BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Led by repeat champion Jake Brumbelow (112 pounds), Georgia turned in a strong performance in the High School Division of the NHSCA National Pre-Season Wrestling Championships Nov. 24-25 at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center.

Brumbelow, who won at 103 last year, was one of seven Georgia champions in the 14 weight classes. Brian McGahee (103), Bradley Scott (119), Chad Monroe (125), Christopher Coleman (160), Nickolai Timbs (189), and Tom Eustace (275) also won titles for Georgia.

The Outstanding Wrestler award was won by the 152-pound champion, Matt Kirspel of Livingston, N.J. Kirspel, the other repeat champion in the High School Division, also has won back-to-back titles in the National Open Championships, for a total of four consecutive titles won in NHSCA-sponsored events. Kirspel, a senior, scored two pins and two technical falls before scoring an impressive 9-3 victory over two-time Florida state champion Matt Markowski of Fort Myers in the championship match. Kirspel was voted the Outstanding Wrestler in the High School Division.

Nearly 400 wrestlers from 20 states - including 225 in the High School Division - competed in the two-day event.

Cleveland Berto (140) and Chandler Hahn (145) of Winter Haven, Fla., teammates at Lake Region High, also won titles, making Florida the only other state with multiple champions in the High School Division. Tennessee, Ohio, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Iowa had one champion each.

Two-time Tennessee state champion Darren McKnight (130) of Red Bank High, Chattanooga, added a Pre-Season Championships title to the National Open Championships crown he won in July, beating Harold Skidmore of Beverly Hills, Fla. 8-5. McKnight committed to Michigan State University during the November signing period.

Other high school winners were Nick Spatola (135) of North Bend, Ohio; Edward Demase (171) of Malden, Mass.; and Mike Engelman (215) of Spencer, Iowa.

Georgia also led the way in the Middle School Division (grades 6-9) with five champions, followed by Alabama (three), Minnesota and Ohio (two each) and Illinois (one). Brian McNitt (95) of Kennesaw, Ga. was the only repeat champion, while Ben Fiacco (135) of Acworth, Ga. was voted the Outstanding Wrestler. Alabama crowned four champions and Georgia three in the Elementary Division (grades 4-6), with Indiana earning one. Andrew Lanham (70) of Acworth, Ga., Tyler Osborn (985) of Hoover, Ala., and Jeremy Norman (105) of Chatsworth, Ga. were repeat champions. The Outstanding Wrestler award went to the 75-pound champion, Jay Adamson of Dalton, Ga.

The NHSCA sponsor seven national championship events in the sports of wrestling, golf, tennis, soccer, softball, and cross country. During the past year, the 11th annual Senior National High School Wrestling Championships attracted a record 797 entries to Pittsburgh, Pa. in March. The third annual National High School Sports Festival attracted nearly 1,000 entries to Orlando, Fla. in June, and the third annual National Open Wrestling Championships attracted 1,023 entries to Birmingham, Ala. in July. For a complete schedule of the coming year's events, visit the NHSCA's web site at www.nhsca.com.

The National High School Coaches Association is a not-for-profit 501c3 service organization founded in 1989 to provide support and leadership programs for the nation’s 500,000 high school coaches.

High School Division (Grades 9-12)

 

103 pounds

Championship: Brian McGahee, Powder Springs, Ga., d. Michael Cuthbertson, Scottsdale, Ala., 7-5.

Third place: Jordan Henning, Sanibel, Fla., d. Shawn Cordell, Chattanooga, Tenn., 5-4. 

Fifth place: Justin Andress, Cumming, Ga., d. Evan Zupko, Albany, Ga., 5-1.

 

112 pounds

Championship: Jake Brumbelow, Cartersville, Ga., d. Jimmy Rodriguez, Citrus Springs, Fla., 6-4.

Third place: Bobby Whitley, Anniston, Ala., m.d. Ben Watson, Ravenna, Mich., 12-3.

