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The Individual Wrestling state tournament starts Friday night from Cape Henlopen High School. Here is my bracket breakdown for each weight class. This year’s tournament is full of talent especially the class of 2025 which has seven different wrestling competing for multiple state championships.
106 pounds
Ben Donato (Caesar Rodney) gets the top seed after finishing fourth a year ago and should see Austen Decker (Sussex Central) for the fourth time this season on Saturday morning.
Mason Catania (Salesianum) gets the two seed and is 1-1 against Donato this season. Cole Perrin (Delaware Military) comes in at the three seed. Conference final rematches will be featured on Saturday morning’s semis.
Bracket Landmine: The top four should hold their seeds this weekend.
Sleepers: Reginald Ferdinand (Laurel) could finish higher than his ten seed.
113 pounds
The most competitive weight class this season which has caused the most activity in the rankings all year. Gabe Campanelli (Salesianum) sits atop of the class here. Gavin Robbins (Caesar Rodney) sits on Campanelli’s side of the bracket, the two have met twice already this season, but Robbins will have to get by Kyler Fleming (Wilmington Friends) on Friday night. Blue Hen Conference champ Xavier Ramos (A.I. DuPont) and Henlopen Conference champ Nathan Moore (Laurel) are the two and three seed respectively and could have a rematch from the Spartan Duals on Saturday morning.
Bracket Landmine: If Mason Ferrell (Lake Forest) can get back to how he was wrestling in early February he could be a problem.
Sleeper: This weight class is full of sleepers, it has been a fun weight all season.
120 pounds
The popular bet for the finals will be three time state champ Malachi Stratton (Sussex Central). Who earns the shot at him in the state finals will probably come down to Cole Moffett (Caesar Rodney) who was thought to be lost to a season ending injury but returned late in the season, Tommy Arms (Conrad) and Clif Bakhsh (St. Mark’s).
Bracket Landmine: Just don’t see anybody else that can break through.
Sleeper: Zach Derbyshire (Salesianum) is one to keep an eye on, but getting through Stratton is going to be a big ask.
126 pounds
I believe the state is ready for a rematch between Anthony Andrews (Sussex Tech) and Dominic Lucian (Salesianum). Both are returning state finalists with Lucian winning a state title in 2023. Hobe Givens (Indian River) is a returning placewinner at this weight. Freshman Nicholas Papiro (Delaware Military) is the three seed and has been hot during this cold month of February. Unfortunately for Givens and Papiro they face rematches from their conference finals where Andrews and Lucian won with dominant performances.
Bracket Landmine: The crystal ball sees nothing but an Andrews – Lucian championship match.
Sleeper: Jaydan Mieth (Sussex Central) will be a tough out at the sixth seed.
132 pounds
Big shakeup here with number one seed and defending state champion Tye Bellarin (Red Lion) being a late scratch has changed the field from the original seeds. Evan Cordrey (Sussex Central) is now the top seed in this weight class and could have a rematch with Leo Marini (Salesianum) in the semifinals.
2024 state finalist Gavin Mundy (Delaware Military) sits at the three seed so we could see a rematch of last year’s semi final on Saturday morning against Aaron Menickella (St. Mark’s).
Bracket Landmine: Rusty Lloyd (St. Georges) is a dangerous six seed.
Sleeper: Zeke O’Hara (Laurel) , a relative unknown statewide could introduce himself this weekend.
138 pounds
Returning state champ Trevor Copes (Caesar Rodney) won his third Henlopen Conference title last weekend and gets the nod at the top seed. A Blue Hen Conference finals rematch between Jordan Mill (Appoquinimink) and Gavin Sheehan (St. George), who was a state finalist last year, should determine who faces Copes on Saturday morning.
Piero Papili (Delaware Military) took home the Independent Conference title last weekend and if the seeds hold should have a rematch with Santino Sianni (Salesianum) in the semis.
Bracket Landmine: Keep an eye on Jazmon Snead (Delmar).
Sleeper: Christian Zavala (Newark) has quietly won 30 matches this season, don’t expect him to be silent this weekend.
144 pounds
Eddie Radecki (Caravel Academy) looks to make history this weekend as he goes for his fifth state title. Freshman standout and Blue Hen Conference champ, Bam Cordel (St. Georges) stands in his way to make the finals.
The bottom half of the bracket will feature some big match ups on Friday night. Henlopen Conference champ Jerusalem Howard (Lake Forest) is the two seed and Justin Craig (Sussex Central) is the three seed. Howard has three wins over Craig this year, can Craig solve that puzzle.
Bracket Landmine: Jackson Grandel (Delaware Military) sits at six seed. Don’t take your eyes off of him.
Sleeper: Tyler Rosan (Polytech) at a ten seed could make things interesting on the backside of the bracket.
