Eastern States has been the site of some of the most important high school wrestling matches of the last several years (Dylan Palacio vs Colin Realbuto insanity and Yianni Diakomihalis becoming YIANNI against Jack Mueller immediately stick out, not to mention seventh grade Beau Bartlett announcing his arrival to the entire country, and breaking New York’s wrestling heart, by beating Adam Busiello) and the 18th edition is shaping up to have some instant classics in its own right. 

WATCH THE EASTERN STATES CLASSIC LIVE

Sunday, Jan 10-11 I 10:40 AM EST

Headlined by a slew of starters from the top team in the country, Wyoming Seminary, along with 18 of the top 20 D1 programs in the state of New York, hammers from all around the region will be clashing at every weight. Several wrestlers will be putting their #1 rankings on the line, so you won’t want to miss a match!

Click here to see the official pre-seeds

Let’s get you prepped and in a New York state of mind by going weight by weight and tracking the big storylines:

99 Pounds

The Contenders

PJ Duke - Carmel

Vince Bouzakis - Wyoming Seminary

Jake Dailey - Wyoming Seminary

Joseph Manfredi - Herricks

Michael Adams - MSGR Farrell

Mickey Manta - Hauppauge

Jacob Joyce - Ponaganset

Christian Lievano - Ward Melville

Jordan Brown - Monroe Woodbury

Alex Greco - Warwick Valley

Thomas Wagner - South East Cyclones

Carlos Arango - Massapequa

Clayton O’Connor - Mohonasen

Erick Velasquez - Oyster Bay

One of the joys of Eastern States is that we get the 99 pounders and some middle school entrants. Heading up this group is PJ Duke, who has been on an absolute rampage. Kicking off the year with a Super 32 title he has been unstoppable, even racking up a sudden victory win over Sem’s Brandon Cannon, who just won Beast of the East against a loaded 106 field. Duke might only be in seventh grade but he will be one of the brightest stars on display this weekend. Many of you will also get your first chance to see Vince Bouzakis as he looks to have a say as to who the most highly touted middle schooler should be.

Sem will roll out double trouble with eighth-grader Jake Dailey who is also entered, and very dangerous. The other middle schooler to watch for me is Joseph Manfredi, who was a state qualifier last season and has been terrorizing a lot of this field already this year. Let’s not forget that we have some lean and mean high schoolers in here looking to hold down this youth movement, and they will be led by a number of state qualifiers in Michael Adams, Mickey Manta, Christian Lievano, Alex Greco (great name!) and Erick Velasquez, along with freshman Jacob Joyce, Jordan Brown, and Clayton O’Connor.

At Wrangle on the Plains Duke managed to navigate back to back Sem hurdles, winning tight contests with Dailey and Cannon. He might just have to do it again with Dailey and Bouzakis, and the question is will the youngster’s luck run out? I think he just looks like a winner through and through and this weekend will continue that run. Eastern States at 99 can be about announcing yourself to the national audience, and Duke will seize that chance.

Foster's Picks:  1. Duke 2. Bouzakis 3. Manfredi 4. Dailey

106 Pounds

The Contenders

Brandon Cannon - Wyoming Seminary

Jace Schafer - Pal Mac

Andrew Lucinski - Newfane

Dom Federici - Wyoming Seminary

Justin Morales - Middletown

Evan Lindner - New Milford

Josh Brault - Joel Barlow

Dan McLaughlin - Springfield Central

Cam Soda - Burlington

Zack Soda - Burlington

Max Gallagher - Bayport-Bluepoint

Elijah Rivera - Bay Shore

Vincent Ziccardi - King’s Park

Isaiah Jackson - Glen Cove

John Fortugno - Byram Hills

It is hard to resist rooting for the Soda twins to face one another in the final here but after watching the incredible performance Brandon Cannon put on at Beast of the East, the reality is that it is Cannon and then the rest of the field chasing him. Cannon was absolutely phenomenal in blasting through a stacked crew in Delaware and has continued that form into the new year. Highly regarded, he took a bit to get in the groove this season, but that switch has definitely been flicked - so look out!

