Breakdown of Top Michigan Seniors in 2013
MI Grappler Recruiting Central - Top Seniors (Class of 2013)
By Steve WidzinskiMichigan Grappler High School Analyststeve@michigangrappler.com8/7 - It is that time of the year! As the school year quickly approaches the top incoming senior wrestlers all over the state and country will begin making their college decisions. Two Michigan seniors have already made commitments and as the early signing period grows near, expect to hear from many more in the coming months.
With the spring and summer national events out of the way, Michigan Grappler releases our newest edition of Grade Level Recruiting Rankings, listing the top pound-for-pound grapplers in each grade, 9th thru 12th. We will begin at the top, with the top wrestlers in this year's senior class.
Below you will find a in-depth breakdown of the top 15 wrestlers in this year's senior class. You can check back later this week with the full list of Top Seniors, listing over 100 wrestlers from the class of 2013. Then, in the following weeks, be sure to check back to Michigan Grappler as we will release the top Juniors, Sophomore, and incoming Freshman for this year.
1. Adam Coon
4. Jacob Schmitt
2. Ben WhitfordCOMMITTED TO MICHIGAN
COMMITTED TO MICHIGAN5. Josh Pennell
School:
Projected 11-13 HS Weight:
Proj College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
3. Ken Bade
6. Mitch Rogaliner
7. Payne Hayden
8. Gage HutchisonCOMMITTED TO EASTERN MICHIGAN
COMMITTED TO EASTERN MICHIGAN9. Brant Schafer
10. Anthony Gonzales
A word to describe him: Systematic – When Coon gets on the mat, it is all business. He understands his strengths and skills, and is 100% focused on dominating from every position. Regardless of the situation, Coon’s temperament does not waver and he does not allow himself to become distracted or emotional. From the first whistle to the last everything he does is extremely calculated and deliberate, and is done at an unyielding pace that few upperweights across the country can come close to matching.
Scouting Report: Coon entered the high school ranks with high expectations and an even higher ceiling. Needless to say, he has not failed to disappoint, dominating his way to three consecutive state titles in the process of developing into the country’s top high school heavyweight. He has perennially been a monster on the USA Wrestling circuit, winning a total of four national championships in Fargo during his prep career, as well as claiming a folkstyle national title this spring. But the accolades do not stop there, as Coon’s most impressive accomplishment came last summer when he traveled to Hungary and became the United State’s first Cadet World Champion since 1999. Despite his brutal schedule of elite competition, Coon’s most impressive attribute throughout his career has been his consistency. He approaches every tournament with the same mindset, and is relentless the entire time he is on the mat. There is nothing flashy about his offense, but he dominates with powerful tenacious handfighting backed by outstanding position and reaction time. Due to his lack of close folkstyle matches in recent years, his mat skills probably stand to improve and will continue to develop over the course of his college career. Given his tremendous seasoning and impressive physical ability, Coon is as college-ready as any heavyweight in recent memory and will enter his collegiate career poised to compete for multiple individual national titles in the near future.
