Vote: Who should be SBLive's Lower Weight National Wrestler of the Week (12/4/2023)?
The 2023-24 high school wrestling season is underway and there were several big national events this past week. Now, we invite you to help us decide who is the SBLive Sports National High School Lower Weight Wrestler of the Week.
Below are the details on the candidates we have selected for your consideration. Share this post with your friends, family, teammates and classmates and encourage everyone to support the wrestler they find most deserving. You can vote as often as you like and the winner will be announced in next week's poll. Voting ends on Sunday, December 10th at 11:59 p.m. (Pacific).
Here are this week's nominees:
Ignacio Villasenor (Pomona, CO) (113/120) – Villasenor paced his team to the title at the Battle of the Best Duals with an 8-0 record. At the duals, Pomona upset Sunnyside, AZ. Villasenor is currently ranked No. 2 at 106lbs.
Dru Ayala (Fort Dodge, IA) (120) – Ayala won the 120lb title at the Dan Gable Donnybrook with a 2-0 win over Luke Koenen (Wayzata, MN). Ayala is currently ranked No. 12 at 113. Koenen upset Nicholas Garcia (Marmion Academy, IL, No. 10 at 113) to reach the finals.
Luke Reitter (Council Rock South, PA) (121) – Reitter captured the 121lb title at the PennStro Leasing Kickoff Classic, an event his team also won. Reitter defeated Grayson Music (Bishop McDevitt, PA) in the finals after Music upset top-seeded Tyson Cook (West Scranton, PA) 6-4 in OT in the quarters.
Brandt Harer (Montgomery Area, PA) (133) – Harer dominated his PennStro finals match with Hayden Yacoviello-Andrus (Bermudian Springs, PA), 14-1. What got Harer, who is ranked 14th at 132 in the country, here is a 4-3 semi-final win over Ironman placer Anthony Mutarelli (Council Rock South, No. 20 at 126).
Camden Baum (Bishop McDevitt, PA) (139) – Baum, who is unranked in the nation, surprised Fargo and Super 32 placer Tahir Parkins (Nazareth, PA, No. 12 at 132) in the PennStro finals with a 3-1 overtime win.
Blue Stiffler (Mill Creek, GA) (144) – Stiffler won the 144lb crown at the Southern Slam over fellow honorable mention grappler Nate Askew (Baylor School, TN), 2-1.
Smokey McClure (Wyoming Seminary, PA) (144) – In Friday night's dual meet with Faith Christian Academy, the unranked McClure defeated No. 18 Shane Wagner, 2-1.