Jace Schafer is a returning fourth-place finisher here and also king of the D2 mountain in New York last year. He won that title with a 2-0 victory over Andy Lucinski and those two may be the ones angling to leapfrog Cannon here and try to get a rematch in the final. Justin Morales is a senior who has qualified for states twice and will be hoping his experience will assist him in working through the bracket. As per usual, there are a lot of wildcards at the weight. Lindner and Brault are just below the elite in Connecticut, but know their way around a big tournament, tons of New York mat specialists abound, and Sem has also dropped in middle schooler Dom Federici. Federici is a Super 32 finalist and has been serious problems for everyone already this season, and just won the Jack Fisher.

I watched all of those Cannon matches at Beast in person, and he just left such an incredible impression on me that it is impossible to pick against him, but things could get really wild behind him here, especially if Federici continues to cause trouble.

Foster's Picks:  1. Cannon 2. Schafer 3. Lucinski 4. Federici

113 Pounds

The Contenders

Stevo Poulin - Shenendehowa

Dante Geislinger - Norwich

Daniel Adams - MSGR Farrell

Angelo Centrone - Mahopac

Killian Foy - MacArthur

Jackson Polo - Cold Spring Harbour

Kai O’Dell - Danbury

Jeremiah Echevarria - Long Beach

Kevin Lopez - Long Beach

Andrew Marchese - Washingtonville

Michael Rapuano - Xavier

Alex Constantis - Miller Place

Nick LaMorte - Rocky Point

Frankie Volpe - Hauppauge.

Stevo Poulin rolled through the competition last year and will be looking to continue his winning ways here and add a third Eastern States crown. It is well-documented that Poulin has always been pretty good, but he seems to have jumped levels once again this season and added a cool confidence that makes it nearly impossible to pick against him in any tournament, much less one that he has made his comfortable home already. He is ranked third in the country for a reason and was never troubled during his Beast run, winning the final by pinning Brett Ungar in a minute.

Dante Geislinger met Poulin in the 106 final last year in a clash of D1 and D2 champs, and we are likely to see the same thing again this go-round. It was all Stevo last time, so Geislinger will be hoping to keep it tight should they lock up again. A number of placers at 99 last year return up at 113, with Polo the returning 6th, Foy the seventh and Centrone the eighth. Rapuano was seventh at 106 and is a Connecticut state champ. Kai O’Dell has been pretty solid in Connecticut and is a bit of a sneaker here. Daniel Adams has been very strong this season as well and could surprise. It will be interesting to see who can claw their way along the back of the bracket to third. I have a gut feeling it might be Centrone.

Foster's Picks:  1. Poulin 2. Geislinger 3. Centrone 4. Polo

120 Pounds

The Contenders

Jordan Titus - Center Moriches

Anthony Noto - Honeoye Falls-Lima

Hunter Adrian - Melrose

Mason Bush - Central Valley Academy

Chase Liardi - Massapequa

Jared Weinhaus - Sachem East

Joe Contrastano - Wheatley

Timothy Cook - Ponagenset

Michael Joyce - Ponagenset

Avery Leonard - Cooperstown

Alex Booth - Indian River

Jake Eckerle - Commack

Len Balducci - Pleasantville

Nick Picariello - Minisink Valley

Darren Ketcham - Rocky Point

Jake Hoffman - Fox Lane

Dante Rigal - Johnson City

Collin Coughenour - Niagara Wheatfield. 

Joe Sparacio - Bayport

Jacob Chenier - Kingston

If you do nothing else, circle this 120-pound bracket right NOW! Last year at 113 Anthony Noto muscled his way to a last-second takedown to edge Jordan Titus in the semi before dropping the final to Greg Diakomihalis. Titus was far from happy, walking off without shaking hands and sparking a situation that luckily was quickly cooled down by the coaches and officials. There is no shortage of history between the two as Titus is coming off an Ironman title, but Noto has the 3-2 edge in their high school ledger, including topping him in the state finals.

Here is their match on this floor last year:

Unlock this video, live events, and more with a subscription!

