Last year this prestigious award for uniforms worn at the Southern Scuffle was initiated. This year the overall best dressed award goes to Oklahoma State University with their new orange/black and Gray uniform with the large black Pistol Pete on the back. Uniforms designed by Nike and they are stunning. The award for the uniform worn for the finals was given to The Citadel with their blue and white rendition of a uniform worthy of a Monet or a Van Gogh. The award winning mat was mat three with the camoflauge decorated inner circle. I have attended this tournament for five years now and I have to say it is the best run friendliest venue with no bad seats in the house. The best team fan attendance was easily won by Penn State who brought busses to the tournament and sat en masse in front of Mr.Earl and I above mat three. Lehigh may have been second in attendance. Oklahoma State was probably third but this was not as evident as Cowboy fans did not sit together in large groups. I suggest next year we need to charter a bus and go in numbers. As far as the wrestling it was great. Kaid's injury looked bad when it happened but John said in post injury interview that it may not be that bad as recovery time after an hour looked promising and other parties including wrestlers thought he was his usual bouncy self within a couple of hours. I understand that while x-rays may have been taken at the hospital in Chattanooga they were going to wait on MRI's to be taken after they returned to Stillwater.Hopefully, this was just a big scare with little permanent damage to ligaments etc.
We had many highlights to look back on. Eddie wrestled well up to the finals and Megaludis is a hard matchup for him. Once he gets a hand on you it is like a death grip which he does not relinquish. Not that it would have made much difference but I thought Nico could have been called for stalling 2-3 times.
Kaid looked outstanding in his first two matches but the short time he wrestled in the quarters he was dominated by Garrett who dominated every one at this weight class including in the finals against Conaway.
Dean Heil was the best wrestler at 141 and he is methodical and highly technical in his mat skills. McKenna in my opinion is the 2nd best wrestler in the country at this weight.
Anthony Collica lost some close battles at this tournament after a few weeks off and I look for him to be sharper in the weeks to come. Joe Smith looked like a seasoned veteran and was not pushed until the finals. Nolf is big and strong and keeps coming but Joe did not back down and fought him to the end.I believe John will take him out of redshirt but this is my hope and belief and not from any insight from coaches.
Alex looked invincible as always but I was very impressed with Massa in matches leading up to the finals. He is very strong but not quite as strong as the Wisconsin whiz who should be wearing a big red S on his chest. Kyle looked not quite himself in this tournament but redeemed himself by winning against Realbuto. Chandler Rogers looked sensational even while being pinned by Realbuto but in the finals he was horsed around like a rag doll. It is my opinion he will be the 165 pound starter next year. His older brother looked good at the beginning of his matches but had the same problem he has shown throughout his short career at OSU and that is if he does not get a pin early he shuts down either from fatigue, adrenalin failure or concentration and the latter part of his matches are painful to watch. I like both of the Rogers' boys but one seems to be endowed with staying power more than the other.
Nolan entrenched his starting position with a "take it to the woodshed" type of drubbing of Jordan.
We do not have an answer at 197 although if Andrew can get stronger and wrestle more under control I have not given up on him for the future. Apparently some one woke up his older brother for the finals but he slept through most of the first two days doing just enough to win. He wrestled well in the finals and won the tournament against a very athletic Dejournette.
We had many highlights to look back on. Eddie wrestled well up to the finals and Megaludis is a hard matchup for him. Once he gets a hand on you it is like a death grip which he does not relinquish. Not that it would have made much difference but I thought Nico could have been called for stalling 2-3 times.
Kaid looked outstanding in his first two matches but the short time he wrestled in the quarters he was dominated by Garrett who dominated every one at this weight class including in the finals against Conaway.
Dean Heil was the best wrestler at 141 and he is methodical and highly technical in his mat skills. McKenna in my opinion is the 2nd best wrestler in the country at this weight.
Anthony Collica lost some close battles at this tournament after a few weeks off and I look for him to be sharper in the weeks to come. Joe Smith looked like a seasoned veteran and was not pushed until the finals. Nolf is big and strong and keeps coming but Joe did not back down and fought him to the end.I believe John will take him out of redshirt but this is my hope and belief and not from any insight from coaches.
Alex looked invincible as always but I was very impressed with Massa in matches leading up to the finals. He is very strong but not quite as strong as the Wisconsin whiz who should be wearing a big red S on his chest. Kyle looked not quite himself in this tournament but redeemed himself by winning against Realbuto. Chandler Rogers looked sensational even while being pinned by Realbuto but in the finals he was horsed around like a rag doll. It is my opinion he will be the 165 pound starter next year. His older brother looked good at the beginning of his matches but had the same problem he has shown throughout his short career at OSU and that is if he does not get a pin early he shuts down either from fatigue, adrenalin failure or concentration and the latter part of his matches are painful to watch. I like both of the Rogers' boys but one seems to be endowed with staying power more than the other.
Nolan entrenched his starting position with a "take it to the woodshed" type of drubbing of Jordan.
We do not have an answer at 197 although if Andrew can get stronger and wrestle more under control I have not given up on him for the future. Apparently some one woke up his older brother for the finals but he slept through most of the first two days doing just enough to win. He wrestled well in the finals and won the tournament against a very athletic Dejournette.
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