2016-17 recruits Mitch McKee and Hunter Marko both won their 3rd and 4th state titles, respectively. And, then McKee and Gopher Recruit Lucas Jeske both wrestled in the Cliff Keen Dream Classic last weekend in New Prague, MN.
Here are articles on both topics:
Gopher Recruits Cap Prep Careers with Titles
Mitch McKee and Hunter Marko end high school careers by continuing state championship streaks
GopherSports.com
March 11, 2016
The college wrestling season is speeding toward its close at the NCAA Championships next week. Meanwhile, earlier this winter, both Gopher signees for the 2016 recruiting class wrapped up their high school careers with state championships.
Across the Hudson River in Wisconsin, Hunter Marko became the 14th four-time state champion in Wisconsin history when he won a 138-pound title in Madison, Wis. earlier this winter. The state title capped an undefeated senior year for Marko, who went 39-0 in his last season wrestling for Amery High School and his father, head coach Scott Marko. His run through the state tournament featured an opening round tech fall, a 7-1 decision in the semifinals and a 9-1 major decision to claim first place. Marko had previously won titles at 106, 113 and 126 pounds.
Just a few miles down Interstate 94 from the Gopher wrestling room, St. Michael-Albertville’s Mitch McKee won his third consecutive state title. A five-time finalist in his high school career, McKee had previous won
titles at 120 and 126 before winning a 138-pound championship this season. Like Marko, McKee’s title completed an undefeated campaign, one in which he went 50-0. All four of McKee’s wins at state were bonus point wins, beginning with a fall in the first round, followed by major decisions in the quarters and semis and a 20-5 tech fall for the title.
Both Marko and McKee will join the Gopher program this fall.
Hall shines in No. 1 vs. No. 2, but Team USA dominates Minnesota
Josh Lowe, InterMat High School Analyst
3/13/2016
Mark Hall defeated Alex Marinelli by major decision, 14-5 (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)
NEW PRAGUE, Minn. -- Held about a month earlier than normal, the Wrestling USA Magazine Cliff Keen Dream Team Classic took place last night in New Prague, Minn. This year's event featured some of the nation's top seniors facing many of the top seniors from the Gopher State. To be expected, a group of seniors from across the United States was clearly favored; and in mostly unsurprising fashion, Minnesota seniors won just three of the thirteen bouts.
However, one of those wins was the evening's biggest story. Coming in the last match, No. 1 Mark Hall (Apple Valley) used a third period barrage to upend No. 2 Alex Marinelli (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) by a 14-5 major decision at 170 pounds. Hall is the nation's overall top senior, bound for Penn State; while Marinelli, an Iowa commit, is third overall in the senior class regardless of weight class.
One of the other two wins for a Minnesota wrestler came against Marinelli's St. Paris Graham teammate Brent Moore. Earning the 10-2 major decision victory was No. 5 Mitchell McKee (St. Michael-Albertville) at 138 pounds. The third and final Gopher State victory came at 126 pounds, as Adam Hedin (Rosemount) rallied from a 5-0 deficit to earn a 6-5 upset victory over No. 3 Kevin Norstrem (Brandon, Fla.) at 126 pounds; Hedin was a state runner-up at 132 in Minnesota's big-school Class AAA this year.
Nick Reenan celebrates after defeating Taylor Venz at 182 pounds (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)
That first Minnesota win came in the evening's seventh bout, which meant that Team USA amassed wins in the evening's first six bouts. It started off with a victory at 182 pounds coming from Nick Reenan (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.), who is ranked No. 2 nationally at 195; Reenan earned a 13-10 victory over two-time state champion Taylor Venz (Farmington) in an absolute barn-burner. Next on the mat was the 195 pound bout, where No. 4 Ben Darmstadt (Elyria, Ohio) pinned No. 3 (at 182) Keegan Moore (Jackson County Central) in the first period. The 220 pound match had zero surprise with No. 2 Matt Stencel (Oregon Clay, Ohio) earning a 9-1 major decision victory over Kevin Kniesl (Delano).