Grappler Video:
School:
Projected 12-13 HS Weight:
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
Fowlerville (D2)
285
285
157-3
1st-1st-1st (D2)
2012 Junior Nationals Triple Crown Winner
2012 FILA Junior Freestyle All-American (5th)
2012 FILA Junior Greco Roman National Champion
2011 FILA Cadet World Freestyle Champion
2011 Junior Greco Nationals Champion
3rd 2011 Junior Freestyle Nationals
2011 FILA Cadet Double Champion
2010 Cadet Freestyle National Runner-Up
2010 Cadet Greco National Champion
2010 Junior Freestyle Duals All-Tournament Team
2010 Cadet Freestyle Duals All-Tournament Team
2010 FILA Cadet Greco All-American (3rd)
2010 Cadet Folkstyle Nationals Runner Up
2009 Cadet Duals FS All-Tourney Team
2009 Cadet Folkstyle Nationals Runner Up
A word to describe him: Punishing – He may not be the most physically imposing wrestler, but ask any of his opponents or coaches and they will be quick to mention Schmitt’s knack for inflicting severe punishment from both a physical and technical standpoint. He uses his all around strength to create a great deal of discomfort throughout a match, and is quick to capitalize on any of his opponent’s mistakes
Scouting Report: Since breaking into the high school ranks Schmitt has steadily been one of the class of 2013’s premier wrestlers, dominating his in state competition and excelling on the national stage throughout his career. He has been a model of consistency, with a multitude of strong performances at prestigious national tournaments including a Cadet Greco Roman National Title in 2010, back-to-back runner-up finishes at the FILA Cadet Freestyle Nationals in 2010 and 2011 along with an All-American performance at the Super 32 Challenge in 2010. All of this success has come with little flash or frill, and a whole lot of old school hardnosed wrestling. He is a banger by nature who is not scared to mix it up with the top guys in the country, as well as a competent rider who doesn’t give away any easy points on the mat. In order to maximize his success at the next level, Schmitt will need to tighten up his neutral defense a bit and improve his fluidity in scramble situations. He may be able to come in and wrestle at 125 for a year or two, further valuing his recruiting value; however Schmitt projects to be a 133lbr in the long run. He fell short of All-American honors in Fargo this year, however, he has scored notable wins over just about all the big name lightweights in the country over the past couple years. Regardless of the weight he competes at, his brute physicality and wealth of national experience will make Schmitt a highly sought after lightweight investment for a top-tier D1 program.
Grappler Video:
School:
Projected 12-13 HS Weight :
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
St Johns (D2)
152
149/157
125-1
1st-1st-1st (D2 MI/2A IL)
2011 Super 32 Champion
2011 Junior National Double Champion
2010 Cadet National Double Champion
2009 Cadet Freestyle National Champion
2009 Cadet Greco National Runner-Up
School:
Projected 12-13 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
Detroit Catholic Central (D1)
135
133
155-10
3rd-1st-1st
2012 FloNationals All-American (5th)
2011 Grappler Fall Classic Runner-Up
2011 FloNationals All-American (7th)
2010 Ohio TOC Champion
A Word to describe him: Tireless – Bade is a kid who wears his heart on
his sleeve, and wrestles with as much passion as anybody. Throughout his
career Bade has steadily made huge strides of improvement, validating the
intensity of his work ethic. Any potential athletic or technical shortcomings he
may have are more than made up for with his never ceasing desire inside
the circle.
Scouting Report: If college recruiting was like the stock market, chances are
that Ken Bade would be a pretty darn good investment. The kid has done
nothing but improve throughout his high school career, and shows no signs of slowing down or hitting his plateau. Not only did he dominate the state meet en route to his second state title this season, but he also turned in his best national performance to date by placing fifth in a loaded weight at Flonationals this spring and he was runner-up at the Grappler Fall Classic, losing a great finals match to Oregon State recruit Jack Hathaway of Iowa. His biggest knock is a lack of freestyle success, but everything Bade has shown over the past few years both in and out of state suggest he should be able to make a smooth transition to the collegiate scene. As previously mentioned his motor is terrific, and it is a accompanied by good combination of strength and quickness. Bade’s mat wrestling is solid also, and he has proven that he can score points against quality wrestlers from the top position. He can scramble as well as anyone in this class, and he has displayed good mat awareness that should help ease his transition from high school to college. Likely he will be competitive from the onset his college career, and if he continues the trend of improvement he has exhibited in high school Bade could be contending for All-American status a few years down the road.
Grappler Video:
A word to describe him: Dynamic – Look away for a split second and you
may just miss the highlight of the season; this is the case every time
Whitford hits the mat. His offensive pursuit is absolutely constant, and he
can seamlessly put moves together throughout a match. Furthermore, he
carries himself with the utmost confidence, and is fearless in the best way
possible. With such a wide array of explosive offensive attacks, Whitford can
score points in a hurry as well as any high school wrestler across the
country.
