Super 32 Sleepers And Dark Horses
Super 32 Sleepers And Dark Horses
The top-level talent at Super 32 is off the charts, but don't miss these under-the-radar guys who could make some serious noise.
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This weekend's Super 32 brackets are loaded, but just like every year, a handful of off-the-radar athletes will catch the wrestling world by surprise. Take a look at eight wrestlers who could be poised to make major moves in Myrtle Beach.
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195 - Christian Carroll
Carroll is only a sleeper because he missed most of last year due to injury. He went 2-2 here last year at 160lbs and missed a lot of time after that. His return to the mat this fall was outstanding. He came back large and in charge, winning the Grappler Fall Classic at 215lbs. In that effort, he took out #9 Noah Pettigrew and #16 Juan Mora.
We'll see the sophomore down at 195 this weekend. Don't be surprised if he makes a very deep run here. He has the goods to go with Shumate, Hoselton, Bates, Cosgrove, and Nelson who are all in the top 10 at 195lbs.
220 - Gage Cook
Army West Point commit Gage Cook has been just outside the rankings, but he has the potential to make a big move this weekend. His Fargo Greco title proved that he has the positional awareness and big move potential to be dangerous against even the best big men.
He's coming off a runner-up finish to Juan Mora at the Freakshow, but he could be right in the mix here. Don't be surprised to see Cook notch a couple big upsets and find himself in the finals.
285 - Apollo Gothard
Gothard won an Illinois state title at 220lbs last year and has been sharpening his skills all fall. He has gone 13-1 between the Olympic Club Duals and Battle at the Burgh and looks poised to make a national-level move.
He'll have trouble with the top three here who are also the top three in the country, but a very high finish is certainly within reach. Gothard absolutely has the potential to prove he's one of the best big men around this weekend.
126 - Noah Gochberg
Gochberg has had some high moments in his career, but coming into his senior year, he wasn't ranked. That changed after the Grappler Fall Classic where he took home the crown at 125lbs with wins over #7 Vince Santaniello, #9 Carlos Negrete, and previously ranked Garrett Lautzenheiser.
His previously inconsistent results have kept him at #20 for now, but if he's able to build on his GFC performance, there's no reason he can't finish firmly on the podium. A strong performance from Gochberg could raise the senior's recruiting stock big time. Keep an eye on the kid from Texas.
145 - Angelo Ferrari
The Ferrari name alone may make it hard for anyone to sleep on Angelo, but the freshman will get his first crack at a national event since becoming a high schooler. In most cases, freshmen have a tough time making noise at weights as deep as 145lbs, but Ferrari could do it.
People who have followed Ferrari's career since he was a middle-schooler know that he has had ups and downs and also that he has grown quite a bit since wrestling 125lbs in Tulsa in January. It will be fascinating to see the growth of Ferrari both physically and in terms of skills.
145 - Kael Voinovich
Like Angelo Ferrari, Kael Voinovich comes from a rich wrestling family. His brother Victor, like Angelo's brother AJ, will be a Cowboy at Oklahoma State, and he's the #1 152-pounder in the country. That's not a bad training partner for the freshman.
Voinovich will likely become a staple on the national scene, and this is his first big opportunity. In a weight class with a number of ranked studs, he'll have a hill to climb, but don't be surprised if Kael Voinovich is a household name next week.
160 - Jack Ganos
This Arrowhead, Wisconsin, senior has already put in a productive fall and had a solid win over #11 Josh Barr at the AWA Duals. If that win was an indication of Ganos' potential this weekend, the Super 32 field should keep their eyes on Ganos.
The so-far unranked Ganos will be heading to Colorado Springs in the fall to join Coach Barber and company at the Air Force Academy. With nine top 20 guys at this weight and six in the top 10, Ganos won't be picked to place, but he has the goods to get it done.
182 - Jared Simma
The field at 182lbs has double-digit ranked wrestlers, so it may seem like an unlikely place for a dark horse to break through. Jared Simma just might do it anyway. He was a state champ at 160 last year, but he's filled into 182.
The Northern Iowa commit was seventh at Fargo in 2019 and won last year's Kansas City Stampede. He won four matches at this event last year down at 152. His growth physically and as a wrestler suggests that he might upset the apple cart in a deep bracket at 182lbs.