It was somewhat an unexpectedly close bout at 285 pounds, where No. 1 Osawaru Odighizuwa (David Douglas, Ore.) beat No. 20 Andrew Piehl (Rogers) 3-1 in overtime. Turning back to the lower weights, No. 4 Danny Vega (Ironwood Ridge, Ariz.) earned a 12-3 major decision over 2015 state champion Ethan Cota (Kenyon-Wanamingo) at 113. Last in the six match winning streak to open the dual meet, it was a 21-6 technical fall for No. 5 (at 126) Jack Mueller (Trinity Christian Academy, Texas) over 113 pound state champion Victor Gliva (Farmington).
Sandwiching the first two Minnesota victories, which came over future Virginia Tech wrestlers, it was No. 6 (at 138) Taylor LaMont (Maple Mountain, Utah) earning an 11-5 victory over two-time state runner-up Jamie LeDuc (Farmington) at 132. After the loss at 138, it was three straight United States victories before the last bout of the evening.
Winning at 145 was No. 4 Carter Happel (Lisbon, Iowa), who beat state runner-up Brock Morgan (Apple Valley) 7-4. Then at 152 pounds, it was No. 1 Mason Manville (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) scoring a 4-1 victory in the tiebreaker over No. 3 Griffin Parriott (New Prague) in a battle of future Big Ten wrestlers; Manville bound for Penn State along with Hall, and Parriott the Purdue commit. Lastly it was a pair of nationally ranked 182 pound wrestlers taking to the mats at 160, where No. 8 Daniel Bullard (Archer, Ga.) beat No. 16 Lucas Jeske (St. Michael-Albertville) 3-1.
Results:
182: No. 2 (at 195) Nick Reenan (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) dec. Taylor Venz (Farmington), 13-10
195: No. 4 Ben Darmstadt (Elyria, Ohio) pinned No. 3 (at 182) Keegan Moore (Jackson County Central), 1:43
220: No. 2 Matt Stencel (Oregon Clay, Ohio) maj. dec. Kevin Kneisl (Delano), 9-1
285: No. 1 Osawaru Odighizuwa (David Douglas, Ore.) dec. No. 20 Andrew Piehl (Rogers), 3-1 OT
113: No. 4 Danny Vega (Ironwood Ridge, Ariz.) maj. dec. Ethan Cota (Kenyon-Wanamingo), 12-3
120: No. 5 (at 126) Jack Mueller (Trinity Christian Academy, Texas) tech. fall Victor Gliva (Farmington), 21-6 4:10
126: Adam Hedin (Rosemount) dec. No. 3 Kyle Norstrem (Brandon, Fla.), 6-5
132: No. 6 (at 138) Taylor LaMont (Maple Mountain, Utah) dec. Jamin Le Duc (Farmington), 11-5
138: No. 5 Mitchell McKee (St. Michael-Albertville) maj. dec. No. 8 Brent Moore (St. Paris Graham, Ohio), 10-2
145: No. 4 Carter Happel (Lisbon, Iowa) dec. Brock Morgan (Apple Valley), 7-4
*152: No. 3 Griffin Parriott (New Prague) won by forfeit.
Exhibition 152: No. 1 Mason Manville (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) dec. No. 3 Griffin Parriott (New Prague), 4-1 OT
160: No. 8 (at 182) Daniel Bullard (Archer, Ga.) dec. No. 16 (at 182) Lucas Jeske (St. Michael-Albertville), 3-1
170: No. 1 Mark Hall (Apple Valley) maj. dec. No. 2 Alex Marinelli (St. Paris Graham, Ohio), 14-5
* Manville did not make weight
Gopher Mitch McKee had a tough Brent Moore from powerhouse St, Paris Graham, OH, but Mitch made easy work of this match! McKee is very aggressive and very technically sound...he got 4 takedowns, including one where he did an innovative step around on a whizzer to lock the other leg that I'd never seen before!! Mitch got back points on a double arm bar and he rides very well. This guy might be further along than Tommy Thorn was when he came into the program and he is a real blue chip, big time recruit!!!
Lucas Jeske wrestled well, and he has the body structure and the basics to be very good...he just needs some technical improvement, which he will get once he is in the Gopher Wrestling room!
One question I have. #55 Lucas Jeske (St. Michael-Albertville) and #42 Owen Webster (Shakopee) have been verbally committed for a while, but they must not have signed their NLI yet, as Gopher Wrestling does not comment on their activities like they do with McKee and Marko. Not sure why this is, but it's something to watch.
