SCMAT Exclusive Wrestling Article 9-30-24

SCMAT Exclusive Wrestling Article 9-30-24

2024-2025 SC Wrestling Season Preview #3 - 9-30-24

Eastside 2024 4A State Champions

Season Preview #3 will cover 3 key topics for the 4A classification as well as extra coverage of State Individual Bracket sizes.

SCHSL Realignment impacts to 4A

Impact #1 - 4A State Duals will be a new world.
What changed ...
7 of the 8 teams that were in the Elite Eight of 4A State Duals last season have moved up to 5A.
May River is the only team from last year's Elite Eight that remains in 4A.
Many consider May River the pre-season favorite in 4A based on Coach Powell's consistent success.

Impact #2 - 4A State Individuals will also be a new world.
What changed ...
9 of the 12 top teams from last year's 4A Traditional State have moved up to 5A.
May River, Greer and Hartsville are the teams from last year's top 12 that remain in 4A.
A year ago, 4A had 31 more Returning State Placers/Qualifiers than the expected Returners this year.

Only 3 returning individual state champions are expected to wrestle in 4A ... which means, we can count on at least 11 4A wrestlers experiencing a "state champ" moment for the first time in 2025.

Here are some stats that show a bit more of the Realignment impact to 4A:
As we noted last week, the teams going from 4A up to 5A are adding 56 Returning State Placers/Qualifiers to 5A.
The teams moving from 3A and 2A-1A up to 4A are adding just 18 Returning State Placers/Qualifiers to 4A.
The key wrestling teams from 3A and 2A-1A moving to 4A are: Beaufort, Bishop England, Blue Ridge, Brookland-Cayce, Camden, Daniel, Darlington, Dreher, Emerald, Fountain Inn, Gilbert, Lakewood, Seneca, Travelers Rest, Wren.

Will SC crown a first-time Team Champion in 4A State Duals this year?

4 teams in 4A have won a wrestling State Championship. However, the last time for any of these 4 teams was 1988. And the other 3 teams were in the 1970's.

It is highly probable in 4A that a first-time champion will be crowned. May River, South Pointe and Laurens - plus key 3A teams that moved up to 4A (Gilbert, Travelers Rest, Fountain Inn) - will all be contenders and seeking their first state title.

Each team listed below has the overall number of championships on the left and the title years on the right.

4A
4 - Lower Richland - 1972,1973,1974,1975
3 - Airport - 1976,1977,1978
1 - Dreher - 1988
1 - Greer - 1978

Talent will be within these 4A Teams

We know these are resilient 4A teams, with many 4A coaches and wrestlers believing this is their breakout season to earn elite status.

More than any other classification this season, 4A teams know they have the greatest opportunity for first-time titles - team and individuals.

For those that like wrestling history trivia, you may recall talented wrestlers that were once on today's 4A teams that impacted their school and our sport in past generations.

If you do not recall the wrestler associated with each team below, just search the Recordbooks at SCMAT for the trivia answer.

Lower Richland generated a wrestler becoming the first Olympian wrestler from SC

Greer generated a wrestler becoming the first 3x collegiate All-American in D1 from SC

Blue Ridge generated a wrestler that would coach state title teams at 2 different SC high schools, compiling over 400 wins

Emerald generated a wrestler becoming the SC high school wrestler with the highest winning percentage - 99.48%

Airport generated a wrestler becoming the first 4x state champion in SC

Beaufort generated a wrestler becoming a 3x collegiate NCAA D1 Qualifier and 1x All-American

Hilton Head has generated wrestlers becoming Fargo All-Americans

Brookland-Cayce generated a wrestler becoming a US Open Senior Greco Placer as well as 3x champion U.S. Beach Wrestling Nationals/ World Team Trials

Bishop England generated a wrestler becoming a 2x collegiate NCAA D1 Qualifier

Dreher generated a wrestler becoming a 2x collegiate NCAA D1 Qualifier

Bluffton generated a wrestler becoming a collegiate NCAA D2 Qualifier

A.C. Flora generated a wrestler becoming a collegiate All-American (NJCAA)

Travelers Rest generated a wrestler becoming a collegiate All-American (NJCAA)

State Individual Tournament bracket sizes

Each classification will be deciding on the bracket size for the State Individual Tournament in February 2025.

A 16-man bracket for State Individuals appears to be the preference for 5A, 4A, 3A and 2A-1A.

Should all classifications double their State Individual brackets (from 8 to 16), the Florence Center will be packed February 21-22, 2025 and you may want to think about hotel reservations early.

Girls wrestling is expected to stay with a bracket of 8 for State Individuals.

Next week on 10-7-24, SCMAT will have Season Preview #4 and cover the 3A classification.

If you notice any updates related to the Season Preview above, please send an email to scmat@hotmail.com

thanks,

Mark Buford