CIAC has been clear that winter sports won't overlap with spring, which starts March 27th this year. Not realistic to think anyone is going to try and compete in an 8 day season. Fold up the tent.

CIAC has been clear that winter sports won't overlap with spring, which starts March 27th this year. Not realistic to think anyone is going to try and compete in an 8 day season. Fold up the tent.

I'm actually surprised the site hasn't been a little busier with the social distancing thing and self quarantine.

Personally I think it's a mix. High school coaches are doing the bulk of the work in-season. There are rules that limit club practices through that period. I'm not so naive that I think there aren't kids circumventing them, but if there are viable practice partners in a room I'm guessing the hammers will work out there. Club coaches were fed an athlete from a local program, the local program takes them part of the way, the club program hones talent and technique, the high school coach works a lot of the mental game with all the competitions, and some technical (they have a much broader talent spectrum to deal with). If you have a kid that finds success in high school who isn't a product of the youth and club programs, then give credit where credit is due. Coach and kid. I think Ricky Shook has a full team working out at the school. Same with Jason Shaughnessy. All of these guys still have to coach the corner, and they are skilled coaches. Their kids are mentally prepared. I've seen coaches try to work from the corner with kids they don't really know, and that usually manifests in odd results and a lack of confidence by the wrestler. Are there a few programs balanced a different way....I'm sure. Just have to look at it case by case.

Is that any different than every other program in the state? Do you discount Warde and Shaughnessy because of John Knapp? Do you minimize Danbury because of John Degal? Two kids who won championships at M's aren't products of those systems. I'd say some respect is due there. Certainly not the blatant disrespect you're suggesting. Pretty sure LiCastri has more respect for his high school coach than you do apparently.

In the end I think it's funny that Barlow finished as the second best CT team at both Eastern Regionals and New Englands without their full squad at either, and yet they are somehow less respected than a team that can fill every weight class. Personally, I find it pretty impressive that a non-traditional wrestling school did that. Looks like they have three kids who wrestled youth, and two who started wrestling in high school, they win 4 weight classes in M's and send 4 kids to New Englands after losing a kid who lost blood round at Opens 2019, and went 4-2 at Eastern Regionals to illness. Someone should be buying the coach a cigar. That's a pretty damn consistent result at the highest competitions.

Agreed about 106, I still feel 120 and 138 were deeper, but 106 should have been a part of the conversation. 120 from a regional perspective was a pretty clear challenge. Oddity of 120 was three CT wrestlers were competing for one spot into the medal matches through the same bracket. Unfortunate.

Have to agree. Will say this though....imho I think 120 and 138 were the two deepest weight classes in CT this year.

Currier's name is Drew, not Doug ;x

How so? Top 3 were in order and they had 4 of the top 6. Richardson should have been at least an HM going in, but the others beat each other all year.

Think I read he is one of 13 to win 4 LL, and one of 3 to win 4 Open.

I get the scratches....Massachusetts and New Hampshire probably have the same issues and their brackets are posted.

Some reason CIAC can't just populate the draw sheets already?

Good luck coach!

Oh crap....I was thinking of Jack at 132. Dunno why unless it was because last I saw him wrestle was at Eastern States. If Bourjelli is in the finals then that would be dead nuts comparable to Iammuno winning.

Shout out to Caleb Seyfried as well. He's had a great Prep season at GFA.

Good point. RJ and Licastri both 4x class winners, both defending NE champs with Licastri winning Eastern States. I think that award is more deserving of being split than FOTY. Would be a shame that the only reason Licastri isn't recognized is because he's the same age as Ryan Jack. I think Licastri actually has the better claim this year if you have to go with one. I lean toward Iamunno for FOTY, but both he and Bourjelli have faced the best wrestlers in their classes and won. I see Gilchrist as a half step behind. Ware looked good, but has faced a lower level of opponents, and Maddox is kind of in the same boat. Bottom line is Iammuno and Bourjelli are both on the list of favorites to win Opens in their weight classes....the others are not. They all are likely qualifiers for New Englands.

Again a great question! Quack quack? (Truthfully Piel isn't involved in that part of the process....I'm talking about the tournament committee)

@sweep the leg! No...seriously. New Milford has run that tournament for years and they have never publicized seeds or draw sheets until they absolutely have to. I'm amazed the rest of the conference puts up with it. The draw sheets conform to no draw I've ever seen used. Last year a runner up in a weight class finished with 1 more point than the champion based on random rat tails flowing through "random" wrestlers. Multiple #1 seeds had byes into the semi finals with no opportunity for bonus points, while lower seeded wrestlers had up to two more real matches. If they put it on Flo it would conform to a normal draw selection. If it walks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck.....it's probably a duck. ("Podge" is an old southern name for your golfing partner, you would be thinking of Pudge!)

Million dollar question there Podge! Because then everyone would see how New Milford manipulates draw sheets. That tourney doesn't want to see the light of day.