Pound 4 Pound (P4P) rankings

[Tapout]

I haven’t posted for over a year now, did my break down of 3A, and 4A for for the 2019-20 season but skipped last year due to working out of state and the short season. I attended the Holy Angels and was very impressived by a couple NC hammers.  Following is P4P rankings and justification.

1. Kyle Montaperto
His positioning is top notch always is in good position to score. Wrestles mistake free with solid fundamentals that translates to what looks like easy points but it’s just that Kyle is that good.

2. Jeremiah Price
He is slick on his feet and can get to his angles effortlessly but again that is due to great fundamentals. Jeremiah is a scrapper with high level skills that will translate at the next level.

3. Devon Bell
A 195 pounder who moves  like a 132 pounder, completely smothers opponents on their feet, one of the most athletic big men I have seen in awhile.  To add to that his top game is the best in the state especially for a big guy, match is basically over once he is on top.

4. Mark Samuel
Unorthodox style that gives opponents fits, almost impossible to finish on. Top game is top notch seems to score NF points effortlessly.

I believe the top 3 are interchangeable, I would not of said that prior to the Holy Angels I believed Kyle and Jeremiah were a level above every kid in the state but Bell is a complete buzz saw on the mat and was very impressive.  With all 4 the baseline defense is solid and they wrestle well through every position. These 4 will represent NC well at the next level. I look for all 4 to excel especially once they get in that  college room.

Others who stood out but not ready to bump off the top 4 P4P

Luke Kunath
The kid is a scrapper and smiles at intensity and has the skills to match.
Marcus Jackson
Skillful  in every position just couldn’t solve the Montaperto puzzle
Tomas Brooker
I only mention Brooker due to his improvement he is not on par with the above mentioned wrestlers at this point in his career  but he made the move down to 170 and 170 looks good on Brooker as he surprised everyone by taking the Holy Angel title.

I believe Laney put 4A on notice that they are reloaded and even deeper than last years state title team. Winning team title by 90 points between second place team Mooresville.  Bell and Samuel were only 2 points off of finishing top 20 as a team just those two together. With that said 4A team race is going to be fun. Top 5 teams at HA were all 4A and none of the teams had full lineups my favorites:

Laney
Lake Norman
Mooresville
Cardinal Gibbons
Pinecrest

Above is individual state tourney not duals. Duals is a completely different ball game. I believe Laney is a better tourney team than dual team and if you sleep on Pinecrest in a dual you will find yourself preparing for the individual state tourney earlier than you had planned.

[vikings24]

Cam Stinson may need to be added to that list. Great run at Holy Angels to include his win over nationally ranked Ninniger. 

[Jmurray5152]

Carson Floyd - big man placing at high level tournaments  consistently
Matt Rowland - tough all 3 positions shows out on national level
Jt Richards- holy angles he showed he can beat or is capable of beating the top guys in the south East. Has been doing it for years, up and down the east coast. College coaches you are sleeping on this one.
Tyler Tracy - Super32 he had wins against top guys in the north east. All the talk about why NC can’t compete, Tyler went and did it and hardly a word.
Jacob Cox - again look at his matches at super32. Nonsense we don’t have guys that can compete. He’s making ranking lists in any state he’s in.
Sakarri Morrison - stupidly athletic. Wrestling up weights nationally. Placed an super32.

I personally lean towards the guys who chase national level competition and show they can hang. You just aren’t going to win all the national level matches but if you look for those matches And compete and bang till the end wins are coming.  Also  I personally give a slight bump to the guys already doing it at or above college weights.


The 132 bracket at holy angles is a p4p candidate itself

Riley merchant is my vote for biggest level jumper over the short off season. 

Thomas Brooker I’m assuming jumped levels too or possible he was just ignored before, but young man should be on all kinds of lists. 

[Tapout]

Jmurray,

I do not disagree with any of your points they all are solid points. Just kept my list short and all those you listed are worthy. Those I did list all compete on the national level on a consistent basis. They probably have a busier national season than they do the actual high school season. I do believe our upper level studs compete well on a national level but NC just does not have the depth that other states have.  If our hammers would start pushing each other by training together and seeking out competition in season, like our coaches getting some of these hammers in the Ironman and other high level in season tourneys that could change. I do believe there is a huge gap between our top level guys and the rest of the state.

I may post a top 10 P4P list if I have time, appreciate the input.

[Tapout]

Just throwing this out there for thoughts…

Why doesn’t our hammers compete at the in season national tourneys like the Ironman, Beast of the East, etc?

I know for sure they would love too, I have talked to several. Are our coaches worried about their dual coaching record or in season tourney placement? If so I would say that is selfish. Let’s continue to develop our kids in season not only out of season, just my thoughts.

[Coach Atwood]

Tapout, if those tournaments are on Sunday the NCHSAA disallows Sunday competition.  Teams here could attend but on Saturday only. 

[coachyaro]

Just throwing this out there for thoughts…

Why doesn’t our hammers compete at the in season national tourneys like the Ironman, Beast of the East, etc?

I know for sure they would love too, I have talked to several. Are our coaches worried about their dual coaching record or in season tourney placement? If so I would say that is selfish. Let’s continue to develop our kids in season not only out of season, just my thoughts.

Some of our NC teams do. Lake Norman competes in the Ironman and Doc Buchanan every year. Carson Floyd made it to the blood round this year and Nathan Dugan placed a couple of years ago. I know Hough has sent a couple kids like Richard Treanor to Ironman in the past and Northern sent Heath Gonyer I believe. We have also had some kids go to Powerade, Quincy Monday got third his senior year. Coach Atwood is right though about Beast of the East - the second day is on Sunday so NC teams cannot send kids (it has been an issue in the past). I believe it can make them ineligible for postseason.

I am sure most NC teams would love to go but the truth of the matter is that very few of our programs have enough funding and resources to swing a trip like that. It not only takes a great deal of money but multiple coaches so things can keep running back home (because many of these tournaments have a stringent application process so you cannot take your whole team, parents willing to chaperone, parents who can afford to provide extra money to their kids for food and etc, transportation, and supportive school administration willing to approve kids missing multiple days of school, etc. There are definitely coaches and wrestlers who protect records for regionals or pride but I do not think that is the biggest reason you do not see more NC kids going to those big tournaments in season. The biggest illustration of this is the fact that NC kids travel very well to tournaments around the country in the off-season. Those same kids would love to travel and compete at a high level like that if given the opportunity in-season. Just my two cents.

[Tapout]

Coachyaro,
I agree with everything you said, I do believe it is more about protecting records. That is another reason I believe in NC our depth will remain the way it is. I’m just excited about having these tourneys and the state tourney back at the coliseum.