by Centex1

When I last did these rankings, I was ranking based on many factors, most significantly the ability to make an impact on the regional tournament. Now, the Region IV Championships have passed. This wrap-up highlights wrestlers to watch, wrestlers I believe will make a significant impact at State. The Region IV tournament last weekend was weird, as always. Undefeated wrestlers went down, unheralded wrestlers gave those with national experience close matches, and Austin Bowie, the region’s most dominant program, lost to San Antonio Roosevelt. The following are my own personal observations. Please feel free to disagree. But I guess I don’t have to tell you that.

103.
As predicted, this weight class was a barnburner. The top four seeds (Gogonas, Dotray, Keener, and Ahlswede, in order) easily advanced to the semifinals. There, Gogonas (Bowie) easily dispatched a very good Ahlswede (SA Lee), and Keener (Leander) was forced to back out of his match when he wrecked his shoulder on a poorly executed throw. Jonathan Dotray (SA Roosevelt), for those of you who don’t know him (which won’t be many after the State Meet), is quite possibly the biggest 103 in the entire world. He could be a lineman. He probably is. This kid will brawl his way to a state placing, mark my words. What he lacks in experience, he makes up for in strength and toughness (on a side note, Lee Miller, coach at Roosevelt, won coach of the year honors. He has done a great job with this Roosevelt squad, transforming a team which usually relies on brute force into one with relatively solid technique). All this being said, Greg Gogonas is on another level. He handled Dotray easily in the finals, nearly as big but twice as fast and 100 times more technical. Expect these two to finish with All-State Honors, Gogonas on the podium.

112.
A weak weight, and then there’s George. George Gogonas from Bowie, last year’s 3rd in state placer at 103 pounds, one of this year’s dominant forces at 112. He is good, really good. In terms of this region’s influence on the state meet, expect George to be in the top three, and everyone else to be left wanting.

119.
On paper, this was supposed to be as tough a weight as any. There were returning state qualifiers in McNeil (SA Madison), Mollohan (Killeen Shoemaker), Spruce (Bowie), and a returning all-stater in Cabasa (SA Churchill). To top all of this, there was Quinn Bell, an awesome sophomore from Leander. And then McNeil got injured in practice the week before, drastically altering the weight. Spruce got the 1 seed, Cabasa got the 2. Wrestling the best match of his life, Bell dominated Spruce in the semifinals, only to be dominated by Cabasa in the finals. Mollohan squeaked in with fourth place. Cabasa will place again, with killer speed. Bell is a long shot, but he has the skills to pull off big upsets.

125.
Khan (SA MacArthur) placed at state last year. Larson (SA Roosevelt) would have if he had gotten out of districts. They met several time this year, splitting close matches. At Regionals, Larson worked up a huge lead in the finals and then got stuck. I think he’s a better wrestler than Khan, but you can expect to see both of these wrestlers somewhere near the top. 3rd placer Frank Tan (Austin Lanier) is a wildcard, with a huge arsenal of moves and massive drive.

130.
A weak weight.

135.
To appreciate how good Jimmy Peterson is (SA Madison), you have to appreciate how good Bobby Barney (Austin Anderson) is. Jimmy waltzed through Regionals, tech-falling Bobby in the finals. Both of these guys are ones to watch. Jimmy might win it all. Zach Maldonado (though he does not look fully recovered from an injury) could stir up some waves.

140.
Nothing to write home about. Tough competitors, but not quite at the All-State level.

145.
Champion Josh Pons (SA Roosevelt) is as athletic as any, but inexperienced. Watch him for next year, if nothing else.

152.
The top four guys in this weight are separated by the tiniest margin. They are all excellent wrestlers, and all could make a push for a decent showing at state. Of course, there are two brick walls named Jernigan and Torisk who might have something to say about that…

160.
A tough weight class on paper, a relatively tough weight class in reality. The match-up between undefeated Pelletier (Churchill) and Pardinek (Bowie) was awesome. The weight’s third returning state qualifier Krell (Anderson) rounded out the top three. Any and all of these wrestlers have the ability to crack this tough weight’s top six. Pardinek could win it.

171.
A relatively evenly-balanced weight. Champion Wehr (Bowie) is extremely solid, yet unorthodox, and he could surprise quite a few opponents in Austin. Both Dockery (Cedar Park) and Burger (Anderson) are young guns on the way to their first state tournament. Both have the skills to win big matches, and the determination to make it through a grueling two-day tournament. We’ll see….

180.
Top two finishers Vega (Churchill) and Perez (CC Ray) are good, big, etc., but I don’t see either placing in Austin.

189.
Austin Johlke is an animal, as previously stated. He has not been challenged yet this year, and I don’t know if he will be.

215.
Relatively weak. Champion Schroeder (Leander) is as athletic as anyone, but his technique leaves something to be desired. He could squeak out a 5th or 6th place finish.

275.
Travis Johlke (Bowie) got injured early on. Without him, this weight at Region IV was incredibly weak. There were big boys with big hearts, but at the big dance, they may all be out on day one.