National Preps Wrap Up
Nineteen current or former SE hammers made the podium at National Preps this past weekend. Former Georgia Hammer (and current Wyoming Seminary wrestler) led the way as he took the top step at 170 lbs. Below is a brief wrap-up of each wrestler that made the podium.
The Lightweights (106-132)
Alex Ropski of Christian Brothers (TN) took 8th at 106. He came in as the #8 seed and finished the weekend 3-3 - his 3-0 decision of Henry Kopf of North Carolina put him on the podium.
North Carolina’s Pearce Phillips climbed to the #6 spot on the podium at 113. He came in the as the #10 seed and dropped his opening match to #7 seed Lynn Rozynski. Phillips got 3 wins in a row - including a 2-1 decision over TJ Langley of PA to make the 5th/6th match. Phillips lost to Rozynski again for 5th (but this time in sudden victory).
Former Florida hammer Kai Owen (now at Wyoming Seminary) finished 3rd at 120 and he was joined on the podium by Baylor’s Jackson Bond who was 5th. Owen was the 6 seed and finished the weekend 5-1 (his only loss coming to eventual Champ Nico Provo. Bond was the #4 seed and lost in the semis to Brennen Cernus of PA … finished the weekend 4-2.
Dayne Dalrymple finished his career at Christian Brothers in the #7 spot on the podium at 132. The 132 lb. bracket was stacked … Dayne lost in the quarters to eventual Champ Jimmy Harrington and then lost in the consi quarters to Christian Colman of PA. Dalrymple finished his high school career with a hard fought 1-0 decision of CJ Shea to take 7th.
The Middleweights (138-170)
Providence Day’s (NC) Nathaniel Insko and Tennessee’s Mason Alley made the podium at 152. Insko finished 6th and Alley was 7th. Insko, who wasn’t seeded, downed Alley 2-1 in the Round of 16 before he lost to Baller of Texas in the quarters. Alley rebounded from that early loss to with 3 in a row to make the podium - including a 1-0 decision over Tennessee’s Ian McGehee in the bloodround.
160 featured a rematch of the Tennessee Division 2 160 lb. State Finals. McCallie’s Gavin Cagle got the takedown over Christian Brothers Aidan Bowers in overtime of their semifinal match to avenge his loss to Bowers in the state final. Cagle lost a 6-4 decision to Massachusetts Cesar Alvan in the finals. Bowers won his consi semi before dropping his 3rd/4th match to Nate Taylor 4-2.
170 featured a ton of Georgia hammers - none of which still wrestle in Georgia. Wyoming Seminary’s Gabe Arnold downed McCallie’s (TN) Alex Whitworth 5-1 to take the title. Arnold beat good friend (and current Baylor hammer) Omaury Alvarez 5-1 in the semis … Alvarez rebounded to finish 3rd. Three Georgia wrestlers in the top 3 spots and none representing Georgia.
The Upperweights (182-285)
Tennessee was well represented at 182 - with Gunnar Garriques (Baylor) and Gervacio Gonzalez (Christian Brothers) both making the podium. Garriques finished 4th after dropping his semifinal match to eventual Champ Jack Wehmeyer of PA. Gonzalez bounced back from a quarterfinal loss to eventual Runner-up TJ Stewart to take 6th. Garriques downed Gonzalez 3-1 in the consi semis.
Baylor and Christian Brothers were represented on the podium at 195 as well. Baylor’s David Harper made a run for the top step - falling to PA’s Caden Rogers 3-1 in the finals. Neither was challenged on their way to the finals. Christian Brothers Connor Billingsley dropped a tough 3-1 decision to PA’s Andrew Connolly in the quarters. Billingsley rebounded with a 9-2 decision of Maryland’s Jeremiah Aybar to make the podium.
Montgomery Bell Academy’s Gabe Fisher made the finals at 220 - eventually losing to PA hammer Nic Feldman. It was a nice run by Fisher that included a solid 3-1 win over Alex Semenenko. Fisher was joined on the podium by fellow Tennessean Asher Hodge who took 7th.
Max Fisher finished up his season going 3-3 in a deep 285 lb. weight and finished 8th. He lost to eventual Champ and #1 seed Coltin Deery of PA in the quarters and then beat Beau Edwards of Texas 1-0 to make the podium.