150 pounds
We should see the much anticipated matchup between 2024 state runner up Nick Walker (Cape Henlopen) and sophomore transfer from Downingtown, PA Ricky Jewell (Salesianum). Both have set themselves apart from the field.
Bracket Landmine: Sorry, the crystal ball does not see anything but a Walker – Jewell final.
Sleeper: Two guys have dominated this weight class all season.
157 pounds
This may very well be a battle for second place as Dustin Elliott (Sussex Tech) has established himself as the leader of the pack at 157. Kenneth King (Caesar Rodney) and Alec Baxley (St. Mark’s) will have a Friday night rematch from December for the right to face Elliott in the semis.
Jami White (Milford) is the two seed, but will be tested Friday night against Sloan Makoujy (Wilmington Friends). Cruz Mota (Sussex Central) could await the winner in the semis.
Bracket Landmine: Nick Eddinger (Middletown) at the ten seed could make some noise.
Sleeper: Camar Miller (Wm Penn) and Ty Brown (St. Georges) will meet in the first round. Both will be a problem on the backside of the bracket.
165 pounds
Returning state champ Jacob Ebaugh (St. Mark’s) has been the number one ranked wrestler all season and gets the top seed, but an upset at the Henlopen Conference tournament has really shaken this bracket up. Throw out the rankings on this one. Number two ranked Stanley Pete (Laurel) fell to the fourth seed after falling in the Henlopen finals and will face Bennett Brumbley (Sussex Tech) in Friday night’s quarterfinals. Now Pete has won all his matches against Brumbley this year, but it was in last year’s quarterfinals where Brumbley pulled an upset. So go ahead and circle that bout on your bracket for Friday night.
Blue Hen champ Jason Hughart (Wm Penn) and Henlopen champ Craig Dixon (Caesar Rodney) are favorites in the bottom bracket.
Bracket Landmine: Justin Ryland (Delaware Military) could be a problem.
Sleeper: Chase Thompson (Salesianum) tends to keep matches close that can be dangerous come state tourney time.
175 pounds
Luke Spoor (St. Mark’s) coming into the season late after rehabbing an injury and has looked strong. He was the runner up here last year. On the opposite side of the bracket is 2024 state finalist Frankie Norris (Wm Penn).
Norris will have to get through Henlopen Conference champion Jayvion Chandler (Indian River) if he is to return to the title match.
Bracket Landmine: Ryan McCormac (St. Elizabeth) granted he is the three seed, but a rematch with Spoor in the semis will be a must watch.
Sleeper: Jordan Payne (Christiana).
190 pounds
Independent Conference champion Brayden Ranauto (Salesianum) is the front runner in this weight. He dominated the conference tournament and looks like a heavy favorite to make the finals.
The Independent Conference got the two seed as well with Finn Hanna (St. Mark’s), but Blue Hen Conference champ Jeremiah Eastburn (Concord) is going to be a force. Eastburn has 20 pins on the season with his lone loss coming at 215 pounds.
Bracket Landmine: Don’t see one here.
Sleeper: Keenan Duffy (Tower Hill) fifth seeds are historically a problem on Friday night.
215 pounds
Patrick Donahue (Cape Henlopen) is a clear favorite to win this weight class, but Brock Rhoades (Caravel) has a knack at turning it on the last weekend of the season. He found his way to the 285 pound state final last year. Ivan Flores (Sussex Central) and Dion Alston (Caesar Rodney) are two guys to watch on the backside of the bracket looking for a spot on the podium. Rhoades could see Zakir Roberson (Delcastle) for the fourth time this season in the bottom bracket semifinal.
Bracket Landmine: Can Vaughn Brooks (McKean) upset the apple cart here?
Sleeper: None here.
285 pounds
Wide open!! This may be the most fun weight class to watch. While a lot of attention will be Eli Juarquin-Torres (Wm Penn) and two-time state champ Cael DeNigris (Delaware Military) there are some serious threats to make the finals. Jahlil Settles (St. Georges) has a pin over DeNigris, but has close losses to Juarquin-Torres. Settles will have to solve the Torres puzzle if he is to make the finals. Greg Lockett (Milford) won his first Henlopen Conference title last weekend and now has to get through 2x state champ DeNigris to wrestle for a state title.
Bracket Landmine: Tristan Cooper (Caesar Rodney) finished the dual meet season pinning #2 ranked Jahlil Settles (St. Georges). Sleeper: Greg Lockett (Milford) cannot be ignored.
Good luck to all the wrestlers is this year who are competing for this year’s Individual Wrestling state championship. Please be sure to tune in for interviews and analysis of the tournament on all of our social media outlets. You can watch it live through the NFHS Network if you can’t make the trip south to Cape Henlopen. Here is the LINK