Fifth place: Cory Newsome, Powder Springs, Ga., m.d. Ben Menzor, Aurora, Colo., 9-1.

 

119 pounds

Championship: Bradley Scott, Kingston, Ga., m.d. Michael Lloyd, Dublin, Ga., 11-2.

Third place: Sam Hazewinkel, Pensacola, Fla., m.d. Justin Crow, Winter Haven, Fla., 11-3.

Fifth place: Edwin Hernandez, Carrollton, Texas, forf. Luke Metzker, Lexington, Ky.

 

125 pounds

Championship: Chad Monroe, Acworth, Ga., d. Russell Colley, Jefferson, Ga., 6-4.

Third place: Josh Keefe, Ringgold, Ga., m.d. Eric Glass, Hoover, Ala., 22-11.

Fifth place: Amond Prater, Marietta, Ga., d. Ruston Kirby, Farmers Branch, Texas, 6-3.

 

130 pounds

Championship: Darren McKnight, Hixson, Tenn., d. Harold Skidmore, Beverly Hills, Fla., 8-5.

Third place: Matthew Ducher, Macedonia, Ohio, d. Jonathan Searcy, Calhoun, Ga., 13-7.

Fifth place: Kevin Mahoney, Malden, Mass., .t.f. Shane Weaver, Hiram, Ga., 18-2 at 4:14.

 

135 pounds

Championship: Nick Spatola, North Bend, Ohio, d. Josh Watts, Davenport, Iowa, 5-3.

Third place: Michael Keefe, Ringgold, Ga., d. Peter Ashford, Acworth, Ga., 10-5.

Fifth place: Michael Delviscovo, Medford, Mass., forf. Jonathan Barden, Canton, Ga.

 

140 pounds

Championship: Cleveland Berto, Winter Haven, Fla., d. Ryan Mackin, Columbia, Md., 8-4 OT.

Third place: Nick Fiacco, Acworth, Ga., p. Derrick Logan, Bradenton, Fla., 1:12.

Fifth place: Curt Despard, Southwick, Mass., d. John Davis, Franklin, Tenn., 6-3.

 

145 pounds

Championship: Chandler Hahn, Winter Haven, Fla., m.d. Eric Rogers, Lawrenceville, Ga., 8-0.

Third place: Seth Garvin, Homewood, Ala., t.f. Chad Dalton, Independence, Ky., 21-6 at 5:32.

Fifth place: John Salters, Gardendale, Ala., forf. Nick Hubner, Bethalto, Ill.

 

152 pounds

Championship: Matt Kirspel, Livingston, N.J., d. Matt Markowski, Fort Myers, Fla., 9-3.

Third place: Travis Picard, Allendale, Mich., m.d. Andrew Carver, Hixson, Tenn., 11-3.

Fifth place: Andy Roberts, Birmingham, Ala., d. Scott Konicki, Madison, Ga., 9-3.

 

160 pounds

Championship: Christopher Coleman, Fayette, Ga., d. Ramon Mejia, Columbia S.C., 6-2.

Third place: Wynn Michalak, Caro, Mich., d. Otto Nobis, Davenport, Iowa, 11-5.

Fifth place: Phillip Merrill, Allendale, Mich., m.d. Eli Cleveland, Atlanta, Ga., 9-0.

 

171 pounds

Championship: Edward Demase, Malden, Mass., d. Jeff Cuthbertson, Scottsboro, Ala., 12-9.

Third place: Blake Fisher, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., forf. Chris Firebaugh, Clarksville, Tenn.

Fifth place: Brad Hettich, Birmingham, Ala., forf. Austin Tutwiler, Birmingham, Ala.

 

189 pounds

Championship: Nickolai Timbs, Atlanta, Ga., p. Jeff Jennings, Trussville, Ala., 2:41.

Third place: Billy Gurak, Birmingham, Ala., p. Cody Browning, Pelham, Ala., 0:47.