Sign Up

Already a subscriber? Log In

The new year brought us a Greg D return via four quick pins, which is one of the best presents we could have asked for. Unfortunately, he is not quite ready for the grind of a tournament like this, so what could have been an epic bracket is simply an outstanding one. To be honest, as much fun as it always is to have a Diakomihalis in the mix here (and past finalist Gregor McNeil), watching Titus and Noto circle one another on the way to a grudge match final should be enjoyed without interruption.

Titus has been flying high and is currently #2 in the country, and while Noto is ranked 14th at the moment, these two never disappoint and it could go either way. I am picking Noto to do it again here, probably with a healthy dose of drama.

While this is a two-horse race at the top, it should be absolute fireworks just below. The round of 16 will be madness for the local hammers. Throw in Massachusetts state champ Adrian and past Rhode Island state champs Cook and Joyce and it gets even more interesting. Last year Liardi was third here at 106, Bush fifth at 113, Weinhaus fifth at 99, Leonard sixth at 106 and Contrastano eighth at 120. Just assume more than half the field qualified for their state tournaments. It will be a slugfest. Liardi beat Weinhaus last week to take Lindenhurst and I am taking a flyer and expecting the same on the back here, but it is wide open behind the top two, to be honest.

Foster's Picks:  1. Noto 2. Titus 3. Liardi 4. Weinhaus

126 Pounds

The Contenders

Nic Bouzakis - Wyoming Seminary

Zack Ryder - Minisink Valley

George Oroudjov - Syosset

Ivan Garcia - Port Chester

Rocco Camillaci - Hilton

Luke Smith - Hauppauge

Logan Patterson - Indian River

Micah Roes - Lowville

Evan Matias - Rocky Point

Kai Yudelson - Brooklyn Tech

Luke Smith - Hauppauge

Davis Correa - Tottenville

Michael Catanzaro - Williamsville North

This should be Nic Bouzakis, next topic - but not so fast… Bouzakis is coming off an incredibly disappointing Powerade final where he was DQ’d, and while the mat return didn’t appear to intend to injure, this is becoming part of the conversation for one of the most talented wrestlers in the country. Bouzakis is the #1-ranked 126-pounder off the back of impressive Super 32 and Ironman titles, but where is his head at coming into this weekend? Add in the pressure of wrestling in front of a crowd that adored his Father and his three New York state championships, and it will be a lot to manage.

Looking over the field one would think it is a good place to settle in and get things straighten out this weekend, but there is a landmine waiting out there for him. Insiders are incredibly high on eighth-grader Zack Ryder, both locally and nationally. The only thing possibly holding him back from being the #1 middle schooler in the country has been trying to figure out how big he will be. He lost the state final in a serious tussle to Stevo at 106 last year, and projected as a 113, but this season he has mostly been at 132 and here he is at 126 and potentially meeting the top kid in the country.

George Oroudjov has some well-known brothers in Nick and Vito Arujau and will be looking to build on his fifth-place finish last year and add to the Eastern States family history. Last year Smith was fourth at 113 and third in New York, Camillaci was fourth at 106, Roes was seventh at 113 and a state finalist last year, Garcia was fourth in New York and Patterson is always trouble.

I know everyone will be clamoring for Ryder to become a local legend and national superstar, but his loss last week to Pierson Manville was a good reminder that he is still young and developing. I think Bouzakis is a focused steamroller worthy of the Buzzsaw legend throughout the weekend.

Foster's Picks:  1. Bouzakis 2. Oroudjov 3. Garcia 4. Ryder

132 Pounds

The Contenders

Ryan Jack - Danbury

Zach Redding - Eastport -South Manor

Caleb Lemmons - Wyoming Seminary

Luke Riley - Elmira

Marek Bush - Central Valley Academy

Nic Botello - Wyoming Seminary

Jayden Scott - Rush Henrietta

Jake Schneider - MacArthur

Gage DeNatale - Locust Valley

Jayden Cardenas - Grand Street Campus

Aiden Cullen - Greenville

Jordan Suarez - Minisink Valley

Sean Peterson - Islip

Andrew Maiorini - Hauppauge

Stephen Lukas - Eastport South Manor

Joshua Cote - Noble

Ryan Jack is the returning champion and is number 4 in the country at 138. Last year he outlasted Zeke Escalara in a wild one and will be hoping it is a little smoother going this time. Jack knows his way around big matches as an NHSCA champ, Super 32 finalist and having a blistering Who’s #1 bout. He has squared off against the top kids across the nation for the past three years and should be head and shoulders above the field.