Here are articles on both topics:
Gopher Recruits Cap Prep Careers with Titles
Mitch McKee and Hunter Marko end high school careers by continuing state championship streaks
GopherSports.com
March 11, 2016
The college wrestling season is speeding toward its close at the NCAA Championships next week. Meanwhile, earlier this winter, both Gopher signees for the 2016 recruiting class wrapped up their high school careers with state championships.
Across the Hudson River in Wisconsin, Hunter Marko became the 14th four-time state champion in Wisconsin history when he won a 138-pound title in Madison, Wis. earlier this winter. The state title capped an undefeated senior year for Marko, who went 39-0 in his last season wrestling for Amery High School and his father, head coach Scott Marko. His run through the state tournament featured an opening round tech fall, a 7-1 decision in the semifinals and a 9-1 major decision to claim first place. Marko had previously won titles at 106, 113 and 126 pounds.
Just a few miles down Interstate 94 from the Gopher wrestling room, St. Michael-Albertville’s Mitch McKee won his third consecutive state title. A five-time finalist in his high school career, McKee had previous won
titles at 120 and 126 before winning a 138-pound championship this season. Like Marko, McKee’s title completed an undefeated campaign, one in which he went 50-0. All four of McKee’s wins at state were bonus point wins, beginning with a fall in the first round, followed by major decisions in the quarters and semis and a 20-5 tech fall for the title.
Both Marko and McKee will join the Gopher program this fall.
Hall shines in No. 1 vs. No. 2, but Team USA dominates Minnesota
Josh Lowe, InterMat High School Analyst
3/13/2016
Mark Hall defeated Alex Marinelli by major decision, 14-5 (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)
NEW PRAGUE, Minn. -- Held about a month earlier than normal, the Wrestling USA Magazine Cliff Keen Dream Team Classic took place last night in New Prague, Minn. This year's event featured some of the nation's top seniors facing many of the top seniors from the Gopher State. To be expected, a group of seniors from across the United States was clearly favored; and in mostly unsurprising fashion, Minnesota seniors won just three of the thirteen bouts.
However, one of those wins was the evening's biggest story. Coming in the last match, No. 1 Mark Hall (Apple Valley) used a third period barrage to upend No. 2 Alex Marinelli (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) by a 14-5 major decision at 170 pounds. Hall is the nation's overall top senior, bound for Penn State; while Marinelli, an Iowa commit, is third overall in the senior class regardless of weight class.
One of the other two wins for a Minnesota wrestler came against Marinelli's St. Paris Graham teammate Brent Moore. Earning the 10-2 major decision victory was No. 5 Mitchell McKee (St. Michael-Albertville) at 138 pounds. The third and final Gopher State victory came at 126 pounds, as Adam Hedin (Rosemount) rallied from a 5-0 deficit to earn a 6-5 upset victory over No. 3 Kevin Norstrem (Brandon, Fla.) at 126 pounds; Hedin was a state runner-up at 132 in Minnesota's big-school Class AAA this year.
Nick Reenan celebrates after defeating Taylor Venz at 182 pounds (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)
That first Minnesota win came in the evening's seventh bout, which meant that Team USA amassed wins in the evening's first six bouts. It started off with a victory at 182 pounds coming from Nick Reenan (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.), who is ranked No. 2 nationally at 195; Reenan earned a 13-10 victory over two-time state champion Taylor Venz (Farmington) in an absolute barn-burner. Next on the mat was the 195 pound bout, where No. 4 Ben Darmstadt (Elyria, Ohio) pinned No. 3 (at 182) Keegan Moore (Jackson County Central) in the first period. The 220 pound match had zero surprise with No. 2 Matt Stencel (Oregon Clay, Ohio) earning a 9-1 major decision victory over Kevin Kniesl (Delano).
