Takedown Report

30th College News, Notes and Results

Multi-Divisional Insider: Western Wyoming is soaring after ditching chemistry for ‘curb appeal’
Art Castillo won’t claim to know more about chemistry than an actual chemistry teacher. But Castillo certainly got to know the insides of a chemistry lab when he first took over as head wrestling coach at Western Wyoming Community College 11 seasons ago. Located in the lower western corner of Wyoming, 2.5 hours east of Salt Lake City, and five hours north of Denver, Western Wyoming has risen to the upper echelons of NJCAA wrestling hierarchy in the last few years under Castillo’s direction. The Mustangs have held the No. 1 spot in the past two NJCAA rankings and will be looking for the school’s first NJCAA national team title in March in Council Bluffs, Iowa. But long before WWCC rose to national contender, the Mustangs had humble beginnings. “When I started we were in an old science lab, old chemistry lab,” Castillo said. “We couldn’t even fit a whole mat in there. We didn’t have a weight room, locker room, coaches’ office. “And, when it got cold and because we didn’t have a locker room, guys would show up to practice with book bags, workout bags, coats and that took up some valuable real estate. “We had so many challenges,” Castillo finished. Five years ago that all changed for Castillo and the Mustangs when Western Wyoming built a brand new athletic facility, which includes a wrestling-dedicated practice room, large enough for two full 44′ x 44′ mats, locker room, office, meeting room, weight room and cardio room. “Curb appeal,” Castillo said if it has gotten easier to recruit to Rock Springs, the fifth-largest city in Wyoming at 23,000. “Now that we have these facilities it is easier to sell our program and our philosophy. When we get kids here on a visit and it is now more (an attitude of) I can definitely get the job done here. Rest of the story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1576220989440&twSessionId=pyfiosowml&postId=1859057132&mc_cid=128ff71298&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Quant Wrestling: By the Numbers from the first five weeks of the college season (and part of last season, too)
2 — Percentage of match time Penn State heavyweight Anthony Cassar has spent on the bottom in 11 bouts analyzed. 
6 — Matches in which Purdue 174-pounder Dylan Lydy has scored the first takedown in six bouts analyzed this season. 
6.2 — Number of near-fall points Iowa 125-pounder Spencer Lee has averaged in 14 analyzed matches. 
14 — Average margin of victory for Lee this season. 
7.6 — Number of attacks Ohio State’s Luke Pletcher averaged in 15 matches analyzed last season. 
8.9 — Number of attacks Pletcher has averaged in eight matches analyzed this season. 
12 — Number of attacks Ohio State 197-pounder Kollin Moore has averaged in seven matches analyzed this season. 
37 — Percentage of left singles Northwestern’s Ryan Deakin scored on in 14 matches analyzed last season.  Rest of the story and numbers at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1576220989440&twSessionId=pyfiosowml&postId=1861483132&mc_cid=128ff71298&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Short Time Shots: Vanguard waits 39 years between dual wins (12-12-19)
The number 12 carries religious, mythological and magical symbolism, generally representing perfection, entirety or cosmic order in traditions since antiquity. It’s also the number of qualifiers teams in the NAIA are allowed to send to the national championships, and the most frequent number won by Super Bowl winning quarterbacks. None of that is scientifically researched because why should I be the last guy on the earth to fact-check things before I post them. The first citation is from my former roommate Willie Evans and the rest of the 12 House Crew as we celebrate the 12 House New Year on 12:12 at 12:12. This is Short Time Shots, your mostly daily recap of the scores and more from around the world of wrestling. I’m Jason Bryant and I’ll probably be recording this around 12:12 … on the 13th.
By the way, it’s never the best look to apologize in the intro of a podcast, so I won’t. However, why no Shots the past few days? Well after realizing it’s extremely difficult to schedule and cultivate this while working an event – I was in Canada announcing their Olympic Trials – it’s also tough to do when you don’t have another parent around. My wife was also traveling for business. But I did decide to push one out today – why? Well, the longer you put off doing something, the longer it takes for you to actually do it – or something. You know what I mean.
Minnesota Beer of the Night: French River by Wooden Hill Brewing. To be honest, I didn’t like it too much. It’s a 6.5 percent saison, but it tasted better when I had it at the brewery in Edina. Could just be a bad can. I contemplated not doing it, but for consistency sake, because this show is ALL about consistency. Rest of the story and podcast audio at http://www.mattalkonline.com/podcast/shots/short-time-shots-vanguard-waits-39-years-between-dual-wins-12-12-19/?mc_cid=128ff71298&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

JUMPING LEVELS – LUKE PLETCHER FALL ‘19
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Luke Pletcher heads into the holiday break with an unblemished 14-0 mark, highlighted by an undeniable hike in his attack rate. Over half of those victories have come against nationally-ranked opponents. Dominating during the Fall semester is nothing new for Pletcher, going 13-1 and 16-0 the last two autumns. The difference in ’19 has been his heightened performance when facing top-25 foes. Pletcher has outscored the higher-tiered competition by a combined tally of 103-41 (+61), good for a victory margin average of 7.75 points per top-25 win. That makes him just a quarter point per win shy of averaging a major decision vs. nationally-ranked adversaries. Whoa.
Rest of the story and details at https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/jumping-levels-luke-pletcher-fall-19/?mc_cid=128ff71298&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

