Insiders tell me the young fella has been doing work at the OTC lately...as in he's been beating guys ranked top 10 on the US Senior ladder in practice. Need I say more? Sure, I'll say more: Mark Hall, himself, comes in ranked #10 on the US Senior ladder at 74kg. What a freak.

Credentials: Cadet World Champ, Multi-Time Fargo Champ, p4p #1 HS Wrestler
Who I Think He Can Beat: Everyone
Who Gives Him Trouble: I think Massa, Marsteller and Nolf can all give Hall trouble this weekend. Massa seems to be the only guy who can match Hall's physical stature. Marsteller would absolutely be able to get to Hall's legs throughout a bout, but finishing on Hall is a totally different story. Nolf beat NCAA Runner-Up Brian Realbuto last year; he can out-handfight and out-scramble just about anyone out there...but he'd be giving up a lot of size and strength in a matchup vs Hall; Nolf's also wrestled about 1/10th (maybe 1/100th) as much freestyle as Hall so picking him in a head-to-head doesn't seem like the wisest thing to do. 

Runner Up: Logan Massa

I bet @WillieAtFLO 100 push ups that @massa_logan will win the Jr's against the field, straight up no odds!! #Vegas

— Andy Hrovat (@AndyHrovat) May 5, 2015

Apparently, Logan Massa's been training with Senior-level stars Jimmy Kennedy, Kellen Russell and Jake Herbert all year, and word has it: he's been taking the Double Leg Ninja down in practice. A high schooler taking down a 2x NCAA Champ and World Silver medalist? Yea, I'd say he can score on anyone at this tournament too. Let's also remember that at this tournament last year, Massa beat 2015 NCAA All American, Brandon Sorenson, and manhandled 2x Fargo Champ, Ryan Blees. Why does he lose to Hall? Because everyone loses to Hall. 

Credentials: Defending FILA Junior Nationals Champ, FILA Cadet Runner-Up, p4p #5 HS Wrestler
Who I Think He Can Beat: Potentially...Everyone
Who Gives Him Trouble: Besides Hall, I think Chance Marsteller poses major problems for Massa.  Those who've been watching Massa for years know that he's usually the one on the attack. What happens when the tables are turned? For whatever reason —Hrovat's confidence!—I'm taking Massa in that coin-flip of a match (if it happens). 

3rd: Chance Marsteller

Seems Chance The Wrestler has been counting down the days til showtime... 

4 days

— Chance Marsteller (@c_marsteller_57) May 4, 2015

3 days till it all starts

— Chance Marsteller (@c_marsteller_57) May 5, 2015

2 days

— Chance Marsteller (@c_marsteller_57) May 6, 2015

Ill be seeing Vegas in a couple hours lets goo

— Chance Marsteller (@c_marsteller_57) May 6, 2015

Credentials: Multi-Time Fargo Champ, Undefeated 4x PA State Champion, Former p4p #1 HS Wrestler
Who I Think He Can Beat: Everyone
Who Gives Him Trouble: Last year as a true frosh at OSU, Chance Marsteller lost in collegiate tournaments to Anthony Collica, Trevor Wiest, Nick Sulzer and Peyton Walsh. I'd take Mark Hall over any of those guys, in any style...ergo...(an OTC-trained) Mark Hall over Chance this weekend. 

4th: Jason Nolf
I'm confident that Jason Nolf can outscrap just about anyone in this tournament, and if the field were wrestling folkstyle this weekend, I might just take him to win the whole thing. I'm just not as confident in his freestyle ability. He simply doesn't have the mileage here that the other wrestlers do. He'll be going up against a savvy crew of freestyle veterans who've won titles at the highest level. That being said, wrestling's wrestling and if Nolf can take down Brian Realbuto as a true frosh, he can most likely score on these guys too. On his feet, he's money. I'm just a bit worried about his par terre...

Credentials: 3x PA State Champ, Who's #1 Champ, True Frosh Southern Scuffle Runner-Up
Who I Think He Can Beat: Chance Marsteller (I think he has the potential to wear Chance down)
Who Gives Him Trouble: Everyone. Once again, he's going up against a slew of Fargo National Champs and All Americans. How's Nolf's gut defense? 

5th: Jon Jay Chavez
I could very well be under rating Jon Jay Chavez this weekend. He did, in fact, take 3rd at this very weight last year, and he possesses two very important weapons for freestyle: upper-body attacks and a phenomenal par terre game. He's well-rounded, and he can put 10 points on the board quicker than you can tie your shoe. 

Credentials: Junior World Team Member, FILA Cadet National Champ, Fargo Champ
Who I Think He Can Beat: Jason Nolf
Who Gives Him Trouble: I don't think Jon Jay can beat Hall or Massa. Hall's athleticism will prevail over Chavez's own, and Massa will find his way to Chavez's legs more than Chavez will find his way to his head pinch. If he locks up a head pinch or that gut on Nolf though...

6th: Jo Jo Smith
Through the years, Jo Jo has been one of my favorite wrestlers to watch. His non-stop attacking style allows him to put major points on the scoreboard, which is always fun. I think Jo Jo is wrestling better than he ever has: he recently stuck FloNationals champ Connor Flynn, and just before that at the Dapper Dan he smoked Josh Shields (who crushed him at Fargo the summer before). He has some serious momentum going into this tournament. 

Credentials: Fargo Runner-Up, FILA Cadet All American, 3x OK State Champ
Who I Think He Can Beat: Daniel Lewis
Who Gives Him Trouble: A wrestler who knows how to get on a roll, like Jon Jay Chavez or even Fox Baldwin, gives Jo Jo real problems. At times, Jo Jo allows a negative shift in momentum affect his ability to win matches late (see matches vs McFadden and Early). 

7th: Daniel Lewis
Perhaps the least credentialed freestyler of the bunch, Lewis is my dark horse at 74kg this weekend. He may not be as well known as a Massa or a Fox Baldwin or even Jo Jo Smith, but unlike those just mentioned, he owns a win in high school over Anthony Valencia. Other big time wins in high school include that over: Brock Zacherl, Grant Leeth, Gary Wayne Harding, Renaldo Rodriguez-Spencer and Connor Flynn. Last year as a true frosh at Mizzou, he notched a big win over 2x MAC champion, Cooper Moore. 

Credentials: 3rd Place at Fargo, FILA Junior Nationals All American, 4x MO State Champ
Who I Think He Can Beat: Fox Baldwin
Who Gives Him Trouble: Guys who attack the legs relentlessly, like Massa, Marsteller, Jo Jo, can be a real problem for DL. Lewis is definitely a funky and flexible wrestler, and he really does have solid defense when a guy's on his legs, but fending off attacks for 6 minutes isn't really his thing.

8th: Fox Baldwin
Like Mason Manville, Fox Baldwin wrestles everywhere. EVERYWHERE. You name a tournament, this kid's wrestled in it —and most likely won it. He took 6th at this weight last year where he beat a slew of d1 competitors, including  NCAA All American Ethan Ramos. His only losses here last year were to Anthony Valencia (a mauling) and Jon Jay Chavez (perhaps worse than the Valencia beating). The thing I like most about Fox is that he's never out of a match. He can score in bunches, and he's not afraid to put 30+ on the board to win. He's also got a long-running history aginst Logan Massa; he's beaten Massa before, and he nearly took him down at Fargo last year!