Scouting Report: It’s hard to remember a wrester as fun to watch as Ben Whitford, who has gained notoriety around the nation for his high-flying style as well as his dominance on the mat. Whitford, a Michigan native who spent the first two years of his high school career at Marmion Academy in Illinois, has been a one-man wrecking crew since bursting onto the scene and winning the Cadet Freestyle Nationals in 2009 prior to his freshman season with a classic finals win over Mark Grey of Blair Academy. Since then, he has annihilated competition with regularity in the process of winning national championships in all three styles to go along with three consecutive high school state titles. A string of injuries kept him out of the big spring/summer events, which is virtually the only thing separating him from Coon for the top spot in this class. Offensively he may be the most dangerous wrestler in the country, and his vast toolbox of filthy attacks on his feet will make Whitford an instant impact recruit when he hits the mats at the University of Michigan next season. The only area where he may need work transitioning to college is on the mat, however, his athleticism and wide open style of wrestling should give him the ability to score big points on the best in the Big Ten and the NCAA right away. Regardless of whether or not he redshirts Whitford will immediately be expected to contend for All-American honors, and with continued polishing to his already sensational skills a NCAA championship will be a very attainable objective before his days in Ann Arbor are complete.
Grappler Video:
School:
Projected 12-13 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
St Johns (D2)
145
149
159-8
2nd-3rd-3rd
2012 Super 32 All-American (7th)
2011 Junior Greco All-American (3rd)
2011 FILA Cadet Freestyle National Runner-Up
2010 Cadet Freestyle All-American (4th)
2010 Cadet Greco National Runner-Up
A word to describe him: Suffocating – Nothing ever comes easy when wrestling Pennell,
who has made a killing by utilizing his brute strength and textbook positioning to wear down
and break opponents over the course of a match. He does not score a ton of points, but is
efficient with his attacks and uses strong riding and good mat awareness to pull out tight
matches.
Scouting Report: It only takes one glance to see that Josh Pennell is powerful kid that can
do some serious damage on a wrestling mat. He is built like a house and his overall
strength & squaty build make him a nightmare to match up with. Just as importantly, Pennell has great mat awareness and understands how to use his strength to score points with out inducing a lot of risk. For proof, look no further than the USAW Greco-Roman Nationals in 2010 and 2011 where Pennell utilized his excellent power and positioning to earn second and third place finishes at the prestigious event. He has also had a great deal of success on the freestyle circuit, finishing fourth in Fargo in 2010 followed up by a runner-up performance at FILA Cadet Nationals in 2011. Last fall he added a notable folkstyle achievement to his impressive résumé, finishing seventh in a stacked weight at Super 32. Over the course of his career he has done a very good job grinding out close matches, combining his strength with superb patience and mat awareness. At times he does seem a bit choppy, so Pennell will need to improve his scrambling ability in order to thrive to the fullest of his abilities at the next level. While a state title has eluded him, falling short in the some of the toughest weights of D2 each year, his plethera of national success should give college coaches nationwide the ease of mind that he can and will be highly competetive at the collegiate level.
