Takedown Report

High School News & Notes – # 12

(In Michigan)
Coin flip could determine whether or not powerful Davison wins state wrestling title
FLINT — Winning district and regional championships have become mere formalities for Davison’s wrestling team. The Cardinals have won Division 1 district and regional titles for eight straight years, reaching the state championship match four times during that stretch while making it to the semis three times. In six of those years, they were eliminated by the eventual state champion. … story at https://www.mlive.com/highschoolsports/2020/02/coin-flip-could-determine-whether-or-not-powerful-davison-wins-state-wrestling-title.html?mc_cid=e1e9966c02&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

High School Insider: A coast-to-coast sweep of the prep dual landscape
Last week, we prepped you for the upcoming run of team dual tournaments across the country. Today, we’ll recap some of those results as well as pick up on some other tidbits along the way. We start in Pennsylvania, which was the first of the tradition-rich wrestling states to host its state dual tournaments. The Keystone state breaks it down into two classifications, AA for the smaller schools and AAA for the larger schools and we were once again reminded that to be the best, you have to beat the best.  Heading into the AA tournament, a number of teams were thought to have a serious chance at a championship. Saucon Valley had just won District XI over Notre Dame, Southern Columbia rolled through District IV after finishing as the runner-up a year ago and winning the team title at the individual tournament, and three-time defending champ Reynolds was looking as good as ever out of District X. …. story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1581570946559&twSessionId=ccjagiuqhs&postId=389220135&mc_cid=e1e9966c02&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

(In Georgia)
Georgia OL signee Austin Blaske wins state wrestling title
Georgia added some depth to its offensive line in the Early Signing Period with the addition of in-state offensive lineman Austin Blaske (Guyton, Ga./South Effingham), a former N.C. State commitment. When he arrives the Dawgs will have a second wrestling state champion in its offensive line room. On Saturday, Blaske, at 6-foot-5, 280 pounds, won the 5A heavyweight title in Macon (Ga.).
Redshirt freshman interior offensive lineman Clay Webb also helped his team to a duals wrestling state championship in high school, finishing with a 45-1 record and 38 pins. Check out Blaske, who was the state runner-up as a junior, in action from the match that sent him to this season’s state championship below. …. story at https://247sports.com/college/georgia/Article/Georgia-Bulldogs-Football-Austin-Blaske-wrestling-state-championship-highlights-143856708/?mc_cid=73f08c1943&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Honoring former coach, DeSales has breakthrough showing at State Wrestling Championships
Competitiors hit the mat at the KHSAA state wrestling championships
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Gone since August, Travis Riley’s words still resonate on the chalkboard in the DeSales High School wrestling room: “Stay in the fight. Never quit.” “It’s hard to come into the room and not see him in some way,” Colts head coach Greg Miller said. Riley, entering his fourth year as DeSales’ assistant coach, died by suicide on Aug. 15 at the age of 43. The Colts dedicated their season to their former coach and finished the most successful year in program history Saturday in the State Wrestling Championships at the Kentucky Horse Park. Led by Dejuan Watkins’ runner-up finish in the 285-pound weight class, DeSales finished in 13th place with 68 points. …. story at https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/preps/kentucky/2020/02/15/khsaa-state-wrestling-meet-2020-desales-wrestlers-break-through/4719236002/?mc_cid=73f08c1943&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

2020 Indiana State Finals by the Numbers
Overall
Rankings always provide a great insight to the best of the best in the state. Arguments always ensue on who is the best and who should be ranked. Over the years our rankings have proven to be the best out there. On top of that our rankings are locked before the first whistle at sectional and they do not take into account the semi-state draws. This year only 9 wrestlers that advanced to state were not in our state or semi-state rankings. We also set a new record for most state ranked wrestlers advancing to state with 180 or just over 80%! Thanks to our rankings gurus Mike Reiser, Caleb Spires, Howard Cottey, and Dustin Bentz for another great season. Do not forget to download the IndianaMat brackets with rankings attached so it is easier to follow the state finals. Click here for our special IndianaMat brackets
Full story and more at https://indianamat.com/index.php?/articles.html/high-school-news/tournament-previews/2020-state-finals-by-the-numbers-r975/&mc_cid=148f5f63fc&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Garfield wrestling coach J.L. Williams retiring after 40 years on the mat
By Aaron Lommers, Special to The Seattle Times
Forty years ago, J.L. Williams was handed the keys to the Garfield High School wrestling program — literally. It was the start of something special, but more importantly for the countless wrestlers he coached, it might have been the best thing that ever happened to them. After moving to Washington from Stamford, Conn., at age 22 while working at Boeing, Williams was recruited by a friend, a Garfield alum, to help a program that hadn’t won a match in five years. In his first season in 1980, Williams helped lead the team to three straight wins to start the season. “After that fourth match, I got handed a set of keys,” Williams said. “I said, ‘I don’t need keys, I may or may not be coming back next year as far as helping out.’ I was told, ‘No, you’re the new head coach.’”
That started a 40-year career coaching at Garfield. That career will come to an end this weekend after Mat Classic at the Tacoma Dome. Garfield senior and first-year wrestler Daniel Johnston will be the Bulldogs’ lone representative after qualifying at 145 pounds. “It’s time for some new blood,” Williams said. “I’ve helped out as many kids as I can. I found a young man named Terrell Minor to take over. I was looking for someone to come in and take over for the old guy.” … story at https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/high-school/garfield-wrestling-coach-j-l-williams-retiring-after-40-years-on-the-mat/?mc_cid=148f5f63fc&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

March 17, 2020 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized