Way too early list

[Perkdog]

Since life is being put on hold, does anyone have a way too early top team list?  Besides the usual suspects, are there any teams that will contend next year?

[coachyaro]

In 4A Hough and NW Guilford will be the teams to beat in the West. Hough graduates only a few upperweights and they can replace them with the big athlete pool they have at their school and some time in their offseason program. Same with NW, they also seem to have a few young guys that are waiting to break out. In the East, I think Laney and Pinecrest do great jobs with their youth and development programs. Going to be hard for any team out there to keep up even for the traditional powerhouses like Cary. I think beyond those teams its kind of wide open. I like some of the well coached programs with year around systems like Ragsdale, Lumberton, and even Mallard Creek as dark horses. These guys always seem to know how to get creative and reload through getting all of their kids to buy in. A lot of respect for the coaches there. Not the only ones of course but I think these programs are some of the best at doing this time and time again. Just a few thoughts.

[Longdayrunner]

Way to early is the statement.

Everyone is assuming there will be a wrestling season next year.  As the Pandemic continues to grow and take lives, if the fall sports do not have a season then most likely there will be no winter season.  Without a vaccine and/or a way to test people who are a carrier of Covid-19, carrier/person not showing symptoms, it is way too early to even think about a wrestling season next year.

So ask yourself, how will the LAT check for Covid-19 during the skin checks they handle?

[Tapout]

Way to early to think about wrestling season... Negative!!!! Don’t we always think about wrestling season? I guess we can choose to think of worst case scenarios or be positive and start preparing for next season. Hough in the west will be the team to beat and in the East Laney returns I believe 9 SQ and Pinecrest returns almost their whole lineup. Laney could potentially have 4 state champs next year if they can put it all together, they also have a freshman that was behind the 106 State Champ Samuel. Do not remember the kids name but he won NCWAY state tourney at 113 couple weeks ago.

With all things considered Hough handles the West and the question in the East will be can Laney’s coaching staff figure out how to use all that talent because Pinecrest is stacked and will be motivated to take out Laney.

[Coach Atwood]

It's never way too early to discuss this kind of stuff.  Never means NEVER.  Especially when we are all seriously BORED OUT OF OUR MINDS!!!!

Here is my take (at this point) about the top teams next season.  If anyone cares that is. LOL.

In 1A, it will be a two team race yet again between Avery County and Uwharrie Charter.  Robbinsville would like to slip in there too and perhaps a few others like Swain County, but the top two here stand apart yet again.

In 2A, it will be Foard standing as the heavy favorite again, but West Lincoln, Newton-Conover, and Trinity pose a threat to the defending champions.  Trinity should be the best team in the east.  Croatan is always tough as well. 

In 3A, on paper there appears to be no clear dominant front runner.  Northern Guilford and Enka both lost a host of seniors and replacing them on the same level will be a difficult task to fulfill, but it's possible.  Piedmont is always a top team and will remain that way.  The same for St. Stephens, Southeast Guilford, Union Pines, and Asheboro.  My hope and intention is there is a new team on the block contending with the top teams in 3A. Only time will tell.

In 4A, Hough returns a great deal of talent for sure, but so do some other teams.  Don't sleep on Mooresville.  They will be a threat to Hough.  Lake Norman will be good and had a 2A state champion recently transfer in, but I think Lake Norman is a better tournament team than dual team.  Another team in the west that could make waves is West Forsyth.  I don't think they're on level with Hough and a couple others, but they could advance deep depending on the bracket.  Northwest Guilford will be highly competitive yet again and is capable of winning it all.  In the east, Laney and Pinecrest are the top two teams for sure.  Cardinal Gibbons lost a great deal to graduation, but they will still be really good.  If Lumberton can fill all the weights they will also be really good.  I don't foresee Cary as being in serious contention with Laney and Pinecrest being as good as they are.  New Bern in the east is another team that is in contention. 

[Perkdog]

I am bored, so here is my top 25 going into next year, though I will be the first to admit that I don't know how things shake out in the end.

