Vote: Who should be SBLive's Upper Weight National Wrestler of the Week (1/15/2024)?
It's time once again for you to help us decide who is SBLive Sports National High School Upper 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, January 21st at 11:59 p.m. (Pacific).
Rockford (Michigan) wrestler Ryan Ahern.
Congratulations to last week's winner: Ryan Ahern of Rockford (Michigan).
Here are this week's nominees:
Nick Blackburn (Mentor, OH) 144 – Blackburn, who is unranked, surprised Ironman placer and No. 9 Brodie Dominique (Archbold, OH), 6-5, in the finals of the Maumee Bay Classic.
Gabe Logan (Delbarton, NJ) 150 – Logan is listed in the honorable mention section at 150 of our national rankings. In Saturday’s dual meet at Wyoming Seminary, Logan defeated Anthony Evanitsky (No. 25 at 157), who cut down a weight, 4-2.
PJ Duke (Minisink Valley, NY) 160 – No. 1 Duke captured the Eastern States title by winning a battle of top-five ranked guys, 2-1, over No. 5 Cameron Catrabone (Williamsville, NY).
Gunnar Garelli (Lyons, IL) 165 – At the Illini Classic, the unranked Garelli upset No. 17 Adrien Reyes (Clovis, CA), 3-2 UTB, in the championship finals.
Braidon Woodward (Palmyra Macedon, NY) 170 – Woodward, who is also unranked, but at 175, defeated the No. 12 wrestler at 175, Nate Blanchette (Central Catholic, MA), 3-1, in the 170lb finals of the Eastern States Tournament.
Nick Wehmeyer (Malvern Prep, PA) 189 – Wehmeyer (No. 18) avenged three earlier losses to No. 17 Robert Kucharczk (Lake Highland Prep, FL). In the Escape the Rock finals, Wehmeyer beat Kucharczk, 7-4, after dropping a match at Ironman and two at PowerAde to his rival.
Dillon Bechtold (Owen J Roberts, PA) 215 – No. 15 Bechtold won his second Escape the Rock title in commanding fashion, pinning all four of his opponents, with none making it out of the second period, including pins of 78 and 73 seconds, and a 2:44 fall over Caleb Marzolino (Abington Heights, PA) in the finals.
Cayaen Smith (Pleasant Grove, UT) 215 – Smith, who is a honorable mention wrestler at 215, shocked No. 10 Cash Henderson (Wood Cross, UT), 6-5 UTB, in the finals of the Rockwell Rumble.