Jack vs Escalara final:

Unlock this video, live events, and more with a subscription!

Sign Up

Already a subscriber? Log In

The biggest challenge is likely to come from Zach Redding who is a past state champ and a returning third here. Last spring it felt like I was constantly messaging folks during the all star dual period with just those two words - ZACH REDDING! The two met in the NHSCA final, which was dominated by Jack, but Redding has shown that he can take out anyone, as he has proved in the past with wins over the likes of Eric Barnett.

Beyond Redding, there are a lot of question marks. How has Florida state champ Caleb Lemmons developed now that he is in the Sem room? Has he recovered from his early bumps and bruises this season and can he crash the party? His teammate Nic Bottello will be hungry to prove himself here as well, as the Blue Knights lay two big traps in the middle of this bracket. It is a bit of a jumble past that with a deep field. Jayden Scott is a past state finalist and super tough. Bush is a former state champ and was eighth here at 126 last year, but has lost to Riley this season. DeNatale is a returning fifth-placer. Schneider looks to have jumped levels and has wins already this season over Lukas and DeNatale.

Foster's Picks:  1. Jack 2. Redding 3. Scott 4. Schneider

138 Pounds

The Contenders

Beau Bartlett - Wyoming Seminary

Ryan Burgos - Hilton

Justin McDougald - Niagara Wheatfield

Gavin Damasco - Commack

Sean Savacool - Minisink Valley

Justin Hood - Ponaganset

Carter Baer - Gouverneur

Eric Tigue - Port Jervis

Dan Gibson - Port Washington

Logan Sciotto - Rocky Point

Brendan Carroll - Roy C. Ketcham

Caleb Burgess - Pal Mac

Drew Witham - Corning

Aiden Rabideau - Clarence

Gabe Galarza - Pine Bush.

Matt Romano - Valley Central

Beau Bartlett, next topic.

Seriously.

Bartlett enters as the number one ranked wrestler in the country, eighth in the pound for pound, and he LOVES to win this tournament. As I mentioned in the intro, he made a huge splash here as a seventh-grader and he hasn’t looked back. He will be looking to win his fourth title here on four visits, and I can’t see anything stopping him.

Not that some won’t try. McDougald is the returning 132 champ and has twice been a state finalist. Burgos was sixth here at 126 last year, but more importantly won a New York state championship and could be considered a late bloomer, plus Hilton kids are always tough. Savacool was seventh at this weight. A pile of state placers will have to sort themselves out early, with Hood, Baer, Tigue, Gibson, Sciotto, and Carroll. Lots of familiar foes. Gavin Damasco is the dark horse here as he has built on his upset of Anthony Clark in the pre-season with a stellar run this year, only interrupted by a narrow 3-2 loss to Zach Redding in the King of the Mat final.

Foster's Picks:  1. Bartlett 2. McDougald 3. Damasco 4. Burgos

145 Pounds

The Contenders

Lachlan McNeil - Wyoming Seminary

Willie McDougald - Niagara Falls

Nick Sanko - Pittsford

Mahari Miller - Spingfield Central

Dennis Robin - Arlington

Marvin Lobo - Copiague

Kole Mulhauser - Central Square

Lincoln Heck - Wyoming Seminary

Jacob Gonzalez - Minisink Valley

Alijah Seymour - Peru

Ethan Palanca - New Paltz

Ethan Ferro - Pal Mac

Chris Boudreau - Hauppauge

Francis Whitehouse - Islip

James Lunt - Xavier

Sam Martel - Noble

Feels as if I spent all of Powerade gushing about Lachlan McNeil, yet I still haven’t said enough. McNeil is the number one ranked wrestler at 145 and 14th in the pound for pound, befitting his insane performance so far this season. As I had mentioned in my past writing on Lachlan, one of the great things about covering this sport at this level is when you get to watch a kid put all of the pieces together and truly start to realize their potential. That is what has happened with McNeil, as he displays a well-rounded game in all aspects and controls every second of every match. I can’t warn the rest of the field enough about the devastating cradle he has been deploying at every opportunity, and I am sure we will get plenty of chances to see it in action this weekend.

