Venz oh so close

[spladle08 1,171]

I still think he AAs. As I said in the preseason, Anthony’s success is heavily matchup dependent. A guy like Lidy will always give him problems. With the right draw (which could be a terrible draw for Lidy for example) Anthony will AA.  

Guys who stall and guys who are potent mat-wrestlers are his kryptonite

 

The balanced guys who don't look for turns, can escape, and are confident in their neutral game to win matches are 50/50 with him. Unfortunately thats most of the top 20. So its not surprising to see him beat a top 10 or lose to the 20th guy...

 

But yeah as you said, with the right draw he could go far at NCAAs but his "even-ness" with the entire top 20, makes it difficult to predict him winning more than a couple consecutive matches.

 

 

[wrestlingnerd 3,011]

54 minutes ago, Housebuye said:

I still think he AAs. As I said in the preseason, Anthony’s success is heavily matchup dependent. A guy like Lidy will always give him problems. With the right draw (which could be a terrible draw for Lidy for example) Anthony will AA.  

Not saying he can't or won't AA. After HS, I had Anthony gaining on Mark Hall and felt he'd have a comparable career. Obviously, that view was dead wrong. I was excited to see what changes the redshirt and move up to 174 brought. 

[hammerlockthree 2,637]

It's mental.....

[DocBZ 197]

20 hours ago, wrestlingnerd said:

Venz is tough but I too thought this was not peak Zahid. He seems to turn it up towards the end of the year pretty consistently so I'm not too surprised by this. Last year, some blamed the cut, but that's a non-factor this year. 

Ya his gas tank issues usually seem worse early in the season. I remember a couple years ago when Bo Jordan was on his way to beating a gassed  Zahid when Valencia gave Zeke the signal to  "throw lung brick dummy!". It was pretty comical  when you watch the video and Zeke's response to Zahid's signal. 9:45 mark below

 

https://www.flowrestling.org/video/6052296-174-lbs-final-bo-jordan-ohio-state-university-vs-zahid-valencia-arizona-state

Edited November 11, 2019 by DocBZ

[silvermedal 210]

Zahid ran into a full size 184 with power and skills.  In addition, Venz has been competing in the Big Ten for years and has wrestled more tough opponents in a single season than Zahid has in his career.  I was initially surprised by the result but wasn't after I watched the video.  Zahid will probably figure out how to put a bit of distance between them but Venz isn't going to suddenly get mauled the next time they compete.  

[Gantry 1,872]

9 minutes ago, silvermedal said:

Venz has been competing in the Big Ten for years and has wrestled more tough opponents in a single season than Zahid has in his career.

[spladle08 1,171]

:) well done

[silvermedal 210]

15 minutes ago, Gantry said:

Meant to say at the collegiate level in D1.  I recognize how good Valencia is.  I'm on the bandwagon.  But moving up a weight usually presents challenges unless you're Bo Nickal.

Worth pointing out it was cold when I posted.  My brain may have been suffering from "shrinkage."

Edited November 11, 2019 by silvermedal

[Housebuye 2,449]

53 minutes ago, hammerlockthree said:

It's mental.....

Partially, but he is also terrible on bottom. 
  
Zeke is not a good bottom coach. These guys struggle there. Zahid isn’t great on bottom either. Norfleet last we saw him could go on the feet with AAs but gets smashed on bottom. The list goes on and on. 
  
It’s frustrating, but in my amateur opinion I think a lot of ASUs challenges revolve around this. Their good guys rarely get blown out, but in close matches with evenly matched guys they lose more often than not (I think...). 

Ohio State has some challenges around this too, but it doesn’t seem to be an issue anymore. It also mostly happened against really good riders (Spencer Lee vs Nato, Ashnault vs Micah, Micah vs every top 20 guy, Bo vs Lewis, etc)

[uncle bernard 1,124]

15 hours ago, dmm53 said:

Just watched the replay.  You might be right, but Zahid was fortunate the clock ran out.  He wrestled pretty sloppy most of the match.  

Definitely saved by the bell there. If Venz had 10 more seconds he probably clears that ankle. I agree he looked really sloppy.

[JerryCallo 94]

With DePrez beating Darmstadt at the Bearcat Open (7-2) methinks 184 is going to be shaken, not stirred, this week. 

[CA_Wrestler 336]

8 hours ago, Housebuye said:

I actually think it was a fine weekend for Anthony. 
  
Anthony, ranked #10, lost to #12 on a last second takedown and beat #11. He also beat a surging Mantanona who will likely be ranked this week. 
 

Hate to say this since the kid is from CA, but Mantanona ain't gonna be doing anything of note.  He's got Valencia nightmares since last year when Zahid destroyed him twice at the same duals.

Like I've been saying for years, A. Valencia needs to vary his neutral game because everybody has been scouting him and the double/throw by ever since he beat Tyler Caldwell at the US Open while he was in HS.

[ugarte 526]

thinking about womack beating valencia in the blood round and setting up impossible-to-fulfill expectations for both of them