PA Recruiting News
- Thread starter Ryno53
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Does anybody know of any other transfers we might be in on? I saw on Facebook that it looks like rocky jordan is going to UTC, wish we could of snagged him
Chappell , two P’s and two L’s. Commonly misspelled. Lol
Saw Sam Hillegas, formerly from North Hills is in the portal
I would love to have him but I don’t know if I see a spot unless he would go 157, obviously he can always battle McMillan
Idk about Hillegas. I wasnt really impressed the handful of times I've seen him wrestle. Maybe he still has upside, but I don't think he improves the lineup at this stage
The vibe for Seneca Valley's Tyler Chappell leaving Virginia Beach was much different than when he exited Hershey two weeks prior. Chappell let it fly at NHSCA junior nationals last weekend and made a dominant run to a 113-pound title, which helped ease the sting of a state tournament that didn't go as planned.
Chappell gave up one takedown in his six matches at NHSCAs and pitched shutouts in the semifinals against Tennessee's Caleb Uhorchuk and the finals against Florida's Tyler Washburn to stand atop the podium and for the first time call himself a national champ. Chappell got back to the sharpest version of his offense and leaned on his usual slick defense that was all but impossible to beat.
"I definitely felt like I showed out," Chappell said. "I was opening up on my feet way more than I usually do ever, and scoring a lot more points. I felt like I was in control everywhere. It wasn't like PA wrestling, so the mat wrestling was significantly easier for me. It felt like I could get out at will. I was riding just about everyone, turning. It felt like I was just a caliber above everyone."
Chappell rolled to wins over wrestlers who finished second, third, fifth and sixth in his weight class, so he left no question that he was a caliber above. Chappell scored 41 total points in his first four matches, then blanked Uhorchuk with a 1-0 decision in the semifinals and made an early takedown stand in another clean performance to beat Washburn, 2-0, in the finals.
Defense and mat wrestling have always been among Chappell's greatest strengths, so it was no surprise to see him lean on those skills to finish off his tournament the right way. But the two-time state medalist also said he made a conscious commitment before the tournament to think less, flow from position to position and attack more. That marked a big shift from his time in Hershey, where he placed seventh at 113 pounds at the PIAA championships. Chappell placed third at 106 pounds as a sophomore two years ago.
"I definitely felt like Hershey I let my mind take control, and I didn't wrestle like I knew I could," Chappell said. "I really shut down, didn't trust my training and stuff. At this tournament, my dad was really preaching just go out have fun, let everything fly, so I did that and I was just racking up points and I beat a majority of the good kids. My way coming up, the two kids I beat first came back and placed fifth and sixth, then the kid I beat in the semis took third and I beat the runner-up. I felt like I beat the top caliber of the kids there handily."
Chappell felt and looked dominant, boosted by the momentum he shared with WPIAL friends Matt Furman and Shawn Taylor, who also took home NHSCA national titles. It all fed into an improved mindset for Chappell, which was reflected in the way he performed throughout the tournament. The end result was an ability to make winning six straight matches at a national tournament look like it was easy.
Once again, that was a far cry from where Chappell thought he was in Hershey.
"I just wasn't doing anything neutral," he said of his state tournament. "I wasn't really putting up points. I was making it very difficult for myself to win, just with relying on my bottom and top."
That mindset should only help push Chappell into a busy weekend with a qualifier at Clarion this Saturday and a match against Montoursville state finalist Branden Wentzel at PA Power's Redemption Dual on Sunday. This will be Round 3 between Chappell and Wentzel, who last wrestled at True Power last summer. Including a 4-3 decision at True Power, Chappell took each of the previous two meetings to win a clash of styles that led to nonstop scrambles.
More of the same should be expected when they meet again Sunday.
"I'm in a lot better spirit now," Chappell said. "I'm just going to go out with the exact same mindset. I've wrestled him twice before, I've beaten him twice before. I know it's going to be a low-scoring match, but it's going to be a high pace and intense just like it was at POWERade because 1-0 doesn't show what that match was. We were in on each other's legs, scrambling the whole first period. It was a fun match."
We grew up wrestling in same club and on teams with Sam. He is a very good wrestler. Sometimes a change in culture, styles, and coaching can rejuvenate a wrestler. No idea where he is looking to go to but I wouldn’t count Sam out, he has a great work ethic and good family supporting him. Not sure if weight may have been an issue either, I am curious to see where he ends up and he would be a good addition at Pitt for depth and potential 149 pounder and 141 after Cole is done if that is still a weight he can maintain.
After watching him for a long time as well, he lacks the neutral offense like so many pitt guys do but his mat wrestling ability and scrambling is incredible. I would love to have him and he is a great kid. I’m not positive where is best for him lineup wise but if you want to be a consistent top 10 team you have to have guys like this pushing to get in the lineup which makes the team stronger. Untill Cole graduates or injuries occur at 141 or 149, wouldn’t it be nice for Sammy to step in and not miss a beat, and who knows he could win a wrestle off at 149 as well, steel sharpens steel.
