVISION III (CLICK HERE)

Bo Jordan, Sr., Graham: At 152 last season, Jordan won his third D-II state title, finished the season 51-0 and improved to 133-1 in his career.

2012 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

News, Notes & Nuggets on the upcoming season

Another wrestling season is fast approaching and there are some new things and some old things that will find their way into the headlines this year.

The new revolve around changes to hydration testing and a new state wide team tournament; the old Graham and St. Ed’s appear poised to cruise to yet another state title.

Hydration changes: In the past, a wrestler who failed hydration had to wait 48 hours and then could go back to their original assessor – many times the school trainer – and go through the process again.

However, this year that has changed.

If a wrestler does not pass hydration, or is withheld from hydration testing, they must go to a different assessor than the one the team used for the original hydration testing. Even if an assessor working one site is the wrestler’s own trainer at a different site, the wrestler still must go somewhere else for the new test.

With football just getting over for some, and not over for others – Clinton Massie standout Wyatt Running for example – the changes have some teams trying to figure out the best time to do hydration to have limited number of retakes.

It has been even more frustrating, according to some coaches, with the departure of longtime wrestling contact Hank Zaborniak at the OHSAA.

State Champs times two: Beginning the first weekend of January, the OHSAA will hold a state wide team tournament to determine a state champ.

The state wrestling tournament will continue to exist the way it has in the past with individual and team champs being crowned, but the new format will replace the Ohio Wrestling Coaches Association’s State Duals.

Under the new format, teams will be seeded and work their way through the brackets by district until a final four is reached.

While the state tournament has made it possible – at some divisions – to win a title with two or three hammers, the new format will also crown a team champ that has the depth to compete from 106 through 285.

It should make for an exciting atmosphere for wrestlers as it will provide a dual meet atmosphere with a state title on the line, much like the other sports. It will also be interesting to watch how coaches juggle their line ups to get the best match-ups for their teams to win and advance.

Strategy goes a long way in determining a dual meet winner… don’t believe me, ask Blair Academy’s coach. In their first dual with Graham, his shuffling allowed the Falcons to jump to a larger lead than most had predicted in the win.

No More Miami Valley team: Matthew Kolodzik, who claimed the Division III state title at 106 last year was the sole wrestler for the Miami Valley School.

Following the footsteps of his brother, Kolodzik went to the well respected school in Southwest Ohio and wrestled for his dad.

Kolodzik, however, has transferred to Blair Academy and will see many of his friends – and former training partners – when Graham visits Blair on Jan. 5.

Old faces in familiar places: Graham and St. Edward begin the season ranked first in our preseason poll (coming).

The Falcons are going for their 13th consecutive Division II title and may appear to be vulnerable this year. Bo and Micah Jordan return as do the Elis – Stickley and Seiple – but a lot of the names that have anchored their title runs are gone.

They, however, may not be that vulnerable. Jeff Jordan welcomes a new banner crop of freshmen from his JH program including two-time JH state champ Alex Marinelli.

St. Ed’s – it was thought – was a year away from contending for a national title last season and then went out and won the National Dual Meet tournament en route to claiming the D-I state title.

All the Eagles return are Dean Heil, Collin Heffernan, Edgar Bright, Marcus Scheidel and Domenic Abounnader – and those are just the guys who reached the finals or the top of the podium.

While it appears to be a race for second in the top two divisions again this year, Division III could once again provide a wild finish.

Applecreek Waynedale, Troy Christian. Delta, Dayton Christian, and Shadyside are just the tip of an iceberg of teams that could contend for the state title – at both state meets.