School:
Projected 12-13 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
Temperance Bedford (D1)
119
125
152-12
1st-2nd-1st
2012 Junior Folkstyle Nationals All-American (4th)
2011 Grappler Fall Classic Champion
Undefeated @ 2011 Disney Duals
Undefeated @ 2011 Militia Duals (GA)
2010 FloNationals All-American (8th)
4th @ 2010 Grappler Fall Classic
4th @ 2010 Ohio Tournament of Champions
Scouting Report: While he may not be as gifted as the other wrestlers on this list
athletically, it has not prevented Mitch Rogaliner from proving wrong a slew of doubters
and developing into one of Michigan’s finest lightweights. A classic overachiever,
Rogaliner has developed a style that suits his strengths well and has led to a pair of
state titles and some big wins on the national scene. Generally he does not wrestle very
well in space, but he neutralizes this weakness by dictating the pace of the match and forcing opponents to wrestle within the positions he is best suited for. His short counter-offense is simply the best I have ever seen, highlighted by a wicked short dump that makes him an extremely frustrating opponent, and his mat wrestling is top notch with a series of dangerous turns and pinning combos on top. Many wrote off Rogaliner’s first state title as fluke, but he has silenced any skeptics with several impressive performances on the national stage to validate his status as a top recruit. Rogaliner enjoyed a breakout junior season in terms of national success that raised his recruiting stock significantly, starting when he won one of the strongest weight classes at last year’s Grappler Fall Classic in convincing fashion. He then went on to earn All-American honors at the Junior Folkstyle Nationals and has been very active on the Freestyle and Greco Roman circuit, highlighted by a 10-2 overall record at the Junior National Duals. Rogaliner still needs to add some strength before he can be competitive at the collegiate level, and it would be nice to see him develop a go-to shot for situations when he needs a quick takedown, but the intangibles are there for him to succeed at a major NCAA program. He flies under some national radars, however, with his status as potential lifetime 125lber in college, Rogaliner has huge upside and could be a great asset for a big time college to land that will be a force to reckon with atop their lineup for a few years.
School:
Projected 12-13 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
St Johns (D2)
189/215
197
146-22
3rd-3rd-2nd
4th 2011 Super 32 Challenge
2011 Grappler Fall Classic Runner-Up
2011 Fila Cadet Double All-American
2010 Cadet Greco All-American (7th)
2010 USAW Cadet Folkstyle All-American (3rd)
2009 USAW Cadet Folkstyle All-American (5th)
Scouting Report: College coaches will be hard pressed to find any 197lbrs capable of
matching the motor of Payne Hayden. After spending the first two years of his career at
135 and 140, Hayden made the move up to 189lbs last year and didn’t miss a beat. In
fact he posted his best season to date, placing second at the Grappler Fall Classic
and fourth at Super 32 before narrowly missing out on a state title at 215lbs. This
offseason Hayden has continued to be one of Michigan’s most frequent competitors
on the national scene, wrestling well at the Junior Duals and coming a match away
from placing in both styles in Fargo. He possesses a very unique skill set for a wrestler his size, and has the potential to develop into a very good 197lbr. Hayden wrestlers at a terrific pace that opponents struggle greatly to match, and his scrambling ability will be a huge asset at the college level. If he can put in some additional work in the weight room and continue to gain the strength and size for his weight class Hayden should develop into a very successfull college wrestler.
Grappler Video: Super 32 - Hayden vs Aaron Rowe (VA)
School:
Projected 12-13 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
Buchanan (D3)
285
285
152-8
6th-2nd-1st
2011 Grappler Fall Classic Champion
Scouting Report: Perhaps the most intriguing prospect in this class is Gage Hutchison, a returning undefeated Division 3 state champion who will be wrestling at heavyweight this season after beginning his career at 160lbs. There is a lot to like about Hutchison as a recruit, who just recently made a verbal commitment to Eastern Michigan. He has great wrestling skill for a big man, and excellent athleticism that he uses to generate points from all positions. Hutchison’s biggest strength may be his upper body wrestling, where he holds very solid position and is not afraid to throw. He is also very capable on the mat, particularly in the down position where his movement is very good and will be critical to his success in college. While his national résumé may not be as long as others, he made a big statement last fall when he defeated Ohio state champion Josh Lehner to win the Grappler Fall Classic. Now the biggest task ahead of him will be making the necessary tweaks to his style that will allow him to excel as he makes the transition to heavyweight this season.
