Men's Top 25 Teams in the SE - November 19th
You may have noticed a few changes to the website and coverage this season. No State of the Programs or Hammers each week and less in-state coverage than I’ve done previously. After more than 30 years of covering states across the Southeast I’ve decided to take a step back and focus more on the big picture and less on individual states. That doesn’t mean I won’t be covering events throughout the SE or a state tournament in a particular state, but the day in day out coverage has become a challenge. Fortunately we have seen tremendous growth in each state in terms of coverage and media. Gone are the days of internet forums and over the last decade we have seen an explosion in terms of growth both in terms of websites and on social media (one could argue the facebook groups aren’t much different than the old forums, but that’s a topic for another time). If you want in-depth coverage of a particular state - you don’t have to look far from home with the birth of Carolina Takedown Talk on Rokfin, Georgia Grappler (Georgia), Kabra Wrestling (Florida), SCMat (South Carolina) and Pin-TN (Tennessee) websites as well as social media from Instagram and Facebook to X and Tik Tok. We’ve got Carolina Mat News, numerous facebook groups throughout Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida and new media coming on all the time like Pony Boy in Georgia and Florida Wrestling Insight in Florida.
I feel fortunate that I can now focus on the big events across the Southeast and not be concerned that newer programs aren’t getting the attention they deserve (and need) in order to continue to grow. So … what better way to begin than to announce our Top 25 Teams in the Southeast for November 19th.
One last note - coaches of teams that feel they should be considered for the top 25 (or should be ranked higher than we have them) - please email us. Coaches, parents, and athletes are encouraged to provide information about specific athletes for the committee to consider when doing individual rankings. If they have any information on specific wrestlers who should be considered for rankings please send us an email.
Lake Highland Prep (FL)
Camden County (GA)
South Dade (FL)
Cleveland (TN)
Buford (GA)
Tampa Jesuit (FL)
Eastside (SC)
Baylor (TN)
Southwest Miami (FL)
Social Circle (GA)
Union Pines (NC)
Mater Lakes (FL)
Lake Gibson (FL)
Huntsville (AL)
Somerset Academy (FL)
Hough (NC)
McCallie (TN)
Ola (GA)
Jefferson (GA)
Miami Southridge (FL)
Mountain Brook (AL)
South Effingham (GA)
Davie County (NC)
Vestavia Hills (AL)
West Oak (SC)
We asked coaches (and much of the media mentioned above) about who else should be considered and here are a few others that could make their appearance in the top 25 this season (alphabetical order):
Cardinal Gibbons (FL), Cass (GA), Charlotte (FL), Eastern Guilford (NC), Father Ryan (TN), Fleming Island (FL), Indian Land (SC), Lumberton (NC), May River (SC), Miami Columbus (FL), Mill Creek (GA), Nolensville (TN), Rockmart (GA), Signal Mountain (TN), Soddy Daisy (TN), Summerville (SC), Summit (TN), Thompson (AL), Woodland Cartersville (GA), and Zephryhills Christian (FL).
A quick overview:
Lake Highland Prep comes in #1 with several nationally-ranked hammers and the majority of their squad that placed at National Preps a year ago. LHP is the only team on the list that does not compete for a state-sanctioned high school state title - instead choosing to focus on battling #1 Wyoming Seminary (PA), Blair Academy (NJ), and others for the top spot in the country. Camden (GA), South Dade (FL), and Cleveland (TN) have more state titles than all other teams on the list combined. Each has dominated their class in their state for the last decade and 2024-2025 should be no different. The big question was … what order should they be in? Camden lost Tank Weaver and a few others, but the core of the Camden lineup returns and this might be the best Wildcat team in more than 5 years. South Dade also graduated some hammers in Sawyer Bartelt, Chris Sanchez, and others, but they reload with Jovanni Solis coming over from Somerset as well as a deep room that can compete with anyone. Camden and South Dade will be the frontrunners to battle Tuttle (OK), Staunton River (VA), and others to keep the Knockout title in the SE for another year. Cleveland are the defending Knockout Champs, but will head to Indiana this year to battle many of the best in the Midwest that weekend. Cleveland graduated Logan Fowler and lost Lucas Szymborski to transfer … they still return a bunch of hammers in Cy Fowler, Tyson Russell, Jose Cordero, and others. Those three are #2 through #4 and it isn’t close - the question is what order should they be in?