Chasing McNeil will be Willie McDougald who will be hoping to erase the heartbreak of narrowly losing the 138 final here to Adam Busiello in a bloody match that was decided by a stall call in the third. (Stall calls are a serious thing at this tournament by the way, if this is your first time viewing, and the crowd hounds the officials for them even before the national anthem is played). McDougald is also a past state champ, and as you might have guessed, the McDougald’s as a family mean business when they come to Eastern States. Willie will be happy to try to tie up McNeil for three periods and see if he can get the gold this go-round.

Sanko was third in that tough 138 field last year, with past Mass state champ Miller fourth. Lincoln Heck was third at 132. The rest are qualifiers and small state champs and finalists but shouldn’t challenge the top guys.

Foster's Picks:  1. McNeil 2. McDougald 3. Sanko 4. Miller

152 Pounds

The Contenders

Tommy Askey - Pine Bush

Nick Ross - Onteora

Dennis Robin - Arlington

Bryce Smith - Saranac

Karamvir Hothi - Rush Henrietta

Jeremy Scutellaro - Massapequa

Christian Hansen - Cold Spring Harbor

Max Maquet - Long Beach

Keagan Case - Central Valley Academy

Chris Pilcher - Noble

This can be a weird weight class here at times, and this year it would be fair to stay that it is both devoid of star power and totally wide open!

Wyoming Seminary’s Connor Kievman was hoped for but is not currently expected. That leaves us with a field of dark horses and super sneakers all trying to claim their first big crown. Askey might be a slight favorite based on his strong season so far, including a high scoring win over Ross. Askey was fourth in D1 last year and Ross was third in D2. Robin was fourth here at 126 last year but has jumped weight classes for his senior year. Smith was sixth in New York at D2, and after that the resumes are pretty thin. Ross beat Robin at the Jamie Mormile last weekend. Don’t hold me too tightly to my picks as this bracket could go sideways early.

Foster's Picks:  1. Askey 2. Ross 3. Robin 4. Smith

160 Pounds

The Contenders

Jacob Null - Dolgeville

Brevin Cassella - Nashoba Regional

Camrin Galvin - Fulton

Jack Spahn - Islip

Joe McGinty - Monroe Woodbury

Will Carano - Putnam Valley

Darrien Stewart - Springfield Central

Patrick Ross - Onteora

Aiden Poe - Indian River

Colden Dorfman - Shenendehowa

Another chance for a new face to emerge from the pack! I am a little disappointed that Gabe Arnold didn’t make the trip as this might have been the perfect chance for him to roll up some wins, but the rest of the wrestlers will be happy the freshman phenom isn’t staring at them from across the mat. Null is the returning fifth and was a state finalist and is having a stellar season. Spahn was sixth at 152 and is super tough. He took out a number of seeded guys at NHSCA and held close with highly touted Luca Augustine.

Massachusetts state champ Cassella has improved year over year and is looking for big things in his senior campaign. He took it to McGinty earlier this season and will like his chances. McGinty was fourth in New York last year, but has that loss and one to Null already this season. Null also beat Carano. Carano is probably best known for his win over Cooper Kropman. Galvin surprised as third-place finisher at states last year and has been on a tear and should be considered a legitimate dark horse.

