It was system overload for me at Madison.  Despite action only taking place on 3 mats, I found myself unable to keep up with the happenings in real time.  I got a chance to catch up on the matches and results and had a few takeaways to share. 

10. Fredy Stroker is going to be pretty dang good.
I saw the talent with Fredy, but you always wonder how it’ll translate at the next level. Seeing him break through the head/hands and score against Zain and Ashnault says a lot. I don't care that he lost both matches.  He's supposed to.  He's not supposed to take these guys down, but he did.  His leg attacks are crisp and quick. His finishes are at a level well beyond his years. Now, I still think he could benefit from a redshirt year. He lets guys in on his legs a little too easily and is way too whizzer reliant. Minnesota will shore up his hand fighting quickly. Maybe he’ll go right away, we know Minnesota won’t hesitate to send out a young stud if they think they’re ready.

9. Chance is going to be just fine.
From 3rd at Vegas to 2nd at trials, you cannot help but be impressed with how Marsteller is looking in incredibly deep fields. In those two tournaments he’s knocked off Logan Massa, Nick Reenan, Garrett Hammond, Jo Jo Smith and Jon Jay Chavez. He may not win a title right away but those who have questioned whether he’ll get it done at the next level simply aren’t paying attention. Combine his Freestyle wins with Folkstyle victories over Dylan Palacio, Ethan Ramos and Mike England.  His offense is improving and his fight and grit (even in defeat against Hall) said to me he's going to be fantastic.  

8. Green might be ready for Marable.
I consistently (as in the last 2 tournaments) have picked Green to fall to Dustin Schlatter. I compared Marable and Dustin and believe them to be quite similar stylistically. At first watching Green dominate Schlatter it would seem that that is an incorrect evaluation. If Schlatter was so similar to Marable (Green’s kryptonite to this point) then we shouldn’t expect Green to win 5-0 and 4-2. Recall Marable and Schlatter have had matches of 1-1 and 4-1 (where Marable won the controversial challenge which made it a one move match). So maybe this speaks more to the strides and improvements Green is making than my incorrect evaluation beforehand. Time will likely tell. If nothing else, you have to figure Green is narrowing the gap.  I assume we will see a wrestle off at some point between these two.  Sign me up for giving Green a shot.  Marable will unquestionably be the favorite, however. 

**EDIT** Wrote this before we learned of Marable's wrestleoff being denied.  Still think Green had a chance so it's a point worth making even with the new information.


7. Chandler Rogers is the 184 solution for Oklahoma State.
Without a doubt Chandler will be undersized. His positioning and skill in the ties I believe will negate that to a degree. While Nolan Boyd is proven, solid and as tough as they come, he doesn’t have the upside and natural talent that Chandler possesses. Rogers is in constant pursuit of the pin.  That ability for Oklahoma State could mean some valuable bonus points in what will be a hotly contested team race. I can't say I am particularly aware of Oklahoma State's plans for Chandler but with Dieringer at 65 and Crutchmer at 74 it seems obvious he won't be at his ideal weight next year.  I’m not sure where he is from the mat, but if he can be marginal from underneath he could do well while he waits for the lower weights at OSU to clear out.

 

6. Metcalf is pulling away from Oliver.
When JO graduated from college I dubbed him the future of this weight internationally. For awhile I felt like this was correct or that it was at least trending that way. While JO has had consistent success with everybody but Brent, it seems that Brent is a code he cannot crack. He hasn’t knocked him off since their weird match at the U.S. Open with the old rules. Since the switch, it’s been all Brent. The man with limitless offense looks to be limited when he faces Metcalf. The shove strategy speaks to a lack of evolution in strategy towards Brent. It has been very exciting to see the evolution for guys that are seemingly on the back 9 of their career.  Brent, Herbert, Dlagnev continue to add to their arsenal and that's what makes them so fantastic. We say it every year, but Metcalf looks poised for a medal.  While many thought it would have happened before now (Brent included), I think it speaks to just how hard it is to win at this level and how much guys like Burroughs and Dlagnev should be lauded for their prowess at the next level. 

5. I sleep on Zach Rey every tournament.
Every time. I watched him dominate Gwiazdowski last year at the Trials and STILL picked him to lose to Gwiaz this year. I was openly defiant to all the available evidence. Is he a tad defensive for my liking?  Perhaps, but his defense is the best our country has to offer at this weight.  It could be a bit of an overplayed narrative about Zach (that I could have perpetuated as well). Rey is the clear #2 heavy and is the ONLY American to beat Tervel since the inception of 2 period cumulative scoring. This is my apology Zach. These are my confessions.

4. A healthy Jimmy Kennedy could be the guy. 
As in THE guy. I’ll at least say that if there is anybody who can unseat Brent, it’s Jimmy. He was very banged up still heading to the trials and had very limited mat time. Despite the long layoff he only fell to Jordan Oliver by a 2-2 score. If he can get healthy and continue to improve it was very clear his freak-of-natureness didn’t leave him when he departed 61kg. Though he’s a few years out of college I think Kennedy has tremendous upside still. Look at the progression of Jake Herbert at age 30.  He's better than he's ever been.  Don't be surprised if we see similar gains for Kennedy on a slightly smaller scale. 

3. Zain Retherford is going to be GREAT at 149.
Maybe that’s not a revelation for all of you, and it certainly isn’t to me, but I thought he looked great once again at 66. Willie and I have gone back and forth on this on FRL. He thinks Zain is too small for 149. I strongly disagree. Aaron Pico himself said he’s one of the strongest guys he’s ever wrestled in his life. That’s high praise from Pico who has been snapping World Champs on their face for awhile now. He was good at 141, but now his physique is much more developed. I know Tsirtsis got the win a few years back, but if you don’t think Zain is a different animal now, I don’t know what to tell ya. I think he may be the favorite going in.

2. Daniel Dennis is a potential Olympian at 57kg. 
It’s pretty obvious comparing Dennis to his 61KG counterparts that he’s not the biggest guy at the weight. His time away, living in a truck has seemed to reinvigorate his wrestling. He will forever be a tough takedown with his head positioning and short offense. Finishing 2nd at 61 beating Coleman Scott and Kendric Maple back to back has to instill all kinds of confidence going forward that he could legitimately be the guy at 57. Now, there’s this other Hawkeye who may have a lot to say about that. He’s made 55 before, so clearly it’s not out of the question. With 61 a non-Olympic weight I see no reason Dennis doesn’t drop down and do well at 57 next year.

1. 97KG is Snyder’s for a long time coming.
It is clear he’s surpassed Varner. 3-0 against him and Jake isn’t getting any younger. So you have to consider: who is coming up to challenge him?  I see a long run coming for Kyle. He’s pulling away from the field and could be in contention for a medal in Vegas. I think his poise is unparalleled in freestyle. There’s such a level of comfort and awareness there. The clip in which he’s improving is also incredible. From 2nd at NCAA’s to U.S. Open Champ over Varner. Then widening the gap on Varner a little more than a month later. Now he’s going to have a few months to get ready for Vegas. Imagine where he’ll be at that point.