A look at the preseason Top 10 at InterMat

[Squatch96]

He's a hard worker everything is earned he wasn't born with it . Hes a very smart kid and if you've a work ethic and high intelligence success isn't far off. Watching him at Sebolt when he was in HS I knew he would be good at the next level he was so coachable. He can be shown something once and be hitting it going live 10 minutes later

Makes sense he was very good in high school I should of said i didnt think he would be in a position to start this early in His college carrer kudos to him hope he does well unless he's wrestling a hawk of course

 

[TheREALSpooner]

Carter Pearson will be pushing Grice and it wouldn't shock me if he's the guy come march

Pearson was handled easily by several guys who were nowhere near the podium last year. Flip a coin between the two if the above is the case.

 

[Corby2]

Pearson was handled easily by several guys who were nowhere near the podium last year. Flip a coin between the two if the above is the case.

Fugitt 9-0 and Willochell pin after that he he went up to 141. He will be a good size 133

 

[Trakker]

Pearson has surprised wouldnt of expected that out of him coming out of high school

He was a very good high school wrestler, just never traveled out of state much.


Same as a youth, wasnt really into going to tulsa or virginia duals or many of the other natural level youth tournaments.

 

[Corby2]

He was a very good high school wrestler, just never traveled out of state much.


Same as a youth, wasnt really into going to tulsa or virginia duals or many of the other natural level youth tournaments.

He played Golf as well so that would keep him from going to all the wrestling stuff .

 

[Trakker]

He played Golf as well so that would keep him from going to all the wrestling stuff .

Yes, he is an excellent golfer.

 

[TheREALSpooner]

Fugitt 9-0 and Willochell pin after that he he went up to 141. He will be a good size 133

Also lost to UNC's backup. And at 141 was smoked by a Nebraska backup and Julian Tagg.

 

[Stick Kitty]

4-6 regular season matches is not a recipe for success in the postseason, IMHO. Though I do get that he can't or shouldn't go in hard on a full schedule. I'm hopeful he's able to wrestle far more. He's apparently feeling pretty good if he's working out without the encumbrance of braces.

100% agree. I can already tell you how this book ends if Crookham only gets that many matches in.

He will go 6-2 maybe 5-3 because he will likely take a loss in a big matches with the other 133 studs. If only that many matches he would absolutely need to win the BIGs because if its runner up or less he will get handed an 18-23 seed. Seeding has punished this season pretty harshly before and will again. So basically looking at wrestling an AA Thursday night and if pulls that out probably running him into a top 4 seed Friday morning.

Ryan needs to get as many matches as possible. If not you get what you earn but the mindset seeds don't matter is a losing hand. A guy like Brewer winning from a deep seed just wont happen with the ponies in this years weight class. Brands needs to get ahead of this now because I am tired of this same old book. Find matches

 

[Corby2]

100% agree. I can already tell you how this book ends if Crookham only gets that many matches in.

He will go 6-2 maybe 5-3 because he will likely take a loss in a big matches with the other 133 studs. If only that many matches he would absolutely need to win the BIGs because if its runner up or less he will get handed an 18-23 seed. Seeding has punished this season pretty harshly before and will again. So basically looking at wrestling an AA Thursday night and if pulls that out probably running him into a top 4 seed Friday morning.

Ryan needs to get as many matches as possible. If not you get what you earn but the mindset seeds don't matter is a losing hand. A guy like Brewer winning from a deep seed just wont happen with the ponies in this years weight class. Brands needs to get ahead of this know because I am tired of this same old book. Find matches

And if he goes more and gets hurt the same people who said he needs more matches will be blaming the staff for putting him out there. You let Crookham go when he's ready

 

[TheREALSpooner]

And if he goes more and gets hurt the same people who said he needs more matches will be blaming the staff for putting him out there. You let Crookham go when he's ready

Yeah, I mean it's almost like Crookham is an absolute Hail Mary to band aid massive recruiting and development problems for an underachieving program or something.

 

[Corby2]

Yeah, I mean it's almost like Crookham is an absolute Hail Mary to band aid massive recruiting and development problems for an underachieving program or something.

That's what the haters will say but those who know ball understand that 74 other teams would want Crookham also . Penn st Oklahoma st Ohio st Virginia tech are the ones that wouldn't

 

[Stick Kitty]

And if he goes more and gets hurt the same people who said he needs more matches will be blaming the staff for putting him out there. You let Crookham go when he's ready

Sure that sounds cool and all but if he is healthy, forcing a pitch count out of fear will 100% bite him come seeding time. Obviously if injured, then you go accordingly. If healthy that's just coaching malpractice.

 

[Corby2]

Sure that sounds cool and all but if he is healthy, forcing a pitch count out of fear will 100% bite him come seeding time. Obviously if injured, then you go accordingly. If healthy that's just coaching malpractice.