 
HM: Uwharrie Charter, Cary, Lumberton, Reidsville, Surry Central, Robbinsville, Washington, Bunker Hill, Central Cabarrus,Jack Britt
25. Croatan, 2a. Just solid enough to give a lot of problems to everyone.
24. Newton Conover, 2a. Good up top and have one of the top middle schools in state sending good kids yearly.
23. West Forsyth, 4a. Solid bunch lead by a coach who will get them better.
22. Northern Guilford, 3a. Really good last year as 3a champs, but lose a lot. On the up and up though.
21. Enka, 3a. Traditionally do it every year, so why not again? Losing some talented seniors.
20. St. Stephens, 3a. No hammers, but solid as a rock and their kids wrestle hard.
19. North Henderson, 3a. Could be much higher if their solid kids develop!
18. West Lincoln, 2a. Will have some young kids, but make no mistake, they can wrestle.
17. SE Guilford, 3a. Lose some hammers! Still are really good though! Can they reload?
16. Pisgah, 2a. Have to replace a few, but they do year in and year out.
15. Trinity, 2a. Super solid with good kids sprinkled in!
14. Mt. Pleasant, 2a. Have some studs, but have to fill out the lineup to compete for a tile.
13. Hickory Ridge, 4a. Really solid everywhere!
12. Cardinal Gibbons, 4a. Great run last year, but can they reload?
11. CATA, 2a. Still so much talent down low. Will the upper weights get good enough to hold up in big matches?
10. Davie, 4a. Solid as anyone and have a top notch middle school programs producing kids yearly.   
9. Pinecrest, 4a. They have some good kids who are a match up problem.
8. Piedmont, 3a. Just one of the best year in and year out. A few studs mixed with solid kids.
7. Laney, 4a. I feel like they had a hiccup in the duals, and have some hammers! If they can replace seniors, look out!
6. Avery, 1a, A lot back, plus a state champ back in lineup. If they can fill the holes, they will as dangerous as anyone!
5. Lake Norman, 4a. A lot back, plus the state champ from Newton Conover at 195 doesn't hurt!
4. Northwest Guilford, 4a. A lot back and just so solid that they can make a run and beat anyone.
3. Mooresville, 4a. Just have a ton of talent on the roster! Could be higher, which is scary!
2. Hough, 4a. They lost some upper weights but have a some serious power down low.
1. Foard 2a, Don't lose much from what was the best team in the state, and probably had more depth than anyone in the state.

4a dual teams have a ton of depth this year with a lot of teams that could win it!

[Tapout]

Perkdog
Saying Laney had a hiccup in the duals is I guess on your part being polite, I would say more than a hiccup..... At one point Laney had 8 wrestlers ranked in the top 8 on rankwrestlers.
That is a more than murderous row and a major hiccup. Even replacing seniors I don’t see a better lineup. Pinecrest will come out of the East in my opinion, they are well coached and will have something to prove.

[Perkdog]

I absolutely think Pinecrest could represent the 4a East.  They are good and have several difference makers in their lineup!  This list is WAY TOOOO EARLY, but fun to do.  Who knows what happens with injuries, who develops, and who steps up when it's crunch time.
Someone else throw out a top 10 or 25...no one is right or wrong.  Just trying to pass some time.

[jobelk]

I love this conversation


4A

The east will be definitely between Pinecrest and Laney... Gibbons will need to reload but they proved it as they made the finals this year.  Lumberton , Leesville Road, Cary will all have their say as well as the 4a East will be competitive. 

 The west will be a conference battle with Hough, Lake Norman, and Mooresville.    West Forsyth and   Northwest Guilford will hope to put a wrinkle in that fold..


3A

The east will be a battle as Northern Guilford comes back to battle Union Pines, havelock, Fike, North Brunswick and others

The west is a huge question mark..... Enka will have 6 placers to defend against Piedmont and Saint Stephens.   Two sleepers that will play a part are Eastern Guilford and Central Cabarrus .... the 3A west will be the most interesting race in all of the classifications.


2a

The east will be Croatan, Trinity, Wheatmore, and Ledford.   I’ll go with Croatan again 

The west is Fred T Foard to lose... West Lincoln, CATA, and others will battle but Foard will dominate

1A

The west will be Avery and Robbinsville .... I’ll go with Avery....


The east.... Uwharrie  until someone proves otherwise