Stevan Micic and Gelen Robinson highlight Asics All-America Team

By Rob Sherrill

Junior Zahid Valencia (132) of Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco and seniors Stevan Micic (126) of Cedar Lake (Ind.) Hanover and Chance Marsteller (170) of Fawn Grove (Pa.) Kennard Dale were selected to the First Team for the second time as the 29th annual Asics All-America Wrestling Team was announced.

The First Team has combined for 38 state or National Prep championships. Joining Marsteller as a four-time champion was Micah Jordan (145) of St. Paris (Ohio) Graham, along with seven three-time champions.

The Asics All-America Team, selected by a nationwide panel of wrestling experts, is the only national all-star team for which wrestlers enrolled in all four high-school grades are eligible. Asics is a title sponsor of the Asics Vaughan USA Wrestling Fargo Junior National Championships and is a major benefactor of the sport at all levels.

“This team represents the best of the best in our schools today,” said Neil Duncan of Asics and TW Promotions, Inc. “We are proud to have these young men, with their talent and work ethic, representing us. They are clearly the World and Olympic champions of the future.”

Members of the First Team, as well as the Asics Wrestler of the Year, will be honored prior to the finals of the Asics Vaughan USA Wrestling Junior National Freestyle Championships in July at Fargo, N.D.

The Asics All-America Team includes eight wrestlers at each of the 14 high school weight classes – the First, Second, and Third Teams and five Honorable Mention selections. To be considered, a wrestler must have competed during the scholastic season, and all team members were selected at the weight class at which they competed, or would have competed, in their state tournament or the National Prep Championships this year.

Two of the three repeat First Team selections are back after being selected for the elite group two years ago. Valencia earned First Team honors at 106 in 2012, while Marsteller was selected to the First Team at 160 the same year. Both earned Second Team honors last year. Micic was named to the First Team at 113 last year.

Two years after Valencia made history by becoming the first freshman ever to earn First Team honors, Spencer Lee (113) of Murrysville (Pa.) Franklin Regional made it three straight years a freshman earned a First Team selection. Lee’s teammate, junior Devin Brown (106), made Franklin Regional the only school with two First Team selections in 2014. Three-time champions Nick Piccinnini (120) of East Setauket (N.Y.) Ward Melville and Lance Benick (195) of Fridley (Minn.) Totino Grace, both juniors, brought the number of First Team underclassmen to five.

In addition to their 39 scholastic titles, the 14 First Team members also combined to post four Junior National and 15 Cadet National titles. The Second Team edged the First Team with 41 state titles, including five four-time champions, to go with two Junior National and three Cadet National titles. The Third Team (32 titles) boasts two four-time champions, along with three Junior National and eight Cadet National crowns.

One of three states with multiple First Team selections, Pennsylvania led all states with four. Joining Brown, Lee and Marsteller was two-time champion Garrett Peppelman (160) of Harrisburg Central Dauphin. California and New Jersey each had two. Three-time champion Nick Nevills (285) of Clovis was California’s other selection. Three-time National Prep champion Joey McKenna (138) of Blairstown Township (N.J.) Blair Academy and three-time state champion Johnny Sebastian (182) of Oradell Bergen Catholic were New Jersey’s selections. Completing the First Team: three-time Illinois champion Bryce Brill (152) of Chicago Mount Carmel and two-time Utah champion Roy Nash (220) of Murray Taylorsville.

Twelve high schools had multiple wrestlers selected. Blair Academy had four overall selections, and St. Johns (Mich.) had three. Bergen Catholic, Clovis, Franklin Regional, St. John Bosco, Apple Valley (Minn.), Blue Springs (Mo.), Canonsburg (Pa.) Canon-McMillan, Greater Latrobe (Pa.), Stillwater (Okla.) and Suwanee (Ga.) Collins Hill each had two selections.

Pennsylvania placed 17 wrestlers on the squad and New Jersey 13 to lead all states. Pennsylvania placed 10 on the top three teams, with New Jersey claiming six. California had nine overall selections, followed by Illinois (eight), Minnesota and New York (six) and Oklahoma (five). The 112 wrestlers selected come from 32 states, the most since 2001.

