BT finals predictions

[ICAlumni]

Before I start, I think the Hawks need to take 4 of 6 to win this thing, and I feel like Telford and McD are critical since head to head but we'll see.

McD versus Sanders - easy win McD... he owns this kid

Ramos versus Stieber - Stieber is just a beast; don't like how Tony looked last time but Ramos is also the #1 guy on the team and that includes McD that I would bet on to beat a guy he lost to the next time he faces him. I think Tony scrapes this out in OT.

Montell - good matchup for Montell; he matches well with Russell, knows him probably better than any other 141 pounder in the country and has traded punches with him his whole career; I think he's on a mission and I like his chances to get over the hump. Montell wins by 1.

StJohn - I like his chances against Welch. Going into the tourney i would have said no way but the way he looked taking down #2 and #3 i think it's well within reach. StJ wins.

Evans - no way he gets by Taylor; just hoping he puts up a good fight. I believe he's the only guy (there may be one more) not to be majored this year by Taylor. It would be the upset of the year if he wins, but I don't think he will. That being said - Evans looks really good right now and for the future. Just wish he wasn't at Taylor's weight. I think Evans may end up our 174 pounder anyway.

Telford - Nelson is a really tough HWT and seems to have improved immensely last year. With Gelogaev out, I think he's the best HWT in the country. If Bobby wrestles like today he wins, but I think Nelson pulls this out.

I think Hawks go 4-0 then drop the last 2 and win the BT by a hair.

It's going to be tough but I think Brands has these guys firing at the right time.

Still don't like how defensive we were today and how much we let people in on our legs.

If MN falls in their other 3 matches where they don't face us and maybe one of the three PSU studs falls, i think we could still pull it out with fewer than 4 champs.

GO HAWKS!

(p.s. Thanks wrestlers for helping to take the sting out of my Carver trip today... that game hurt more than any in a long time... at least it feels good to care again.)

 

[ih8olives]

First of all I think it's nice that Brands let the Basketball team play their game in Carver Hawkeye while he was away on a business trip.

Building on your projections I think your pretty close to dead on, but I feel the points in finals are all but huge but the wrestleback results are so crucial for the team race:

125 Megalaudis should get past mele in the consi semis but i think he will finish 4th to Delgado, however i wouldnt sell mele short

133 dardannes draws futtrell which is good for the Hawks, I think Dardannes takes 4th, Martelotti should win his last bout to come in 7th

141 Daradannes should roll through thomas but I think he will finish 4th behind steiber (i also think sueflohn will beat dardannes). Pearsall also comes in 7th and I think hes prolly earned himself an at large bid for st louis (depending on how the rest of the qualifier slots go)

149 Kelly is still alive but barely and he'll have to go through Osterman (i believe) today to get the final qualifier spot, would be huge if he can get a decent draw for nationals and add any points in st louis. however he will add no more team points today. And molinaro should roll through Ness in finals, but I dont see bonus pts

157 Alton has a tough matchup in Demas that he should come through but I think Green will take third and force alton into fourth place.

165 Taylor should win but evans has two possible chances 1. he can slow down taylor on the mat 2. he can through some funk/junk and maybe surprise taylor. The bigger factor in the team race will be what Yohn does down bottom Polz beat him 4-2 earlier in the season and if he does the same it will relegate yohn to 5th

174 Lofthouse has to redeem himself, He's done well against Blanton and should see heflin for third place, It still bothers me the way Heflin bumped away from Lofthouse in the dual so I really hope Ethan gets to see him for 3rd and I think lofthouse will battle back for 3rd, but my, what could have been... Ruth will beat Storley but no bonus points here.

184 Gambrall will just get by Dallago (whose wrestling better than he ever has before, which i attribute entirely to the new addition to his coaching staff) and then in a huge head to head he'll have to get by wright I think he will. By the way, how many of us (myself included) had written grant off this season, good for him he is wrestling great and maybe spending some time up a weight helped him.

197 Yohn and McIntosh is a huge match because whoever wins this one should take third, however, Campalotano is wrestling great and if he sees McIntosh again he may reverse the result from yesterday, however if its Yohn who wins he will beat camp or kissel I guess for team points itd be better to see McIntosh win and then have yohn take 5th and McIntosh lose to Camp to place 4th

285 Bobby Telford is a great tournament wrestler, he just wrestles better in these situations. He had Nelson on the ropes at National Duals , he just didnt attack in the last minute, I think he reverses that decision today. Wade should roll to third place BUT I think McMullan has it in him to upset anyone he wrestles, he is a tough kid and I wouldnt be surprised to see him upset wade for third.

 

[iahawk20]

It will likely take 4/6 due to what Mn and Psu will likely rack up in wrestlebacks. It will be huge for Iowa if EL and GG can both lock uo a third place finish.

 

[pumpdog20]

The big question is can Iowa reverse what happened at the Midland finals where they had so many in the championship and lost a majority of the bouts. Personally it was great to see so many Hawks make the finals, but I pessimistically believe only McD will win. Hope I'm wrong, go Hawks.

 

[CRwrestling]

mcd is our surest win. evans is our surest loss. the other 4 are pick'ems at best.

133 we've had big wins out of ramos and he won't melt. I also like him after seeing a guy once. look how he progressed against futrell.
141 who wins the wild scramble at the end of the third.
157 dsj owns welsh when hes healthy.
hvy. Nelson isn't out of telfords league at all. hes strong but lets not put him on a pedestal.