AA Section Previews
- Apr 14
- 5 min read
Section 1
Murderer's Row Weight (weight with the most ranked wrestlers in the section) – 113 lbs
Three ranked wrestlers in the top eight highlight this bracket, including #1 Noah Watkins, the defending 106 lb state champion. This weight also features #7 Tanner Kitts (Knox Halls) and #8 Saxon Mattison (Science Hill), who are currently projected to meet in the semifinals — a matchup with major ranking implications and one of the toughest potential semifinal matchups in the entire section.
Most Chaotic Weight – 126 lbs
Not chaotic in the traditional sense, but this weight is filled with uncertainty due to speculation surrounding returning State Finalist #3 Chase Smalling's injury status. Smalling medically forfeited in the region finals to #6 Vaughn Pulitzer, and those two are still the overwhelming favorites to reach the finals. The big question is whether we actually see that matchup come to fruition, or if we see a medical forfeit raising even more questions about Smalling's health moving forward.
Lewis currently holds the season series (2–1), with two of the three matches decided by just one point. Lewis has won the last two — does he continue to create separation in the rivalry, or does Rogers bounce back and even the series?
Section 2
Murderer's Row Weight – 215 lbs
Four ranked wrestlers headline this bracket: #3 Joshua Pulley, #4 Trent Crisp, #7 Tyson Spink, and #8 JC Franklin. This is about as deep as a section weight gets, with projected semifinal matchups of Pulley vs Franklin and Spink vs Crisp. Needless to say, we're looking at state medalist-level matches taking place in a section semifinal.
Most Chaotic Weight – 175 lbs
I believe there are three legitimate contenders to win this weight: #3 Braylon Pulley, who is the favorite on paper, followed closely by #4 Elijah Reams and #5 Kameron Stafford-Turner. Reams and Stafford-Turner have already split results this season, with Reams holding the series 2–1. Meanwhile, Stafford-Turner vs Pulley is projected to be a semifinal matchup, which has the potential to be absolute fireworks.
1. 120 lbs – #1 Jose Cordero (Cleveland) vs #2 Andrew Workman (Blackman): As most know, Cordero is on the cusp of four state titles, so he's rightfully the favorite. But Workman has been on a tear this season, and it would not surprise me at all if this turns into a one-takedown match deep into the third period.
2. 190 lbs – #1 Wiley Suskawicz (Bradley) vs #2 Yamil Rashid (Stewarts Creek): This might be my personal favorite matchup in the entire section. After Rashid ran through Johnny Drennan, I seriously debated bumping him into the #1 spot, but Wiley has had an incredible season in his own right. This feels like a true coin-flip match between two guys wrestling at a very high level.
3. 150 lbs – #1 Kellen Sanders (Cleveland) vs #2 Brandon Harris (Bradley) (Part III): Harris threw himself into title contention early this season when he upset then-#1 and defending state champion Kellen Sanders in the dual. Sanders answered back last week, defeating Harris in the region finals to even the season series at (1–1). Now we get the rubber match. And the way things are shaping up, don't be surprised if we see these two collide for a fourth time in the state semifinals or even in the finals.
Section 3
Murderer's Row Weight – 157 lbs
Five ranked wrestlers are packed into this bracket: #1 Zach Little, #3 Maddox Eskew, #4 Wyatt Ellis, #6 Parker Jones, and #7 Mina Ragheb, making this easily one of the deepest weights in the section. Little enters as the defending state champion and the favorite, but beyond that, this bracket is depth personified — five of the top eight ranked wrestlers in the state all in one weight.
Most Chaotic Weight – 144 lbs
This weight is interesting because of how much high-end talent is packed into one bracket with #4 JD Longley, #6 Trapper Lippincott, #5 Murk Romano, and #8 Ascen Petricca all in the same section. On paper, Longley is the favorite, as he has only one loss within the section this season, which came to Lippincott — a matchup that is projected to happen again in the semifinals. The other projected semifinal is Petricca vs Romano, and Romano owns wins over both Petricca and Lippincott, while also having multiple close, competitive matches with Longley. There's no clean or safe path through this bracket; even if the seeds hold, every round features a wrestler who has already proven they can beat someone at the top.
Must See Matchup – 138 lbs: #1 Tristan Collier (Green Hill) vs #2 Reed Loeffel (Brentwood) (Part II)
Collier is the returning state champion and remains undefeated on the season, while Loeffel has put together a strong year and solidified himself as a clear title contender. These two have already met once, with Collier earning a decision victory, but this feels like a matchup we're very likely to see again in the state finals next week. It will be interesting to see if Loeffel has made the necessary adjustments since their first meeting, or if Collier continues his undefeated run and further separates himself as the top guy in the state at 138.
Section 4
Murderer's Row Weight – 175 lbs
This weight earns the nod with three top-8 ranked wrestlers: #6 Ahvare Galbreath, #7 Myles Snelling, and #8 Cassius Powe. On paper, Galbreath is the favorite, but he still has to navigate through Snelling or Powe. This is easily one of the most competitive brackets in Section 4.
Most Chaotic Weight – 132 lbs
This weight earns the chaos label with #3 Aiden Rowe (Clarksville), #4 Damian Aponte (Houston), and #8 Aidan Hansel (Northwest). Rowe is the slight favorite based on results this season, including a decision win over Aponte and a (10–7) decision over Hansel in last week's Region Finals. Hansel vs Aponte should be a tight semifinal matchup, with the winner most likely meeting up with Rowe in the section finals.
Before Gary High made the jump from 157 to 165, this was shaping up to be a #1 vs #2 matchup. Regardless, this is still one of the most anticipated matchups heading into the state tournament next week. Little holds a sudden victory win over Hutchens earlier this season, but at this weight, nothing feels settled.
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