2014 Asics All-America Team

First Team

106 – Devin Brown, Jr, Franklin Regional HS, Murrysville, PA

113 – Spencer Lee, Fr, Franklin Regional HS, Murrysville, PA

120 – Nick Piccinnini, Jr, Ward Melville HS, East Setauket, NY

126 – Stevan Micic*, Sr, Hanover Central HS, Cedar Lake, IN

132 – Zahid Valencia*, Jr, St. John Bosco HS, Bellflower, CA

138 – Joey McKenna, Sr, Blair Academy, Blairstown Township, NJ

145 – Micah Jordan, Sr, Graham HS, St. Paris, OH

152 – Bryce Brill, Sr, Mount Carmel HS, Chicago, IL

160 – Garrett Peppelman, Sr, Central Dauphin HS, Harrisburg, PA

170 – Chance Marsteller*, Sr, Kennard Dale HS, Fawn Grove, PA

182 – Johnny Sebastian, Sr, Bergen Catholic HS, Oradell, NJ

195 – Lance Benick, Jr, Totino Grace HS, Fridley, MN

220 – Roy Nash, Sr, Taylorsville HS, Murray, UT

285 – Nick Nevills, Sr, Clovis HS, Clovis, CA

* – denotes repeat selection

Second Team

106 – Yianni Diakomihalis, Fr, Hilton HS, Hilton, NY

113 – Nick Suriano, So, Bergen Catholic HS, Oradell, NJ

120 – Luke Pletcher, So, Greater Latrobe HS, Latrobe, PA

126 – Ke-Shawn Hayes, Jr, Park Hill HS, Kansas City, MO

132 – Josh Alber, Sr, Dakota HS, Dakota, IL

138 – Zac Hall, Sr, St. Johns HS, St. Johns, MI

145 – Jason Nolf, Sr, Kittanning HS, Kittanning, PA

152 – Jacob Danishek, Sr, Dayton Christian HS, Miamisburg, OH

160 – Ryan Blees, Sr, Bismarck HS, Bismarck, ND

170 – Bo Nickal , Sr, Allen HS, Allen, TX

182 – Ryan Christensen, Sr, Woodinville HS, Woodinville, WA

195 – Derek White, Sr, Edmond North HS, Edmond, OK

220 – Jeremy Sweany, Sr, Vacaville HS, Vacaville, CA

285 – Thomas Haines, Sr, Solanco HS, Quarryville, PA

Third Team

106 – Ty Agaisse, So, Delbarton HS, Morristown, NJ

113 – Daton Fix, Fr, Charles Page HS, Sand Springs, OK

120 – Nathan Boston, Sr, Woodford County HS, Versailles, KY

126 – Tommy Thorn, Sr, St. Michael-Albertville HS, Albertville, MN

132 – Fredy Stroker, Jr, Bettendorf HS, Bettendorf, IA

138 – Vincenzo Joseph, Jr, Central Catholic HS, Pittsburgh, PA

145 – Solomon Chishko, Sr, Canon-McMillan HS, Canonsburg, PA

152 – Logan Massa, Jr, St. Johns HS, St. Johns, MI

160 – Dylan Milonas, Sr, Blair Academy, Blairstown Township, NJ

170 – Chandler Rogers, Sr, Stillwater HS, Stillwater, OK

182 – Zack Zavatsky, Sr, Greater Latrobe HS, Latrobe, PA

195 – Michael Pixley, Sr, Blue Springs HS, Blue Springs, MO

220 – Bryan Dobzanski, Sr, Delsea HS , Franklinville, NJ

285 – Sam Stoll , Sr, Kasson-Mantorville HS, Kasson, MN

Honorable Mention (listed in alphabetical order)

106: Justin Mejia, Fr, Clovis HS, Clovis, CA; Jabari Moody, Jr, Rich Central HS, Olympia Fields, IL; Austin O’Connor, Fr, St. Rita HS, Chicago, IL; Danny Vega, So, Ironwood Ridge HS, Oro Valley, AZ; Tyler Warner, So, Claymont HS, Uhrichsville, OH.

113: Vito Arujau, Fr, Syosset HS, Syosset, NY; Hunter Marko, So, Amery HS, Amery, WI; Jack Mueller, So, Trinity Christian Academy, Dallas TX; Kyle Norstrem, Jr, Brandon HS, Brandon, FL; Brian Rossi, Sr, Lockport HS, Lockport, IL.

120: Brent Fleetwood Sr, Smyrna HS, Smyrna, DE; Ethan Lizak, Sr, Parkland HS, Orefield, PA; Elijah Oliver, Jr, Christian Brothers HS, Memphis, TN; Scott Parker, Sr, Pennridge HS, Perkasie, PA; Sean Russell, Sr, Collins Hill HS, Suwanee, GA.