Foster's Picks:  1. Cassella 2. Null 3. Galvin 4. Spahn

170 Pounds

The Contenders

Andrew Donahue - Wyoming Seminary

Tyler Albis - John Jay-EF

Mikey Squires - Norwich

James Araneo - Ward Melville

Nate Ross - Onteora

JD Moore - Levitttown Division

Adam Daghestani - Grand Island

Quincy Downes - Fox Lane

Tyler Tupper - Gouverneur

Peter Meshkov - Ballston Spa

Desmond McLaughlin - Springfield Central

Joe Velazquez - Middletown

Hunter Rasmussen - Fairfield Warde

Andrew Donahue has already been under the microscope this season after transferring to Wyoming Seminary. Touted in middle school as the possible future of the high school heavies, he has shown that he is still growing into his body and developing his skill set. Highly ranked based on his freshman results, those expectations have been tempered a bit after his struggles at the major tournaments. He had a solid, but unspectacular 8th place finish at Powerade, and it will be very interesting to see how he proceeds here. The field is open for him to take the whole thing, and he is talented enough, but it will also be full of unforgiving grinders and bangers and he won’t be able to make many mistakes, or give up too much power, so we will see how he holds up.

Mikey Squires was fourth at 152 here last year and a state finalist. Tyler Albis was fifth at 138 last year and has made the leap in weight for his senior year and has tacked on a win over Squires this season to go with it. Unfortunately, he has also dropped one to Araneo, hinting at the parity madness that might overtake this bracket. Araneo has been tearing it up and has a win over Nate Ross, who is from a large family that certainly knows how to win around these parts and should be watched at all times. Moore was seventh at 160 last year and Daghestani has been turning a few heads so far this season.

This one should be a grind, and I am holding out for some Donahue magic to elevate everything, but I am not sure if it will happen often enough. Picking with my heart as opposed to my brain.

Foster's Picks:  1. Donahue 2. Araneo 3. Albis 4. Squires

182 Pounds

The Contenders

Fombo Azah - Carthage

Brock Delsignore - Shenendehowa

Matt Rogers - Wantagh

Ryan Stencel - Lancaster

Michael Tyrell - Hauppauge

Ethan Cooper - Cobleskill-Richmondville

Tyler Pelech - Longwood

Ethan Gallo - Minisink Valley

Fombo Azah battled his way to the final last year only to get pinned by Jack Logan. He will surely be looking to go the distance for his senior season, adding to his gridiron glory earlier in the year. Stencel was seventh at 152 and fifth in New York. Cooper was third in the state while Tyrell was fourth. Rogers was fifth at 170 and fifth in the state. The wrestler they will all be watching will be Brock Delsignore. Delsignore was sixth at 145 here last year and clawed his way to the end of the podium at states, but he seems to have jumped levels along with adding muscle entering his junior year. The question for the field will be, has he elevated his game to the point that he can distance himself from the rest?

Delsignore won Journeyman over Graham Calhoun in sudden victory during the pre-season, and then had a huge win over Nate Warden at Beast, and hung in there with Sammie Fisher. He struggled a bit on the back but making the podium inside The Bob is a big accomplishment. He followed that with a strong third-place finish at Bethlehem and the entire arena will be curious if he can keep it going. Is this his chance to cement himself as a national guy? He is on the bubble and has a big opportunity before him.

Foster's Picks:  1. Delsignore 2. Azah 3. Cooper 4. Tyrell

195 Pounds

The Contenders

Matt Kelly - Iona

Cameron Durant - Guilderland

Kolton Gagnon - Cold Spring Harbor

Joe Russell - Newburgh

Nate DeGroff - Warsaw

Darby McLaughlin - Springfield Central

Carson Licastri - Joel Barlow

Matt Hegi - Mepham

Codie Scotland - Lancaster

Michael Altomer - Columbia

Nick Franco - Farmingdale

Matt Kelly is a returning fifth-placer here and was third in the state and probably enters as the favorite. I would be willing to just out and out say that he has something to prove this weekend. After struggling at Super 32 and Ironman, he will want to get some national eyes on him when he is performing at his best. Is he the wrestler that hit the Ben Vanadia buzzsaw, or is he the wrestler that had a tight back and forth with Emmanuel Skillings?

Durant was fifth at 182 and one would think would be nipping at Kelly’s heels, but he is likely to be looking over his shoulder at Russell who pinned him a few weeks back at the Mid-Hudson, and DeGroff who has just been wrecking house. McLaughlin is a Mass state champ and Licastri is a Connecticut state champ. DeGroff was third in New York last year and Gagnon was fifth, while Hegi made the end of the podium at states. Altomer is a sophomore but hung in there with Russell earlier this season, only losing 4-3 and might be a decent sneaker pick to place.

