Wrestling - next year

**BryceC** · 01-29-2007, 10:28 AM

So, I enjoy wrestling but I’m not a massive fan of it. I did happen to catch the wrestlers on Sunday taking on OSU on IPTV. One thing I didn’t realize is just how incredibly young the squad is. Of the ten weight classes, four are seniors – the other six are freshman, redshirt or otherwise. I guess I have a question for the big wrestling fans around here if there are any – Who do we have to replace the Paulsons, Backes, and Turner next year? I mean that’s the 157, 165, 174, and 197 weights, it’d be tough to be weak in a long stretch of weights like that.

I was looking at the roster as well, and we only have Bertolino at 174 (and he is a good wrestler I think mostly because I’ve heard of him before). Reader seems to be a great talent at 165, but there’s also Artist and Becker at that weight. There are the Kuper brothers at 157, and Curran and Nelson at 197. I assume it’s going to be a big dropoff behind Backes and the Paulsons, but it doesn’t seem like Turner is lighting it up this year, so the drop back to Bertolino shouldn’t be huge. Basically, I’m just wondering if we have the guys in the program that are good enough so we don’t lose too much as a squad next season. Undoubtedly the freshman will get better, but the Paulsons and Backes are some great wrestlers.

Is there somebody out there who knows more about the situation than I do that can fill me in? What does the recruiting class look like? Thanks guys.

**isu_bub** · 01-29-2007, 03:32 PM

157: Cyler could hopefully bump up to fill this spot, allowing for a little moving around for TJ Sebolt to get into the lineup.
165: Reader is a lock for this spot next year.
174: The matches between Turner and Bertolino have been extremely close. Remember, Berto was a starter last year. He's got the experience.
197: Curran should be well prepared for a RS soph. campaign at 197.

This years recruiting class includes two Bettendorf wrestlers who will redshirt for certain: Tyler Clark @ 125 and Billy Lewis at 174. The one wrestler I could see cracking the lineup is the HWT recruit Justin Wren who's credentials include:
4x Greco State Champ
3x Freestyle State Champ
3x TAPPS Texas State Champ
4x All-American
05' Greco National Champ

**Knownothing** · 01-29-2007, 03:35 PM

Gaumer 2019 recruit is outstanding. Currently off to a 5-8 record. 3 off the losses were to second graders. He is currently in Kindergarden. Also Dowling high school is a bunch of scam artists. Don't ever let your kid wrestle or be apart of anything that says Dowling on it.

**jahfg** · 01-29-2007, 03:38 PM

If Wren can beat out Zabriskie at HWT next year, he is going to be really solid. Zabriskie has had a great year. I would feel bad for Z if he did get knocked out of the lineup but I guess thats just how it goes. He certainly isn't going to give up his spot without a fight. He's ranked in the top 20 right now. Either way, ISU is going to have great depth for years to come.

**BryceC** · 01-29-2007, 03:58 PM

I knew I recognized Bertolino's name.

Are Reader and Sebolt redshirting this year? If that were the case, we would have 1 senior starter, 7 So.(rs) and 2 Fr.(rs)

That's building a program. 2 or three years from now we could be contending for national championships if the development and improvement for the young guys is good.

**isu_bub** · 01-29-2007, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by BryceC

I knew I recognized Bertolino's name.

Are Reader and Sebolt redshirting this year? If that were the case, we would have 1 senior starter, 7 So.(rs) and 2 Fr.(rs)

That's building a program. 2 or three years from now we could be contending for national championships if the development and improvement for the young guys is good.

Bertolino had a good performance at last year's Big XII's as well. I really look for him to have a solid senior season.

Reader and Sebolt are redshirting right now.

Our program has the potential to be "scary" good.

**uthaman** · 02-02-2007, 06:20 AM

Dowling wrestling is a disgrace. I wrestled there back in the early 80s. Back when our dual meet record (all-time) was something like 196-2. It is a shame what has become of that school. It is too full of preppy wimps now to be any good at physical sports like wrestling or football. My kids will never set foot in that place, except to kick some Dowling ***!!!

**scubapohl1** · 02-02-2007, 07:26 AM

(Are Reader and Sebolt redshirting this year? If that were the case, we would have 1 senior starter, 7 So.(rs) and 2 Fr.(rs))

Dont forget Mark Kist. He was an all American in high school and a member of the 2006 USA Dream Team at 112. He might have some trouble breaking into those lower weights as well as some of those guys are wrestling though?