Fifth place: Kyle Davis, Houston, Ga.

 

215 pounds

Championship: Mike Engelman, Spencer, Iowa, p. Matt Bishop, Dallas, Ga., 3:20.

Third place: Andy Hendrix, Kennesaw, Ga., forf. Ron Elzie, Clarksville, Tenn.

Fifth place: Timothy Kelley, Woodstock, Ga., t.f. Martin Vera, Wahneta, Fla., 20-5 at 4:42.

 

275 pounds

Championship: Tom Eustace, Marietta, Ga., inj. def. Ryan Schnetzer, Newnan, Ga.

Third place: Matt Seaberg, Franklin, Tenn., p. John Hubbartt, Hiram, Ga., 0:52.

Fifth place: Joe Clark, Stockbridge, Ga., p. Devin Wakeley, Gardendale, Ala., 3:28.

 

Outstanding Wrestler - Kirspel, 152 pounds.

 

 

Junior High Division (Grades 7-9)

 

80 pounds

Championship: Jayson Ness, Bloomington, Minn., p. Chris Schwartz, Sarasota, Fla., 1:58.

 

85 pounds

Championship: Cory Cormier, Columbus, Ohio, p, Charlie Wilson, Ashland, Va., 1:07.

Third place: Josh Varner, Union Springs, Ga., d. Rem Cooper, Lookout Mountain, Tenn.

Fifth place: Daniel Richey, Pelham, Ala.

 

90 pounds

Championship: Jeff Gleason, Apple Valley, Minn., d. Zachary DeHeve, Madison, Ala., 5-0.

Third place: Ryan Romano, Birmingham, Ala., d. Ian Harper, Odenville, Ala., 7-2.

Fifth place: Alex Brown, Sarasota, Fla., forf. Rick McKnight, Hixson, Tenn.

 

95 pounds

Championship: Brian McNitt, Kennesaw, Ga., d. Forrest Millsap, Homewood, Ala., 6-3.

 

100 pounds

Championship: Brian Scott, Kingston, Ga., d. Madison Roberts, Signal Mountain, Tenn. 9-2.

 

105 pounds

Championship: John Mark Rives, Vestavia Hills, Ala., d. Jay Shurbet, Birmingham, Ala., 5-2.

Third place: Jake Dill, Ocilla, Ga., d. C.J. Ferrara, Millington, N.J., 5-1.

 

115 pounds

Championship: Marty Engwall, Oak Forest, Ill., p. Stephen Priola, Hoover, Ala., 2:51.

Third place: Bond Davis, Franklin, Tenn., p. David Davis, Centerline, Ohio, 3:36.

Fifth place: Charles Gaughf, Albany, Ga., forf. David Wolverton, Niceville, Fla.

 

125 pounds

Championship: Joey Knox, Sylvester, Ga., d. Andrew Smith, Signal Mountain, Tenn., 14-9.

Third place: Ryan Morgan, Zanesville, Ohio, d. Zeke Hazewinkel, Pensacola, Fla., 6-2.

Fifth place: Wesley Walker, Marietta, Ga., d. Jason Likis, Gardendale, Ala., 8-5.

 

135 pounds

Championship: Ben Fiacco, Acworth, Ga., d. Justin Brown, Hoover, Ala., 7-0.

Third place: John Stanfield, Oneonta, Ala., d. Ryan Budd, Aurora, Colo., 7-3.

Fifth place: Ryan Hagan, Birmingham, Ala., p. Casey King, Dallas, Ga., 4:29.

 

145 pounds

Championship: Jeremiah Clapp, Kingston, Ga., d. Musa Shunnarah, Hoover, Ala., 5-1.

Third place: Zachary Hayward, Bradenton, Fla., m.d. Wesley Russell, Pinson, Ala., 15-5.

Fifth place: Ryan Kane, Huntsville, Ala., p. Scott Erwin, Gardendale, Ala., 4:03.

