SCMAT Exclusive Wrestling Article 10-7-24
2024-2025 SC Wrestling Season Preview #4 - 10-7-24
West-Oak 2024 3A State Champions
Season Preview #4 will cover 3 key topics for the 3A classification as well as extra coverage of Classification Trivia on Team Titles.
SCHSL Realignment impacts to 3A
Impact #1 - 3A State Duals will only have 27 wrestling teams after the Realignment, compared to 43 teams a year ago. That means 3A will no longer fill up a 32 team State Duals bracket.
Impact #2 - 3A State Individuals will have 36 fewer Returning State Placers/Qualifiers than the number of Returners a year ago.
Only 5 returning individual state champions are expected to wrestle in 3A.
Three of the Final Four teams from last season's 3A State Duals have moved to different classifications (Gilbert, Chester and Dreher) - though most of the perennial power teams are still in 3A - West-Oak, Belton-Honea Path, Palmetto, Aynor, Powdersville, Crescent, Woodruff, Battery Creek, etc.
Here are some stats that show a bit more of the Realignment impact to 3A:
The teams going from 3A up to 4A are adding 15 Returning State Placers/Qualifiers to 4A.
The teams going from 3A down to 2A-1A are adding 12 Returning State Placers/Qualifiers to 2A-1A.
The teams moving from 2A-1A up to 3A are adding just 2 Returning State Placers/Qualifiers to 3A.
Last week, SCMAT highlighted the key wrestling teams moving from 3A to 4A.
The key wrestling teams from 3A moving to 2A-1A are: Chester, Clinton, Lake City, Manning and Philip Simmons.
The key wrestling teams from 2A-1A moving to 3A are: Christ Church and Keenan.
Here's the hammer side to all the stats, 8 of the 10 top teams from last year's 3A Traditional State are still in 3A.
As we discovered the last few weeks, 4A is experiencing a new world with all the transition of teams out and in - while 3A feels like a narrowing world, with a concentration of the competition.
West-Oak is nearing dynasty level
West-Oak has 3 State Titles in a row ... with the expectation of winning a 4th consecutive state title this season, they will be knocking on the Recordbook door of title streaks and the other elite dynasties in SC wrestling history - Rock Hill (5) and Eastside (6 and 9* active streak).
In the path of West-Oak's goal are talented Upper State wrestling programs at Belton-Honea Path and Palmetto. Add in Woodruff, Aynor, Powdersville, Crescent, Waccamaw, Battery Creek, Hanahan and Loris - there is always tough 3A competition.
Will SC crown a first-time Team Champion in 3A State Duals this year?
8 teams in 3A have won a Wrestling State Championship.
It is doubtful in 3A that a first-time champion will be crowned. However, Palmetto is the team to keep an eye on this season. Palmetto will be one of the top 3A teams and they have the returning talent to become a first-time champion.
Each team listed below has the overall number of championships on the left and the years on the right. West-Oak will be the favorite to four-peat.
3AClassification Trivia on Team Titles
40 teams have won team state titles and 60 coaches have won team state titles.
Let's start with a key stat we've been highlighting during these weeks, with 5A Division 1 Teams leading all classifications with the number of teams that have won a team state title (see numbers below):
10 teams in current 5A Division 1 have won a wrestling State Championship
8 teams in current 3A have won a Wrestling State Championship
8 teams in current 2A-1A have won a Wrestling State Championship
7 teams in current 5A Division 2 have won a wrestling State Championship
4 teams in current 4A have won a wrestling State Championship
3 teams with State Championships are no longer wrestling due to merging with other schools
Here is interesting trivia, with 3A Teams leading all classifications with the number of team state titles for current teams mentioned above (see numbers below):
43 team state titles - current 3A teams
40 team state titles - current 5A Division 1 teams
39 team state titles - current 5A Division 2 teams
19 team state titles - current 2A-1A teams
9 team state titles - current 4A teams
More interesting trivia, with 2A-1A Coaches leading all classifications with the number of active coaches with at least 1 team state title (see numbers below):
4 coaches - active 2A-1A coaches - Jon Rentz, Roy Lemmons, Michael Steinbar, Anthony Martin
3 coaches - active 5A Division 2 coaches - Jack Kosmicki, Lance Abernathy, Adam Marullo
3 coaches - active 3A coaches - Derek Strobel, Chris Strickland, Durham Ray Adkins
1 coach - active 5A Division 1 coaches - Cain Beard
0 coaches - active 4A coaches
This means a 4A coach will experience coaching a team champion for the first time.
And, out of the 60 coaches that have won a team state title, just 11 are active wrestling coaches. SC will be adding to that total this season.
Next week on 10-14-24, SCMAT will have Season Preview #5 and cover the 2A-1A classification.
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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