I hope you are right. It's just, to me, he looks more like an Austin Bell than a Chance Marsteller at this point. Things can certainly change, as you stated. I hope the best for him and that I am wrong
Little update from the weekend. Did some Freestyle and Greco this weekend at Clarion, first time doing Greco, took 2nd, lost in finals 9-9 (weird international criteria) instead of settling the bout on the mat. Took 2nd in Freestyle also, lost in finals to a world team member who is phenomenal wrestler. Qualified for State tournament by being in top 4 and looking to get to Fargo this year.
Did an All Star match Sunday at State College, Redemption Dual. Beat Wentzel, AA Runner Up this year, 3-1 in 2 OT's, 3rd time this year he has beat him, Powerade for 3rd 1-0 and at True Power event, 4-3. Hes a tough kid, tall and thin, good scrambles, their probably getting tired of wrestling each other. The entire event is on Rokfin if you have that service.
Taking a weekend off, 5th weekend in a row wrestling, and back to some training. I am also getting tired of so much traveling, gotta get back to work so I can rest up.
Did an All Star match Sunday at State College, Redemption Dual. Beat Wentzel, AA Runner Up this year, 3-1 in 2 OT's, 3rd time this year he has beat him, Powerade for 3rd 1-0 and at True Power event, 4-3. Hes a tough kid, tall and thin, good scrambles, their probably getting tired of wrestling each other. The entire event is on Rokfin if you have that service.
Taking a weekend off, 5th weekend in a row wrestling, and back to some training. I am also getting tired of so much traveling, gotta get back to work so I can rest up.
Get Wyatt in here to be close to his dad, Matthew’s at 141, Henson at 149, then once Cole graduates he can go 141 with McMillan at 149
Your are definitely right(briar is tough), they were just talking about it on Facebook and how his dads here so it could be a landing spot. The odds are slim anyhow but just don’t want to see him at PSU or another team in the ACC, tired of the rich getting richer. This is our time to take over the ACC.
Guys who transfer because they've been on the bench for two years are usually not seeking a similar situation to the one they just left. Unless the primary motivation is proximity to family & wrestling with his friends (possible), Sam ain't coming. You think a recruit like Wyatt Henson is gonna be happy to sit two years behind Cole Matthews!? It just makes no sense, that would be four straight seasons without competing for a blue chip recruit. Henson is 5'5", and I think McMillen would crush him if he tried to move up to 149. Henson is prob transferring because he thinks he can WIN 141 next year in what could be a very open field (that depends on Cornell lineup).
I don’t see the fit for Pitt this year unfortunately and I agree why transfer somewhere unless you are going into the starting role. Only way I see it if Cole moves up to 149 which I don’t envision. Cole should be ranked either 1 or 2 going into next year. With that being said though add the talent if you can! As much as I like Hillegas I think Henson is on another tier. I had him at like 5th overall in his class
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You guys are right, he’ll pretty much get to pick where he goes and it’s definitely to start immediately. Has anybody heard if Kernan is gonna wrestle or is one of the lighter heller boys(if he comes) gonna go 165?
Kernan is moving on. The Heller's are coming to Pitt
I also saw Anthony Montalvo go in the portal from Oklahoma State at 184. he beat Nino a couple years back. I’m sure he’ll be almost impossible to get him out this way but he’s a tough kid entering the mix
Oh yeah. 5 years of combined eligibility left and they have solid/strong results. Holden at 165 had wins last year (redshirting) over three NQs. I'm a little more cautious about Reece because he'll prob have to move up to 184? But he has good wins at 174, beat two NQs last year and wrestled one tournament at 184. Still think Luca is eventually slated for 184 so maybe he goes up early instead. But the Hellers solidify the lineup, no gaping holes next year and obviously add a ton of lineup flexibility that I don't think we've had.
Georgia. Ashton is 9-16 against D1 wrestlers in three years. Camacho is better.
Edit: Montalvo on the other hand seems very good, from California though. If he comes east, maybe to Virginia where two of his HS teammates are starting next year? He is a few years older than the Gioffres though
IMO, Depends how you view it. Have a ranked recruit coming in next year, another committed the next year, I suspect a walk on or two. To build a team you have to develop recruits and not just rely on portal. At least one, it not both have a RS year. Maybe 2-3 years until it’s solidified but you may also see a grad transfer or other transfer with 1-2 years of eligibility to help fill gap while others develop. I feel for coaches, they want 5 year kids, when you bring in portal kids, it causes others to leave. It’s a catch 22.
ACC incoming recruits this year, top 100 in bold:
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