Brandon Courtney commits to ASU
- Thread starter Sean Harp
- Start date
Speaking of ASU light weight recruits, anyone know what the story is with Olivas? Haven't heard much from him lately.
Ok, i thought I saw Corey Haddad tweet something about it, but then I couldn't find it. Is he done wrestling?
Yes. Minne was in a strong lead for him but maybe that has chilled out for now
Once they go to ASU they seem to fade away....Oh well we will see if this happens to him as well////
Doesn't seem like Zahid is fading...looking pretty good
Arizona State is closing in on Anthony Mantanona (Palm Desert, CA). He finished 2nd at CIF State Wrestling Championships.
He was the 160 FLO Nationals champion in late March.
He was the 160 FLO Nationals champion in late March.
Fix is a perfect fit for the Nittany Lions. Singletary also. Courtney would probably be a career backup in Happy Valley. If Fix isn't fully committed, I'd be pushing hard for him.
It's hard to say that a guy like Courtney would be a career backup. Although I don't see an immediate starting spot for him, who's to say there wouldn't be an opening in 2-3 years. He'd be a valuable addition, for sure.
I know this will never happen, but I'd love to be in the coaches' mtg when they discuss Courtney pros, cons, and projection. I'm admittedly a D4 homer and was thrilled to hear he's open to more than Cornell and Lehigh, and I wonder if we're overrating him a little because of his run thru states, plus I'm having difficulty projecting him into future lineups.
As good as that run was, plus his win over Mejia, Karam beat him 9-1 this year, and he had a head-scratching loss this offseason (IIRC to Hepler).
On feet, I see a guy who has been too defensive in the past, is growing out of that, but isn't quite there yet. Sometimes he's still not pulling the trigger (state finals vs. Murin), sometimes he is with great success (wins over Gabriel, Matthews, and Mejia), sometimes he gets a little reckless (Hepler). I think he is turning the corner like Jason Nolf did in high school, though not as easily (and I wouldn't project him to be the tornado in college that Nolf is). It's encouraging but still unclear.
The Karam loss means he needs work on bottom.
Projecting his college weight isn't easy. He was at 126 this past year. Right now he looks like a 133 true freshman, but he could add weight in a college S&C program, and he might not be done growing.
Then comes the tricky part: the rest of the roster. I don't see him beating out Cortez or Suriano at 133. But as of today, 141 or higher puts him into the Lees and The Anvil. I also think some 2018 guys at/above 141 might be ahead of him -- namely, Sasso and Griffith.
Don't get me wrong, would love to have him, just curious about what the coaches think.
As good as that run was, plus his win over Mejia, Karam beat him 9-1 this year, and he had a head-scratching loss this offseason (IIRC to Hepler).
On feet, I see a guy who has been too defensive in the past, is growing out of that, but isn't quite there yet. Sometimes he's still not pulling the trigger (state finals vs. Murin), sometimes he is with great success (wins over Gabriel, Matthews, and Mejia), sometimes he gets a little reckless (Hepler). I think he is turning the corner like Jason Nolf did in high school, though not as easily (and I wouldn't project him to be the tornado in college that Nolf is). It's encouraging but still unclear.
The Karam loss means he needs work on bottom.
Projecting his college weight isn't easy. He was at 126 this past year. Right now he looks like a 133 true freshman, but he could add weight in a college S&C program, and he might not be done growing.
Then comes the tricky part: the rest of the roster. I don't see him beating out Cortez or Suriano at 133. But as of today, 141 or higher puts him into the Lees and The Anvil. I also think some 2018 guys at/above 141 might be ahead of him -- namely, Sasso and Griffith.
Don't get me wrong, would love to have him, just curious about what the coaches think.
You are right about the odd loss to Hepler during NHSCA Junior's at 132 lbs. His loss was by tech fall 15-0.
They are prioritizing the Class of 2018 more than the rising seniors of 2017.
Joe Lee...committed
Shane Griffith...growing rapidly and could be 160 next season. They like him a bunch.
Seth Nevills or Gable Steveson...can't go wrong with either.
Sammy Sasso...off the mat concerns; let's leave it at that.
I don't want this viewed as a knock on Courtney, but yes I think we overrate him a bit because of the great month of March. IMO, you're right on with the work on the bottom. He wrestled Zack Trampe last summer and Zack won because Courtney couldn't get out, but Courtney was very tough and gave him fits with his scrambling ability in neutral.
Don't see the loss to Hepler as head scratching - Hepler is tough and probably a weight class bigger than Courtney, as is Zack. Also, they work out together sometimes, you never know with matches like that. EDIT - I see Ames just posted above that it was a 15-0 TF. I thought it was something like 12-5, but I'm going off memory - will check this out. EDIT2 - it was 10-4, Hepler with a 2&2 off a scramble and then later with at 3pt NF when Courtney was on bottom.
Just don't think that Courtney - or any of the kids he has beaten like Gabriel, Matthews, Murin, Mejia - is at that super elite level yet. Is going to take losses here and there especially moving up. Maybe the March run was a sign of him moving to the next level - I'd expect we will find out this year.
As far as weight class, I don't see him as being all that big. If he doesn't grow much, I don't see why he couldn't start at 125. Don't see him as being bigger than Karam. But who knows - he has another year and some kids grow, some don't.
Maybe he's a 125 and comes in here to give Suriano a RS year. If he's not, I'd agree where he fits in may be tricky.
With the exception of the 15-0 loss to Hepler, everything Ames posted above mirrors what I've heard.
Have to believe Griffith may want to join a certain other Bergen friend, also I think Molinaro may have heavy influence in that area as well. Love our chances there
Maybe ... if HS teammates are a factor, he'll have 4 of them at Rutgers. They can offer in-state tuition and no Hall/Cenzo/Manville/Lee logjam. Without knowing the order of our priorities in a very loaded 2018 class -- after Joe Lee (committed) and Seth Nevills -- I'll say I like our chances.
Griffith is a high priority for the coaches.
Keep an eye out for Travis Wittlake (Marshfield, OR), who just made the Cadet World freestyle team. He is close to a guaranteed commit for Penn State. 174/184 would be his weight in college.
Nick Lee will start as a true freshman at 141 unless Cortez's weight gets out of control.
Keep an eye out for Travis Wittlake (Marshfield, OR), who just made the Cadet World freestyle team. He is close to a guaranteed commit for Penn State. 174/184 would be his weight in college.
Nick Lee will start as a true freshman at 141 unless Cortez's weight gets out of control.
Wittlake would be interesting. SO (2018) 160. Flo ranks him #12 in a SR-laden weight -- lose the seniors and he's 4th (and the top SO), ahead of Kaleb Romero (who the Tan Fans are drooling over), PA runner-up Trent Hidlay, and Blair's Ryan Karoly.
Going out on a limb and saying he's not a 174 as long as Mark Hall is around and maintaining weight.
Good potential if this pans out.
Going out on a limb and saying he's not a 174 as long as Mark Hall is around and maintaining weight.
Good potential if this pans out.
“When Junior was younger I made a deal with him that if he puts in the time and effort, I will give him the best opportunities to be successful,” Wittlake said.
Hopefully the PSU nonresident tuition bill doesn't strain that deal with his dad.
More seriously: interesting for a then-8th grader on the west coast to have a goal of wrestling at Penn State.
A Flo article from today (6/29) (CLICK HERE) indicates that Singletary's list has been narrowed to "North Carolina, Cornell, Ohio State, Penn State and Oklahoma State."