 

155 pounds

Championship: Craig Burns, West Jefferson, Ohio, p. Kyle Mullins, Birmingham, Ala., 0:09.

Third place: Nathan Huffstetler, Acworth, Ga., p. Garrett Guy, Dallas, Ga., 3:54.

Fifth place: T.H. Leet, Atlanta, Ga., p. Tony Pecho, Frankfort, Ill., 2:25.

 

170 pounds

Championship: Ben Johnson, Pelham, Ala., p. Mickael Dill, Ocilla, Ga., 2:13.

Third place: Tim Gaydosh, Birmingham, Ala., m.d. Raymond Nason, Sarasota, Fla., 10-0.

Fifth place: David Hubbartt, Hiram, Ga.

 

220 pounds

1st: Ben DeHeve, Madison, Ala.; 2nd: Chase Burch, Fultondale, Ala; 3rd: J.T. Burkhart, Birmingham, Ala.

 

Outstanding Wrestler - Fiacco, 135 pounds.

 

 

Elementary Division (Grades 4-6)

 

65 pounds

Championship: Joshua Smith, Riverside, Ala., m.d. Benjamin Wilson, Ashland, Va., 12-2.

Third place: Christian Hudgens, Woodstock, Ga., p. Keith Marsh, Hayden, Ala., 2:33.

Fifth place: Michael Gentile, Woodstock, Ga., t.f. Austin Brown, Sarasota, Fla., 17-0 at 2:55.

 

70 pounds

Championship: Andrew Lanham, Acworth, Ga., d. Kyle Cuthbertson, Scottsboro, Ala., 11-10.

Third place: Chase Cuthbertson, Scottsboro, Ala., d. Ben Johnson, Chattanooga, Tenn., 10-8 OT.

Fifth place: Cody Roberts, Bessemer, Ala., p. Gabriel Conrad, Sarasota, Fla., 0:53.

 

75 pounds

Championship: Jay Adamson, Dalton, Ga., d. Carson Fields, Flowery Branch, Ga., 7-0.

Third place: Zachary Clark, Prattville, Ala., d. Tyler Glass, Hoover, Ala., 13-11.

Fifth place: Derek Hayward, Bradenton, Fla., p. Alex Medved, Acworth, Ga., 2:40.

 

80 pounds

Championship: Rhys Canaday, Syracuse, Ind., p. Wiley David, Franklin, Tenn., 0:29.

Third place: Ryan Medved, Acworth, Ga., m.d. Garrett Giddens, Adel, Ga., 14-4.

Fifth place: Cory Williams, Bessemer, Ala.

 

85 pounds

Championship: Tyler Osborn, Hoover, Ala., d. J.C. Oddo, Acworth, Ga., 7-4.

Third place: Chad Pair, Marietta, Ga., d. Andy Johnson, Pelham, Ala., 4-2.

Fifth place: Samantha Cox, Sarasota, Fla., p. Greg D'Ambrosio, Bethalto, Ill., 3:44.

 

90 pounds

Championship: David Carmichael, Deatsville, Ala., p. Anthony DiSalvo, Gardendale, Ala., 3:25.

Third place: Trent Corey, Flowery Branch, Ga., p. Patrick Flynn, Ooltewah, Tenn., 4:17.

Fifth place: Brian Carman, Little Elm, Texas.

95 pounds
Championship: Justin Spain Tenn.

105 pounds

Championship: Jeremy Norman, Chatsworth, Ga., p. Mike Bell, Madison, Ala., 0:29.

Third place: Nicholas Gregoris, Mebane, N.C., p. John Hines, Bessemer, Ala., 0:56.

 

115 pounds

Championship: Derek Carmichael, Prattville, Ala., p. Jacob Burkhart, Birmingham, Ala., 0:30.

Third place: Nicholas Smith, Sarasota, Fla., p. Brad Bunkley, Sarasota, Fla., 0:55.

 

Outstanding Wrester - Adamson, 75 pounds.