Buford (GA) comes in #5 with a ton of talent. The only reason they don’t have many team state titles over the last few years is the fact that they reside in Georgia 7A with Camden. The battles between these two programs have been outstanding and this year should be another one to watch. I think the top 5 are pretty much set … the next 5 was difficult. Tampa Jesuit is our #6 with Eastside (SC) #7 and Baylor (TN) #8. Each of these squads have hammers that can win any tournament they are in - but each has a hole or two that could cost them in a high-profile dual. Baylor added Georgia State Champs Gabe Swann and Dylan Reel to go along with Titus Norman, Max Norman, Hunter Sturgill, and others. Jesuit was clicking a year ago in Florida 2A and with the return of Draven McCall, KJ Vazquez, Mason Basile as well as adding some other hammers - they could push for a top 5 finish when all is said and done. Eastside looks like the bets program in the Palmetto State once again with George Maholtz, Sam Wyland, and others, but they did lose State Champ Nate Manos to Athens Christian this “off-season”. Southwest Miami, like Buford, rarely gets as much recognition as they deserve because they don’t have team state titles. The Eagles sit in the same district and region as South Dade and have yet to figure out how to get past the Bucs. That said - they are as talented and deep as anyone in the state not named South Dade. Tiny Social Circle, Georgia 1A, comes in #10. I asked around the state and everyone is high on the Redskins despite being just 1A … they were routinely mentioned with Buford as the #2 in Georgia behind Camden. They will get their shot to prove a top 10 ranking this winter at the Knockout where they will see 12 of the top 25 teams listed above.
Union Pines (NC) is our #11 and have upped their profile in recent years. They took a group to Beast of the East a year ago and we will get to see them at the Southern Slam in a few weeks. UP could be the best team in North Carolina, but that is up for debate (several people gave me a few other names to consider) … still we think they are solid from top to bottom and that’s why they are #11. Mater Lakes, Lake Gibson, and Somerset are all in the group from #11 to #15 and it will be interesting to see how it all plays out. Each has their strengths, but all three will need to excel this season to break into the top 10. Hough (NC) has been on the lips of the Carolina crew for the last 6 months and many have them as the best team in the state. With Jackson Rowling and gang this is a team that could push for the top spot in NC and a top 10 finish. The last team in this group is Huntsville out of Alabama. Huntsville return both Simon’s as well as a ton of other talent … but 7A in Alabama isn’t just a one-team party. They will need to hold off Vestavia and Thompson if they are going to hoist the trophy again in 2025.
The bottom side of the Top 25 is tough … some quality teams that are led by some outstanding individuals, but each has their holes. Let’s take Ola (GA) as an example … supremely talented with J’Veion Redman, Brian Papcun, and others (wrestlers that placed the Knockout in 2023 and won state titles in 2024), but they will be pushed by an equally talented team like Cass or Jefferson (different class, but I think you get my meaning), etc. Jefferson has Roman Belardo and Dallas Russell (both will wrestle D1 in the future), but the Dragons need more than just two to climb the ladder in the Top 25. Miami Southridge lives in region 4 with South Dade and Southwest … the Spartans are climbing, but might still be a year away from really making some noise. Mountain Brook, also the Spartans, might be the most complete team in the bottom 25, but they don’t have the one or two hammers that are going to win a Knockout title … still in a dual or getting points from all 14 weights is supremely important and that is what Mountain Brook has in spades. The Top 25 is far from set … we will see how it all plays out over the next several months. The first big event in the SE is the Southern Slam at Eastside High School in South Carolina. Look for some movement in the top 25 after we see some early season battles in a few weeks.