WIN’s Preseason Prep Preview: 120 pounds
Editor’s Note: Between Aug. 8 and the start of the high school wrestling season, WIN’s high school columnist Rob Sherrill is taking a closer look at the top wrestlers in the country, weight by weight. What weight class a wrestler competes in is subject to change once the season officially begins.
By Rob Sherrill
Here’s how they finished in the WIN rankings last year, minus those who graduated:
Rank Name Yr Hometown, High School
2. Matthew Kolodzik Jr Blairstown Township, NJ Blair Academy
3. Tommy Thorn Sr Albertville, MN St. Michael-Albertville
4. Sam Krivus Jr Greensburg, PA Hempfield
5. Josh Alber Sr Dakota, IL
7. Johnny Jimenez Sr Aurora, IL Marmion Academy
8. Coy Ozias Sr Christiansburg, VA
11. Ryan Millhof Sr Suwanee, GA Collins Hill
12. Jared Prince Jr Palm Harbor, FL University
13. Mason Pengilly Sr Porterville, CA
14. Isaiah Locsin Sr Morgan Hill, CA Live Oak
16. Dalton Macri Sr Canonsburg, PA Canon-McMillan
18. Boo Lewallen Jr Yukon, OK
19. James Flint Sr Brandon, FL
20. Kevin Jack Sr Danbury, CT
(tie) Vince Turk Jr Lombard, IL Montini
As was the case with the two lighter weight classes, you’re likely looking at a vast majority of wrestlers moving up. That means this weight class is in good hands going forward, given the quality of the incumbent 113 pounders.
This weight class was the talk of the Junior National freestyle tourney. Thorn, the only wrestler on this list who actually competed at the weight, was part of it … but not for the reason the 2012 Junior National champion would have liked. Thorn failed to place at this loaded weight class.
He did have a couple of nice wins, scoring a technical fall over Flint to avenge a Clash loss during the scholastic season and also beating Ohio runner-up Austin Assad, who hit one of the biggest growth spurts of the off-season. He also was the only wrestler in the tournament who had to face Greco-Roman champions back-to-back. After losing 19-10 to Josh Terao of Hawaii, a double Fargo All-American, in the sixth round, Thorn scored a technical fall over the 113-pound champion, Ronnie Bresser of Oregon, who went up a weight class for freestyle. Former runner-up Tommy Pawelski of Illinois eliminated Thorn in the next round to stay unbeaten.
Krivus, Millhof and Prince all had dominating runs in the AAU Scholastics Duals at Disney, winning gold medals.
Off-season OWs: Ryan Millhof, GA, & Taylor LaMont, UT (tie)
Millhof lost to Flint in the Southeast Junior Regional freestyle final, and the two then wrestled together on the Brandon team that competed at Disney, with Millhof wrestling at 120 pounds, Flint at 126. Millhof allowed just nine points in 10 matches and his log included victories of 2-0 over Pennsylvania runner-up Zeke Moisey and 3-2 over two-time Florida champion Jamal Morris in back-to-back rounds, and a 4-0 shutout the next day over North Carolina champion Jacob Grigg. Moisey, Morris and Grigg all were 126-pounders last season.
With Millhof a 120-pounder last year, we paired Lamont with a member of the future at this weight. Although LaMont was a 113-pounder last year, we can’t ignore a spectacular off-season that included victories over Chad Red of Indiana, Blane Tschida of Minnesota, Ke-Shawn Hayes of Missouri, Gionn Peralta of California and both Cadet Greco-Roman finalists, Gabe Townsell of Illinois and Chris DeBien of Tennessee. Losses to Flint and Casey Cobb of Idaho limited him to a seventh-place finish in the Junior Greco-Roman tournament in Fargo.
Next week: 126 pounds.