School:
Projected 12-13 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
St Johns (D2)
140
141
137-7
5th-2nd-1st
2011 Junior Freestyle All-American (6th)
Scouting Report: Physically, few wrestlers in the state of Michigan are as
gifted as Brant Schafer. He possesses an ideal blend of strength, athleticism,
explosiveness, and overall wrestling ability that is special to watch when
firing on all cylinders. Unfortunately that is not always the case, and he has
struggled with consistency at some points of his career. His national outings
have been a bit of a mixed bag, but none were as impressive as his trip to
Fargo last summer where he rattled off wins in his first seven matches to
place sixth on an absolutely stacked Junior Freestyle chart. On his feet
Schafer is an absolute force, and when his offense is clicking his attacks
can be almost impossible to stop. He is a solid rider as well, but will need to continue to improve his overall mat game at the next level. Developmentally he is an interesting recruit, and if he finds the right fit in a college program his potential will be sky high.
Grappler Video: 2012 State Finals - Schafer vs Cody Stenberg (Muskegon RP)
School:
Projected 12-13 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
Holly (D2)
135/140
141
139-10
1st-5th-1st
2011 Cadet Greco All-American (5th)
2011 Cadet Duals Greco All-tournament team
Undefeated at 2011 VA Beach Duals
2011 Cadet Folkstyle National Champion
Scouting Report: Certainly not a traditional folkstyle wrestler, Gonzales has used a unique
and unorthodox style to enjoy a great deal of success in his high school career. A two-time
Division 2 state champion, Gonzales is an interesting prospect who has a lot of upside. He
is an excellent athlete, and has elite upper body strength and crazy hips that have lead to a lot
of Greco Roman success and makes him a very dangerous opponent. In 2011 he put
together a phenomenal offseason, winning a Cadet Folkstyle National Title and following up with a fifth place finish at the Cadet Greco Roman Nationals. However he has been very quiet this offseason, hurting his stock a bit in these rankings. The biggest challenge he will face heading into college is his mat wrestling, where significant progress will need to be made in order to thrive at the Division 1 level. Gonzales is a little bit of a project and needs to continue to develop technically, but he has a very high ceiling and his combination of athleticism, strength and attitude should make him a highly sought after recruit.
Grappler Video - 2012 State Finals - Gonzales vs Kyle Simaz (Allegan)
St Johns (D2)
130
133
148-5
1st-2nd-1st (D2)
2012 Fila Junior Freestyle All-American (8th)
2011 Junior Greco All-American (8th)
2011 FILA Cadet Freestyle National Runner-Up
2010 Super 32 All-American (5th)
2010 Cadet Freestyle National Runner-Up
2010 Cadet Greco National Champion
2010 FILA Cadet Freestyle National Runner-Up
2009 Cadet Freestyle All-American (4th)
2009 Cadet Greco All-American (4th)
2009 Cadet FS/GR Duals All-Tourney Team
11. Brian Moran
12. Shane Wireman
13. Aaron Calderon
14. Zack Cooper
15. Joe Ostman
School:
Projected 12-13 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
Fowlerville (D2)
215
285
123-16
Q-2nd-4th (D2/D4)
Undefeated @ 2012 NUWAY America’s Cup
2012 Junior Folkstyle Nationals Runner Up
2011 Double Cadet All American
2011 FILA Cadet Greco Roman Runner Up
2011 Cadet Folkstyle National Champion
Scouting Report: Few wrestlers in this class have competed more nationally than Brian Moran, who has spent the past few years traveling the country and gaining heaps of valuable experience in all three styles. Some may feel that he will be undersized at heavyweight when he hits the college ranks, but with his length he should have no problem adding muscle to his frame and becoming an adequately sized 285lbr. On his feet Moran is extremely aggressive, something that has been responsible for a lot of his success but also has cost him some big matches. At times he seems to force his offense, but this is a very correctable problem and the fact he is confident in his attacks is a big positive. Athletically he has the tools necessary to succeed at the next level, and the fact he competes so frequently on the national level shows that he is working to improve.
