Less than a month ago Flo released rankings for the first time without the 2014 senior class leaving a lot of openings for new wrestlers to enter the ranks for the first time. That first set of rankings featured nine Iowans, and the latest rankings brings even better news as four new Iowa wrestlers (bringing the total to 13) join the lists.
Nolan Hellickson is no longer the lightest Iowan ranked as Highland Riverside’s Bryce West makes his debut at #19 at 113. We got to know Bryce and his twin brother Drew (who made the Cadet World Greco Team) in this interview. It’s easy to tell from their comments and the comments from their club coach Joey Slaton, that this probably the start of these two rise to national prominence and I expect Drew will be added to the ranks at some point in the future as the twins are only completing their freshman seasons.
Nolan Hellickson is still ranked at 120, and he moves up into the #11 spot. Hellickson is part of the nationally ranked Southeast Polk squad. Also in the 120 ranks is Central City’s Brock Rathbun. Rathbun was also at a Cadet Nationals where he finished 3rd losing only to Nick Suriano (second place finisher).
Carter Happel moves up in the rankings to #8, but he also moves down in the weights to 126. You will remember that Happel had one of the better weekends in Akron at Cadet Nationals as he claimed the freestyle title over #9 Nick Lee. Happel gave an interview with us and looks to be one of the best wrestlers in the 2016 Iowa recruiting class.
The 138 weight class doesn’t see any change for Iowa wrestlers as Fredy Stroker is still ranked #1 (and #8 in the pound-for-pound rankings) and Union’s Max Thomsen is ranked #6. Both are entering their senior seasons as uncommitted and there should be plenty of interest from all in state schools in wanting to land either of these two, though whether it is a good fit for all three state programs to add one of them remains to be seen.
At 145 we see the third Iowa wrestler making his debut to the list as Waverly-Shell Rock’s Bryce Steiert enters the mix at #18. You may recall Steiert was ranked #19 by Intermat back in April so this debut is strictly related to Flo’s rankings. Steiert was also at Cadet Nationals and he held Blair Academy’s Mason Manville to 5-1 decision (Manville victory). That doesn’t sound that impressive, but when you realize how good Manville is and how much he dominated Cadet Nationals, it becomes an accomplishment.
There is a break in the Iowa wrestlers as the next ranked wrestler comes in at 182 in Cash Wilcke. Wilcke sees his stock go way up as he is now ranked #6 (up from 11). Wilcke remains uncommitted going into his final season.
The final new wrestler to Flo’s rankings is Mediapolis Steven Holloway who just slides in at #20 in the 195 pound weight class.
We see the trio of wrestlers still ranked at 220 with Ryan Parmely dropping one spot to #7. Gannon Gremmel (who took 5th at Cadet’s in freestyle) also drops one spot to #12. That leaves Southeast Polk’s Ethan Anderson who drops all the way to #20, despite a Greco national title (over the #1 ranked wrestler in the class) though Anderson did go 1-2 in freestyle.
That leaves freestyle national champion Jake Marnin closing out the group as still the #2 ranked heavyweight. Marnin is also uncommitted so far.
Team rankings has Bettendorf now jumping over Southeast Polk. Previously Southeast Polk was #20 followed by Bettendorf at 21. Now Southeast Polk remains unchanged, but Bettendorf is the top Iowa school at #19.
A solid ranking by Flowrestling, and if there was reason to be excited last month when Iowa had nine wrestlers ranked, the feeling can only get better with the total going up to 13. It would have been nice to see Anderson not so penalized by his freestyle tournament given his Greco title, but we have seen Anderson be able to handle himself on the mat, so I am not too worried about the drop from where he was ranked.
Among recruits Iowa State bound Colton DiBlasi has dropped one spot to #7 in the 152 pound weight class.