A “Kut” Above
By Hannah Edwards ’20, Lehigh Sports Communications
Jordan Kutler has a fierce fire to compete in everything he does.
He competes on the mat, in the classroom and in something as miniscule as a card game. That’s just how he lives his life. Kutler’s internal fire started during his freshman year of high school, wrestling for Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey. After picking up a few tough wins at a big tournament and increasing his amount of takedowns each day at practice, he felt propelled to do more. “It was just that constant fuel on the fire,” Kutler said. “Go get it. Go chase your dreams. Go work hard.” This fire has been continuously burning and growing throughout the years, especially as he begins his season as a fifth-year for the Lehigh Mountain Hawks. Kutler prides himself on doing everything in his power to win – in academics, in competition and in practice. Academically, Kutler received a Bachelor’s of Science in Behavioral Neuroscience, posting a 3.3 GPA and is currently working on his master’s degree in Technical Entrepreneurship. He’s always trying to learn something new and work harder than his peers in the classroom to gain a competitive edge, and he is dedicated to excelling in the little things. Athletically, Kutler listens to his body, intakes a healthy diet and gets more sleep. Rest of the story at https://lehighsports.com/news/2019/12/12/wrestling-a-kut-above.aspx?mc_cid=128ff71298&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Longtime Hofstra Publicist Jim Sheehan To Retire From Hofstra
By: Stephen Gorchov
Hempstead, NY – Hofstra’s longtime senior sports information director Jim Sheehan has announced that he will retire from the University effective January 3, 2020. “I am truly grateful for all the things that Hofstra has given to me over my long tenure at the University, Sheehan said. “I have spent more than half of my life at Hofstra and I will always have a warm spot in my heart for Hofstra. I’m too young to just sit on the porch and watch the world go by so I am looking forward to the next chapter in my life. To the many student-athletes, coaches, staff, alums, media members and friends that I leave behind, I wish them all the best of luck and success. It has been great working with you all and I thank you for everything.” “Jim has been a huge part of the success of Hofstra Athletics immediately upon his arrival in 1988 and served this department and the University in an exemplary manner over the 30-plus years,” commented Hofstra Vice President and Director of Athletics Rick Cole Jr. “We congratulate him on his retirement from Hofstra and look forward to the next step in his journey. Jim is a legend at Hofstra and I know I speak for everyone in thanking him for his outstanding service to the University.” “There are few people as dedicated, as hardworking, and as well-connected as Jim Sheehan,” mentioned Hofstra Vice President for University Relations Melissa Connolly. “An informal historian of Hofstra athletics, he remains close to student-athletes for years after they graduate, … … Rest of the story at https://gohofstra.com/news/2019/12/12/general-ath-longtime-hofstra-publicist-jim-sheehan-to-retire-from-hofstra.aspx?mc_cid=128ff71298&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

D1 Insider: Huskers hoping another Vegas title leads them to hardware in March
By Travis Johnson, Trackwrestling
For the last five years, Nebraska’s wrestling program has inched closer and closer to national prominence. With a handful of Top 10 finishes at the NCAA tournament under their belts, the Cornhuskers are prepared to take the next step and their performance at the Cliff Keen Invitational is the best evidence yet. Nebraska won the team title last weekend in Las Vegas, where Isaiah White won his second straight individual championship. Husker teams won Cliff Keen team titles in 2003 and 2008. Both years saw them finish in the Top 5 at the NCAA tournament.  That’s the goal this time around too, and Manning believes a team trophy is well within this group’s reach.  “Absolutely. We’ve felt like it,” Manning told Trackwrestling.com. “But it has to come from within your team. This team feels it. This team wants it and that’s what’s most important. We have good leadership. Our team has really come together, and they’ve got each other’s backs. That’s where we have some momentum, but we have a way to go.”  Veterans like White, 141-pounder Chad Red and 184-pounder Taylor Venz have paced the lineup for a few seasons now. This year, the Huskers have a handful of young, rising stars helping them close the gap.  Mikey Labriola (174), Peyton Robb (157) and Ridge Lovett (133) have all taken big steps through the first half of the season. They are a combined 29-7 so far. Robb redshirted last season and went 22-3 in open competition to set up his entrance to this year’s lineup. Manning originally planned to redshirt Lovett this winter, but the freshman has been able to cut to 133 pounds without detriment and hasn’t missed a beat after going 169-0 for Post Falls High School in Idaho. Like Red and Venz, Labriola earned All-America status last season in his first year competing for the Huskers with a sixth-place finish at the NCAA tournament. Manning said his ceiling is as high as anyone the Huskers send to the mat. Rest of the story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1576220989440&twSessionId=pyfiosowml&postId=1865409132&mc_cid=128ff71298&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

State of Wrestling, a new podcast for the NWCA, launches with Mike Moyer as first guest
The NWCA has launched a new organizational podcast called State of Wrestling, hosted by Jason Bryant of the Mat Talk Podcast Network. The podcast will give monthly updates on NWCA initiatives with staff, member coaches and leaders within the sport and the organization. Today, we kick off the show with Mike Moyer, the Executive Director of the National Wrestling Coaches Association. Before we hear from Mike about the background of the organization, where it’s been and where it’s going, let’s get to November’s updates.
Some of the topics we discuss in the inaugural episode of State of Wrestling include:
The NWCA has been in existence since 1928.
The focus of the NWCA has shifted over the years.
What are the key focus areas for the NWCA right now?
What is the NWCA not?
What are some of the checkboxes the NWCA looks for when targeting a school to add wrestling?
Rest of the story at https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/State-of-Wrestling-a-new-podcast-for-12-12-2019

December 15, 2019 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized