SCMAT Exclusive Wrestling Article 10-28-24
2024-2025 SC Wrestling Season Preview #7 - 10-28-24
Cardinal Newman 2024 SCISA State Champions
Season Preview #7 will cover 7 topics for SCISA wrestling, with most of this Preview covering SCISA Recordbook highlights - a new topic for SCMAT.
What are the noteworthy storylines in SCISA this season?
This season may have the most parity and balance of any SCISA season.
20 schools now have wrestling in SCISA.
Three SCISA schools have girls wrestling.
Fourteen SCISA wrestlers went to National Preps last season.
10 returning individual state champions are expected to wrestle in SCISA.
Heathwood Hall has a new head wrestling coach, Coach Matt Vinson. Coach Vinson was at Cross High School prior to the move to Heathwood Hall.
Coach Van Barnhill is leading the Pinewood Prep wrestling program back to a competitive level, as they seek to add to their past success of 9 state individual titles (last one coming in 2019).
Will a first-time Team Champion be crowned in SCISA this year?
No SCISA team outside of Columbia has won a team championship. That stat should remain true after this season - with Hammond, Cardinal Newman and Ben Lippen expecting to have top teams.
John Paul II and Northwood Academy are going to continue to challenge the mid-state establishment, with both teams making the State Duals semi-finals last season and John Paull II becoming the first non-Columbia team as a state finalist.
3 teams in SCISA have won a Wrestling State Championship.
Each team listed below has the overall number of championships on the left and the years on the right.
SCISA
10 - Cardinal Newman - 2009,2010,2011,2012,2014,2015,2016,2017,2018,2024
7 - Hammond - 2005,2006,2007,2008,2013,2019,2020
3 - Ben Lippen - 2021,2022,2023
Which SCISA Coach has the most Team State Champions?
As you might expect, Hammond and Cardinal Newman lead the way with two coaches setting the bar high in the first 8 seasons of SCISA wrestling.
SCISA Coaches: Number of Team State Champions:
4 - Luke Talbot
4 - Eric Goff
3 - Bryan Bush
2 - Austin Hood
2 - Bert Medlin
2 - Evan Moxie
1 - Cole McCarter
1 - Michael DeVita
1 - Wes Hester
Which SCISA team has the most Individual State Champions?
SCMAT has maintained the SCISA individual state champions and it is no surprise to see the top 2 teams below.
SCISA Teams: Number of Individual State Champions:
92 - Hammond
80 - Cardinal Newman
37 - Heathwood Hall
30 - Ben Lippen
10 - St. Joseph's
9 - Pinewood Prep
7 - Augusta Christian School
4 - Greenwood Christian School
3 - John Paul II
2 - Ridge Christian
1 - Northwood Academy
1 - Oakbrook Prep
1 - Orangeburg Prep
1 - Patrick Henry Academy
1 - Porter-Gaud
1 - Thomas Heyward Academy
SCISA had three teams with their first-time individual state champions in 2024.
Congratulations to these wrestlers for achieving a first-time title for their teams in 2024:
126 lbs. - Jonah Coleman (Northwood Academy)
165 lbs. - Luke Sobey (Patrick Henry Academy)
175 lbs. - Tony Brown (Porter-Gaud)
Which SCISA Coach has the most Individual State Champions?
SCMAT has maintained the SCISA individual state champions for each Coach and here is the list.
SCISA Coaches: Number of Individual State Champions:
41 - Austin Hood
39 - Eric Goff
34 - Luke Talbot
15 - Cole McCarter
14 - Bert Medlin
14 - Bryan Bush
12 - Evan Moxie
12 - Hank Wall
9 - Ben Cheatham
9 - Randy Wolfe
8 - Michael DeVita
8 - Tavian Daniels
6 - Ellison Neese
5 - Wes Hester
4 - Andy Boyd
4 - Bret Cooper
4 - Eric Joyner
3 - Bill Damude
3 - Conner Lewis
3 - Daniel Miller
3 - Joel Lowe
3 - Paul Beckwith
3 - Shannon Glenn
2 - Allen Horn
2 - Cal Schoon
1 - Jon Sobey
1 - Justin Ray
1 - Rob Stolin
1 - Ryan Roselieb
1 - Sam Brown
1 - Tommy Chandler
NOTE - coaches have not been determined yet for:
St. Joseph's from 2005-2009 (10 state champions)
Ben Lippen from 2005-2006 (3 state champions)
Oakbrook Prep from 2013 (1 state champion)
The list of 4x, 5x and 6x time SCISA Individual State Champions
In SCISA, varsity wrestling begins in 6th grade ... which means more individual state title opportunities than SCHSL (varsity begins in 9th grade for SCHSL wrestling).
SCISA has never had a 7x state champion in wrestling (the max possible), though one day that record is likely to be achieved.
Luke Martin of Hammond will be seeking his 5th SCISA Individual State Title this season. Luke is already in the elite group of ten SCISA wrestlers to have 4 or more state titles.
SCMAT's recordbook is below, with career state placement for each wrestler.
SCISA Individual: 6x State Champions:
Gantt Castles - Hammond (2015 132 1st, 2014 126 1st, 2013 126 1st, 2012 113 1st, 2011 103 1st, 2010 103 1st)
SCISA Individual: 5x State Champions:
Myles Roberts - Heathwood Hall (2002 145 1st, 2021 132 1st, 2020 126 1st, 2019 126 1st, 2018 120 1st)
SCISA Individual: 4x State Champions (by graduating year):
** Luke Martin - Hammond (Sr., 2024 138 1st, 2023 138 1st, 2022 132 1st, 2021 113 1st, 2020 106 2nd)
Gervais Baker - Hammond (2012 120 1st, 2011 125 1st, 2010 112 1st, 2009 103 1st)
Guy Castles - Hammond (2011 145 1st, 2010 140 1st, 2009 130 1st, 2008 112 2nd, 2007 103 1st)
Bradford MacGillvary - Hammond (2010 145 1st, 2009 140 2nd, 2008 135 1st, 2007 130 2nd, 2006 125 1st, 2005 112 1st)
Talley Lattimore - Cardinal Newman (2009 135 1st, 2008 125 1st, 2007 119 1st, 2006 103 1st)
Hudson White - Hammond (2008 140 1st, 2007 135 1st, 2006 130 1st, 2005 119 1st)
Tripp Ulmer - Hammond (2008 145, 1st, 2007 145 1st, 2006 140 1st, 2005 135 1st)
Ross Power - Hammond (2008 171 1st, 2007 152 1st, 2006 135 1st, 2005 125 1st)
** - still active
In case the history buffs were wondering about the 3x State Champions, there are 24 three-time state champions in SCISA wrestling history.
SCMAT will cover these 24 wrestlers one day in another exclusive ... here is the team breakdown of these 3x individual champions:
11 - Hammond
5 - Cardinal Newman
5 - Heathwood Hall
2 - Ben Lippen
1 - St. Joseph's
Finally, let's cover the SCISA career wins topic
There is a bit of competition that never ceases in SCISA wrestling ... a good tradition continues.
Luke Martin (Hammond) is expected to become the new career wins leader in SCISA wrestling, surpassing the record established in 2012 by Cole McCarter.
Luke set the Hammond all-time wins record last season reaching 149 varsity wins. The Hammond record was previously held by Gantt Castles. Castles had an overall record of 143-16.
Cole McCarter (Cardinal Newman) is the current winningest wrestler in SCISA history with 155 victories ... but his record is eventually going to be broken ... uncannily, by the rival team.
All the best this season to Luke Martin of Hammond, setting the record higher than ever before.
This wraps up our SC wrestling Season Previews.
If you notice any updates related to the Season Preview above, please send an email to scmat@hotmail.com
thanks,
Mark Buford
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