School:
Projected 12-13 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
Holt (D1)
119
125
137-25
Q-1st-3rd
2011 Disney Duals Silver Medallist
Scouting Report: For a 2011 state champion wrestling at a prominent program, Shane Wireman seems to fly under the radar at times. This can be partially attributed to him not competing in Freestyle or Greco, but he has performed well at major national folkstyle events such as Super 32 and the Disney Duals, and should be viewed as a very valuable prospect. He may not be the flashiest wrestler in this class, but he is a tough kid who looks very comfortable on a wrestling mat. Throughout his career he has showed continued improvement, and seems to be right on the cusp of breaking out nationally. Factor in his potential to be a career 125lbr, and Wireman should get plenty of recruiting attention over the next few months, however, hitting up big time events like the Grappler Fall Classic, Super 32, FloNationals, etc. this year could help increase his stock..
School:
Projected 12-13 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
Brighton (D1)
160
165
111-12 (9th grade year not included)
X-Q-1st
2012 Junior Folkstyle All-American (5th)
Scouting Report: No Michigan wrestler increased their recruiting stock more in 2012 than Aaron Calderon, who was a relative unknown heading into the season last year. That changed in a hurry when he put together a very strong season, followed up by an outstanding state tournament that was capped in dramatic fashion when he knocked off three-time defending state champion Alec Mooradian in the finals. Calderon backed up his big win in the spring, when he wrestled at the USAW Junior Folkstyle Nationals and placed fifth in a tough weight class. Athletically he is one of the most gifted wrestlers in the state, and his exponential improvement over the past year suggests that he has an astronomically high ceiling. Likely he will not step into the lineup anywhere for at least a year or two, but by the time it is all said and done Calderon could be one of the elite recruits to emerge from this class on a statewide and possibly even national scale.
School:
Projected 12-13 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
Remus Chippewa Hills (D3)
119
125
167-7
3rd-1st-1st
Undefeated @ 2012 Grand River Rumble
Undefeated @ 2011 Midwest Grand Challenge
Undefeated @ 2011 Grand River Rumble
Scouting Report: Rarely on the forefront of the national scene, it is easy to forget just how dominant Zack Cooper, a former MI Grappler Youth Wrestler of The Year, has been over his high school career. He has more MHSAA wins than any other wrestler in this class, and has won two consecutive state titles rather convincingly after placing third as an undersized 103lbr in his freshman season. He has performed very well at major national level dual meet events such as the Grand River Rumble and Midwest Grand Challenge, however, he has yet to breakout at any major national individual tournaments, which is what keeps him out of the top 10. Cooper’s best attribute is his vicious top game, where he can ride with strong fundamentals, generate frequent turns and ultimately break opponents. Given his status as a 125lbr for the foreseeable future, Cooper could a hidden gem for a mid-level Division 1 program in search of help in the lowerweights.
School:
Projected 12-13 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
St Ignace
215
197/285
147-12
6th-1st-1st
Undefeated @ 2012 Grand River Rumble
Scouting Report: S Ostman is another wrestler who has an exceptional career within the confines of Michigan, but has not had enough national success to justify a top ten ranking at this time. He made waves at the state meet in 2011 when, as a sophomore, he pinned defending state champion Matt Smith of Hudson to become the Upper Peninsula’s first MHSAA state champion. He proved his validity to any doubters this season, making a seamless transition to 215lbs where he posted an undefeated record and knocked off returning runner-up Joe Ericson of Springport along the way to his second consecutive state title. Fundamentally he appears to be solid, and his strength seems to be very good for a 215lbr. Unfortunately he is a prospect that falls directly between the 197 and 285lbs weight classes, which would be an early obstacle in his transition to college wrestling, if he chooses to compete at the next level. However, he is very talented on the Gridiron and may be taking his talents to college for Football rather than Wrestling.