It was somewhat an unexpectedly close bout at 285 pounds, where No. 1 Osawaru Odighizuwa (David Douglas, Ore.) beat No. 20 Andrew Piehl (Rogers) 3-1 in overtime. Turning back to the lower weights, No. 4 Danny Vega (Ironwood Ridge, Ariz.) earned a 12-3 major decision over 2015 state champion Ethan Cota (Kenyon-Wanamingo) at 113. Last in the six match winning streak to open the dual meet, it was a 21-6 technical fall for No. 5 (at 126) Jack Mueller (Trinity Christian Academy, Texas) over 113 pound state champion Victor Gliva (Farmington).
Sandwiching the first two Minnesota victories, which came over future Virginia Tech wrestlers, it was No. 6 (at 138) Taylor LaMont (Maple Mountain, Utah) earning an 11-5 victory over two-time state runner-up Jamie LeDuc (Farmington) at 132. After the loss at 138, it was three straight United States victories before the last bout of the evening.
Winning at 145 was No. 4 Carter Happel (Lisbon, Iowa), who beat state runner-up Brock Morgan (Apple Valley) 7-4. Then at 152 pounds, it was No. 1 Mason Manville (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) scoring a 4-1 victory in the tiebreaker over No. 3 Griffin Parriott (New Prague) in a battle of future Big Ten wrestlers; Manville bound for Penn State along with Hall, and Parriott the Purdue commit. Lastly it was a pair of nationally ranked 182 pound wrestlers taking to the mats at 160, where No. 8 Daniel Bullard (Archer, Ga.) beat No. 16 Lucas Jeske (St. Michael-Albertville) 3-1.
Results:
182: No. 2 (at 195) Nick Reenan (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) dec. Taylor Venz (Farmington), 13-10
195: No. 4 Ben Darmstadt (Elyria, Ohio) pinned No. 3 (at 182) Keegan Moore (Jackson County Central), 1:43
220: No. 2 Matt Stencel (Oregon Clay, Ohio) maj. dec. Kevin Kneisl (Delano), 9-1
285: No. 1 Osawaru Odighizuwa (David Douglas, Ore.) dec. No. 20 Andrew Piehl (Rogers), 3-1 OT
113: No. 4 Danny Vega (Ironwood Ridge, Ariz.) maj. dec. Ethan Cota (Kenyon-Wanamingo), 12-3
120: No. 5 (at 126) Jack Mueller (Trinity Christian Academy, Texas) tech. fall Victor Gliva (Farmington), 21-6 4:10
126: Adam Hedin (Rosemount) dec. No. 3 Kyle Norstrem (Brandon, Fla.), 6-5
132: No. 6 (at 138) Taylor LaMont (Maple Mountain, Utah) dec. Jamin Le Duc (Farmington), 11-5
138: No. 5 Mitchell McKee (St. Michael-Albertville) maj. dec. No. 8 Brent Moore (St. Paris Graham, Ohio), 10-2
145: No. 4 Carter Happel (Lisbon, Iowa) dec. Brock Morgan (Apple Valley), 7-4
*152: No. 3 Griffin Parriott (New Prague) won by forfeit.
Exhibition 152: No. 1 Mason Manville (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) dec. No. 3 Griffin Parriott (New Prague), 4-1 OT
160: No. 8 (at 182) Daniel Bullard (Archer, Ga.) dec. No. 16 (at 182) Lucas Jeske (St. Michael-Albertville), 3-1
170: No. 1 Mark Hall (Apple Valley) maj. dec. No. 2 Alex Marinelli (St. Paris Graham, Ohio), 14-5
* Manville did not make weight
Gopher Mitch McKee had a tough Brent Moore from powerhouse St, Paris Graham, OH, but Mitch made easy work of this match! McKee is very aggressive and very technically sound...he got 4 takedowns, including one where he did an innovative step around on a whizzer to lock the other leg that I'd never seen before!! Mitch got back points on a double arm bar and he rides very well. This guy might be further along than Tommy Thorn was when he came into the program and he is a real blue chip, big time recruit!!!
Lucas Jeske wrestled well, and he has the body structure and the basics to be very good...he just needs some technical improvement, which he will get once he is in the Gopher Wrestling room!
One question I have. #55 Lucas Jeske (St. Michael-Albertville) and #42 Owen Webster (Shakopee) have been verbally committed for a while, but they must not have signed their NLI yet, as Gopher Wrestling does not comment on their activities like they do with McKee and Marko. Not sure why this is, but it's something to watch.
