Piccininni will wrestle Cruz
http://intermatwrestle.com/articles/18698?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook
http://intermatwrestle.com/articles/18698?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook
All star classic
- Thread starter NYWRESTLER94
- Start date
Nice. Good chance to see where Picc is at early in the year.
Everyone is looking at Nato or Suriano to win 125 (with some chatter about Spencer Lee wrestling), but I think Picc is a title contender. Last year he got to legs on both Gilman and Suriano, but just couldn't finish. I hope he worked on getting stronger and getting off bottom in the off season. If so, he'll be right there with everyone. He certainly won't face anyone with a better neutral offense than he sees in practice going against Daton.
In another thread I mentioned that I was a fan of Boo. Also a fan of Picc. Not someone you want to face multiple times. In his redshirt year, he lost to McGhee, Assad (Aaron) and Templeman. Then he beat them his redshirt freshman year. Last year he lost to Russell twice but beat him at nationals. I wish he had another crack at Gilman. Maybe in freestyle one day.
Link:
http://www.flowrestling.org/video/1...nt-to-be-another-osu-allamerican#.WeZz6WiPLIU
Link:
http://www.flowrestling.org/video/1...nt-to-be-another-osu-allamerican#.WeZz6WiPLIU
Per Intermat, all the weights have been announced except for 165.
125: Darian Cruz, Sr. (Lehigh) vs. Nick Piccininni, So. (Oklahoma State)
133: Seth Gross, Jr. (South Dakota State) vs. Stevan Micic, So. (Michigan)
141: Kevin Jack, Sr. (NC State) vs. Bryce Meredith, Sr. (Wyoming)
149: Max Thomsen, So. (Northern Iowa) vs. Matthew Kolodzik, So. (Princeton)
157: Alec Pantaleo, Jr. (Michigan) vs. B.J. Clagon, Sr. (Rider)
165:
174: Mark Hall, So. (Penn State) vs. Zahid Valencia, So. (Arizona State)
184: Pete Renda, Sr. (NC State) vs. Drew Foster, Jr. (Northern Iowa)
197: Kollin Moore, So. (Ohio State) vs. Jared Haught, Sr. (Virginia Tech)
285: Tanner Hall, Jr. (Arizona State) vs. Nick Nevills, Jr. (Penn State)
125: Darian Cruz, Sr. (Lehigh) vs. Nick Piccininni, So. (Oklahoma State)
133: Seth Gross, Jr. (South Dakota State) vs. Stevan Micic, So. (Michigan)
141: Kevin Jack, Sr. (NC State) vs. Bryce Meredith, Sr. (Wyoming)
149: Max Thomsen, So. (Northern Iowa) vs. Matthew Kolodzik, So. (Princeton)
157: Alec Pantaleo, Jr. (Michigan) vs. B.J. Clagon, Sr. (Rider)
165:
174: Mark Hall, So. (Penn State) vs. Zahid Valencia, So. (Arizona State)
184: Pete Renda, Sr. (NC State) vs. Drew Foster, Jr. (Northern Iowa)
197: Kollin Moore, So. (Ohio State) vs. Jared Haught, Sr. (Virginia Tech)
285: Tanner Hall, Jr. (Arizona State) vs. Nick Nevills, Jr. (Penn State)
I'm sure that helps. But I think Picc has shown over his first 2 years that he's still improving. I think that's because he didn't have access to top level coaching and tough training partners in HS.
As to the match itself. Picc got to Cruz's leg in the first but was countered for a TD. After he got the escape he got to the leg again, but Cruz grabbed an ankle to get the stalemate. The key exchange happened in the 2nd, Cruz locked up a cradle but Picc turned into it, getting the reversal and back points.
Not real surprising. Should have beat him in the semis last year. I think Zahid is your title favorite at 174.
Picc had very good access to elite coaches and training partners in HS the fact that he’s still improving the way he is should be scary
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Yeah, I was partially basing that off of Nick's Flo interview above when he says that he wasn't used to wrestling high level guys after coming out of HS. But I think you know Nick personally, so you would certainly know better. I believe he trained with Gregor Gillespie. Was he also part of a top wrestling club, maybe the one run by Vito's dad? Also, do you know if he plans to try freestyle more?
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I believe he had top coaching and access to many great wrestlers based on what his dad has said in the past. No High School wrestler however is prepared for the step up to wrestling in a college wrestling room particularly at OSU and other top programs. Many a multiple AA and national champion has struggled as a freshman in that room and gotten their butts beat regularly.
He started off wrestling for Mike Patrovich who was a 2x AA at Hofstra. He was in his club from youth through most of HS. I wanna say around his junior year or just right before it he started working out with Gregor who kinda became his personal coach for the rest of his hs career. I know he’s worked out at Vougars (Vito’s Dad) before but he was never there on a consistent basis and never represented that club in any competition. haven’t spoken to him in a while but last time I did regarding freestyle was when he went to juniors. He seemed pretty adamant about getting back to folkstyle but if freestyle is something the coaches would want him to explore more i’m more than sure he’d do it.
Not sure why you'd think so, unless Fix has been putting Picc in cradles left and right in the room. Betting Fix is working more neutral and Picc didn't get a takedown, correct? Picc was improving thru last season and I'm sure in the off season, but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves it was an early (pre) season match and no one is at their peak yet.
A nice article by Taylor Miller on Picc that hits on some of the points in this thread:
https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestli...-freshman-experience-to-spur-sophomore-season
https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestli...-freshman-experience-to-spur-sophomore-season
