Snyder heads 220-pound high school weight class
A look back – and ahead – at 220 pounds
By Rob Sherrill
In looking ahead to this winter’s upcoming high school season, WIN Magazine is looking back at the top wrestlers from last season who are expected to return this season. The examination of these weight classes comes from individual wrestlers’ performances this past summer at the Cadet/Junior Nationals and Disney Duals. This week’s preview is a look back and ahead at 220 pounds.
Click here to view WIN’s 2013-14 Preseason High School National Rankings
Rankings will be subject to change as weight classes are updated as the season grows nearer.
Here’s how they finished in the WIN rankings last year, minus those who graduated:
1. Kyle Snyder Sr. Colorado Springs, Colo. OTC
2. Thomas Haines Sr. Quarryville, PA Solanco
5. Andrew Dixon Sr. Edmond, OK North
6. Austin Myers Jr. Alexandria, KY Campbell County
8. Chalmer Frueauf Sr. Cincinnati, OH Archbishop Moeller
9. Derrick Jones Sr. Bloomington, CA
20. Brady Reiff Jr. Parkston, SD
(tie) Bryan Dobzanski Sr. Franklinville, NJ Delsea
In perhaps any other year, Haines would be the consensus No. 1 at this weight. But he’s sits behind the wrestler who’s arguably the nation’s No. 1 recruit – and the best in the world in his age group.
OW: Snyder
He didn’t wrestle an event below the FILA Junior level, and didn’t need to. The three-time National Prep champion, who moved to Colorado and the OTC shortly after winning a third Maryland state championship for Good Counsel High School in Wheaton, won the FILA Junior Nationals in freestyle, then the World Team Trials, and finally the World gold medal. Three of Snyder’s four wins in Sofia, Bulgaria, including the gold-medal match, were by technical fall, and only his 3-1 victory over Yusup Malachmagomedov of Russia in the second round went the distance. That’s Wrestler of the Year stuff.
Honorable Mention: Roy Nash, senior, Taylorsville (Utah)
Nash – Wow, we’re cruel. Double champion at Fargo for the second year in a row – this time at the Junior level. Nash earned a split with the 195-pound kingpin, Lance Benick of Minnesota, in the finals of the FILA Cadet Nationals after posting a 6-0 record at the Junior National Duals. Sorry, Roy. The FILA Junior level trumps the FILA Cadet level every time, but still another tremendous off-season.
Chance McClure, senior, Commerce (Ga.)
Though he was down a weight class under the Dome, at 195, his double Junior All-America performance, which included the Greco-Roman title, was his coming-out party. He split with Jones at the Junior National Duals, and also recorded victories over four wrestlers who cracked WIN’s preseason rankings at 195, including Jeremy Sweany of California.
Angus Cowell, senior Lakeville (Conn.) Hotchkiss School
The New England Prep champion was one of the stories of the Junior National freestyle, scoring victories over four wrestlers ranked in WIN’s preseason rankings before falling to Nash in the finals.
Senior state place-winners Michael Boykin of Coatesville (Pa.) and Jordon Brandon of Westland (Mich.) John Glenn, who have made their way into rankings consideration, were a combined 19-0 in the Disney Duals, both earning gold medals. Boykin, No. 14 in WIN’s preseason rankings, was 9-0, capping the run with his only fall of the tournament at 285 pounds after eight wins at 220 for Brawlers Select. Brandon had three pins and a pair of major decisions in a 10-0 run for Michigan Gold Pitbulls.
Next week: 285 pounds.