**Cyclone62** · 02-02-2007, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by isu_bub

157: Cyler could hopefully bump up to fill this spot, allowing for a little moving around for TJ Sebolt to get into the lineup.
165: Reader is a lock for this spot next year.
174: The matches between Turner and Bertolino have been extremely close. Remember, Berto was a starter last year. He's got the experience.
197: Curran should be well prepared for a RS soph. campaign at 197.

This years recruiting class includes two Bettendorf wrestlers who will redshirt for certain: Tyler Clark @ 125 and Billy Lewis at 174. The one wrestler I could see cracking the lineup is the HWT recruit Justin Wren who's credentials include:
4x Greco State Champ
3x Freestyle State Champ
3x TAPPS Texas State Champ
4x All-American
05' Greco National Champ

ISU Bub, where did you find the wrestling recruits comming in next year? I've been looking around, but haven't been able to find anything.

**ornryactor** · 02-04-2007, 01:07 AM

Originally Posted by uthaman

Dowling wrestling is a disgrace. I wrestled there back in the early 80s. Back when our dual meet record (all-time) was something like 196-2. It is a shame what has become of that school. It is too full of preppy wimps now to be any good at physical sports like wrestling or football. My kids will never set foot in that place, except to kick some Dowling ***!!!

I'm just playing the devil's advocate here, but didn't Dowling beat the almighty Valley pretty handily this past fall? Last I checked, Dowling was pretty competitive in most sports.

ISUBub, I'd been wondering the same thing- where did you manage to find that info? I hadn't been able to come up with anything...

**bstegs** · 02-04-2007, 07:43 AM

To knownothing,
What's the beef with dowling (please no responses on rivalries or alleged recruiting)? I happen to know most of the previous HS coaching staff and also most of the new staff. Is it the kid's club that you have a problem with? Can you elaborate on why they are scam artists? Not an attack, just an inquisition (I learned from the Spanish)?

**bstegs** · 02-04-2007, 07:52 AM

To uthaman,
I will agree with you that many of the kids are Dowling are preps but not all are **ssies. Obviously you were coached by Derra (sp?), a very nice and intense guy. I would not say anything to the end that coach Gray did a bad job. He ran good practices which were more intense than any I had in HS. He also had a stable of quality coaches including several Iowa State alums and a former Olympian running his kids club. The newest coaching staff includes at least two Iowa State alums who were also NCAA qualifiers with the head coach being a 2nd place finisher. They are nice guys but they know their wrestling and they know how to make kids work. If you are so disappointed in the stock that is currently in the program, I would say, unless the tuition is too high or you have no kids, send them too Dowling and let your kids raise the intensity level.

**uthaman** · 02-04-2007, 10:30 AM

One of my kids does go to Dowling. And two more will make their way there eventually. The problem is that the good Lord blessed me with 3 daughters, so wrestling probably won't be in my future... Although the youngest is one helluva competitor.

To answer an earlier response, yes I was coached by Darrah. And yes practices were beyone intense. I used to get my azzz kicked on a regular basis by guys who were State champs, or NCAA champs/qualifiers.

As for my low regard for the current crop of Dowling students it comes from direct observation. Ther eare more kids at that school on the golf team then wrestling, hell there is probably more boys playing volleyball then there is wrestling. I'll stop now because I am making myself fell old and grumpy... LOL

**isu_bub** · 02-04-2007, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by Cyclone62

ISU Bub, where did you find the wrestling recruits comming in next year? I've been looking around, but haven't been able to find anything.

I knew of them, but a listing can be found at:

http://www.intermatwrestle.com/recru...mmit_2006.aspx

**bstegs** · 02-04-2007, 01:14 PM

uthaman,
Well written response. I understand that a lot of the kids are soft. This is further evidenced by the fact roughly 30 freshmen go out every year but only maybe 5 continue on until their senior year. I understand that wrestling is not for everyone, but that is a lot of attrition. It is sad to say that wrestling has lost quite a bit of its luster nationwide since the 70's, 80's, and early 90's. I was soft in high school (somewhat) and most kids are now. I may be guilty of of pessimistic thinking and the view that the world is worse of than when I was a kid.