126: Matthew Kolodzik, Jr, Blair Academy, Blairstown Township, NJ; Dalton Macri, Sr, Canon-McMillan HS, Canonsburg, PA; Ryan Millhof, Sr, Collins Hill HS, Suwanee, GA; Zeke Moisey, Sr, Bethlehem Catholic HS, Bethlehem, PA; Jared Prince, Jr, University HS, Palm Harbor, FL.

132: Jered Cortez, Sr, Glenbard North HS, Carol Stream, IL; Brock Ervin, Jr, Union County HS, Morganfield, KY; Anthony Giraldo, Sr, North Bergen HS, North Bergen, NJ; Coy Ozias, Sr, Christiansburg HS, Christiansburg, VA; Joshua Terao, Sr, Mid-Pacific Institute, Honolulu, HI.

138: Ronnie Gentile, Jr, Paulsboro HS, Paulsboro, NJ; Seth Gross, Sr, Apple Valley HS, Apple Valley, MN; Gary Wayne Harding, Sr, Collinsville HS, Collinsville, OK; Emilio Saavedra, Sr, Modesto HS, Modesto, CA; Cole Weaver, Sr, Hudson HS, Hudson, MI.

145: Colton Adams, Sr, Scottsbluff HS, Scottsbluff, NE; Alfred Bannister, Sr, Bishop McNamara HS, Forestville, MD; Joe Smith, Jr. Stillwater HS, Stillwater, OK; Hayden Tuma, Sr, Centennial HS, Boise, ID; Nikko Villarreal, Sr, Gilroy HS, Gilroy, CA.

152: Tyler Berger, Sr, Crook County HS, Prineville, OR; Jack Clark, Sr, St. Augustine Preparatory, Richland, NJ; Louis Hernandez, Sr, Mepham HS, North Bellmore, NY; Mason Manville, So, Blair Academy, Blairstown Township, NJ; T.C. Warner, Sr, Cumberland Valley HS, Mechanicsburg, PA.

160: Fox Baldwin, Jr, Osceola HS, Kissimmee, FL; Daniel Lewis, Sr, Blue Springs HS, Blue Springs, MO; Shakur Rasheed, Sr, Longwood HS, Middle Island, NY; Jonathan Schleifer, Sr, East Brunswick HS, East Brunswick, NJ; Brandon Womack, Sr, Scottsboro HS, Scottsboro, AL.

170: Dillon Artigliere, Sr, Roxbury HS, Succasunna, NJ; Kimball Bastian, Sr, Maple Mountain HS, Spanish Fork, UT; Mark Hall, So, Apple Valley HS, Apple Valley, MN; Myles Martin, Jr, McDonogh School, Owings Mills, MD; Anthony Valencia, Jr, St. John Bosco HS, Bellflower, CA.

182: Angus Arthur, Jr, St. Johns HS, St. Johns, MI; Nick Fiegener, Sr, Folsom HS, Folsom, CA; Corey Griego, Sr, Sultana HS, Hesperia, CA; JaVaughn Perkins, Sr, Omaha North HS, Omaha, NE; Dylan Wisman, Jr, Millbrook HS, Winchester, VA.

195: Marcus Harrington, Sr, Waterloo West HS, Waterloo, IA; Chip Ness, Sr, Buford HS, Buford, GA; Nathan Rose, Sr, Sibley East HS, Arlington, MN; Samuel Shields-Colbray, So, Hermiston HS, Hermiston, OR; Preston Weigel, Sr, Hays HS, Hays, KS.

220: Michael Boykin, Sr, Coatesville HS, Coatesville, PA; Kenneth Brinson, Jr, Marist School, Atlanta, GA; Austin Myers, Jr, Campbell County HS, Alexandria, KY; Gelen Robinson, Sr, Lake Central HS, St. John, IN; Jordan Wood, So, Boyertown HS, Boyertown, PA.

285: Tanner Farmer, Sr, Highland HS, Highland, IL; Adarios Jones, Sr, Moline HS, Moline, IL; James O’Hagan, Sr, Seaford HS, Seaford, NY; Harrison Phillips, Sr, Millard West HS, Omaha, NE; Jesse Webb, Sr. Mount Anthony HS, Bennington, VT.