If he's healthy he will be wrestling. Tom is gonna sit healthy guys

 

[TheREALSpooner]

That's what the haters will say but those who know ball understand that 74 other teams would want Crookham also . Penn st Oklahoma st Ohio st Virginia tech are the ones that wouldn't

You unintentionally walked headfirst into my point, though I do appreciate the support. Throw in Nebraska and that's a list of Iowa's peers, and they somehow all managed to recruit or develop a better/more stable option for the weight than a guy coming off surgery who last wrestled past January 3 seasons ago.

 

[Corby2]

You unintentionally walked headfirst into my point, though I do appreciate the support. Throw in Nebraska and that's a list of Iowa's peers, and they somehow all managed to recruit or develop a better/more stable option for the weight than a guy coming off surgery who last wrestled past January 3 seasons ago.

Those who think recruiting only happens with HS kids don't understand that things have changed. You fill the gaps . Iowa has people for 133 down the road and recruited Crookham to fill the gap. Some weights you look at and say we will fill that gap with the portal. Regardless of what people think they're recruits as well. It's 2026 not 2015

 

[ChicagoHawk2020]

Those who think recruiting only happens with HS kids don't understand that things have changed. You fill the gaps . Iowa has people for 133 down the road and recruited Crookham to fill the gap. Some weights you look at and say we will fill that gap with the portal. Regardless of what people think they're recruits as well. It's 2026 not 2015

You didn’t address the development part of his post because you know they are terrible at developing talent.

 

[TheREALSpooner]

Those who think recruiting only happens with HS kids don't understand that things have changed. You fill the gaps . Iowa has people for 133 down the road and recruited Crookham to fill the gap. Some weights you look at and say we will fill that gap with the portal. Regardless of what people think they're recruits as well. It's 2026 not 2015

Something I never said.

Anyway, it remains the best they could come up with (at a weight that SHOULD be their forte) is a guy who hasn't wrestled a match in February or March since 2024, and who's availability for the bulk of this season is apparently a question mark.

This is 100% a symptom of why Okie State and Nebraska have passed us by, and Virginia Tech is now nipping at our heels.

 

[Corby2]

Something I never said.

Anyway, it remains the best they could come up with (at a weight that SHOULD be their forte) is a guy who hasn't wrestled a match in February or March since 2024, and who's availability for the bulk of this season is apparently a question mark.

This is 100% a symptom of why Okie State and Nebraska have passed us by, and Virginia Tech is now nipping at our heels.

We all have opinions ours are just different.

 

[TheREALSpooner]

We all have opinions ours are just different.

We know. Your thoughts are very MSU like in this area. Poor Iowa. Nothing they possibly could have done better as they continue to slide.

 

[Anon1771119513]

Something I never said.

Anyway, it remains the best they could come up with (at a weight that SHOULD be their forte) is a guy who hasn't wrestled a match in February or March since 2024, and who's availability for the bulk of this season is apparently a question mark.

This is 100% a symptom of why Okie State and Nebraska have passed us by, and Virginia Tech is now nipping at our heels.

Agree 100% but I'd say VA Tech is more than nipping.

 

[LIV4GOD]

That's what the haters will say but those who know ball understand that 74 other teams would want Crookham also . Penn st Oklahoma st Ohio st Virginia tech are the ones that wouldn't

You say that like it's a good thing.

 

[TheREALSpooner]

Agree 100% but I'd say VA Tech is more than nipping.

I get what you are saying, but given that they have yet to finish ahead of Iowa at the NCAAs, and Willie has them within a half point of Iowa in his rankings, it feels right to think of it more like nipping for now.

Come late March, I might think much differently.

 

[T8KUDWN]

Listening to FRL this morning, CP has officially crawled out from under Carl's desk and taken his life savers & knee pads to Stillwater and is camping out under Captain Big Ears desk.

 

[WDMHawk72]

My question is 197. What is realistic expectations for Ludington over the next couple years.

I don't think I recall a time where we are not ranked in top 20 at this weight class

 

[blcoach80]

My question is 197. What is realistic expectations for Ludington over the next couple years.

I don't think I recall a time where we are not ranked in top 20 at this weight class

Lets see if this is the case in February and March. Big difference in pre season rankings and end of the season rankings, especially for in essence a redshirt freshman or whatever that will be called now. Freshman, sophmore, junior, senior, 5th year senior?!?

 

[WDMHawk72]

Lets see if this is the case in February and March. Big difference in pre season rankings and end of the season rankings, especially for in essence a redshirt freshman or whatever that will be called now. Freshman, sophmore, junior, senior, 5th year senior?!?

I don't think there really are such things as freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors in today's college wrestling climate. It's more about years 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I'm sure Starocci would disagree now that the opportunity to become a five-time national champion is VERY likely

 

[VonEhwegen]

I don't think there really are such things as freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors in today's college wrestling climate. It's more about years 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I'm sure Starocci would disagree now that the opportunity to become a five-time national champion is VERY likely

Very likely??? I definitely wouldn't say being a 5xer is very likely. The opportunity is now there for every athlete. But still terrible odds and far from likely.