This is Kelly’s bracket to win, and I won’t jinx him by picking against him, but the winner of this one will certainly be battered and bruised so he will have to earn it.

Foster's Picks:  1. Kelly 2. DeGroff 3. Russell 4. Durant

220 Pounds

The Contenders

Kolby Franklin - Wyoming Seminary

Armel Duke - Middletown

Colby Suglia - Mattituck

Maxx DeCapua - Newburgh

Peter Magliocco - Northport

Ryan Stein - Shaker

Ryan Hegi - Mepham

Jeremiah Funchess - Westbury

Louis Rocca - Pittsford

Anthony Bottello - Ponagenset

A lot has been written already this season tracking the development of sophomore Kolby Franklin, with most of it by me. Franklin is the complete package and the only thing he is lacking is experience. The Fargo champ has proven that he can hang with the big boys nationally at the upperweights, grinding his way to a fourth-place finish at Ironman, and making the final at Powerade. There are times when you are reminded that he is still very young and developing, but taking on Braxton Amos will do that to the best of us, and Franklin fared better than most would in those circumstances.

You are never going to get out of Eastern States without being tested, but this is Franklin’s tournament by a mile. It seems pretty likely that the field will take turns beating on one another as Kolby sweeps his way through. Duke is the returning seventh-placer here but splits his time with football. DeCapua was eighth at 195 and 3rd in New York last year. Suglia is the dark horse here and has already upset the balance in state by beating DeCapua in the Mid-Hudson final. He is a lacrosse star who will be playing that in college but can be all or nothing on the mat, usually coming out ahead. Magliocco made the end of the podium at states. Lots of bruisers fill it out, but no scary monsters.

This should be a good chance for Franklin to take care of business and practice collecting his trophies without getting pulled into slugfests or carrying dead weight for three periods. If he isn’t totally on his game, there are guys here that will make this a long weekend for him, but I expect a professional run to the top of the podium.

Foster's Picks:  1. Franklin 2. Suglia 3. DeCapua 4. Duke

285 Pounds

The Contenders

Tyler Rice - Norwich

Collin Null - Carthage

Greg Harris - Springfield Central

Sam Khodaparest - Massapequa

Myles Norris - Freeport

Adam Fenner - Minisink Valley

London Castillo - Brentwood

Jordan Agosto - Danbury

George Lebberes - Ardsley

Jeremiah Cheatham - Elmira

Ryan Bitka - Amherst

Sebastian Underwood - Shenendehowa.

I cannot tell a lie — this is the third preview I have written that states how I am looking forward to the heavyweight debut of Jake Kaminski, and it is the third one that laments how I will have to delay that just a little bit longer. Hopefully the big man is on the mat soon, but his absence creates an opportunity for a fresh face to step into the national spotlight. The tournament has long had entertaining finishes from the heavies and this year we get to see half of the placers return and battle it out.

The spotlight turns to Tyler Rice who finished third last year and is absolutely no fun to wrestle. He continued to pound away all season and took home an NHSCA championship (something he did in middle school as well) and has been skirting the edges of various rankings. Should he dominate the field here it will likely catapult him into all of them.

The others that will be looking to challenge him will be Null who was fifth and beat Harris, who was seventh and in turn beat Khodaparest, who finished eighth. If last year was any indication, Rice and Null were the top two tiers with the others fighting for placement. Joining them will be Norris who was a state finalist, Fenner who placed fifth in New York and more importantly battled back to third in that NHSCA bracket won by Rice, and Castillo who placed sixth.

Norris is the wild card here as he came out of nowhere last year to test Joey Slackman in the state final and should make some noise here as well, but I expect Rice to make the most of this weekend. He knows how to navigate a tournament and win when it counts, and this counts as much as any match he has ever entered.

Foster's Picks:  1. Rice 2. Norris 3. Fenner 4. Null