March 25, 2010
Videos Courtesy of Flowrestling
Mike McMullan Pin in national prep finals
Colin Shober Wins Second Pennsylvania State Title (140 pounds)
EVANSTON, Ill. -- In less than five months, Northwestern's crop of incoming freshmen--rated the No. 2 recruiting class in the nation by InterMat Wrestling--will be stepping on campus to join the Wildcats. Each member of the group made the most of their senior state meets, combining for four state titles and a national prep championship.
Starting in Northwestern's own backyard, the nation's top-ranked 189-pounder Lee Munster of Grant High School put the finishing touches on one of the best careers in Illinois history with his third state championship. Munster blew through the state tournament with a technical fall and two major decisions in the early rounds before ultimately winning the state title by 5-2 decision in the final.
Shifting east, Mike McMullan of Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) ended his high school career as the No. 1-ranked heavyweight wrestler in the nation by winning his second national prep championship. McMullan pinned all but one of his tournament opponents and needed just 59 seconds to pin his nationally ranked Blair Academy opponent in the title match.
McMullan was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the Pennsylvania State Prep Championships. On Saturday, April 10, McMullan will be among the competitors competing at the Windy City Classic at Elmhurst College in Chicago, which annually pits a dream-team lineup from across the country against all-stars from the host state.
Not to be outdone, Colin Shober of Schuykill Valley, Pa., completed his career as the all-time leader in career wins in the state of Pennsylvania, compiling a total of 194 victories over four years while only suffering two defeats during his last three seasons of competition. Shober, a two-time state champ in Pennsylvania, is ranked No. 2 in the nation at his 140-pound weight class.
Ranked No. 3 at 215 pounds is Alex Polizzi out of Beloit Memorial in Beloit, Wis., who surrendered only one takedown his entire senior campaign and had only two of his 41 matches go as far as the third period. Polizzi won his Division I state championship bout by 14-2 major decision to finish 45-0.
Another state championship came courtesy of Kaleb Friedley of Park Hill High School in Missouri at 145 pounds in class 4A. In his final high school tournament, Friedley posted two pins and a technical fall in the early rounds before edging his finals opponent by a 1-0 decision. It capped a 38-1 senior season for Friedley and gave him the second state championship of his career.
Pierce Harger completed his career as a four-time state placewinner in Ohio with a third-place showing at 152 pounds for Cincinnati Moeller. Harger, ranked No. 14 nationally, also was a district and sectional champion in 2010.
Another third-place state finisher was Pat Greco, who nabbed third at 145 pounds in the AA division at the Illinois state meet to put the finishing touches on a 39-5 senior season. Following his final official state meet, Greco represented his state in the 17th annual Illinois/Indiana Classic Duals all-star meet and defeated his Indiana opponent--a future Purdue Boilermaker--by a 5-3 decision.